Evening star., 1918-05-26

ance and cause? There's another.
ehg'
Another? I expect there must be q
dozen. II the truth were known.
1 ever heard of as having a good word
to say for the man."
And who might that he?"
The Hon. Mrs. Brinkworth. widow
of his younger brother. You'd think
the man was an angel TO hear her
was wild sort. Left her up to her
ears in debt. without penny to bless
herself, and with a boy Of Ave to rear
and educate. Stavornell seems 20
rave liked her. At any rate. he came
to the rescue. paid Off the debtst set
to have the boy sent to Eton as soon
as he was old enough. I expect the
boy is at the bottom OF this good
streak in him IL all is told: for. hav-
ing no children of his own Isay!
By George. old chap, Why that nip
is Lord Stavornell now that the uncle
is dead. A lucky stroke for him. by
jupiter
Yes" agreed Cleek Lucky for
him: lucky for Lady Stavornell: lucky
for Capt. Crawford. and uniucky for
Fifi de Lesparre. So, of course Sy-
denham at last. Good-by for a little
time, Mr.. Narkom. Join you at Nor
wood Junction as soon as possible,
and say"
Yes, old chap"
Wire through to the Low Level sta
tion at Crystal Palace. will you? and
inquire If anybody has mislaid an
ironing board or lost an Indian canoe.
See you later. So long"
Then he stepped up on to the station
platform and went in quest of a tele-
phone booth. .
It was after nine o'clock when he
turned up at Norwood Junction. as
calm. serene and imperturbable as
ever. and found Narkom awaiting
him in a small private room which
the station clerk had placed at his
disposal.
My dear fellow, I never was no
glad" exclaimed the superintendent,
jumping up excitedly as Cleek en-
tered. What kept you so long: I've
been on thorns. Got bushels to tell
you. First off, as Stavornelrs identi-
ty is established beyound doubt. and
no time has been lost in wiring the
news of the murder to his relatives.
both Lady Stavornell and Mrs. Brink
worth have wired back that they are
coming on. / expect them at any
minute now. And here's piece OF
news for you. Fits husband is in
England. The Hon. Mrs. Brinkworth
has wired me to that effect. Says she
has means of knowing that he came
over from France the other day; and
that she herself saw him in London
this morning when she was up there
shopping"
"Oho" commented Cleek. Got her
wits about her, that lady. evidently.
Find anything at the Crystal Palace
Low Level, Mr.. Narkom?"
Yes My dear Cleek. don't know
whether you are a wizard or what.
and l can't conceive what reason you
can have for making such an in
which was it? Canoe or ironing
board?"
Neither. as it happens. But they've
got lady's folding cutting table;
you know the sort, one of those that
women use for dressmaking opera
tions. and possible to be folded up
Nobody knows who left 1t. but it's
there awaiting an owner. and it was
found
"oh, I can guess that" fnterposed
Cleek, nonchalantly. 1T was in q
first-class compartment Of the 5:1s
from LOHQOu DTluBc, which ASoS"cu
the Low Level at 5:43. No. never
mind questions for a few minutes.
please. Let's go and have look at
che body. I want to satisfy myself
regarding the point of what in the
world Stavornell was doing on a
ought, properly. to be on his way
home to his rooms at the Ritz. pre-
pairing to dress for dinner; and !
want to find out. II possible. what
means that chap with the little dark
mustache used to get him to go out
dress and by that particular train"
Chap with the small dark mus
tache? What do you mean by that!"
Party that killed him. My phone
to London Bridge station has cleared
Stavornell engaged that compart-
ment in that particular train by tele-
phone at o'clock this afternoon.
He arrived all alone. and was in no
end of a temper because the carriage
was dirty: had it swept out, and and
done. After that the porter says he
found him laughing and talking with
a dark-mustached little man. appar-
emily of continental origin. dressed in
a Norfolk suit and CARRYING brown
leather portmanteau. OF course. as
the platform was crowded. nobody
seems to have taken any notice OF
the dark-mustached little man: and
the porter doesn't know where he
went nor when-only that he never
saw him again. But I know where
too. what was in that portmanteau.
An air pistol, for one thing: also a
mallet or hammer and that wet cloth
we found. both of which were for the
purpose of smashing the electric
light globe without sound. And he
uept ;Rhaf compartment with his
victim."
Eyes; but. man alive. how did he
get out? Where did he go after that.
and what rat. Il became g Of the brown
II hope to be able to answer both
questions before this night is over.
Mr.. Narkom. Meantime. let us go and
have a look at the body and settle
one of the little points that bother
me-"
The superintendent led the way to
the siding where the shunted carriage
stood, closely guarded by the police:
and. lanterns having been procured
from the lamp room. Cleek was soon
deep in the business of examining the
compartment and its silent occupant.
Aided by the better light, he now
perceived something which, in the
first hurried examination. had es-
capped him. or. IL it had not-whfch
is, perhaps, open to question-he had
made no comment upon 1t was spot
about the size of an ordinary dinner
plate on the crimson carpet which
covered the floor of the compartment.
1t was slightly darker than the rest
Of the surface. and was at the foot
Of the corner seat directly facing the
dead man.
II think we can fairly decide. Mr..
Narkom. on the evidence of that"
said Cleek, pointing to it. that Lord
Stavornell did have a companion in
this compartment, and that 1t was the