Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1936-12-17

ming, Mrs. Avery" she. said. ~
81 feel rested, Sarah,,s but you
don't seem so very spry." e
II feel that we're all under sus-
picion!" Sarah commented somber-
ly. Everybody on this Head-we
women as well as the men,"
I made myself smile. "We don't
have to worry, Sarah," I treasured
her. Nobody in this household
has to worry. Doctor Geary says
that Doctor Blake was murdered
somewhere about midnight-probz
ably before. We all have alibis.
And then, Sarah, it seems to me
very unlikely that a woman could
have committed this crime. How
could a woman have stabbed a
man so tall and big as Ace Blai-
kie?"
"a woman who's big enough
and mad enough, Mrs. Avery-can
do anything
"Will you call Mrs. Stow at
once, Sarah," I asked, "and tell
her that I'm dressing now and to
come over here as soon as she
wants.
eyes, Mrs. Avery" r.
81 suppose everybody's been on
the telephone"
Everybody. Every Boston pa
per's tried to get you, but said
you were still sleeping"
"That's right, Sarah. Don't let
anybody get to me today-except
long distance of course"
"There's stack of kilograms,
Mrs. Avery"
''I'll look at. them later"
I bathed and dressed swiftly,
went downstairs.
Almost instantly Matte Stow
came into the iving-roon from the
hall. We kissed, then stood off and
stared appraisingly at each other.
"You look as washed-out as I do,
Mary!" Matte commented.
eff I look as I feel" I said.
"You look all of that, Mary. It's
the most horrible experience of my
lifetime. Sometimes I feel as
though I'd never get over it!''
"Horrible!" I could only-help-
lessly-echo.
'What time did you 60 home,
Mary? I can remember. so little,
clearly"
I described our movements
Sylvia's and mine-in detail. 4
"Peter and I dressed at the Bray
house," Matte said. eve left our
place at about half-past eight and
got back at about ten. Naturally,
we never left the house again. No
body left the house but She
stopped suddenly. 1t was her. own:
thought, DIGGING her wordsaS that
had caught her up +.
"Of course Ace left before the
unmasking because we never saw
him again." Matte glded swiftly
on. "''"
eyes, I saw him CO."
cit puts an end to our masquer-
ades," Matte ended lifelessly. "I
could never give another one"
The telephone buzzed. Instinctive-
ly I arose. But before / could get
the extension on the piazza, I heard
Sarah at the hall telephone. I took
up the receiver. Patrick O'Brien's
voice said, '''This is the chief of
police speaking. Can I talk with
Mrs. Avery?"
"This is Mary, Patrick, broke
in.
ooh, how are: you. this morning,
Nary" Patrick asked.
"Well, I slept-after a WHILE" I
answered.
cit was a tough break, Mary
happening on your place! I called
up to ask if I could come to see you
for few minutes. I'm at Joe
Geary's.''
= ''Tt know you'll have to be here
all the time, Patrick. Don't even
bother to telephone. Come when
ever you must. If I'm not at home,
tie is here" 4
tim glad of that. I want to see
her too" (, 81. =
MdIClG anu COIlCllluGQs 10 IId-
verse the vicious circle ; of our
memories of the MASQUERADE until
Patrick arrived. 3
GIVE put in quite a night" he
said. Checking |up on crowd of
over hundred people, ALI of them
in masks, is, ne small chore. And
couldn't get at Matte until they
came home from their drive. But
fortunately I had a good detail on
Second Head"
"Peter and I were SO tired yes
terday,''' Matte explained to me,
"thatsWe Wanted B&get away from
everything-even from the serv-
ants. Peter wouldn't eat at a no.
tel; he said if he heard another
strain of jazz SO I put up bas-
ket supper and we picnicked by
the roadside. We drove about I'M
til. long after dark. l think it was
about ten before we got home"
"Who told you?",I asked.
"The maids! Peter called up Pat
rick at once and we got together
immediately."
Elbow did you cheeky up, Pat
rick?" asked.
"Well, first with Mattie's list.