Middletown transcript., 1909-11-20
Then what were you doing

anu ns hung Mr.. EppSteln vlo-
lently from him.
Mr.. Eppstein alighted on his
hands and knees with q howl, for
with unerring accuracy he head
struck with bis left knee the
only pebble on the grassy sward.
He rose swiftly, and iu an obiur-
gatory vein dgneed out Of the
shrubbery. He hobbled straight
of in search Of Lord Cartrell, and
came into the smoking room with
a stern, determined air. His
hosts face did not glow with Joy
at the sight Of him.
I've found the thief, said Mr..
Eppstein.
Thank goodness! Then we
can cut the beastly business
short. Who is itg said Lord
Cartrell, spring eagerely to his
feet.
Colonel Brown, said Mr.. Epp-
stein.
Lord CartrelI's eyes opened,
and his mouth; his nostrils
dilated; a slow, deep flush suf.
fused his face Mr. Fppstein mark
ed bis shocked amazement with q
grim smile.
You laundering idiot howled
Lord Cartrell, finding his voice.
Brown? A VIC! My own cousin
A man with five thousand year!
You-you-you miserable jack.
ass!
It's him! It right have been
sudden temptation! L'veevidence
-lots of it! cried Mr.. Eppstein
hastily.
I'm break every bone in
yoLr body! howled Lord Cart
rell, reaching blindly for the
poker. Mr., Eppstein fed with
the speed, though hardly the
grace of Atlanta; his host sank,
gasping into an easy chair.
Lunch was a bitter feast. Mr..
Eppstein's emerald might have
weighed tons, so heavily did it
crush the spirits of the house
party. Everyone was burning
to talk of it; no one could, in the
glowing presence of its injured
owner. Except Peter-Pet r
kept bursting into his DISGUST
ton on the conviction of the in
nocent by circnmstantial evi-
dence.
After lunch Lady Caatrell re-
tired to her bedroom with ma.
tural, bu: violent, headache. She
could therefore give no attention
to the matter Of keeping Helen
and Colonel Brown apart;and in a
sequestered corner of the garden
they made what hay they could
while the sun shone. The
burning Eppstein, by now OBJ
sessed by a fixed idea Of the
Colonel's guilt, kept an unwaver-
ing eye on him from a bosky lair
forty yards away. Aided by
Peters kindly Imagination the
other guests discussed with .
strained, feigned lightness Of
spirit the inclemencies of penal
servitude. Now and again they
broke into a chorus expressive of
what they really thought of Mr..
Eppstein.
At half past three Mr.. Epp-
stein was Withdrawn from his
bosky lair by shouts of his name.
The detective had come. Mr..
Eppstein hurried to his side, his
face glowing with exultant ex-
pectation Of his coming triumph.
The guests gathered round them,
save such of them as hurried to
their bed rooms to conceal am
plifications of tresses and other
secrets of the toilet in such hid
ing places as caught their fancy.
Mr.. Eppstein and the detective
headed the procession which
mounted to Mr.. Eppstein's bed
room. The detective was a we'll
grown and heavy man, with a face
Of the true bovine type, wearing
boots in either Of which a baby
of average weight could have
slept with comfort. He, Mr.. Epp.
stein, Lord Cartrell and Peter
went into the bedroom. The
guests gathered upon the thres-
hold.
The detectives bovine eyes
rolled slowly round the room,
which was as Mr.. Eppstein had
left it, still showing signs of his
hasty toilet. "A wealthy at least
bushel, Of attractive cravats
were piled on the toilet table.
There amt much chance of the
criminals 'aying left anything
behind i'm, gentlemen, said the
detective, With bis profound air.
Still q systematic search said