The Wilmington morning star., 1940-01-03
FORTY-FoUR

not to me. And I had foollshly
blurted out my agreement with his
sentiments. When they both lookea
ut me, + could feel the shamed
blood tearing into my face.
I'm sorry" I said meekly. i
won't butt in again.
I'm glad you did," Lancy replied
quietly. You merely took the WORDS
out of my mouth. Miss Gordon.
vhv don't you like Miss Easton n
Barry? I presume he is the other
you mean?"
Eyes" I said eagerly. Now that
they permitted me to speak, l in
tended to tell it all at once. 1 told
about the time I found Coral prowl-
ing in the upper hall. OF how she
looked when Josie, in the Hill House
bathhouse, told her the inn o
never be Meals. I repeated what
Bruce Orion said when Neal asked
him if he saw anyone around the
Rutherford cottage tie night Mrs.
Rutherford va poisoned. l just
poured it all out and they sat and
listened patiently.
ut seems to go back to those two
every time" the chief said when l
finished. Every indication points
their way. But why? Why?"
Well have Orion in announced
nancy. Pm beginning to believe
that the poisoning and the search
of Miss Peake's room were the
planned two steps which held to Mrs.
Peake's murder"
"But why poison Mrs. Rutherford
or the doctor? You know he still
declares the poison was meant for
him."
Maybe it was and maybe it
wasn't answered the detective. Il
haven't an idea either way. Per-
haps orion can help us along"
Unlike Coral, Bruce orion did
not seem at all disturbed at being
called away from the card game
going en- in the lounge. Unable to
return to their own rooms while
the searchers were at work, the
boarders at Hill House set up the
card tables and insisted that every
one play. Was I glad that I was
busy in the office! If there is one
thing which l detest it is cards. But
I'm a regular dub at them, which
probably is the answer to my pet
peeve.
"Orton, I want you to tell US
your story of what happened here
at Hill House last Sunday nign,.
Take your time and don't leave out
the smallest thing which you no.
ticed was said or done by anyone.
Orion looked family surprised at
the request, but only asked:
"Where shall I begin?"
AT dinner. I believe that was the
first mention of Mrs. Rutherford's
prowler. I want everything from
that time on"
Right, SIR" Orton's memory
was good. He told of the conversa-
ton at the table, of Meals refusing
to go to the club with Carol. He re-
membered. just as I did, Barry's
exultant attitude when Coral said
she would go with him.
They left us then. The rest of
us went into the lounge. Josie went
out first; then Rhoda and Duncan
decided to go for a ride. Miss Cor
don refused to go and went out on
the terrace. I chatted a bit longer
with the Rutherfords until they,
too, decided to go for a ride. They
asked me to go with them, but l
thought if I stuck around Josie
might come back. I waited fifteen
minutes or SO then went to my own
cottage, and was there reading
when Neal put Tinker back in his
run after exercising him.
II called him and asked if he
knew where Josie was. He said he
didn't, that he hadn't seen her since
dinner. We just sat there talking,
about everything in general and
nothing in particular, until Josie
dashed in and said DR.. Paul wanted
Neal at the Rutherford cottage,
that Mrs. Rutherford was sick.
Il told Neal" went on Orion,
that if there were anything I could
do for him to whistle and I'd run
over. I don't know a thing about
sickness, and with two doctors on
the job I knew I would only be in
the way. But I said I'd stay on my
porch or walk around within hear
Ing distance Of the cottage.
The next thing which occurred
was when Josie and Miss Gordon
came out to the parking space. I
went over and talked with them.
They were going to the village drug
store, and I hated to see them 20
alone. Yet I felt 1 should stay there
as I had agreed to dc, Josie
wouldn't take my car though I Of
fered it, but when Miss Gordon said
she would take her own car and
drive. 1 felt better about it. Rhoda
n duncan said Miss Gordon is a
cracker-jack driver if she can keen
on her route"
He smiled at me as he smoke
and continued: you know the fog
was thickening then, though il
wasn't as bad as the next night"
L know I went back to my cot
tage, Miss Easton called to me. She
had heard us talking and saw the
a drive out, an unusual thing at
that time of might've keep early
hours here-and wanted to know
If anything was wrong.
Il told her Mrs. Rutherford was
sick and that the girls had gone to
n village on an errand. Before l
went into my place, walked around