The Woman with the Straw Hat

I went ___ the back ___ the house where I could sit ___' a bench and look ___ the prop­erty. Down in the valley I could see the main building ___ the convent. I got out my binoculars and focused them ___ the garden. The woman ___ the straw hat was cutting plants.

"You won't see many birds ___ that direction."

I turned around and saw Darjo staring ___ me. His rifle hung loosely ___ his hand. "Nothing flies ___ this time of year."

"That nun ___ there does," I said.

"She ain't no nun: She's just living ___ them. She never leaves this valley unless she goes up ___ the air ___ her plane. She never goes ___ town ___ the rest ___ them. She does come ___ here and take care ___ Sonia; she's been taking care ___ Sonia ever since that army sergeant Ms. Ryan decided that she hated kids. No one ever trusted crazy old Munsing to do it."

"I heard she's gone."

"Yeah, she's gone." With that, he left me and walked ___ the woods.

I stared ___ him and wondered why he had bothered to talk ___ me. But I turned my attention back ___ the garden below. I followed the woman ___ the straw hat as she walked ___ the garden, ___ the gate, and ___ the main house.

Behind me I heard the Adagio coming ___ Sonia's room. I watched the woman ___ the straw hat come ___ the hill. As she approached the top, she refused to look ___ my direction. She concentrated ___ a piece ___ paper she was holding ___ both hands.

As she passed I said hello. She ignored me. I stood up and followed her.

"Have you come to give Sonia her lesson ___ plants?" She still did not respond.

"It was a pleasure meeting you.. .Amelia."

She stopped ___ an instant and then continued ___ the house ___ looking back.

Questions about the Story

1. Where did Dwight look with his binoculars?

2. Where was Darjo's rifle?

3. How does the woman with the straw hat leave the valley?

4. How was the woman holding the paper?

5. Who did Dwight think this woman might be?

CHAPTER ELEVEN

The End of the Case

Directions: Read the passage and fill in each blank with an appropriate preposition. (Not all of the prepositions have been deleted.) Some blanks may use more than one word.

A Letter from A.F.

I left the Fitch house without saying thank you ______ my hosts. I ran down the hill and

stopped a passing car. I had a lot to tell the chief. I wondered how much he already knew.

The car that picked me up stopped _______ front of the police station; inside I was told

the chief was away for a few days. My tale would have to wait. I spent the afternoon _______

my desk trying to piece the story together. At five o'clock, I had finished my report and returned _______ Mrs. Johnson's house.

She said she had been worried ______ me since I had been away and hadn't told her where I

was. It was just like being home with my mother again. She handed me a letter that had been deliv­ered ____ hand ______ the afternoon. The address was written ______ a large,

clear hand.

Dear Mr. Smith,

We always had such a quiet life ______ the hill. When my father was alive, he never allowed

visitors. Darjo was the only person my father had confidence _______; he never had any

me. Nor __ my choice _______ a husband. When he died _______ a

heart attack ______ my marriage, I blamed myself and was overcome ______ guilt. I

would have killed myself, but I had a little daughter to take care of and a husband I loved. To keep the land and the money, my husband and I were prohibited _______ my father's will _______

living together. It seemed that the only way to provide for my daughter and husband and still stay close _____the land I loved was to "disappear." Small plane crashes are very convenient.

It was a very difficult life _______ both my husband and me.

Fortunately I had the comfort ______ the good Sisters ______ the Valley who sheltered

me. I never had to worry _______ their talking to someone ______ me.

My husband was not a good businessman, as my father had suspected. He began to lose our for­tune, and we were faced selling the land I loved and perhaps separation. I reluctantly agreed _______ his plan to marry a wealthy woman. That plan was helped along _______ the efforts _______ Ms. Ryan, a very capable woman who was my best friend _______ school.

One wife led to another, and you know the rest. What you don't know is: how did those women die? and why did we call the police _______?

Mrs. Munsing was letting her suspicions run ______ unpleasant directions, and we could

never take such a crazy person into our confidence. We thought we could appease her ______

a police investigation. We felt safe leaving the investigation ______ our local police; we had

not counted ______ your cleverness, however. The chief ______ police is a kind soul,

but not very intelligent. He was more concerned ______ keeping my husband's goodwill

than ______ doing his duty. Besides the deaths were accidental ______ a .planner

______ speaking.

Mrs. Munsing herself killed the second Mrs. Fitch, but only ______her own stupidity. She

mistakenly used the leaves ______ a poisonous plant ______ mint ______ the lem­onade she gave the second Mrs. Fitch. But was that her fault really? I grew the plant and Sonia picked the leaves and gave them ______ Mrs. Munsing. The rest was fate.

The death ______ the third Mrs. Fitch was fate as well. She became frightened when she saw all five ______ us coming toward her ______ the narrow cliff path. She took an unfortu­nate step backwards and fell off the cliff. Could we really be to blame?

I'm sorry we won't be able to answer any more ______ your questions. You got more infor­mation than you need, anyway. We had hoped to frighten you off______ putting the parsley

______ your bed. But you seemed not to be fooled ______ our theatrics. We did give a

good performance. Don't you think so?

The five ______ us have flown ______ a spot we had prepared ______ such an

emergency as this. And we have no intention of returning to Arizona.

Should you ever see Mrs. Munsing, please give her our regards. I imagine she returned ______ her family ______ Keokuk. We wish you every possible success ______

Flagstaff.

Warmly, Amelia Fitch

I waited ____ the sound _____ a plane overhead, but it never came. Mrs. Johnson called me ______ dinner, which reminded me I hadn't called home ______over a week.

Questions about the Story

1. Where did the car stop?

2. How long would the chief be away?

3. Where did Dwight spend the afternoon?

4. What time did Dwight finish his report?

5. How and when was the letter delivered?

6. How did Amelia's father die?

7. Why was Amelia upset?

8. What did Amelia not have to worry about?

9. Where did Ms. Ryan meet Amelia?

10. What was the chief concerned about?

Discussion Questions

1. Write another letter from Amelia to Mr. Smith. Make one or more of the characters responsible for the murders. In your letter give an explanation for the crime.

2. Give an objective and subjective evaluation of each character. For the objective evaluation, look at the pictures and describe the character's appearance. For the subjective evaluation, you will have to interpret a character's personality from the action described in the story.

3. What do people in Flagstaff think about people from New York? Why? Is there any parallel you can draw in your own country?

4. What do you think about the justification that Amelia Fitch gave for her disappearance? Was it valid?

5. If you were a judge and you heard this case, how would you find the defendants (Amelia, Mr. Fitch, Darjo, Sonia, and Ms. Ryan), guilty or not guilty of murdering two people? Was the only crime committed bigamy, or was it murder?

6. What do you think the Fitch family will do now?

7. What do you think made Dwight realize that the woman in the straw hat was Amelia Fitch?

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Date: 2015-01-29; view: 2666