Hungry Horse news. [volume] (Columbia Falls, Mont.) 1948-current, 1948-05-28
CHAPTER v

was frightened-for Berta. What
the police asked questions? What
they heard through the servants tina
we had stayed the night there? Tha
Berta had been very angry will
Kitty? Could have my beloved Der
ia the target Of police question
ing? You see?''
VERY clearly" said Rogers "Ir
order to set your mind at rest, Mr.
Chatield-if you are still troubled
I've read the police files dealing with
your sisters death. There is nc
mention Of your presence in the
house that night. Or even in town
at the hotel How did you manage
it,"
ELSA managed it. She was there,
OF course. 1 never asked her how
she did it. I'm relieved to know
that Berta and have no official con-
nection with what happened that
night. We were happy to get safely
home to Mazatlan, and we have not
ventured back to California, except
for our brief visit some weeks ago."
Were you aware that Katherine
ChatfieId was a morphine addict"
he inquired of our host.
MOT until after she died. More
over, l don't think that Elsa knew
1t, either. living as she was in the
same house with her. until after Kit
tvs DEATH
Am I being too personal, Mr..
Chatfeld?" Rogers voice was apol-
ogetic; he gave the impression that
all Sam Chatfeld had to do was to
say so and the questioning would
cease.
mot at all, Mr. Rogers. am
only too glad to tell you what 1 |
know"
Eyes"
ibid you detect any unusual odor
in the room?"
mo. The room was closed-had
been closed all night, suppose But
I'm poor person to be asked that
question; my sense of smell is not
acute"
mo odor OF chloroform, Mr.. Chat
6eld?"
mo, don't recall it."
He poured from the bottle and
reached for the siphon, his arm
halting midway in its reach. But
why this talk of murder" he asked.
ts.Why not let it rest as it undoubt-
eddy was-as suicide?"
''The district attorney has never
been satisfied with the investigation
that was made at the time, Mr..
Chatfeld," I remarked. He's a
close friend of mine; he's never
been willing to call it suicide"
"But have you anything to go
on which indicated that it wasn't?"
II haven't" 1 admitted.
Sam Chatfield's gray eyes in his
deeply tanned face turned to Rog-
ers inquiringly.
There is an investigator on the !,
Pasadena police force with an ex- !.
traordinary sense of smell. He says :
there was an odor Of chloroform in
the room that morning."
'FWell?" Sam Chatfeld sat for
ward in his chair.
why chloroform if it was suicide?
II your sister was morphine adj
dict, and had source Of supply, as ,
she must have had, why chloroform
when she knew that an overdose of
morphine was all she required"
"And that fact-I'm not disput-
ing the evidence of the mans nose E
has swayed you to the opinion that
my sister was murdered?" Il
"Yes."
''Do you have any more questions,
Mr.. Rogers?" inquired Sam Chat Il
field
There's one more thing" Rogers {
began slowly. II hesitate to bring it {
up, for it must touch very closely P
upon your sensibilities. And yet it C.
is vital"
'Yes?" Sam Chatfeld's voice was d
clipped, unfriendly almost. n
There was child some five &C
years or SO ago. And, of course, Cos o.
sip. Ugly gossip. The truth never q
came out even among close friends N y.
of your family"
Sam Chatfeld's eyes suddenly
were blazing with anger. 81
1--WE nothing to say, Mr.. Rogers, Ct
about that child. It's dead The u
whole incident is dead, so far as we y"
are concerned" g
'T'm sorry" replied Rogers. I'm "
very sorry"
We fshed that next day. All day
long in the launch we piled the d.
blue waters off Mazatlan until well
into the afternoon. Margaret, who d.
had started with us, remained in the
launch only couple of hours. Elsa :"
lad promised to come out, bringing !"
3erta with her. So we picked them =, y
lp at the wharf and put the three "
Il them on board the Orizaba and W
continued fishing from the launch. ~
However, there was no sign Of
wordfsh that day, but run Of
Ilbacore in the afternoon provided re