Hungry Horse news and Columbian. [volume] (Columbia Falls, Mont.) 1946-1948, 1947-08-01

anu lOI UIlel IlllIlutt DIG Put w
hands over her eyes. Todd al
Georgine gave each other a horr
fed look.
81 can'tst;elf you how sorry "
are, Mrs. Peabody" Todd said gel
thy. Il can only assure you hadn
heard word of your husband, nc
of the family, from anyone; thu
is, not in connection with a mul
der. Will you forgive us, and let U
go as gracefully as possible"
IT don't know what you're talk
ing about, forgive you," said Nell
Peabody fretfully. "What differ
ence would it make if you ha
heard about it? The facts there.
Georgine got up. well neve
forget how good you've been to us
taking in perfect strangers lik
this. If you'll excuse me now, II
put things in my suitcase and &c
hold of Barby-"
"Do you have to go?" Mrs. Pea
body looked up, startled. II
| Mr.. McKinnon is interested in muir
| ders, at least he might want tt
hear what happened"
I'm sure he would" said Georg-
inc somewhat dryly.
"He-he might be able to help
me. I've never known the truth
Sometimes I think l may die If ]
can't get at the truth"
She must have shivered, for
Mrs. Peabody said, "Pll make us
some fresh coffee" Georgine did
not meet Todd's look. For mo-
ment there was no sound in the
kitchen except the homely ones OF
running water and spoon click
ing against metal. Mrs. Peabodys
movements were nervously quick.
Presently she sat down again,
and the percolator began its first
pale bubbling. "Now," she said,
turning her gray eyes on Todd,
"I'm going to tell you why you
never heard any more about Miss
Tillsit's death. And don't let me
forget and let the coffee stew itself
to nothing, because I'm likely
she laughed a little-"to get pas
sionate about this affair.""
Her mouth set hard for a mo-
ment. "The-the worst of it is that
after it began to dawn on me, !
couldn't ask Gilbert. He'd never
opened the subject himself, and /
couldn't, I couldn't probe and nag
and-have it look as if l."
She stopped, and got up hastily
to refill the cream pitcher. Todd lit
his cigarette and Georgine's with
out expression, without a meeting
If eyes. When the woman had re-
.urned to the table and switched
off the percolator, he said calmly,
I gather that all you know about
he case is completely objective?
That may be the best way for us to
ret the outline. Then he composed
limself to listen, with his notion
ess type of attention.
"The Tillsits were just about the
arliest settlers around here.
hose were the old ones, the pio- |
eer couple that came from Maine
\ the. sixties. You've seen their
ictures in the dining room, per-
APPS? Adeline was the eldest, she'd |
e eighty-six now if she'd lived.
heron, her brother, was eight
ears younger, and Phoebe came
asst. The first generation is all
cad, of course, and there's only |
'heron-We call him the Judge
eft of the second.
"Adeline never married. She
ought their shares of this house
rom her brother and sister, and
1ade it hers. She'd done pretty |
7ell with managing her share of
he inheritance, and though she
idn't leave a huge estate, she
ould live comfortably enough for
II that long life. I think it must
ave been in 1885 that she had her
rst stroke, she recovered from it
artially at least, and went on liv-
ng here; only she had Susan La,
are, a practical nurse, to look
fter her and run the house. She
1as-quite wonderful old lady; |
he wouldn't give way to her ILL.,
ess any more than she could help |
'usie couldn't keep her in bed any |
where as much as she wanted.
Aunt Adeline got so she could
move round the second floor with
cane, though of course she
couldn't go up or down stairs.
hats one of the clearest associa-
ions have with this house, COM
ng in and listening to find out if
he was up. You could hear her
ane tapping, from any of these
ooms."
She paused for moment, look
ng down at her hands. Georgine
glanced involuntarily at the cell
ng. Tapping. Tapping? Yet that
;ound she had wondered about.
hat was supposed to be made by
he rats, had come from the attic: |
he would swear to it.
Just the same-tapping.
"How much of her family was
eft?" Todd inquired.
"Only the Judge, in her OWL
generation. In the next one-no-