The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-11-12
W1EPJ7d NZdRDER S a!9EE|!E' s!g!g!
nEazN nkRE ro.DA1

n.n4@ MNlLIE LO~D0L
 H,e story opens with a pro-
 loguo iz which e murder is com-
 misfed by q homicifai nnrni4c.
 Later hc boards c train for Lung
 1slRnd, thinking Of tho pIcasanf
 weekend he ts tO have there.
 The name of the murderer is not
 disclosed.
 Island home of LINDA and TOM
 much in love. Linda announces
 the weekend they are tO have
 SIN AMOS PEABODY, elderly,
 distant relative of Lfnda's who
 was in New York on business and
 invited himself Co visit the Ave
 erills: CAPTAIN DE VOS, hnnd-
 some BeHEian representing Q Eu-
 roDean perfume manufacturer
 with whom ANeEill hopes to do
 business; MR -STATLANDER,
 middiewesfern manager of the firm Ayerizl works for; MARVIN
 PRATT, former s1itOr of Linda's
 whom she has not seen for sev-
 erAl years, and HAN SHAUGH.
 NESSEY, Irish writer on . lec- ture tour.
 The weather is fearfuIly hot.
 The guests arrive and Linda,
 dressing for dinner, has dis-
 turbing feeling that something
 unpleasant is going to happen.
 NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
 CHAPTER "
 Linda rather forgot her manners at dinner. She admitted it after wards. Of course, with the charm ing Mir De Vos on her right 1t was hard to pay correct attention to stolid MT Statlahder on her left. But that did not excuse her notice- able absorption in the young Bel- gian, with his disarming air of nafvete which argued him so thor oughly experienced
 once, in fact, when she had quite forgotten to "turh'' the conversa- ton she caught herself away from him so openly that a dark flush ap- peared on Statlander's expression less face and he muttered with un- expected savagery, Don't let me interrupt you, Mrs Averill!"
 Linda started in anazement. Af- ter all, civilized beings rarely ex- pressed their pique so fiatly. But she ignored the bad-tempered sally and with all her native wit and charm strove to regain lost ground, to convince this surly, self-import- ant person of her interest in him and his opinions. She succeeded in launching him on what seemed in- tended to be tale of foreign ad- venture. It consisted, however. of long drawn out details concerning the assembling of much technical apparatus for an expedition into Africa. His mind ran to efficiency, even in sports, and to listen to the catalog of equipment was rather a penance to Linda's untechnical mind.
 It was Devos who rescued her from the further sin of wandering attention. Across the table, he cut in with a quick question and ex- claimed with pleasure over the coincidence that he. too. knew that part of Africa.
 "But, yes, Of coursep His accent gave piquant emphasis to the ordt- nary words. q have travelled that territory-for business ! and for pleasure. Unspoiled still - not all of Africa can say that now!"
 Africa? You're talking about Africa? what part of 1t isS that?"
 From the other end of the table Marvin Pratt's voice boomed out, disconcerting little Dolly Alger who thought she had his spellbound in- terest in her description of last years Fourth of July regatta. At once the Irishman was alert and even Cousin Amos began to show, if not interest, at least less indif- ference. For the first time the con- versation became general and went forward wit htlae natural animation which no hostsss can ever artifi- cially drum up. Linda.relaxed with relief. At last-that did seem to get them started!
 { At ease for the moment, she studied her guests. Marvin down near Tom. She must be especially nice to him later to make up for giving the other men the preferen- tial seats at dinner. Marvin had changed. That thick crown of deep chestnut hair, with its symmetrical natural wave. was heavily marked now by gray. His eyebrows were as heavy, his undershot jaw as noticeable as ever. but the rich, pleasant voice and flash of white teet' in a rather wide smile suE-