The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-08-28

Journalist s rooms were rather dismal | apartments. the front window over | looking a dingy. paved courtyard. and the back abutting on to slum. The | inn was not at all desirable place of | residence. but. being central. most of it's denizens were journalists. whose | duties kept them up till tho early hours: actors. solicitors and also one or two men about town. Georges sitting room was a rather | large old-fashioned one. with dark oak panelinR and an Adams ceiling. for those houses had been in the Georgian | days quite fashionable residences. The | fireplace was of smoke-stained marble of light design in keeping with the l ceiling. but the carpet was thread bare. the bookcase dingy and undust- ed. and the furniture shabby. while over the whole place hung a pail of smoke from a particularly strong pipe. Cunliffe was still in his old coat and slippers.
 "Sit down. old boy" he cried cheer | fly. pulling forward a big armchair from which the stuffing poked forth obtrusively. "so glad you've come in. I was up all last night at the office. Got in at 2. and had three hours snooze. Been busy all day. and I'm going down to the office again present. ly.''
 That's just why called" I.said. TT didn't see much in the papers about it this evening"
 ''Of course not. You remember Nor toms wishes. The least published about it at present the better" "Why?"
 Because the mystery seems to 1n- crease. It's greater than we at first believed.'
 How that?" I asked quickly. Morton and his men have been very busy night and day upon it. and they've discovered one or two facts which. in themselves. show an extra ordinary situation"
 "Tel1 me about them. George. I'm most interested said.
 Well, I was with them all day yes- terday. indeed. until nearly midnight" |" Cunliffe said. 'I saw the doctors inn mediately they had made the post mortem.
 And what did they flnd?" They established that it was clear ly a case of murder. But 1t was mur der under most unusual. and indeed. almost unheard of circumstances" 'In what way?"
 'The woman died of some means. the exact nature of which they have not yet been able to determine. The home office analyst is at work. To- night. or tomorrow. he will give his certificate"
 ''It might surely have been suicide %
 
 nounced against such a theory. There was the struggle. Besides why should the front door have been left open? The assassin escaped. and was afraid to close the door after him. Perhaps it was some unusual pois- on." hazarded.
 'T hardly think that. Treherne. the police divisional surgeon. is friend of mine. and assisted at the examina- | ton. He pronounced against the pois- on theory. and says it's one of the queerest cases in all his experience. The poor woman died swiftly. that is certain. But they could discover no cause. In fact. it is complete mys- tery."
 "She might have died natural death. and some one in the house alarmed at her collapse. and fearing to be mixed up with an unpleasant af- fair. may have f1ed!" Such things have. of course. oc- cured. But in this case there are certain features which entirely nega- tive that idea The secrecy with which the house was rented. for instance. shows distinct intention of foul play" my friend declared.
 'Is the poison theory entirely nega- tive?" I asked.
 'sF'our of the most expert analysts in London are at this moment at work upon it.'' he said Up to the present. however. they've failed to identify any poison known to toxicolo- gists. Their report will. no doubt. be intensely interesting"
 'sThen why are the police so very cocksure that it is case of murder. If it was not poison there must be some wound!"
 "They haven't discovered any," he replied seated at his writing table. with his chair tilted back. That's the most curious point about it.''
 "But if there is no wound might it not yet be suicide?''
 ''The medical evidence negatives that theory. as I've already told you. No poison has been found in the stomach. If it had-to some. suicide might be the explanation" he said. 'I tell you, Phil." he went on. "the case is a most amazing one in every respect. The mysterious arrival of the lady in Lon don. the taking of the furnished house by the maid. and the sudden disap- Dearauce of the latter are all matters which the police are trying to clear up"
 That maid. whoever she is. knows something about it.'' I suggested.
 "My opinion exactly.''
 'Is there any suspicion of a man in the case?" I inquired. not without trepidation.
 "At the present, none-at least. as far as I've gathered" was his answer. ''But it seems that two servants were