Evening star., 1921-07-17

MALCoM SAGE BALANCED
fact. and eventually 1 was sent for rs
oldest friend"
You advised?" When keenly inter
ssted; Nal, Maicolm na,s sase's questions were
That Challoner should wait and
see the girl"
Did her"
Again Sir James hesitated, only for
q fraction Of a second, however.
Yes: but unfortunately with the
object of endeavoring to buy her on:
Yesterday afternoon Dane brought
her over. Challoner saw her alone.
Of an hour Then she and Dane left
the house together. he to see her to
the station. An hour later. ne re-
turned. / was in the hall at the time.
He was in a very excited state. He
pushed past me, burst into the libra
That evening at dinner Challoner
told me there had been very un-
pleasant scene. He had warned the
boy that unless he apologazed today
he would telephone to London for his
lawyer. and make "a fresh will en-
the interview Dane went outs'of the
house. and apparently. did not return
until late-as a matter of fact. after
had gone to bed. was feeling
tired and said good night to .Chal-
lorier about half-past 10 In the H.
brary." '
ITS a pity you let the butler un-
lock the door," he remarked EegrHet-
Sir James looked across at. hi Oh te
chief of staff keenly.5 He detected
something of reproach In his tone.
Did you happen to notice the
electric light was on when you en-
tered the 1ibrary?" =
"No," said Sir James, after slight
pause; 'it was not"
Malcolm Sage reached across to the
private telephone and gave the
galvanized Miss GLADYS Norman into
Miss Norman" said Sage as she
entered "can you lend me the small
mirror 1 have seen you Use occasion
ally?" s.% ,,..
pes!gi tss mirror r from her handbag. She
was accustomed to Malcolm Sage's
strange requests.
I + X *E
A quarter Of an hour later the two
n men entered :, Sir James car
whilst Thompson and Dawkins, the
official photographer to the bureau
followed in that driven by Tins.
Malcolm Sage would cheerfully have
sacrificed anybody and, anything to
serve his late chief.
AS the car drew up, the haI-door
of The Cedars was thrown open oy
the butler, a fair-haired, clean -shaVen
man Of about forty-five, with grave,
n n
the impression of allowing little to
AS he descended the fight of stone
steps to open the door of the car
young man appeared behind MIN. A
moment later Sir James was intro
ducing him to Malcolm sage as MT.
Richard Dane" 4.
Dark, with smoothly brushed hair,
and a toothbrush mustache. he might
easily have been passed over in a croWo
without a second glance. He was op-
viously and acutely nervous. HIS nm
gers moved terkily. and tnere Were
twitchings at the corner OF his mouth
that he seemed unable to control. 1t
was not a good tempered mouth,
Peters conducted Sir James and NAL
colin Sage to the dining room, where
luncheon was laid.
he inquired, ignoring Dane, who was
clearly unequal to :. the strain OF the
duties Of host. So
Sir James looked across at, Malcolm
Sage. who shook his head. :
'T'll see the library first: he said.
kins." he said to Thompson, and he fol-
lowed Sir James through the house out
on to the lawn. So =.
AS they entered the library by the
French windows q tall, sandy man rose
from the armchair in which he was
NJ he
Sussex county constabulary. Malcolm
Sage nodded q little absently. His eyes
were keenly taking In every detail OF
the figure .sprawling across the writ
ing table. The head rested on the left
cheek. and there was an ugly wound In
dripped and CONCEALED upon the table.
In the right hand was clutched q small
automatic pistol. The arm was slightly
curved. the weapon pointing to the left
Malcolm Sage pext proceeded to re-
gard the body from every angie. even
ton OF the legs beneath the table He
then walked round the room and exam
ined everything with minute attention
particularly the key in the door, which
Sir Jgnes had replaced in Its position
on the inside. THE keyhole on both
Finally he returned to the table,
where, dropping on one knee on the
left .hand side OF the body. he drew q
penknife from his pocket. and proceeded
with great care and deliberation to slit
up the outer seam Of the trousers: &c
that the pocket lay exposed. -
4 This in turn he cut open, taking care
not to disturb the bunch Of keys which
attached to chain, lay on the thigh
q little to the left.
Having assured himself that the keys
would not slide of. Malcolm Sage rose
and turned to Dawkins: IF
IT want q plate from the right, the
left, the front, and from behind and
above. Also an Exposure showing the
position Of the legs and another Of the
keys"
gray. baldheaded little; man; who had
only. one thought In life, his profession
'When DaWkins has finished" said
Malcalua SAGE fu.uing to the iuSpec-O: