Evening star., 1914-12-20

Portable, he said to his host. @You told me
to ring for anything | wanted. That affair
gave me quite nasty shock. Is there any
change in his Lordships condition."
"None at present. Jermyn answered. a
am very glad indeed that you have been
looking after yourself. This" he added,
turning to the inspector, "is MIR. Norden
Smith. He had called to see Lord Laken-
ham, and was shown into the library, where
we were all playing bridge, by my butler.
| took him to the billiard room, with the
result you know Of.
"Did you notice any signs of a struggle,
or any traces in the room of the recent
presence of any other person; excepting, of
course, Miss Cluley, SIR" the inspector
asked
| Smith shook his head negatively. "There
was nothing unusual whatever to be OBJ
served" he replied; with the exception, of
course, of Lord Lakenham's position and
condition. l may add,' he went on, 4that
am criminal lawyer myself and have
quick eye for details. Directly l saw the
brown rim round the bullet mark on the
shirt, decided that it was a case of suicide
MAY l inquire, the inspector proceeded,
"the nature of your business with Lord LAX
enham?"
"I hadn't any business with him at all,
Smith confessed. "Hc stayed with lis in
New York only month or SO ago. We en-
tertained him once or twice, and when he
heard that l was coming to England this
summer he made me promise I'd look him
up. Quite good fellow, Lord Lakenham,
and we enjoyed taking him round very much
indeed. l happened to be spending the
night at the inn here, and heard that he was
staying with Sir Jermyn; so l telcphoned
over. Sir Jermyn was kind enough to ask
7 J., To
AFTER. SO l told him I'd come round after
ward"
"You say you are staying at the inn, the
inspector asked. isn't this rather an out
of-the-way place for casual vistor?"
II am on a motoring tour, doing all the
cathedral cities of England" Smith ex-
planned Ecclesiastical architecture is a
bit of hobby with me. I've done the west
coast. 1 was at Norwich this morning, and
meant to get as far as Lynn tonight. l
had bad tire trouble all the way from Nor
wich here, and finally got sick of it. The
Annerley Arms looked very comfortable; so
put up there and set my man to work to
put on new covers. l am on my way to
Lincoln and Durham
"Did l understand, Sir Jermyn," the in
spector inquired, 3that Mr.. Smith was shown
into the library by your butler?7
@That is SO" Jerrnyn asscnted.
@The same servant who admitted Mr..
Smith at the front door?'
Il believe so," Jermyn replied. "Such
would naturally be the case. 1t is quite easy
to find out"
"The matter would be finished up the
inspector said apologctically, "if might just
ask the question
Jermyn rang the bell. The butler himself
answered the summons.
Roberts Jermyn began.
The inspector intervened. "Will you al
low me, Sir? 1t is quite an unimportant
question, but it is more in order for me to
ask it myself: Your name is Roberts''
ayes, Sir"
@You showed this gentleman into the
bridge room this evening. Did you also adj
init him at the front door,"
ayes, Sir"
ale asked for Lord Lakcnham?'
ayes, Sir"
"Did you know that Lord Lakenham was
in the billiard room?'
Il believed that he was, Sir" the butler
replied, because | had served coffee there.
In any case, though, it seemed more in order
to show the gentleman first into the room
where Sir Jermyn was.
"And so you took him there direct from