"Well, after all, Sprague _had_ been received by all the crowd before
Nita's death," Penny retorted. "I think it was rather natural for him to
think he'd still be welcome. He began to apologize for his uninvited
presence, saying he had felt lonesome and depressed and had just 'jumped
into a taxi' and come along, hoping to find the Mileses in. Flora tried
to act the lady hostess, but Peter got up from his bridge table and said
in tones even icier than Tracey's: 'Will you excuse me, Flora? And will
you take my place, Drake?... I'm going into the library. I don't enjoy
the society of murderers!'"
"Good Lord!" Dundee ejaculated, shocked but admiring. "Did Sprague make
a quick exit?"
"Not just then," Penny said mysteriously. "Of course everyone was simply
stunned, but Sprague retorted cheerfully, 'Neither do I, Dunlap!' Peter
stalked on into the living room on his way to the library, Johnny took
his place at the bridge table, and Tracey, at an urgent signal from
Flora, offered his seat at the other table to Sprague, as if he were
making way for a leper. Poor Polly had to be Sprague's partner. Flora,
as if she were terrified at what might happen--you know how frightfully
tense and nervous she is--made an excuse to run upstairs for a look at
Betty.
Pages:
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277