The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1937-12-16
CHAPTER xI--Continued

4
graduation. Mrs. Gregory had
witnessed a will week before Mrs.
Dane had died. Where was it,
Should she go to Jed Stewart at
once and tell him what she had
heard? But he knew. He had asked
Mrs. Gregory to say nothing about
it. Why hadn't he told her? What
did 1t all mean? 1t gave her
panicky feeling, as if she were wan
dering blindly in the dark on the
edge OF precipice She poked the
fire vigorously. 1t was a physical
outlet to her turmoil of mind.
--s'7fa axe care. Miss, or yea H set the
chimney afire," Henri warned from |
the threshold.
az think not. 1t was thoroughly |
cleaned when I came here to live.
Why, was he puttering7 He was
drawing the hangings over the VIM
dows, pulling a rug in place, re-
folding the morning newspaper on |
| the desk, fussing about the parrots
| cage, a parrot who had lost half
/ of his tail and all his self-assurance
since his excursion into the outer
world.
He cleared his throat and drew
long bony fingers over his slack
mouth.
"I-I've been wanting a chance
to talk with you since-since We
we found the parrot, Miss"
He was avoiding mention of the
tragedy at the filling-station. Why7
"What have you to say to me2'
He drew his fingers across his
mouth. Its about that-what hap
pened at the filling station. You
know went to the movies that eve
ming, came home and went to bed
Miss Lucette and the others saw
me when I came down to find out
what the noise was | heard. You
know that after that dressed and
went out to hunt for the parrot, that
brought him in with me, but the
police want to check up on me every
minute. You can help me very
much, Miss"
"HoW?"
by swearing that | was in this
house at the time of the-the rob-
berry at the filling station
"But, as I remember it, you
weren't, Henri. You said that you
were hunting for the parrot.
The butler emitted sound like
the snarl of a savage beast at bay.
YOU'D better say / was, Miss,
or-or I'll tell how found this in
your desk" He drew a folded pa
per from his pocket.
"Mr. Sam has overlooked grand
dramatic material right here, Hem
ri. You would steal the show as
the villain in his comedy. Just what
is sthis'?" Her voice was tinged
with amused unbelief.
'sTake it. Miss"
Brooke thought OF the fangs OF q
wolf as he smiled his secretive
smile. She unfolded the paper and
noticed that a tiny corner of the
sheet was missing. Mary Amanda
Danes writingl Mrs. Gregory's sig
naturel Henri's. Clotilde's. Was il
the will of which Mrs. Gregory had
spoken only a few moments ago7
How had it come in Henri's posses
sion7
"you say you found this in my
desk?"
The buffers greedy eyes gilt
tered like black beads. Eyes, Miss
I'm prepared to swear to that II
court unless we can come II
terms"
why didn't you take II directly
to Mr.. Trent or Mr.. Stewart" Wa:
her voice as icy as her body felt
II thought 1t was too bad to d.
that until | found out if you and
couldn't work together. Mr.. Mari
tried to get me in wrong with tn
old madame" Hatred famed in M
eyes and voice. why should | hell
him."
"Will this-~this-help him7"
"Read it, Miss"
"I'll wait until I'm alone. TIL
paper is torn. Did you tear it whe
you-pulled it from my desk?'
f1GtIl lEIAil SipWGA GSsw~~
suddenly pallid lips.
"I-I-didn't pull ii, Miss. /
took il careful"
The last word was whisper
What was there about a torn corne
of sheet of paper to terrify him
"I'll talk with you about it late
Henri; perhaps-perhaps. as yo
suggest, we may be able to Wor
, together"
II thought you might see it TIN
. way. Miss. but--don't take t
long"
: Brooke stood rigid. listening uni
she heard the door to the CHR
closet swing. Curious how she M
I come to know every sound IN tn
house which had been hers for
short a time. Hers! Was it her!
What was in the paper Whc. Hen
would swear he had found In n
desk? She had pretended to consid
his proposition that they work
gether merely to get time to decn
wx.tzr4 ~ 1hn,ttI r1n