The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1934-11-16

chartered, and he could not control
them. 1t was all he could do at last TO
drag himself round the corner OF the
house, and, unseen, stare through the
uncurtained kitchen window.
Mrs. Waco was doing something by
the larder door. He searched her race.
There seemed to be nothing on 1t u
preoccupation with what she was doing.
Was it possible that she had not heard
the shot after all?
He walked quickly round to the front
Of the house and went into his living
room.
From a cupboard on the wall he took
a whisky bottle, pulled the cork n
put the mouth of it to his lips, gulping
down the neat spirit in thirsty haste.
Almost Immediately the stuff did him
good. He waited a moment, while the
heartening glow steadied his limbs
Then he walked firmly into the kit
chen.
Mrs. WAGE was Just going out through
the back door. She stopped when she
saw him, and it seemed to Cayley that
she looked at him queerly.
Cayley's fingers frightened round the
revolver in his pocket as he searched
her face.
"Ah, back, are you?" said Mrs. WAGE
comfortably.
Cayley breathed with relief. His fin
gers relaxed on the revolver. The next
instant they frightened again.
Back? I haven't been away. I've
been sitting in the garden, smoking"
GWyo1 fharoSc M n0oNaprfinn fnr
tastes" observed Mrs. WAGE Indifferent
ly. "Good night, Mr.. Cayley."
Good night, Mrs. Wace."
/ Cayley went back to his living room,
his knees weak with relief. If Mrs.
Waco had heard anything or voiced any
suspicion, ne would have shot her dead.
He knew he would.
Instantly the same feeling came to
him as in the shed. Rose was not dead
at all. She had only been stunned.
She would come to if he gave her some
whisky. He caught up the bottle and
hurried with it down the garden
through the dark.
Outside the door of the shed he
stopped. He could not go in; he just
could not go inside. Suppose after all
that
"Rose!" he called shakily. "Rose!"
It took a full minute, and another
swig at the bottle, before he could get
a grip or himself again.
Rose was lying just as he had left
her. She was quite dead.
What a fool he had been! Every
thing had gone splendidly. All he had
to do nov was to proceed with his plan.
It was a good plan.
To her mistress in Merchester and to
her only living relative, an elderly aunt
living in Streatham, Rose had written
on Cayley's instructions, that she was
going out to Canada to be married
Rose really had believed that Cayley
was going out to Canada to open q
branch there for his firm.
Over her luggage Cayley had beer
equally clever. Rose was to have left
Merchester that afternoon for London
and deposited her trunk at Liverpool
Street Station. Cayley would be able
to claim the trunk later with the check
that would be in Roses handbag, anc
dispose of it at his leisure.
Rose had made objections, of course
When, in Merchester, she was only hall
a dozen miles from Cayley's cottage
why travel all the way up to London
and come back to Stanford? But Cay
ley had been able to convince her. He
was not leaving for Canada till the
next day. It was essential that Rose
should not be seen coming to the cot
tage. If she were, her good name
would be lost, even though they were
getting married in London the mex
morning before sailing. The argument
had gone home, for Rose was always
very careful about what people woulc
say" So, though she had demurrec
at the expense, for she had a parsimon.
! ious mind, Rose had in the end con-
scented.
Suppose Rose had not brought the
check for the trunk with her after all
If she had not, and he were unable tx
claim the trunk, everything would mis-.
carry. In that case the trunk woule
sooner or later be opened, and then il
would be known that Rose had disap.
peared, and then
Cayley shivered with fear.
Roses handbag lay On the floor, hal
underneath her. Cayley pushed he.
body roughly aside to snatch it up. Hi
fingers shook so much that he coule
hardly open it.
The next moment he uttered a sob O
relief. The check was there. "On'
trunk ..." The words danced be
fore his eyes. He was safe, and nov
he must proceed, quite calmly, with tn
rest Of his plan.
Cayley would never have believe,
that Rose was so heavy. It had seemet
simple, in advance, to put her into tn
sidecar, prop her there to look natural
and drive with her to the disused quar-
ry, where her grave was already pre-
pared, and the spade waiting to fill
in. But now that it had come to tn
point, it was dreadful to have to picl
her up and stagger with her through
the darkness, like a sack Of potatoes II
his arms. Cayley was gasping 70
breath by the time he reached the side,
car,