The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-01-19
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
CHAPTER XXXVI.

NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
 CHAPTER XXXVI.
 Dexter Sprague has been mur- dered." Dundee answered the terri fled inquiry in Penny Grains brown eyes. ''The body was discovered about nine this morning by one of the Miles maids. in what you de- scribed just now as the trophy room Shot-just below the breastbone, Captain Strawn says"
 ''The trophy room!" Penny re- peated, in a. dazed, slow voice. ''Then-that's where he was-all the time, after he disappeared so strangely last night
 Whoa. Penny!" Dundee cried, his voice sharp with excitement. "Get hold of yourself darling girl! You're shaking all over. =. I want to know everything you know --as quickly and as accurately as you can tell it. Go right on with that story you were telling mel"
 Poor Dexter!" Penny groaned, covering her quivering face with her hands. gro think that he was dead all the time we were saying such horrid things about him"
 Don't waste sympathy on him, Penny!" Ounce cut in, his voice very gentle but urgent. "If he had needed my warning Monday he wouldn't be dead now"
 What do you mean?" Penny gasped, but she was already trem- bling less violently. Your warn- ing-?"
 ' had a strong suspicion that he was mixed up with Nita in her blackmail scheme, and I took the trouble to warn him not to try to carry on with it," Dundee ex- plained. And no longer ago than yesterday afternoon l got what was sure was final proof of my sus- picion and begged Strawn to assign a plainclothesman to 'tail' Sprague. to see that he kept out of mischief l was afraid the temptation would be too strong for him, but Strawn wouldn't listen to me-still clinging to his theory of a New York gun man. Feeling better now, honey? Can you go on? I want to get out to the Miles house as soon as I can.'
 You're getting very-affection- ate, aren't you?" Penny gave him a wobbly smile in which. however. there was no reproof. T think I can go now Where was I?"
 Good grill" Dundee applauded. and his heart was beating hard with something more than excite ment over Sprague's murder. "You'd just told me about Sprague's warning Karen not to leave the table when she became dummy after Judge MarshalPs little slam bid in spades"
 "I remember" Penny said. press ing her fingers into her temples But Karen did leave the table. When Sprague said that awful thing, poor Kare burst into tears and ran from the porch into the living room. Judge Marshall started to follow her, gizing very humbly and then by adding: I'd really like to see you play this hand, sir. I believe I've got the cards to set you with.'
 "Of course he could not have said anything better calculated to hold Hugo, who as I said. is a regular fiend when 1t comes to bridge. . Well, Hugo played the hand and made his little slam, and then he again started to go look for Karen, but Polly who was opTdHutS S DuTlIleT, you kuOW, IOl1 him in that brusquely way of hers to go on with the game and give Karen chance to have little weep in peace. Probably Hugo would have gone to look for her anyway. but just then Flora came back. She said Betty was asleep at last and that her temperature was normal, and when she heard about Karen, she offered to take her hand until Karen felt like com ing back"
 What did Drake do then? He'd been playing anagrams with Mrs Miles, you said" Dundee inter rupted.
 Don't you remember?-I told you Johnny had taken Peters place at our table after Peter refused to breathe the same air as Dexter Sprague," Penny reminded him. Ralph and l. Lois and Johnny were playing together, and just at the time 1 became dummy, Sprague became dummy at the other table. He rose. saying he had to go tele- phone for q taxi. and passed from the porch into the living room."
 "Where is the telephone?"
 '"The one the guests use is on table in the hall closet. where we put OuE lHihSSJ 'uiIy thDldlItu. You can shut the door and hold perfectly private conversation. Well, we never saw Dexter Sprague again"
 Good Lord! Another bridge dummy murdered!" Dundee groaned. At least the newspapers will be happy! . Didn't anyone go to look for him after the hand was played? 2"
 Not straight off," Penny an- swered with an obvious effort to remember clearly every detail. Let's see Oh, yes! That hand was played out before Ralph had finished playing his, at our table. so I was free to pay attention to the other table. Flora said that since they couldn't play another hand until Dexter came back, she