The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1937-11-11

the morning all nicely solved" He
was whistling softly as he closed his
bedroom door.
Mark crossed his dark room to
the window. What a night The sky
was powdered with stars. The
sparks of gold were like the lights
in Brooke Reyburn's eyes when she
was happy or thrilled, and she had
been thrilled when she had heard
of his plan to dine and dance in
town.
He drew the gardenia from his
pocket. Nothing beautiful about it
now but the leaves. He didn't need
a paper which Lola Hunt might pro-
duce to clear his mind of suspi-
| cion that Brooke had influenced his
aunt in any way. He drew the flash
light from his coat pocket. Lucky
| he had thought of it when he had
taken Brooke to see the silver.
Mark Markl"
Jed's voice? He laid the flower on
the dresser before he opened the
door. With the electric torch still
in his hand he crossed the hall and
knocked at Jed Stewards door. He
knocked again. Why didn't he an
swer? He flung open the door. A
coat had been hung over the back of
"a chair. A shoe lay on the floor.
Cold air was stirring the chintz
hangings. Where did it come from7
The bath-rooml Mark sprinted to
the door and stopped in amaze
ment. The window was wide open,
but the air was strongly scented
with perfume. The shower was drip
ping. Shaving materials were flung
about as if hastily dropped.
He thrust his head out of the win
dow. There were two ways to es-
cape from the little balcony under
it. Drop to the terrace. or through
Lookout House. Had Jed and an in
truder crashed in there? Brooke
would be frightened. He'd follow
them. He swung his leg over the
sill.
"Stop!"
He went rigid in obedience to the
hoarse warning, but only for an in
slant. Why was he perching like
dummy with the light from the
room behind making him a perfect
target for the person who had grunt-
ed? He moved his leg. No response
to that from the balcony. Quickly
he flashed his powerful light in the
direction from which the sound had
come. That would blind the per-
son watching.
His eyes followed the light. In his
amazement he lost his balance and
pitched forward. At one corner Of
the railing, blinking and shivering
in the glare, huddled the runaway
green parrot.
Held up by Bird He slid to the
balcony. Reached for Mr.. Micaw-
Der, grabbed him, flung him into the
room behind him. He could hear
the parrot squawking with fury as
he closed the window
THAT seems to be thatI Now,
where's jedi"
He peered over the railing. No
uprights on this balcony to slide
down. The next one had iron trel-
Uses which connected 1t with the
stone terrace. Had Jed entered
Lookout House by the window? Who
occupied the room OF the next house
which opened on it? He would in
vestigate.
He tiptoed to the window, reduced
the light in his torch before he
flashed it over the glass. The shade
was closely drawn and the sash
locked. No one could have gone
in there. Cracks OF light were visi-
BILE in the two rooms beyond where
French windows opened on another
balcony. Had Jed entered that light
ed room? How could he get there7
He was too stout to swing across.
Could he himself do it?
He appraised the dist a n e,
stepped over, and swung. Cautiously
he stepped over the rail and
ripped his hands from the frosty
iron.
With his heart drumming like an
airplane motor he concentrated his
attention on the window. A crack
of light showed between the hang
ings. Whose room was it? Should
he take a chance that it was Sans
or Brooke's and tap lightly?
A window was being opened eau
tiously. Where7 He flattened HIM
self against the house. Must be the
end balcony outside the studio. He
visualized the interior as he had
seen it the day he had helped Jerry
Field sketch in the tree trunks on
the backdrop. Someone was crawl
ing outl A mani He was sliding
down an iron trellis like a monkeyl
Now he was running across the lawn
bent doublel He was entering the
garage!
Mark Trent crammed the electric
torch into his pocket and swung
leg over the railing. He hitched
along till his feet found an up
right, went down hand over hand,
his palms sticking painfully to the
iron as he moved them.
From purple tree shadow to pur-
pie tree shadow he skulked. Near
the garage he hid behind shrubs.
The click of a lockl He held his