Evening star., 1941-10-12

mo. Why?"
Franklin ignored her question and
went on relentleSSly. What did you
do with the glass from which Mrs.
Harrington drank?"
Edith put one hand up to her face
to push her hair back from her
temple. II lost my head then
I don't know why I did that. I
washed it out in the buffers pantry /
and left it there
well, I think l know why" |
Franklin continued. For the same |
reason that you doped the glass of /
brandy"
Il didn't. I tell you; I didn't dope
the brandy"
You weren't fearful that Shirley
Harrington might tell about seeing .
you here last night?" Franklin said
casually, almost carelessly.
She couldn't have, I'm sure"
Edith replied unconsciously. Then
she recognized what he had made
her confess. You tricked me! /
didn't mean that
Franklin chuckled grimly You
bet you didn't mean that, but you
said it. Now, what were you doing
here at Runymede last night?"
A Flash in the Night.
"Oh, what's the use?" Edith said,
her voice harsh and raSping with
fatigue. She Strengthened in her
chair and reached for a cigarette.
Franklin watched her light it with
unsteady hands. but he recognized
the cunning light IN her eyes and
waited for her story He could al
most see her thinking it up.
. Il came here last night We need
money horribly Larry isn't doing
+ very well: that is" She let her
voice trail off, and then appeared to
decide TO take the plunge. He is
losing everything he makes at one
Of Tarringtons gambling houses"
Franklin waited, strange light in
his pale eyes.
Il came to get Harrington to pre-
vent Larry's gambling any more and
to see if I could borrow some money
from him"
And did you succeed?"
mo. I might have known. He
just laughed. 1t didn't matter to
him"
When was this?"
About l O'Clock. Larry had lust
come home. broke again. While I
yac I1era -, -
IN. That is, l suppose it was Felicity
l have never met her until today" 1
And what did you do?"
/ Il went out the French doors and
around the terrace TO the drive
way"
DID you see any one?'
Edith shook her head Wait. I
didn't see any one. but I did see a
cigarette fash up"
Franklin noted the change in her
manner as she told about the light.
She spoke with simplicity. without
that strange flashing look in her
eyes.
Where was the light?"
Toward the south. There's a
summer house there. you know. But
1 didn't think of it until now. In
fact, thought it was firef1v then" /
And what makes you think 1t
was person now?" /
Edith raised her eyes. strained and
tired. 1T seems to me some human
sound went with the flash. but
really l was thinking of nv own
troubles. then"
Then you, too, had motive"
Denies Drugging Drink.
The haggard woman shook her
head. mo. Tarrington's death
wouldn't benefit me"
And you got in your car to 60
home?'
yes"
where was it? Miss Newgate
mentioned seeing no car when she
came home"
Il left it up the road. I didn't
want Shirley to hear me come I 4
didn't know she was at Farrar's
/ Lodge"
And then she came to your
/ home?"
Not until much later. had
/ been in bed. She rang the doorbell
and woke up"
| And what did she say?"
! "She said, Let me in, Edith: I'm
/ so tired" The strained woman
/ paused. Then I made her some
hot tea and put her to bed"
oLNjthn,1t
Il asked her what had happened
/ and she said. I'll tell you in the
morning. but I'm going to be free of
| him at last
And this morning?" Franklin
/ prompted her.
This morning at breakfast she
said Harrington had sent her up to
FarraSs Lodge, where she was ex-
amined and kept in her room. They
did let her have box of chocolates
| that Harrington was supposed to
have sent her. In them she found
money. She was biding her time to
escape. At night they always gave
her sedatiVe Last night she
bribed the nurse not to give it to
her. Then she just walked out
later"
And you believed her?"
"I believed her then"
What was Harrington reading
when you came to see him, Mrs.
Blackjack? Did he have news
paper on his lap?"
mo. He had some legal papers
That is, they were long and had a
stiff paper backing"
WAS he smoking?'
Eyes He filled his pipe from
humidor beside his chair
Have you ever seen it before?"
"Oh, yes. 1t is kept on the
mantel, except when he is using it"
Mrs Blackjack, do you still insist
that you didn't tamper with the
drink for Mrs. Tarrington?"
Eyes, oh, yes"
And that you poured it out your
/ self?"