Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-15

calmly all you know of this awful affair"
IL know nothing" she declared. Moth
ing except what you already know Short
knocked at my door and l dressed hastily,
only to discover that the poor old gentle
man was dead"
WAS the house still locked up?'
II believe so. The servants could, I sup
pose, tell that"
But is 1t not strange that Mary is still
absent?" remarked, perplexed.
mo, not very. Sometimes she has missed
her last train and has stopped the night
with the Penn-Pagets or the Hennikers. 1t
is difficult, she says, to go to supper after
the theater and catch the last train. 1t
leaves Charing Cross so early"
Again, there seemed a distinct inclination
on her part to shield her sister.
1.-THE whole thing is a most profound
mystery" she went on. II must have slept
quite lightly, for l heard the church clock
strike each quarter until 1 o'clock, yet not
an unusual sound reached me. Neither did
Nurse hear anything"
Nurse Kate was an excellent woman
whom l had known at Guys through sew
eral years. Both Sir Bernard and myself
had every confidence in her, and she had
been the invalid's attendant for the past
two years.
ut certainly is a mystery-one which we
must leave to the police to investigate In
the meantime, however, we must send Short
TO Radcliffe Square to find Mary. He must
not tell her the truth, but merely say that
her husband is much worse. To tell her of
the tragedy at once would probably prove
too great a blow
SHE ought never to have gone to town
and left him declared my well-beloved in
sudden condemnation of her sisters con-
duct "She will never forgive herself"
Regrets will not bring the poor fellow to
life again" I said with sigh. I'VE must
act-and act promptly-in order to discover
the identity of the murderer and the motive
of the crime. That there Is motive is GER
tain; yet 1t is indeed strange that any one
hnt, l1ry It'll
disease which a few months at most must
prove fatal The motive was, therefore his
immediate decease; and that fact will prob
ably greatly assist the police in their in
Vestigations."
But who could have killed him?"
"Ah! That's the mystery. IT, as you be-
lieve, the house was found to be still Sc
cured when the alarm was raised, then 1t
would appear that some one who slept be-
meath this roof was guilty"
oh! Impossible! Remember, there's only
myself and the servants. You surely don't
suspect either of them?'
Il have no suspicion of anyone at pres
ent," l answered. Let the police search
the place, and they may discover something
which will furnish them with clue"
noticed some telegraph forms in the sta
tionery rack on a small writing table and
taking one scrubbed couple of lines to
Sir Bernard at Hove, informing him Of the
mysterious affair. This folded and placed
| in my pocket, in readiness for the reopen
| ing VI the leteSrdpn ONCE at 3 O'clock.
Shortly afterward we heard the wheels
| of cab outside, and a few minutes later
| were Joined by police inspector in uniform
| and an officer in plain clothes
In a few brief sentences / explained to
| them the tragic circumstances and then led
| them upstairs to the dead mans room
| After cursory glance round, they went
| forth again out upon the landing, In order
! to await the arrival of two other plain
| clothes officers who had come round on foot
one Of them the sergeant of the criminal In
vestigation department attached to the Kew
station. Then, after giving ordsrs to the
constable on the beat to station himself at
the door and allow no one to enter or leave
without permission, the three detectives and
the inspector entered the room where the
dead man lay.