The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-08-07
CHAPTER XIV

CHAPTER XIV
It was very hot in the town
Heat waves shimmered above thu
single bright line Of railroad tracks
and the gray, barren roadbed
There was very little apparent &C.
tivity, but there were several taxi
drivers DOING IN their cars under
the roof that extended from thu
wooden railroad station.
"Taxi?" inquired the driver Of
the first car.
l shook my head. ssNot VET
said. "I'm looking for the driver
who took : visitor to Sherwood For.
est last Thursday afternoon"
Last Thursday afternoon3" he
said. His eyes frightened. "That,s
the day that fellow was killed there,
wasn't it,"
l nodded. ~Yes. I'm inquirine
because this visitor lost . cigarette
case and ! thought it might have
been dropped IN the taxi"
It was Stan that took her. the
driver said. Second fellow down.
don't think she dropped her Gig
arctic case in his car, or he would
have found It when hs had It
washed yesterday"
! tried to look disappointed, but
! do not think I succeeded. There
had been . visitor. then. and the
visitor was . womanl ] said, "Well.
III ask him about It anyway.
Thanks"
I walked over to the car he had
indicated. The driver was sleeping,
with = handkerchief spread over
his face to keep OF the flies. The
handkerchief rose and fell rhyth-
mically with bis breathing. When
I touched his arm he came awake
with . start.
"Sorry to disturb you." I said,
but ] want you TO drive mo to
Sherwood Forest
"Sure." he said, scrambling out
70 open the rear door.
"Nsver mind" I said. "ITl ride
IN front with you"
We backed. out from the station
platform and crossed the railroad
tracks. A " drove out into the
country, the driver turned to me.
"Been hsvin' some excitement up
at Sherwood Forest. amt you7" he
remarked.
I had been wondering just how I
would open the conversation and I
was delighted With this opportu-
dyes, It's been IN exciting week."
I said. Shave you been up there
latelyls
he shook his head. sNo, We don't
get many calls from there. I al-
most rot In on that murder, though.
lt's . funny thing, I drove Z lady to
Sherwood Forest that very after
noon, but left without even know
In that fellow Vail had been killed."
"You couldn't have stayed long
them" I said. sThey found Il out Z
little before four o'clock"
"Se ! heard" he answered. He
concentrated on his driving - We
spiraled around . hill. Then he
said, n don't know much about the
sanatorium. I don't get up that
way very often. Which cottage u
the one Vail lived In
The first one - you come In.
"Yeah Z" He sounded startled.
"Say, that's the cottage my fare
went to!"
aYou don't say sol" said. II
wonder who she was visiting. / don't
remember that anyone there had .
visitor that day."
"Shs stayed less than Ave min
utes," the driver answered. "She
come in on the 2.49 and when We got
to the sanatorium she had me stop
on the road, just before It turns at
the first cottage. She waited IN the
car until just $50 and then she
walked up the hill to the cottage.
She was back In about Ave minutes
and she had me take her back to
Echoville. You know, I thought at
the time It was funny she come oil
that way an then only stayed .
couple Of minutes"
"She didn't murder Vail, e that's
when you mean," answered. "Hs
was killed about IN hour before she
arrived. ~ WHIT ss sort q looking wom-
The drivers lean. tanned face
wrinklsd into . grin.
"A hot number.s he said. "She
WAS one Of these here platinum
blondes, like you SEQ IN the movies.
Funny how many 81 EN- you eco
latsly. NJ wife says they're phony.
most of EN-
sWas she short Or tallf"
medium. She had brown eyes.
and . lot q makeup On. She had .