Evening star., 1942-02-19

literature on deadly potions. His
reason for hiding the book he had
attributed to sheer panic. Since he
was a stranger in the house, he wss
afraid that the possession Of such
a volume might be used as incrimi-
mating evidence. Now that he'd
had time to think the matter over
calmly he realized how mistaken
he'd been. He hoped that the sheriff
would realize that he had merely
been acting on impulse.
As for Mrs. Castleton, she ad-
mitted frankly that serpents had
always fascinated her. But she pro-
tested that she regarded them as
mysterious rather than sinister. She
reminded the sheriff Of the part that
serpents had played In the great
mytholog1es Of the East, and assured
him that the modern irrational
fear Of snakes was only q crude
Western superstition. AS for her
jewelry, she was quite willing to
have Sheriff Hazard examine it as
thoroughly as he wished to. She
was quite sure that he would find
nothing tncriminating in the col
lection.
The trouble with both stories,
thought the sheriff after Mrs. Cas-
Teton had left, was that they were
too glib. It was almost as If they
had been rehearsed beforehand. The
sheriff put his hand to q frankly
puzzled brow. Almost any one of
these suave, sophisticated people,
he felt, would be capable Of commit
ting murder and Of coming down
to dinner afterward with the outer
veneer Of their poise undisturbed.
If only DR.. Morley's call hadn't been
cut of he might at this moment
have something more definite to
work on. But of course Mr.. Wether-
fether would get through to the
physician. After that the mystery
might not seem quite so insoluble.
Hazard Loses Confidence.
At that moment, however,
q drenched and detected Mr..
Wetherfether was driving his bat
tered car back toward Thorpe Lodge
The storm had made the unpaved
roads almost impossible, but Mr..
Wetherfether had driven doggedly
on until he had reached Abingdon
Stream, which the incessant rain
had swollen to the proportions Of
o river. The small wooden bridge
that had forded the stream had been
washed away, 50 that there was no
possibility Of crossing to the other
side. Resignedly. Mr.. Wetherfether
had turned the car around. But on
the way back he had bent q fender
against fallen tree and had pune
tured a tire, which he had had to
change in the driving rain.
AS he related these mishaps much
later to his superior oflcer in the
dry retreat Of the library. Mr.. Weth-
erfether felt less and less like the
superefficient slueth that his cor
respondence course in detection had
promised that he would become. In
fact, so disheartened was he that he
was ready to turn in his badge at the
first sign Of disapproval from the
sheriff.
Hazard, however, was inclined to
take O philosophical view Of the
matter. Wetherfether had done all
that was possible under the circum-
stances. There was no point to be
gained in defying the elements like
Lear.
The sheriff rang for Gavin, who
promised to take the dripping
deputy upstairs and to furnish him
with dry suit Of clothes. Mrs
Shelby, who had seen the car come
into the driveway, he said, was al
ready preparing q warm lunch in
the kitchen.
An hour later Mr.. Wetherfethe,
was finishing the. excellent meaI
which Mrs. Shelby had set before
him in the guest room. The sheriff
Joined him over coffee and apple
pie which was 50 delicious that Haz-
ard commented on it.
Mrs. Shelby acknowledged his
praise with q flash Of gratitude. II
was she, rather than the cook, who
had baked the pie, she said. She
had found the recipe In an old
Colonial cookbook.
Then you like early American
cookery?" asked the sheriff.
Mrs. Shelby Talks.
Mrs. Shelby admitted that she
did. In fact, she liked anything
about the period, she said-it,
crewel work, its -furniture and its
| trinity built houses with their white
shutters and graceful fanlights ovel
the doors. She liked its literature
too, she declared, and made some
penetrating comments about such
writer's of the time as William
Bradford, John Winthrop and Anne
Bradstreet.
She was an interesting converse
tionalist. Hazard found 1t q pleas
ant relief to talk with her after the
strain and tension Of the day. He
asked her how long she had beer
In Jarvis Thorpe's employment.
"Ten years." she answered. 'He
was very kind man, in spite o1
what some people say" She paused
moment, then went on slowly
"He was particularly good to me
I wasn't always servant, you
know. Before the crash Mr.. Shelby
and I had as large an estate al
Jarvis Thorpe himself. We hac
money. servants-everything. MY
husband lived only a short time
after he lost his money, and ! wa.
left with nothing. That was wher
Mr.. Thorpe proved his friendship
for my husband He knew that
was accustomed to managing .
large estate, and so he put me ir
charge here"
A slight movement In the door.
way caused her to break of. Dr.
Sherwood was standing on thu
threshold. It was impossible to tel
how long he had been there.
"f Just thought I'd stop by and
see II you need any medical At