The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-01-15
BEGIN HERE TO-DAY.

BEGIN HERE TO-DAY.
 JUANITA SELIM is murdered at bridge. Suspicion rests on LYDIA CARR, the maid; FLORA Miles, fin Nita's closet at the time Of the murder reading note she thinks is from her husband, but which is from DEXTER SPRAGUE. probably Nita's lover and partner in blackmail, and on RALPH HAM MOND, engaged to Nita. All but Flora have been practically cleared.
 Lydia says she doesn't know whom Nita feared, and tells of n bell Spraguc contrived near Nita's bed which rings fin Lydia's room, and Of which others may know. Acting on a hint from Lydia, DUN. DEE finds at the Selim house, in the guest closet, E secret shelf,
 Investigating the $1O. 900 Nita re- ccivcd, probably as blackmaiI. Dun- dee asks PENNY GRAIN, former society girl, now the district at- torney's secretary, if any of the girls In her set were fin a scandal at the FOrsytc School, where Nita directed the Easter play. She assures him none was, but he is not con- vlnced.
 Dundee drives out to find out from LOIS DUNLAP why Nita CaInc to Hamilton, and learns that she came only after seeing photo. graphs of the crowd as they ap- pcarcd in "Thc Bcggar's Opera" NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
 CHAPTER xxxIII
 'I had to hunt quite bit for them," Lois Dunlap apoIogized as she resumed her seat at the tea table and spread the glossy prints of half 8 dozen large photographs for Dundee's inspection. Do you know The Beggar's Opera'?"
 John Gay-eighteenth century, isn't 1t? ;: As remembered it, it grinning.
 "Bawdy?" Lois laughed. "Oh, very! We couldn't have got away with 1t if it hadn't been classic. As 1t was we had to tone down somc of the naughtiest passages and songs. But it was lots of fun, and the boys enjoyed it hugely be- cause 1t gave them an opportunity to wear tight satin brooches and lace ruffles. This is my hus- band, Peter. He adored being the highwayman, Robin of Bagshot," and she pointed out a stocky. bel 1igerent-looking man near the end of the long row of costumed play CTS, in the photograph which showed the entire cast.
 You say that Mrs Selim &C., cepted your proposal that she come to Hamilton to orgainze Little Theater. after she saw these photo graphs?" Dundee asked. Had she refused before?'
 "Yes. I'd gone to New York for the annual Easter play which the Forsyte school put on, because Pm intensely interested in semi-pro- fessional theatricals, Lois ex- plained. "Nita had done splendid job with the play this year, and l spoke to her after it was over. She was not at all interested then, but polite about it, so l invited her to have lunch with me the next day, and showed her these photographs. in the hope that they would make her take the idea more seriously We had borrowed a Little Theater director from Chicago. and l knew we had done a really good job of The Beggar's Opera The local re- views"
 "These stills look extremely
 
 they interested Nita," Dundee cut in. Will you tell me what she said?"
 "She rather startled me-" Lois Dunlap confessed. "I first showed her this picture of the whole cast, and as I was explaining the play a bit-she didn't know The Beggar's Opera'-she almost snatched the photograph out of my hands. As she studied it, her lovely black eyes grew perfectly enormous. I've never seen her so excited since"
 What did she say?' Dundee in- terrupted tensely.
 "Why. she said nothing just at first. then she began to laugh in the queerest way - almost hys- terically. I asked her why she was laughing - I was a little huffy, I'm afraid-and she said the men looked so adorably conceded and funny. Then she began to ask the names of the players. I told her that 'Macheath'-he's the highway man hero, you know-waa played by Give Hammond; that my Peter was Robin of Bagshot.' that wayman, Mat of the Mint that Tracey Miles played the jailor, Lockit'-"
 Did she show more interest in one man than another?"
 "Yes. When I pointed out Judge Marshall as 'Peachum.' the fence, she cried out suddenly: Why, know him! I met him once on a party. Is he really q judge" and she laughed as If she knew something very funny about Hugo
 cI,o Ia inveterate lady killer before his marriage, as you may have heard"
 Do you think her first excite ment was over seeing Judge Mar shall among the players pictures"