hen to avoid scandaland because you were really very fond of Merle？〃
She played another card before she answered me。 Steady as a rock。
〃He talked about a photograph；〃 she said。 〃But I never believed it。 He couldn't have taken one。 And if he had taken one； he would have shown it to mesooner or later。〃
I said： 〃No； I don't think so。 It would have been a very fluky shot； even if he happened to have the camera in his hand； on account of the doings down below in the street。 But I can see he might not have dared to show it。 You're a pretty hard woman； in some ways。 He might have been afraid you would have him taken care of。 I mean that's how it might look to him； a crook。 How much have you paid him？〃
〃That's none〃 she started to say； then stopped and shrugged her big shoulders。 A powerful woman； strong； rugged； ruthless and able to take it。 She thought。 〃Eleven thousand one hundred dollars； not counting the five hundred I sent him this afternoon。〃
〃Ah。 It was pretty darn nice of you； Mrs。 Murdock。 Considering everything。〃
She moved a hand vaguely； made another shrug。 〃It was my husband's fault；〃 she said。 〃He was drunk； vile。 I don't think be really hurt her； but； as you say； he frightened her out of her wits。 II can't blame her too much。 She has blamed herself enough all these years。〃
〃She had to take the money to Vannier in person？〃
〃That was her idea of penance。 A strange penance。〃
I nodded。 〃I guess that would be in character。 Later you married Jasper Murdock and you kept Merle with you and took care of her。 Anybody else know？〃
〃Nobody。 Only Vannier。 Surely he wouldn't tell anybody。〃
〃No。 I hardly think so。 Well； it's all over now。 Vannier is through。〃
She lifted her eyes slowly and gave me a long level gaze。 Her gray head was a rock on top of a hill。 She put the cards down at last and clasped her hands tightly on the edge of the table。 The knuckles glistened。
I said： 〃Merle came to my apartment when I was out。 She asked the manager to let her in。 He phoned me and I said yes。 I got over there quickly。 She told me she had shot Vannier。〃
Her breath was a faint swift whisper in the stillness of the room。
〃She had a gun in her bag； God knows why。 Some idea of protecting herself against men； I suppose。 But somebodyLeslie； I should guesshad fixed it to be harmless by jamming a wrong size cartridge in the breech。 She told me she had killed Vannier and fainted。 I got a doctor friend of mine。 I went over to Vannier's house。 There was a key in the door。 He was dead in a chair； long dead； cold； stiff。 Dead long before Merle went there。 She didn't shoot him。 Her telling me that was just drama。 The doctor explained it after a fashion； but I won't bore you with it。 I guess you understand all right。〃
She said： 〃Yes。 I think I understand。 And now？〃
〃She's in bed； in my apartment。 There's a nurse there。 I phoned Merle's father long distance。 He wants her to e home。 That all right with you？〃
She just stared。
〃He doesn't know anything；〃 I said quickly。 〃Not this or the other time。 I'm sure of that。 He just wants her to e home。 I thought I'd take her。 It seems to be my responsibility now。 I'll need that last five hundred that Vannier didn't get for expenses。〃
〃And how much more？〃 she asked brutally。
〃Don't say that。 You know better。〃
〃Who killed Vannier？〃
〃Looks like he mitted suicide。 A gun at his right hand。 Temple contact wound。 Morny and his wife were there while I was。 I hid。 Morny's trying to pin it on his wife。 She was playing games with Vannier。 So she probably thinks he did it； or had it done。 But it shapes up like suicide。 The cops will be there by now。 I don't know what they will make of it。 We just have to sit tight and wait it out。〃
〃Men like Vannier；〃 she said grimly； 〃don't mit suicide。〃
〃That's like saying girls like Merle don't push people out of windows。 It doesn't mean anything。〃
We stared at each other； with that inner hostility that had been there from the first。 After a moment I pushed my chair back and went over to the french windows。 I opened the screen and stepped out on to the porch。 The night was all around； soft and quiet。 The white moonlight was cold and clear； like the justice we dream of but don't find。
The trees down below cast heavy shadows under the moon。 In the middle of the garden there was a sort of garden within a garden。 I caught the glint of an ornamental pool。 A lawn swing beside it。 Somebody was lying in the lawn swing and a cigarette tip glowed as I looked down。
I went back into the room。 Mrs。 Murdock was playing solitaire again。 I went over to the table and looked down。
〃You got the ace of clubs out；〃 I said。
〃I cheated；〃 she said without looking up。
〃There was one thing I wanted to ask you；〃 I said。 〃This doubloon business is still cloudy； on account of a couple of murders which don't seem to make sense now that you have the coin back。 What I wondered was if there was anything about the Murdock Brasher that might identify it to an expertto a man like old Morningstar。〃
She thought； sitting still； not looking up。 〃Yes。 There might be。 The coinmaker's initials； E。 B。； are on the left wing of the eagle。 Usually； I'm told； they are on the right wing。 That's the only thing I can think of。〃
I said： 〃I think that might be enough。 You did actually get the coin back； didn't you？ I mean that wasn't just something said to stop my ferreting around？〃
She looked up swiftly and then down。 〃It's in the strong room at this moment。 If you can find my son； he will show it to you。〃
〃Well； I'll say good night。 Please have Merle's clothes packed and sent to my apartment in the morning。〃
Her head snapped up again and her eyes glared。 〃You're pretty highhanded about all this； young man。〃
〃Have them packed；〃 I said。 〃And send them。 You don't need Merle any morenow that Vannier is dead。〃
Our eyes locked hard and held locked for a long moment。 A queer stiff smile moved the corners of her lips。 Then her head went down and her right hand took the top card off the pack held in her left hand and turned it and her eyes looked at it and she added it to the pile of unplayed cards below the layout； and then turned the next card； quietly； calmly； in a hand as steady as a stone pier in a light breeze。
I went across the room and out； closed the door softly； went along the hall； down the stairs； along the lower hall past the sun room and Merle's little office； and out into the cheerless stuffy unused living room that made me feel like an embalmed corpse just to be in it。
The french doors at the back opened and Leslie Murdock stepped in and stopped； staring at me。
33
His slack suit was rumpled and also his hair。 His little reddish mustache looked just as ineffectual as ever。 The shadows under his eyes were almost pits。
He was carrying his long black cigarette holder； empty； and tapping it against the heel of his left hand as he stood not liking me； not wanting to meet me； not wanting to talk to me。
〃Good evening；〃 he said stiffly。 〃Leaving？〃
〃Not quite yet。 I want to talk to you。〃
〃I don't think we have anything to talk about。 And I'm tired of talking。〃
〃Oh yes we have。 A man named Vannier。〃
〃Vannier？ I hardly know the man。 I've seen him around。 What I know I don't like。〃
〃You know him a little better than that；〃 I said。
He came forward into the room and sat down in one of the I…dare…you…to…sit…in…me chairs and leaned forward to cup his chin in his left hand and look at the floor。
〃All right；〃 he said wearily。 〃Get on with it。 I have a feeling you are going to be very brilliant。 Remorseless flow of logic and intuition and all that rot。 Just like a detective in a book。〃
〃Sure。 Taking the evidence piece by piece； putting it all together in a neat pattern； sneaking in an odd bit I had on my hip here and there； analyzing the motives and characters and making them out to be quite different from what anybodyor I myself for that matterthought them to be up to this golden momentand finally making a sort of world…weary pounce on the least promising suspect。〃
He lifted his eyes and almost smiled。 〃Who thereupon turns as pale as paper； froths a