The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-02-02

maid. Why did she have to be II
such constant Other. fretting
over everything from concert te
d murder, and over everybody
\ from aspirin statesmen to coloreo
maid?
She looked into the street again
This time she was rewarded by
the sight of Richard Blythe getting
out of a car before the entrance
of the Montecito. Mallory was
waiting at her own door when he
reached it.
Hi, princess" he greeted, COM
ing inside quickly. We've got
work to do, but quick! Where's
the kitchen?"
This way" No matter how fast
Mallory walked, he was right at
her heels. In fact, they went
through the swinging door togeth-
err. The small room was uninviting
after the early morning meal pre-
pared by Armando. perhaps
should get hotel maid to clean
up this place." the girl suggested
uncertainty.
Better leave the hotel gang out
of this. Armando, if ne can be
trusted, might do it for you. No
one else" Blythe was setting a
couple of packages on the white
kitchen table. Il didn't want to
talk too much over the telephone.
Never know who's listening either
here or at my place." He was
filling teakettle with water.
wish I'd told you to have plenty
of boiling water ready. Prism must
have lots of strong Coffee He
took a can from one package.
My last of a long-treasured sup
ply" There was tiny burst OF
air as the key rolled past the
soldered spot. He twirled quickly,
eyeing the teakettle with impa-
tience.
"Watched pot and so on quot
ed the singer. Richard. I don't
want to sound foolish, but that as
print think it was drugged. Was
it?" =
'It was! Rather the aspirin was
not aspirin" His face was dis
agreeable. Il should think you'd
have paid some attention to what
you were giving your servant"
''It was dark in her room. Be-
Sides" flared Mallory, Il supposed
you knew what you were talking
about when you suggested l take
box from the Smith apartment
Surely you remember 1 was on
my way downstairs for aspirin
so it's really your fault
Richard Blythe's shoulders actu-
ally sagged. Guess you're right.
If only you'd taken a tin from
those on the table that I'd already
inspected. But, darn it all, You
must have taken one from the
carton when 1 wasn't paying any
attention to you. Lighting Gig
aret probably"
But" condemned the girl Sec
ond time, you should have been
paying attention the water is boil
ing she snapped.
The man lifted the singing kettle
from the flame. Il thought that
was you singing Instead of using
the drop-pot, he poured large
amount of coffee into pan, added
the water and set it back over the
heat to boil. This coffee must be
strong to do its work, Mallory, if
I'd dared trust you last night,
everything would have been SIM
pier. But how in the heck was l to
know your opinion of those buzz
yards? And how in the heck he
repeated, was I to know that you
were going to snatch the very box
of some sort of drug. What better
place could something like that be
hidden than in an innocent Lincoln
aspirin tin in an innocent Linvlon
aspirin carton?'
Mallory put a cup near Richard
Blythe's hand. What worries me
is their catching on. What if they
should glance in carton and no.
tice a tin missing?"
"Oh, no." Blythe poured the COT
fee into the cup; it had pungent,
rich fragrance. Il had enough
spare tins that I'd bought at the
drugstore to replace any took
bring that smaller package, NAL
lory. It has the smelling salts. And
lead the way to Prism" 8
Tho co1ored woman seemed