Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-08-10
her." cried Elaine.

Ter y arm III al lnSllHCIlNely
protective gesture. II tried TO
make her wait at least till the
storm was over. but she refused.
She's upstairs now putting on a
raincoat. She's going TO cycle to
the police station"
They stared at each other
bleakly. Elaine said:
She hates us all. She'd do
anything she could to hurt us"
You can hardly blame her for
wishing to bring a murderer to
justice" A ghost of a SIN i i e
played around Gilbert's lips. IT'S
quite reasonable of her"
Reasonable or not. we mustn't
let her go off like this without
telling us anything" Maud said
that as II il were q simple, ir-
REPUTABLE fact. Il shall talk to
her once more. / sent the others
away because they were only
making her more determined.
Gilbert, there's no need for you
10 be in this. You 90 back TO
the library. And Elaine, she re-
sents you most of all. You go
upstairs 10 your room. Kay and
/ will handle this alone"
Maud was in command again,
as she had been last night on
the dock. She was obeyed with
out question. Elaine slipped away
upstairs. AS Maud and Kay
moved together toward the
French windows, Gilbert, skirt
ing tables and chairs. wheeled
himself away back 10 the library.
The two sisters were alone.
Kay's nerves were keyed up al
most 70 swapping point as they
stood there in silence, waiting for
a step on the cedar stairs that
would herald Alice Lumsden. II
was a strange, frightening feel
ing, knowing that someone in the
house had possibly found the real
solution 20 the crime, knowing
that, although they were still as
mystified as ever. the case might
really be overland was utterly
out Of their control
Kay found herself identifying
her own personal disaster with
the lowering storm clouds out
side. Ivor's death had been like
a cloud. banking up, steadily
growing bigger and bigger and
darker and darker until the mo-
ment had come for it 20 burst in
a storm OF destructive thunder
and lightning around them.
That moment must be very
close now.
And, uncannily following her
train OF thought. the storm too
chose that moment TO break. A
binding fork OF lightning sprayed
down the ink-blue sky and AL
most Immediately, like a roll on
a gigantic drum. an uproarious
peal Of thunder followed
For a breathlcss moment after
IL. the whole world seemed Moth
ing but silence, as II all sound had
been sucked up and away into the
echo OF the thunder. Then sud
denly the silence was engulfed IN
a kissing. a kissing that swelled
into a roar. and a pail of rain,
thick as a tidal wave. blotted the
view from the window like a wet
rag wiping a slate clean.
Maud turned away from the
window Kay turned too. There
was another fash Of lightning
then a second thunder clap.
Maud said: I've never
seen " And then stopped be-
cause Alice Lumsden had APP
peared at the head Of the stairs
She. would have been a gro
tesque figure at any time Now
in this melodramatic setting
there was something sinister
about her angular, bony figure
She stood there, halfway down
the stairs. glaring at them. An
old brown felt hat was jammed
on her head. Her body was
sheathed in a scarlet, shiny slick
er. Gripped under one arm was
a brown paper package tied with
string.
She came TO them slowly and
stopped on the first step. In the
queer light her expression Of ex-
ultant spite was rather horrible.
There was another thunder
clap. Maud, cold and stiff, said
It's absurd TO go out in this
weather. Alice. Wait until the
rain stops"
Why should I wait ?" said
Alice icily. Getting wet isn't
very terrible, is it ?"
But the lightning it's dan
gerous."
Dangerous Do you suppose
it's any more dangerous than this
house ?" Alice Lumsden's teeth
sharp and uneven, showed as she
smiled. Il know who killed
Ivor f" She Matted the Dackape