Nogales international., 1935-04-06

got a letter from him. from la
Juana He said the divorce wasn't legal
and | was 50 frightened, because
that meant that | wasn't really mar
ried to you. But it wasn't true at all
found it out later"
Cages jaw muscles ridged yisibly
at the mention Of illegal divorce, but
he went on irnplacably.
(Which one of you met him at the
beach bungalow, you or Nancy"
IL met him. I'd sent telegram
to Nancy l thought it would be better
if she saw him--he always liked
Nancy. But she didn't get the telegram
in Zine And ! went down myself. !
had some money for him. He'd said
he'd tell you about the divorce--and
didn't dare let him do that joint
was because ! loved you SC"
"And who-who shot Kennedy :"
Il did" 1t was a mere thread Of
sound. Il didn't mean to. was afraid
OF him, because he was so angry with
me. took the gun with me to frighten
him. And-he just laughed ard tried
to take i, from me, and it went off. :"
| A deep shudder ran over her ''FIe
looked so queer, and Nancy came run
ming down the beach and snatched the
gun. and told me to go back to the
house And / did. | didn't know what
was happening until Nancy came back
and told me that you had found her
there and that you thought she was
Jim's wife And I begged her to go
away. SO that you couldn't question her
any more, and it needn't ever come out
that either of us had seen jim that
night, and if it did it wasn't murder,
it was self-defease. | made her take
the money that I'd brought for Jim
in case she went away-and she ran
out. I heard the car start. And
the next morning f. they told me
that she'd driven it over clif-down
on the rocks-with the tide in"
Cages mouth was thin line, but he
drove his hands down into his pockets
and looked away from her.
81 suppose I'd better tell you the
rest, as far as know it. I'd been up
state on business trip-drove myself
and found that l could get back late
that night. / heard something that
sounded like shot, down toward the
beach. I have beach bungalow there,
but the main house is back. up on the
hill. ! knew the bungalow was closed.
| bit caught sight of Nancy's roadster
with nobody in it. SO thought Id
better investigate. reached the hunga-
low just in time to find Nancy leaning
over some man on the ground, with a
gun in her hand / saw him try to lift
himself and heard him give nasty
laugh and say! Just a little present
from my loving wifer and drop back
| again.
1T looked pretty bad. l shot ques-
ton or two at Nancy, but she just
stared at me and looked down again
at the man and said yes. he was her
husband. Nobody else seemed to have
heard the shot, so 1 told her that be-
cause she was Paula's sister I'd do
what could to hush it up, and | didn t
want Paula in any way mixed up in it. "
John Cages strong face twitched.
''She didn't say much, poor kid, but
she looked sort of desperate. and she
stayed until had made sure the fellow
was dead and then she marched away
without word.
1T looked like murder to me, and
all | was Interested in just then was in
getting the evidence as far away as
possible l got him into the back Of my
car and drove like the devil, and left
him on the outskirts OF town miles
away. | still thought he was dead. Any
way: when got back home Nancy was
gone and the papers were full OF tho
accident. They said it was the fog.
always thought it was suicide"
| He paused and added grufiy "She'd d
done some good bits on the stage.
Working herself up. And she'd jus:
| landed contract out in Hollywood. q
pretty good one for newcomer. She
was to sign the next day. Chucked ii
all up"
There was shuddering sound from
the couch. Paula looked drearily up
and dropped again. Barry felt moved
to reluctant compassion.
He couldn't stand it any longer. He
was going down to Trails End.
| A lowering shadow in the rear hall
resolved itself into Petry. He looked
uervous-for Petry.
Thought you ought to know that
somebody's been around here. There's
a ditched car piece down the road
and one of the horses is gone, the big
roam Mr.. Gage was ridin'. | know the
car license. 1t belongs to 4 fella who's
been stayin' at the hotel in Narston.
Kind of a daredevil lookin' bird, dark
Completed"
Kennedy Barry felt little chill at
the thought of Nancy. somewhere
along the lonely road. ard this man
with his dark grudges roaming loose.
There was a sound behind him. Gage
had come back. There was an envelope
in his hand. He had started to open
it, but he put it back in his pocket,
What's the nlatter?"
"Kennedy's around He has just
gone off with one Of the horses.
Wrecked his car down the read. I'm
starting for Trails End"