The Ypsilanti daily press., 1946-01-05
Towards Zero

so I went along and had IA jaw
with her for a Bit"
Battle said gently:
You were the last person to see
her alive, think. Mr.. Stranger"
Neville flushed.
Yes s-yes-I suppose ! was. She
was quite all right then"
How long were you with her ?"
About 20 minutes to half an
hour, should think. then I went
to my room, changed my suit and
hurried of. ! took th latch key
with me-"
What time was that!"
about half past ten. | should
think. l hurried down the hill, Just
caught the ferry starting and went
on as planned. I found Latimer at
the hotel. we had a drink or two
and a game OF billiards. The time
passed so quickly that found I'd
lost the last ferry back. II goes at
1870. So Latimer very decently got
out his car and drove me back.
That. as you know. means going all
the way around by Saltington-16
miles We left the hotel at 2 o'clock
and got back here somewhere
around half past, l should say. |
thanked Ted Latimer. asked him In
for drink, but he said he'd rather
get straight back, so let myself In
and went straight up to bed. |
didn't hear or see anything amiss.
The house seemed all asleep and
peaceful. Then this morning |
heard that girl screaming and"
Leach stopped him.
Quite. quite. Now to go back a
little-to yoer conversation with
Lady Tressilian-she was quite
normal in her manner"
"Oh. absolutely"
What did you talk about"
"Oh, one thing and another"
-Amicably ?"
Neville flushed.
Certainly"
You didn't, for instance" went
on Leach smoothly, have a violent
quarrel?"
Neville did not answer at once.
Leach said:
"You had better tell the truth,
you know. I'll tell you frankly some
Of your conversation was over
heard"
Neville said shortly:
I'VE had bit OF a disagreement.
II was nothing" =
What was the subject Of the dis
agreement"
With an effort Neville recovered
his temper. He smiled.
Frankly" he said. "she licked
me of. That often happened. II she
disapproved Of anyone she let them
have 1t straight from the shoulder.
She was old-fashioned. you see. and
she was inclined to be down on
modern ways and modern lines Of
thought-divorce-all that. We had
an argument and | may have got a
bit heated. but we parted on per-
fecuy friendly terms-agreeing to
differ" He added, with some heat,
Il certainly didn't bash her over
the head because lost my temper
over an argument-if that's what
you think"
Leach glanced at Battle. Battle
leaned forward ponderously across
the table. He said:
you recognized that niblick as
your property this morning. Have
you any explanation for the fact
that your fngerprinn were found
upon it,"
Neville stared. He said sharply:
"I-but OF course they would be
Its my club-Tve often handled
IT."
ANY explanation. mean, for
the fact that your hngerprints
show that you were the last person
TO have handled it,"
Neville sat quite still. The color
had gone out Of his face.
That's not true" he said at last.
1T can't be. Somebody could have
handled It after me - someone
wearing gloves"
mo. Mr.. Strange-nobody could
have handled II in the sense you
mean-by raising It to strike
without blurring your own marks" i"
There was a 2ause-a very long
pause.
"Oh. Lord" said Neville conyul-
sivcly, and gave a long shudder. He