Evening star., 1921-09-04
mysterious entity. Geofrrey's italian

mysterious entity. Geoffrey's italian
wife,
"Ah. there you have it," said the
divisional surgeon heartily. yI !.
! Reggie looked at them. nodded. and
without more talk led the way to the
body. = ttGdid not occupy him long. Two
! wounds had 'sufficed to make an end OF
Stephenson Charlecote. One in the
| artery; one In the chest, which had
reached the heart.
Supt. Bell. in attendance from, Scot.
land Yard. produced the weapon found
, stiletto. obviously capable Of causing
| the wounds, obviously Italian in origin.
Reggie finished his examination and
E, turned to the two doctors who were
waiting on him reverently. ANYTHING
in particular occur to you. gentlemen"
"Quite Straightforward. I think" The
| divisional surgeon shrugged: Techni.
| cally speaking. very neat bit OF work.
81 would go even further. said DR..
and determination.
''The extraordinary efficiency Of the
assassin" Reggie murmured. Yes
Touched the spot every time"
| some experience in the use Of this
weapon" said DR.. Newton.
! "That is Indicated" Reggie nodded
at him. Yes Deceased been in good
health lately!
{ "I have been treating him for some
! time for gastric trouble persistent
! gastric catarrh. 1t was troublesome,
but hardly serious"
And upon that Reggie got rid Of them
bright eye. "And the next thing. sir?"
II am feeling depressed. Bell Do you
ever have feelings? 1 feel this is all
"Well. sir. the evidence is thin. very
thin" -
"Evidence? Oh, my aunt. we haven't
come to evidence yet. I'm uncomfortable.
! Everything seems wrong way up. Why
did anybody kill the old man? He was
anyway Geoffrey had enough to live on.
i Herbert had an allowance, and some
thing Of his own. too. Nobody else stood
| to gain by his DEATH"
SIR
'It keeps coming back to her" Reggie
said mournfully. But why? Suppose
he was nasty to her when he called.
Would she run out and stab him In the
street? wonder. Did he know some
Is her past. Bell?"
pretty short, sir. anyway. She's
not more than eighteen. She. was a
cafe singer all right. But we have
/
ence they're no worse than others.
"And that's that. Have you seen his
papers,"
His solicitor will be there. But un-
derstand there's nothing in them. Very
well. well. I suppose he was mur-
dered."
supt. Bell stared. 'Mr. Lomas said
you . were harpine ], on that Pretty clear
az suppose so." said Reggie drearily.
rBut it's all wrong, Bell, it's all
wrong"
At the dead mans house his solicitor.
library, and helping him. to Reggie's
surprise, was Herbert Charfecote. Her
bert revealed himself as q pallid, dandy
ish man. punctiliously polite. Colorless-
DR.. Newton hit him OF to the nfe. .
| ~ + y
|IIERBERT was very gratifed to
IL make Mr.. Fortunes acquaint-
ance. eif +
II don't know whether to hope you
can throw any light on this miserable
affair, sir?" 49,:
Reggie shook his head. "Your un-
Gle. was stabbed. and died imme-
| diately of the wounds. That IL Sthe
pose you can't help us?"
"I am bewildered. Quite dazed. Mr..
| Fortune" a
Reggie nodded and fingered. and
Herbert discreetly loft him with the
! solicitor. - 81
"Wen. Mr.. .Fortune?" Sir Thomas
took OF his glasses and puPsed his
"Nothing. Well. Sir .Thonas1"sz,
! Nothing, sir" - ~. {.
"Ah. That was a little odd. wasn't
TIT" Reggie nodded at the: door by
| which Herbert had gone odtf:
'.Mr. Herbert sCharlecote offered, to
help me. He used to act - his un-