The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1935-08-03

stripped Of all clothing, on ter
race, just outside Vane'S door.
No, my dear, it is quite a problem.
But we will work together, and
we shall see what we can do.
Now. {. I want you to tell me, il
you know, who was Suky with be-
fore she came to your"
II don't know, Uncle Cyrus. She
was on the road for quite a while
as q wardrobe mistress, with some
show or other. I know she had q
little kid of her own at that time,
and that it died. She never talks
about it."
did she ever mention any par
ticular person in that show?"
eyes. That's a funny thing,
Uncle Cyrus! Mile Mackie, who
later married Roger Thornley,,
was with the troupe and she was
awfully good to Suky'S baby. She's
the only one Suky ever men
TONS"
Nichols entered jauntily-trail-
ing his blanket like toga.
"Sit down, will you, Mr.. Mich
ols?" Cyrus K. did not smile.
will you be so kind as to tell
me who you, in your great knowl-
edge, would say was the best
friend of Roger Thornley,"
wilbur Renton," Robbie an
swered without pause. THAT is,
if anyone could be said really to
be Rogers friend" he added.
II see," Cyrus K. removed his
glasses. "And. =. did you know
his wife, Miller" he asked.
Eyes, I knew her very well. I
used to beau her around when
Roger was on the spree, or squir-
ing some other lady. No harm in
it-Roger never minded-rather
glad Of it, I imagine"
Il see," repeated Cyrus K, strok.
ing his eyebrow. Tell me, Mr..
Nichols-you are a man about
town. a man of affairS-what has
impressed you the most here at
this party, outside the actual
tragedy, I mean?"
1.-TWO things, mainly" he said.
1.-THE fact that Betty said that Mil
lie Thornley, had sailed for the
Orient. and I know that she hated
the sea as the devil hates holy
water-and the fear that Donetta
showed when she heard of the i'm
minent arrival of Lawrence Vane."
**
Cyrus K. leaned back in his chair
and studied the face of Bobbie
Nichols after his last statement.
"You get around lot, don't you,
Mr.. Nichols?" he said. And I
imagine you hear just about every
thing there is to hear in that little
town of ours called New York"
Bobbie leaned forward eagerly.
WELL" He took deep breath.
"You know it was awfully funny.
Mr.. Mantel, that Mile didn't tell
me that she was going on that
trip to the Coast with Roger. He
wouldn't tell me, he's a taciturn
beast, but she woodland she al
ways talked to me a lot. After
wards she must have been sorry,
because she sent me cards, from
all along the road. She seemed
to be having an awfully good time
enjoying every bit of it, she said
she was. She sent me cards all
the way to the Coast, and then
several from San Francisco, but
she never told me she was going
to the Orient. That's funny to
me-Millie hated the water, got
awfully seasick, used to have to
stay in her cabin all the time.
Why. she couldn't even go sail
ing on the Sound. I can't i'm
agine her taking that long sea
voyage alone-but at that she
might have been better off"
He caught himself and looked
at Mantel.
why might she have been bet
ter off," Cyrus K. seemed to be
quite uninterested as he put the
mild question.
"Well!" Bobbie rushed on.
"You see, Mr.. Mantel, she was
sort of afraid of Roger. She
loved him, you know-and he
loved her, in his way. But, when
he's drinking, he's not a very
pleasant customer-and then man
is polygamous at best they say:
and Roger is certainly all man"
He looked at Cyrus K. and his
nervousness was apparent.
"Then Mr.. Thornley, is ugly
when he has been drinking?"
Mantel asked.
eyes, very ugly. Why, I've seen
him cause a fight more than once
in a public placed" Bobbie's hor'
> ror of this unseemly act was evil
dent. 1T remember one night at
Kate Doyle'S-why, Kate had to
put him out"
1902" Cyrus K. nodded. "Was
he this way with others?"
mo. I don't think so. He was
always charming to anyone who
was not intimate with him-an
awfully good fellow, and very
popular"
with men-or with women?"
Mainly with women" Bobbie
said. Lots of men disliked him
I know Vane did, and he returned
the feeling. But Renton was al
ways his close friend"
1902" Cyrus K. paused. Their
said: Can you remember the
last time you saw Thornley, anc
Renton together"
ct didn't exactly see them" hi
said. IT heard them"
IT was in one Of those high