Evening star., 1914-12-20

with lady"
"here was no misunderstanding, or anything of that
sort?'
"Miss Culey is engaged to marry me, Jermyn inter-
vened. "Her acquaintance with Lord Lakenham is of
the slightest. She has known him, in fact for barely
twenty y-four hours"
The inspector made note or two in his book @For
the sake of formay he persisted a should like you
to answer my question. 1 am taking it that there
nothing in the nature of quarrel disagreement be-
tween you and Lord Lakenham?"
II have already assured you, Sybil repeated calmly,
"that there nothing of the sort"
"You played game of billiards, and compile
ton went upstairs. game of fifty a hundred up?"
"a game of fifty up.
The inspector closed his book. @I you would excuse
me for moment" he said, Il will return"
Jernyn moved forward @Sha 1"
4If you will allow me, Sir, will go alone, the in
Spector interrupted.
HE crossed the hall, and they heard him enter the
- billiard In moment two he back,
having carefully locked the door behind him.
@You say, Miss Cluey that you played Lord Laken-
ham game of billiards, fifty up, and that you finished
the game amcably and went upstairs. The the
marking board at present is twentyeight and thirty.
How do you account for that if the game was finished
and if it fifty up?"
Syb looked straight into the mans eyes. There
perceptible pause before she spoke Jermyn felt his
heart beating fast. Was she really thinking thinking
out her answer?
she said slowly. 3We omitted to put them on at the
commencement of the game. Therefore, when l had
reached thirty, had won."
There brief silence in the room. Somehow, the
cold preciseness of Sybils terrifying Jer
myn Perhaps notwithstanding all that he felt for her.
such thought in his mind the inspector
presently expressed.
@You are, believe, actress, Madam"
THAT is my profession, she admitted
"And think l understood from Sir Jermyn Annerley
ord Ial to when
met him here?"
Entirely"
"He had said nothing during the evening that had
led you to believe that he in sort of trouble
distress?"
@On the contrary" Sybil declared, @he seemed in
the highest of spirits. He grumbled because would
not play again; but directly he understood that my
headache really painful he made further attempt
to keep me-
"Do you Sir Jermyn, you, Miss Cluley, you,
Madam" the inspector continued, turning to Lucille,
@know of any other person who did enter could have
entered the billiard between the time of Miss
Culeys leaving it and your discovery of this ACCIDENT"
They all replied in the negative The inspector closed
his book finally
Il trust that my questions have not been offensive"
he said little apoogetically at is my duty to
enter upon complete examination. l have only
ask the obvious questions that might lead the
truth being discovered before any time has been allowed
to intervene. Perhaps it would be well now, Sir
Jernyn, if l had a word with the gentleman who
with you when you entered the billiard room"
"Shal you require to speak to these ladies again?'
Jermyn inquired. "If not, dare say they would be
glad to retire.
Certainly not Sir" the inspector replied. u shall
leave my two here, if you will permit me, until
have reported this matter headquarters and would
perhaps be well if left the house for
than slight expedition, at the immediate present"
"There is no one, am sure" Jermyn declared, "who
proposes leaving it. If you will come this way then
C..l>: