Evening star., 1921-10-16


the stun on the hearth"
Because this is a tidy crime" said
! Reggie. Nice, quiet. middle-class
crime. No ugly mess. I feel the kind
Of man that did it. Don't you? I'll
tuous. middle-class home"
I'm only feeling what I can feel"
The superintendent began to examine
| the burned paper. Letters mostly.
Some stuff looks a bit like a note.
book. That's all we'll get out OF
| that"
well. except the one thing. Who
ever did that was cleaning up traces
| that might have been dangerous.
| Same like he cleared up the dead
| mans face. Somebody and some af-
fair had to be absolutely abolished"
'Yes. What was it?"
I'VE mayn't ever know that" said
Reggie. slowly.
I believe you" said Bell. and
laughed. II feel that sir"
The inspector and he began to e1-
| anime the room in detail. opening
drawers and cupboards. Eut except
for tobacco and spirits. they found
been broken open. but nothing was
! locked. mo keys on the deceased.
were there. Mr. Fortune?" said Bell.
suddenly. Very few men go about
without any keys.
well. hang it, very few men go
e1postulated. "The corpse hadn't a
| copper You can take it the way we
found him wasn't the way he used to
20 about; He'd do his vest up for
That's right. sir. Well. now, these
anywhere. All burnt in that basket.
Rather odd there is not so much as a
| book"
ture. the elusive Rand. But you've
missed something. haven't you?"
"T dare say" Bell grinned. IT gen.
orally do when you're about"
There's not sign the murder was
done in this ROOM"
"Oh. I saw that all right. But we
hadn't any reason I;S.d to think Ro it was va t,dv
So tidy" And they went into Mr..
Rand's bedroom.
That. also, was tidy. No trace Of a
| struggle, Of blood. That, also. had no
papers. no books. nothing personal
spent a good deal at his tai tsIle5,s," s,,."
wardrobe. Hello. They're not al
the same make. Some cheaper stun.
| Why. what's the matter with his
boots. sir?' For Reggie wns taking
up one pair after another.
. Nothing: All quite satisfactory; s
corpse wore about nine. and had
broad foot. What's that about his
clothes? Different tailors? Are the
clothes all the same size. All made
| for the same MANI? Suit after suit
; was spread out on the bed; They
were marked "w. H. Rand"
quite satisfactory" Reggie pur-
red. THEY'D fit the corpse al! right
Pretty different STYLES. though. He
times. He is elusive. is w. H. Rand,
They began to open drawers. There
was the same abundance. the same
| variety Of styles in Mr.. Rand's hos
iery. Eyes. he meant to be elusive. :.
Reggie murmured Any "Anything s,an from n,
a funeral. Sixteen and one-half col
| lars, though. And that's the measure
Of the corpse. Is all the linen
marked?"
| 1t was, and with ink. "If the corpse
Is Rand. where the devil did his shirt
slayer unpicked the name from his
coat. But the shirt? Did the slayer
bring q change Of linen with him;
Provident fellow. very provident."
Bell, on his knees by a chest Of
drawers: gave ss srunt; LORD; or a,.h here's re-
first yet. It's new stuff, too-no,
J worn."
mot marked. Same sort of stun as
the corpse wears. And the first un-
| tidy drawer. Well, well. Everybody
breaks down somewhere. He began
| to be untidy then. When he got to
the shirt and the vest! Bah"
| Reggie went to the dressing table
and opened and shut drawers. Their
he turned with something in his
hands THAT wasn't such bad eho,
Of mine, Bell. Here's a wig. The
| corpse is uncommon bald. The elu-
Here's a nice brown wig"
There's no blood on it!' Bell cried
mo. IsEuess this IL Mr.. Rand's Sec
i a.a haaf The he had on when he