The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1936-12-26

ply. "They live better here than
thew ever could hope to off the
mesa, so they're content. The
same goes for the Indian. Besides,
Broken Shield never has much to
do with them. He's a solitary
| bird. Stays in his room mostly.
He's got some fool idea about liv.
inp on the site of his ancestral
pueblo or something"
"There was a pueblo here
"The house Is built onsiki foun.
dations," answered PeaA John.
THAT'S what seemed to attract
my goofy ancestor to this partic.
ular spot. Too bad he didn't lose
his head when he was mixing with
some of the Chink pirates he's
reputed to have run into. Then
maybe I'd have had chance to
live some place else. Who wants
houses bequeathed to them, any
way" 49,. ,.,;,u :. ,s.,;a
that if anything happens to the
old lady, it will mean that he'll
have to get out" suggested Bob.
as that why he's so glum look
ing"
fTt might be-" answered Pearl
John. "And you can jolly well
believe that's just what will hap.
pen, too. I don't have it in for
Broken Shield as much as the
other boys, but the less ] see Of
| him the better. Pearl Sam, espe-
cially, detested the very sight of
him. And you can believe the In
dian didn't exactly love him. That
is why think he and Tante know
some things they'd rather we
didn't find out"
"Then the. obsidian knife might
have had some connection with
Broken Shield?"
1T might have" was the slow
reply. though ! doubt il he knew
where it was kept. After my
brother found out it had real
value, he was careful to keep it
locked up"
"Yet it seems to have been
loaned to Professor Shaw" Bob
reminded him.
Eyes, it was," de Forest admit.
ted, though my brother did not
approve at all Of letting the knife
out of his own hands. ! heard
him. arguing with my aunt about
| it. She was the one who persuad.
ed him it would be safe to allow
Professor Shaw to make micro.
scopic examinations Of ii. II
Pearl Sam had refused, he might
have been alive now"
"Then you think your aunt had
something to do with the muir.
der?". Bob asked the question
hesitatingly. The mere thought
OF laying the crime on the half
kinsahe old lady seemed too horri'
bic for belief.
%"I'll not say" Pearl John an
swered coldly. ''But I do know
her Mysteries are just a smoke
screen to"cover up the schemine
of. her crooked old brain" He
got UP, making an excuse to leave
and Bob was alone in the dark
ening room with this disquietin2
suggestion.
Bob hunted about o. until he
found some matches and lighted
all the candles and lamps. the
| Mace afforded, then started Ia
draw the heavy draperies across
the windows to. shut. out the
gloomy outdoors. AS he did this
he caught sight of a person. SO
wrapped in great coat and muf,
fler that it was impossible to tel
whether it was a man or wd
man, making off through the snow
toward the edge Of the mesa
There was nothing unusual in this
except for the fact that Bob was
sGre it was not one OF the Serv'
ants. While he stood watching, 9
man came slowly around the. cor
ner Of the patio. After q furtivc
glance about, the second figure
| followed the first, though there
| ives every evidence that he did
| not wish this known to the indi'
I vidual he was trailing.
=. Bob decided that he would
walk about and see if he could
find out who, in the household
was missing. He went first to the
living room.
! There were only Angeliquc and
I Betty there. The two girls sa,
close together before the fire, as
though they felt the need Of mu'
| tual protection.
I where's Pearl john" Bob
asked. "Did he come along here
Just now?"
~ saw him going out with his
coat on" Angelique answered. 81
think he said something about
finding Pearl Pierre and Profcs.
sor Shaw"
| She motioned with a quick gcs.
ture Of her pretty hand, and, a.
| Bob leaned over her, she whisper
ed, Ramon has gone to try to
find out something about that can
yon road. He vows we're all to
make a break for 1t if somebody