The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1934-02-22

was slightly incredulous.
The girl shrugged. There was
nothing could do" she explained.
aDoris had left. Every one else was
leaving"
Didn't you even ask what was
wrong? should have thought you
would be curious"
81 was. OF course l wanted to know.
Every one did. But no one seemed to
know"
"And the other members of the we'd
ding party-where were they ~
.rThey-why. they just broke up
with the crowd, ! guess. don't
know
"And so you came on home by your
SELF
with the chauffeur" she corrected
him. 81 have already told you that"
An unexpected bitterness surged up
within Peter. Why should he be so
unaccountably angry because she was
deceiving him? He surveyed her
gravely do you mind If speak to
your chauffeur, Miss Shipley?" he
asked.
Warm spots of color famed in her
cheeks. 'Tm not accustomed to ask
ing the servants to verify my word"
she said.
"Pm sorry"-Peter was standing
now-''but circumstances make it nee
essary. If you have told us the truth,
then Rylie
"RylieT' She bit her lip, and then:
continued more calmly. what did
Rylie tell your"
81 would rather you told US, Miss
Shipley." Cardigan sat down again.
sDid you see Rylie this afternoon?"
"Yes. i saw him. IL didn't tell
you the truth. asked Rylie to bring
me home"
..Where did you meet Rylie? He
wasn't in the church"
"When 1 came out, l saw him."
Calls avoided Cardigan's eyes. In
stead she seemed intent upon the
handkerchief she was twisting between
nervous fingers in her lap. Some
how" she continued, II had become
separated from the rest Of the we'd
ding party. Outside saw Rylie and
asked him to take me home"
'What did he think Of the wedding
being postponed?" Peters voice sound
ed only politely curious.
"He," the girl faltered, "why, he was
stunned, just as was, Of course"
"Rut still neither of you knew what
had happened?"
Calls shook her head.
.Then why didn't he go back to the
vestry and find out? The bride was
his sister. It would have been very
simple"
ST guess we didn't think Of that.
We were excited. Every one was"
the girl protested.
81 imagine you were," declared the
novelist. "You were excited because
you thought you already knew what
had happened. And you were right,
Miss Shipley. Jim Franklin was
dead"
"Deadi" The girl whispered the
word through stiffened lips. "Deadl"
The steel went out Of Cardigan's
eyes and his tone was gentler when
he continued. Didn't you know"
Calls did not reply. Peter found
himself regretting the beauty which
held such q fascination for him. Con-
found It, she couldn't have committed
the murder. He thought of those blue
bruises at either end Of the wound
which had ended Franklin's life. But,
Of course, there was Rylie Carmody.
He had the strength. And the motive.
He had said he was going to stop the
wedding. And 1t had been stopped.
But what did this girl know about it,
Why had she lied about that ride
with Rylie Carmody? Why had she
visited the sacristy? She why. she was
scarcely more than child, he re-
flected bitterly. OF course, there were
those keys. Could there have been
lin-Jim who was notorious for his
weakness where women were con-
cerned? That was ridiculous, and yet
she had been In the vestry. Could
that have been the real motive for the
murder? IF Rylfe Carmody loved this
girl and discovered an Illicit affair
between her and Jim Franklin, he
might be using Choo Choo Train as
pretext. That might explain this girls
evasions, and yet, as he glanced at
her, so slender and erect, he found It
hard to picture her In such role. He
glanced at Kilday, hunched forward
In his chair, twisting an unlit cigar
between his lips. The sergeant, he
knew, would have no qualms where q
pretty woman was concerned. he
had. in his long career, arrested too
many Of them. Peter wished that he
had left the questioning Of this girl
to him, even while he scoffed at HIM
self for his too-ready sympathy. he
turned again to the girl
'fYou didn't supect he was deadr'