The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-02-25

You know think nothing of the
sort" Dundee protested. u ap-
preciate your giving me an intro
duction to my hostess, and to prove
it, I'm going to ask you to tell me
something more: Have the papers
limited at the real reason for Sey-
mour Crosbys visit to the Berke-
leys'?"
THE society editor said in the
paper this morning: "A little bird
tells me that a very interesting an
nouncement may be expected by
those fortunate enough to be among
MI. and Mrs. Berkeley's guests on
Saturday evening.
Mr.. Seymour Crosby, who was a
felloW-pasSenger Of Mrs. George
Berkeley and Miss Clorinda Berkeley
when they returned from Europe on
the Mauritania in August, is said
to have been markedly attentive
to the beautiful young heireSs'. .
She might just as well have come
right out and said that Seymour
Crosby is marrying Clorinda Berke-
ley for her money"
II wonder" Dundee said, carefully
casual, If the well-inforned society
editor said anything else particular
ly enlightening about Mr.. Seymour
Crosby?"
There! I knew there was a
niger in the woodpile!" Mrs
Rhodes cried triunphantly. It'll bet
you your next weeks board bill it
wasn't till Dick Berkeley mentioned
Seymour Crosby that you agreed to
fritter away a weekend playing
society! Maybe you'd better put
that badge in your suitcase!"
I'm afraid that, as usual, I'll have
to pay my next weeks board BILL y
Dundee confirmed her suspicious
obliquely, and he took her Sugges-
tion-pinning the silver detective
badge securely inside cretonne
pocket of the dressing-case
THE society editor didn't dare
say anything about-thatw Mrs.
Rhodes nodded her severely coiffed
black head emphatically, as her eyes
narrowed. Then annoyance chased
away the look of mystery. "Oh,
there's that Tilda! She stands right
in the middle of the downstairs hall
and baWlS when she wants me.
I do hope you'll have a nice time,
Mr.. Dundee. Don't worry about the
parrot. I'll feed him myself.
And if Abbie Berkeley high-hatS
you, just tell her you heard a mighty
funny story about her and the high
school janitor. Say Caroline Rhodes,
who used to be Caroline Baker, told
you, and that will put a crimp in
her!"
The parrot, Cap'n, who had be-
longed to the murdered woman,
Mrs. Emma Hogarth, and who had
been Of very real assistance in
bringing her murderer to justice,
stirred on his perch, tapped his
green and-yelloW wings, and oblig-
ingly rewarded Mrs. Rhodes with a
hollow cackle of mirth for her exit
line.
"I hate to leave you, my dear
Watson" Dundee told the parrot,
reaching into the cage to scratch
the brilliant head.
The parrot cooked his head, then
slowly dropped a paperish white lid.
Eth? What's that?" Dundee de-
manded. "You mean to imply that
we shant be separated long? That
I may be sending for my dear Wat
SON? Let's hope not, but I assure
you that if business looks up at Hill
crest, this particular Sherlock could
not get along at all without his
Watson.
80 long, old top. I've got to rush
to get there in time for dinner. And
I rather wish I had time to look
into a newspaper file of a year and
half ago, or-that I had as good
a memory as my astute landlady."
q &
FEELING rather sorry for Mrs
L Berkeley that one of her guests
should not be able to arrive in a
suitably impressive car of his own
Bonnie Dundee betook himself and
his suitcase, by means of a taxi, to
Hillcrest, the thirty-acre estate OF
Hamilton's richest manufacturer.
The house was a huge three story
affair of rough-hewn white stone
with gables and turrets and even a
respectfully imposing tower at one
corner. Portions of the walls were
mantled with ivy. Encirciing the
rolling acres was a high, wrought
iron fence. with formidable spikes
designed to keep out intruders, but
the pair of stately gates was moi
locked. nor had the Berkeleys ye'
achieved the dignity Of a gate
keeper.
AS the taxi swept around thu
curved drive Dundee caught
glimpse Of the lake, which lay tt
the east of the house. The setting
sun turned it into a broad pool O.
molten gold, and for the first time
since he had received the urgent
impuIsive invitation from young
Dick Berkeley to stand by, ole
man, or I'll not be able to bear ur
under all the la-de-da," Dundee fel
a thrill of anticipation.
The place, at least, was good t.
look upon, with its Handicapped lawn
its flower gardens, its golden lake
it's big, gracious house. Certainl,
it would offer a welcome chang
from the clalnor and friendly ia
miliarity Of the boarding house. Ant
he had not played for rather to-
long, considering how young he wa
and how much he liked to play.
Maybe there would be prett,
girl. Or would it just be his lucl
to fall in love with Clorinda, VIII
was already engaged to be married
If the little bird" was to be relief
upon? His last love, Norma Paige
was now Mrs. Walter Styles, ant
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