Evening star., 1935-06-20
CHAPTER xXXII.
DAPHNE INTERPRETERS.

Wy had lied when he. told her
that his name was Westlrn,
Y thht he was an architect
~ had ne lied about the Car as
well? Had the whole story
of his stroll past the house been made
UP, and had his car been parked all
the time a few hundred yards from
the house? The car which could have
taken them both into Warley.
Now that she looked back, Alison
remembered too clearly that he had
been very anxious that she should not
walk to Warley and tell her story to
the police.
Slowly, painfully, she recalled each
incident of their strange meeting.
With her suspicious awake, she could
see that his tale of midnight stroll
on a wet night was pitifully thin.
But why had he hed2 Why hadn't
he said right out that his car was at
hand, only a few yards away? Was
it because he was afraid that she
might give him awayP
And now, all in a rush, came back
details to reinforce her fears. The
telephone-he had shown no surprise
when she got no answer! Had he
himself cut off the telephone?
She recalled that they had gone at
his suggestion to the drawing room;
she had sat waiting at the desk while
she dialed and had let her eyes stray
down it, thinking that 1t was ugly.
But surely the drawers had been shut
then? And Guy himself had grown
red when he told her about the
burglary!
He himself, only yesterday, had
said that he had stopped her cry in
case some one should hear On his
own confession, then he had known
that there was some one else In the
house, before she told him of her
fright! And he had been afraid that
other person might know that he was
in the house!
True, they had searched together
but not all the house. There had
been q moment when she was in the
bath room alone and Guy had gone
up to the attic.
True, he had put Cafe on her bed
to guard her through the night: she
had thought that particularly nice
of him, to be anxious for her safety
and comfort. But suppose that he
was only anxious to see that she did
not move without his knowledge, spy
on what ne was doing below?
"What've you got there?"
Alison jerked round to find Daphne
looking over her shoulder. For a
moment she thought that Daphne was
laughing, but the CLINT, If there was
CLINT in those dark eyes, vanished
at once.
you've seen this?"
Daphne nodded.
"Oh, yes. Bob showed me before
dinner. He was going to tell you but
I wouldn't let him. Rather ghaStly
isn't it? I mean, to happen In ones
own house. At least. it isn't mine
now, thank Heaven! AS I was saying
to your father, it's a good thing ]
completed the sale and had their
check"
Daphne was chatting light-heart-
edly now. Lucky for me that the
poor creature didn't get found a little
earlier before the sale was signed. OF
they might have backed out"
Rather awful for the people who
found it." said Alison slowly.
"Oh, don't know! An old house
ought to have ghost!" chaffed
Daphne. IF it had happened before
they took it over, might've charged
them extra for a ghost!"
But Alison could not even pretend
to laugh.
They seem to think it happened
on the 25th."
1.-The night you were there?"'
Daphne's eyes were very quick as
they darted at her and returned to
the paper. MY dear! You don't
think-?"
I'm sure he was the man saw in
the house."