Clip the Camera Clues.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 75, 30 March 1939, Page 26

Clip the Camera Clues.

get caught up on the news while you're dressing—we ve got other guests." "Oh, I'm sorry. Hello, Buck, how are you?" She held out her hand. To Allenby's surprise, Townley Ward flushed and east Grafton's daughter so ardent a glance that Cora Sue uttered a disconcerted little "Uli-oli" and made a face of mock despair to the Major. "It's fine to see you again, Gail, mighty fine. I've been counting the minutes till I could get to Bermuda and see what you've been up to." "That's very kind of you, Buck," Gail Grafton murmured, then with a little smile turned to the grey-haired man smoking his pipe so placidly in the background. "B} - process of elimination, you must be Major Allenby." She came hurrying over the terrace's well polished brown tiles with a graceful springiness in her gait. "This is very nice, Major. Are you ftill in the Army?" "Been out of it almost since the war, Miss Grafton," Allenby stated. "Right now I'm especially glad of it." "Remember to be nice to liim, Gail," her lather laughed. "Major Allenby's likely to be a business partner of mine before very long." 'Oh, that will be nice," the girl cried, and some of her slightly warv attitude disappeared. Here, Roger Alienby felt, was. a young woman of infinite possibilities. It was curious how often her manner and her speech seemed at odds. Promptly Ward came over to claim her attention, saying with a wide grin, "Brought you something from tlie°Big City. Bet you can't guess what it is?" Hesitantly, the dark-haired girl regarded him. "Serious or foolish?" "Foolish," Ward laughed. "It's the latest excuse for a bathing suit. • Makes a top load for a carrier pigeon." It seemed that Gail was definitely relieved as she broke into thanks. "Oh. Buck, how perfectly grand! It's just what I need. My last one's about readv to fail off."

"Bet he's sorry now he was so generous," giggled Cora Sue. Grafton put down hie empty highball glass and "Now, don't you go putting ideas iwjcß lick's head, young lady. Come along, Fimagine yon and the Major will bo wanting to see your rooms. I'd expected Barbara—Mrs. Grafton—would be down, but she's busy fussing over dinner. The butler will show you the way, and if you need anything, Major, he'll find it for you." He held up a detaining hand. "Oh, there's just one thing. Remember, here on Plunder Island we're dependent on rain water so we don't hold cleanliness quite so close to godliness as we do back home." "I haven't forgotten," AlJenby declared. "With such a grand ocean all about, who yearns for a tub?" "Oh, then, you've been in Bermuda before?" "Years ago, which makes it especially pleasant to come back again." He followed the butler - upstairs, not a little impressed by the negro's sturdy build. In fact, the worthy Parker suggested a good welter-weight rather than a wielder of napkins and cocktail shakers. While Allenby removed his grey palm beach coat, the butler methodically unstrapped and stowed away the contents of that valise, which alone of the new arrival's luggage had accompanied him on the 'plane. The InterOcean investigator presently found room for interest—and speculation—in noting that Freebooter's Hall would have been built in the best Bermudan tradition had not a long verandah recently been added. It ran across the back of the second storey, and while it faced a garden and must be a blessing on a hot night, it permitted the occupants of one bedroom to gain the entrance of the next

by simply walking along the porch. It also afforded, thanks to a "welcoming arms" staircase, a convenient means of access for those who would walk in the carefully-arranged garden of Freebooter's Hall. "Whom would I be disturbing if I were to sing in the bathtub?'' Allenby queried, unbuttoning his shirt and exposing a surprisingly muscular torso. Parker's large white teeth gleamed. "Well, on the left, suh, there's Mr. Terry James.—Mis' Grafton's brother, and Miss Fortier is on the other." A deep sigh escaped him. "Too bad '.bout Miss Forteer's sister, wasn't it, suh?" "I imagine so, though I've hardly heard anything about it. What happened?" From beneath bushy brows Parker cast the newcomer a distinctly shrewd glance but. reading on that gentleman's amiable countenance 110 more than casual interest, he went on. "It was pretty bad, sir. AVe was all mighty fond of Miss Judy-—Mista' Terry in partic-lar. How she ever come to do such a thing

can't none of us figger out, least of all Mr. Grafton. An' t'was queer, too 'cause Creepy tol' us she'd been given a raise only a few days befo'. And why would anybody drown themselves just after they'd been give a raise?" When Major Allenby offered no explanation, the butler resumed with macabre enjoyment. "Besides that, I—well—l never thought such a shy, pretty li'l thing would have the nerve, but seems like she did. Miss Judy sat uj> all night gettin' up the courage most likely, 'cause she didn' go out early in the morning." "What makes you think that?" "Well, sir, from where my room is in the ol' quarters, I can see light from Miss Judy's windows hit a railing out yonder." Parser jerked his head sidewise. "I wasn't sleeping so pretty good an' I heard voices. One of them was Miss Judy Forteer. She was. sittin' nearer the window and talkin' to somebody. I could hear her, but I couldn't noways hear who it was with her." » "Whom did she see most of—?" Parker hesitated, scratching the greying fuzz on his skull. "Why—Mist' Terry —an' Miss Gail —" "You don't even know whether a man or a woman w T as with Miss Forteer?" "No, sir, I wasn't trying to hear special, but 'pretty soon I heard a door slam and Miss Forteer bust out cryin'. Thought maybe she'd had a quarrel with Mr. Terry so I let it go a/t that and

went to sleep. Course, next day slit turned up mining and they found the note.'' "What became of the note?" "I'm not sure, suh, but the coroner had it. 'Most likely he gave it to Air. Grafton to send to poor Miss Forteer's familv."