Part 47 (2/2)
It must be some employe of the house,--or----”
”Or some tool of some of the bakery people,” said Wise.
”Look higher,” jeered Molly, her self-confidence returning, as she realized their uncertainty.
”Good heavens!” cried Zizi, ”you can't mean Richard Bates!”
”Yep,” said Molly, and her eyes danced with a wicked glee.
”Oh, incredible!” wailed Zizi. ”Yet I've been afraid of him all along.
You see, he's s.h.i.+elding his aunt. I'm sure Miss Prall is----”
”You said you didn't believe her guilty,” spoke up Wise.
”I know I did, but what other way can we turn? It can't be any less important person who married Molly to shut her up. There can't be any reason that would make Bates do so, but to s.h.i.+eld his aunt from suspicion. Molly says now it was a woman searching the room,--of course, she didn't want the recipe,--that's a side issue; she wanted some letters or something in connection with the breach of promise----”
”Come, come, Zizi, you can't take that little yellow-topped widow's yarn of a breach of promise too seriously----”
”Why not? She is innocent herself, I know. She suspects Miss Prall, I know. She gave a perfectly good motive,--why, Pen, if women killed that man where's another motive that can hold a candle to the 'woman scorned'
idea? Come, Molly, own up; was it Miss Prall searching the room?”
”Oh, no, miss!” and Molly's eyes bulged with such real surprise that there was no doubting her sincerity this time.
”But how could you tell, if the figure was a veiled one?” asked Wise.
”Oh, I could tell it wasn't Miss Prall,--gracious, no!”
”What was the--the person looking for,--I mean where was the search made?”
”All around.”
”In the desk?”
”Yes, and in the table drawers and the cupboards,--and--and--everywhere.” Molly waved a vague hand about the room.
”And behind the mirror?” Wise sprang this at her suddenly.
The girl's face blanched. ”How--what made you think of that?” she gasped, her voice quaking with fear.
”Ah, that brings back the picture, does it? You saw the--the person, hunting about; you saw him go to the mirror, gaze at it thoughtfully, then unscrew it, and then--then he succeeded in his search? Eh?”
”Yes,” Molly breathed, fairly hypnotized into the truth by Wise's suggestive air and tense, compelling voice.
CHAPTER XVIII
Fitted to a T
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