Evening star., 1936-09-05

TINE county coroner arrived at
Layland Cottage in surpris-
ingly short time. Accompanied
Il by sheriffs deputy, he made
q brief examination of the body on
the beach and asked perfunctory ques-
tions of the Elledges, the only two
witnesses to the drowning. Deeds, the
Rev. Mr.. Beckham and Jere Kendall
supplemented the record with their
accounts.
II see no occasion for an inquest"
the coroner decided. do you, Ed?"
The deputy likewise was satisfied.
Deeds volunteered request at this
point. If the body might be moved,
it was Mrs. Lindsay's wish that it be
taken to a funeral parlor and be made
ready for shipment home. Joan had
relayed the message when she met
Deeds on the rear porch.
She explained that Mrs. Lindsay was
bearing up under the shock as we'll as
could be expected. Claire was very
calm and taking charge of arrange
mentS.
AS Deeds listened to Joan's imper-
sonal account, he found himself pos
sessed of bewildering feeling that
the Lindsays we're not the ones who
had suffered the great loss in Genes
passing. He was Joan'S husband and
she was . a widow
He caught his breath at the strange
ness of that word. But it was true.
He still was turning it over in his
mind when Joan asked him to wait a
moment and slipped into the kitchen.
She was back almost at once, a fold
ed blanket in her arms.
Please" was all she said.
"I'll stay with him." he promised.
MAC :" There was the first
suggestion of tears in the brown eyes.
Yes, Joan. Anything that can
do
A curious sense OF loss enveloped
Deeds as he trudged away on his er-
rand. This tragedy had changed
everything once more, as far as Joan
was concerned. 1t did not occur to
him to remember that Genes death
might easily solve his own personal
problem. Joan had her freedom now
.. but she never had wanted to pay
such a price. 1t would not be very
surprising if she considered herself
to blame in some measure. 1t would
be less surprising if she reproached
Deeds for his lack of action after
Genes early-morning appeal for help
on his car after he realized that
something was seriously amiss with
Gene.
He would have to tell her all about
1t. No matter what.
He was alone with Gene for a
time, after the county officials had
departed, thankful that the cottage
was as isolated as it was. There were
but few passers-by this hour of the
day and Deeds got rid of them with
as little ceremony as possible. 1t
was thoughtful of Joan to remember
the blanket. He didn't seem quite so
conscious of Genes presence.
Queer how his mind kept revert
ing to that other time when he and
CASTOR had been alone, by the surf.
Gene had wondered what the ocean
thought of the human bugs" that
crawled about the shore. Here was
one who had not been able to keep
afloat on his chip. Had Gene found
the ocean restful, after all :. when
the time came? No one would ever
find out. Maybe he knew all about
-. everything. Now.
Deeds was glad when Beckham
came out to share his vigil still more
glad when the little clergyman sat
down in the sand and showed no in
clination whatever to talk. 1t would
be pretty easy for a preacher to staff
moralizing at such a time, but this
little guy seemed regular sort. He
sat motionlesS, squirting at the water
through his spectacles E. until Deeds
became restless.
Did you get the tough job of tell
ing his folks?" he demanded presently.
Not exactly. I confirmed mat
ters. Jere is very excitable in mo-
ments of stress. When left just now,
he was having a rather satisfying ar
gument with the telephone repair
man"
What about?"
1.-The fellow insisted that some one
had been experimenting with the in
strument. 1t was not quite clear to
me, but he was equally sure the ac-
cident could not have happened un-
aided. Jere seemed to take it as per-
sonal affront. I was very glad that
my son has no mechanical bent .
at the moment Being the only child
about the place, you know :"
Deeds was giving little heed to the
matter of suspects affecting the min
ister's family. If Genes car had been
put out of commission, was it by the
same person who tampered with the
telephone? He had wanted to make
sure that Gene didn't get away . =
or call for help. 1t looked that way.
Caston's death must have fitted ex-
traordinarily well into that persons
designs.
Too we'll? He contented himself
with remarking, 1T doesn't seem fair
-. break like that"
you're speaking of this young
man." Beckham mused. THAT is a
natural reaction, of course. But there
are compensations . I'm afraid you
will think I'm lapsing into profess
sional role. I didn't intend it that
way. I have seen death meet young
men in such dreadful forms, you
know over in France, the Red
Cross. Sunshine and clean water do
not seem so revolving"
Deeds stared in surprise.
But he's dead, for all that"
"Quite. But painlessly or al
most so. Much more of shock to
those of us who are left to witness it.
Perhaps our young friend was spared
.. great deal One never knows.