Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-10
SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON D. MARCH 4.

the corner of the house and I'll tell him
He turned on his heel. when Mr..
Beck called quickly after him:
What about that key?'
John Neville handed it to him with
out a word. The detective took it as
and up the great stone steps alone,
whistling softly.
Eric welcomed him at the door. for
the driver had told of his coming.
You have had no dinner, Mr.. Beck
he asked courteously.
Business first; pleasure afterward.
I had bite on the train. May see
the gamekeeper. Lennox. for hVe MIN
utes alone?"
Certainly. I'll send him to you in
moment here in the library
Lennox, the gamekeeper. long
limbed, high shouldered. elderly man.
shambled shyly into the room. con-
sumed by nervousness in the presence
of London detective.
sit down. Lennox-sit down" said
Mr.. Beck. kindly. The very sound OF
his voice. homely and good natured;
put the man at his ease Now. tell
me, why did you come home SO soon
from the grouse this morning"
We'll. you see. sir, it was this ways
We were two hours hout when the
squire. e says to me, Lennox. e says.
III sich oi tHlS 1ooiihS' ia e0'e
ONE
Well, you see. it was scorching hot
for one thing. but that wasn't 1T. for
the Internal fire would not stop the
squire if he was on for sport. But ne
was in a blazing temper all the morn
ing, and temper tells more than most
anything on a mans shooting. When
Flora sprung a pack-she.s young
dog. and the fault wasn't hers, either
for she came down the wind on them
but the squire had the gun TO ms
shoulder to shoot her. Five minutes
after she found another pack and set
like a stone. They got up as big as
haycocks and as lazy as crows, and he
missed right and left-never touched a
feather-a thing L haven't seen him 90
since | was boy
Its myself I should shoot. not the
dog he growled. and he flung me the
gun to load. When I'd got the caps
on and had shaken the powder into the
nipples he ripped out an oath that
ed have no more of it. E walked
right across country to where the trap
was. The birds got up under his rect,
but divil a shot he'd fire. but drove
straight 'ome.
when we got to the 'ouse wanted
TO take the gun and fire it off. or draw
the charges. But e told me to go to
-. and carried it UP loaded as it was
to his study. where no one goes unless
they're sent for special. 1t was better
than an hour afterward | heard the
thousand I ran for the study as fast
aS-''
Eric Neville broke suddenly into the
room, flushed and excited.
Mr.. Beck. he cried. "a nonstrous
thing has happened Wardle. the local
consta bic. you know, has arrested my
cousin on a charge of wilful murder
of my uncle.
Mr.. Beck. with his eyes intent on The
excited face, waved his big hand sooth-
ingly.
Easy" he said. take it easy. Mr.,
Neville. It's hurtful to your feelings.
no doubt. but it cannot be helped. The
constable has done no more than his
you know. and in such cases it's best
for all parties to proceed regularly.
You can co. he went on. speaking
to Lennox, who stood dumfounded at
ing with eyes and mouth wide open
Then, turning again very quietly to
Eris: Now. Mr.. Neville. l would like
to see the room where the corpse is.
II know you Will kindly humor ne,
Mr.. Neville he said. but l find that
| can look closer and think clearer
when I'm by myself. I'm not exactly
shy. you know, but its a habit 1
have"
He closed the door softly as he
leaving the key in the lock.
One glance at the CORPSE showed him
Iilal II "dS NOT Su!tidS- III tiilS' d
least, John Neville had spoken the
truth
The detective walked to the table
where the gun. a handsome, old-fash-
toned uuzzleloader, lay, the muzzle
still pointed at the corpse. But his at
tention was diverted by a water bottle.
a great globe of clear glass quite full.
and perched on a book a little distance
from the gun. and between it and the
window He took it from the table and
water with the his
tongue It had = curious. insipid. nar-
boiled taste, but he detected TO foreign
flavor in il. Though the room WAS fun
cover of the book where the water bot
tie stood. and Mr.. Beck noticed Il gap in
the third roy 0f the t00' "ase. from
where the book had been taken.
after quick glance around the room
Mr.. Beck walked to the window. on a
small table there he found a clear circle
in the thick dust He fitted the round
bottom of the water bottle to this circle
and it covered it exarctly. While he
stood by the window he caught sight
of some small scraps Of paper crum-
bIed UP and thrown into corner. Pick
ing them up and smoothing them out he
found they were curiously drilled with
little burnt holes Having examined the
holes infinitely with his magnifying
glass, he slipped these scraps folded on
each other into his waistcoat pocket.
From the window he went back to
the gun This time he examined it with
the n1inutest care. The right barrel he
found had been recently discharged, the