Hungry Horse news and Columbian., 1947-10-31
CHAPTER Wv

to interest the persons in the Till
, sit house.
She took it in to Todd. "Excust
me, Barby," he said punctiliously
and in turn ran his eyes hastily
over the scrawled words. II say
there are all sorts of messages fol-
you, cricket. The whole letters
about you, nearly"
From Cousin Dyke?" said
Barby, in holy awe. Her face
Shone.
Todd read it a o u d. "Dear
Georgine, It's good news that my
girl-friend enjoyed herself on her
visit. Haven't had such a good
time myself in a dogs years. You
tell her I'll take her out again any
day; popcorn and milkshakes don't
run half so high as spell of night
clubbing" He shifted page.
so you and the old man. Don't
know how much l like that title"
Todd interpolated- the old
man decided to make the break
without delay. Cheers, auntie
dear; all kinds of happiness and
what have you. You knowd think
you're tops and he doesn't deserve
his luck. Wish l could "-another
page was finished" be there to
see the deed done, but the Army
needs good SergeantS this week."
"T he maneuvers, Georgine
said.
-" Don't suppose you could wait
about eight years until Barby's
caught up with me, so we could
make it double?'
"COuldn't you wait, Mamma 2"
Barby said, radiantly serious.
"No, cricket" Todd replied
firmly, 1--WE could not. Well wait
ill you're well enough to be
bridesmaid, and that's all. Listen
% the rest of this. You picked a
lice place for the wedding, seemed
IS if that old town and the old
louse were clean out of this world
nd no war on. Mary Helen does.
seems, the old lady, her great
unit, had plenty" Todd Tipped
yer another page. {" I'm with you
4 spirit whenever the wedding
ONES off, wish l could see Barby
olding your flowers. Best of luck,
'yke.'"
'Did you ever read anything so
seless?" Georgine inquired Bit
,rly. "Mary Helen talks lot, and
lat's all he had to say about her i
: what she told him."
Todd looked at her, his agate
yes intent. "He had more" he
i'd, and held out the third sheet
Dykes letter. "Get the light II
ross it, Georgine, and look at
e period after the word 'plen- I
"Blotted," she whispered after
moments scrutiny, "and the rest
the page isn't"
"Ink rather a different color,
D."
"Then-someone found the let
:, steamed it open and destroyed
page or two with something i'm
rtant on it?" 4
SID imagine So" n
Georgine met his eyes, breath Y
fast. "It was taken last night,
cause the person in my room i
S feeling around on every sur n
e where it might have been II
d; and it was returned this ]
rning sometime. Great heavens,
Id. There must have been n
here worth the risk! ~
lid we get hold of Dyke?" y
'odd shrugged. IN t if the II
ny's deployed over half the "a
ramento Valley. l can try, but M, M
oubt we'll get him." u
lie followed Georgine into her nav
m and shut the door behind wen
|, leaning against it. His eyes from
ned coldly. "Plenty of valuable Peri
oerty, or something like that, take
guess. 1t must have meant tahl
ething to the person who read ia
letter, or what came after vo1,
ldn't have been destroyed. vo11,
KY for him Dyke broke off at dose
ace that might have been the hvn,
of a sentence" tbo,
1im?"
anyone. Mary Helen talks up 4
eeze.' She might have let out, N
lterest Dyke, something i'm Geol
ant; maybe she didn't know, stra
If, how important it was; or you
may have b cen indiscreet Bari
her own affairs. Curious" may
id, musing, "how nearly that M
18th the plot l used her in" per
'hich kind was she?" ing
he Perfect Murderer. You foot
Mt bother to read it; it's one her,
e kind with a fancy time from
all worked out beforehand she
We an unbreakable alibi in out
of need. In reality, if you Geo.
mber, this gal says she was shoe
cramento all day, looking for go.
ming. Nice touch, that" HI
cry" Georgine shuddered. of h
would have been possible for sid
% drive back to Valleyville, "DyI
ome of those country roads, reac
leave her car behind the 81
2, or even some distance YOU :
:. Nobody need ever realize "Y
been here. Mary Helen's got pers,
lind to be Perfect Murderer. NAV
shrewd, she thinks things he :
ana prepares for eventuali- while
=, altho
thought the Perfect kind al room
makes one mistake at least" was