The Washington times., 1936-03-07

''WhNt was he doing in sacra-
mentor" wondered Mother.
1--WE don't know yet. Lloyd was
questioned about It this afternoon.
He admitted making the call, said
ho was driving through the town,
but did not have time to stop there
long"
why did he call hsrP" I wanted
to know.
HE Ovaded that, Just saying that
it WAO rather common TOR fianceS
to call their bstrothsd. O'Brien
could get nothing more out of him
On that, nor would he say what
business he had In that part Of
the state. He q an insurance
man, you know, and he might have
been there for any number Of rea-
6onS."
"Dus he won't talk to you.
eithsrP"
"lSo. He b the most difficult
client 7 have ever had"
well" said Mother firmly, ''I
should Just tell him that he would
have to give me his full confidence
or I would have 70 give up the
ease"
: "oh, Dad. YOU won't 10 that, will
you?" I cried.
Dad shook his head.
mo-" he answered, IT won't do
that. But mother i right. I
should take that stand. Ordinarily
/ would. But somehow have faith
In Bruce Lloyd. believe that
when he knows me better or when
the right time comes, he will tell
me the whole truth"
I was terribly relieved. OF course
] wanted the murderer brought to
justice, but I waS a. positive that
that Bruce was innocent % was
thAt my own brother had no con-
nection with the case. Little did
I realize that what sinister SiInile
that WaBI
'EIrthermore," contiued Dad,
his next action was hardly that Of
Q man who contemplAteS murder
ing . girl. Ne wired her flowers
from Sacramento"
what kind Of flowOrsP" asked.
ssWeNe they yellow roses7"
'T don't know, Curly" Dad was
amused.
''You: see," I explained, II saw
some yellow roses on her table the
afternoon Dickey and I were
there."
ThO police had not checked up
On the kind Of flowers, It seemed,
but later that proved 70 be rather
important we were still talking
about Bruce when he came. After
that, Of course, we tried to make
the conversation revolve about
anything else. Mother was aw-
fully sweet to him. Dad was
casual and politically bent in his
contributions. / told some stories
shout school that he found anus
ing.
Then Allen came home. He did
look awfully white ana strained,
I thought, and I realized Mother
had 2 right to worry over him.
His thinness and pallor and dis
tresg were made all the more en-
phatlc because Of Bruce's size,
tan, and general good health. IN
spite Of the fact that Bruce was
obviously worried, he did not have
that desperate look Allen wore.
OF the two. I must admit that my
brother appeared the more grief
stricken. Bruce never did show
much sorrow. I thought at the
time. however. that It was rather
natural for an innocent young
man who suddenly finds himself
suspected Of murder to be con-
cerned chiefly with his own prob
lem.
Allen did not stay long. We
lighted the log fire in the fire
place and the four Of us sat
around drinking chocolate and
eating some Of Mothers Scrump-
tioOS cake. u was eli very cozy,
homelike, intimate. Bruce seemed
to relax under the spell and gradu-
ally emerge from his mask. I
thought him the most charming
person had ever seen In my life.
Mother ana Dad were equally i'm
pressed, I think. don't believe
any one o3 ~ had any emotion
about him but that Of affection
and pity. He certainly won us
completely.
After the warmth Of the third
cup Of chocolate, Bruce brought