Carbon County news., 1936-12-04
s.IRNlN W.N.U. SERVlCET

his relief. ''Is there something
can do for you, Margaret"
Margaret looked at him hard.
II must talk to someone, she said.
II have a strange story to tell
you. You may find it on the sur
face unbelievable. I can only say
that I am telling you the exact
truth"
Patrick remained silent.
about a week ago, Ace Blaikie
called at the house and asked me
if I would lend him some money.
For many reasons, I did not want
to lend Ace any money. I did not
like him in the first place. In
fact" Suddenly her dead eyes
blazed. ''In fact-I hated him. I
did not trust him either. When he
told me how much he wanted to
borrow, I was appalled,"
Patrick said, ''How much was
it?"
'Ten thousand dollars" Marga-
ret answered.
Patrick whistled. l said moth
ing. I could not speak.
''What did Ace want that ten
thousand dollars for?" Patrick
asked.
81 don't know" Margaret an
swered. perhaps I could guess,
but I'd rather not" She looked
pieadingly at Patrick.
you're right, Margaret" Pat
rick approved. Lets confine our
selves to the facts. Did you lend
him this money!"
"Hes-but not at once. I told
him would have to think it over.
I knew that / would have to take
that ten thousand out Of my prin-
cipal."
He called more than once?" Pat
rick interrupted.
eyes, four times. Ihave the days
in my diary. Ace stipu1ated-re-.
quested I mean," she corrected
herself with the careful honesty
typical of her, ''that / give him a.
certified check. It all took time.
but he kept hurrying me. He want
ed the money, I felt, for something
special"
''When was the last time he had
been in your house before that?"
Patrick asked. !
"Ace Blail1ie had not been in my
house for twenty-five years." Mar
garet replied. !
''Did you give him the money!"
Patrick asked.
eyes"
''When?"
''The night Of the masquerade"
''Where?"
''In Mary's Spinney.'
Patrick sighed again. ''About
what time was it?" he asked.
"a little after ten thirty"
''How were you dressed?"
81 wore a black dress, a black
scarf over my head, a big black
lace shawl of my mothers"
''How did you go to the Spinney?"
81 walked up the road toward the
Park, turned off at Mary's path,
walked past the Little House and
met Ace" She paused bleakly.
Patrick waited.
cat the exact spot where they
found his body" Margaret conclud-
ed.
A pause, pregnant with awful |
possibilities, whirled between us
three.
ibid your interview take long?"
Patrick asked gently.
'tNo, it took scarcely a moment"
'tCould you reproduce it for rne?"
Easily. I said, Here is the |
check, Ace He said, Thank you'll
Here's my note for it!' I handed
him the check and he handed me
the note. have it with Lie. Would
you like to see it?"
"Yes-thank you, Margaret, for
thinking Of that"
Margaret took a folied piece Of
paper from her handbag and hand
ed it to Patrick. He examined it
On both sides, held It up to the
light. ''Will you trust this with me
'or a while?"
Certainly, Patrick" Margaret
replied. |
by the way, Margaret, who'd |
7ou make it out to? Oh yes, you'd
lave to make it out to Ace"
Eyes"
Patrick whistled.' '"That compli.
:ates i things: Perhaps there's
boob enough to think he
:ould murder Ace and then forge
Ace's endorsement on the check. 4
las the check been cashed, Mar
.aret?" =
mo. The day I heard of Aces
leath, ! went over to the bank to Il
top payment. They said I couldn't |
10 that without a court, order. +
hey told me it hadn't been
ashed." F.
'WeIl, wen watch that point any
low," Patrick assured her. ''Was II
hat all you said?" Patrick went
n. - e., p 49,. Fl
mo. said one other thing and Il
was the only other thing did
ay. / said. Ace Blaikie. / hope
'ou die the death you deserved"