Evening star., 1940-11-22

but I heard nothing more, and I
forgot about it,
Charles, was there any difference
In the appearance of the room the
second time you went in? With
Pierson, I mean?"
Charles leaned back in his chair
and screwed up his forehead trying
to recall the image of that disar-
ranged room.
There was, Tim, I'm sure, but
what it was I can't say. The place
looked neater, if you could say that
for a room turned upside down like
that one"
You didn't notice any money,
did you?"
Money! That was It'll" Charles
sprang out of his chair. There was
money on the floor the first time
and not the second! Surely, Tim, u
he went on in a lower tone, "this
isn't going to turn out to be just a
murder for robbery"
Timothy Wayne shook his tired
head and sighed. "No. I'm afraid
not, Charles. 1t was a planned
murder, I'm sure. II we could only
find a motive!"
Nothing among the papers in his
desk?"
Mildred Seeks Facts.
Timothy shook his head in reply.
''I'd be happy If some one would
tell me about that pile Of papers
every one keeps mentioning" Mil
dred said from the stool beside
Charity. Whom did he write to;
what did he say?"
TITS the most innocuous corre-
spondence for victim of violence
that I ever saw" Tim replied. "He
had all sorts of ads and free sam
pies. Then there was drawer full
Of letters from stamp collectors, a
pile OF Cancelled covers, but not a
personal line in the whole business"
mo business letters at alp" Char
ity opened her eyes to ask.
mo, Aunt Charity, not one"
Lets have a cool drink" Charles
suggested walking to the door. I'll
get Della to stir one up"
What luck did you have tracing
Mr.. Whipple's movements yester-
day, Mr.. Wayne?" Mildred asked,
slipping her hand over Charity's to
squeeze 1t affectionately. The frail
fingers under hers responded
strongly and then relaxed.
"Oh, in this town, that was pretty
easy. From the vaults he went up
into the office and across to the
bank where, besides getting some
money and talking to Warmers as
sistant about his loan, and to War
ner, he borrowed a strong manila
envelope from one Of the men
there. The fellow said Whipple
stood at the central desk there quite
a while, writing short letter and
putting some bulky papers into the
envelope"
HE asked me for q big enve-
lope, but I didn't have one" Mil
dred interrupted.
Then he went across to the post
ofice and sent such an envelope,
the same one no doubt, of by reg
istered mail"
ITO whom?" Charity asked.
Charity Is Startled.
As Charles came down the hall
with the tall frosted glasses Of lem
onade, Timothy reached again into
his inside coat pocket and pulled
out a black notebook. He leafed
through it and slipped his drink be-
fore replying.
ITO C. r. Jonathan, care of Ralph
Tucker, 112 Adolph street, ST..
Louis"
AS Timothy began to read the
name, Charity's elbow slid off the
arm Of her chair and her drink
spilled onto the carpet. Charles
stopped over to mop it up. Timo-
thy's voice reading the name con-
tinued through the disturbance.
I'm so sorry, Aunt Charity" Mil
dred apologized. I'm afraid I've
made you spill your drink. 1t was
stupid OF me-"
The girls eyes were saying some
thing to her, Charity was sure; they
were telling her to take courage, to
hold onto her nerve. well, I will" /"
thought Charity. "She suspects
something. Charles and Tim are
blissfully unaware of my nervous
ness, but not Mildred"
at was my fault, really, Mil
dred," Charity was saying. I'll be
all right now" she finished.
The group slipped their drinks in
silence for few minutes. Then
Timothy said, Does any one here
have the faintest idea where Whip
pie was going on his trip?"
why, I do" Charity answered.
"One night last week, the night
Charles and Mildred went to Brent's
for bridge, he was up here on the
porch with me-"
Aunt Charity knows how to
charm 'em ALL" Charles put in ia
cetiously.
Peters Shows Movies.
Mr.. Peters drove up in front and
called to ask if we'd like to see his
movies. We said yes, of course; so
he brought all the stuff from his
, car. Whlpple nelped MIN. refers
; had q portable screen, little VIC
+. trola, the protector and he put them
all up in the dining room and we
watched for half an hour or So"
}. What movies, Aunt Charity?"
"Of the fair Did you say
something, Timothy?"
Tim shook his head.
"When we were finished and Della
had brought some port wine, the
two men got to talking about
stamps. Peters had been to st. Louis
and had seen some stamp show. He
got whipple all excited over going"
Peters did errands for you, didn't
he, Aunt Charity?" Charles asked,
winking at Timothy. "She sure gets
the service!"
, "He took the clock from my elec-
4, trio stove to have the face fixed.
He said If I had just damaged the
works instead of the looks he could
have fixed it for me himself"
II thought Miss Clark said Peters
made sound for that movie only last