Evening star., 1936-02-22
CHAPTER XxxV.
ACCUSATION.

ASSS SSE1 4SINs
"You say you were in the boat with
the Sorki brothers, said the sheriff.
why we're you in that boat?"
John Neuman sent the boys after
me when he found the fishermen were
determined to take the law into their
own hands. He thought that I might
appeal to them in the name of Luke
Farnsworth, as his daughter"
You're not his daughter" snapped
Tom Farley
will you let me take care of this.
Farley?" roared the sheriff. Il think
you'd better get out in the other Office,
before / L we'll you'd better
Co."
You can't put me out of here, I'm
an attorney"
And you're not on this case, The
other ROOM
AS the door closed behind him, the
sheriff turned again to Anne. Con-
tinue, please"
I'VE saw the men leaving in their
boats and followed in ours, taking a
final chance to reach them
You say 'ours'?"
"I own a third interest"
"You were not in that boat when
it put back to port" The chief made
this statement.
No" she agreed, "I've tried all along
to protect my identity. When I real
lied I was too late to help. I only
wanted to go back to the peace of
being just Nikki. The boys took me
to Hunters wharf, and I walked back
to town."
IF you were so eager to protect your
identity. why did you come to the
sheriff's cffice and give yourself up?"
Give myself up?" she repeated.
"You don't understand Nina, she's
the boys sister, told me they were
being held because gun had been
found in the boat. I knew they
couldn't have fired that shot, because
Orvi was still at the engine and George
at the wheel, when -. must repeat
that?" she begged.
I'm afraid so. Tell me exactly
what happened"
Anne told him of some one calling
her name, of something whizzing past
her head, of seeing Lee Farnsworth
fall even as she turned to look at him.
st remember boat humping into
ours and then hearing a thud,' she
recountered. IT believe whoever did
the shooting threw the gun into our
boat then"
"And you came down here to free
them with your testimony, was that
it?" he asked.
'"Yes, and please may we all go home
now? The shock of Uncle Lees death
is almost more than I can stand. He
was the only one in the family who
was good to me-"
Anne felt that if she couldn't reach
the privacy of her room she would
break before these men who eyed her
SO accusingly. so silently accusing.
Miss Nikki," there was tolerance
in the sheriff's voice, sympathy even,
"where did you get the gun?"
What gun?" she asked.
perhaps the boys had it and you
didn't know about it," he surmised.
"You mean" she paused in con-
sternation, you mean you don't be-
heve what I've just told you?"
He shook his head. "Sorry, my girl,
but the easiest thing for all of us is
for you to come clean; tell the whole
truth: get it off your mind. You'll
suffer if you don't"
Anne surveyed him pityingly. "I've
told you the whole TRUTH" she said
calmly.
you've told me your version. I
knew from questioning the Sorki
brothers that they were protecting
some one. I didn't realize it was a
girl. Yes, Harry" as the deputy came
to the door a slip of yellow paper in
his hand.
The sheriff took the slip, studied
it and looked at Anne. Where before
there had been pity, there was now
only stern condemnation.
zone more question, Miss Nikki,
he said, and his voice was cold and
metallic. "Why did you carry your
foster fathers gun away from the
Portland home when you left?"
"I didn't carry any gun away with
me-" co.lntered Anne in wonder.
"Miss Nikki," he pointed to the slip
of yellow paper. '"The gun which
fired the shot that killed Lee Farms
worth is registered to Luke Farms
worth. It disappeared from the house
about the time of your departure. It
was found in a boat at the scene Of
the shooting. You were in that boat.
You didn't come to the wharf Like an