The Washington times., 1920-04-18


He had hardly crossed the door
way. could see. In spite OF his
stiffness OF body, that his pale eyes
were perpetually moving. looking
TO this side and TO that, resting
awhile on the body lying on the
floor, again penetrating into each
corner OF the small arbor, looking
first at one window and then al the
other. He slightly lifted his head
and the upturn OF his gray eyes
told me that he was making a
study OF the matched roof. About
the time that the energy OF the
constable's booming had run itself
down into silence the gray eyes
came to meet mine, and they met
them and held them with that ex-
traordinaTy. unwinking steadiness
which have mentioned before.
what he did say after that first
inspecting OF me was not to me.
but to Larncombe; nor was II In
any way In answer to what the
constable had been asservating.
Go" he said, "and find Mr.. Live
say and bring him here"
imagine that the sending for
Mr.. Livesay achieved two ends at
once-that for which II was most
obviously designed. and also our
temporary freedom from Larn-
combe and his pomposity. l was
rather afraid that when we were
alone the little man might address
me in his military, Roman fashion,
but he was, on the contrary, quite
as courteous as his expressionless
manner permitted.
"Will you answer me few ques-
tions, miss?" he asked, and. OF
course, 1 said that I would tell all
that I possibly could.
He began by asking me how my
attention had first been called to
the tragedy, and 7 told him In sub
stance what / have already written
down about the violent peal at the
bell and Livesay's call up to my
uncle at the window.
/ hesitated moment then,
doubtful whether ] should say any.
thing about having seen uncle go
out earlier. l decided Immediately
in my own mind that l would say
nothing about It. Uncle Ralph
must surely have some excellent
reason, which Ne would tell me all
in good time, for denying that he
had been out. 1t was not for me
to know better.
That Is rather how I argued 1t
out to myself, and l am sure that
the argument did not take more
than the eighth of a second, but l
am equally certain that the little
man was aware Of that eighth OF a
seconds hesitation and registered
It on his own mental record. l did
tell him, however, about Grainger's
being fully dressed, and he asked
me a very funny question upon
that: did you notice whether his
tie was tied the same as 1t was at
dinner?"
of course I told him so, but the
very idea that 1t was possible for
him to ask that question. possible
for him to think 1t possibility
that I might have taken note Of
such thing, gave me momentary
and almost terrifying insight into
the power and habit Of observation
of the man himself. For q full
minute after this he did not ask
me another question, and from his
silence I guessed that this figure
Of Granger in full dress appeared
to him significant. and that he was
trying to think out what its sig
nificance could be. Then he put
yet another question, more or less
to the same point: did you no
tice, Miss Carlton, whether the
buffers shoes looked as II he had
been out?"
Again l had to shake my head.
l began to feel like child under
examination for general intelli-
gence, and like a child who was
acquitting itself badly and getting
bad marks.
"You thought it funny" he oh.
served then, when l asked you
whether Mr.. Grainger's tie was
Just as 1t was when he waited at
dinner" (How had he known
thought 1t funny-I had not told
him SOP 81 will ask you ques-
tlOH uOW tudt i tHluh you Will uC
able to answer: Is Lady Carlton
now"-he pointed to the body on
the foor-"dressed as she was
when you last saw herr"
was on surer ground here, as
he had foreseen. YES l said,
"she Is"
"And that would be at what hour
that you last saw her alive?"
About half.past seven"
And at that time she went to
her room?"
"Yes."
"You and Sir Ralph, your uncle,
dined alone?"
Yes"
Lady Carlton was unwell? Did
-ou think 1t was serious?"
"Oh, no." said, nothing serious
Just headache or something"
"Had she said that she did not