Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1912-02-16

That night, accordingly, we went III
to the Earls-Cour grounds. We lott
tered in the vicinity of the machinery
exhibition. but there was no trace of
Shay. After while we strolled
through the gardens, listened to the
bands and inspected number of side.
shows from the outside. Suddenly
felt Crewe pinch my arm.
We were passing the Aerial Ride"
Everybody, probably, has ridden in
this contrivance at some time or 9TH
er. One gets into a boat, suspended,
with a number Of other boats, from
central pole by long stays of steel. a
mechanism underground sets the
boats revolving through the air. AS
they swing further and further out
they tilt inward, until one rides at a
dizzy pace almost uron his side. II
the machine we're not operating one
would fall to the ground below, but
the force of centrifugal motion keeps
one in the boat as water stays In
bucket whirled round the head. We
were passing this contrivance, l say,
when, looking up in response to
Crewe's pinch, saw that the operator
was Shay.
I knew him, though he wore a me-
chanic's Goth cap and a workman's
clothes. More than that, he knew
me. | saw an expression Of uncon-
cuerable hate pass over his features
and, fairly frightened, hurried away.
| hurried away with CreWe and, at
a newspaper kiosk, saw the familiar
black headlines on an evening paper.
l purchased one. Tt was the usual
story. A third body had been found,
three hundred yards from the exhibit
ton grounds, upon a roof top. 1t had
knocked down three chimneys and
torn off cornice and had doubtless
been thrown there during the proceed
ing night.
Crewe was very thoughtful when
We sat together in my rooms that
night.
"That story Of his about an irresisti.
BILE power is absurd. And yet. Lang
ton-wtat does it mean? I cannot
Gathom it.
His glance fell upon my bookshelf
and he rose to his feet.
Il see you have an enlarged map of
London-an ordnance survey, | be-
lieve," he said Il saw it yesterday
as we were passing ont of the door.
Yes, here it is. Let us investigate"
He spread the great sheets on the
table, turning them until he reached
that of the Earl's Court region. Ev-
cry house and street was accurately
| depicted upon this monumental record
| of patient industry.
1.-THE first body was found here" he
said, piercing the paper with pin.
"And the second in the Bromley Road
here. The third on the roof of SIS
Quantock street-here. Now we have
! three-fourths of a circle if we join
these pin-holes by faint line. Upon
| the fourth side"
He ceased, for through the open
window we heard a newsboy shout
ing in the street.
another body found" he cried.
"Orribie discovery in Preston Road.
| All the details"
We raced downstairs and bought a
copy. Another corpse had been To-
Gated in a branch of tree in Preston
| Road. Crewe hurried back to the
map and pricked the spot.
II have it." he shouted. -Four
points on circumference. Find the
] center Langton, I am going to spoil
your map"
He connected the points and, using
his thumb and finger as pair o.
compasses, completed the circle with
his finger nail, tracing the nail marks
on the paper with pencil afterward
Then he pointed the center and l
sprang to my feet, choking.
The center of the circle was the
bandstand in the Earl's Court grounds.
And the bandstand was not twenty
yards from the aerial Ride"
what does it mean?' l cried.
"Take your hat, take your hat,
Langton," said Crewe impatiently.
"Well find out before morning. You
know the entrance to the Exhibition
which leads past the chutes to the
bandstand?"
"No. I thought there was none"
IT mean the low wall that one can
vault over" said Crewe impatiently.
1.-THE gap left by the workmen who
are repairing the wall. o, Langton,
why the devil can't you use your
eyes? We passed it yesterday on that
omnibus. Never mind. Listen! The
Exhibition closes at eleven. We vault
that wall at 1870, which all the reo-
pie have left We hide in that cluster
Of trees-you didn't see them, those
Japanese laurel shrubs well, take
my word for it, they are there and we
hide in them till midnight, when ev-
erybody has gone home. Why not
wait till midnight before vaulting the
wall? Ny good Langton, at midnight
the people leave the restaurant oppo-
site, since the law forb;ds them to
purchase drinks after tk2t hour. No,
I can understand you didn't notice
the restaurant"
I glanced at the clock as I put on
my hat. 1t was half past ten. There
was just time to reach our objective
comfortably, but none to spare. We
descended the stairs, went into the
street and took a motor omnibus for