Evening journal., 1922-08-04

he says, when he finds that It is Ro-
bert who is killed. No reason, then
for wishing 10 gain time. on the
contrary. every instinct would urge
him to get into the room as quickly
as possible. and seize the wicked
Robert. Yet he goes the longest
way round. why2 And then, why
rum
That's the question" said An
tony to himself. as he filled his pipe
and bless me If I know the an
swer."
He sat there with his unlit pipe
| in his hand, thinking. There were
one or two things in the back OF
his brain, waiting TO be taken out
and looked at For the moment he
left them undisturbed. They would
come back to him later when he
wanted them.
He laughed suddenly. and lit his
pipe.
Il was wanting a new profess
sion" he thought. land now I've
found It. Antony Gillingham, our
own private sleuthhound. I shall
begin today"
Whatever Antony Gillingham's
other qualifications for his new pro-
fession, he had at any rate a brain
which worked clearly and quickly.
And this clear brain OF his had al
ready told him that he was the only
person in the house at that moment
who was Handicapped in the
search for truth. The inspector had
arrived in II TO find a man dead and
a man missing. 1t was extremely
probable, no doubt, that the missing
man had shot the dead man. But Il
was more than extremely probable,
IL was almost certain that the in
spector would start with the idea
this this extremely probable solu-
ton was the one true solution. and
that, in consequence. he would be
less disposed to consider without
prejudice any other solution.
Inspector Birch was certainly pre-
pared TO believe that Mark had shot
his brother. Robert had been shown
into the Office (witness Audrey;
Mark had gone in to Robert (wit-
ness Cayley); Mark and Robert had
been heard talking (witness Elsie);
there was a shot (witness every
body); the room had been entered
and Roberts body had been found
(witness Cayley and dillingham;.
And Mark was missing. Obviously,
then. Mark had killed his brother;
accidentally as Cayley believed, or
deliberately, as Elsie's evidence
seemed to suggest.
But there were other possibilities.
II would have interested Antony to
know that, just at the time when he
was feeling rather superior to the
prejudiced inspector. the inspector
himself was letting his mind dwell
lovingly upon the possibilities In
connection with Mr.. Dillingham;. Was
it only a coincidence that Mr.. Gil
bingham had turned up just when he
did? And Mr.. Beverly's curious
answers when asked for some ac-
count OF his friend. An assistant in
a tobacconist'sl An odd man, Mr..
Dillingham;. evidently. II might be
as well to keep an eye on him.
CHAPTER VI.
The guests had said goodby to
Cayley, according to their different
manner
Bill had seen them into the car,
had taken his own farewells with a
special squeeze Of the hand for Bet
ty), and had wandered out to join |
Antony on his garden seat.
well, this is a rum show" said |
Bill as he sat down.
Very rum, William"
And you actually walked right |
into it?"
Right into It," said Antony and |
proceeded to tell all that he had al
ready told the inspector, Bill inter-
rupting him here and there with ap-
Good Lords" and whis-
ties.
II say. its a bit of a business. isn't
IL? Where do come in. exactly?"
Antony smiled at him.
We'll, there's nothing to worry
about, you know. Besides. I need |
you. Things are going to happen
here soon"
Continued In Our Next Issue-)