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

she looked into his room when she.
got home at dawn and he was
asleep. y. The Geary-Bray crowd
weAt home together. The Eamses
3Oh by the way, that reminds me,
Mary, I haven't taken your story
yet. I must do that now"
| = "Did you go to every house on
my list, Patrick" Matte ques-
toned, rising.
Every one," Patrick answered
tersely. "I detailed man to sit
/ down at the. telephone and call
them up. He told them that I'd get
there sometime during the night.
It was four o'clock in the morning
when I checked off the last
name!"
HYou ought to look more tired
than you do" Matte commented.
"Oh I take a swim before break
fast" Patrick said in his off-hand
way. "I'm always in pretty good
condition"
"That's a good thing!" comment
ed Matte. s'You're in for a long
stretch of hard work, Patrick, un-
less this thing is cleared up pretty
soon.'''
you're telling mel" Patrick an
swered with wry smile.
"Have you anything to go on
YETI" Matte went on.
Listen, you girls" Patrick de-
clared, "I'll tell you what I've got
because we three have been friends
ever since I can remember. And
at present it's pretty nearly moth
ing"
Weren't there any finger
prints?" ! asked.
''No. The state finger-print expert
has looked everything over. He
says that the murderer must have
used a handkerchief or gloves
when he stabbed Ace and when he
Strengthened him OUT
"But could he have stabbed him
without Ace realizing he was going
to do it?" Matte demanded
Because whoever he was-Ace
thought he was friend"
Matte sighed. She came over
time, old thing!"
"First of all, Mary" Patrick be-
gan briskly, when we we're alone,
'teH me what you did the night of
the masquerade Gee, I've left my
pencil at the P.S" He turned to
my desk; took up my fountain pen;
wrote a few words; dropped it in
elvor of a pencil.
l. gave him complete and cir
cumstantial account of my. move
ments from the time I dressed I'M
til I returned to the house with
Sarah at two. II think I have a
watertight alibi, Patrick" conclud-
ed a little drearily, tbecause I
scarcely left the corner where I
sat the whole evening. Yes, I even
Fate my supper there. think any
number of people can testify to
that"
'Well, Mary" Patrick assured
me, "my Irish intelligence seems
to tell me that you didn't kill Ace.
Now will you ask the maids to
come in?"
1 rang the bell Sarah appeared.
Sarah" explained, "Mr.
o'Brten wants to ask you and Bes-
sic few questions"
Sarah and Bessie appeared in
the doorway. Bessie looked worse
than Sarah. Sleeplessness had
ironed the dimples out of her face;
it had set into an ashen mask.
Patrick was extremely gentle.
''Now, girls he began, GIVE
|, got to ask you few questions. I
don't want you to get frightened.
There's no suspicion of you what
ever. But of course, to keep the
record straight have to know. ex-
actly what you dip the night Of the
masquerades.''
Sarah spoke first. "of course we
know that, Mr.. O'Brien,"s she de-
clared, with a catch in, her voice.
"We've expected that you'd, ques-
ton us and we're all ready"
Patrick took BesSie's.. story first.
straightforward. Working all day
at the Stow house, returning to
the house once to prepare my
luncheon; the whole evening at the
Stow house again. returning with
Sylvia Before Sarah and I came
hoi1ae.
"What time, was that?" Patrick
asked. f
"Just twelve, Bessie replied.
She looked unhappy.
"You may go now, Bessie" Pat.
rick permitted gently. "And thank
you'll" l,.t
Bessie Disappeared noiselessly.
Patrick turned to Sarah. "Now,
you tell me your story, Sarah"
Sarah's story, of course, dupli-
catedgs Bessie'S SO far as it con-
cerned what happened in the day.
time. She had gone with Bessie
over to the Stow house and re-
turned only to prepare our dinner;
had helped Sylvia and me to dress
and then had gone back to the
Stow house. She stayed there I'M
til l left at two; returned to my
| house with me.
eyes, that's exactly what all the
other girls say of you," Patrick re-
assured her.
|