The Andre Norton Megapack - 15 Classic Novels and Short Stories

the treasure she was seeking. Then—what did she do with it?”
    “Threw it in the well on top of me?”
    “Oh, Watson, you’re slipping. When we found you, which we were bound to do because she intended to tell us about the double attack, we’d find the face cream sure as fate. No, the quickest way to get rid of it was to bury it. Later she could come one night to recover it and do away with it for good and all.”
    “I see,” Fredericka said slowly. Then when Peter fell silent, she added: “But please go on, I’ll try not to interrupt again.”
    After a moment, Peter lit another cigarette and went on slowly. When, at last, he came to the end, Fredericka said quickly, “Margaret?”
    “She’ll live. Dr. Scott says it’s a shoulder graze. But Philippine did a better job on herself. The jeep and my flivver were a mess. Jim pulled her out of the pyre. She’s still alive but she hasn’t been moved from the Farm. I don’t think she’ll ever recover consciousness. Perhaps it’s just as well.”
    “Oh Peter!” was all Fredericka could find to say.
    “And now,” he said tiredly, “please may I go home?” He got slowly to his feet and looked down at Fredericka’s anxious face. “Don’t fret any more. There’s nothing more to fret about. Peace has returned to South Sutton. Of course you were a fool to get sandbagged and dumped down that well. But you’ve been the best Watson I’ve ever had. And right now I’m a little sore but I’m still grateful to you for making me tell you what happened. It’s off me—thank God—and I’ll sleep. All thanks to you, Fredericka, and I can only hope you will, too.” He took her good hand in his two large ones and stooped to kiss it lightly. Then he was gone.
    Chapter 17
    On the morning after Peter’s late visit to the hospital, Fredericka was wakened at a very early hour by Miss Sanders, who put down her breakfast tray on the bed table and instantly began to talk.
    “Philippine Sutton’s smashed herself up. Did Colonel Mohun tell you?” she began.
    Fredericka, who was never her best in the early morning, felt that she could have done with a more cheerful greeting. She made an appropriate noise sounding like an affirmative answer, and poured out her coffee.
    “Yes. And they say it was that woman who caused all the trouble in the family. You never would have thought it now, would you? Well, I always did say, never trust these good women—they’re just whited sepulchres, that’s what they are—” She paused for breath and then a sudden thought occurred to her, “You don’t think it was Philippine who tried to do you in, do you?”
    Fredericka began to revive as she drank the strong black coffee. “I don’t think, Nurse, I know. I just wish I’d remembered about whited sepulchres a little sooner.” She lifted her injured arm in its heavy case of plaster. “I’m not going to be good for much for a while.”
    This had the desired effect of diverting Miss Sanders. She bustled about tidying the room, all the while offering a stream of nurse-like reassurances. “You’ll hardly notice those casts in a day or two. A crutch for the foot; and you soon get used to being one-handed. Now my sister-in-law—”
    Fredericka cut in quickly with the question she had not intended to ask, “I don’t suppose Colonel Mohun has telephoned, has he?”
    “No, but Mrs. Carey has. It slipped my mind with all this excitement. Here, I’ve got the message somewhere. They sent it up from the office with an O.K.” She searched in all her pockets. “Dear me, I must have left it outside. Anyway I know what it said. Dr. Scott’s letting you check out this afternoon, and about four o’clock Colonel Mohun is coming to collect you and take you back home. Then, if you feel up to it, you’re all to go out to the Careys for supper. Sounds like a nice evening, don’t it?”
    Fredericka laughed. “Yes,” she agreed, “a very nice evening.”
    Miss Sanders was now preparing to make her departure. “It’ll be a comfort not to have to worry about being sandbagged from behind, won’t it?” she asked over her shoulder as she rustled toward the door.
    “A great comfort,” Fredericka agreed. It would be, too, she thought, when the woman had gone. How different South Sutton would be without the strain and anxiety of these past weeks. She poured out another cup of coffee and sipped it happily. The best of the summer lay ahead and she wouldn’t be an invalid for long. The