Glacier County chief., 1937-01-29
By
lNEZ HAYNES IRWIN
cseysisAt lsss Hayass Irwh
Weu SsrvieA .
rHURsDAY-coasinued

Patrick said his last word, II shall
have to ask you not to leave the
Head until I give you permission. "
Il give you my word ! shall not
leave IT.
''well, Mary" Patrick said In q
weary tone. ''lt all makes sense.
Here We have q perfect design
Torriano first, Margaret next, then
Marden. No one Of them seems
to have told anything but the truth.
They're all dying to tell the truth.
II somebody would only lie, maybe
I could get the answer. OF course
Margaret said she thought she
heard something stirring in the
bushes. Marden apparently noticed
nothing like that. Now there may
have been another person involved
or any number. For that matter.
Margaret Fairweather may have
returned and-Oh, don't know
who killed Ace Blaikie. I'm no
nearer knowing than I was Satur-
day. Who's that?"
Vaguely in the back Of my mind
had heard Doctor Marden drive
Of. In the back Of my mind I
heard q second motor turn into the
drive. It stopped. Presently light,
swift step came through the hall
and into the living room-a light,
swift step-strangely stiffened by
determination.
.'I've come back to tell you the
rest Of my story, Mr.. o'Brien,"
said Myron Marden. II haven't told
you all Of it yeti"
Involuntarily we all three sat
down.
II win begin it by telling you,"
Doctor Marden took up the story
in the quietest voice I had ever
heard from him. something that
viii, I think. come as q great sur
prise to you" He paused As though
to summon his strength for the
revelation. "Ace Blaikie Is the IA
ther Of my granddaughter Caro-
Prentiss."
He paused again a. though for .
question or comment from u.
But neither Partick nor ! spoke.
We did not stir. His statement had
worked too great . paralysis for
u either TO speak or move.
'.I'n have to 60 back Of course to
tell you how it came about. I viii
begin with my own marriage. My
wife was . New York woman.
When ! met her. about forty years
ago, she was . widow. She had
been widowed twice and both times
under tragic conditions. Her first
husband, Theodore Prentiss, also q
New Yorker, was thrown from his
horse q month after their marriage.
He died instantly. She became the
mother Of his posthumous child-a
boy, Theodore Prentiss. Five years
later, she married again-Addison
Dacre. He too was q New Yorker.
While they were travelling in
France, he died in Paris Of q case
Of pneumonia. She was pregnant
at the time and the shock brought
on the premature birth Of little
girl who was to be named Eleanor
Dacre. was established ~ a
physician in Paris and I was called
In on the case. This was immedi-
ately after the funeral-I never met
Addison Dacre.
''lGrs. Dacre was . beautiful
woman-a very lovely woman. I
felt that Il the child died, her very
reason would 60. ] threw myself
heart and soul into saving that pre-
mature little waif-and did save
her. took care Of her for months.
OF course that constant attendance
brought Mrs.. Dacre and me very
clcee. BY the time Eleanor was
year Old, we realized that Life
meant nothing to either Of u with
out The other. SIX months later we
wsee married quietly In Paris. Ny
practice was there and We have
LIVED h Paris, except for our holi-
days, ever since. Ny wife died
two yeafs ago and, after ! had Q
little recovered from my grief, I
decided 70 return to America. But
! am r,nning ahsad of my story.
] must . beck b Eleanor.
''Thsre ceuld not possibly ever
have LIVED . more lovely child than
Eleanor. Ard when use ths word
lovely ] use Il advissdly. She
was Lively h face and figure; love-
y - heart and spirit. ] adorsd
"a he.s,tss.,i CHA El..ror srs~