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14 • NEW CASTLE NEWS, FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 1951 Stella Moore and Cleve Adams, while on a trip to town see Ed ward Thorndyke and a \blonde woman\ pass in a car. Edward has hired Stella to pose as Dor- inda LaCroix, who is dead, in order to help Dorinda's grand mother whom it was feared the shock might kill if she knew Dorinda were dead. But Grand mother Thorndyke penetrated such a little, not more than a attention again. \In fifteen quarter turn. As if it might have jarred loose gradually. And the rug was turned up as if you'd tripped. If you didn't see any one—\ \I know there was someone in here. I didn't see him. I didn't hear a sound even. But I didn't stumble, I'm sure of that.\ Carol's eyelids drooped, hid oi ii » — J ~.\ ~7 carol's eyeuas aroopea, ma- Stella's masquerade and died of ^ the doubt in her . <of what was thought to be a heart attack. A salesman who recog nized Stella on the street, Stella's friend, Anne Delahay, and Grandmother Thorndyke all have died under what might be regarded as suspicious circum stances. Stella thought she saw a flash of \yellow hair\ at the cliff top when Anne was killed. CHAPTER XV Her heart began pounding. \Don't imagine things.\ The words of Cleve's advice echoed in her mind. \The bulb's burned out.\ And then she caught her breath. She knew suddenly, in tuitively, that there was some one in the room. She had heard no sound, or, if she had, it had been too small to register in her consciousness. But she was aware that near her someone waited in the darkness. For a second the knowledge held her frozen in her tracks. Then the instinct of self-preservation awakened in her and she took one quick backward step toward the hall. Chaos swirled about her, some thing heavy crashed against her head. She was falling, falling downward in a bottomless pit until sight and feeling ceased. Eons later, she climbed out of the pit again. Darkness gave way to a rainbow brilliance twisting itself into fantastic shapes which dissolved almost as soon as formed. She opened her eyes and looked up into Carol's anxious face. She was in her own room, on her own bed. A wet towel lay on her forehead. Carol held a bottle of smelling salts close to her nose. \Oh thank heaven!\ Carols face twisted as if she wanted to cry. \Lie still, don't try to get up. Are you all right, Dorinda?\ \I think so.\ She tried to speak aloud but the voice which came was only a whisper. \What happened, Carol?\ Carol removed the wet towel and drew the down comforter from its folds at the foot of the bed over Dorinda. MORROW, THE LAWYER, SUDDENLY STRICKEN \I heard you fall — I still have the little room off Mrs. Thorn- dyke's, right next door. I heard a heavy thud in here. I decided I'd better investigate though I thought probably you'd knocked something over. I found the door open and you on the floor. For a minute I was afraid—\ She stopped, her lips pressed together. \What happened?\ \You didn't see anyone?\ Carol looked surprised. \Why no. Was someone in here? I thought you'd stumbled over the rug and hit your head against the bedpost. You were lying right under it.\ \I didn't stumble. There was someone in the room. The light wouldn't go on and when I started back to the hall, I was struck on the head.\ Carol's hand went to her face. \Who was it?\ she asked, her eyes wide. \I don't know. I couldn't see anything.\ \But are. you sure, Dorinda? The light-bulb was loose. But course, if you say so, Dorinda,\ she soothed. Lying there, unable to sleep, her eyes closed against the glow of the lamp, she made up her mind. \I won't go on like this,\ she promised herself. \It's too much. I've got to admit it — someone wants to get rid of me. That boulder that killed Anne. .. But Randy, why would anyone take Randy?\ She stretched out her hand as if she still might touch the rough coat of the small dog that had slept at the foot of the bed. She had expected to make her announcement at breakfast, counting on the probability that Harriet and Lana would not be downstairs so early, but she had forgotten the lawyer who would be there. Lee Morrow was with Edward and Fay when she went downstairs. The three of them were just coming out of the living room when she reached the lower hall. Edward shot a quick glance at her as she joined them. Something in her appearance seemed to puzzle him and he frowned briefly. But he only said smoothly, \I didn't expect you so early, my dear. It must have been quite late when you came in.\ One white hand pressed back his dark hair. \Dorinda this is Mr. Morrow, my mother's attor ney, of whom you have heard me speak. He arrived last night.\ Morrow smiled, revealing a row of even white teeth. He was in his middle forties, small and plump, with a round, almost babyish face belied by the keen gray-blue eyes behind horn rimmed glasses. He possessed an air of almost meticulous neat ness. Dorinda, returned his scrutiny with interest, decided that a hair out of place or a speck of lint on his well- tailored suit would be a major catastrophe in his estimation. \So this is Miss LaCroix.\ He held her hand lingeringly, his eyes upon her face. \I regret it has not been possible for us to meet before. I trust you and I will find it agreeable to continue —\ He broke off sharply as Ed ward lurched against him. Edward's face was red with, vexation. \I'm sorry, Morrow, I turned my ankle,\ he explained shortly. \Suppose we go in to breakfast.\ His smile was a forced one. \I must admit I'm not really human until Tve had my coffee.\ Breakfast ended at last. Mor row stood, his hand touching the back of his chair, his white- toothed smile upon each one in turn. \I think it advisable to attend to the business at hand as soon as we can,\ he de clared. \If you yourselves and the servants can be in the living room, in say, fifteen minutes—\ He raised his brows inquiringly at Fay, who bent her head. \Fay will attend to it.\ Ed ward said hurriedly. \In the meantime, Dorinda, I'd like a word with you. Will you come into my study?\ The girl assented quickly. It appeared Edward had sensed her desire to talk to him. Morrow's voice claimed her minutes then.\ He looked down at his wrist watch, shook his head as if to see more clearly. His smile was gone now. His round face had lost its healthy color and became pinched and white. Harriet appeared at the door of the breakfast room. She wore a frilled blouse and dark skirt. The crooked buttoning of her waist, the wisps of faded hair escaping its pins, showed in what haste she had dressed. Dorinda looked at Fay un certainly. \I didn't mean to be late,\ she apologized. \I intended to break fast with the rest of you. Lana will be down in a minute.\ She stared at Morrow. \Good Heavens, Mr. Morrow, are you sick?\ He did not answer her in the bright light, Dorinda could see the thin film of sweat on his forehead. \I'll get my papers—\ He stopped, bending over, his arms crossed and pressing against his stomach. \I'm afraid,\ he said faintly, \I'm going to be ill.\ Edward sprang to Morrow's said and caught his arm to sup port the stricken man. \Get Carol,\ he said to Dorinda, his face tense. DORINDA FEARS ATTACK MAY MEAN MORE DANGER Carol took charge with characteristic efficiency. By the time they had led the lawyer to his bedroom, and Dr. Adams had arrived, the stricken man was resting more or less com fortably. \Dr. Evans seemed to think I was a little precipitate in giv ing him an 'emetic without a doctor's say so, but any fool 'ould see Morrow had eaten omething which didn't set ^asily. However, he's sufficiently scovered now to make eyes at is nurse and enjoy having his .and held.\ She made a little face. \At any ate, I'm removed from my tatus as house guest—if any- .ne can be considered a guest ?ho has never been as much -s invited to eat at the family able—and am, I hope, back on,j the payroll. Whether Mr. Thorn- I dyke or Morrow will pay the bill, I don't know. Nor care, so long as I get the money.\ Dorinda's returning smile was wan. \He frightened me.\ she admitted. \That sudden attack I thought perhaps—\ \You thought perhaps another accident had happened.\ Carol surmised shrewdly. \You didn't see a phantom hand dropping a deadly drug into his coffee cup, did you?\ She went on without waiting for an answer. \No my dear, nothing so dramatic as that. Little Morrow's trouble is just plain hoggishness, I'm afraid. Too much food, too much liquor—I wouldn't know. Maybe he's just working up to a good case of stomach ulcers.\ When she went downstairs, Greer was just closing the front door. Through the lessening aperture she caught a glimpse of Edward at the wheel of his car just starting down the graveled driveway. As she turned, she saw Lana at the foot of the staircase. She wore a sheer dress of misty gray under her silver fox jacket and a small black velvet hat shaped like a glorified jockey's cap pulled down over her smooth bright hair. A string of pearls encircled her round throat and she carried, her arm thrust through the straps, a big hand bag of soft gray leather which seemed full to bursting, so full, in fact, that the clasp sprang open as Dorinda watched. Lana snapped it shut hastily with a quick glance at Dorinda. \You look lovely, Lana,\ Dorinda told her in involuntary admiration. \Thank you.\ Lana's tone was indifferent but there was a mounting excitement behind the baby blue of her eyes. \If the sheriff should show up, still wanting to know how I spent Tuesday afternoon, just tell him I'm—out. And that you don't know when I'll be back.\ She lifted one hand in a quick ges ture of farewell and a few minutes later Dorinda heard the whir of her starting motor from the driveway. Fay was at the window where she, too, had evidently watched Edward's departure, when Dor inda came into the living room. She turned her head and smiled, that brief smile peculiar to her self which possessed no warmth and left her eyes untouched. - Her hand made a swift move ment in the direction Ed ward's car had gone. \Edward as usual, running away from unpleasantness,\ she said dryly. \I wanted to talk to him.\ Dorinda looked at Fay uncer tainly. She didn't think she had the courage to tell Fay, without Edward's sustaining presence, of the decision she had made in the waking hours of the night before. But, unexpectedly, Fay helped her. FAY IN AGREEMENT THAT DORINDA SHOULD LEAVE The older woman crossed the floor and came close to Dorinda. She looked intently into the girl's face.. \Tell me,\ she demanded abruptly, \do you ever think of simply clearing out of here with out asking permission?\ Dorinda felt her face stiffen in astonishment. Had Fay, in some flash of clairvoyance, dis covered what she had been planning? \It's queer, your saying that. It's exactly what I would like to do. And the reason I wanted to see Uncle Edward. I've de cided to tell Mr. Poole that I'm not what he thinks I am and see if he won't let me go away from here. But I thought it only fair to tell you and Uncle Ed^ ward what I intended to \ fore I went to the sheriff Fay nodded as if this confirmed some secret of her own. \I guessed yj3L some thing of the kind mind. But listen to me. Pelf I'm a traitor in saying this.'* if I were you, I would'nt tell Ed ward. He'll try to persuade you to keep quiet and stay here no matter what your reasons are for getting out. And I know, if you don't, how plausible he can be when he wants you to do things his way.\ ^ \Yes thought Dorinda. \lf!o know.\ \Then too, I don't see any particular reason why you should tell the sheriff who you really are.\ Fay went on. \And I think I can tell you how to work it.\ A quick puff of gray smoke obscured her face for a moment. \The inquest on Anne is set for tomorrow morn ing Saturday. It was origi nally scheduled for last Wednfts- day but was adjourned, ^Re sheriff hoping, I believe, to find some evidence that it was not a bona fide accident. As you know, he's done a lot of prowling around here with that bee in his bonnet. Naturally without success because I'm sure it was an accident just as it appeared to be. \In any event, you'll have to attend the inquest. You can't get out of that. The coroner's jury will, I'm sure, bring a Wi- dict of accidental death. And I don't see any reason why you can't go wherever you want to as soon as possible after that. I think they've given up trying to solve the mystery of Taylor's death. At least they know you had no connection with it. \My plan is this. Pack a suit case with the things you'll need in the next few days. The rest of your belongings can be far- warded to you. As soon as mi- ward is out of the way—and I can see to it that he is—'I'll take you either to Trentville or West- port, which we find most con venient at the time for catching a train. \You'll get back to Los Angeles with money enough for your immediate wants. The thousand dollars you'll find already de posited to your account in the bank where you once told Jtte you had your savings. Anywwy, you can write finis to your ad venture. I fancy you're about ready to do that.\ \Oh I am,\ Dorinda declared fervently. \The only thing is—\ She hesitated, ashamed of her fear. \I'll have to spend another night here.\ \You'd have to do that in any event,\ Fay assured her im patiently. \Do you think the sheriff is going to let you wjJk out when you tell him you're Wit the real Dorinda?\ (TO BE CONTINUED)
