The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-12-09
BnolN HERE TO-DAY


 AMOS PEABODY, elderly cou- sin of LYNDA AVERKLL. falls Co hls death from the second story balcony of the Averills' Long Is- land home. Linda reaches him just before he dies, in time to hear him gasp Q few words which convince her he was Hnur- dered. Linda rushes upstairs. and she falls in {. faint.
 There are four guests in the hOuse-all suspects of the crime. They are: MIR STATIiANDEfs, business associate of TOM AV- BRILL; CAPTAIN DE VOS, handsome Belgian; MARVIN PRATT, former stlit0r of Lin- da's; and HAN SHAUGHNES- EEY, IrfGh writer. When Linda tells her husband what happen cd ehe parsuades him they must keen these four men in the house uDtdl they can decide which one ie guilty. There IS no evidence sufficient for arrest. Tom and Linda arc aided i'm their plan when DIR BOYLE, official metii- cal examiner, sends word that everyone must remain until he
 has questioned them. Boyle is on Q fishing trip and can not return for several hours.
 Linda Overheafs Q c0nversa. ton between Shaughnessey and ROSIE, the maid, concerning a shirt Rosie has promised to launder.
 Tom and Linda talk to each guest fin turn but learn little, linda believes it was a Turkish towel with which shc was stran- gied. She had put sunburn Oint- Inent on her shoulders the night before and if she can find a towel marked with this oint- ment 1t may help them locate NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
 
 CHAPTER xxvI
 Toms hands c1enched uncon- sciously. Whoever has that tow ell will have something to say to mel" he exclaimed. "Your blessed little neck, Binks--! Look every where! Don't mind poking into bureau drawers"
 "I'll abuse my housewife privi- leges to the utmost" Linda made q grimace as she rubbed her throat. But the others sat in the sun. They may have burned, too.''
 A mans collar protects his neck to some extent. one or two may have a touch of 1t but you're not apt to find everyone in the same house using the same salve, either. That camphor smell makes the stuff unmistakable. But while you're looking you might watch out for different sorts of ointment in the various rooms"
 If l find the towel, shall I take 1t away?"
 By all means. If that stuff real ly shows, it'll be obviously soiled. That shouldn't arouse suspicion to have it diseappear, I mean. But will 1t be there so late in the day?"
 There's chance, but it's only a chance. Rosie usually goes around before time to dress for dinner and leaves out fresh linen. With all the excitement she may not have had time. Usually she would have, but so much has happened"
 "Even finding it later in the laundry would mean something. But for heavens sake, Linda, look now! Stop talking and get busy!"
 "Here goes!" She. went toward their own bathroom.
 "Why start there 2"
 Tt would be slick trick, wouldn't 1t, to plant 1t on us while we were both downstairs? But probably it isn't here I'll just make Sure."
 After clearing her own racks oi suspicion, Linda listened care. fully at the door of their room.
 T hope everyone's downstairs, q she said. "It seems quiet up here.'
 Tom looked out the window "DoVos and Statlander are down on the lawn. Shaughnessey would have no reason to be up here and that leaves Pratt only"
 "Pll have to take a chance on him. He'd be least curious oi them all and I'll act very much the housewife if I meet him. In fact, I'll go and knock on his door and, if he. answers, car think up something to ask him.
 Determining by this simple stratagem that Pratt's room wat empty, as was the bathroom which he and the Belgian shared she started her search at the the end of the Hall. Plenty oi towels there, but not So man, bath towels. How lavish mer were in their use! Two different brands of shaving cream and ons