Hungry Horse news and Columbian. [volume] (Columbia Falls, Mont.) 1946-1948, 1947-09-26

| serena.
when you get the chance" she sale
almost inaudibly. She watched him
taking the look, glancing round
and going with unerring instinct
to the bureau-whatnot, on one OF
those handicapped shelves the
hatpin lay, beside the faceted crys-
tai of the dresser set. AS she folded
the last beaded cape and banged
down the lid of the trunk, she saw
Todd's interested study of the sky
light and the blue-white bulb that
Illuminated the garnet.
Todd came close to her. every
inch of it punctured," he said, his
agate eyes narrowed. Probably
that hatpin has been jabbed into
all the upholstery, too, only the
plush doesn't retain the marks.
HIM. Enterprisfng rats, these"
'That means syst m t c
search, doesn't it,"
He nodded. "And in secret. Soon
as you told me about Susie and her
decisions about the light in the
attic, l wondered. Someone began
the search not long after Nella
moved to the downstairs bedroom,
knowing that either she couldn't
hear or would scarcely come up
three flights, with her heart con-
dition, to investigate. The person
was careless at first, and then,
after the warning about the lights,
he waited until the moon on the
glass alibied him."
Sounds as if it must be one of
the cousins" Georgine said, trou-
bled.
Him. Perhaps" Todd looked
round him again, at the harsh
sprawling shadow of the dress bag
that still swung gently from the
last time he had brushed against
it. "But the cousins aren't home
every night, remember. It'd be
easy enough to check on their
whereabouts. Could be anyone
who's at all familiar with the
house and knew about the side
stairs that are enclosed all the
way up-and the unlocked lower
door,"
That's right" said Georgine
slowly. "Nella leaves it open so the
tradesmen can get in, they leave
the milk and the laundry and stuff
in the basement. She locks her own
room door, but-isn't that queer,
when she's so nervous about being
alone?"
Todd said, IT doubt that she's
afraid of burglars, or of the milk
He took another turn about
the room. Horace and Harry Helen
might seriously think that rats
make the noises. Maybe they've
never heard 'em, and are just re-
assuring NelIa."
"Oh, dear Lord" said Georgine
1espairingly, sitting down on one
IF the trunks. ITO think that on
he first night l convinced myself
hat it was rats; and I heard the
stairs creak -. But Todd, what
are they after? Do you-do you
hink it's something to do with
Miss Tillsit's death?"
The dinner table seemed posi-
lively festive, set for six and
raced with the presence of both
he Judges grandchildren.
The conversation began with
Omeone's innocent mention of
Judge" Tillsit.
"Grandfather's livid, 1 should
imagine, about our discussing the
ate unpleasantness," said Mary
Ielen with a giggle. But he must
now that everybody's been hash
lg it over for four years-every-
ody except him, that is"
"And me-" Nella murmured.
"You amaze me-" Horace said,
ghting cigarette and giving her
curious look. "You really amaze
lie. Nobody'd ever have thought
lat you'd take it this way"
you've known my attitude all
ong," said Nella mildly, with a
light lift of her eyebrows.
yeah, but do you mean to say
hasn't changed, now that you
low the facts?"
Todd had not spoken for some
inutes; he sat turning a spoon
,er and over on the shining da-
ask of the tablecloth. Georgine
W his deep-set eyes moving, alert
i'd inscrutable, from one speaker
another.
"Do know all the facts?" Nella
i'd, looking at him in smiling ap-
al.
Snail we rather say-all the
Todd reptile d
loothly. "I think you know about
l do. No, there's one
ing nobody seems to have known
til this afternoon. Costanza told
="
'Costanza?" said Mary Helen,
ming her large light eyes toward
n in amazement. "You mean to
' you got some information out
that old Mexican hag?"
we held a conversation" said
id, family smiling. Damned if
,an tell you now how it got
md to the afternoon of Miss Till
s death; but-did any of you
1w that Gilbert was out at the
lge's house that afternoon, be-
zen two and three?"
Was he?" said Mary Helen