The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-08-24
| N0mAN'S ENCHANTMENT
H WILLLAM LIE QUEUx
 copgr1eht 1908, by William Le oueux

perhaps, rexarding his own abilities as R Journalist But he had reason to be. There was not another man in Fleet street who could compare with him in alertness. promptness of action or in- genuity in getting ahead of the
 E.s-nri.lsr . product of this present tervisws. he. was fuiI of enterprise and resource. an able and graphic writer who never used padding" and ~5o gave subeditors no trouble in cut sssx down his copy. Cunlifre wrote ~-Sninx that was not good. What ever he wrote was of interest. And when there was nothing of interest hs would spend the day lying in bed. smoking and reading novels.
 At last we turned from the. Old Brompton road crossed Redcliffe square and entered the long road of E Redeliffe Gardens. The neighbor- @1o4 was eminently respectable, for in AAt thoroughfare lived a good many stock brokers. city merchants and sew eral diplomats and army officers. { Near the farther end stood a soli- zry constable on the curb. on duty b$fore the house in question. but at IactinK nos attention At present the public was not fully alive to the full importance of what had occurred. and besides the morning papers. which had contained such nneaEer and uncon- vincinE account of the mystery. had
 
 Situated a few doors from the cor ner of Fawcett street-127 Ait was biz semi detached. prosperous-looking h9gss wata ss Ses son ra a tnes. A flight Of six steps led up to the deep portico before the front door and the fanliRht was painted with
 The venetian blinds had been drawn np so as not to attract any undue at fentiou. while the constable patroiled np and down, seldom haltinE actually
 As we ascended the steps the front door was Hopened to admit us by man in plain clothes. who had already recognized Cunliffe and wished him Eood-morning as we passed into the
 Has Chief Inspector Morton come down yet?" inquired my friend.
 s.eYee sir He is in the back room. where the body was found"
 So we passed through the wide well fQrniahed hall to a biE square draw LnG room. which contained a grand piano. to which was attached me- ehAnical player: an apartment up ho11tered in pale blue silk. and which betrayed every evidence of luxury and comfort Tea roses in a big silver room pleasantly. and the bright cheer fnlness was entirely opposed to any uuKRestion of a death chamber. & Yet In the window recess upon ths 11QJx 14y5 8 8Q1u6 I4lnz IC0tSISQ WILL a sheet. No second glance was needed To ascertain what that something was
 In the room were four men. one of whom Cdnline introduced to me as Chief Inspector Morton. a rather tall, gray-haired. gray-bearded man. who. as everybody knows. is one of the most expert ofhcers at New Scotland ..s.f xsre: E. d ssnt ea tass councl ox seven. treat tezdme ie committed That coun- ell hal already sat. Cunliffe had fn- 1ofm&d me. The director Of criminal i7vestiEations had been on the spot Ehe qaartets now making. thorough axaminatf0n of the place were four of <he best known officers of the c. I. D. claimed the chief inspector. as he shook my hand. sI recollect our friend. Cun1ine. here, speaking of you once Or twice So he's brought you here to thoukhtfuIly. this is funny case very curious.r
 No motive?" ventured one of his eowpanions 2 much younger man. pf which were carefully curled.
 Not as far as we can see. Jack" remarked another. calling the detec- tive by his nickname. as is the usua'
 t.No." declared the chief inspector, t4rustfnE his hands into the pockets oonplets aaa sy yster1 ywes1 Sad apper emily disruFbsd him In the act of going through some papers taken from a Htt1e escritoire in the corner. "The lnquiries have shown that she only occupied 4his place about twenty-four hours. 4 young woman. evidently a maid. toek the place furnished from James street. paying six months rent In 4dvance. negotiating by post and giving reference to somebody abroad. and saving that her mistress wished only just arrived in London. and did nofS care to go to a hotel They tele- Kraphed to the owner. a lady living up rnrStances. she would let 1t wit without rexereuceS. and this lady, evidently pre&9ed for money. replied in the af- lFmatfves Therefore. on the day prev Iou9 to the tra<ic discovery. the key had been handed over. and the agree nept was to follow on the next day for the tenants signature. All of this ts ssuspicious-very suspicious"
 Then the name Of the unfortunate eIady is unknown?' remarked.
 E6actly. The question of course, arises as to the whereabouts of the faithful maid"
 TOT. the unfaithful maid" George CunHffe remarked. flor it would seem as though there was some ulterior motive In the rapfdity with which she
 
 T quite agree" declared Morton
 From the house-agent's story it seems that the place was only empty a week. The owner closed 1t up. left if without any servants. and went up to Forfar- The new tenant. being a foreigner. who had only just arrived in London. had no servants. except this maid. who"
 Who might very we'll have been the murderess." remarked the Scot prev touqly addressed as Jock
 But as far as the doctor has dis covered. there's no evidence that the woman has been murdered" declared the chief inspector. He has found no Wound.''
 Cunliffe raised his finger, as though a new theory had occurred to him.
 Violent quarrel. struggle and sud- den death from heart disease. eh?'
 Morton shrugged his shoulders and sa}d:
 sDepend upon it that it's more than that my dear fellow. There are cer- tain clements in the anafr which are peculiar peculiar. There