South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-11-17
THE MAN WITH sTEEL FINGERS
Begin Here Today

~ JONQUELLE, greatest OF French
detectives. was ushered into the
presence OF the strange and fear
compelling
LORD VALLEYS. the English-Serb
who had just inherited the title
and estates Of his murdered uncle.
Lord Winton.
Three lives had stood between the
Lord Valleys and the wealth Of his
uncle. But both Of Lord Winton's
sons were killed in the great war.
Only one. who married an American
left an heir and this heir. a daugh-
ter. was barred by English law from
inheritance.
Then came the murder OF Lord
Winton and the inheritance Of the
estate by the strange. powerful and
n0rose Lord Valleys.
Go ON With the story.
CHAPTER H.
The murder Of Lord Wincon.
the wise English authorities at
tribute 20 me. Lord Valleys con-
inued coolly.
They spared no effort to fix It
upon me. That they were unable 20
90 so is not / think, attributable
TO this thing which you call Provi-
dence.
1T is attributable rather, I think.
20 the intelligence of my legal coun-
sci and 20 myself"
lie looked directly at. Monsieur
Jonquelle His big. placid face lift
ed his voice was even and unhur-
ried
Il am not embarra ed 10 discuss
IT, monsieur" he continued. When
the war had ended with the death of
Lord Winton's sons. I was. by virtue
Of what you have so aptly called
the accident of birth next in sue
Cession TO the title. thought il beth
advisable and courteous to present
myself 10 Lord Winton. and L went
TO England for that purpose.
Lord Winton was an eccentric
person. AS he grew older. and after
the death of his sons. his eccentric
ity became more dominant. 1 did
not find him on his estates at Ra-
venscroft; he was at this time in
London in a little old house which
the family has always owned in a
street toward Covent Garden.
OH the tAEilL llAdL 4 GdAAEu 10 Ett
Lord Winton. it was quite late. ]
found him alone in the house He
seemed disturbed to see me, but he
was courteous. and 1 cannot com
plain of his welcome He seemed
however. not TO realize that had
grown into a man. He seemed to re
gard me as a queer, foreign lad 10
whom he owed some obligation of
hospitality"
Lord Valleys stopped He leaned a
little forward in the chair, and his
voice took on firmer note
Monsieur" ne said, 4 am saying
TO you now a thing to which testi-
fed at the English trial. and which
was not believed Lord Winton told
me that he expected a person to
call on him within a very few min
utes and 10 remain for perhaps an
-FOUR. He asked me to return at the
end of an hour. I got up TO go.
As went down the stairway, a
hanson. entering the street from
the direction of the city. stopped be-
fore the door. The door was closed
but the sound was clearly audible.
Lord Winton, who was behind
me. "a me also uONl the steps AI
q console in the hall were several
candles which the servants. accord
ing TO custom. had placed there An
idea came to Lord Winton. for he
stopped me as my hand was on the
door 10 go out. He took up one of
these candles in tall brass candle
stick, and touching me on the arm.
handed it TO me.
Instead Of going out he said,
suppose you go down into the wine
cellar. There should be some bottles
Of Burgundy of a famous year
stored there by your grandfather
See If you can find them. and we
shall have a glass OF wine with our
talk. I have great deal to say to
YOU. my nephew. The wine will
sustain us
You VIII see, monsieur, that this
idea that I was merely a grown-up
Tad, come 10 visit an ancient rela-
tive was quite fixed with Lord
Winton. As the servants had gone
out, he was sending me. as though
were a lad from Elton, TO find the
. wine for our conversation. He gave
me the key. a direction about the
steps and doors. He even said there
was a box OF biscuits on the dining
room table which I should bring up
1t was all. you see. monsieur, quite
rs though I were an undergraduate
from some English public school"
The man looked down at his firm,
placid hands resting upon and OBJ
securing the arms Of the chair In
which he sat
This. monsieur" he said. sis a
portion of my evidence which the
English criminal court refused TO
eelieve. Ii was incredibly stupid"
Monsieur Jonqueue looked UP
sharply at that sentence.
The English criminal court" he
said. was even more stupid than
YOU imagine. II was. as you have
said. incredibly stupid"
Lord Valleys made no comment.
There was only my word for the
statement" he said. Il could not
prove IT, and yet it was TIE truth
The man was startled by Mon
sieur JOnquelle's reply.
zone knew that. although one
would have been troubled 10 de-
scribe the evidence. It is precisely
the truth" said Monsieur Jonquelle,
Lord Valleys looked steadily at
the Project for a moment before he
spoke
II regret. monsieur" he said,
that you were not present in thay
English court"
The man looked down again at
his wonderful hands. steel strong.
and as supple as silk then he went