The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-01-24

15 years-15 years of watching rich society girls dawdle away four or five years. just because they've got to be somewhere before they make their debut. But I mustn't talk like that, or I'll give you a wrong impression, Mir Randolph. Of its kind. 1t Is really a very fine schooi--very exclusive; riding mas ters, dancing masters. q golf pro and our own golf course. native teachers for French, Italian. Ger man and Spa nish. Oh, the school is all right. and will probably not suffer any loss of prestige on account of that dreadful murder out in the middle west"
 "Murder?" Dundee echoed. as if he had no idea what she was talk ing about.
 Haven't you been reading the pa pers?" Miss Harle rallied him. with a coquettish smile. But I don't suppose Boston bothers with such sordid things" che added. her thin tipped mouth tightening. Miss Pendleton was all cut up about it.. because Mrs Selim or Juanita Leigh. as she was known on Broad way. had directed our Easter play the last two years. and the re- porters simply bounded us the first two days after she was murdered , of our richest girls have come from"
 By Jove! Dundee exclaimed. Was the Selim woman connected with this school. really? only read the headlines--never pay much attention to murders in the papers"
 q wish" Miss Earle interrupted tartly, fresh tears reckoning her eyes. that people wouldn't persist in referring to her as that Selim woman When I think how sweet and friendly she was, how how kind!" and to Dundee's sur prise she choked on tears before it's dreadful for the school. and ought not to talk about it. when you've just come to see about put ting your sister into the school but Nita was my friend, and it simply makes me wild"
 "You admired and liked her very much?" Dundee asked, forgetting his role for the moment.
 "Yes. I did! And Miss Pendleton liked her, too. And you can imag- inc how clever and popular she was. when a wonderful woman like Mrs Peter Dunlap. who was Lois Nor admired her so much she took her to Hamilton with her to direct plays for a Little Theater t. Why. I never met anyone was SO congenial with!'' the secretary went on passionately. "The girls here snub mo and make silly jokes about me behind my back and call me nicknames. but Nita was just as sweet to me as she was to any one-even Miss Pendleton herself"
 "Were you with her much?" Dun dee dared ask.
 With her much? I should say I waa." she asserted proudly "I have room here. live here the year round. and both years Nita shared my room. so she would not have to make the long trip back to New York every night during the last week of rehearsals. We used to talk until two or three o'clock in the morning-Say." she broke off. in sudden terror. You aren't q re- porter are you?"
 "A reporter? Good Lord. no." Dundee denied in all sincerity :. Then he made up his mind swiftly. | HIS WOIIldH lilc ScHOOl anu all connected with it. had grown more and more sour and envy bitten every year of the 15 she had served there-and she liked Nita Leigh Selim better than anyone she had ever met. The opportunity for direct questioning was too miracu- lous to be ignored. So he changed his tone suddenly and said very earnestly: No. I am not re- porter. Miss Earle. But I am not James Wadley Randolph, Jr. I am James r. Dundee, special investi- gator attached to the office of the district attorney of Hamilton. and want you to help me solve the mystery of Mrs Selim's murder" It took nearly 10 precious min- utes for Dundee to nurse the terri fled but obviously thrilled woman over the shock. and to get her into the mood to answer his questions freely.
 "But I shan't and can't tell you anything bad about Nita!" she pro- tested vehemently. wipng her red trimmed eyes. "The papers are all saying now that she got $10.O00 for double-crossing some awful racketeer named Swallow tail sammy but l know she didn't get tHt Hloney IHdI way. one ~uS LOO good"
 Prom Nita's condolences to you. do you have any idea how she did get the money?" Dundee asked.
 Miss Earle shook her head. "I don't know. but she got it honor Iably. I know that! Maybe she found her husband and made him pay ;limony-"
 | Dundee controlled his excitement with difficulty. '"Did sine tell you all about her marriage and di- lvorce?
 Again Miss Earle shook her head. "The only time she ever spoke of it was last year-the first year she directed our play. you know. Iasked her why she didn't get mar ried again. and she said she lcouldn't-she wasn't divorced, be- cause she didn't know where her husband was. and it was too expen- Isive to go to Reno. Of course she may have found him or some- Ithing-and got divorce sometime this last year. and this money she tgot was a settlement"
 "She must have got divorce, since she was planning to be mar ried again to q young man in Ham lilton.' Dundee assured her sooth- ingly.
 "The way everybody puts the livery worst Interpretation on every