The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-07-06

1t, so they could see the small mark on the wall.
 "It points toward the stairs all right" said Pat. Nothing else on that side of the room but that case for books" He walked across and examined the volumes on the shelves. "The old boy seems to have gone in for variety-Inining, poetry travel, finance, and politics"
 Anything on jewels2" asked Bob.
 Nope, unless you count that one, Jewels of Verse Come on, I'm starved" Pat started for the door.
 Breakfast was ready when they came downstairs. Susie insisted that they sit right down and went to call Eb and Dan Dallas.
 Tt was a bullet, then, that broke the lamp?" Claire asked.
 For answer Bob held out the piece of lead. Probably fired from that slope opposite"
 The girls face turned white, "Then - then someone did try to kill mel'
 Susie and Dan, coming back cut short the conversation.
 "Where's Eb2" asked Pat.
 "Dan said he went back to lock the tool house. Susie explained, taking her place ct the table. Hell be along directly"
 uH,aH iRan that n,an Af UAlfPe to anyone Dan?" asked Pat.
 "Eb used 1t sometimes" an. swered the man, looking leVelly at his questioner. "Why?"
 T just wondered" "Did he ever use c sllencer on It, Dailas?" asked Bob Steele.
 Not that know of," Dallas told him.
 "A silencer2" Susie looked ques- tioningly from one to the other.
 "Yes, gadget to cut out the sound of the shot, Miss Spratt."
 Susie dropped a knife to the floor with Q chatter. Mir. Pat, was that why we didn't hear anything when Trigger was shot. and when Claire was up in the cupola2"
 we think so, Miss Spratt."
 "Lord love usl" gasped the wo. man. "Then they could creep up on us and murder us in our beds, and nohody'd be the wiserl"
 Don't get panicky, Susie," Claire soothed her. Nothing can hurt us in the house here"
 T ain't so sure" answered Susie. There's been queer go- ings on round here even afore you come up."
 "What do you mean2" Pat edged forward eagerly.
 "Oh, Susie just gets a case of nerves now and then," interrupt cd Dan.
 Pat went on, quizzing Susie. You mean you heard or saw something you didn't understandp"
 For a minute the houskeeper did not reply. Then she lowered her voice. "Yes did. Three times I've heard a soft-like noise in the night. Once 1t was so loud routed ED out to listen, but 1t stopped as soon as we struck a light"
 Likely a pack rat suggested
 Pack rats don't chip edges of stone foundations, answered Susie.
 You found stones clipped, Miss Spratt?" asked Bob.
 "Yep. The corner of the house out by the root cellar. The wind blew something of the clothesline and when I went over ther to get 1t, saw the fresh marks. And they was tellin' me down at the village that the white miner had been seen again"
 "The white miner?" asked Claire.
 "Sure--the white miner. That's what we all called him. Probably cause we never knew his real name, and he had the freshest. whitest skin ever you see. He was from over near Tin Cup Way, Claire" A reminiscent light gleamed in Su- sie's eyes. Tt happened durin' the mining boom, while your Uncle Lyman was here. and I was keepIn house for him. A likely youngster-- the white miner. Used to come down to the town for grub and things.
 "What happened to him?" Pat asked.
 "Oh. he took up with a fell0E who come from out California ways. They vent up to the kida claim and worked it all summer ore ran pretty good, too. I used to see quite lot of them both when they come down for the town dances. Then one night they'd both been drinking a lot and haA a flRhf."