The Wilmington morning star., 1947-07-25

again. NORTHUMBERLAND Ah"'
ton getting co,d-congealing on
the table the bang Of the
consulting room door, John run
nlne up two steps at a time, al
ways in a hurry, so vital, sc
alive.
Lying on his back by the swim
ming pool the slow dep q
blood over the edge the feel
of the revolver n her hand.
A nightmare, a bad dream,
presently she would wake Up ano
none of it woull be true.
Her sisters crisp voice came
cutting through her nebulous
thoughts.
"You must have something
black for the inquest. 1t would
look most odd if you turned up
in bright blue"
Gerda said, That AWFUL IN
quest" and half shut her eyes.
Terrible for you, darling,
said Elsie Patterson quickly. "But
after it is all over you will come
straight down to IS and we shall
take great care of you"
The nebulous blur of Gerda
Ctristow's thoughts hardened. She
said, and her voice was frighten-
eo, almost panic-stricken:
What am 1 going to do without
John?"
Elsie Patterson knew the an
swer to that one. you've got
your children. You've got to live
for them"
Zena, sobbing and crying, "My
daddy's dead" Throwing herself
en- her bed. Terry, pale, inquir-
ing, shedding no tears.
An accident with a revolver,
she had told them-poor Daddy
has had an accident.
Beryl Collier $50 thoughtful oil
herr had confiscated the morning
papers so that the children should
not see them. She had warned the
servants, too. Really, Beryl has
been most kind and thoughtful.
Terence coming to his mother
IN the dim drawing room. His lips
pursed close together, his face al
most greenish in its odd pallor.
why was Father shot?
IAN accident, dear. IL CAM
talk about it..
st wasn't an accident. Why dc
you say what isn't true? Father
was killed. 1t wss murder. The
paper says So"
Terry. how did you get hold OF
a paper? l told Miss Collins
He had nodded--queer repeated
mods like a very old man.
Il went out ana bought one, of
course. l knew there must be
something in them that you
weren't telling us, OF else way did
Miss Collier hide them?"
It was never any good hiding
truth from Terence. That queer,
detached, scientific curiosity Ct
his had always tc be satisfied.
why was he killed, Mother?'
She had broken down then, be-
coming hysterical.
Don't ask me about it-don't
talk about i'll can't talk ABOUT II
!. it's all too dreadful
But they'll find out, Wont
they? l mean they have to find
out. It's necessary"
So reasonable, Sd detached.
Il made Gerda want to scream
and laugh and cry. She thought,
Ee doesn't care-he can't care
he just goes On asking questions.
Why, he hasn't cried, ven
Terence had gone away, evad-
ing his Aunt Elsie's ministrations
a lonely little boy with a stiff
pinched face. He had always teit
alone. But it hadn't mattered until
today.
Today, he thought, was differ
ent. II only there was someone
who would answer questions rea-
sonably and intelligently.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, he ano
Nicholson Minor were going tc
make nitroglycerine. He had beer
looking forward to it with a thrill.
The thrill had gone. He didr~
care if he never made nitrogly-
cerine.
Terence felt almost shocked a
himself. Not to care any more
about scientific experiment! Bu'
VIXEN a chaps father had beer
murdered. He thought, Ny
fdther-murdered.
And something stirred - took
root-grew -. q slow anger.
.Beryl Collier tapped on the bed.
room door and came in. She was
pale, composed, efficient. She
said:
inspector Grange is here"
And as Gerda gasped and looked
at her piteously, Beryl went OH
quickly, HE said there was nc
need for him to worry you. He'll
have a word with you before he
goes, but it is just routine ques-
tons about DR.. ChristoW's prac-
tee and I can tell him everything
he wants to know"
"Oh, thank you, Collie"
Beryl made a rapid exit and
Gerda sighed out:
Collie is such a help. She's so