Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-14
CHAPTER XXXII.
What Does It MeauP

| Reused by the angry uproar of the dogs
a tall. round-shouldered individual ap
paared in the doorway. He had a melan
jcholy cast of face, which was intensified
by the lank black hair which hung upon
his shoulders. Indeed, the man looked
more like some street preacher than q
suspect with a record of crime behind
him. But the eyes were shrewd enough
and 80 was the smile with which Perks
greeted Venables when the latter dis
closed his identity.
| "Ah well, you was always one for your
little games, SIR" he said. Take care of
that dog for. you? OF course 1 will. And
u rare beauty he is Is there anything
else, gentlemen"
No" Yenables explained, Mind the
dog IS for sale II anybody asks questions.
| You have had him for some time and you
want big price for him. Maybe we
shall be able to find job for you after
dark tonight. but as to that l can say
nothing for the present. At any rate,
there is five-pound note for you so long
as you are discreet and silent. l suppose
can come into your house and write a
letter? I'll get you to post 1t presen ly."
Perks intimated that his house was at
the disposal OF the visitors, and they all
trooped inside. The place looked coy
and comfortable enough, though 1t was
somewhat untidy. Al one. end of the
table was china bowl, which was filed
with odds and ends of small gold and
silver ornaments. Venables winked at
Perks. and the latter grinned sheepishly.
He snatched up the bowl and hastily re-
moved it to a side table. Ravenspur held
iout a OBTAINING hand.
fond of those kind of things 1 don't
wish to be inquisitive to ask idle ques
tons but unless | am greatly mistaken
you have commonwealth porringer
among those things l should like to
look at it,
Perks bowed to the inevitable. He
cursed himself slightly under his breath
for his folly in not removing everything.
but he felt safe in the hands of his yis-
itors. They would not be likely to ask
ANY questions as to whence the plumber
came. By the time that Venables had
written and stamped his letter, Lord
Ravenspur came forward with a small
metal disc in his hand
This is bit OF a curio IN its way he
said. "Intrinsicaly it is worth very 1T
IT, only u few siillings at the outside.
If you Ike to take a sovereign ior tt
Perks fell in with the suggestion eagerly
enough. There was no r. ason to stay any
longer, and the trio set out for the hotel,
feeling now that it was possible to move
without the slightest fear of alarming the
Inhabitants of the cottage on the com
mon.
Il suppose that was stolen property we
caught Perks looking over?" Ravsnspur
asked.
Not the slightest doubt of it," Ven
ablas said coolly. Il daresay if we had
been voted suspicious the signal would
have been flashed back to the house to
hide it at once But if you thought it
was stolen property, Lord Ravenspur,
why did you invest in that little disc
which you took such a fancy to?"
Il am going to tell you something
startling Ravenspur replied. Waiter,
you recollect that little ornament which
u bought in Rome and subsequently gave
to poor Delahay. who took a great fancy
ito it? / had his initials engraved Oh the
back. He wore it on his watch-chain.''
Il recollect it perfectly we'll" Walter
said 'Delahay was wearing 1t the last
time l ever saw him. But what has all
this got to do with your purchase OF this
Imorning?'
only that # happens to b, the same
thing" Ravenspur said quietly. Il recog-
nized 1t in moment. Oh. there is no
mistake. Here is the disc for you to ex-
anime for yourself. You will see the in
tials and the date on the back of 1t. AS
soon as we get time we must ascertain
from Inspector Dallas If Delahay's watch
was missing when his body was found.
If so, then this opens quite new phase
Of the mystery. On the whole. 1 am not
at all sorry that we came here today. OF
course. ! kept my knowledge to myself,
because l didn't want to arouse Perks
suspicious But II we can cOnIr)V1 TO
find out from whom he bought this thing
We shall be going a long way to clear up
the mystery Of poor Delahay's attn"
| The matter was discussed at some
length over the breakfast, to which all
of them did ample justice. Once this was
finished they made their way back to the
common again, and sat down on the grass
| to mature their plan of campaign
| Now what we want to do" Venables
began, lis this: We want to be in a po-
sition to make a close study OF yonder
house without arousing the suspicious
OF the people there. l racked my brain
for long time before 1 could think of a
feasible scheme. And then 1t came to me
like an inspiration. What could we do
better than pass ourselves off as an ord
nance survey party down here on bust
ness? That is why 1 procured the off,
cial-looking caps, to say nothing of the