Evening star., 1939-02-26

''NAA~ ~|~~AS S~S'>
to his brothers house.
There he found an axe. He used the blade
to pry open door. The kitchen was rather
surprisingly clean. The floor had been not
only swept. but part - though only part
had even been scrubbed. Mr.. Howe paled
when he noted that.
Then he looked at his brothers possessions.
The blue suit, his best one, was gone. And his
two extra shirts. But the ancient single-action
revolver that had belonged to their father
remained, hidden under the pillow of the
untidily made bed. And his brothers best
shoes we're left behind too. man going away
on pleasure trip does not usually take his
work suit with his best one nor leave his best
shoes behind Mr. Howe became convinced,
- and very pale indeed.
d shoulda warned him" he said DULY.
with all that money in the house. somethin'
was bound to happen. - l guess got to 60
see the sheriff -"
He saw the sheriff, and got no satisfaction.
Mr.. Howe's manner was apologetic. and he
did not like to be impolite. So his speech
lacked force and his arguments cogency.
The sheriff listened almost abstractedly. MIR.
Howe's brother had had twenty-five hundred
dollars in cash, half of which belonged to
Mr. Howe He'd told somebody he was going
away to have good time. But he had appar-
emily scrubbed part of the kitchen floor
only, and he had left his shotgun out-of-doors
and he had not taken his best shoes with him.
The sheriff could not see that these facts were
important - and MIR. Howe's manner was
apologetic. The sheriff promised to stop in to
see him next day and dismissed him relievedly.
Mr. Howe went home, unhappily. Next
morning there was halloa outside. He went
out of the house and nodded to his neighbor,
Sloan. Sloan puffed on his pipe. 'Mornin'.
Heard anything from y brother, YETI"
why - no, Mr. Sloan, l haven't. That is,
no, l haven't"
Sloan cooked sardonc eye at him.
"Yhaven't, an y'have. Came over last
night an y'were gone. thought maybe you'd
got some news"
'I-went in to the village" said Mr..
Howe nervously. Ito see if anybody'd seen
him when he went away Nobody had. But -
won't you come in?"
Sloan slouched deliberately into the house.
As he entered, his eyes went naturally to the
end of the hail. There was door there, past
the dining room, which led into the kitchen.
The door was tightly closed. Sloan went into
the dining room and sat down.
1T seems to me like y'brother said he was
amin to go up to Baltimore for his good time.
He was fgurin' on gettin' ride in truck
"Tha - thank you" said Mr.. Howe.
Sloan puffed. He ran his eyes about the
room. He saw cooking utensils on the sheet
iron stove in this. the dining room. He re-
garded them oddly.
'Cookin' in here?" he asked curiously.
"Uh - yes" said Mr. Howe. unhappily.
What tn matter with tn kitchen Stove
gone bad on you? Y'brother used t have
trouble with it sometimes"
There's nothing - the matter with the
stove" said Mr. Howe. He teetered back and
forth. twisting his hands nervously.
"Umphv said Sloan. Lots O. mystery
around here Mind if get drink o water?
Y'brother used to keep some drinkin' water in
tn kitchen"
The kitchens - closed" said Mr. Howe
Locked up. I'm not using it, He added
hastily, I'll get water from the pump"
Sloan stared at him. Look here!" he said
angrily. IF y'think I'm pryin' -"
Il don't. It's lust - lust that the kitchens