The Delta independent., 1915-09-24

next nearest thing to seeing the crime
perpetrated in vision"
"Crime!" cried Cazalet. What
crime?"
Murder, sir," said Hilton Toye.
"Willful, brutal bloody murder, Here's
the paper; better read it for yourself.
I'm glad he wasn't a friend of yours,
or mine either but it's bad end even
for your worst enemy"
The paper futtered in Cazelet's
clutch as it had done in Toye's.: but
that was as natural as his pdzzled
frown over the cryptic illusions OF a
journal that had dealt fully with the
ascertainable facts in previous issues-
Some few emerged between tie lines.
Henry Craven had received his fatal
injuries on the Wednesday OF the pre-
vious week. The thing had happened
in his library, at or about half past
seven in the evening; but how a crime.
which was apparently a profound mys-
terry, had been timed TO within min
ute of its comEiicsion did not appear
among the latest particulars No ar
rest had been made. No clue was men
police were still searching for def
mite instrument with which ii was evi-
IDENTIFY assumed that the deed had been
committed. There was in fact close
description of an unusual weapon, a
special constable's very special trun-
cheon. 1t had hung as a cherished tro-
ply on the library wall. from which it
was missing, while the very imprint of
a silver shield mounted on the thick
end OF the weapon. was stated to have
been discovered on the scalp of the
fractured skull. But that was little
bit of special reporting, typical of the
enterprising sheet that Toye had pro-
cured. The inquest, merely opened on
the Monday. had been adjourned to the
day of issue.
I'VE must get hold of an evening pa
per- said Cazalet Fancy his own
famous truncheon, He had it mount
ed and inscribed himself. SO that 1t
shouldn't be forgotten how he'd fought
for law and order at Trafalgar Square.
That was the man all over!"
His voice and manner achieved the
excessive Indifference which the Eng
lish type holds due from itself after
any excess of feeling. Toye also was
himself again, his alert mind working
keenly yet darkly in his acute eyes.
Il wonder II it was a murder?" he
speculated. Il bet 1t wasn't a delib-
crate murder"
What else could 1t have been?"
kind of manslaughter. Deliberate
murderers don't trust to chance
xtr .,t 49,
walls"
You forget" said Cazalet. that he
was robbed as we'll"
do they claim that?' said Hilton
Toye. Il guess | skipped some. Where
does 1t say anything about his being
robbed?"
"Here!" Cazalet had scanned the pa
per eagerly; his finger drummed upon
the place. 1.-The police" he read out.
in some sort of triumph, have now
been furnished with full description
of the missing watch and trinkets and
the other articles believed to have
been taken from the pockets OF the de-
ceased What's that but robbery"
You're dead right" said Toye. Il
missed that somehow. Yet who in
thunder tracks man down to rob
and murder him In his own home? But
when you've Drained man. because
you couldn't keep your hands of him.
you might deliberately do all the rest
to make 1t seem like the work OF
thieves"
Hilton Toye looked judge OF de-
liberation as he measured his irrefut-
able words. He looked something
more. Cazalet could not tear his blue
eyes from the penetrating pair that
met them with q somber twinkle. an
enlightened gusto. quite uncomforta'