The Coolidge examiner., 1936-12-31
WRIGHT. NEzHAYNes IRWIN WNU. SERVICE
TUESDAY-ContinCed

ANOs N1A &AhSAJD 0SooA$ OSANN
stonily, lit doesn't surprise me.
Bessie" suggested, "woulc
you like to go away for week o.
two? I think a change would dt
you good"
Bessie's steely mask flared with
panic. ''Oh no, Mrs. Avery!" she
demonstrated in frightened voice
''Oh moi 1 don't want to go away
from here. 1 can't go away from
here. I can't can't!"
You don't have to go, Bessie, u
I soothed, ''if you don't want tc
go. But somehow. 1 thought you'c
like a change"
Again panic flared in Bessie.
But I'm going to ask Doctor
Geary to call today" I promised
hastily. He'll give you something
that will make you sleep"
I'D like that, Mrs. Avery" Bes
sic declared almost inaudibly.
1 had scarcely finished telephon
ing the Geary house when the po
lice car curved into the drive.
Take me where we can talk
alone, Mary" Patrick said. l LED
him to the piazza which looked to-
ward the Spinney. by God, Mary
I'm in a jam!' Patrick said as he
seated himself in the broad Glou
I1Or On1y ri n
to arrest Margaret Fairweather.
And anyway, I've got to put q
watch on her house."
''Oh mol" burst from me invol
UNFAIRLY.
That's the way 1 feel about It'll
Patrick commented grimly.
1T would kill Flora if Margaret
was arrested"
That's the way I feel about it, u
Patrick repeated, more grimly
still.
Queer l never thought of hel
when Tony told me about the tai
woman in dark clothes. You thought
of her at once, didn't vou?"
At first did not reply. Then
said, How did you know that?''
Because later, when l thought
of it myself, 1 could remember
your face. I realized that YOU'D
thought of it. Not that either of us
said anything"
He paused for moment. per.
haps l could fix it to let Margaret
stay in her own home for a while
could detail car to saunter ur
and down the cliff-without rails.
ing suspicion, l guess"
But you haven't any real evi
dence on Margaret" I remonstrat
ed.
1T is a little negative, I'll ad
NIT. But here you are. No woman
left the masquerade until long aft
er midnight-with the exception oi
Molly Eames-Molly Trcadway
mean. Molly left with Walter. Nc
other woman came over to the
Head that night. There was nc
other woman at home that night or
the Hcad-except Flora and Mar
garet FairWeather and Hannah
One of my men called with his wife
on Hannah last night. he called
of course, because l sent him, bu
Hannah doesn't know that. Natur
ally they talked about nothing bu
the murder. He established tha
Hannah spent the whole evening
with Flora. Margaret slept. as she
frequently does. downstairs on the
perch Hannah said that Margare
went to bed early because she was
so tired. Hannah sleeps on the
porch outside Flora's chamber
Now as soon as Hannah was asleer
Why couldnt Margaret have Slipped
out quietly from the piazza to NEE
Ace Blaikie in the Spinney?"
But what would she wan
tc meet Ace for?" l cueried me
chanically.
Patrick did not answer me. Bu
he looked at me. l made no com
ment. But l looked at him. I'm
said things began to whirl in the
air about us. And then | hearc
an automobile crunching up the
drive.
Miss Fairweather is here, Mrs
Avery" Sarah Darbe announced
from the doorway. "She says she
would like to see you and Mr.
o Brien."
My thoughts began to spin.
made up my mind to say nothing
about Hannah's nap.
When Margaret Fairweather ap
peared i'll the doorway, my thought:
curiouSly enough, flew at once t
Bessie. 1t was the common devas
tation in their faces which linked
them together in my mind. Bessie.
face had turned the strange gra,
which dark skins assume under
torment either physical or men
tai. Margaret's flesh had gone
waxy. Hers might have been {
dead face-if it had not been fol
the burning intensity of the har
roWed eyes.
Il went over to the police sta
ton to see you, Patrick" she an
nounced in her strange, dead voice
but they told me that you were
here"