Evening star., 1938-07-24


said. Anyhow. they're good enough to get
over the state line in
Torbey went to the kitchen cupboard and
took down bottle of rye. He poured himself
half tumbler and gulped it neat,
Where dinner" he said.
Florence nodded to the single place set
at the kitchen table. Then she went to the
stove and filled a plate with meat and vege-
tables Torbey sat down. where's yours"
he said.
I'm not hungry Florence said.
Listen" said Torbey. You eat. You've
got to have strength to use your wits.
Florence got another plate, put some food
on it and sat down opposite him. Torbey ate
silently and swiftly. Florence pretended to.
After the meal Torbey stretched out his
legs and lit cigarette.
What happened, Jim" Florence asked
unable to hold back the question any longer
Torbcy shrugged ''Oh, that He grinned
frostily Pure luck. | found him lying on the
edge of the state road, dead as a doornail
Knocked cold by some hit and-run guy
There was no one in sight so | showed him in
the back of the car and you know the rest
Hitchhiker, | guess. On his way from
nowhere to no place.
is that true, jim? You found him lying
in the road?'
well, what do you think" said Torbey
He got up and went out of the room.
He came back in a moment with writing
paper, an envelope and fountain pen. He
pushed away the Dishes clearing space on
the table and began to scratch with the pen.
He had no difficulty composing as he went
along The subject matter of the letter had
been in his mind a long time He finished
writing and read the letter over to himself.
Then he folded the single sheet, inserted it in
the envelope. sealed and addressed it.
Letter to the coroner" he said. Hell
get it first thing tomorrow morning. And
he'll probably be here not later than ten
o'clock, His cold eyes probed Florence. You
know what to do"
She nodded slowly.
See you do it, Torbey rasped. Don't
make any dumb mistakes. Coronerll want
you to identify the corpse. You make it stick
that it me- Understand? Nobody'll be able
to say it isn't. He hasn't got much face left.
And by the time they find him tomorrow -
You meet me in Boston as soon as you get
things cleaned up. 1t may take two weeks, it
may take month. I'll be waiting - and I'll
be watching! If you make one single slip. III
have your hide in strips
Torbey put on the battered felt hat that
had been worn by the dead man out in the car.
He picked up the letter. IN mail this in the
night drop at the postoffice.' He thrust his
face toward her. Watch your wits! Ill see
you in Boston.
Torbey slammed the kitchen door after him
against the rush of the wind which had begun
to howl out of the northeast.
Florence Torbey was up with the first
streak of daylight. Rain was sashing against
the north and east windows. driven in flat
sheets before the gale. The house smelled
musty She shivered, and the shiver became
continuous shaking as she dressed. She went
down into the kitchen and made coffee. She
drank two cups and tried to eat some bread,
but the turmoil of her mind created physical
revulson against the food.
For the thousandth time Torbeys jibing
remark in answer to her question about the
dead man came back to her. What do you
Think" There was only one thing she could
think Torbey had killed him. Probably run
him down at the roadside in cold blood as he
nod hic futile rlea for ride