Corpses at Indian Stone Read Online Free PDF Page B

spill on old man Patton--and then you went back in the dressing room for the hammer--and got the water yourself?"

    Jack Browne gaped. "My Lord," he murmured. "You're not Aggie Plum? You can't be!"

    "Then I've mistaken my own identity."

    Jack gulped. "But--! Yeah--you've got the same color hair. It's that beard, maybe."
    He raised his voice, then, to a loud cry that turned the heads of the older people. "Aggie!
    You old scoundrel! Welcome home!"

    Aggie chuckled. Jack started around from behind the desk. Three or four of the people in the room, hearing the name, hastened from their chairs to greet Aggie. He spent. a few minutes talking with them-but, as soon as he could, he wandered away with Jack Browne. Aggie wanted to ask questions, but he listened diplomatically to Jack instead.

    "I suppose it would hurt your feelings if I said you'd changed. I mean--from what-we . all thought you'd grow up to be like. You were energetic--and inventive--and--cockeyed. Neurotic, they'd have called it. Now you look like old Professor Mossback. Hope it doesn't make you mad? You ought to shave off that beard for the summer. No kidding!
    We have a lot of fun here--summers. Winters--aren't so much fun. Sarah told you about me?"

    "Sketchily."

    Jack sighed. "I spend too much time feeling sorry for myself. I had the bright years of college and a lot of Park Avenue--afterward. Then--Dad's business blew up--
    and--"

    "I know."

    Jack Browne forged ahead as if he could not stop himself--as if the circumstances kept running constantly through his mind. "Dad was one of the many who went out of a high Wall Street window in 'twenty-nine. It killed Mother--eventually. I was broke--and the times were tough then. Remember? I tried marrying rich girls--but I could only get engaged. I was seriously thinking of following in Dad's footsteps--when Sarah got me this job--and I've been up here ever since. Year round."

    Aggie looked with sympathy at his one-time playmate. "It's too bad. But none of us turns out to be-just what he'd imagined. I wanted to fight Indians and cannibals and explore the Poles--"

    "You've come pretty close to it, haven't you?" His eyes, resting on Aggie, were envious for a moment. "Seen the works! 'plenty of jack! I'd--" he chuckled--"I'd swap--
    beard and all! Who do you want to meet? What do you want to do? The golf course is in swell shape. Ralph Patton's in there playing table tennis with Beth Calder. You remember Ralph? He's a big-time accountant now. Does all Calder's work--and damn Calder, too!
    He's the guy who wrecked Dad--"

    "I know. Beth's in there playing, eh?" Aggie frowned. "I'd like to take a look at her. Sarah says she's a rare flower."

    "Up to her old tricks, huh? Beth's all right. It's only her dad. Incidentally--he's missing."

    "I should think Beth would be out looking for him."

    Jack shook his head. "If word went around that Jim Calder was drowning, hardly a person at Indian Stones would reach for a life preserver. He probably barged off on one of his confounded errands. Not merciful ones. And he never does leave an itinerary. He goes where he pleases when he pleases, and he likes to be secretive. He'll turn up.
    Unfortunately."

    "Sarah was worried. He called on us last night. She's also worried about why a chap named Bogarty hasn't shown up here, too."

    "Bogarty?" Jack shook his head. "Bogarty. Name's vaguely familiar. Don't know anything about him. Bogarty." They had been walking slowly down the foyer. Now, Jack pointed through French windows. "Beth."

    Beth's back was turned. A figure, Aggie thought, like a fashion model. She said,
    "Eighteen-fourteen?" and Ralph Patton, a squarish, serious man, stopped to wipe the moisture from his glasses. Beth's voice was deep and delicious. Torch singer's, Aggie told himself. Wavy, long black hair, parted in the middle. She saw Ralph's attention lift from his handkerchief and she looked around. A strong, appealing face, with no sign of her father in it. Large eyes,