Evening star., 1932-07-11

am AFRAID Mrs Wlllett
~ What's that?" Ronnie
Garfield looked up sud-
denly.
Yes" Mrs Willett shook her head
with would-be smile. We have got
| to forego the rest of the Winter in
Sittaford Personally, of course, l love
| 1.-THE snow and the tors and the wild
ness of it all. But the domestic prob
lemt The domestic problem is too diff
| f1cult-it defeats me-"
Il thought you were going to get a
chauffeur, butler and a handy man,
said Maj. Burnaby.
A sudden shiver shook Mrs. Willett's
frame.
No" she said" II have had to
give up that idea"
Dear. dear" said Mr.. Rycroft. This
is great blow to us all. Very sad, in
deed. We will sink back into our little
nut after you have gone. When do you
go, by the way?"
ON Monday, I expect" said Mrs
Willett. Unless I can get away tomor-
row. It's so very awkward with no
servants. OF course, I must arrange
things with Mr.. Kirkwood I took the
house for four months"
You are going to London?" inquired
Yes, probably, to start with anyway.
Then expect we shall 60 abroad to the
Riviera"
"A great loss" said Mr.. Rycroft, bow
! ing gallantly.
Mrs. Willett gave a queer, aimless lit
/ tie litter
Too kind of you, Mr.. Rycroft. Well,
shall We have tea?"
Tea was laid ready. Mrs Willett
poured out. Ronnie and Brian handed
! things. queer kind of embarrassment
lay over the party.
What about you?" said Burnaby,
abruptly, to Brian Pearson. You off
, too?"
| TO London, yes. Naturally, 1 shant
go abroad till this business is over"
This buSiness?"
Il mean until my brother Is cleared
OF this ridiculous charge"
I He flung the words at them def1antly
! in such a challenging manner that
! nobody knew quite what to say. Mai.
Burnaby relieved the situation.
| Never have believed he did it.. Not
for 2 moment" he said.
None of us think so," said Violet,
| f1inging him grateful glance.
The tinkle Of bell broke the ensuing
pause.
That's Mr.: Duke" said Mrs, willett.
Let him in, Brian
Young Pearson had gone to the
window.
Its not Duke" he said. Its that
damned journalist
"Oh, dear" said Mrs. Willett. well,
suppose we must let him in all the
same"
| Brian nodded and reappeared in a
few minutes with Charles Enderby.
! Enderby entered with his usual in
! genious air of beaming satisfaction.
The idea that he might not be welcome
did not seem to occur to him.
"Hullo, Mrs. Willett. How are you?
| Thought I'd just drop in and see how
things were. I wondered where every
one in Sittaford had got to. Now I
see"
Have some tea. Mr.. Enderby?"
lawfully kind of you. I will. I see
Emily isn't here. I suppose she's with
your aunt, Mr.. Garfield"
Not that I know Of" said Ronnie,
staring. II thought she'd gone to Ex-
| hampton"
"Af! But she's back from there. How
do I know? A little bird told me. The
Curtis bird to be accurate. Saw the
car pass the post Office and go up the
lane and come back empty. She is not
/ in No. 5 and she's not in Sittaford
House. Puzzle-where is she? Failing
Miss Percehouse, she must be slipping
tea with that determined lady killer,
Capt. Wyatt"
''She may have gone up Sittaford
Beacon to see the sunset" suggested
Mr.. Rycroft.
Don't think So" said Burnaby.
Should have seen her pass. I've been
! in the garden for the last hour"
well, I don't think it's a very vital
, problem" said Charles, cheerfully. Il
mean I don't think she's been kidnapped
or murdered or anything"
/ That's a pity, from the point of view
of your paper, isn't it?" sneered Brian.
Emily" said Charles. Emily" he
added, thoughtfully. sis unique"
VERY charming" said Mr.. Rycroft.
very charming. We are-collaborators,
she and ~"
HAS every one finished?" said Mrs.
Willett What about some bridge?"
"Er-one moment" said Mr.. Rycroft.
He cleared his throat Importantly.
Every one looked at him.
Mrs. Willett, ] am, as you know,
deeply interested in psychic phenom-
ena. A week ago today, in this very
room, we had an amazing, indeed, an
awe-inspiring experience"
There was a faint sound from
Violet Willett. He turned to her.
Il know. my dear Miss Willett, ]
know. The experience upset you, it
was upsetting. I do not deny it. Now.
/ ever since the crime the police force
have been seeking the murderer of
Capt. Trevelyan. They have made an
arrest But some of us, at least, in
this room, do not believe that MI.