The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1920-11-05
THE GIRL IN THE FUR COAT

barristers chambers? It was one of
the gang had seen there and imag-
ined it was Anderson, who had evil
IDENTIFY never been there in my time.
In case of danger there was another
way over the roof. For some unknown
reason Anderson appeared to have
made up his mind to turn traitor, pos
sibly believing that justice was on the
heels of the gang and anxious to save
his own skin. He wrote to the author
tiles, making the appointment which
Screed kept. His purpose, however,
was discovered by some of his COM
panions, and LIE Maitre came to Eng
land to silence him. With the porter's
connivance he secreted himself in
Anderson's chambers the night before
and awaited his arrival
1.-THE murder was committed in the
morning, probably while you were at
breakfast" Screed went on, land now
comes in that curious arm of coinci-
dence which so often plays an impor-
tant part in life. The murderer was
ready to escape when, watching for
the opportune moment from Ander-
sons window, he saw the girl in the
fur coat go through the Court and
wave to an upper window. His story
was very accurate, remember. The
girl gave him an idea for covering his
own trail-he could throw suspicion
on her and, as he afterwards discov-
cred, on you. His story was little
too accurate, because after investiga-
ton of No. Ia l found he could not
have seen all he said he did from there.
At the last moment he had to alter
has plans, because he saw me come
into the Court and walk toward No. s..
Guessing who 1 was and what my
business was, he knew he must be
trapped unless he got away quickly,
so re ran upstairs before you had
started your pursuit, and escaped by
the roof. Had you been few mo-
ments earlier you would have had the
surprise of your life"
"Why?"
"You will understand directly. Our
friends didn't give up his plan alto
gether. He realized that justice was
closer at his heels than he had mag
ined, and he was very loath to lose
the chance of laying false scent. He
may have waited to see you rush from
your chambers, seeing you from the
recess as we saw him the other night,
and knowing something of the char
acter of Mr.. Burford Yates from the
porter probably, he hurried round to
Kings Bench Walk to make use of
you if he could. He was not disap-
pointed. He found you had gone in
pursuit"
"He saw me?"
"He spoke to you"
"You are wrong. No one"
''In life it is dangerous to be too
certain of anything. There were five
women in fur coats that morning. He
was the second one. 1t was as a
woman he had waited for Anderson;
it was as woman he had become
notorious in the gang. The porter has
confessed it. 1 suspected something
of the kind when you told me your
tale. Your observation of the glove
in the hand, and later of the hands
kept in the muff, was very useful. You
will have to help me again, Mr.. Yates"
"Then you arrested me merely as a
blind?"
81 don't admit that, of course, but
you can draw your own conclusions.
In my profession one has to think
ahead. That is why l said nothing in
my evidence about the hole in the
floor"
"Tell me about that" said
at has probably been there since
Palm Tree Court was built, but was
forgotten until the porter discovered
it before you took the chambers.
Schemers invariably get periods OF
nervousness, often that is why they
are caught, and these men, for some
reason or other, became nervous OF
keeping all their eggs in one basket.
Some of the spoils were removed from
Anderson's chambers to yours. 1t was
possible for the porter to come to
your chambers at any time. If you
happened to be in he could easily give
some excuse for coming. did not sus-
pect him at first, and while was tele-
phoning for the police sent him for
doctor. He slipped round and over
the roof. Jewels were in that hole,
and he wanted to save something out
of the wreck. I banked on the idea
that LIE Maitre would try that same
-. 1Nl