The Coolidge examiner., 1937-04-01

pause. ~ hear great many pretty
speeches so you needn't tax your
invention. I prefer to consider it a
challenge"
"A challenged" Jim repeated,
wanting to laugh, not at all con-
cerned about explanations.
I'm giving you break" The
sherry colored eyes, bright with
scornful amusement, flickered over
Jim. II assume that you're too
good a sport to take advantage of a
victim. You've sent me your card"
Her hand touched her breast, pro-
ducing an unmistakable rustling Of
paper. II accept the challenge. IT,
your wits against mine and a fight
to the finish"
She moved away from him, al
most running between the rows Of
vegetables, lightly, gracefully, her
chin tauntingly tilted.
Benedictine! Lynn Fontanne!-
Cecily, obviously, was not unobr
serving. But how bad she made such
revealing discoveries? The riding
breeches, the kilograms, the songs
he whistled-no black magic in her
possession of those facts. Benedic.
tine? Lynn Fontanne?
Jim puzzled over the possible
source of Cecily's information. The
intriguing question was never far
from his thoughts. How could she
have known that he was addicted
to the New Yorker" that Conrad
was his favorite author?
She'd been questioning someone.
he concluded. Was it possible that
somewhere, at some time, she had
known Vic? Or Kay? Or Lenore?
He had nothing to hide. Cecily's
revelations amused and intrigued
him. How had she found out so
much about him? He mulled over
the question, accepting, rejecting,
entirely at sea. And then, late that
afternoon, as he was driving Mr..
Vaughn home from a neighboring
estate, a possible explanation oc-
Cured to him. Cecily had talked
to Mrs. Macpherson, perhaps. Bes-
sic was loyal, Bless her! But Bessie
was loqua cious.
He proceeded to test the truth Of
the conjecture. That evening he
questioned Mrs. Macpherson. By
devious means he led her to speak
of the Vaughns and when he was
sure that all suspicion had been fore
stalled he remarked casually:
"You seem fairly we'll acquainted
with Tommy and Susan. Does Gee.
lily ever come here?"
Mrs. Macpherson drew her at.
tention, with obvious reluctance.
from the partially completed pam
Drama of the Battle of Bunker Hill.
"Only once" she replied. "She
wanted to look at my homespun
counterpanes. Miss Parker had told
her about them"
"Counterpanes!" Jim explained.
Il wouldn't have supposed that she
would be interested in anything so
domestic"
1T was for a shower gift" she
explained. 'One of the Patton girls
is getting married this fall. Miss
Cecily is to be a bridesmaid. She d
bought a counterpane and wanted
to be sure it was genuine home
spun"
Was it," Jim asked, hoping for
further details of Cecily's visit to
the cottage.
Yes" Mrs. Macpherson replied.
1T must have cost her a pretty
penny. She told me about the we'd
ding and was as pleasant as you
could ask"
Il hope" he said, that you gave
Miss Cecily a glass of your ginger
beer"
Il didn't" Mrs. Macpherson re-
piled. Il was so mortified at the
condition the place was in that l
couldn't think of my manners. 1t
was the day your trunk came and
l was unpacking it down here be-
cause you and Andy couldn't get it
up past the turn in the stairs
The trunk! Jim began to under
stand. A smile touched his lips.
Doesn't it beat everything?" she
went on, after a moment, ''how
somebody always comes in when
the place is topsy turvy? Your
things were all over everywhere,
shoes and clothes and books and
magazines. l can't say that who
ever packed them did neat and
tidy job Miss Cecily was pleasant
about it, though, when l explained.
She seemed interested in the books.
l wouldn't have supposed she was
literary, but then you never can
tell"
Jim had no further desire to di-
rect the conversation. He had found
out some of the things he wanted to
know. The contents of his trunk
had revealed certain facts to Cecily.
He wondered if she had noticed the
photograph Of Lenore which Kay
had thoughtfully included. Probab-
| ly. She appeared to be minutely
/ observing.
And what an imagination! Her