The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-01-03
Murder Al BRIDGE
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a dear In spite of being a dreadful
bore most of the time, but the truth
Is. Tracey hasn't an atom Of sex
appeal, and he must realize it.
OF course we girls have all PAM
pered his poor little ego by pre-
tending to be crazy about him and
terribly envious that it was Flora
who got him"
But Flora Hackett did marry
him." Dundee interrupted. She
must have been beautiful girl,
and she was certainly rich enough
to get any man she wanted"
You would think so, wouldn't
you?" Penny agreed, her tongue
loosened by relief. Il was only IL
years old when Flora Hackett made
her debut, but a 12-year-old has big
ears and keen eyes.
TT is true that Flora was beau
tiful and rich, but-well, there was
something queer about her. She
was simply crazy to get married,
and if a man danced with her as
many as three times in an evening
she literally seized upon him and
tried to drag him to the altar.
Her eagerness and her intensity
repealed every man who was in the
least attracted to her, and I think
she was beginning to be frightened
to death that she wouldn't get mar
ried at all, when Tracey came to
Hamilton to work in her fathers
business.
"She began to rush llim-there's
no other word for it-and none of
the other girls minded a bit, be-
cause, without Flora, Tracey would
have been the perfect male wall
flower.
"They became engaged almost
right away, but didn't get married
for six months suppose old Mr..
Hackett made Flora wait. All the
girls we're freely prophesying that
even Tracey, f1attered by her pas
sion for him, as he so evidently was,
would get tired Of it, but he didn't,
and there we're three marriages that
June"
"Three?" Dundee repeated, rather
absently, for his interest was
wandering.
eyes. Lois Morrow and Peter
Dunlap, Johnny Drake and Carolyn
Swami, and Tracey and Flora"
Penny answered Although was
Is by then, and really too old for
the role, I had the fun of being
flower girl for Lois and Flora both"
do you think Flora really was
in love with Tracey?" Dundee
asked curiously.
ooh, yes! But she'd have been
in love with any one who wanted
to marry her. and the funny thing
is that, with the exception of Peter
and Lois, they are the llappiest
married couple have ever known.
'You see, Tracey never has got
over being flattered that SO pretty
and passionate girl as Flora
wanted him And that's why I
laughed!
TRACEY with that deep-rooted
n inferiority complex of his
would have been SO flattered if
Flora had told him she killed Mia
out of jealousy that he would have
forgiven her on the spot.
ION the other hand" she went
on, "if Flora had told him that Nita
had documentary proofs of some
frightful scandal against her, can't
you see how violently Tracey would
have reacted against her?
ooh, mol Tracey would not have
taken the trouble to murder
Sprague, when Sprague popped up
for more blackmail!'
Perhaps he might have, If the
scandal dated back before the mar
riage," Dundee argued. Lets sup
pose Sprague did pop up, and Flora
turned him over to Tracey.
when Sprague appeared appar-
emily unlimited last night, Flora
must have been on pins and needles,
u Liz W 4lldhG 1dCCJ OlCdO llllll
decently and hoping against hope
that Tracey simply would pay the
scoundrel all the blackmail he was
demanding"
Which is exactly what Tracey
would have done, instead of TAX
ing the awful risk of numbering
him in his own home" Penny cut
in spiritedly. Besides, Tracey
wasn't gone from the porch long
enough to go outside, signal to
Sprague in the trophy room, shoot
him when Sprague raised the
screen, and then hide the fun.
IT told you Tracey was gone only
about a minute when he went to
see if Sprague's hat and stick were
gone from the closet"
did Tracey and Flora both step
outside to see their guests into
their cars?" Dundee asked suddenly.
Tracey did, Penny answered.
Flora told us all goodnight in the
living room, then ran upstairs to
see if Betty was still asleep. =.
But remember we didn't leave
until midnight. and DR.. Price says