The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-11-03
M u RIDER
I'm PARADISE
D, Marguerite 6ohoson

Continued From Page Elevenl
tiptoe I'd the back steps. He'd
been out with the State Police and
I not only wanted to know what
he'd learned. but | felt that II
I didn't talk TO someone Id so
crazy. I slipped into my robe and
remembered TO use some Of the
Passion lipstick before going out
in the kitchen TO meet him.
III get you something 10 eat,
told him. While we sat there
I repeated Maudie's remarks. she
knows something. but shes so
darn stubborn. Denny. Maybe you
can make her talk. know she
suspects someone, but it must be
that she's decided she hasn't
enough proof to come right out
and put her finger on that person.
She's funny that way; ! mean
about voieing Just suspicious ar
harmful gossip. She talks plenty.
goodness knows. but she's always
the first one to defend a person
one merely suspects. Proof is
what Maudie insists upon and |
suppose that's what's the matter
now"
Denny nodded. But, Mary.
knowledge ia dangerous thing
sometimes, and she may have
something that's dynamite. She
and Miss Mile must have gotten
their heads together the night she
went there to phone after you
found Cords body. Maybe she
only thinks she has something:
you know her imagination. And
then again maybe she's on the
right trail. l wish we knew If
she talked to Miss Mile before
the old woman passed out to-
night"
II think she did. but she's try
ing to decide If she should tell us"
Can you think of anything that
gave her grounds for suspicion
when you found Cord?"
shook my head. 1T was all
cut and dried, Denny. We found
him and notified the police. We
were just two terribly scared
women and ve didn't think to
hunt for clews." l remembered
Maudie bending over McCool, try.
ing to slip his harness on him
there in the wet grass beside the
limp body crushing the mint bed.
And then / remembered that next
morning when she was writing in
her diary.
She's been terribly secretive
for some reason or other" l said
slowly. trying to connect things
in my mind. felt silly telling
him about the lucky piece / had
noticed on her desk and the way
she grabbed it away from me.
"One starts thinking about this
business and only such insignifi-
cant things come to mind" I
spologized. But then I guess I
haven't been any too rational
lately anyway. was nearly hys-
terical when we found the body
and Maudie had TO remind me Of
my age and dignity" I said. Il
looked at her bending over Nc
Cool there in the grass just few
steps from a dead man, and,
Denny, I started to laugh. I'm
ashamed to think OF it."
He reached over and took my
hand and for the first time l had
a kindly feeling for dead Herbert
Cord. II he hadn't received a 80
slug in his back Denny wouldn't
be there now.
Tired as we both were we
might have forgotten murders
and fears and clews for a little
while then, but McCool came out
INNING ~ INC llehb anu Hpiss
that had disturbed his night. He
scratched at the door and l had
to get up and put him out. That
broke the moment. I could feel
Denny's eyes follow me, but when
l came back he was putting the
dishes in the sink and he showed
me ahead Of him as he turned
out the light.
Don't worry about it," he said.
So l went to bed with nothing
more real to interrupt the
thoughts of the evenings tragedy
than the pressure of his hands
on my shoulders.
ITO Re ConfiuuedA