Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-06-25
THE
WOMAN IN BLACK
Bv EDMUND CLERIHEW BENTLEY
Copyright. 1919. by the Century company.

man looks like his being in a violent
hurry from the beginning. And
here's another thing. One of his
waistcoat pockets was lined with
wash-leather for the reception Of
his gold watch. Anybody who has
settled habits can see how odd that
is. The fact is, there are signs of
great agitation and haste. and there
are signs Of exactly the opposite
For the present l am not guessing
! must reconnoiter the ground first.
if l can manage to get the right
side of the people of the house"
Trent applied himself again to his
breakfast.
Mr.: Cupples smiled at him benev-
olently. "That is precisely the
point" he said, ION which / can be
of some assistance to YOU" Trent
glanced up in surprise. II told you
I half expected you. I will explain
the situation. Mrs. Henderson, who
is my niece"
What" Trent laid down his
knife and fork. Couples. you are
jesting with me-"
II am perfectly serious, Trent.
really" returned Mr.. Cupples earn
estly. "Her father. John Peter
Domecq, was my wife's brother.
never mentioned my niece or her
marriage to you before, | suppose.
To tell the truth, it has always been
a painful subject to me, and I have
avoided discussing it with anybody.
To return to what l was about to
say: last night, when ! was over at
the house-by the way, you can see
it from here. You passed it in the
car" He indicated a red roof among
poplars some three hundred yards
away, the only building in sight
that stood separate from the tiny
village in the gap below them.
Certainly I did," said Trent. 1.-THE
manager told me all about it, among
other things, as he drove me in from
Bishopsbridge."
"Other people here have heard OF
you and your performances" Mr.
Cupples went on. "As l was saying
when l was over there last night
Mr.. Bunner, who is one of Mander-
sons two secretaries, expressed a
hope that the Record would send
you down to deal with the case, as
the police seemed quite at loss
He mentioned one or two of your
past successes, and Mabel, my
niece-was interested when l to. !
her afterwards. She is bearing up
wonderfully well, Trent; she has re-
marka bic fortitude of character. Shs
said she remembered reading your
articles about the Abinger case. She
has great horror of the newspaper
side of this sad business, and she
had entreated me to do anything
could to keep journalists away from
the place-I'm sure you can under
stand her feeling, Trent; it isn't
really any reflection on the profes'
sion. But she said you appeared tc
have great powers as detective
J and she would not stand in the way
of anything that might clear up The
crime. Then I told her you were ;
personal friend of mine, and gave
you a good character for tact and
consideration of others feelings; ant
it ended in her saying that if yor
should come, she would like you tc
be helped in every way"
Trent leaned across the table anc
shook Mr.. Cupples by the hand If
silence. Mr.. Cupples, much delighted
with the way things were turning
out, resumed:
II spoke to my nierce on the tele
phone only just now, and she is glat
you are here. She asks me to say
that you may make any inquiries
you like, and she puts the house ane
grounds at your disposal. She hac
rather not see you herself; she i:
keeping to her own sitting-room
She has already been interviewed b,
detective officer who is there
and feels unequal to any more. Shit
adds that she does not believe she
could say anything that would b.
of the smallest use. The two secre
taries and Martin, the butler (whc
is most intelligent man) could tel