The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-12-08
CHAPTER XXY

Now GO ON WITH THE STORY
 CHAPTER Xxv
 Linda said slowly, T wish I'd seen that shirt before it was laundered. Of course I could ask Rosie think shed tell me. though she'd evidently been sworn to secrecy. Only l don't want to confess yet = that l overheard them."
 Tom was thoughtful.
 s'She'd been sworn to secrecy about something that happened last night, not the night before" :"
 'sWell, 1t all goes together, l guess. But, Tom = Shaughnessey spoke of talking with her about County Athlone and other things last night. You know when you had to help him in the car = leaving the club-and how he ap- peared from that row of trees on the edge of the grounds?"
 "Yes. He started in the wrong direction. Thoroughly confused, l thought"
 T could see from where I sat at the wheel of the title car. His back was all covered with dirt and pine needles and the only place around here that you can pick up those needles is on that walk between our house and the club" ..
 "TIe was missing all evening" reflected Tom.
 .And Ella Mondell said he wann't with her"
 Their eyes met. "Rosie!" said both glances.
 "He probably coaxed her to meet him on that path"
 "Or tucked out altogether and came back here."
 '.she doesn't have much fun." said Linda forgivingly. Tt would seem a lark. I wonder!"
 He looked pointedly at the little boudoir clock.
 '.Yes, I must hurry. Well, so much for MT Shaughnessey." She checked off on her fingers. up early this morning and came around the corner of the house ]. where he shouldn't have been bribing Rosie to clean some stains { from his shirt. Note - find out i. whether last nights or from the { night before. Swearing Rosie to ssecrecy about that and telling her sshe'd forgotten what happened Hast night" T wonder if he would have fed s.her nothing stronger than tea il aishe'd accepted his invitation tt stthe garage" unused Tom. "Wel s--push on to DeVos. Time flies
 "There I got very little excep practice"
 Tn this business of flirting witf your guests?" Tom grinned. H' Twas entirely aware of the fasci nation the man held for her.
 "Pig! Not at all! Even if wanted to, his hearts safe witt tFleur-and her $6,000,000 or what ever Pa Stoner has salted away fNo - practice telling my tale. l Twas the first chance l had had t' try 1t out"
 "Go well?"
 "Perfectly. In fact, I quite be s'lieyed it myself she said naively "Amazing how quickly you accep these slight variations from tn truth! l was sure 1t was so as told 1t and after I've told 1t couple of times more I'll resen even your suggestion that 1t ism every word true."
 "Perhaps 1t is." A sudden i'm pulse prompted him to test he memory again. Her eyes met hi ssquarely.
 Cousin Amos was murdered ant II was nearly strangled, she sai' very slowly. You can pin you faith to that, Tom. It's the gospe struth and I shant forget 1t and yol smustn't either. Now--DeVos. Oh yes = he talked, very simply ant naturally, about the accident. He'' noticed the top rail was in place By the way, did you do that, Tom
 No" His tone was perplexed .'I didn't and I don't know wh' sdid. want to go back and ask vol about that later. Go ahead now"
 "WelI, with him got { straightforward, consecutive ac count of what he did last nigh and this morning-what l mean to get from Marvin.
 ''He said he found it awfully ho so he didn't go to bed but un dressed and sat in that big, com 'IOTLdDlo CudiT py thS Wlhuo", '" ward the Sound, where there was ; little breeze. That sounds all right If there's any air stirring that room gets 1t. It ought to be just lik this but it's a shade cooler. Yol know we thought we might take i for that reason and then decided on this because of the way tn bathrooms were arranged, for tn nursery"