Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-07-17
CHAPTER XIII.
THE SILENT PRIEST.

which I had again placed pe1ore
1t was undisturbed.
Mice" told myself, lin the walls.
The place is full of them. probably"
and went back to bed But not this
time to sleep Among several other
things, I determined to get few quiet
words with Marcel in the morning.
I should also remember to ask Low
schiem for a key to my room. After
all. keys existed. and I myself in
intended to make no casual matter
Of it.
There was something decidedly I'M
pleasant about that deserted wing and.
now that the wind had gone down,
particularly disliked the way various
creaks and small mysterious rustles
came to life.
With dawn I fell asleep again and
woke late to a gray and troublous day.
When Marcel brought my coffee and
some very hard rolls I began:
Marcel. you know, of course. that
I'm In rather a bad Ak about this
murder?"
Oh. yes. he knew.
well, 1t develops that it is Of the
utmost Importance to both Miss Tally
and me to discover everything possible
about the murder I myself am in
some danger of being hanged for it
or guillotined or whatever they do
and Miss Tally"
Miss Tally is in danger. also"
finished Marcel quickly his eyes snap
ping. me. I know that" -
well, then" I said slowly Il won't
press you, Marcel, but I want you to
think it over. Miss Tally says you
have been kind to her-perhaps when
you consider the matter for time you
may-er-recall something you've seen
or heard that will help us discover
the real murderer
He nodded soberly.
You know, then, that didn't
do it?"
had gone too far.
Monsieur is not criminal" said
Marcel. Il cannot say more-but I will
think. 1t is possible-perhaps. Monsieur
would like his bath now?"
And after running the tub full Of
almost lukewarm wave he left alb
ruptly. There was about his departure
a suggestion Of escape and I could only
hope that his liking for Sue Tally
would work in our favor. I wanted
to help Sue of course, but at the same
time there's no use denying that I
wanted quite as much to help myself.
The hotel had been deserted when
first came down in the morning; only
= uCCl CUthcO Suspicious eye wv al "
me as I went through the lobby. But
when I returned from my walk Nine.
Grethe was at the desk-her eyes
looked very green and knowing. and
she smiled secretively as she spoke to
me-and Mrs. Byng and the priest
were sitting in the lounge. Mrs. Byng
was knitting furiously on some enor-
NOUS garment.
The place was silent, except for the
priests newspaper ruStling now and
then and Mrs. Byng's needles clicking.
looked up; the skylight was gray and
encircling galleries were empty and
bare and the doors blank. 1t was not.
to say the least, cheerful spot, and
we'd all got to stay there until the
police gave us permission to leave.
I sat down fairly near the priest. I
got out my cigarettes; Pucci trans
ferred his attention to the watch on
my wrist.
vious barrier of the newspaper, but
may I have match?"
Mrs. Byng's needles clicked and she
gave me sharp look and her equine
nose lifted little as If it shifted battle.
The priests newspaper rustled reluc-
family as he shifted it to one hand.
came into view, he reached for the box
of matches lying before him on the
small table and passed it over to me.
Thanks" I murmured, lit my ciga-
rette and as he immersed himself in
the newspaper at once, I persisted:
"You speak English. them"
He gave me :norose look from the
edge of the newspaper.
Eyes," he said, fatty, and disap-
peared again: Mrs. Byng's needles
clicked violently.
"Traveling?" remarked in q tour
isty approach.
NO" This time he did not even
glance around the newspaper.
English, are you?"
He looked at me fully this time.
His face was not old, but it was lined;
his eyes were light yellow-gray and
around his mouth the hairs Of his red
beard grew thin, and you felt sort OF
distaste looking at It,
No" he said sharply. French"
He stared at me a moment and then
added: "If you must know. I've spent
two years in America and I'm here for
my health I also speak French and
Italian. And I can read Latin"
I said blandly: Funny place to
come to for your health. Have you
been here long?"
The newspaper quivered Tor . mo-
ment, then his light eyes and flaming
soft beard reappeared.
"If," he said coldly, you want my
full history, go to the police. They've
Just acquired 1t, owing to the very
strange affair which accompanied your
arrival here. There was" he added,
driving the point further home, mo
murder before you arrived" He con-
tinued to stare coldly and blandly at
me.
1t was unfortunate that Pucci, who
had been exploring silently in the
vicinity Of my pocket, drew forth at
that moment a box of matches, laid it
carefully upon my knee and uttered
a triumphant cluck. The priest looked
at 1t and Mrs. Byng looked at it, and
the cockatoo looked at it and preened
himself and clucked again happily.
The second cluck was too much for
Father hobart, who himself uttered
q sound not too family resembling 1t,
showed his paper together with an
angry motion. rose and Stalked toward
the lift. The little iron gate banged,
the two narrow doors dipped together
and the small lift, looking not unlike
a very tall coffin, murmured duly and
started to crawl upward.
"Pucci," I said softly, some. day
some ones going to wiring your neck. :"
Mrs. Byng shifted again.
IF there ever was bird in league
with a devil 1t is that one" She
eyed the bird with asperity and Pucci.
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