The Washington herald., 1915-09-12

the racing fraternity as the time OF
"Gadhy's Derby"
The extraordinarily fine weather
had served, this year, to augment the
exodus to prodigious proportions; so
that, by noon, the streets were some
thing akin to their regulation Sun
day aspect and there was not soll-
tary one OF the big hotels which shell
tered so much as iftieth part of its
guests what time the luncheon hour
rolled round.
So that naturally 1t came as de-
cided shock to Mr.. Narkom and
Cleek-enjoying a quiet chat and an
after-luncheon smoke in the sanctity
OF the superintendent ofnce-when
the telephone started jingling and
there came like bom0shell breath
less hurry CALI from the manager
of the Royal Coronet Hotel with the
word murder" thrown in as a spur
to their activities.
Lennard and the limousine were
ordered up in double-quick time; Gig
arettes went into the fireplace and
hats were clapped on heads. and you
could hardly have said Jack Robin
son after that before they were up
and away, and the Yard and the En-
bankment were retrcating into the
background at a mile-a-minute pace.
At go it pulled up in front of the
ROYAL Coronet and Cleek and the
superintendent. tumbling out, forged
into the hotel and the presence of the
excited manager.
MY God, Mr.. Narkom, what am l
to do-what am l." broke forth, with
a PREDATORY groan. Mr.. Gamlingay,
the manager, as he walked away
from the door and advanced toward
them. fairly perspirlng with nervous
ness and despair. That such thing
should happen in this house-could
happen in this house-is simply ap-
palling. Think OF it, will you? Think
OF it, A guest to be murdered-in
cold blood-in broad daylight-with
the building all but empty-and for
the murderer to get clean away with
out any hint to his identity nor to
the motive for the apparently pur-
poseless crime"
eh2 Well, | think I've brought you
just the one man in England capable
OF getting to the bottom OF it in
short order, Mr.. Gamlingay; SO if
you will come to the point at once
and furnish him with the details
But pardon me. Allow me TO intro
duce YOU to my friend and ally,
Mr."
Headland-George Headland, at
your service" interposed Cleek, TAX
ing the words out of his mouth; but
not with any haste or any show of
vitality, however-indeed, in rather
an distracted manner, as if his
thoughts were elsewhere, as possibly
they were, for when Mr.. Gamlingay
turned toward him in acknowledge
ment Of the introduction, he found
him looking listlessly out into the
public Office and apparently absorbed
in contemplating the not very inter
esting back view OF the clerk at the
desk just outside the glass partition.
Fine pair of shoulders on that
chap" he observed. begging pardon
for his abstraction and listlessly TAX
ing the hand outstretched to him.
"Leetle too broad to match the rest
of him, fancy. Cot that coat from
an American tailor, I'll wager. Wear
that sort of coat all the time, Mr..
Gamlingay, or does he only put it on
in honor of your Yankee guests
when the season for the annual
American invasion rolls round2"
Really. | don't know. Mr.. Head
land-l haven't noticed. But, as it
happens, Mr. Hepburn is an Ameri-
can and hasn't been with us long.
But really, TO discuss such matters
at such a time, Mr.. Headland, Isn't
1t trifle unnecessary?"
ITO be sure" admitted Cleek. with
the utmost freedom and good nature.
so a guest has been murdered here,
eh2 What kind OF guest. if you
please Just an ordinary, everyday
individual or a person OF some i'm
portance."
"a person of very great importance
indeed in the financial world, Mr..
Headland- In short. the many-times
American millionaire. Mr.. Lincoln c.
Harrington, my dear sir"
What, Not that Lincoln c. Tark-
ington who rob- should say buys
up all the promising inventions he
can find and exploits them to their
fullest after he has squeezed the poor
devils who couldn't raise the money
to float them and wrung the last
drop of life-blood out of them When
did it happen and how; Give me the
details-if you know them. I'm list
cning
IT Unfortunately there are next to
no details to be given. Mr. Head
land nor is it possible to shed even
the falntest light on the crime. All |
can tell YOU is that Mr.. Harrington
arrived here about a fortnight ago
quite alone-and engaged suite on
the first floor"
"Oh-o' Then there IS a Mrs. Tark
ington. eh ;"
''Ies a young and extremely pret-
tv woman--not more than three and
twenty. | should say-and an Amer
lean. But, as | was saying, not until
the lady arrived last night had we
the slightest idea of her existence,
much less her coming, for he had
never made even the slightest allu-
sion to her in any way. shape or form.
| rather fancy that her arrival was
quite unexpected. for the suite he had
engaged was. although a large one.
merely fitted up for the occupancy OF
one person and that man. How
ever, the lady did not remain here for
a single hour; for, oddly enough.
when she arrived at the Office desk
and gave Hepburn her husbands
name. she suddenly reeled dizzily,
clutched at the desk counter, and
without any warning or any appar-
,-.ucn plaI and drnnned