Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-12-29
The Broken Heel
An ADVENTURE OF PETER CREWE-~THE MAN
WITH THE CAMERA EYES"
By ARoLD CARTER
w. @ Chapman in the United state, and r. Britain


Crewe solved during our residence in 4
England was that which have called I
The Broken Heel" The murder was
not cunningly planned, but the GRIM I
inal almost escaped detection through /
the stupidity Of the local police. who !
framed a theory which exactly fitted |
in with his desires; and, having
formed IL, with characteristic obstin-
acy they stuck TO 1t until 1t became
untenable by reason Of the confession
Of the murderer himself.
Sir George Taunton had been q
client of mine, having extensive inter
ests In America, and II was partly TO
advise with him concerning these that
had joined Crewe in London. The
news OF Sir Georges death shocked
me greatly, for only the week previ-
ously we had lunched together at his
London club when he appeared TO be
the picture Of health and destined for
n ripe old age. When, therefore, /
read Of his murder In the newspapers,
! Immediately telephoned Crewe and
met him at the railway station. from
which We rode down TO Little Whit
tlefield together.
Sir George Taunton had been a re-
tired Egyptian official. For nearly
twenty years he had given up brain
and body TO the good government Of
England's protectorate; and. with
Characteristic ingratitude. the Egyp-
tan agitators had selected him as the
butt OF their ridicule and vituperation.
Even when he retired to his country
estate. TO end his days in seclusion.
among his neighbors. his work In sup
pressing the mutiny at Awarba had
not been forgotten. At the height OF
the recent agitation threats Of muir
der, which had been made In the ma
tive press, had penetrated to little
WHITEHEAD. For some reason Sir
George was more hated in seclusion
than he had ever been In the activi-
ties OF his oflcial career. and his
death was looked upon as the one
thing necessary TO crafty the longing
for English blood which seemed to
possess q portion of the native press.
The Taunton estate was situated in
a lonely and remote part Of the west
country. The highroad led past 1t
from the nearest town, Quantock, IL
miles away. On the other side Of the
Queen Anne mansion was a deep lake,
about a mile in width. and covered
with snow. beneath which lay. at this
time, a good six inches Of ice-for
the winter had been exceptionally Sc
we're. Where the high road was
Axy he
lodge Of Evans. the porter. a man who
had been for some years in Sir
Georges service and. although ad-
dicted to liquor, was considered trust
worthy. II was Evans, together with
Fisher. the local police chief. VINO met
US at the station and told US the facts
concerning the tragedy.
On the morning of the previous day
his servants had found SIR George ly-
ing dead In his bed, a knife in his
heart. Upon his breast was a clip
ping from a newspaper. detailing
briefly the threats that had been made
against the ex-oficial by a member Of
the Egyptian revolutionists. Further
more. n stranger, a South European
as had at first been thought, but, in
the light OF later facts obviously an
Egyptian, had been seen during the
preceding week in Quantock, although
he had subsequently disappeared.
There wa. 70 doubt. said Fisher, that
this man was an agent OF the revolu-
tionists. and that. having scaled The
park wall. he had entered Sir Georges
bedchamber and murdered him. after
ward looting the house and escaping.
No trace Of him had yet been found.
'aThen robbery was his object?"
asked Crewe.
1--WE think II was an afterthought,"
said Fisher "Or perhaps he may have
decided to add robbery to the other
crime after entering the estate. He
removed all the silverware. a quantity
OF the late Lady Taunton's Jewels.
which Sir George kept in 9 safe.
and"
How did he know that they were
in the safe?" asked Crews. turning
his gaze full upon Evans.
The porter flushed. The safe was
in the bedroom" he said, defiantly. 1T
was easy to suspect there were jewels
inside"
and the peculiar thing" said Fish
er. is that he took the things away
in a wheelbarrow."
"A wheelbarrow?" said Crewe
musing Well. We must examine the
premises"
THAT won't DO you any good, gen
tlemen." said Fisher. The man is
dead. and his barrow is with his
body"
"DeadY" queried Crewe.
mo doubt about It. though were
hound 70 make investigations on the
on chance. Come with me, gentle
men. and I'll show you just how be
entered and how he died"
Fisher led US to the side entrance
All around the house were the tracks
of the barrow--a single line, cut by
the front wheel in the snow.
Has IL showed since the murder?'
Crewe demanded.
mot a particle"
Then" said Crewe, emphstic=liy
If these are wheelbarTov tracks
where s-e his boot prints?"
- ----iad us for a long time