The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1940-10-03
80. $50: By FREDERIC 6. VAN DE WATER


where were you then, eh?"
"Oh!" Ferriter said and was still
moment. thought it was not fear
but surprise that silenced him. At
last, he said simply:
81 don't know"
Don't know" Shannon echoed.
Exactly" the gaunt man said,
standing wholly at ease in the door
way. 81 was walking in the Bronx"
His mind ran ahead of Shannon's
like staghound before a terrier.
As the Captain hesitated, Lyon said,
still easily but with a shade of wor-
ry:
IF you're looking for an alibi,
sir, we're wasting time. I've been
alone all day. It's been sunny and
wanted to stretch my legs. So I
went for a tramp. Perhaps, if I adj
NIT have no alibi, you'll be good
enough to tell me who was killed in
my apartment"
His last words were strained. Miss
Agatha understood and said:
Your brother and sister are In no
way involved, Mr. Ferriter."
The Captain frowned but Lyon
ducked his grizzled head again and
smiled gratefully.
Thank you, Miss Agatha" said
he. Then I'm entirely at your serv-
| ice, Captain. Perhaps I can save
| you time.
He leaned against the door jamb
| and hooked one thumb into his vest.
The other long brown hand hung
easily at his side. His pleasant voice
was unruffied as he told how, with
sandwiches in his pocket, he had
| tramped north to Bronx Park and
wandered most of the afternoon
through wintry woods.
That's a good deal of walk,
isn't it?" Shannon purred.
That's what wanted" Lyon an
swered.
'fAnd you spent the whole day
without talking to anyone?" the Cap
tain asked.
'I said," Lyon reminded him,
"that had no alibi. l had the soil
tude you can get only in New York,
or beyond the Arctic Circle. No."
he exclaimed suddenly, "that isn't
quite right. I helped lady fix her
car"
''When?"
Sometime in the afternoon. Ire
ally don't know. She had ignition
troubIe-I mean her car had. I fixed
it for her"
He spread his hands and showed
his still soiled palms.
''The grease sticks" he pursued.
"She was driving last years Ford
| sedan, New York license. I don't
recall the number. She was stalled
near where Moshulu Parkway
swings over into the Bronx River
Parkway. I didn't ask her name.
You see, she was not exactly beauty
in distress. An elderly person-but
not at all like Miss Paget."
Miss Agatha caught my eye and
winked shamelessly. Then she re-
sumed her careful regard of Lyon.
"And them" Shannon prodded.
st walked south to the 180th Street
subway station. 1t was dusk when
1 reached it. / got off at Grand
Central, scrubbed off some of the
Crime in the Mushroom, had supper
at Mino's, % East Fifty-second and
came on home"
! He paused, and blinked calmly at
Shannon who scowled and bit his
lip.
Ever" the Captain lunged,
know a man with black beard?"
Lyon smiled.
''I've spent winter in Alaska"
he said. "Pve known boards of all
colors."
About your SIZE" Shannon said,
glaring, carried knife under his
left armpit."
Wouldn't it be better" Ferriter
asked, ''if you let me see him?"
He bowed to Miss Paget and,
with Jake failing close behind and
Shannon glowering in the rear, led
the way from the room. Their foot
steps went down the hall. The door
opened and closed. The old lady
folded her hands on her lap and
| looked at me.
''Well?" she asked. I found chal-
lenge in her voice.
"Wel?" I answered.
eve seem to agree" she jeered.
I did not understand her and after
waiting a moment, she went on
briskly:
when we were interrupted, was
about to offer you the job of writing
! the Paget book for me. Would fifty
4 Ia rcfn -fr
needed it badly, yet found the
offer hard to take. Its charitable
flavor gagged me. I said mo" and
she looked at me hard.
you'll work for it." she assured
me. Don't think you won't. Or If
fifty really isn't enough, sixty then"
Miss Paget-" I began and then
stopped and stood up.
Allegro and Grosvenor Paget
came in. They were like creatures
from world that knew no poverty
or sorrow. He was smoothly hand
some In evening clothes with little,
I thought, between his blond face
and his shining hair. His sister had
the spark he lacked.
They had breeding, or else long
acquaintance with the whins of
their aunt, for they spoke to me as
easily as though hallmen were usu-
ally to be found in Miss Agatha's
room, and then addressed the old
lady with irreverent hilarity, both
talking at once. They were off to
the Groesbeck ball. Bertha would
listen for lone, In case she reused
but the doctor had said she would
not. They did not know when they
would be In.