The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-08-15
atest Adventures of the Wonderful Cleek ::

inside. He could get no answer to his
shouting to her and
Stop a bit. Let's learn to walk before
We try to sallop. He had not done any,
thing Of this sort then before he arous-
ed the servants? Hadn't. Ell? All right.
Go on. The door was locked and the
lady didn't answer. What next?'
Why. they broke it in of course
he and the men servants-and tumbled
in upon the shocking discovery which
awaited them. The room was in dark
ness but for the full. clear light of
the moon shining round and bright,
and beyond the open window on the
floor lay the Marchioness, still dressed
as she had been for dinner. but stone
dead and. as they afterward learned.
without one solitary mark of violence
upon her. save for a mere superficial
scratch on the shoulder. Indeed, they
would have been inclined to regard
II as the result of sudden heart fail
ure. but for the declaration of Seton
HaTtopp. He was in the forefront OF
the gathering. of course, when the
door was battered down. and he de-
clares that as he was precipitated
into the room he heard something
whiz past his head and had just time
TO catch a glimpse Of a huge black
bat silhoutted against the disk of the
bars of the window and disappeared.
II was almost as big as a pigeon and
had an enormous expanse of wing.
That, Of course. led everybody TO re-
member who in the district goes in
for curious bats and other uncanny
things and when IL came to light that
Lord Uppingham had been out until
2 o'clock and that there was that
threatened eviction for today. why.
-
the case as IL stands. old chap; and
if you don't think that that bat was
the means employed-the actual mes
senger Of death"
Il don't Mr.. Narkom. No. don't. I
a m pretty sure that there was a hu-
man hand at the back Of the thing.
That she was murdered. and-for a
cause"
Then. in the name Of all that's
wonderful. how do you think it was
done? And why"
about it," returned Cleek. as he took
out his case and selected a fresh
cigarette. "A good deal will depend
upon my examination of that tower
suite and a good deal more upon
whether or no they take the Illus
trated London News at Nottingham
Hall"
Cinnamon, Why. what on earth
Let me alone. please-irritably-"I
want to DO little quiet thinking on
the subject of natural history and the
peculiarities of certain forms of ami
NAL life. That's ALL
And, indeed. it had to be. For with
that he pulled down his hat brim.
snuggled up in his corner and shut
up like an oyster at low tide.
The morning was as yet no more
than middle aged when the limousine
reached Wittingham Hall and set its
occupants down at the steps Of a
broad stone terrace where Inspector
Naylor of the local consta bulary
stood awaiting them in a state of
nervous excitement.
Il regret to have to inform you,
sir" he said. that matters have taken
a far more serious turn with regard
TO Lord Uppingham since I telephoned
to Mr.. Narkom and we have been
obliged to take his lordship into Gus
tody and now Flannery is entirely
out of it"
Not dead?"
NO. Mr.. Narkom-esta blished a per-
feet alibi. He did go to London last
night, but didn't wire because he
couldn't 1t appears that he was
knocked down and run over by a taxi
as he emerged from the station ano
carried unconscious to the Charing
Cross Hospital Come in II you please.
gentlemen. Mr.. Seton-Hartopp will
tell you all about it,
They went in forthwith, finding
themselves within the space of the
next two minutes standing in the
morning room of the hall ana In the
presence OF a tall. well-groomed. per-
fectly-composed. perfect hammered
gentleman. with frank blue eyes and
what many people would term tax
ing" countenance. and of a decidedly
attractive lady of about nve-and-
thirty whose morning gown was the
last word in such matters from Par,s.
and would have been in extreme good
taste but for the fact that she chose
to mar IL by wearing many flashing
rings of diamonds and pearls and
rubies and had a rope Of enormous
pearls looped about her neck and
hanging thence almost to her knees.
She was sitting by able scattered
with papers and magazines. but she
rose at their entrance and II was only
when. in the course of conversation.
Cleek went over to that table and in
that aimless. haphaZard way people
have began turning those papers over
while he talked that Narkom remem-
bered what he had said with refer
ence to the illustrated London News
or saw anything significant in so tri-
vial and natural an action.
"Of course deeply deplore the
sudden turn which matters have taken
with regard to Lord Uppingham. Mr..
Cleek.'' Seton-Hartopp declared in his
full. richly -modulated voice. after the
interview had lasted for a quarter
Of an hour or so. "Doubly so as
understand that at o'clock this
morning a little son and heir was
born to him; and l tried earnestly to
prevent the local constabulary from
taking him into custody until some
thing more definite than mere empty
suspicion could be brought against
him. They. however. would not listen"
Then I take II, Mr.. Seton-Hartopp.
that in spite of that business about the
bat you do not. yourself. harbor any
suspicion regarding Lord Uppingham's
guilt"
Il Mr.. Cleek? Certainly not The bat
may or may not belong to the collection
of such things which. I hear. he keeps.
but I believe, nevertheless. that he had
nothing to do with its presence in that
place at that particular time and that he
was. as he declares. merely, out taking a
sorrowful farewell of his lost estate. last
night"
HIN, Yes, Possibly you are right.
but now. with your permission, Mr.. Sc
ton-Hartopp. Mr.. Narkom and 1 will
have a look at the tower suite. No don't
II. ,.,,ll a