The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-04-21
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r. DY ANNE AOCTIN G0oN2NRL By AxA lE0lEx

representing myself as Mrs. Parker,
and received the package without
difficulty. 1t was-so easy"
That you tried it again and
again." Dundee suggested softly.
Eyes. But the last time I was
frightened, for I had her send the
money to the American Express
Company in London. Doris saw me
there, but I was sure she believed
me when I remarked casually that
I was asking for my own mail.
phyllis told me that her worst
fears had been confirmed; that she
was being blackmailed and that her
father had refused to cable her any
more money.
"She could not meet the black
mailer's last demand. Seymour had
sent for me, you know, to try to
cheer her up. Mel"
Tears forced themselves out of
her closed eyes and slipped down
her pallid cheeks. IT was - the
night she died. I told her. begged
her, to end it all by telling her hrs-
| DdnQ Jne truth.
at hated myself. wanted to sin no
more, but so long as Seymour didn't
| know, 1 knew would be too weak to
resist the temptation.
Phyllis thought the man had
followed her, of course, that it was
he who was bleeding her. Doris
knew as much as Phyllis herself
knew; the mistress and maid were
the closest of friends.
cat last Phyllis agreed to tell Sey-
mour, and left Phyllis on the roof
to give him the message. You know
the rest-that she died rather than
tell him the truth.
"At the inquest Doris exonerated
Seymour, of course, but she con-
fided to me that she would aYenge
| her adored mistress if she had to
devote the rest of her life to the
cause.
Her plan was to hire detectives
to trace Phyllis blackmailer and
make him pay for his crime. That
is why she wanted the beauty shop
to make money more quickly. She
never suspected that it was-I. She
trusted me, was fond Of me,
until
Il UNTIL Friday night when she
~ saw you pouring wood alcohol
into Mrs. Berkeley's perfume" Dun
dee finished the sentence for her.
Yes" Mrs. Lambert agreed duly.
I did not hear her come in; she
moved so quietly always.
She must have been watching me
for minute or two, for she said:
so 1t was you-you!-who killed
Miss PhyllisP I knew then that she
would have no mercy, would not try
to understand why was planning
to murder"
II believe I do, Mrs Lambert"
Dundee interrupted. There were
three reasons why you wanted Mrs.
Berkeley to die. First, you loved her
husband, and wanted him to be free
70 love you and marry you"
But he didn't know! He never,
by word or a look"
Il know. But you hoped he would
marry you for Gigi's sake, then come
to love you for yourself. And Gigi
knew you loved her father. Friday
night, in a fit of hysterical resent
ment against her mother, she
begged him to divorce her and
marry you"
Tho r]r-oUr, Foca roF+a,,od rrI01yaI
Did she? My precious Gigi! Thank
you for telling me. But oh, what
will she think of me now?"
The second reason, of course,
was that you adored Gigi, the child
you told yourself you should have
had"
"Yes," Mrs. Lambert whispered
and hid her face with her hands.
Third: The same reason you
lblackmailed Phyllis Crosby. Money.
You could not endure the Thoughts
of poverty. of working for your in
feriors, of being Inundated daily
by woman like Mrs. Berkeley"
"She deserved to die!" Mrs. Lam
bert cried suddenly, rising on her
elbow to stare at him with wild
eyes. "A drunkard, a fool, a self
ish and cruel mother, a nagging
wife to the finest man in the world
But I gave her her chance to
live! Even after she had slapped
my darling that night, made her
promise not to drink the perfume
Seymour had given her. I told my
self then: I shall poison it to-
night. If she breaks her promise,
she deserves to die
"But it was Doris who died." Dun
dee said.
He rose and signaled to Captain
! Strawn, chief of the homicide squad.
THE END.