Corpses at Indian Stone Read Free Page B

man would have been taken outside the compound and knocked on the head."

    "Plenty of people would applaud it."

    "So Sarah said."

    Aggie strolled over to the bookcases as if to discover what his aunt's reading habits were. He was thinking that be did not know much about Sarah. They corresponded--merrily--through the years. They saw each other fleetingly during winter vacations. At Indian Stones, and in New York, she was a social high priestess, a fabled meddler in the affairs of others, and a gossip without a peer. He knew, also, that she was generous to the point of vice, and that her heart was made of mercy. As old John went on talking, Aggie pretended to look at the book titles. But he did not see them. The attitude of Mr. Calder about the long-time unseen Mr. Bogarty was obviously one of perturbation--and Sarah was obviously connected with it.

    "Mr. Calder," said John, "ruined the life of Mrs. Davis. And left the doctor with a young daughter--"

    "So Sarah said," Aggie repeated.

    "He is a broker. His family was one of the first to settle at Indian Stones. He managed the fortunes of many of us. Lost some--Mr. Browne's, for example. James Calder stripped him. Mr. Browne killed himself and his wife died shortly afterward. Mr.
    Browne's son--Jack-manages the club, now. A very splendid young man, for all his tragedy. I mean--losing his father and mother and his inheritance--in one swoop, so to speak. Jim Calder's underhanded work cost your aunt money. And the Draymans and the Pattons. Lots of us.

    Aggie smiled at the old man's inclusion of himself in the communal disasters.
    "Too bad. But most of 'em could afford it."

    "I couldn't," John sighed.

    "You?"

    The old man nodded tremblingly. "Even me. He has that preacher's face. Even when you know he's not to be trusted, he can make you trust him. He's very shrewd.
    Positive--and sort of--hypnotic. He got to talking, one day, about how had I invested my life savings--"

    "How much did he take you for?"

    "Nine thousand three hundred and sixty-two dollars. All I had." John cleared his throat. "Your aunt knows nothing of it, Mr. Aggie. I'd rather you didn't tell her. It was my own fault--my own foolishness. Miss Sarah will take care of me of course--when I become too old to be useful. I realize that. I'd only hoped--before the incident--that I could be independent--at that time. You know how a man feels--"

    Aggie glanced bitterly toward the hall. "Yeah. I know about men like Calder, too.
    For fifty cents, when he comes out, I'd hang one on him--"

    "I've felt that way myself. Very often. Indian Stones has been a tranquil place. A place of a good deal of affection. But, having him here all through the years is like--"

    "--a ghoul at a feast."

    At that point, the subject of their talk came out of the bedroom. He slammed the door without reference to Sarah's condition and stalked through the living room. At the front door he turned and said, "You're a doctor. Tell me something better than tramping the woods at night for insomnia."

    Aggie looked at him. "A clear conscience." Calder did an effective piece of work with his second slam; the house shook. Aggie caught sight of John's wistful grin at the insult. He went back to Sarah's room. His aunt was manifestly upset. Her color was poor and she kept fiddling with the ice bag on her neck. "Some human beings," she said,
    "ought to have been born inside the fur of jackals."

    Aggie nodded. "Look. What's this all about?"

    "Nothing. Nothing important. Things that happened long ago. Some day Jim Calder's past is going to catch up with him. Right now--he's worried. He wanted my moral backing for a little inhospitality, that's all. You go to bed, Aggie. It's late. You need sleep--and so do I. Whatever I've got, it feels like triple-grippe plus hangover, and a small case of crud, besides."

    There was no use in trying to coerce or trap Sarah. He made an attempt--and gave up. After he had said good night to her and before he started up