Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1937-04-15
CHAPTER H-Continued

sound of light footsteps coming up
the hall, and in the archway, which
constituted the entrance from the
hall into the drawing-room, ap-
peared a slight, pallid young man
of perhaps thirty, his head drawn
into his slightly hunched shoulders,
and a melancholy, resentful look on
his sensitive, sallow face. Thick
1ensed pince-nez glasses emphasized
the impression he gave of physical
weakness.
Garden waved his hand cheerily
to the newcomer.
Greetings, Woody. Just in time
for spot before lunch. You know
Vance, the eminent sleuth; and this
is Mr.. Van Dine, his patient and
retiring chronicler."
Woode Swift acknowledged our
presence in strained but pleas
ant manner, and listlessly shook
hands with his cousin. Then he
picked up a bottle of Bourbon and
poured himself a double portion,
which he drank at one gulp.
"Good Heavens!" Garden ex-
claimed spontaneously. Elbow you
have changed, Woody! Who's
the lady now"
The muscles Of Swift's face
twitched.
ooh, pipe down, Floyd" he plead
ed irritably.
Garden shrugged indifferently.
"Sorry. What's worrying you to-
day besides Equanimity?"
"That's enough worry for one
day." Swift managed a sheepish
grin; then he added aggressively:
II can't possibly loe4." And he
poured himself another drink.
CLOVIS Aunt Martha?"
Garden narrowed his eyes.
"She's pretty fair. Nervous as
the devil this morning, and smok-
ing one cigarette after another. But
she's sitting up. She'll probably be
in later to take a crack or two at
the prancing steeds ="
At this point Lowe Hammle ar
rived. He was a heavy-set, short
man of fifty or Whereabouts. He was
wearing black-and-white checked
suit, a gray shirt, brilliant green
four-in-hald, chocolate-colored
waistcoat with leather buttons, and
tan blucher shoes the soles of which
were Unfortunately thick.
''The Marster of 'Ounds, b'Gadl"
Garden greeted him joyially.
"Here's your scotch-and-soda; and
here also are Mr.. Philo Vance and
Mr.. Van Dine"
Observation-Disclosures" Hammle
exclaimed heartily, coming for
ward.
In a few minutes the butler an
nounced lunch. The conversation
was almost entirely devoted to
horses, the history of racing, the
Grand National, and the possibilities
of the various entrants in the after
Moons Rivermont Handicap.
Vance contented himself mainly
with listening and studying the 9TH
ers at the table.
We were nearing the end of the
luncheon when tall, well-built and
apparently vigorous woman, who
looked no more than forty Though
later learned that she was well
past fifty, entered the room. She
wore a tailored suit, a silver-fox
scarf and black felt toque.
"Why, mater!" exclaimed Gar
den. II thought you were an invalid.
Why this squirt of health and en-
ergy?"
He then presented me to his moth
er: both Vance and Hamnle had
met her on previous occasions.
"I'm tired of being kept in bed,"
she told her son ENORMOUSLY, after
nodding graciously to the others.
"Now you boys sit right down-I'm
going shopping, and just dropped in
to see if everything was going all
right think I'll have creme
de menthe frappe while I'm here"
The butler drew up a chair for her
beside Swift, and went to the pantry.
Mrs. Garden put her hand lightly
on her nephew's arm.
"How goes it with you, Woody"
she asked in a spirit of cam
araderie. Without waiting for his
answer, she turned to Garden again.
SEs10ud 4 uyopf uo,, n y,1oco a hat