Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1939-01-02
D }! A1 the MANOR

them. I could not touch that deac
body. I simply could not!
Very WELL" He sighed, but dit
not press me further. "Perhap,
Mrs. Greedy can attend to the mat
ter"
TIM sorry" I began, but thu
sight of his wan, weary counte
nance stopped me. "I'n do itp'
said impulsively before I should
change my mind. After all.
thought, half Historically, I hac
been hired as Mrs. Witherspoon':
private operator.
THANK you." He bowed his an.
probation. IF you will go with Mr.
Meacham-"
Eyes, indeed! Come with me. ,
The solemn Mr.. Meacham rubbed
his hands together and parted his
thin, bloodless lips into what un.
doubtedly was meant to be 2
friendly smile, but which only sue.
ceeded in adding to his ghoulist
appearance.
Il should like you to return here
when you have finished" requested
Mr.. Horace and I nodded anc
passed through the door which Mr.
Meacham held open for me.
+ y
Mrs. Witherspoon lay in her big
bed. so calm, so quiet, she seemed
to be asleep. When I had recovered
from the shock of gazing upon that
dead face lined and furrowed with
hardened clay I got hold of myself
and set grimly to work. In short
order I removed the mask. AS it
melted into a muddy stream and
was absorbed in the warm cloth in
my hand I had an almost uncon-
trollable impulse to rush to the
dressing table and seize the look
ing glass to wave it triumphantly
before the unseeing eye of Mrs.
Witherspoon. Death had accom-
pllshed what life and thousands of
dollars worth of cosmetics had
failed to accomplishing skin be-
meath the beauty mask was soft
and smooth. Poor old lady! Beauty
had returned to her and she was
not there to welcome it!
was arranging her hair when
the door was flung open and Mrs.
Horace, looking like ventrilo-
quist's dummy, came into the room.
Her eyes gave me the creeps- they
were dull and glazed like the eyes
of a dog in mortal agony.
She did not speak to me, but
moved slowly to the bed.
II tried to save you," she said,
bending above the dead body of
her mother-in-law. Gwen though
you despised me, I tried to save
YOU" The words came indistinctly
in a sing-song information that
chilled my blood.
MRS. Witherspoon" I touched
her arm. She revolved jerkily. She
stared through and beyond me.
II tried to save her." she said
again. 81 tried"
"Mother!" Daphne, her bright
hair askew, burst in upon us.
"Motherw she cried and the woman
stiffened and shudder ran the
length of her body.
"Why are you here? ?" she asked,
and her voice was normal and
family wondering.
1--WE been looking everywhere
for you," Daphne said, putting her
arms about her mother. 1.-THE man
from the shop is here with the
mourning ensembles"
"Oh!" thought Mrs. Horace
would collapse. She turned a sickly
green. "Black for sorrow; red for
blood. Daphne, Daphne, how could
you?"
Hush, dear" The girl guided
her mother to the door. "You don't
know what you are saying. Come
come with Daffy! She'll take care
Of YOU"
Goodness gracious" exclaimed
Mr.. Meacham, who had remained
quietly in his corner. "The lady was
upset, wasn't she ?"
Quite" I replied shortly, and re-
sumed my work.
When I returned to the library
about twenty minutes later, the
coroner, a pompous niddle-aged
man who gave the impression of
reveling in the sei-se Of his own