Evening star., 1907-10-26
CHAPTER Xiv.
The Story of a Crime.


Dallas shrugged his shoulders indiffer-
emily. Truth to tell he was both an
noyed and disappointed. He had looked
forward with every assurance to laying
his hand on the actual culprit in the per-
son of Cooney. AS it was now, the whole
thing looked like beginning all over again.
suspicion of the real truth was dawn
ing on his mind.
'1t was like this Cooney said, in a
harsh. strained voice. II have been
pretty short OF job for some time, and 1
promised to pay for a lot si furniture I
bought for my house by given time. l
had the stuff on the hire-purchase sys-
tenn. and knew precious we'll what would
happen If l did not keep the installments
up. l had only day or two to spare,
and l was getting pretty anxious. That
same evening / met Stevens in a public
house. l hadn't seen him for some time,
and. naturally enough. I asked him what
he had been doing Then he told me that
on behalf of a party, whose name he
didn't mention, he had been shadowing a
certain house In Fitzjohn Square. I
wasn't particularly interested until he let
out that he could tell me go0d deal
about the houses there, and how some of
them would be easy work for the likes of
chap such as me. for instance. Then l
asks few questions. and hears all about
Mr.. Delahay's studio. Thinks 1 to my
self, here's a bit of luck for YOU Jim
Cooney. l had all the information l
wanted. The next night l goes round and
has look at the studio. The thing was
as easy as eating your dinner. l waited
till it got pretty late and then l got into
the house from the back. When 1 did get
there l was rather alarmed to see light
in the studio. / crept along to the door
and looked in. You can imagine my sur
prise when l saw gentleman painting
there. When I looked at him again I had
no difficulty in recognizing Lord Raven
spur.
What he was doing there I don't
know. But seeing it wasn't his own
house, l reckoned he wasn't likely to stay
long, so l just sat down to wait patiently
for such time as 1 could have the place
| to myself 1t wasn't more than an hour
before 1 heard the door open and two
other people came in They We're lady
and gentleman, but who the lady was
l don't know from Adam. The gentle
man, as you will guess, was Mr.. Delahay
himself l suppose the lady was really
Mrs. Delahay, too; I mean the woman
who Is suspected of the murder. But I
am getting a bit away from the point. /
had hardly time to hide myself behind a
recess with curtain in front of 1t before
the newcomers came into the hall and be-
gan to talk. They were conversing more
or less In whispers. so that 1 could not
"ollow very well, but could see that they
were annoyed to find Lord Ravenspur
there, and they were casting about for
some means of getting rid of him. Pres
emily the lady said something about the
light and the cable, and tho gentleman
seemed to fall in with he suggestion.
Anyway, / saw him take a knife from his
pocket and go down into the basement.
A moment later the whole place was
plunged in darkness
You mean that the cable was cut?''
Dallas asked. well, I am glad that mys-
| terry is cleared up. 1 am bound to tell
| you, gentlemen. that that cut cable has
caused me no end of trouble. 1t started
me on dozen more or less impossible
theories. ! see exactly what happened
now. Mr.. Delahay and his companion
doubtless thought that If they cut off the
| light they would get rid of Lord Raven
| spur"
That is exactly what they did," Cooney
resumed. II heard his lordship fussing
about and trying the electric switches,
but he gave 1t up as a bad job, and after
| a bit left the house. Mr.. Delahay ap-
peared presently from somewhere with a
| lamp. which he carried into the studio,
| and the lady followed him. 1 was close
enough at hand to what took place.
The lady had come. evidently, for some
| valuable jewelry, for Mr.. Dalahay pro-
| duced a case from a safe and handed it
| over to her. My word, but those stones
did sparkle. 1t seemed to me that l was
| in luck that night My game obviously
was to take no further heed of the studio,
| but to follow the lady as soon as sne left
the house. 1t was nearly o'clock in the
| morning, and there wasn't a soul about
| In my minds eye I saw those stones al
ready in my pocket. But, unfortunately
| for me, Mr.. Delahay walked with his
| visitor as far as the front gate, and stood
| looking up the road until the lady was
| safe In hansom. 1t was as much as