The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1912-12-06
YOU MAY NOT

Quite so, Mr.. Roberts," said Peace
I'VE understand you were much upset
SO you have no idea when 1t was thai
Sir Andrew left the little library?"
mo, sir. save that 1t was between
nine and ten"
Thank you. And now, Mr. Phillips
] think We will go down and have 6
look at the causeway walk"
At the end of terrace we found 9
policeman waiting. He touched his
helmet to the inspector, and, after q
few words with him, led the way down
some moss-grown steps and over a
sloping lawn towards the lake. We
skirted the right hand edge for per
haps two hundred yards, until we
came to where a short causeway OF
stone had been built out into the
water. joining the lawns to a shrub
grown island. The roof of a gabled
cottage peeped out from the heart OF
It's yews and laurels. The causeway
paved with great slabs of slate, was
never more than five feet broad. On
either side of 1t was dense growth OF
feathery reeds, hiding the lake be-
hind their rustling walls.
What cottage is that" asked
Peace, pointing finger.
when he was young man, Sir
William, that was Sir Andrews uncle,
used to give lunches and teas there in
the summer months" said the police
man. "But the place has been shut
up for long time now, sir. No one
goes to the island barring the ducks.
and they nest there by the hundred"
Where did you catch the prisoner?"
"About .this very place, sir. It was
about half-past nine. and I was walk
ing down the public path, which passes
the east corner OF the lake. when I
heard the shot. II seemed a strange
time Of the year for night poaching,
but there are rascals in the village
who wouldn't hesitate about the sen
sons so long as they had a duck for
dinner.
''On I raced as hard as I could put
legs to the ground. When I came to
the. causeway head I pulled up and
looked about me. There was q slip
OF a moon over the island and a
plenty Of stars. 80 that the night was
fairly bright. No one was In sight,
but presently / heard the thump,
thump. OF . man running over the
turf, and who should come painting
down the slope but Jake Warner. the
keeper. He was in such a hurry that
he was nigh as close as am to you.
sir. before he saw me-
"'Good Lord he cried, jumping
back; and what are you doing here?'
Didn't you hear a shot fred?'
asked.
mot a sound OF IT, he said. with a
sulky face on him.
''Tt surprised me more than a bit.
Indeed. / had begun to wonder II l
could have been mistaken. when there
came a clatter on the slabs OF the
and a man rushed out from
The reeds like mad thing lie gave
4 little cry like frightened rabbit
when he caught sight OF us, and tried
10 twist away, but his feet slipped
rom under him, and down he fell Be-
ore he could recover / was sitting on
MS chest.
"I had no hand I'm It, he shouted.
I swear to you It was not me. was
% meet him on the island. He was
lead when came to him.
Dead-who is dead?' asked Jake,
,ery anxious.
"'Sir Andrew Cheyne. said the
nan, with shiver.
81 was that taken aback that II he
lad made run for II he might have
lore so for all could have stopped
i'm. AS for Jake, he gave yelp and
down the causeway, like
rat into hole.
"'Sir Andrew is in France / said,
Or so Mr.. Roberts had told me not a
'eek before. You're crazy, man.
Shut your mouth, you fool'--those
'ere his very last words, sir--T tell
ou Cheyne is dead. Go and look FOR
I must trouble you to come with
le, then said I, taking him by the
ollar.
We walked down the causeway be-
veen the reeds, he in front and me
ehind with my hand in his neck.
bout halfway down we came upon
IKE. who was kneeling by the body.
hich lay fiat on its back. had never
zen Sir Andrew and no more had
IKE, so We had to take the strangers
ord for 1t. When we found there
as no sign OF life left in him, sent
Ike to get assistance. He came
lck with Mr.. Roberts and two of the
en-, who carried away the body up
the house, while I arrested my
'isoner and walked him OF to the