Browning chief., 1946-12-27
CHAPTER XIV

Miss Martha said huskily, "Only
didn't fall-she pushed me down
the steps,"
Bob waited, and after little, she
went on huskily, "Tom and I saw to
1t that there was never any-any in
strument around that she could use
to hurt herself-or anybody else.
Tom thought she was bedridden; I
hadn't told him that she was grow
ing stronger, that she could walk
not very far, but at least she was
no longer helpless. knew, of
course, the danger that was growing
around her-danger that she might
slip away from me and-do some
horrible thing"
Bob said swiftly, "Then you mean
that she managed to get away and
kill Mrs. Stevenson"
Miss Martha flung up her head.
Her eyes blazed.
"She did nothing of the sortl Use
your head, young man. It's mile
from our house to Mrs. Stevenson's
place-she couldn't travel that far.
And she hasn't been out Of my
sight one single minute since the
night she attacked me-" she blazed
at him hotly.
Bob said gently, "We have only
your word for that, Miss Evans"
Miss Martha's stocky body
slumped little and she said weari-
ly, eyes, Of course-you have only
my word for it"
'And the knife, Miss Evans?"
asked Bob very quietly.
She seemed to vince as though
he had struck her. She drew deep
breath and lifted her head little,
though her shoulders sagged.
eyes, the knife" she repeated.
"That was-night before last. As I
said, Tom didn't know that Lefty
could get out of bed, or walk; he
thought it was little foolish of me
to keep every sharp-pointed instru-
ment in the house under lock and
key. He thought as long as we kept
them out of her room, out of her
reach" She shrugged tiredly and
then she went on in that heavy, ex-
hausted voice, $50 he left knife
out on the kitchen sink night before
last. I'd-had a good deal of trouble
with Lefty and was very tired.
slept in her room and I thought
that she was sleeping soundly, and
so l let myself 60 to sleep. When
I woke up-I don't know what woke
me, but - suddenly I was wide
awake, and-there was Lefty stand
ing beside my bed, bending over
me, the moonlight on-that knife in
her hand" She set her teeth hard
in her lower lip, and her hands
crushed each other, and in spite of
her efforts at self-control, two swol-
len tears slipped from her eyes and
down her white cheeks, leaving little
marks in the thick powder spread
SO inexpertly there.
Megan went to her and put an
arm about her, and for moment,
Miss Martha resisted; then she
turned and hid her face against Me-
gan, while the two men waited.
Laurence was sick with pity for this
tired, harassed woman who had car
ried her heartbreaking burden for
SO long with such indomitable cour-
age; Bob's expression was intent,
watchful-waiting.
Miss Martha went on, ~
screamed, and that reused Tom, and
well, between US we managed to
get the knife away from her. She
fought hard, and then suddenly-she
went to pieces, just slumped be-
tween us like a ragdon that's lost
all its sawdust. We got her to bed.
We knew there was nothing we
could do for her. The doctor warned
us-any sudden exertion, excitement
would almost certainly result in
a brain hemorrhage-" She paused
again and then went on, II left her
with Tom. wanted to get rid of
that awful knife, once and for all
time. So l hid it-where you found
it,
She was limp with exhaustion and
nerve strain and Bob let her rest for
a moment before he asked very
gently, "And-your sister, Miss Ev-
ans?"
Miss Martha said in a voice that
was a ghost of sound, "She-died
early this morning."
It was an hour later, after Miss
Martha had had cup of coffee and
q chance to rest a little, that Bob
went over the story of the knife |
again.
1T seems quite a coincidence,
Miss Evans, that all this happened
the same night that Mrs. Steven
son was killed." he pointed out.
Il don't know anything about that,
young man." said Miss Martha, |
with the faintest possible trace Of |
her old brusqueness. "An I know |
Is that when I heard you'd found
the knife. I was afraid some inno-
cent person would be accused Of do
ing away. with, the Stevenson wom-
an by means of that knife. And !