The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-11-17
Mskrad MdRDERSssElEEHE sElEE' sEH
BEGIN HIRE ro-DAx

&|-|LI DO XU.IMI M IEMIu LOT AluA8 x1l6nd, thinking 0f the pleasant weekend he is 10 have there. Inc name of the murderer Is not flEclosod.
 Inc scene shifts to the Long Island home of LINDA and TOM ApNHIFdA married three years and much in love. The AveriIls have i've guests for the week. ends COUSIN AMOS PEABODY, 616crzy, distant relative of Lin- nn,s: CAPTAIN DE VOR, hand- non1o Belgian representing Q Bu- Eopenn perfume manufacturer win whom Averi1I hopes fo do bualnow: MR STATLlANDER, Hnldd,eWesteTn manager of the ntm AveFlll works for; MARVIN PRATT, former snitOr of Linda's, and HAN SHAUGHNESSEY, xKlsh writer on a lecture tour.
 The house party gets of to bnd start. Cousin Amos starts . 1icated argument with Shaugh. messey whom he denounces as . dangerous rebel for defending 0nndhf's work in India. Next morning Bunty, the watch dog, fs found brutally killed. Cousin Amos plays golf with Statlandcr, criticizipg the others game until Stat1ander breaks Q club in dis gust. At the Country Club Cousin Amos drinks several cocktails without knowing they are aIco- lsclic and then insults De VOs Tom finally pcrsuades DeVos to overlook the insults. It Is agreed that Cousin Amos will leave early next morning. The others, mean- while, prepare for the Country Club dance.
 NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
 CHAPTER VIII
 Tom Averill started violently. "Iinda, do you really cling to that wild idea?" Annoyance at his own nervousness sharpened his voice. After all - heavens, girl, do you think we're harbor- ing gang of murderers?"
 .Tm not ragging you, Tom" Linda spoke compassionately. "It is hot and know you're all legged out but this is serious. TO answer your question, do. Potential ones, anyhow" Her voice quavercd as she yawned widely, with the complete aban- don of child. "Urgh! Wurr! Mph! Why do feel so absolutely all in? l suppose this afternoon, and the sun and all-"
 Tt wasn't a prety scene"
 .Neither was the one last night ---fior MT Statlander's behavior, from what you tell me. It seems as if any one of the three were fnfiammable enough"
 ..But the only ones Bunty irri- tated--that we know of - were Pratt and Cousin Amos.
 "Oh, Marvin always had a tenn per. I remember"
 "Why omit. your eminent cous- in?" inquired her husband caus- ticslly. "Surely anyone who boasts of his fine physique and muscle and cold baths and such should be able to smash up little dog and his precious dignity was bad ly affronted."
 Linda was determined not to quarrel. Perhaps. But remember he went upstairs last night when we began to play bridge and dis finctly heard him snorting-he'd hate to be told he snored, wouldn't he?--when we came up hours later"
 Tom relented. "Yes - he has a clear alibi. And. after all, he hasn't the temperament. A man who won't play cards because It might excite him and start c blood Dresgure and who can't get up late because the early morning hours are too precious to miss-Weil, l think he misses lot but this time he misses being suspected"
 "Uh-huh. Before we go down tell me how we'll divide up to go over to the dance"
 Any way you say. Binks.
 suppose I take Marvin with me in the roadster and you take the rest in the other car. That all right with you?"
 ..Perfectly. I'll go now and tell DeVos about Cousin Amos Hel agree to what you've planned, l know. He's really not So bad, Linda = and no one likes to be called an ungentlemanly foreign er.o
 "or a foreign un-gentleman," agreed Linda. T don't blame him though l thought for a moment well, it's all fixed now. Tell him he won't see Cousin Amos again."
 Nobody will and that's all the marty needs to make it a success. I'd just as soon not see him again myself but I suppose my duty as !. host--well. see you later. Here goes for the final peacemaking!
 As though anxious to make up to her for the trouble of the day. Linda's guests rallied so de- Iightfully at dinner that she felt surpe of confident relief
 Her confidence lasting, she ran upstairs after dinner and stopped nit her cousins room in mood so cheerful that she haG to conceal it out of consideration for his sup posedly unsettled health.
 "Sure you don't mind my leav- ing you, Cousin Amos?"
 Mot at all, my child, not at all. should hate to feel 1 was inter- fering with your pleasure"
 "The maids go upstairs about this time or a little later" supple inented Averill. coming to stand by Linda in the doorway. But 1T you call Rosie she'll hear and get you anything you want. l hope you'll be quite comfortable"
 Not only comfortable con tent"
 From the IdDie oH "hiIi Dtoor a glass of water and 6 dish with apple, fruit knife and serviette neatly laid out, Cousin Amos os- fentatiously picked up a copy or Marcus Aurelius" and then started slightly. Leaning forward, he threw a silk handkerchief neg ligently over larger book be- meath the leather-bound classic a trife too negligently, thought Ii..da, whose shrewd suspicious pointed to something sprightiy ln the way of modern fiction. \,
 "He is rather an old dear." she murmured at the stair head and then drowned and laughed. Tom do YOU hear that? The moment our backs were turned, he opened that easement window on the bal - - - H.. ala 1a i'm mi