Evening star., 1921-07-17

when he knew that my fiancee was
s.A secretary" suggested Malcolm
Sage. without looking up.
engagement at once. no matter. what 1t
might cost. refused. Four days ago
Sir James came and. ! think. talked
| things over with my uncle. who said he
would see Enid. that is. my fianeee. She
| insisted on seeing her alone. She stayed
| only few minutes"
"You walked back to the station with
her." remarked Malcolm Sage, ana
she told you what had taken take p place ICE
! You were furious. You said many wild
and extfavagant things. Then you came
back and went. Immediately into the
| liblasy. What took place there"
think for the time / was insane. He
had actually offered her money, notes
| He had draw them out of the bank on
purpose" Again he stopped. as II the
memory of the insult were too much
a"And you said!" suggested Malcolm
IT. don't remember what I, said; but
! my uncle. told me that. unless I
| wrote to Enid today giving. her up and
| apologized to him. he would tele-
| phone for his lawyer and make a
ilfresh will. cutting me. out of it en-
tirely. was to have until the next
morning to decide--that is. today
i And what would your decision have
lbeen?" he asked J.
"I told him that II he gave me ten
years it-wouid be the same" ,
! That you would not do as he
wished2" ='E
| "Gertainly not" =
! Until this episode you were on
good terms with each other?"
Z, Malcolm Sage had got a dessert spoon
and fork to balance on the blade Of
! a knife:
.Yesg
You know Of no reason why your
uncle should take his life?"
None whatever.
| DO you believe he shot. HIMSELF"
i rise and fail of the balancing silver.
But for the locked door u should
have said 'no.''ss -
by the way, where did your uncle
! bahk ?" enquired' Malcolm Sage cas-
'"At the Southern Counties and
| Browns: Bank, Lewes." was the reply.
Thank you. That will do, think,
! for the present. You. had better run
round to your doctor and get him to
! give you something to steady your
nerves" said Malcolm Sage. with eyes
! that had lost their professional CLINT.
They are ALI on edge"
! =. Malcolm Sage rose and. walking
over to the door, removed the key.
examining the wards intently. then
| replaced it and, opening the door.
walked across to the library.
, He found that Dawkins had COM
! pleted his work. and the body Of Mr..
! Challoner had been removed.
| Seating himself at the table. he
took the automatic pistol in his hand
and deliberately removed the car
| tridges. Then placing the. muzzle
eyes momentarily on Dawkins. who,
| having anticipated his wishes, had
already adjusted the camera. He
removed the cap. replaced 1t. and then
quickly reversed the plate.
allowed his head to fall forward, his
right hand which held the pistol,
! dropping on the. table before, him:
Dawkins took another photograph.
Now" said Malcolm Sage to Sir
right temple, approaching from be-
hind. Grip my head as II you ex-
| pected me to resist.
I ,.Sir James did as he was requested,
Dawkins making smother exposure.
Malcolm Sage, nhotioned Thompson
1
on to his knees by the library door.
he took the small mirror he had bor-
rowed from Miss Norman and. placing
4 1t partly beneath the door, carefully
1 examined the reflection by the aid Of
1 an electric torch.
| a man who had satisfied himself upon
some important point. He then turned
I .'Ybu might get those finger prints" !"
he said casually. Get every one to-
gether In the dining room. See that
fof an hour. Thompson will go with
| whilst. Sir James walton and
iThompson.were occupied with q room
full OF domestics, talking in whispers
as If in the presence Of death. Nal.
examination of the bottoms Of all the
doors in the house by means Of q
mirror, placed upward, beneath each.
| He also removed the keys and gave q
swift look at the wards Of eRch.
He moved quickly; yet Without
| haste a. IL his brain had entire con-
| troll. Of khe situation.
| One door in particular appeared to
| interest him., so much SO that he en-
f, tered the room and proceeded to ex-
anime 1t witty great thoroughness, pay
ing the utmost care.,to replace every
From the middle drawer: Of the
chest Of drawers he extracted, from
under q pile of clothess.a q thin steel
object, some hve .,or six inches in
! length, wound round with fine,
strong twine. This he slipped into
his pocket and. going down into the
hall. rang mp the manager. of the
| Lewes branch Of the Southern Coun-
ties and Browns Bank. f
Passing into thes library, he searched
the, drawers sof the table at which Mr..
Challoner had been found. In one OF
Seating hin1self,at, the table. he pro-