The Blue Woman by Douglas John Scott

Author:Douglas, John Scott [Douglas, John Scott]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, Short Stories
Publisher: Weird Tales
Published: 1935-09-11T05:00:00+00:00

WHEN KEITH entered the dining room, he saw at the head of the table a spinster with badly dyed yellow hair. Neither the hair dye nor the heavy application of cosmetics could hide the hardness of the woman’s eyes and face, nor the lines etched there by time. Keith knew even before the introduction that this must be the sister, Sarah Kindall.

She acknowledged the introduction with a curt nod. When Keith was seated, the family began with their fruit cocktails. The uncomfortable silence was broken only occasionally when Robin addressed some flippant remark to the countess.

Finally, the meal finished, and cigarettes lighted, Robin grinned at his sister. “Lucky the sheriff didn’t take you into custody, Sarah.”

Her eyes narrowed behind the smoke from her cigarette, grew hard.

“Explain yourself, Robin.”

He shrugged. “Blue woman—yellow hair. Sort of fits you, Sarah.”

She crushed out her cigarette, almost savagely. “Your humor,” she said idly, “is in poor form, Robin.”

“As always,” he said cheerfully, winking at Keith.

“Come, Keith,” Cobb Kindall said hastily to the detective. “We’ll have our cigars in the garden.”

A small, rustic garden it was, taking advantage of standing trees and a running spring. For a long time the two men walked and smoked in silence. Then, abruptly, Cobb Kindall remarked:

“Wonder Sarah doesn’t kill Robin sometime. Always flippant. Sarah has no sense of humor.”

“All you Kindalls are different,” Keith said. “Was your brother Justin like any of you?”

“Like Robin, a little. Better sense of the fitness of things, though.”

“He irritated your sister as much as Robin?” Keith asked casually.

Cobb gave him a sidelong glance. “Sometimes more. She excuses Robin. Youngest brother.” Then he added quickly: “Never meant anything, however. Sarah and Justin just never hit it off.”

“Little I can do tonight,” Keith said. “Think I’ll turn in. Tomorrow I’ll go over to your brother’s.”

“Yes. Rex will be in better humor tomorrow.”

“With your permission, I’ll go over some letters that are on Justin’s desk. Just possible—feminine handwriting, you know.”

“Go ahead, Keith. I’m putting everything in your hands.”

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