Henderson daily dispatch., 1939-01-20
CHAPTER THIRTY
BY M. e. CORNE

IN ONE CORNER Of the closet
of the second room stood a tall
wicker cabinet. 1t housed so many
pairs of shoes could hardly be-
lieve my eyes. Thirty pairs.
counted, and every one of them
practically new! Some Of them
were not even soileds on the bot
tom! Lucky girl, l thought, and
wondered if this were Daphne's
room.
Although Macs instructions had
called for the investigation Of clos
cts only, could not resist hasty
glance around the room, and here,
over to the dressing table and the
writing desk. On the blotter Of the
latter I discovered a letter.
It really was not letter, just an
unsigned note that lay open for
everyone to read. The handwriting
-7as bold and masculine. Shame
tessly read it:
\ Dear Daphne:
Meet me at ten o'clock at
the linden tree. Tonight.
That was all, and so far as I
could see there was not even an
envelope. OF course there was a
chance that it did not mean a
thing. The note was not dated; the
appointment might have been for
an evening past. But l had a hunch
that it was nothing Of the kind.
The paper was creased once
through the middle, and the crease
looked new and fresh, if you know
what mean. Right then and there
I made my decision, wise or fool
ish. Come ten o'clock and there
would be a third party to that date,
and it would not be Mac Mcintyre!
Little Elsie, in person, was going
to carry on at the linden tree! Then
we would see who had a brain or
two in her head!
/ Well, I had wasted ten minutes
playing Sherlock Holmes, so I
wrote Daphne's name after my
count Of the shoes and went on
about my business.
The third rooms closet proved to
be of masculine content. A power
full, though not unpleasant, odor Of
antiseptic rushed out to greet me
when opened the door. The odor
came from a rumpled smock that
hung by its collar to the back Of
the door. Mr.. Horace's room. I de-
duced, feeling very professional in
deed! And Mr.. Horace owned ten
pairs Of shoes, neatly polished and
neatly arranged on shelf below
his suits and coats.
So far had not discovered any
thing sensationally startling. Just
shoes and more shoes, and one
brief note of undecided Importance.
What Mac hoped to gain by my
search was beyond me.
hesitated long time before en-
tering the next apartment. Mac
had not said anything about skip
ping this particular room, and so, |
with my heart in my mouth, I went |
inside. The shades were tightly
"a eS"~A' VAA AA4y OOty LII QOuUlS |
time and not until was safely in |
the corridor did permit myself so |
much as a tremble. Not that I be-
lieve in ghosts and such! But new
ertheless the atmosphere Of Mrs.
Horace's bedroom had been a tri-
file too unearthly to suit my taste.
had now reached the head of
the front stairs leading upward to
the third story. I made up my mind
to visit the servants quarters be-
fore tackling the remainder Of
those on the second floor.
The stair, though slightly mar
rover and darker, was duplicate
of that which ran from the first to
the second story. had reached,
think, the third or fourth step Of
the lower section when I heard a
sound that stopped me. Someone
was coming down from above
someone whose shoes squeaked!
An eternity passed before the
owner of those shoes came into
sight. With my eyes popping from
my head l waited. do not know
what / expected to see-some sort
of fire-eating monster, guess
and burst into helpless, hyster!.
cal laughter as pair Of razor
creased trousers followed by an