The Wilmington morning star., 1940-05-31
CHAPTER ~TWENTI-EIGHT

Dur. Burcham explained Tony
Pappini's disappearance to US
when he arrived twenty minutes
later
The poor fellow was a drug ad-
dict" he said. Something hap
pened, to deprive him of his drugs,
and he probably was half mad Tor
the lack of them. He's had spells
like this before, but never SO Sc
we're"
"A drug addict" I looked down
at Louise beside me-We were
standing in the main parlor-ano
said: That explains Tony's inter-
est in your brother. Perhaps you
knew, Alfred always wanted to 40
something for the victims OF the
dope habit. He said 1t IS a dis
ease" -,
She looked up at me and said
nothing. Her face was pale, as
though the blood that had drained
from it at Tony's scream had not
vet been able to return. She had
STAYED close to me in all the en-
suing minutes, begging me not to
ioin in the hunt which servants and
guests Immediately organized.
1T is a disease" the doctor
agreed. Il don't doubt that he was
having some horrible sort OF dream
when YOU knocked on the door. The
sound would be distorted in his
nightmare, terrifying him. He
lesped from the window. The print
of his body is in the soft mud at
the edge of the river, where ne
fell, Where he went from there
we don't know. The police have
arrived and are searching with
flashlights
1T was tragic. I should never
have knocked on the door
The doctor shrugged his Shout
ders. How we're you to know?
And the same thing might have
happened when I entered the
room"
Louise tugged at my arm. Bill:
Let's sit down somewhere. IL"
I escorted her to a chair. I'm
sorry. This must be an ordeal for
you. I wish you hadn't come
"Ill be all right in a minute"
She tried to smile, but couldn't.
Pm afraid I'll have nightmares,
too"
The doctor had gone outside,
perhaps to join the ~searchers. |
looked after him. I knew I ought
to be doing something.
II know said Louise, you
think I'm just a hindrance. I'm
not used to this sort of thing, I'll
admit. But I've got my courage
back, really I have. I think we
should go upstairs again
"Upstairs-'
The color was flowing back into
her cheeks. She stood up. Her
slender hands were clenched tight
~. 1--WE must search that room!"
I didn't understand what it was
she would search for, but I saw
the urgency in her eyes. I rose to
protest, but she waved my objec-
tons away. dope" she said,
drove Tony Pappini mad. The
killing of my brother was an act
of madness. Somewhere in that
room is a clue to where Tony got
his dope. That will lead us to the
Killer"
You shouldn't go back there.
I'll hunt if you wish"
"Why shouldn't II"
Suppose the police catch us at
it? It wouldn't look right for you
to be alone there in the room with
me, searching a mans private eff
fects."
"Nonsense. Come on. We must
hurry"
There was no better argument
to discourage her. l surrendered,
and we ran up the stairs together.
At the far end of the hall l saw
the door of Pappini's room tightly
shut, and a light shining out
through the transom.
I grasped Louise by the arm and
whispered: There's someone in
that room! The door was open
when we left, and I remember DR.
Burcham swapping off the light
She didn't share my fears. "The
police may have been in the room
since we we're. 1 don't hear g
sound"
We started along the hall. I in,
sisted on going first. A shadow
moved across the transom, and we
xtnnned still HThere is someone