Jaynes looked for a long moment at this shabby bit of evidence.
However,
Illhold my tongue if you say so. The morningpapers had over a hundred
cables.
At first I thought it was merely a case of petty pilfering.
There was,
he felt,no occasion to go into that. He went out into the perpetual valley
rain, and turned his car toward thesunlit beach. Jaynes looked for a long
moment at this shabby bit of evidence. She was often that way, but this was
worse, somehow. But to his disappointment,the words seemed to leave the woman
quite calm.
I thought it wasthe house-boy, and I called to him to come in.
I
suspected that something was terribly wrong, but I didnt know what. If at first
you have drawnblank, resume the job, he advised. The closets, the bureaudrawers
and the desk were all gone over carefully. I saw it again when he helps me
makeinvestigation in pavilion. What is your opinion of our beach, Miss Julie?
And during that time he did not leave oursight. But take care luxury of
presentjob does not cause brain to stagnate. He was in dressing-gown and
slippers,and his bed was somewhat disheveled. Now I go forth to wallow some
more in bafflement.
Chan, you have not come here to talk to meabout the beach.
It seems to me that when youve stopped moving, youre goingback.
I fear I will
be worn to human skeleton before I disentangle this web. Was it your intention,
Chan inquired, to hint that Tarneverro theGreat may have killed Shelah Fane?
Hang itall, he reflected, Tarneverro did have an alibi, and a good one. He was
an ex-policeman,now one of the house detectives for the hotel.
I should say,
the Chief returned, that Tarneverro struck that blow inthe dark.
Butanyhow I
attach myself to this little group. They are peculiar, these tourists, Chan
smiled. If you will be so kind, do this big favor forme.
What is your opinion
of our beach, Miss Julie?
One word with him, and I hadgathered that.
Herestored
the ring to its place, closed the trunk and locked it.
Oranything else that
will interest you, for that matter. Good heavens, cant you draw any deductions
from all this?
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