The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1939-10-13
CHAPTER xIII-Continued

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Tope nodded, and he asked after
a moment: "Do you know whether
the front door was bolted or locked,
the night your mother died, before
you went to bed?"
eyes" June said. 'Uncle Justus
bolted it. That's why, when the
door blew open, it scared me. !
knew it had been fastened, and !
thought there must be someone in
the house. But didn't wait to-
find out. I just ram"
"Mr. Tame bolted it, did he?"
Tope repeated thoughtfully.
She said: eyes, after Mother was
in bed, came to the head of the
stairs, and I heard him tell Grand
pa Hurder the door was fast" She
remembered suddenly: "And he
tried to slip upstairs during the eve
ming before Mother died. Aunt EVE
saw him, called him back"
Tope was silent for a moment,
and he asked then a new question:
eff you went back, where would
they likely have you stay?"
"There isn't any room at Aunt
Evie's,' June explained. cts just
a small house, you know. I'd have
to stay at Grandma Bowdon's."
They've put Mr.. Hurder upstairs,
in the Bowdon house," Tope report
ed. "The back room on the west
side"
That's a spare room," June as
scented. Grandpa and Grandma
Bowdon used the east rooms"
eff you go out there, then, you'd
probably have the front room on
the west side"
IT suppose So"
''I'd want you to try to arrange
to take care of him." Tope told her.
''To sit up with him tonight-in the
room with him." He considered.
''They may not let you; but if you're
in the next room, you can hear, lis
ten"
'.The stairs are between" she
said. "But the doors are just across
the hall, opposite one another"
care there locks on the doors in
that house?" Tope asked gravely.
''Locks, yes," June said. "There
are locks everywhere. Even the
closets are locked. Grandma Bow
don always carries a bunch of keys
on her belt" 13 IS.
Clint said urgently: Inspector,
I'm going to have a ladder ready,
so can get up to her room, get in
the window if have to-"
eyes," Tope said seriously.
"That's good. Or so she can get
out and down to us, quickly, if any
one tries to get at her. And I'll
give her revolver, show her
how"
The telephone interrupted him,
and Miss Moss went to answer it.
She turned to say softly, her hand
over the receiver: cts for June"
So June crossed to the older won-
ans side; she took the telephone in
her hand. They heard her say:
Hello. Yes Yes, Grand
ma"
And after a long time: eyes
Yes, Pm coming"
kAllQ tIiCIl. CS 1lICy WILL
bring me out, in little while"
Clint felt his pulses pound with a
deep terror; but he could not check
her now. A moment later she said,
eyes," again, and put the instru-
ment down and faced them all.
"That was Grandma Bowdon,"
she explained. Grandpa Bowdon's
funeral is this afternoon, late. She
wants me to be there, and to 60
home with them afterward." She
added slowly: "That's what I will
do"
In the preparations that followed,
Clint's hopeless protests were all
overborne. June's dress, that new
dress Asa had given her, was sooted
and soiled. Miss Moss made Clint
drive her to the nearest shop, and
they brought home two or three
dresses for trial, found one that
would serve. When they thus re-
turned, Inspector Tope had rum
mayed out his old revolver and was
explaining to June it's simple mech
enism before she left for the funeral.
The ritual was scarce finished be-
fore Mrs. Taine came swiftly toward
them. ut is hard for me to forgive
you for this, June" Aunt EVE told
the girl, in her low, whispering tones.
"You have added much to the bur-
den we have all had to bear today"
Clint saw Rab guiding old Mrs.
Bowdon to their car; he heard June
say calmly: s'This is Mr.. Jervies,
Aunt Evie." Her eyes met Clint's,
and she added proudly: sI'm going
to marry him. I'll stay with you
as long as you need me, if it isn't
too long; but then I'm going to
him."
THAT is as may be-" Mrs. Tame
commented. ''Such matters are not
decided SO quickly, June"
Then Asa came up beside her. He
drawled cheerfully: stHullo, June.
Hullo, Jervies. June, with a man
like this one to take care of you,
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