The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1939-11-27

Helen Benthorne led Dawson to-
ward the back stairs.
"You asked how my father got In
10 the house." she said, pointing to
the doorway across the kitchen. He
came In there, met Jameson in this
hall way, and then came up the
stairs to the left, Jameson's quar-
tiers open of the kitchen to the
right"
Dawson glanced backward for a
moment. On the other side of the
swinging door he had just passed
drought what was the dining room
and beyond that the study. If man
hurried-ran--
He followed Mrs. Benthorne up
the stairs. Here is the landing
wheve father paused to catch his
breath" Nothing Dawson's quiz
zical look, she added. "Oh, yes,
Captain, I forgot to tell you.
talked to Father after he had seen
you. He tolo me all that he had
said" She hurried on, her black
gown swishing about her trim
ankles.
Dawson hesitated as he reached
the top Of the stairs, eyed O small
door recessed In the wall. 1.-THE
clothes chute" Helen Benthorne ex-
planned. "a most convenient place
TO hide o gun"
I'D thought OF that already,
Mrs. Benthorne." Dawson smiled
Krone emptied it fully two hours
ago"
"Do you really think you'll find
that gun here in the house, Cap
tain?" Helen Benthorne seemed
amused at the thought IT should
think you'd be searching the
grounds. Undoubtedly the MUIR
derer Of my husband went out the
window. While you waste time
here, he's probably miles away"
"Mr. Benthorne had many enc
mies?"
Arnold had no friends" She
opened q door, This Is the guest
room" - and nodding at the figure
on the rumpled bed my
father is sleeping Poor DadP'
The detective pushed past her.
through the doorway. He took In
the disarray Of the room; the
spread tossed back over the foot
Of the bed; the muddy shoes, side
BY side: the black raincoat In a
heap on the floor, the hat, on the
highboy, and the little line Of
water down the front of the
drawers; the figure of Aston
stretched full length upon the bed,
face down outlined under the
blanket. The mans breathing was
steady, unnaturally loud.
THE sleeping pills" Mrs. Ben
thorne explained. Must you dis
turb him now? This has been an
ordeal for him. Won't you let him
sleep and come back later?"
Dawson nodded, backed slowly
from the room. Aston stirred
slightly, then relaxed again, re-
Stunning his quiet snoring. Dawson
turned TO Mrs. Benthorne's suite.
Twenty minutes later he was
ready to admit that II Helen Ben
thorne had ever kept a revolver hid
den In her room, she had left no
trace OF 1t. There was no tell-tale
outline on himsy undertakings In
any OF the dresser drawers; closets,
flled with hundreds OF dollars of
costly dresses and coats yielded no
clews. Each garment was hung neat
~ upon q s9tin-padded wooden
hangar TO hold the shoulders In
shape. Dawson decided-and at the
END OF each rack were more hangers
awaiting this seasons frocks.
Mrs. Benthornef sat beside tho
window, nervously cutting an en-
velope to pieces with q small gold
scissors. She did not miss Daw-
sons approving glance at the
padded hangers.
Arnold called those my net ex-
travagance," she said, nodding to-
ward the closet.
The gowns? They must have
cost a small fortune" Dawson
mo, the hangers, I insisted up-
on them, but Arnold could never
see why the ordinary wire kind :
those the cleaners always send
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