Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1937-12-02

~ odys Slice the message mad
come to Cassidy's garage from the
police that Mrs. Hunt was dead and
he had left there in a f1ivver with
Mike at the wheel. They had
stopped at Lookout House to make
sure that the Reyburns were safe
before they had burned up the road
to get here. But it hadn't been
days, not much more than an hour
must go in.
AS he entered a small living
room, Inspector Harrison was
kneeling by the fireplace. His pierre
ing eyes glittered as he looked up
and nodded to Mark.
"They got her all right"
Mark Trent stepped forward,
blindly for an instant. He sunk his
teeth deep in his lips to steady
them before he looked down.
Lola, the woman who had been his
wife, lay on the floor. She was
dressed for the street-had she been
about to drive away the limousine
full of silver? The question flashed
through his mind only to be instant
ly submerged in flood of pity. She
looked so young, so shabby, SO hap
less. Her shabbiness hurt him
most, she had been so exquisite.
He was glad that he had made her
that allowance. Her hat had fallen
off. A current of air stirred a lock
of her dark hair. Her hands were
still now. One gripped an open
bag, the fingers of the other were
bruised. He dropped to his knee
beside the inspector.
Cant something be done? Can't
we move her to a couch?"
''No! No, not until the coroner
comes"
"What happened?"
They got her rings. She had
rings, hadn't she?"
''She had when I saw her-a few
days ago. Valuable rings. Other
jewels too"
"Then I guess we got the motive.
Better come away, boy, you can't
do anything" Inspector Harrison
suggested in his persuasive voice.
'Life hasn't seemed as smooth as
trotting park to me to date, Bill,
but tonight it seems a terrifying,
horrible thing"
II know, boy, know. Bring her
in, Tim" The inspector spoke to the
policeman with ears like clinging
bats, who appeared at the door.
cts the Cassidy GIRL" he ex-
planned to Mark Kinder tough to
bring her into this room, but there
don't seem to be any other place.
We've waited till her father got
here before questioning her. Mikes
grand fella and me friend since
we were lads together. Here you
are, Maggie!"
The hint of joviality in his soft
voice missed its mark, for the six
teen-year-old girl, who entered the
room as if dragged by unseen
hands, regarded him with terrified
Irish blue eyes.
The inspector placed a chair with
it's back to the still figure on the
floor.
"Sit here, Maggie"
AS she sat down, Mike Cassidy
laid his heavy ham-bone hand on
her shoulder. The inspector cleared
his throat.
"Now, don't be frightened, Mag
gle. Amt I just the same Bill Har-
rison who's been cumming round
with your dad ever since you was a
little girl, and amt 1 got kids of
my own? ALI you got to do is to tell
me what happened in this house to-
night"
Course, amt afraid of you,
Inspector" the girl replied, more at
ease. "I'll tell what 1 know.
sleep in the attic, it's got a dormer
back and front. 1 was dead beat
when went to bed, what with the
Homework an havin' to run out to
fill tanks. The boss was sick till
afternoon an"
Drunk, wasn't he? Tell it
straight, Maggie"
Cali right, Inspector, he was. 1
don't know what time it was when
was woke up by car stopping at
the garage; sounded like a classy
car. We don't have much late trade
an the boss told me today that
the crowned heads here, that's what
he said, crowned heads had put
him out of business-so 1 got up
and looked out to see what twas all
about. l can see into the garage
from my back window"
"Check up on that, Tim"
Eyes, Inspector. The policeman
with the ears vanished into the hall.
RIO BE CONTINUED