Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-02-06
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people I'LL L know something about
where they were. Was there any visi-
tor here each time, or even on the first
and last occasions only?"
"No, not one, and my own sister, per-
haps you will be pleased to know, was
only there at the time of the first rob-
berry,"
"Just so! And your daughter, as 1
have gathered, was clearly absent from
the spot each time-indeed, was in
company with the party robbed. Your
niece, now?"
"Why, hang it all, Mr.. Hewitt, 1
can't talk of my niece as a suspected
criminal! The poor girls under my
protection, and I really can't allow
"My dear sir, haven't I said that 1
don't suspect a soul? Do let me know
how the people were distributed as
nearly as possible. Let me see. 1t
was your niece, l think, who found
that Mrs. Armitage's door was locked
this door, in fact-on the day she lost
her brooch? And yesterday-was she
out them"
"No; 1 think not. Indeed, she goes
out very little. Her health is usually
bad. She was indoors, too, at the time
of the Heath robbery, since you ask.
But come, now, 1 don't like this. It's
ridiculous to suppose that she knows
anything of it."
Il don't suppose it, as l have said. l
am only asking for information. That
is all your resident family, 1 take it,
and you know nothing of anybody
else's movements, except, perhaps, Mr..
Lloyd's?"
"Lloyd? Well, you know yourself
that he was out with the ladies when
the first robbery took place. AS to the
others l don't remember. Yesterday
he was probably in his room writing.
I think that acquits him, eh?" Sir
James looked quizzically into the broad
face of the affable detective, who
smiled and replied:
"Now, you see, we get down to the
servants, unless some stranger is the
party wanted. Shall we go outside
now?"
Lenton Croft was a large, desultory
sort of house, nowhere more than three
stories high and mostly only two.
Hewitt scrutinized it's external fea-
lures carefully as they strolled round
and stopped some little while before
the windows Of the two bedrooms he
had just seen from the inside. Pres
emily they approached the stables and
coach house, where a groom was wash
ing the wheels of the dogcart.
d you mind my smoking?" Hewitt
asked Sir James. Perhaps you will
take a cigar yourself. They are not so
bad, l think. I will ask your man for
a light"
Sir James felt his own matchbox,
but Hewitt had gone and was lighting
his cigar with a match from a box
handed him by the groom. A smart
little terrier was trotting about by the
coach house, and Hewitt stopped to rub
its head. Then he made some observa-
ton about the dog which enlisted the
groom's interest and was soon absorb
ed in a chat with the man. Sir James,
waiting a little way off, tapped the
stones rather impatiently with his foot
and presently moved away.
For fully a quarter of an hour Hew-
lit chatted with the groom and when
at last he came away and overlook
Sir James that gentleman was about
re-entering the house.
"Oh!' exclaimed Sir James shortly.
"There is one other thing" Hewitt
said, chat | should like to know-there
are two windows directly below that
of the room occupied yesterday by Mrs.
Cazenove, one on each floor. What
rooms do they light?"
"That on the ground floor is the
morning room; the other is Mr.. Lloyd's,
my secretary, a sort of study or sitting
ROOM"
James," Hewitt pursued-"you will see
at once that if a ladder had been used
in Mrs. Heath's case anybody looking
from either Of these rooms would have
seen it."
"Of course! The Scotland Yard mar
questioned everybody as to that, but
nobody seemed to have been in either
Of the rooms when the thing occurred
at any rate, nobody saw anything"
"Still l think I should like to look, OUT
of those windows myself. 1t will al
least give me an idea Of what was in
view and what was not If anybody had
been there"
Sir James Norris led the way to the
morning room. AS they reached the
door a young lady, carrying a book and
walking very languidly, came out
Hewitt stepped aside to let her pass
and afterward said in%terrogatively,
miss Norris, your daughter, Sir
John?"
mo; my niece. Do you want to ask
her anything? Dora, my DEAR" Sil
James added, following her in the cor
ridor, 'this is Nj. Hewitt, who is in.
v%estigating these wretched robberies
for me. l think he would like to hear
if you remember anything happening
ait any of the three times"
The lady bowed slightly and said III
q plaintive drawl: 81, uncle? Really
don't remember anything; nothing al
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