The Delta independent., 1915-11-19
CHAPTER xiv.
The Person Unknown.

The Person Unknown.
The intruder was a shaggy elderly
man, of so cadaverous an aspect that
his face alone cried for his death bed :,
and his gaunt frame took up the cry,
as it swayed upon the threshold in
dressing-gown and bedroom slippers
that Toye instantly recognized as be-
longing to Cazalet. The man had a
shock of almost white hair, and a less
gray beard clipped roughly to point
An unwholesome pallor marked the
fallen features; and the envenomed
eyes burned low in their sockets, as
they dealt with Blanche but fastened
on Hilton Toye.
What do you know about Henry
Cravens murderer" he demanded in
voice between a croak and a crow
Have they run in some other poor
devil, or were you talking about me?
If SO, I'll start a libel action, and call
Cazalet and that lady as Witnesses"
This is Scruton," explained Cazalet,
who was only liberated this evening
after being detained a week on a charge
that ought never to have been brought
as I've told you both all along" Scru-
ton thanked him with a bitter laugh
I've brought him here" concluded
Cazalet. because l don't think he's
fit enough to be about alone"
Nice of him. isn't it?" said Scru-
ton bitterly. I'm so fit that they
wanted to keep me somewhere else
longer than they'd any right; that may
be why they lost no time in getting
hold of me again. Nice. considerate,
kindly country, Ten years isn't long
enough to have you as a dishonored
guest. Won't you come back for
another week, and see if we can't ar
range for a nice little sudden death
and burial for your But they couldn't
you see. blast 'em!"
He subsidized into the best chair in
the room. which Blanche had wheeled
up behind him; a moment later he
looked round. thanked her curtly, and
lay back with closed eyes until sud
denly he opened them on Cazalet.
And what was that you we're say
ing-that about travelling across Eu-
rope and being at Uplands that night?
1 thought you came round by sea?
And what night do you mean?"
"The night it all happened" said
Cazalet steadily.
you mean the night some person
unknown knocked Craven on the
head?"
YES"
The sick man threw himself for
ward in the chair. You never told
me this!" he cried suspiciously; both
the voice and the man seemed strong
er.
There was no point in telling YOU"
did you see the person?"
"Yes"
Then he isn't unknown to your"
Il didn't see him we'll"
Scruton looked sharply at the two
mute listeners. They were very in
tent. indeed. who are these people,
Cazalet? No! / know one of EN-"
he answered himself in the next
breath. ITS Blanche Macnair, isn't
it? l thought at first it must be a
younger sister grown up like her.
You'll forgive prison manners, Miss
Macnair, If that's still your name. You
look a woman to trust-if there is
one-and you gave me your chair
Anyhow, you've been in for a penny
and you can stay in for a pound, as
far as | care! But who's your Amer
can friend. Cazalet?"
"Mr. Hilton Toye, who spotted that
I'd been all the way to Uplands and
back when ! claimed to have been in
Rome!"
There was touch of Scruton's Bit
terness in CaZalet's voice; and by
some subtle process it had distinctly
modifying effect on the really embit-
tered man.
What on earth were you doing at
Uplands?" he asked. in a kind of con-
fidential bewilderment
81 went down to see man"
Toye himself could not have cut and
measured more deliberate monosyl-
lables.
"Craven?" suggested Scruton
No; a man I expected to find at
Craven's."
THE writer of the letter you found
at Cocks Office in Naples the night
you landed there. / guess!"
1t really was Toye this time, and
there was no guesswork in his tone.
Obviously he was speaking by his lit
tie book, though he had not got 1t out
again.