Evening star., 1937-12-12
Mosuzins Section

quick to find the gun in Ramsay's
hand. OF course, the minute looked
at those fingers l knew the gun had
been put there after his death.
We'll, if you remember, Matt, we
were all set to leave. leastaways, Ernie
and we're. And you were standing by
the fireplace yonder - under the bal
cony. And suddenly you let out an
exclamation and went rushing up>
stairs. and found Val's body"
What was wrong with that?'
Nothing, Matt. nothing except
that from where you were standing
you couldn't have seen that body. So
began to think that maybe you had
known it was there all along And later
l learned that you'd been away from
Seaville for several hours 1t kind of
checked, Matt"
The sheriff's squat body was tensed.
He said, harshly, 1T still amt proof"
That's true, Matt, but it helps.
And this was the clincher." Marshal
took two bonds from his pocket and
tossed them to Robert Gait He said,
will you check those numbers and
see if they're on the list of the stolen
bonds?"
Gait inspected and nodded. These
are the same two you telcphoned me
about last night, Mr. Marshal"
'Of course You see, folks. really
am not so smart as you'd think. to
hear me talk. All | been telling you
was just suspicion. The rest was plumb
accidental. Looking back on it, l
figure Matt Rice wrapped up that
package kind of careless and high
tailed it out of the Lodge pretty fast.
Riding back to town in the rear
seat of Sheriff Rice's car last night,
found those two bonds on the floor.
where they must have dropped when
Matt was totin' them from here to
Vars house. 1t didn't take an awful
lot of brains to dope out the rest of
the story and the minute l got
Mr.. Gait on the telephone and
checked these bond numbers, why,
shuh! A baby could have figured out
the rest"
Matt Rice looked around the big
room. Everywhere he encountered
hard eyes and hostile faces. And then
fury vanished from his own face, and
in its stead there came pitiful fear.
He said. Il never thought you'd do
this to me, David we growed up
together"
I'm sorry. Matt. Honest, l am.
But l doped it out pretty straight,
didn't II"
Matt Rice made helpless gesture.
David Marshal drove the car back
to Seaville. He looked old and tired.
In the back seat were Judith and Nan.
And Alan Keith. They were silent.
too. The shock of the previous night,
the fear. the strain of the inquest -
all of these things had taken their toll
and left an imprint on young faces.
Pedestrians stared as they rolled
through the tree-lined avenues of the
little town. But there was friendliness
in their eyes now. The tragic events of
last night and this morning had over
shadowed mere gossip or suggestion of
scandal. After all. these three young
folks had been born and raised in Sea-
vile: they were part and parcel Of the
town and their roots were deep in the
soil of the country.
OF course, there was considerable
conjecture about their future, and
there was doubt in the mind of Alan
and of Judith. Judith reached across
Alan to touch Mans fingers. She said,
you've been splendid, dear"
Nan smiled gently and said. "Old
reliable. But l always have been in
clined that way, haven't I. JUDITH"
Alan spoke to the older man at the
wheel. 1T was pretty much of a
miracle, wasn't it, Mr. Marshall
David RESPONDED without turning