Charlevoix county herald., 1915-03-06
The
MYSTERIOUS MONOGRAM
A Battling Mystery Story
BY HOWARD p. ROCKEY
CHAPTER l.

A SHOCK UPON AWAKENING
Resuessly, Mr.. Darlington paced up
and down the luz drious library Of
Lord Harcourt's mansion on Grosve-
nor square. He smoked necessarily
and looked anuously at his watch
every few minutes Occasionally he
paused before the window TO Watch
the traffic in the street below, and
then turned to resume his nervous
pacing
Nearly half an hour later, when
Carrington's patience was nearly eX"
hausted, Lord Harcourt appeared In
the doorway, his tall figure wrapped
In a dressing gown Of startling hue
and his head bgllaged in a damp
towel With a E-ifstifed yawn he
lifted his monocle to his eye and
stared lazily at the figure before him.
Dick" he asked slowly. why the
deuce don't you sit down and COM
pose yourself"
compose myself" Darlington al
most shouted NY nerves.
"Dicky, you haven't any nerves. II
you had you wouldn't rush about Ike
this Moreover. II you had the slight
est consideration for me, you would
not insist upon seeing me at the un-
earthly hour of eleven o'clock, when
you know never arise before noon"
With a gesture Of annoyance, Car
rington tossed his cigarette into the
fireplace and unfo.ied a copy of the
Times. Have you seen this?" he
asked
Certainly not" Do you suppose
read in my Sleep
Don't be funny, Jack Something
serious has happened"
Really" draWled Harcourt Have
q drink, Dicky?"
With q shake of his head Darlington
declined. What time did you leave
the club last night ?" he demanded
I'm sure I don't know" Harcour1
replied "If you're really very curious
III asked Fergus Why the curl
ssity?"
Because, some time between one
o'clock last night and daylight this
morning, George Towneshend was
stabbed TO death in the smoking
room Of the Grill club"
With a glass half raised to his lips,
Harcout paused. Murdered" he
said How annoying Did they dis
turb tho furniture?"
Don't be fool, Jacki Are you
made of stone or are you really as
brainless as people say you are?"
Harcourt shrugged. I've wondered
myself-sometimes, he said
But surely you realize what this
means?" Carrinston went on hastily
"Towneshend WIS a guest at your
dinner This morning the servants
found him with a knife wound deep
In his breast-Quite dead-sitting up
in a chair as though he had fallen
asleep there His eyes were wide
open, though, and when the man went
over 10 awaken him, he saw what had
happened, and they say there was the
most terrible look on Towneshend's
features"
Slowly Harcourt drained his glass.
Nov who the devil do you suppose
would want to murder Towney?" he
asked wonderingly. Everybody
liked him. Even did and can't bear
most people"
That's just what want to talk to
you about" Darlington answered
"Kandwahr-the Indian. you know
was with him for quite a little while,
but he went away at 1 o'clock. He
has said that he believes you were
with Towney then"
with Towney?' Harcourt repeat
cd, incredulously. Lord. don't
know may have been"
Surely, Jack, you must remember.
Can't you Sec
"of course sec. Dicky." Harcourt
INTERRUPTED. "I know | have the repu-
tatlon OF being an idiot, and that be.
cause don't 90 about with my emo
lions upon my sleeve Pm a sort OF
human automaton; but even my warp
cd intelligence is sufficient 10 grasp
what this means Surely. though
Dicky, no one can seriously imagine
that ] did It? What possible motive
could ! have for stabbing anybody
Every one knows Pm a most pesceable
person. and really liked Towney
tremendously
-Of course you didn't do 1t. Jack,
and such an idea will never occur 10
any one who knows you. but the fact
that you don't remember where you
were end can't explain what you did
last night, is going 10 make things
deucedly awkward. The police are
bound to question you. Why, even
the papers are full OF nasty insinua-
lions. Just listen TO this"
Dropping into chair before the
window Darlington unfolded news
paper and read: The murder Is be
nevod TO have been committed some
time following the dinner given In a
Il - I..A ~