The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1943-04-29


mot necessarily. We were all so
franticl But, Kelly" Cherry went
on impressively, laying glovec
hand on his shoulder, this is the
strange thing. Fran did have that
negligee on at first, but when the
police and the doctor and all the
others got there she didn't. She had
on only her nightgown, for she was
shivering with cold, and one of the
maids went and got her an overcoat
from the hall closet"
Hal" Kelly said, his brow knit
ted. Sure of that?"
I'm absolutely sure. The first
thing | saw when | opened my door
was that the halls were lighted, and
May and Molly and Helene, the 9TH
er maid, were coming down from
the upper floor, and Fran hallway
down the stairs saying it was noth-
ing, that we mustn't get excited,
and wearing that negligee. But
when the doctor and the police got
there, she didn't have it on
"She could have run upstairs,
hung it up, and gone down again
without anyone's noticing?"
"Easily-it was madhouse for
while. And nobody was watching
or checking"
"She wiped that revolver on the
first thing that came handy, fold
of her dressing gown" Kelly formu-
lated it slowly. "And then it oc-
Cured to her that the stain would
be hard thing to get rid of. She
couldn't count on anything she had
to clean it with :"
"She grabbed that gun instructive
ly and cleaned it before she real
lied that if those smudges were dis
covered matters would be worse
than ever" Kelly continued. $50
she took the boldest course and as
it turned out the safest one. We're
not far from Fisherman's Wharf,
Cherry; how about an oyster stew"
'tOh, Kelly, I'm starving!" She
laughed her old joyous laugh as he
caught her arm tightly in his, and
they went along together at walk
that was almost a run.
The restaurant was as plain as
coarse linen and cheap chairs could
make it, but the fragrance of the
boiling crab kettles outside scented
the place appetizingly.
Honestly, Kelly, is there one
chance in the world Fran did it?"
the girl presently said.
81 don't think so. I'd swear she
didn't have the nerve. But it strikes
me-it's seemed to me all along
that her position is that of someone
who knows something, or thinks she
does; she's protecting someone. But
who? Amy? The old lady? I don't
know Here are our oysters. !"
sIt's just one O'clock" Cherry
said, land l think I'll telephone
home that I'm not coming"
When she came back she sank
into her chair, gripping the table,
trying to speak.
Cherry, what is it? What's the
matter?" Kelly stammered, catch
ing at her hands.
1T was Mullins" she whispered
''They want us to come straight
home. She Said-she said she and
Jud had quarreled-over you. Fran
has confessed!"
When they went out onto the wharf
| looking for taxi, Cherry held Kel-
ly's hand tightly.
'Frans confessed, eh?" he said
more than once. Il wonder what
that means? Why does she drag me
! in? She knows darned well that
whatever she's up to I'm not in it."
"But-she could say you were!"
"Yes, but that's not enough"
kelly" she said, when they had
| signaled a cruising taxi and were on
their way, promise me something"
Anything" he said.
Promise me that no matter what
| happens now, no matter how tan
gled things get, you and / are-for-
ever and eternally-bound to each
otheri"
why, my darling, my darling
he said, 'my life is your life now.
Here we arel" he finished abruptly
as the cab drew up at the imposing
Marshbanks doorway. Nov we'll
| try to see what all this is about"
There were four officers there
now, instead of the usual one or
two; Fran was there, too, silent,
very pale, .tragic-looking, with her
white skin and raven-black hair.
II had to tell them, Kelly"
she said breathIessly, apologet-
ically.
I'm sorry. thought for a while
that we could hide it. But ! had
| to tell"
ITO Re CONTINUED