The Wilmington morning star., 1940-01-02
P -FoRTY.THREE
WRITTEN FOB AND NJ

uudll Clll1S L 4AoAA
Alan had used the word. Perhaps
he had some information after all!
why, the voices sounded loud
and angry. 1 couldn't hear anything
the man said though I'm sure one
was a mans voice, but I heard the
other say:
"'No, I I'M not mistaken. I know
what I heard"
We all stared at Alan. To think
he had been going around all this
time with that information! l sup
pose he would have to see a muir
der actually committed before he
would. believe he knew anything OF
value. What a man!
you think the other voice was
a woman's?" Lancy asked.
Eyes, l do. 1t was much higher
than the other"
"Since you've been coming here
and have heard the men talking, do
you think it was anyone of them
you heard that night?"
1--WE thought about that" Alan
admitted. "It wasn't Neal. I know
that. 1t could have been any Of the
Others"
"Why not Neal?"
Because his voice is almost as
high as the one which I am sure
was a woman's."
THAT'S reasonable" the chief
contributed. He and Lancy both
were silent so long that I was
afraid they would conclude the in
terview without my asking my
question. I opened my lips to speak.
but thought better Of that. Who
was 1 to assert myself before two
police officers?
1 scrubbed like mad on a piece
Of paper, rose from my seat, walk
ed over to the table and laid it be-
fore Captain Lancy. He read 1t and
stroked his long slender chin. l
wonder if that man ever wore a
beard? That gesture of his is pre-
sumably only a mannerism, but 1t
struck me that every time he did
it something popped.
Murray" His voice was as
smooth and even as flowing water,
but now that I had set things in
motion, I almost lost heart. Sup
pose my question trapped Alan:
How would I ever face Josie?
1 needn't have worried. No trap
ever set will catch Alan Murray.
He is So entirely honest, open and
sincere, that the trap springs
harmlessly and he doesn't even
see it,.
Murray, where were you Sun
day evening about eight o'clock?'
was the question which Lancy pro-
pounded.
Sunday? Eight o'clock? I must
have been with Josie. I met her
right after dinner and we were to-
gether about half an hour"
Where were you during that
time?"
II came around the end Of the
spite fence. Josie met me there and
we walked up the length of the
fence as we always did"
do you mind telling us what you
talked about"
moo, I don't mind" The color
rose a bit in Alans cheeks. and ]
wondered if he would take the de-
tective's question literally and re-
gale us with a precise account OF
mis- love making. But wen his
aaivety was proof against that.
IT had made up my mind to tell
mother that night that Josie and
we're going to get married. I knew
it would mean a row, but I didn't
care. I was going to do it and get
1t over"
And did you?"
Alan frowned. mo, I didn't" he
said ruefully. 1.-The only time I ever
got a chance to talk with mother
alone was in the evening. Miss Ivy
went to bed considerably earlier
than we did. I meant to do it, but
when I got home, after talking with
Josie, I found mother had gone to
bed with a bad headache. I planned
to do it the next night, but you
know what happened. I've done it
though" he cried triumphantly, land
do you know what mother said?"
The two police officers shook their
heads. The twinkle in Lancy's eyes
showed he was as sure as I that
my mountain had shrunk to a mole
hill.
"She said she wasn't as dumb as
I'd evidently thought her. That she
knew I'd been meeting Josie for
some weeks, and she didn't care a
bit, though she did wish I'd trusted
her enough to tell her sooner. She
said our lives, Josie's and mine,
were ours to live as we pleased, and
she believed I'd made a good choice.
She also said," Alan's voice dropped
to a lower tone, that if Miss Ivy
made a fuss, we needn't stay with
her. Gosh all fish-hooks," he ended
boyishly. Il didn't know she had it
In her."
II think she must be a very fine
mother" the chief said.
ooh. she isl" Alan's tone was tri-
umphant.
do you remember just what you
said to Miss Peake about telling
your mother? I mean the exact
werds?' asked I.ancy.
MOO, I don't believe I do" Alan
said slowly. Eyes, I do, too," he
cried, rs memory returned. I said
it had to be done and the quicker
the better"