'Tell me about it.'
The bag was open now, and most of the beans gone. She dumped the rest: 'It was around 9 o'clock, maybe a little later. When I left mother's room I came downstairs to look for Clyde, to ask him why he had made the bet with Pratt. I was afraid he was going to try something wild. I found him out by the tennis court, talking with Bronson, and they shut up when they heard me coming. I said I wanted to ask him something and he came away with me, but he wouldn't tell me anything. I told him I was pretty sure I would be able to get the money through mother, and reminded him that he had sworn to me he would stop acting like a fool, and said if he did something eke foolish it might be the finish of him. I told him things like that. He said that for once I was wrong and he was right, that what he was doing wasn't foolish, that he had turned over a new leaf and was being sensible and practical and I would agree with him when I found out about it, but he wouldn't tell me then. I insisted, but he was always stubbomer than I was.'
'You got no inkling of what he had in mind.'
Nancy Shook her head. 'Not the slightest. He said some- thing about not interfering with the barbecue.'
'Give me his exact words, if you can.'
'Well, he said, Tm not going to harm anyone, not even Monte Cristo, except to win his money. I'll even let him have his damn pot roast, and he won't know the difference until after it's over, if I can fix it that way.' That's about it.'
'Anything else about the barbecue or the bull or anyone at Mr. Pratt's place?'
'No, nothing.'
'You left him outdoors?'
'I did then. I came back to the house and ran up to my room and changed to a dark-colored sweater and skirt. Then I came down and left by the west wing because the veranda lights were on in front and I didn't want to be seen. I didn't know whether Clyde intended to go anywhere or do anything, but I was going to find out. I couldn't find him. Beyond the range of the veranda lights it was pitch-dark, but I made a tour and looked as well as I could, and listened, and there wasn't a sign of him. The cars were in the garage,.and anyway if he had taken a car or one of the farm trucks I would have heard it. If he was up to anything it could only be at Pratt's, so I decided to try that. I went past the kennels and the grove and through a gate into the meadow, which was the shortest cut, and across another field to the end of the row of pines, the windbreak-'
'All this in the dark?' Wolfe demanded.
'Of course. I know every foot of it, this is where I was born. I can find my way in the dark all right. I was about half- way along the windbreak when I saw a glimmer of a flash- light ahead, and I got careless and started to trot, because I wanted to get closer to find out if it was Clyde, and I stepped into a hole and tumbled and made a lot of noise. The flashlight was turned towards me, and Clyde's voice called, and I saw it was no use and answered him. He came back to me, and Bronson was with him, carrying a club, a length of sapling. Clyde was furious. I demanded to know what he was going to do, and that made him more furious. He said… oh, it doesn't matter what he said. He made me promise to go back home and go to bed-'
'Again without divulging his campaign.'
'Yes. He wouldn't tell me. I came back home as I had promised I would. If only I hadn't! If only-'
'I doubt if it would have mattered. You have enough dis- tress, Miss Osgood, without trying to borrow. But you haven't told me yet why you think Mr. Bronson murdered your brother.'
'Why… he was there. He went to Pratt's with him. He's the kind of man who would do anything vile-'
'Nonsense. You had no sleep last night. Your mind isn't working even on the lowest level. Do you know when Bron- son got back here?'
'No. I was on the veranda until Dad came-'
'Then there's a job for you. You'll be better doing some- thing. Find out from the servants if anyone saw him return, and let me know. It may save some time.' Wolfe pushed his lips out, and in again. 'I should think Mr. Bronson would be a little apprehensive about your disclosing his presence at Pratt's last night. Have you any idea why he isn't?'
'Yes I have. He… he spoke to me this morning. He said he had left Clyde at the end of the windbreak, where the fence is that bounds our property, and come back here and sat out by the tennis court and smoked. He said he thought my father was mistaken, that the bull had killed Clyde, and that everyone else would think so. He showed me the receipt Clyde had signed and given him, and said he supposed I wouldn't want Clyde's memory blackened by such a thing coming out, and that he was willing to give me a chance to repay him the money before going to my father about it, provided I would save him the annoyance of being questioned about last night by forgetting that I had seen him with Clyde.'
'And even when further developments gave you the notion that he was the murderer, you decided to withhold all this to protect your brother's memory.'
'Yes. And I wish I had stuck to it.' She leaned forward at Wolfe, and a flush of determination showed faintly on her cheeks. 'You got it out of me,' she said. 'But what Clyde wanted most was that Dad shouldn't know about it. Does Dad have to know? Why does he? What good will it do?'
Wolfe grimaced. 'Can you pay Bronson the $10,000?'
'Not now. But I've been trying to think of a way ever since Bronson spoke to me this morning… didn't Clyde win his bet with Pratt? Surely he won't have that barbecue now, will he? Won't he owe the money?'
'My dear child.' Wolfe opened his eyes at her. 'What a remarkable calculation. Amazing. It deserves to bear fruit, and we must see what can be done. I underestimated you, for which I apologize. Also I think you deserve to be hu- mored. If it is feasible, and it should be, your promise to your brother shall be kept. I have undertaken a specific com- mission from your father, to expose the murderer of his son, and I should think that can be managed without disclosing his contract with Bronson. That's a superb idea, to collect from Pratt to pay Bronson. I like it. By winning his last wager your brother vindicated, as far as he could, all his previous sacrifices in the shabby temple of luck. Magnificent and neat… and fine of you, very fine, to perceive the necessity of completing the gesture for him… I assure you I'll do all I can-'
