Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1936-05-14
:,MM1CCAMDEN RUBY NURDERM|
XDAM-BLLSS- EIJl
CHAPTER 46
COPYRIGHT ASSOCIATION

A STEAE1 Tle OF detectives IOI-
lowed into Reyes office First one
of the men who had been guarding
the Van Every house. He reported
that McManus had not left the house
that Mr.. Van Every had returned
only a few moments ago, that Soon
had not been out OF the house all
day. Neither had any Of the other
servants a IAN Every of course had
gone and come. Several women had
been there during the noon hour.
applicants for the position of COM
panion to Miss Joyce Van Every.
We knew all that
The next informant made us both
alert. Keyes had assigned Roscoe to
get details on Edith Bryce's life after
] had told my story that afternoon.
He had not had time to complete his
report In the short time he had been
out. but ne had come back with
plenty for Reyes to start on.
Mrs. Bryce. he told us. had lived
In her present house five years. She
had bought Il then. and, 1t being a
single house, had had 1t renovated
and practically built over into sep
arate apartments. She. as we knew.
occupied the parlor floor. and also
had the basement floor, where her
kitchen and dining room were, and
where her own servant. a colored
maid. slept On the parlor floor were
the sitting room and Mrs. Bryce's
bedroom. She seemed to have plenty
of money. in fact bought everything
she wanted. Her accounts were with
the finest stores on Fifth avenue.
She seldom had visitors Seemed not
to have many friends. and did not
miss them. One man in particular
visited her occasionally. her lawyer
30 one of her tenants, who was Ros-
GOES chief informant. said. At least
that was what Mrs Bryce told her
This same tenant. of about the same
age as Mrs. Bryce. lonely. too. and
with some money. had tried very
hard when she had taken the apart
ment four years ago to cultivate her
landlady's friendship. She felt that
the two ladies had many things in
common and that they would be most
congenial. Mrs. Bryce had very evil
IDENTIFY repulsed all this woman's ad-
vances. so that they still to this day
remained only the most casual of
friends This tenant had invited
Mrs. Bryce for meals in her apart
ment many times during the first
few months Of her occupancy, and
Mrs. Bryce had always refused. After
that the tenant. having found other
companionable souls. had desisted
This tenant also had a maid who
did not live in the house. However,
the maid was very friendly with Mrs.
Bryce's girl. so she occasionally
CLEANED bits Of gossip about her
landlady.
That this woman was a mine Of
Information. Reyes saw at once, so
he sent Roscoe scurrying out for her.
Fortunately she was at home. and
Roscoe returned with her. much to
our delight. She was, as Roscoe had
said. about the same age as Mrs.
Bryce, and she repeated practically
everything she had said to the de-
tective.
Mrs. Taft was her name. Mrs
Bryce. so far as she was concerned
was a mysterious woman. A woman
who had so few friends. who never
entertained. was mysterious to Mrs
Taft The lawyer her Della told
about. prompted by Mrs. Bryce's
Manda? Lawyer. indeed Yet. Mrs
Bryce had all the money she wanted,
and this fall had a new saba coat,
the most beautiful one Mrs. Taft had
ever seen. Van Every was the law
yer's name. Incorporating. white
haired man. aristocratic looking,
polite. Mrs. Taft had often met him
on the stairs. and he had always
bowed graciously.
At the present time the apartment
on the third floor was empty, leaving
Mrs. Taft and Mrs. Bryce the only
tenants in the building. And so far
as Mrs. Taft could see Mrs. Bryce
had made no attempt to rent 1t.
Rather funny. 1t had been empty
FOR three months No advertising in
the paper. no sign in front Twice
friends Of Mrs. Taft's had spoken for
1t. and twice Mrs Taft had come O
Mrs. Bryce about it. only to be told
that she was holding the place for
someone who was abroad.
Once In desperation Mrs Taft had
at the last minute begged Mrs. Bryce
to fiji In at a bridge table. Some
guest had refused at the last minute.
Now Mrs. Taft would have done this