The Key West citizen., 1940-11-26

day and made a thorough tour Of
inspection"
''But it doesn't make sense" he
argued. ,aA
"None of it does" I agreed, and
told Bill about the man in the
driveway and the door which I
lad heard slam downstairs and
the footsteps I had thought I
heard in the kitchen.
''Poor little kid" said Bill, in
closing me in a nice, comfortable
hug, what time you have had.
But it must have been mostly
nerves. Your trespasSer, no doubt,
just made a mistake about the
road, or drove in out Of curiosity
and decided it was easier to beat
a retreat than to explain. And il
couldn't have been anything but
the wind that slammed the door.
A draft somewhere. You know
the wind did rise this afternoon.
Just listen to it now"
I had TO admit that there is
nothing like an old house for
Spookiness, with wind and rain
as sound effects. I shivered again,
thinking Of my long vigil in the
library. That reminded me Of the
strange absence Of the servants
and Aunt Maggie.
Bill was ready to agree by then
that there was something decid-
edly fshy about the entire setup.
Unless possibly some bright soul
is trying to stage a practical
joke, and even then it doesn't
hang together"
"You don't think we had better
go back to town." l asked, feel
ing a bit foolish, for Bills pres
ence made everything seem so
much more rational.
"In this rain?" hooted Bill.
with the work on that strip of
road at its present stage, Wen
be lucky if we are able TO pull
out tomorrow. Besides" and
Bill'S voice took on a more seri-
GUS tone-"if there is anything
funny going on, we might as well
see It through.
Aunt Maggie Again
4 ND speaking of riddles" con-
n tinued Bill, did you have to
ask Aunt Maggie? l thought this
was to be a party. A nice. quiet
party, far from the madding
crowd and all that, but still a
party. Or was it your idea t, at
her monologues on family trees
would prove a diversion?"
Bill Stuart" l said, don't be
simple. You should know she
asked herself. She just wanted to
look at family papers and use
the study on the third floor.
Meals on tray. No trouble ('You
and the guests have good time,
Sally. I'll be busy.') You know"
meals on a tray, my eyep
scoffed Bill. "You know how she
loves an audience. She'll be in
everybody's hair the whole time,
and nobody able to walk out be-
cause of the downpour."
But" | argued. "you know,
in spite Of all that, she is a sweet
old soul and l couldn't run the
risk of hurting her feelings"
'Humph," grinned Bill, giving
me a pinch on my bare shoulder.
What about this favorite-niece
business? Nothing there, I sup
pose? No thought of nice little
legacy. Just your kind heart. I
suppose that kind heart is why I
married you"
well, after ALL" I chided in
the same vein, "you could have
been said to marry me because
of my expectations as an heireSS.
Anyway, speaking of invited
guests, what about dragging Eve
out here? Why under the shining
sun didn't you make her tele-
phone me first? I would have
found some way to head her off"
Did tell her to. She called
back and said she couldn't get
you. but she knew it would be
all right"
Well, anyway. have we a
gum"
Certainly not" Bill reassured
me. And a good thing, too. |
don't want you getting scared
and killing off our guests, much
as should like to get rid of some
of them. I'll 60 down and see if
Andrew can scare up another
round Of drinks before dinner"
Wait a minute" I demanded,
applying lipStick hurriedly. 'T
don't intend to let you out of my
sight until we are safely back in
Atlanta"
As We crossed the upstairs hall
toward the head of the stairs,
heard voices issuing from Ewes
room, and when we were even
with the door, I noticed that it
was slightly ajar. Recognizing the
other voice as that CT Aunt Mag
gle. paused for a moment, in
tending to announce myself and
drop in.
But | changed my mind when
neard Aunt Maggie say. 1T was
bad manners, to say the least, for
you TO come here unlimited, Eve
lyn. Bad manners and decidedly
bad taste. but l have always con-
tended that it is too late to try
to be well born at the age of
thirty"
As I hesitated, torn between
curiosity and what Aunt Maggie
would call good manners, could
not hear what Eve replied, but
Aunt Maggie, her voice rising
still higher than her wont, ad-
monished, IF you don't leave Bob
alone. I'll go to Frank. If he knew
the truth. you wouldn't be COL
lecting such handsome alimony."
Then / heard Eve say, q. deadly
venom in her voice. ''You do and
I'll kill you"
Hey. what's going on?" stage
whispered Bill. who had been
busy lighting a cigarette at the
head of the stairs. mo fair for
Il