The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-01-06
TOMORROW: Hip reducing.
flowers off that plate. Here's an-

l sSuuSbbss flowers off that plate. Here's an- other.'
 "Im inclined to say Pooh.' too. Penny" Dundee assured her, but Tracey Miles told me last night when he came to get Lydia that Nita really seemed to be in love with Ralph-part of the time at least"
 "Nita thought enough of Dexter Sprague to send for him to come down here, and to root her head off for him to get the job of making the movie," Penny reminded him fercely, making great splashing in the dishpan.
 . "Then-you don't think she was in love with Ralph?" Dundee asked.
 "Oh, I don't know!" the girl cried. "I thought so sometimes had the grace to hope so. anyway, since Ralph was so crazy about her"
 That's the point. Penny" Dun dee told her gently. "Evcryone Iv talked to this morning, includ- ing Sprague, seems sure that Ralph Hamilton was mad about Nita Selim."
 "So of course he would kill her!" l feHHy ScOlleU Dltlefly.
 "Yes. Penny-when he discovered Sprague's easily yrecogniZcd cravats draped over the mirror frame in a bedroom in Nita's house. For they were there to be seen when Ralph went into that bedroom yes terday morning."
 How do you know he saw them?'
 "Because he left this behind | him." Dundee admitted reluctantly and wiped his hands before draw ing an initialed silver pencil from his breast pocket. "I found it under the ebdge of the bed. The initials are R. H.'
 | "Yes. I recognize it." Penny ad- mitted. turning sharply away. I gave 1t to him myself. for a Christ mas present. I thought l could af- ford to give silver pencils away then. Dad hadn't bolted yet" She crooWed an elbow and leaned her face against it for moment. Then she flung up her brown bobbed head defiantly. "Well?"
 "Ralph must have been-well. in pretty bad way, since he loved Nita and wanted to-marry her." Dundee persisted painfully. Re member that Polly Bcale found him l DUH lIltIt WItU SiIc SLODDcu IO offer Nita lift to Breakaway Inn. It is not hard to imagine what took place. We know that Polly curtly cancelled her luncheon engagement with Nita and the rest of you, and went into town with Ralph. after making sure that Give would join them. l saw young Hammond my self for an instant, and I remember now thinking that he looked far too ill to eat. 1 was lunching at the Stuart House myself when they came into the dining room, you know"
 Penny cried furiously.
 There's little more. Penny" Dundee went on. "Polly Beale and Give Hammond were mortally afraid that Ralph would come to the cocktail party! I'm sure Give made Ralph promise to stay away, and that both Give and Jolly did not trust him to keep his promise. That is why, I am sure. Give beck oned Polly to join him in the solarum, without enterting the liv- ing room to speak to Nita. You re- member they said they stayed there all during the playing of" l II SOu 'dIl IL tHc utdlH IdUu again, I'll scream!'
 All right. . They stayed there until Karen discovered the mur- der. l am sure they chose that place because of it's many windows they could watch for Ralph's car, dash out and head him off Take | him away by force if necessary, to keep him from making a scene. I | believe they knew he had murder in his heart and that he would find way to get a gun" Have you also found out that he stole Hugo's gun yesterday?" "I have found that it was possible | for him to do so," Dundee said slowly. "The butler was off for the afternoon until six o'clock. There was no one in the house but the unrsemaid and the three-months- old baby"
 "Well? And I suppose you think Give and Polly didn't have chance to head Ralph off, as you say. but that they did see him run ming away after he killed herr" | Her voice was still brittle with anger. but there were indecision and fear in it. too.
 | No, Dundee replied. 'T don't think they saw him. I feel pretty sure he came into the house by the back way, and through the back hall into Nita's room. He must have known Give and Polly would be on the lookout for him. At any rate, I have proof that who- ever shot Nta from in front of that windo near the porch door fled toward the back hall" And he told her of the big bronze lamp. whose bulb had been broken, reminding her of It's place at the head of the chaise tongue which was set between the two west windows.
 That was the "bang or bump" Flora Miles heard while she was hiding in the closet" he explained. l"I suppose Flora has told all Of