Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1940-04-13
THE KILLER SPEAKS
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

and he probably was half mad Tor
the lack of them. He's had spells
like this before, but never so Sc
we're"
"a drug addictw looked down
at Louise beside me-we were
standing in the main parlor-and
said: That explains Tony's inter
est in your brother. Perhaps you
knew, Alfred always wanted 20 do
something for the victims of the
dope habit He said it is dis
ease"
She looked up at me and said
nothing. Her face was pale, as
though the blood that had drained
from it at Tonys scream had not
yet been able to return. She had
stayed close to me in all the en-
suing minutes. begging me not to
Join in the hunt which servants and
guests Immediately organized.
1T is 6 disease" the doctor
agreed. Il don't doubt that he was
having some horrible sort of dream
when you knocked on the door. The
sound would be distorted in his
nightmare, terrifying him. He
leaped from the window. The print
of his body is in the soft mud at
the edge of the river, where he fell.
Wl,e-a 40 won't fem there we don't
know. me police have arrived and
are searching with flashlights"
ut was tragic. 1 should never
have knocked on the door"
The doctor shrugged his Shout
ders. How were you to know?
And the same thing might have
happened when I entered the
ROOM"
Louise tugged at my arm. "Bill'
Let's sit down somewhere. IL"
I escorted her to a chair. I'm
sorry. This must be an ordeal for
YOU. I wish you hadn't come"
Til be all right in minute"
She tried to smile, but couldn't.
I'm afraid I'll have Nightmares,
too"
The doctor had gone outside,
perhaps to join the searchers. l
looked after him. I knew 1 ought
to be doing something.
81 know" said Louise, "you
think I'm just a hindrance. I'm
not used to this sort of thing, III
admit. But I've got my courage
back, really have. I think we
should go upstairs again.
upstairs"
The color was flowing back into
her cheeks. She stood up. Her
slender hands were clenched tight
ly. I'VE must search that room!"
I didn't understand what it was
she would search for, but I saw
the urgency in her eyes. 1 rose to
protest, but she waved my objec-
tons away. Dope" she said,
drove Tony Pappini mad. Tie
killing of my brother was an act
of madness. Somewhere in that
room is a clue to where Tony got
his dope. That will lead us to the
killer"
You shouldn't go back there.
I'll hunt if you wish"
why shouldn't II"
Suppose the police catch us at
it? It wouldn't look right for you
to be alone there in the room with
me, searching mans private eff
fects."
Nonsense. Come on. We must
hurry"
There was no better argument
to discourage her. I surrendered,
and we ran up the stairs together
At the far end of the hall I saw
the door of Pappini's room tightly
shut, and a light shining out
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
DID NOT tell Louise of my
discovery in Tony Pappini's room
1t might mean nothing. On the
other hand, if it meant what
thought it did, it was going to lead
lie into a dangerous adventure in
which was determined she would
not share. She was a brave girl
but this was a mans work.
WED better put this room in
order" told her. eff we tell the
police we saw our murder suspect
running out of here, they'll start
looking for fngerprints. Ours are
I'll over the place."
The hut for Tony was continu'
ing and re had plenty of time tt
hang his clothes back in the closet
drop his other belongings back into
the drawers and straighten the
rug. We eft the bed in some dis
array, &1:owing the officers Woulc
expect to find it that way.
We heard the shouts Of the Off
GERS, who found the missing man
and went downstairs to meet them
as though nothing had happened
Hes in a bad way" one of the
men informed us. THE doctor Is
taking him to hospital"
Poor Tony" gasped Louise. "
thought he wouldn't be hurt, fall
ing onto that soft ground"
Hes not, ma'am. He's out OF MS
head"
There's nothing more we can dc
here" I told the girl. It'll call
cab and take you home"
Reluctantly she agreed.
In the privacy Of the cab she
asked me, what can you do now
without help from Tony?"
I'm going to see Belzer. He's
hopeful of Identifying our mar
through the bullet that was free