The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-10-11
CHAPTER VI

We tried with flattery and threats to make Maudie tell us why she was SO convinced that Herbert Cord was not the victim of the numbers boys but she refused and finally young Tod Palmer said he had to move along.
 T suppose you know the Nor rigses," Maudie said in that friendly gossipy way that meant the other conversation was deii- 1itely at an end,
 From the way, the boys face flushed, we could gather that he knew one of them at least, Maudie frightened up at once, and l could see her mind grasping at the TO- mantle possibilities.
 "Jeanie Is certainly a sweet child" she said. Tod's hands fum- bled awkwardly for a cigaret, but he managed to agree. He said he'd known her for some tine, but It wasn't until this summer when he was back home to stay that he had really had a chance to get &C., quainted again.
 T suppose your father knew everyone in his day" Maudie said walking toward the door with him. But the old-timers go. Miss Morris and that man at the inn, Chris Gordon, I guess they must be about the two oldest residents around these parts
 II i.a a,,Ngual gA tnn Hig father used to talk about the days when Miss Mllle was young and eretty and Chris Gorden had been lhcre running the little Inn.
 Young end pretty well, l sup pose Mss Morris might have been once, only !t seems hard to be- Ncve." Maudie added
 "0h. Miss Mtilies all right when you get to know her the boy Said,
 "Yes, enjoyed talking with her even though the occasion " the best enc could wish for. e woman of eonViet!cns, I'd a
 My falEer said she had W longest memory of anyone hc knew and heaven help the per- son she didn't like. But she was oval to her friends, he used to av. You know Liza Holmers, tlfat old scareerow of housesceper, has been there for year. No one 9ut Miss Millic would ever keep quch donineering old sourpuSS around the house But Miss Mil- ie's always had her there and l suppose she always will
 Ted finally got away After Denny had kidded Maudie some more and had been invited to make our cot- tage his headquarters while on the story, he, too. started out again,
 When he had left I felt that emptiness within me. It looked as 1. though l was right back where 1 was a year ago Gnd l wished I'd never seen his red head or funny face.
 Maudie looked forward to the inquest with an enthuslasme that wasn't decent. I don't know what sort of fireworks she expected, but as far as l was concerned the pro- ceedings were anything but pleas ant. Not that my part or Maudies was bad, for the questions they asked us were purely routine but I hated to see Jeanie Morris hauled up there. The quarrel in the inn and the plans for the pie nic were enough to cause the au- thorities to feel that Jeanle might be able to throw some light on the affair.
 She handled herself well, an- swering the questions in distinct, quiet voice that wasn't in harmony with the paleneSs of her face or the distraught look in her blue eyes. She admitted sch had known Herbert Cord well very well for several years. She admitted, too, that she had known nothing Of his engagement to Miss Dixon until the two arrived at Paradise Lake . short time ago,
 After the conversation between you three in the inn, what did you do, Miss Morris2" asked Fred Un- Gerwood, the assistant coroner.
 "Do-?" she repeated, Why, ! went home"
 Margie Dixon, already taking advantage of her bereavement by wearing a black silk dress that did things to her curves and a black affair of velvet and feathers that passed as a hat and brought
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