The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-03-04
THE TOWER TRAGEDY
CHATTER XVIII

CHAPTER XVIII
 when Paris walked, Drake was Banding beside the bed with a Breakfast tray.
 "Better eat this, kid"
 Drake's manner was so grave aat Paris looked up in surprise. Are you all right, Drake? Wsnything the matter?"
 Paris threw back the covers and swung his feet out of bed. Esee here, Drake, you can't fool kne. Something's the matter with Eou."
 ''CaSsie's dead, Paris"
 Paris opened his mouth but he Souldn't make a sound.
 "Her father killed her and Committed suicide"
 Good God, Drakel It must Aave been because = it was my Rault."
 Don't even think that, Paris" Drake shook him. Now, you RiSten to me. You keep your mouth shut. Tight, do you hear?"
 Paris tried to pull away,
 Listen to me, Paris. You can Elin everything if you don't watch out. It's not your fault. He must have been crazy
 How"
 "She was dead in bed from come kind of poison = they don't know yet what it was. Must have been something quick"
 Drake - I've got to go and find @ut--"
 "oh, no you don't! You stay Eight here, and I'll go. But damn it, kid, don't you see you Imight get mixed up in this some lWayP"
 "Mixed-up-in-it?"
 Well, you're the only person ever went there. You have been seeing Cassie, haven't you? And she was here in this house, last nightl"
 well, we've got to tell them, r."
 T swear, I'll knock your head loose if you don't do what tell you. Listen just as favor to me, let me go downtown, and I'll come right back. If everything looks all right, you can go out yourself. I just don't want you to get talked about unnecessarily. That's all. Now, will you promise sne?"
 "Yes."
 iM~~aI-n ssjI,,I& on,,,a hool, ,,y,kjY ,,On,, &5e looked hot and tired.
 Paris met him at the door. "Drake-quickl"
 It's all right kid, as far as %oure concerned"
 That's not the question pnean. did you find out why he killed her?"
 NO. His letter = he left letter yOn his study table-didn't tell any Season at all. He just explained tllat he had killed his daughter Rnd was going to kill himself. The rest was just directions that he and Cassie were to be buried here in Kings Row"
 "Is that all?"
 '"There was a letter addressed to the bank, and to Colonel Skef- Glngton--a kind of a will
 Then he did have kinfolks &omewhere?"
 No. He left everything he had to you"
 "You're crazy"
 No, I'm not But I'm damn sure pr. Tower must have been" "Lest 1t to me! Why? What Tor?"
 NO explanation at all. Colonel Skef1ington asked all sorts of questions. Wondered, if you had any inkling of this. But you see 1t excuses you, all right, from any responsibility in Cassie's death. If that had been what he killed her for, he wouldn't have left you his property"
 Paris beat on the table with his fists. T don't care about that! don't care about thatl It's Cas- siel Cassie tool What did she do?" He leaned forward and bent his head on his clenched hands. He began to cry, uncontrollably, making small, incoherent sounds. You stay out of 1t. Some body'll begin to ask you ques- tions, and just like said, you haven't got any more sense than to tell everything you know"
 You know that Cassie came running here last night like some thing was after her, and wanted you to marry her"
 well"
 Cant you imagine what Kings Row would make out of that! Think little, you numskull! This towns been talking about the Towers ever since can re- member anything, wondering about 'em, and the like"
 The narrow circle of questions began its grinding revolutions again. Why? What? Why2
 Why did Cassie come last nightS
 What was she afraid of?
 What reason could her father have had for killing her?
 What reason could he have had for killing himself?
 Why didn't Cassie explain thing!