Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-18

he said
There was q WITHSTAND one who,
since he wouldn't know he was lying.
would be q hard one for Connolly to
confound, assuming that he followed
the trail They shot up to Peters floor:
even Manuel took Martha for Carol. He
looked amazed, and his white teeth
cleaned when Martha raised her veil
and he recognized her: Martha and
Tack had dined at Peters often.
Into my room with you-get into
bed" said Peter. Carol" be here any
minute. and take your clothes"
Alone with Manuel he explained.
Manuel's smile was wider than ever. He
was a quick-witted little devil, and he
would have committed murder, prob
ably. with the utmost good will. If
Peter had asked 1t of him; completely
in a trick like this only amused him.
He and Peter stood behind the door,
which was left ajar. Within five min
utes Carol, little out of breath, pushed
it open and came in. She was laughing.
1T worked" she said. Wasn't 1t
lucky this suit had just come? I've
never worn it beforeI And thank
Heaven wells are coming 1nl Just
sailed in, downstairs, and said Mrs.
Porter-I'm expected and they never
even thought OF announcing me-"
Get changed and get our Of here,
quick" said Peter. "Martha's In my
room"
Excitedly he watched his sister dis
appear through the door Of his room.
Luck had been with them. so far. II
it held, Carol would be home again,
in the clothes in which Martha had
gone out, before Connolly arrived: even
if the trick that had been played were
suspected there was nothing, probably,
to led Connolly here. Conceivably, he
might take q chance and turn up here
to make q search, but Manuel was al
ready primed for that possibility, and
the new fashion OF service entrance
for small fats in good houses was going
to help. He blessed this modern life
that had left his sister, older than Mar
tina by good IL years, he supposed,
and the mother Of two children, with .
figure like a young girl'sl
Carol had gone, with hasty kiss for
Peter, within 10 minutes, and he
knocked on his own door and went in,
at Martha's asserting word. She was
lying down. fully dressed, except for the
hat, in Carols new suit.
At feel terrible" she said, with
faint smile. Il suppose it's only nat
ural! Oh, Peter-it's all so dreadful,
and haven't the time TO think of that,
even, with all this excitement. Tack"
He'd want you to be thinking Of
yourself right now-not Of him." said
PeteA Lord. don't mean to be
heartless. Martha, and it makes me sick
whenever have time to stop and think
about Tack, too. But the first thing
we've got to do, for his sake as well as
yours, Is to get you out OF the jam
you're in."
HAS anything happened since last
n1ght-any thing I don't know about?"
said Martha. 1T must have, suppose,
or they wouldn't-they wouldn't be
ready to arrest me-"
"Plenty's happened" said Peter,
grimly. Some things I know about
a lot more that I don't. I'll tell you
as much as can" He looked at her.
IF you're up to it." he added.
I'm all right as long as lie down."
said Martha. Tell me, Peter"
Choppily, because so much Of it was
still vague and confused in his own
mind, he told her what he had learned
at EmmaS the night before. About his
talk with Meyer zahn, first of all. That
made her furious; it was the first time
since, on the roof, she had burst storm
1y' out with her charge that they were
trying to blame her for Tack's death be-
cause that was easier than trying to
ind who had really killed him that he
had seen her angry, seen flash Of her
old spirit, of the real Martha.
That's disgusting!' she said. "He-
oh, I've gone to him, know. and de-
pended on him too much, suppose. But
thatl How dare he think did It? How
dare hep"
IT wanted to paste him In the Jaw
myself" said Peter. ''BuC-well, I didn't.
You can't, somehow, when you know a
man can't fight back-and wouldn't II
he could
''I don't understand, though" said
Martha, puzzled. HE knows better,
Peter-he must He knows I didn't do
it. He knows I couldn't He knew how
fond was of Tack. He never let me
forget 1t myself. I was in q poisonous
temper, sometimes, when went to him,
and he always reminded me that
really was fond Of Tack, somehow. Not
not by what he actually said, so much,
but the way he got my mind to work.
ing"
Peter went on, quoting what zahn
had said, as well as he could remember.
That isn't true" she said, once, in
terrupting. He did give me advice
Not in so many words, ever-no. But
he put things in my head wouldn't
have thought of for myself He was the
one who made me feel that it was right
Tor me Toto" She nesttated; look
ed at Peter; then went ahead. ITO love
Evan" she said. 81 thought that was
terrible, when was married. even
though Tack and weren't making a
go Of things"
How much did you tell him, Mar
tha?" Peter asked, curiously.
oh, everything" she said "You Just
think aloud, you know. You lie there,
ana say whatever comes into your head,
whether 1t makes sense or not, and he
sorts 1t all out. lit would be rather
frlghtful If you couldn't trust a man
like that, Peter"
I've thought that myself" said Peter,
rather grimly.
"oh, yes-he knows as much about
me as do about myself Martha went
instance"
What did he think about that BUSH
ness? I'd have expected him to tell you
10 refuse to let Benny hold you up."
He didn't. He thought It was better
70 pay him. He agreed that Tack would
make frightful row If it got to him"
II see," said Peter "Well-that's
Where go on record as disagreeing with
one hlgh-priced psychoanalystl If you'd
come to mel Benny got after me last
night, too. That guess that's the
most important thing I've got to tell
you, Martha"
And, leaving nothing out, he told her
OF Benny's demand and of the threats
that had backed it up.
It's out, though" he said. ct told
Charley, and told Bouton, and they
won't stand for it. Any idea of what
he's driving at about the gun?"
"Only this" said Martha, her ewes
drawn together in a puzzled frown,
There Is a place in the apartment
where something could be hidden. we
took that pent house from Terry Marsh.
you Knowles abroad, now. And he
had safe built in, and hidden. He
used to keep a lot of valuable papers
that he had to be able to get at quickly.
sometimes, out of banking hours