Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-23
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claimed.
We backed out, leaving Lum We be.
hind, and Samuels slammed the door.
He swung the hasp over and ran one
OF his handouts through the staple,
securing the door.
"That1l hold him." Samuels said.
And now monsieur will resume his
search for the shoe that trod that
olackness into the carpet, eh?" F1ique
chuckled. First the little mysteries,
then the big mystery. That Is the way
OF life, is 1t not2"
Samuels muttered one of his impres
cations and took himself of.
What neXt?" / inquired of Fliuue.
TO think and to act, mon ami, that Ia
the sum of achievement, yes? I shall
think. and you, M. rAntiquaire shall
find the pretty mademolselle. 1t is well
that am not 90 years younger. Run
along, my little one"
You soon lose touch with the ar
denotes of youth in the ANTIQUE BUSH
ness, ana hurrieds OF feeling ridicu-
lousy juvenile.
Caroline had said she would be up
on the slope and followed the path
that ran along the edge Of The Gut
IL was apparent at a glance that The
Gut could not be crossed, except per-
haps at very low tide, as Prof. Johns
and Hendricks had said. Even now 1t
was impossible. Tawny waters Kissed
violently into secret caverns. No one
crossed 1t during the hour in which
Parados was killed. OF that was GER
tain.
The Gut was curved like a scimitar,
lts point extending southwark. A half
mile of brisk walking had brought me
almost to the apex of The Gut. Chapar-
raj clad the trail on either side of the
slope, but as I drew near the bluff It
,n down to solitary clumps Of
Such lovely morning to be lazy"
Caroline said. How did you manage TO
get away from that funny Mr.. Flique?"
Carollnes warm voice came from be-
mind thicket of buckthorn to NV
left. found her sitting against an
eucalyptus tree with a book on her
lap and that bantering look I loved In
her eyes.
He told me to come and find YOU"
laughed. dropping beside her,
That was nice of him. Isn't It gor-
geous up here? could almost forget
that horrible affair ever happened"
That was my thought when you
spoke" I said. You feel as though
rupt"
Caroline's eyes sparkled. "You are
Hunt"
That's interesting. In what way?"
How old are you?"
"Thirty-almoSt."
"Heavensl Whoever heard of a man
Of that age being in the antique BUSH
ness? thought they were all so at
least, and wore boards like Victorian
scientists and editorial writer's"
You think my profession has aged
was sitting on the grass at her
feet. my face on level with hers, and
l knew had never seen anything quite
so satisfactory as the picture she made.
I'm not 50 sure now" she informed
me meditatively. II thought you were
old-inside, I mean-buC you are not.
I suppose it's that thin dark, wiry look
you have. Suddenly she was laughing
ingly at the corners Of her eyes and
mouth. M pAntiquaire, she declared.
You are younger than you were last
than 16."
Well" grinned. 1--WE been through
good deal since last night"
Her eyes darkened and I regretted
the reference had made.
so have l." she replied soberly. "You
must have q good deal to tell me"
I'd sooner talk about something
else" said gently.
$50 would T." and she smiled visit
/ fully. But YOU mustn't forget that Mr..
Samuels sim suspects me Of killing
"samuels," I said stoutly, els an ass.
But doubt very much If he does sus-
pect you now"
No restrictions had been placed upon
me and described my venture during
the night, recounted what Fliuue had
told me, and informed her OF what
had developed during the morning.
Il can't quite imagine Lum We kill
ing his master" she said thoughtfully.
He had plenty Of motive. China lives
for her dead, as Flique said"
why couldn't Parados have left him
alone?" Caroline cried passionately
He had everything any man could wish
for and Lum We had nothing but his
fathers spirit. What beast he wasl)
Do you think Lum We did it,"
Il don't know" Her outburst had
depressed me. Granger gave him an
alioi but Granger has lied twice ale
ready. II Lum Yves motive was the
only one we'd turned up I'd say yes,
but it isn't, by long shot. There's An
nersleys, Johns. the French convicts',
Celia's, Mrs. ParadoS', Granger and
Miss Jahries probably have one"
And Caroline Brent's."
Don't say that" begged, for the
naIuneSS IN ner TONE nad distressed me.
Surely it isn't necessary for me to tell
you that know you hadn't anything to
do with it?"
had drawn nearer and she dropped
her hand onto my arm.
ITS dear Of you to say that"
her eyes were tragic, but really you
don't know anything of the sort"
'Nonsensel" I was beginning when
she stopped me.
1T isn't nonsense. You are lust being
emotional and detectives are not sup
posed to be emotional. Can't we be logi-
cal about it?"
But when you try to throw suspi-
cion on yourself you are not being
logical" burst forth. You are not
going to tell me that you killed Dan
Parados, much as he deserved it, are
youp"
"Of course not. And I'm not trying
to throw suspicion on myself, either.
But would say hadn't killed him II
I had. Don't you seer had motive,
hadn't ~"
TWO good Ones" I admitted reluct-
antly.
And Parados deserved what he got?"
This isn't getting us anywhere"
1T Isl" she declared emphatically.
IT'S bringing you to the point of adj
hitting that Mr. Sanuels has Just as
much reason to suspect me rs he has
any Of the Others"
(ropfinued vr-or,or~oy,