The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-12-27
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| lexpoctedIy. Then. with one of us ln each room, wo can squeak that easement first with both room doors open, then with both shut, and then alternately = one open and one shut. It won't take q
 minute and 1t might prove a lot.
 Come on - hear him on the
 They met their fellow conspira- tor on the upper landing.
 "What can do for your" he
 asked expectantly.
 Tom explained and the Irish-
 man nodded.
 'Easy enough. The western gentleman is down toward the
 water already and our Belgian
 friend will be coaxed to stroll af- | ter him."
 "Are you sure you can do it?" whispered Linda anxiously. sTll be so winsome they can't
 resist me-" muttered Shaughnes- sey grim1y. DO you watch from
 your window. You'll have time
 for the trial!"
 Aa they saw the two tall fig- ures move slowly down the lawn
 they hurried for the hall and the | different rooms. Linda was ready
 at once but Tom fingered in the guest room. When he joined her
 she began impatiently: 'T could hear exasperatingly
 well with both doors open and
 fairly well with one closed. I'd say that if both were open Mir
 Statlander is certainly very much
 in it but that if just one were
 closed he is pretty likely to be. So | we must find out surely how his
 door vast last night" Tom sat down and passed a
 handkerchief over his hot fore head.
 Now" he said, forget Stat
 lander for the moment and the squeak and the towel and the shirt and the rest. We must go down, and you must find an ex- cuse to talk to Statlander. But
 found something in that room, Binks."
 "Oh! What?"
 "A book--a commonplace, heavy | looking book. By M. Pratt" "What--but whats that?
 didn't know Marvin wrote. Where is it?"
 Toms mouth set firmly. Put away, my darling child. Naughty, naughty. T. had time only for a thasty glance but oh, my! It's what would be classed in co1lec- l'tors catalogues and libraries as | .erotica."
 Marvin The exclamation was utterly incredulous. Hah an af.I "A have, ostensibly, high moral
 purpose. Supposed to be about decadent religions in darkest IsAsia--and folklore translations--s but somehow, from a little saw, it was case of protesting | too much. No, I'm afraid our Marvin slipped then 1t was 10 years ago, incidentally, Binks, hen he was younger and more callow but he didn't quite put over his purely scientific motive 7 "But-there-in Cousin Amos | room--?' | "Remember the old man threw | his handkerchief over something and you supposed that he had some snappy reading beside Mar GUS Aurelius? You were darned right but you little knew how Snappy" @
 But did he bring It. how did he get hold of it--Y's Don't ask me. I'd say offhand he didn't bring it. It's an awful l big book and he had only that little bag. I think he came on 1t somewhere here-one of those old bookcases of Aunt Candace's. It looks dusty and neglected. I've al-
 ways told you you should go over
 those books. Weed them out for valuable first editions and give the
 rest to the junkman." '1'm always meaning to. They look so depressing!" Linda was at best no book lover and depended on the circulating library or cas- ual purchase of current successes | for her reading matter. But still I don't sec"
 "Wakc up, Binks! Marvin tried to get in there, didn't he?"
 "Oh--yes-"
 "And you felt there was some thing more than rage against Cousin Amos--Sore of apprehcn- sion, you said" That's so. Oh, Tom, I see 1t, I see it!"
 a UT COuTSc. WHy Ile Wdo dlIdiu you'd talk together, why he What Cousin Amos was rag sing him about-but how did he find it?' If it was in the house, that man would find 1t. Particularly if he could use it to cmbarrass us or a guest. Yes. I think we've hit 1t.
 Somehow the old man got hold of it---"
 xAnd threw it up to Marvin" And Marvin was aghast at | this early effusion coming to light
 probably thought 1t lived down | by this time-and feeling as he. does about you--" | "Tom!"
 ''Well. you can't deny he likes l you, Binks, and as a result of | your early acquaintance he thinks
 of you as 6 sort of kid compared
 to him"
 l "Um. yes--I suppose so. oh, 1 Tom, how did Aunt Candacc ever | get 1t into her rows and rows of
 respectable old standbys?" l That, my darling, is q mystery | we do not have to solve, thank | fortune! Our problem is who got | 1t out--and whence, and how"
 "Tom---it's high tideI T know. We simply must go. l They all want q swim. We'll think
 about this - l don't know just
 how it first in but it's no end mys- terious. Come on and round 'em | up. Don't forget you're to vamp Statlander. Haven't anything to
 report on the interview before
 breakfast, have you?' Linda gurgled with reminiscent
 laughter.
 | Nothing but a perfectly out rageous D r f 0 r ma n c e by MT l ci1ed me from a