The Wilmington morning star., 1940-01-05

he didn't want to be bothered. But
] couldn't resist one parting shot.
I gathered up ny cleaning tools anu
headed for the door. throwing pach
over my shoulder a saucy:
Pm lust finished, and you can
have a clean room to work IN.
III see you later" he called a1ter
me. and the tone of his voice re-
assured me. He wasn't cross, just
p~re-occupied.
After breakfast I went to the
kitchen to offer any help Chloe
might need, but she scornfully re-
fused my aid.
you've done enough" she SAID
decidedly. "Gettin' up fore daylight
an dom that room. I'll tend TO
things here. You JUS scoot al-nS
an res"
1t was a lovely day, sunny n
warm, yet with a refreshing breeze,
! decided that the terrace was the
incest place to be and established
myself there with a book. Josie
Joined me a little later, and about
eleven O'Clock Alan arrived.
He had hardly taken a seat be-
side us when Captain Lancy, in I'M
maculate flannels, strobe through the
door.
Il was just going over to-. your
house, Murray" was his greeting.
"How is Miss Ivy coming along?'
THE nurse said this morning that
she is better She's still saying
Let-her-book.' But now she's ad-
Ged Selma on the end of it. That's
your mothers name, isn't it," he
asked Josie.
She nodded. eff Miss Ivy would
only say something sensible" she
mourned.
Lancy was standing looking off
into the distance. On his face was
a look of concentration. l didn't
think he even heard what was said,
but suddenly he swung around and
addressed Alan.
I'm going over to see Miss Ivy, y
he announced. I'D like to have you
come along"
Fright, sir" Alan unfolded his
long length from the deck chair,
and the two went off together.
oh, Sally cried Josie, with
sparkling eyes, do you suppose he
thinks she can TALK"
Il don't know what he. thinks"
I muttered GROSSLY. l wanted to go
with them myself. l had been in
on so many police sessions that
quite resented it when 1 was left
ont.
This murder had changed my
outlook On a great many things.
+, fore | came to Hill House, if any
one had intimated that 1 would real
V get a kick out of being on the
l.ulice side of an interview, l would
have known the head of that par
~t'clllar person needed examination
Yet it was true. Every n of the
M idents l had witnessed held It's
Individual thrill sometimes OF
sheer enjoyment, as | listened tc
Inncv and the chief overcome some
ones reluctance to talk, sometimes
q horror, yet even then, full of in
ifrast.
little dreamed I had yet to go
through one so much more thrilling
and horrible that the excitement OF
the others would be wiped away as
completely as is the writing on a
slate by passing over it a wet
sponge.
Captain Lancy and Alan were gons
considerably over an hour. Wher
they returned, the detective wen
straight to the office, while Alan cut
across the lawn to us.
Josie could not wait for him tc
speak.
What did he iind?' she CRIED
e%xcitedly. Did Miss Ivy talk tt
him?"
II don't know. +"
You don't know! Weren't yor
there?"
Not in Miss Ivy's room. He went
there with the nurse and stayed {
long time. When he came down he
asked mother for Miss Ivy's banl
book. You remember Mother
thought hat was what she wanted
when she first began to speak,"
We both nodded. Alan's deliber
ate drawl almost drove me crazy.
felt hat he would never get to tn
sist of the matter, but it WASH
n use to try to hurry him. He J
the type that plods one step at
time, and you're wasting your tim:
trying to incite a faster pace.
"He looked at every page in tina
book. When he got to the last one
he handed it back to mother ant
said
Mrs. Murray, do o know i
there is in this house a book whicl
Mrs. Peake gave Miss Ivy?'
Mother pondered over that TO
a while. I don't KNOW she final.
said. Miss Ivy has never mentione'
Mrs. Peake to me since the da,
she built the spite fence until tn
night Mrs. Peake was killed.
.'When she built the fence sh
told me she intended to bot Mrs
Peake from her mind as she ha
hidden her from her sight. She toll
me v to mention her name, an,
IF course 1 never did.
THAT is why 1 was so surprise
when she told me she was goin
over there, and also why 1 was S
upset when she didn't come bac
Immediately, as she said she Shout
do. There may be a dozen books i
This ho11se which were given t