Evening star., 1932-07-02
MURDER RshAEIMm0 81
\ hAeATHA CHRISTIE 80

when she came in and exclaimed tnat
she looked quite queer?"
"Oh, no." said the nurse. "It wasn't
me. I didn't see her until We were
sitting down to dinner together, and
she seemed quite her ordinary self
then"
Il expect I am mixing it up with
something else" said Emily.
Perhaps 1t vas some other relation" !"
suggested Nurse Davis. Il came in
rather late myself. felt rather guilty
about leaving my patient so long, but
he himself had urged me to 60"
She suddenly looked at her watch.
"Oh, dear. He asked me for another
hot water bottle. Will you excuse me,
Miss Tarefusis?"
Emily excused her and, going over to
the fireplace, she put her finger on the
bell.
The slipshod maid came with rather
a frightened face.
whats your name?" said Emily.
Beatrice, miss"
"Oh, Beatrice I may not be able to
wait to see my aunt-Mrs. Gardner.
after ALL wanted to ask her about
some shopping she did on Friday. Do
YOU know II she brought big parcel
back with her?"
mo. miss, didn't see her come In"
II thought you said she came in at 6
o'clock
"Yes. miss, she did, didn't see her
come in. but when went to take some
hot water to her room at Z o'clock 1t
gave me a shock to find her lying in the
dark on the bed. well, ma'am.' said
to her, You gave me quite shock 1
came In quite a long time ago. At 6
o'clock she said. 1 didn't see big
sat frryiflor
her hardest to be helpful.
"It's all very difficult," thought Emily.
zone has to invent so many things. I've
already invented a premonition and
big parcel, but, so far as can see, one
want to sound suspicious" She smiled
sweetly and said:
"That's all right, Beatrice, it doesn't
matter"
Beatrice left the room. Emily took a
small local timetable out of her hand
bag and consulted 1t.
Leave Exeter, st. David's, 3:10," she
murmured Arrive Exhampton, 3:42.
Time allowed for going to brothers
house and numbering him-how beastly
and cold-blooded 1t soundS-and such
nonsense, too-say half an hour to three
Quarters. What are the trains back?
There's one at 4:25 and there's one
Mr. Dacres mentioned at 6:10, that gets
in at % minutes to Z. Yes, it's actually
possible either way. It's a pity there's
nothing to suspect the nurse for. She
was out all the afternoon and nobody
knows where she was. But you can't
have a murder without any motive at
all. OF course, I don't believe anybody
in this house murdered Capt. Trevelyan,
but in way it's comforting to know
that they could have. Hello-there's
the front door,"
There was murmur of voices In the
hall and the door opened and Jennifer
Gardner came into the room.
I'm Emily Trefusis," said Emily
"You know-the one who is engaged to
Jim Pearson"
so you are Emily" said Mrs. Gard
ner shaking hands. We'll, this is a
surprise"
Suddenly, Emily felt very weak and
small. Rather like a little girl in the
act Of doing something very silly. An
extraordinary person. Aunt Jennifer.
Character-that was what 1t was. Aunt
Jennifer had about enough character
for two and three-quarter people instead
of one.
Have YOU had tea, my dear? No?
Then we'll have 1t here. just a mo-
ment-I must go up and see Robert
first"
A strange expression fiuttered over
her fact as she mentioned her husbands
name. The hard, beautiful voice soft
ened. 1t was like light passing over
dark ripples of water.
"She adores him." thought Emily left
alone in the drawing room. "All the
same there's something frightening
about Aunt Jennifer. I wonder il
Uncle Robert likes being adored quite
as much as that"
(To be continued.)