Evening star., 1918-06-09
H CLEEK, T HE


was one blaze of parrot tulips, and,
his eye caught by the flaming colors.
he was staring at them and ref1ec-
lively rubbing his thumb and fore
finger up and down his chin. After
a moment, however:
Tell me something, Sir Henry" he
said abruptly. Is anybody interested
in your not putting Black Riot into
tho field on Derby day? Anybody
with whom you have a personal ac-
know there are other owners who
would be glad enough to see her
scratched. But is there anybody who
would have a particular interest in
your failure?'
"Yes-one: Maj. Lambson-Bowles.
owner of Minnow. Minnow's second
favorite, as perhaps you know. 1t
would delight Lambson- -Bowles to see
me go under; and. as I'm SO certain
of Black Riot that I've mortgaged
world to back her. I should go under
II anything happened to the mare.
That would suit Lambson-Bowles
down to the ground"
Bad blood between you. them"
Yes, very. The fellows a brute,
and-I thrashed him once, as he de-
served. the bounder. 1t may interest
you to know that my only sister was
his first wife. He led her a dogs
life, poor girl. and death was a merci-
full release to her. Twelve months
an. widow of a man who made mil
lions in hides and leather. That's
when Lambson-Bowles took up rae
ing and how he got the money to
keep stud. Had the beastly bad
taste, too. to come down to Suffolk
within gunshot of Wilding Hall
take Emsle Manor. the biggest place
in the neighborhood. and cut dash
under my very nose, as it were"
"oho" said Cleek. then the major
Is neighbor as well as rival for
the Derby plate; see!. l see"
Sir Henry, quickly. "Lambson-Bowle
is brute and bounder in many
ways. but-well. I don't believe he
is low down enough to do this sort
OF thing, and with murder attached
to it. too. although he did try to bribe
my trainer double wages. too. to
chuck me and take up his horses"
"oh, he did that, did he? Sure of
it. Sir Henry?
,,,.4.b Absolutely: o. Saw the letter he
"Hum-m-m! Feel that you can re-
ly on Logan, do your
ITO the last gasp. He's as true to
me as my own shadow, If yon want
proof of it. Mr.. cleek, he's going to
himself tonight. in the face of what
happened to Murple and Tolliver."
"Murple is the groom who was
paralyzed. is he not?" said Cleek,
after a moment singular thing
that: What paralyzed him, do you
think? 4.
Heavens knows. He might just as
well have been killed as poor Tolliver
was. for he'll never be any use again,
the doctors say. Some injury to the
affection of the throat and tongue.
He can neither swallow nor speak.
Nourishment has to be administered
by tube. and the tongue is horribly
swollen"
Il am Of the opinion, Cleek." put in
Narkom, that strangulation is merely
part of the procedure Of the rascal
who makes these diabolical nocturnal
visits. In other words, that he is
armed with some quick In
fernal poison, which he forces into
the mouths of his victims. That
paralysis of the muscles Of the threat
Is one OF the symptoms of prussic acid
poisoning, you must remember"
Il do remember, Mr.. Narkom," re-
piled Cleek. enigmatically. my mem.
tails. I assure you. I gather from
them that, whatever is administered,
Murple did not get quite SO much of
1t as Tolliver or he. too, would be-
dead: siE Henry-he turned again
body else connected with your estab-
lishment as much as you trust
Logan?"
"Yes. There's not servant con-
nected with the hall that hasn't been
in my service for years. and all are
loyal to me-"
May ask who else is in the house
besides the servantsT
MY wife, Lady Wilding, for one;
her cousin. Mr.. Sharpless, who is ON
a visit to US, for another; and for a
third. my uncle. the Rev. Ambrose
Smeer. the famous revivalist"
''Mr. Smeer does not approve Of the
racetrack, of course?'
mo, he does not. He Is absurdly
narrow on some subjects, and sport
Of all sorts Is one Of them. But be-
yond that he is dear, lovable old
fellow, of whom am amazingly fond.'
Hum -m-Yn! And Lady Wilding and
Mr.. Sharpless, do they, too disapprovej
of racing?"
"Quite to the contrary. Both are
enthusiastic upon the subject and both
have the utmost faith in Black Riots
certainty Of winning. Lady Wilding
is something more than attached to
the mare, and as for Mr.. Sharpless,
he is 80 upset over these rascally at
tempts that every morning when the
steel room is opened and the animal
taken out, although nothing ever
happens in the daylight, he won't let
her get out OF his sight for a single
instant until she is groomed and
locked up for the night. He is SO in
censed. so worked up over this dia-
bolical business that I verify believe
If he cauRht anv Stran1er cOmfnU