The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1937-01-07
Murder: Masquerade
h~ q ah BY Inez Haynes Irwin nus#r~
By Illez Haynes Irwin

sleeping too" l commented me-
chanically.
eyes, Mis- Avery, she was asleep
when I woke up. Will you wait in
the living-room, Mis- Avery, or
would you like to &C out on the
piazza?"
"I'l go out on the piazza, Han
nah! l haven't seen the sea for
two days"
I made my way through the
broad hall to a glass door at the
back, the panes of which the sun
had transmitted into golden plates.
The Fairweather house faces on the
road, but the living quarters look
onto the sea. The big glassed-in
piazza is really an extension of the
living-room-what with its touches
and tables, books ana magazines,
crickets and reading lamps. ]: vas
in perfect order, as was the rest
of the house. Yst the.e fingered
even in this atmosphere, the in
tangible odor of Embellishments
cines, hot water bottles, COM
presses cold and hot-its sinister
hush weighted it.
Presently there cane a step at
my side. "Oh Margaret" I ex-
claimed still in my hushed tone,
and springing to my feet. How are
you, my dear? And how is Flora?"
"Flora's about the same" Mar
garet Fairweather answered. "And
as for me, I'm always we'll"
"You look frightfully tired today,
Margaret" 1 said.
And indeed I was Mortified at
her appearance. Margaret Fair
weather is a tall, big woman-pow-
erful, I might say; broad-shoul-
dered with big, fine muscular
hands. Only a few years before,
she had been our star woman-ath-
lete-tennis, golf, swimming; she
was even an expert fencer. But
when Flora started on the long
road which was to lead to her
agonizing death, Margaret dropped
every outside interest; devoted her
self to her sister.
'I'd like to talk with you, Mar
garet. Could you walk little way
along up the Head? I wouldn't keep
you more than a minute"
eyes, I think I can," Margaret
answered, taking thought. "F'lora's
sleeping. Opiate of course! I don't
want her to hear anything that
would disturb her."
We went noiselessly back through
the broad hallway and out the front
door.
"In say it's awful, Margaret" !
began, land no more"
"I'l say I agree that it's awful"
she responded, land no more"
"Does Flora know about Ace?"
l asked as we drew away from the
house.
mo and never will, if I can help
it."
There's something particular
you wanted to tell me, Mary?"
81 wanted to talk with some
body" I answered little evasive-
ly. "Of course I've seen Matte
and the Gearys. I haven't been to
the Eameses yet. Nor the Tread
ways"
''It's nice about Molly and WAL
ter" Margaret interpolated.
eyes, I'm very glad. I've seen
Molly and Walter, but I haven't
been to call yet"
ST haven't of course-but then
I call on nobody"
Nobody expects it of you," ]
reasured her.
"People are wonderful about
coming" she said. "Do they sus-
pect anybody" she changed the
subject.
"Patrick O'Brien has just arrest
ed Tony Torriano," I answered.
I looked out on the rumpled blue
green sea. I looked up to the
smooth white-gold sun. "Marga-
ret" I said, "I'm going to tell you
something. I haven't any right to
tell it to you. I'm breaking con-
fidence. But the arrest of Torriano
is only a blind. Patrick does not
think Torriano did it. At the mo-
ment, it looks as though woman
did,"
GA woman!" Margaret repeated
lifelessly.
eyes," I went on hurriedly, ga
woman! Torriano met Ace in my
Spinney. They had had quarrel
that day over bill which Ace owed
Tony for months. Ace promised to
pay him that night; made the APP
pointment to meet him there. He
did pay him and Tony got out at
once. But Tony says that when he
left Ace he saw a woman coming
along the path from down over the
Head"
ga woman!" Margaret repeated
in her lifeless voice. Didn't he
say who she was?"
'sHe couldn't tell. He couldn't
see her face"
GA woman!" Margaret repeated
monotonously. Wouldn't it be
strange if it turned out that wom-
an murdered Ace Blaikie!"
Luncheon was ready when I re-
turned. Sarah Darbe had rung the
bell for Sylvia who, in her accus-
toned swift biddability, had come
trotting up the path on the very
wake of its echoes. Hopestill was
striding up and down my living
room.
"I'm glad you tool. walk, Aunt
Mary" he approved. "And now
YOU must get out of the house as
often as you can"
ITO BE CONTINUEDI
WaterSpOuts
Waterspouts may appear in pairs,
or in groups of a dozen or more.