Page:Miss Madelyn Mack Detective.pdf/78

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The Missing Bridegroom
67

and selected a copy of the Bugle from the stack of crumpled papers that it contained. It was not until she had read slowly through the five-column report of the Van Sutton mystery—two columns of which I had contributed myself—that she looked up. "I presume you have mentioned here everything of importance?"

I nodded. "Norris Endicott was above suspicion—morally and financially. He had few friends—that is, close friends—but no enemies. There was absolutely no one who wished him ill, no one who might have a reason for doing so, unless—"

Madelyn noted my hesitation with a swift flash. "You mean his defeated rivals for Miss Van Sutton's hand?"

"You have taken the words out of my mouth. There were two of them, and both were present at the wedding—that didn't take place. Curiously enough, one of the two was Endicott's best man, Willard White. The other he also knew more or less intimately—Richard Bainbridge, the civil engineer." I gazed across at her as I paused. To my disappointment, she was studying the carpet, with her thoughts obviously far away. "That is all, I think," I finished rather lamely.

The log in the fireplace fell downward with a shower of fresh sparks. Peter the Great growled

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