At Pirate's Head

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 17, 20 January 1940, Page 3 (Supplement)

At Pirate's Head

By - - Isabel Waitt

There wasn't a, sign from the Castle, save occasionally a form at a window, which we.decided was one of our party. Undo Wyli© disappeared from sight, and I closed my eyes and silently said a littlo prayer for him. In 110 time I t=aw him climbing hack again, coming toward I turned the wheelchair down the drive to meet him. '•Your Aunt XcllaVs gonna he hoppin' mad;" ho grinned, lie rested a moment to learn what the men were doing. His kind old face sobered as he scratched his grizzled head, a gesture he indulged -when upset. "What you think, Mr. Quincv?" he asked. ''Who is this Quade feller, anyhow. Judy?'* Wo both tried to answer. "I think ]{nddv Lane did it." Mr. Quiney said, "and blew the bridge up after 'him." "Xo, you don't. He couldn't have strangled poor Lilv," I said. Undo Wylic looked at me in surprise. "Who said she was strangled? Hit on the head, she was. That scarf didn't do no damage."

I clutched at him. "Arc you sure?" "Sart-in. I'm pure." Ho lit his pipe, r~ >fYcring tobacco to Mr. Quincy, who lever smoked. "Bump on her head big is an aigg." "Then ami vbo Xoreross didn't do it." u Xorcross? Xopo. That sister of his irouldnt lcn.vo.him l»e long enough." Somehow I felt :i load lifted. I didn't rant to think Bessie's brother guilty of ill those hideous tilings. "His club/' Quincy reminded us. 'Gerry, how come there's no Wats 011 Lho covo coining over here, no picnickers ?*' Undo Wylie looked longingly at Castle. I knew he was dying to join t.ho search, but with a sigh he set his feet toward home. "Nothing doing here m the Fourth. Never is. Fireworks at Rockville to-night, though. Promised to Lako my wife. Hotter leave this business to the others and trail along, hadn't you. Judy?*' I know X should go with him. What was I being paid for? But curiosity is nioro compelling than clam chowder. Besides, tlioro came one of our guests. | It "was Albion Potter. He seemed relieved i and na id so. "You can breathe easy, ne isn't there. Wo hunted from attic to cellar. Xo sign of anything—food. I mean. Just his ojkmi suitcase, with the clothes tlie way T told you when I climbed up and looked in the window that time -with the Kev. Do Wijtt. There's a bird. He's stopped splitting the atmosphere lately. Stands close to the bunch, cringing and muttering. Wouldn't be surprised if lie war. actually praying." Poiter's Picture. "1 heard him pray." '"Better ;ill pray, looks like/' Mr. Quincy t*aid, seriously. . Just tlicn it cowbell, shaken vigorously by an angry hand, made us turn ■to seo illj' Aunt Xclla at the rear steps. "Comiii' right along, m'dear!" yelled Undo Wvlie. "Me, too. Not that I could e.at.' Potter stilled miserably at the sea. ''You might as well have the picture, Judy. She'll never want it now. It's a poor time to speak of it, but I was tickled sillv at the commission to paint Jier imrtrait. Xot that I'm very good at it." he added modestly. "I'll leave the painting outside your door, shall I ?" "It's a darned shame, Mr. Potter. T I might pay you for the picture later on, when my aunt pnvs me; that is, if her rrucet* don't all go awny and leave her holding the bag. You couldn t blame them." .. "I gave you the picture, he said, a trifle hurt. "Accept it, Judy. Let s have one decent action out of tjiis mess," Mr. Quincy said. "Potter, I'm an old freak. 1 don t -want a picture of me or my chair or that church, bait I would like the peaceful cove, with a bit of the pines and spruce, and a nice <|uiet strip of beach. Think you could manage it, say, for the same urice—2s dollars,? "I'll be'nil it tlie first/chance I get! beamed the "11l fflt yours on a paper. Judy, door B'careful how up. Isn't quite dry vet, becujific. liave any turpentine to mix with tlje-linseed oil. Outside ill v be sneak in and grab that 500' dollars? + + + + CHAPTER ;XXII. T THANKED Mr. Potter for the * painting, wonderingly, as he •walked' swiftly towards the cowbell. But the others were coming down the drive, so we waited for them, Mr. Quincy and I. Hugh was in the lead. "Just as Quade said—nothing there. However lie knew it." JTe took the chair from me. "Let me do that, Judy, "iou look tired to death." "Xcver felt better in my life, but 1 could go for some of that chowder." Victor asked, "Your imcle get back O.K. J" „„ . , I inclined my head. Gone in to ! dinner. Auntie's furious. Better all <S> ~

hurry up. Whatever she's got ready she hates to have it get cold." "Where's friend Potter?" De Witt asked quietly. "fJone on ahead. Feels pretty badly about losing his commissions. * Miss— Miss Kendall gave him two, you know, but this good boy scout made up for one of 'em. Wouldn't let me pay for the church." "Lovely to hang up in the kiddies' bedroom some day. Judy, and tell Yin bedtime stories about what happened there," Hugh said. Nobody was amused. Everybody was in the doldrums. What dinner party could be gay with a charred corpse to t lie right and a bruised or strangled one to the left? "Why didn't he wait for us?" Victor said, half to himself. I explained about the painting ho was leaving outside my door. Whon wo reached the inn my aunt beckoned me with a ladle. "(Jo up and look," Victor whispered, "or shall 1?" "You go. I've got to help serve," I answered. Albion Potter was coming down the Mairs. "Hope you liko it—in spite of everything," lie smiled at me, and passed on into the dining room.