Glacier County chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1931-1940, 1939-09-29
CHILD OF EVIL
''s'.:s: . sss ss-- By OCTAVUS ROY COHEN

"And you still feel that you can't
trust even mel"
Il know I can't. It would mean
danger to everyone. To Dad :.
and to Barney"
Mrs. Hamilton smiled gently.
Barney's pretty lucky boy to
have you caring for him that way"
Kay tried to shake off the horrible
oppression. Thanks, Mrs. Hamil-
ton. And anyway, it seems as
though I've got another night to
think it over"
"Yes, dear. But you must try to
Sleep"
Not until four o'clock did she
sleep, and then her slumber was
Knocked by evil dreams. At seven
thirty fragrant, the overly buxom
cook, raped on the bedroom door
and then entered bearing a break
fast tray: crisp waff1es and butter
and maple syrup, poached eggs and
bacon, orange juice and a pot of
steaming coffee.
Goodness goshness Miss Agnes!"
exclaimed fragrant as she deposit
ed the tray on the bed-"You sho'
looks peaked this mawnin', Miss
Kay"
I'll didn't sleep very we'll"
Shuh! When I was yo' age
sleepin' is the most thing l always
done good"
Kay heard sounds from the park
ing place. Tourists arriving. She
heard them calling to one another,
heard them pass the house on the
way to the lagoon where the little
boats nuzzled against the bank. It
seemed so normal, so gay, so bright
:. the sun was SO clear and warm.
The tourists were early this morn
ing. Lots of them. There was a
thin little man and his angular wife.
Mrs. Parkes was insisting loudly
that the Gardens were divine, ex-
quisite, superb.
Mr.. and Mrs. Parkes went to the
edge of the lagoon and seated them
selves In a tiny craft which was
propelled by a very black Negro
who announced that his name was
Joshua. He followed the regular
sightseeing route, and the stupen-
dous beauty of the place eventually
sllenced even the loquacious Mrs,
Parkes. Only occasionally did she
feel called upon to voice her an
prevail of Nature, only occasionally
did she remember to chide her nery-
GUS husband for his inarticulateness.
And then suddenly the morning
air was split by a shrek from the
throat of Joshua. He screamed,
"Oh! my Gawd!"
Mr.. Parkes jumped and almost
overturned the bateau. Mrs. Parkes.
VINO was made of sterner stuff,
swung on Joshua. The boatman's
face was ashen. His craft had
ceased to move and he was sitting
IN rigid horror, mouth agape, eyes
popping. One palsied finger was
pointing downward, into the shallow
water.
COCOON Gawd COCOON Gawd
The passengers followed the di-
rection of his eyes. They saw some
thing which made them ill.
They saw, just below the ebony
surface of the water, the body of a
man. 1t was Kirk Reynolds.
1t wasn't pretty, that scene at the
edge of the lagoon after they had
dragged Kirk Reynolds body from
the black, shallow water and
stretched it out on the grass near
the wlsteria-covered log-cabin where
the Negro boatmen lounged during
their hours of unemployment.
The white boatmen stood and
stared. Tourists crowded around in
fascinated horror. They said that
it was terrible and that they weren't
going through the Gardens any more
that day. But they didn't return to
Beverly, either. Not Immediately.
They were too impressed by this
sight of stark tragedy against
setting so unbelievably beautiful, as
though a generous nature had pro-
vided the flowers for Kirk Reynolds
passing.
And SO he lay alone on the grass,
and Barney looked down at him and
spoke to the tourists, and tried to
comfort Mrs. Parkes, who had
helped discover the body and was
indulging in violent Mysteries; and
Mr.. Parkes, who was silent and
frightened and bewildered. Barney's
face was pallid, and he tried to keep
himself under control, but it wasn't
easy. He insisted on escorting Mrs.
Parkes and her husband to the
house, where he bestowed them in
the iving-room. Mrs Hamilton pro-
duced smelling-salts and aromatic
spirits of ammonia and then joined
the group on the veranda, Barney
and Kay and Margaret. She said,
Il just telephoned Sheriff Griffin.
He's coming right out"
did you tell him what hap
pened?"
mo. l said there had been an
accident He's coming alone.