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

mo! She was surprised when
I told her than Vane was coming
here"
Pleasantly SOP" asked Mantel.
why, yes. I. L think so. Every
body was kidding so, that I
couldn't speak to her, and just
then vane arrived with your
niece Betty"
THAT will be all, Mr.. Mill
banks" he said formally. Il
would suggest that you get the
doctor to give you something, and
then take a stiff drink son-and
keep q stiff upper lip. Death Is
never as final as it seems to the
young"
The next one called was Wilbur
Renton. He came into the room,
and faced the small man with
his usual air Of assurance.
What did you do, Mr.. Renton,
after the party downstairs broke
up?" he asked mildly.
II spoke to Betty for just a
moment, and then I came up
stairs, went directly to my own
room, and wrote a letter-an i'm
portant letter-then I planned to
go straight to bed"
Cyrus K. removed his glasses
and stroked one eyebrow.
II See," he said. May I ask
what you did with this letter? And
also-if you will pardon met
seems somewhat uncomfortable to
sit in your own room writing in
your dinner things"
"Well, Mr.. Mantel," Renton
strove to be light. There was q
reason for that, only had hoped
you wouldn't ask it. You see, ]
had asked your niece Betty to
meet me, alone, later-and she
had refused. I hoped that she
would change her mind and send
Suky to let me know, so naturally
I remained dressed"
81 take it that you and Suky
are good friends?" Cyrus K. was
casual.
"Oh! very. There is nothing ]
wouldn't do for the dear old soul
and I can safely say, nothing she
wouldn't do for me-"
"I See," said Cyrus K. II see
That's very interesting indeed,
Mr.. Renton. Did you know Mrs
Millbanks before?"
mo. I had never met her" said
Renton, although 1 had seen her
often at Kate Doyle's:"
"Were you in the habit OF going
there often?"
eyes. Quite often"
''May I ask, Mr.. Renton, when
was the last time YOU were there,
and whom you were within"
Sometimes in the summer,
Mr.. Mantel, and. e." he flushed
painfully as he met those keen
black eyes. IT was with 1sobel
Mackenzie, who later became
Mrs. Lawrence Vane."
Cyrus K. replaced his glasses
II see," he said. 81 thank you
Mr.. Renton. That will be all
just now"
Renton walked out into the
library, trying to appear jaunty
to his fellow guests.
The next name called was that
Of Betty Potter.
"Oh, Uncle Cyrus" she moaned
whatever are we going to do?
Isn't it awful, I can't bear to
think of Donetta, lying up there
in the cold-dead-and just q
few hours ago. she was warm
and gay-and alive" Tears
flooded her eyes again.
Come out of it, young WON
an" snapped Cyrus K. "Remem
Der you are a newspaper woman
and you are my niece-and we've
got to find out a few things
What happened after you left
the main party?"
"Well. first Of all, Wilbur
Renton asked me to meet hin
later, alone. He said he had some
thing very important to talk ovel
with me-"
Conflicting Answers
"Well-and did you accept-ol
refuse?"
II accepted" she said simply
"Ah!" said Cyrus K.
II told him I'd meet him later
when the whole house was dark,
Betty went on. I'm the turret
sitting room at the end of the
hall on the bedroom floor"
"And did you meet him?" CyruI
K. leaned forward.
mo-" she hesitated. II was al
ready to go. when I was inter
rupted."
What interrupted you?"
1.-TWO whispered conversations
in the hall just outside my room,
she said. And then she told hin
of the two hushed talks she hac
listened to, and of Suky's making
her phone for her uncle.
"Well?" he snapped. did vol
finally meet this man Renton?"
mo" she said. "He slipped
note under my door to tell me tina
he would wait there all night If h
had to, but that I must come. Ant
then I saw Schuyler in the hall OF
his way to the kennels, and thel
7 waited, and I told Suky tt
wake me, and I told her why i
was important, but the old foo
didn't do it. And then the mex
thing I knew, I heard Schuyler
voice calling my name-and
went out-and-there he was will
I-with-Donetta." Her hysterica
flow Of words ceased, and Sh
looked at her uncle with feVerlsl
eyes.
"You don't think for a momen
that Lawrence had anything to d.