The Wilmington morning star., 1940-07-23
CHAPTER

Bill Bailey was no 1901.
He froze there motionless, as he
was ordered to do by somebody
with a gun. He couldn't see the
eun-all he could e was the blind
ing beam of light-but he knew
certainly, that the gun was there,
and in this he was not mistaken.
He Just stood with his arms hang
ing, muscles tense, face strained.
"Mr. Bailey!" the other person
suddenly murmured, in recognl-
ton.
"You-you-who is it?" Bill
managed that much, even as ne
realized that the voice behind the
light beam was somewhat familiar.
BE as quiet as you can,' 1t
commanded. "But relax. l am the
maid-Maudie. Mrs. Holmqulst. l
didn't expect you. I might have
killed you, this way
"The-Maudie?"
Yes. Sit down in the clair
quietly now-and collect your
wits. I expect we scared TIE day.
lights out of each othel-
yes" Bill admitted. He was
glad to sit down because sheer err
vous strain had begun to make
him feel jittery. well, you caught
me-"
Il hope we didn't arouse any
body" she said. II don't know
what you are doing here, but you
can guess why I came. To search"
so did l."
''Why?"
well, II thought I might find
it, and"
You knew we we're on the case.
The police. detectives"
Eyes. But 1 wanted to help clear
it up. The Tways-it was their
bracelet, stolen at DUR party, and
thought 1 had a good bunch. l
thought 1 might do something that
you couldn't very well do"
81 suppose you are right the
woman admitted. Il think, per-
sonally, that you are clean. But
you admit this places you in a pc
culiar spot-my finding you here.
Now, exactly when did you come
here?"
Il don't know. About dinner
time. Hour or SO ago."
"You we're searching?"
Il had already searched this
room from A to z, Mrs. Holmquist.
Every crack and Granny except
the little table here. 1t has nothing
in it, I'm sure. 1 was about to
open it when I heard you entering.
Under the bed was the only place
I could CO."
But you came out"
81 decided to tackle you, who
ever you were"
II should have killed you, sure
ly."
Maybe not, if I could have got
ten in a first swing. But I'm glad
we didn't get into that. Christie
pher. a detective must live a dan
gerous lfe!"
Wei" the lady said, wryly, 80
does a criminal. It's about an even
break, I'd say. We usually win In
the end. Keep quiet, young man,
and let's see the table"
Then it was that Bill remem-
bered the book. The little locked
book entitled Thoughts Day by
Day." which had been in his hands
when the detective entered. He
had unconsciously carried it under
the bed with him, and it lay under
there on the floor now.
"Tu straighten up the bed" Bill
said. There were house slippers
under there. I'll put them Like
they were"
AL right" she agreed. Just be
silent about it."
He retrieved the little book and
held it casually. The detective
glanced at it, read the title.
"Probably of no interest to us,
but if you can pick the lock and
peek in, do So" she said. Here's
a hairpin. Sometimes these locked
books are really boxes in disguise.
That could hold a bracelet"
The brass lock was easy to open,
Bill found.
"It's only a book, after ALL" said
he. "A gift book"
For some reason unaccountable
to him he did not mention that it
was a diary. 1t was new, a this