Evening star., 1942-02-12

came in. He just haQ Time 10 Jake
his riding boots of. He's lying up
there" Gavins face blanched
again and his voice trailed of, as If
he were overcome by the memory
Of what he had seen.
DR.. Sherwood started for the
stairs. His niece moved swiftly to
his side.
wait! IT go with you" she
cried In a shaken voice. Her cheeks
were utterly drained of color and
her lips were white.
mo. Wait here, my dear. II
there's anything you can do I'll call
you" He turned quickly up the long
flight of stairs.
He had hardly left before Mrs.
Shelby, the housekeeper, came into
the room. Her placid. untroubled
countenance stood out in sharp con-
trast to the troubled and tense eX-
pressions Of the other members OF
the group.
Il was wondering what you
wanted done about lunch, Mrs.
Thorpe" she said, addressing the
former Pauline Pry. THE things
will be spoiled II the cook keeps
them In the warming oven much
longer"
Mia Wonders.
.1unch?" said Pauline vaguely.
She put her hand to her forehead
In a helpless gesture that was ef-
fei, fhnofriro1
'Mr. Thorpe has had an accident y
said Mrs. Castleton, stepping into
the breach. II don't believe any
one will want to eat just yet"
Her voice was brisk and business
like. Was it possible, Mia asked
herself. that there was an express
sion of yelled triumph or at least
of relief in Mrs. Castleton's dark
eyes?
Before Mrs. Shelby could reply
DR.. Sherwood came slowly down the
stairs.
There was nothing I could do
for him." he announced gravely.
Hes been dead for some time. It's
4 case for the coroner
"You mean ne Was-mur oereu'
Derek Knowle asked. -.
Jarvis Thorpe did not die OF
natural causes" Sherwood an
swered. I'm afraid we'll have to
call In the police" He took a step
toward the telephone.
But look here, man." Bruce Fey
ton expostulated, this is going 10
cause an awful scandal II 1t gets IN
the papers. 1t will mean public IN
ouirv-investigation. Well all be
smeared if it gets into print.
"You might think OF your niece
- Won don't want to consider any
of the rest of u.s." Robert Jocelyn
interposed harshly. AFTER the way
xh. was pilloried in the Wickllne
ease last year you ought to be able
IA at least surmise the hue ana cry
that will be raised over something
hike this"
tnterposed mockingly. Both MI
pevton and Mr.. Jocelyn. for pur-
noses best known to themselves,
rould be very happy to have you
sien a death certificate attrlouting
Jarvis Thorpe's death to natural
causes"
Call for the Sheriff.
"And that" said DR.. Sherwood
hecisivelv, "is something I can't do.
It's not only matter OF pro1es-
sional ethics. It's matter OF COM
mon sense. When a man oles OF
snake bite in his own room' IN
broad daylight"
"snake bite" cried Pauline nys,
tericallv. But that's too horrible!
why didn't you tell us oe1ore
"Partly because I wanted 10 spale
you. my dear" her uncle repheo'
:and partly because couldn't oe
.hsolutelv sure on the basis OF tne
sr,nerficial examination 1 was aole
~ make without moving the oooy'
IN the face of it the thing seems
tnonossible. But you can see no"
foolhardy it would be TO TRY 70
keep such peculiar circumstances oi
death from the police. ;.
"Well. call them and get IL over
with then" Lee Thorpe Said with
sudden impatience.
THAT'S Just what I was about 10
do" replied DR.. Sherwood with I'M
perturbable sauvity.
His call into town took only a
few minutes. When he had COM
nleted it he turned back to the
waiting group. l..
"The sheriff and his men Will be
here lust as soon as they can make
n" he informed them. It's TOO
had Thorpe Lodge is so far out from
the town. I'm afraid those un-
paved roads will be pretty hazaro-
Gus in this storm"
His words were punctuated oy a
sudden heavy cannonade OF tnun, :,
der. The wind. careening around
the house. shook loose the fasten-
inVs of one of the French windows
and the long glass panel swung
violently inward bringing with 1t a
gust of rainy air that tore ana
rvirled at the draperies.
Noel Moffat uttered high, pierre
ing shrek, then buried her face IN
her hands and began to sob vlo-
lently.
More Suspicious
At the same moment Mrs. Sheloy
ran over to the window and trlec
to force it shut against the pressure
of the wind. Derek knoWIe, wno
was standing nearby, lazily came n
her assistance.
DR.. Sherwood strobe over towart
Noel and placed calming hand OF
her shaking shoulders.
Perhaps you'd better go to you
room, Miss Moffat," he advised
"Mrs. Shelby will be kind enough
to send your lunch up with one o
the servants. As for the rest OF us.
he glanced briefly at his wrist
watch, "it's long past our Luncheon
hour. There's nothing any OF u
can do until the sheriff arrives.
suggest that the best thing we cal
do now is to try to get a httl
nouriuhment."
"Ill see about it at once. sir,
Mrs. Shelby said and vanished.
"Oh. couldn't think Of eatin