The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-01-03
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he calculates on having just one.
He says all six Statlander females
are handy about the house"
They'll have TO be-"
80 you see the place was already
in his minds eye and he just was
tidying up his own property when
he fixed the ratings"
But why did he look away?"
There we did surprise a guilty
secret. He was no end fused when
Shaughnessey popped that out. You
know his line about climbing Rock
les and Himalayas and the rest?"
Was it all a fake?"
mo, he did it all right-but years
ago. He developed that kind Of
phobia that can't endure heights
wants to jump off and all that.
"Of course he's a nut on his ply
steal prowess, but as far as climbing
goes he lives on past glories. Even
the balcony upset him
I'll bet he was madl" Linda
chuckled But it's heavenly to
think he'll buy the house. Oh, but,
Tom-wont this put him OFF,"
Not at all I said that, after
all, a murder had been committed
here
Z suppose you had to. What did
he say?"
That capped the climax. Posi-
lively beamed and rubbed his hands
together with gloating and glee.
That, Mr.. Averiu, makes the place
more interesting. I like working
out problems Of all sorts-never had
a murder one before.
If you'd told me about it, I could
have helped you, I know. Anyhow
the house where all this happened
always will have special interest
for mel Well, I couldn't contra
dict that!"
HE could have helped you?
But didn't he see he was a suspect?'
Heard me say it, over and over,
but never did take it in. Passed it
over indulgently each time as a de-
fusion Of the weak-minded Ho hum!
Binks, I'm actually sleepy"
CHE yaWned luXuriOusly. "So'm I.
- Think I'll take a shower and go
to bed
Hurry up, Binks-I want show
er, too. Oh, say" She stopped
in anticipation. Shaug hnessey
came clean At the very end he
mentioned casually how he hap
pened to be stirring round early
that morning"
"How?"
"The poor nut! You know he
wasn't quite himself when he went
up to bed. Seems he'd forgotten to
wind his watch and it stopped at
about 10.
He rolled into bed, slept an hour
or two, woke and found it light and
looked at the watch. For all he
says about how easily the Shaugh-
nesseys- carry their liquor, I think he
was still trifle muzzy-Witted. He
thought you'd said 10 for breakfast.
SO he leaped up and dressed and
beat it for the house
I had locked the door-force of
habit, for 1 hadn't the fainteSt
recollection afterwards of doing it.
He tried it-still thinking the time
was the middle of the morning.
Thought we'd forgotten to unlock
it.
He figured we'd be in the dining
room or on the terrace and came
around that end Of the house, ex-
pecting to find us waiting for him.
First thing he sees is the empty
lawn, then me springing up and
Cousin Amos on the terrace.
Prom then on, you know the
rest. OF course, it was just plain
cOntrariness that kept him from
telling us this when We asked him. ="
Emerging a few moments later
from the shower, Linda continued
where they had left off. Did you
say anything about the shirt? I
hope you kept that dark"
I meant to, but by now it's grown
to an epic. He wouldn't have missed
telling you about it and the episode
of kissing Rosie-he let's himself go
on that theme.
HE didn't go into what kept
him from the dance the rest of the
time. Some other amorous adj
venture which he's probably forgot
ten by now"
Nov, hurry, Toni" she Knocked
as he started off, but he was i'm
pervious to the satire and soon
emerged, his mind, too, still on the
subject.
"NNE thing I did enjoy" he add
~ ed with a chuckle of reminis-
cent glee, was my curtain speech.