Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, December 1956 — page 73: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

“Then we'll have a double fu- neral,” Mitch said easily, and he shoved his way past her. “How about it, Rosie? Like to be buried with me?” The maid blanched. She made a grab for him as he started for the stairs. “Please, Mister Mitch! Puh-lease go way! Miss Mame just waked up, and she’s taking a bath an" “And about time, too,” Mitch said. “I’ll give her a hand.” He shook off Rosie’s restraining hands. As she watched in helpless terror, Mitch mounted the stairs and entered Mame’s bedroom. Mame saw him through the open door of the bath. With a wild yell, she grabbed up a scrub- bing brush and hurled it at him. Mitch ducked it. Mame lunged up out of the tub, oblivious to its soapy treacherousness. And feet skidding, letting out another wild yell, she went under with a tre- mendous splash. She came up again, spewing soapsuds, her peroxided hair a mop-like mess. Mitch handed her a towel, gravely remarking that she seemed upset. “You act like ou’re sore at me, Mame. What’s. y , it all about?” “What's it about!” Miss Dorset shrieked. “You dirty son of a— You plant a cop on me, and then you got the nerve to ask me what it’s all about!” “Cop? I planted a cop on you!” Mitch appeared _ horror-struck. THE CELLINI CHALICE “Surely that lovely young creature I brought here wasn’t a cop!” “You’re damned right she was, and don’t tell me you didn’t know it!” “Now, Mame. Why in the world would I—” “You think I don’t know? To rob me, that’s why! You were go- ing to come in after the raid, and strip the joint. And the only reason you didn’t was because Duke Eng- lish was gunning for you!” “Why, Mame, dear!” Mitch shook his head sadly. “You can’t believe I'd do a thing like that! Why, what kind of a man would I be to—” “The kind you are!” Mame shrieked. “Sure, you’d do it! There ain’t a damned, lousy rotten thing in the world that you wouldn’t do! I’m going to kill you, Mitch! I'll kill you, by God, if it’s my last act on earth! I trusted you, and you, you stinking, lowdown, | slimy, double-crossing . . .” : Her eyes rolled in her head. There was froth at the corners of her mouth, and her voice rose, grew wilder and wilder. Then, right at the peak of her curses and threats, when they had reached a blood-curdling crescendo, she gasped, choked, and burst into tears. | Mitch had been waiting for that. As with many another woman, Mame’s tantrums invariably ended this way. Swiftly he went into ac- tion, beginning his attack while JOOKSAGO (Q) com