The Washington herald., 1907-12-21
CHAPTER XLIV-Continued.

Tell them, Phil, who / ami" he said
Il have come of a Tharsis copper brig
got sick at Bilbao and needed a holiday
The old man put in here under stress
BY that time 1 had had enough OF tn,
sea and so got ashore"
But what of the carr" cried Inspec-
tor Henderson, foaming with rage; w,
don't want 10 hear all this rigmarole-'
We'll, you've got to hear it-yOu asked
for IT, you knOw," said Vic, with strong
common sense.
The Inspectors hands trembled so much
that he could hardly show Vic his little
gold badge of Office, while Phil explain
ed The quality of each to the other. His
words were as oil on the waters.
"Oh, all right" said Vic. easily; only
don't go hauling an able-bodied mar
from under a 60-horsepower Mercedes
and then expect him to bless you! Be
cause he won't-yOu hear ne? Besides,
ne may have something In his hand which
Will hurt somebody. I very nearly did!'
How did you come by this machine?'
said Inspector Henderson, and how do
you prove your identity, and the length
Of your stay in this country? 1t IS a
case of murderl"
Vic whistled.
A
reeally, 1 couldn't stand those handouts,
1 don't play with such toys AS for the
car. a young, darl1ish man explained that
he was going on TO join a ship which
had put in at Rascarrel, I think ne said
for Heavy Spar He told me that this
Mercedes was Mr. Kahn's. and that il
needed a repair or twO-alsO driving back
10 kirktown. Would I undertake 1t. as
/ had been with the firm? I don't
know how he knew. We'll, rather
Said There or thereabOutsr Why. the
job just suited me. 1 told him that I
saw she had been over some rough
cOuntry-but nothing to hurt. 1 would
take her home and glad of the chance.
You see. 1 am a working engineer. as
either of these gentlemen will tell you
Grinding, after ne has had drink. Well,
1 was repairing the thing when you came
along and began hauling me out. There
was no trouble before that"
And the young man-which way did
he go?" inquired the inspector.
"Oh, any of these good people will tell
you. I did not bother any more about
him. I knew it was Mr.. Kahn's machine.
and that / was in luck to get my fingers
on the driving gear Of the big 'un. But
anybody in Creetown will tell you. II
was some time yesterday. you sect
At this the inspector cast up his
shoulders with a hopeless gesture.
Then il is no use," he cried I'VE
may as well go home"
In spite Of this. however. he made his
inquiries Oh. yes, the men drawled as
they lounged in disinterested attitudes
about their doors. Each had been watch
ing all the time with a corner Of a little
tuck of white lace curtain lifted-the
same which ObsCured the bottom panes
of every little window all down the long
street. The good wives. however, were
more voluble.
a decent foreign lad?' they asked
magnaHimously. Certainly he had been
there. but had not stayed"
A saturnine woman. landlady of a MOTEL
IN neghboring Fleet village, interposed
that she knew nothing about it. having
Just cOIle over for a days pleasuring.
But that, in her opinion, no foreigners
whatever We're decent. AS for her, she
was glad to be able to explain that she
knew nothing about it,
Then hold your tongue TIL you get TO
Gatehouse said the Inspector whose
mood by this time was by no means un-
rufled-
He had bouny big muckle coat over
his arm. called out i little woman, who
had come down some steps. carrying a
broom. in case there should be further
violence; he was takkin' terrible care
OF. I wadna wonder If It were worth
the maist part O. FIVE poundr'
'Hoots ava. mistreesst" cried the jeal-
GUS crowd; ''ye are aye i the mune, Mis-
tress Elfe"
But the inspector had taken to Mistress
Elfie at first sight Here was a woman
Of restrained statement. who had actually
seen-the murderer, and could tell about
him with details
Yes. he had gone on in a hurry-she
thought toward the granite quarries.
There had been a tugboat hanging off
and on for several days Her man
worked at Sir -Cassencarie. she
meant-and a grand master he was. Mr..
Elie had seen it from the pier. and was
of opinion that il was waiting 20 pick
up muckle copper oar brig. But this
young man had got off the Spanish boat
had been AZ the hotel couple Of days
a very decent young lad-before the dark
foreigner had gone on board the tug
But already the inspector had had
enough OF Mrs. Elhe.
Can you run me along?" he demanded
Of Vic Morris. Il want 10 see the plaoA
where they must have taken him up.V
Then as Vic was getting ready To Obey
this second call of the law In the penson
OF the man he had lately assaulted. Mis-
tress Elfe cried out, "Yondcr'sf oor
Weelum-ye had better tax him wifye in
your 'fuf-machine' He kens al about
it. For he handed in the bonny flE coatie
after the young gentlemanl Ays. an he
gied him a the coppers ne h2d-sayin'
that he wad hae nae farthes use for
them-aye, hmmers. and there was
sovereign amang them, Ma ma, Mistress
McNae-Weelum's name gaun to gle it
back Geein's geeinl And gettins
keepin'r'
Tho Inspector intimated that IL Weelum
would only guide them to the spot, moth
ing would be said about SO small a mat
ter as an English sovereign
Weelum being pushed by his wife into
the big Mercedes. without rightly under
standing the why and the wherefore of
the business-repeated over and over
'As decent and saft+spoken a young
man"
Hold your tongue,'l said the inspec-
tor: show US the spot where they took
him on board"'
stop moo, then"' cried WeeIum TO
Vic on the driving seat They slowed
and stopped before a long. rough stone
pier. about which the muddy water OF
an estuary was bubbling and swirllnc
Across the road and under the brow Of
a hiH comfortable among thick trees,
stood large white house with corner
tower
Ihat S the exact, spot where the boat
was waitin, there 70 the left" said
..z-ss-,-z.,--,- t--y1----