Henderson daily dispatch., 1934-05-10
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CHAPTER 81

POINTER DROPPED the little
object back in its envelope as though
of no Importance. That's saved us
a great deal Of trouble. AS soon as
the case is over we'n send it back
to YOU"
Lady Ida smiled again, and again
Pointer noticed teeth whose rounded
edges could no more have made
those savage marks than a kitten
could leave a tigers scoring on a
piece of bark. A young man burst
in at that moment with the air of
one running in to save family
bookcase. he seized a volume and
would have dashed out again. buf
Lady Ida stopped him.
'Luttrell, put that down a minute
We've just had an awful piece of
news. This is chief inspector from
Scotland Yard-my son. LuttreIl
Westmacott."
The young man in question turned
pleasant. freckled face on the
visitor.
"Is myrmidon spelled with a " or
an II us ] --------"-
"Mr TAFT has just died. LuttreIl."
his mother went on. The expert in
crossworGs dropped a book. and
stood without picking it up. staring
bIankly at his mother.
"But I thought he was here only
this morning" he expostulated. and
by the remark gave the. apparent
measure of his brains. in appearance
borne out by his weak, good-natured.
silly face and weak. wide. good
natured. silly smile, smile, however
that showed quite a useful double
row of ivory. Pointer eyed them as
intently as a dentist. 'They did not
come up to his standard as regards
size.
Luttrell made other Mortified. inane
remarks and asked for details.
Pointer left it to his mother to pass
on all the information she had OBJ
tanned
"Can you tell me where Mr.. TAFT
was lunching today?" he asked,
when this was done.
Luttrell said that he had not seen
Mr.. TAFT this morning. "He only
came for a talk with my mother" he
explained. Lady Ida professed to
have no idea what Mr.. Tait's en-
gagements were. they had only
talked of his coming marriage. How
long had Mr.. TAFT been at the house
She gave II exactly to a quarter
past as the time. Pointer apOlogized
for the next questions which were
as TO their own movements until
three today. Not that it really mat
tered, but he learned that neither had
left the house. The day was bad
and had kept most people indoors
until we'll past the hour when TAFT
had stumbled, flung the deeply-bitten
gold top of fountain pen out of his
pocket, and then died.
There were plenty of artificial,
flowers in the room where they
were. Tall lilies coiled on their owr
green stems rising from black Chi
nese bowls. A couple were al
Pointers elbow-he had chosen his
seat to be near them AS he talked
ne fingered them absent-mindedly
but though of glass. they were
blown, and firm, and waxen, smoot.
to the touch. Would that be true
however, of any other artificia
flowers that might be found in th'
other rooms?
He left with the certainty tina
Lady Ida was deeply perturbed, bu
that her son did not share this feel
ing. AS to her explanation for th'
reason for Tait's call. it certainl!
failed to convince. But it was diff
cult to imagine what reason ther
could be which called for lie OIL
her part and an erasure in TAFT
engagement book. Business 1t woul
hardly seem to be. Apart from
other things, she was not bushes
woman, nor had any fortune Of he
cwn. 1t was not political, one woul
think . though this was possible
.ss But that caution on Tait's par