The Washington times., 1923-03-05
~ e caught his wife's hand.
Joan, this is some crazy

in her eyes.
II am not afraid. Philip" she
said quietly.
The cab drove away. Mottisfont
caught his breath as he saw It go;
he was utterly in the dark, but
instinct told him it had been no
place for asking questions. there
before Joan. He turned and ran
up the stairs. A mistake, blum
der. IL might be-yet forebodlng
of disaster was upon him. He
reached the flat, the front door
was still open and the whole place
in disorder. In the sitting-room
ne found. an inspector and a con-
stable, busily consulting and taking
notes.
"What is all this!' cried Philip.
''For what is Mrs. Mottisfont ar
rested?"
For murder" replied the in
Spector, cycling him narrowly.
Philip thought he must be dream.
ing. but his throat grew dry ana
hot; the word smote on his ears
like O. knell.
Murder he said thiekly. "of
whom?"
"Of Lady TaIlbois."
For heavens sake, man." said
Philip, "tell me what you know"
"You are asking me rather more
than my duty" said the inspector
dryly. He looked at Philips face
and was filled with pity; the In
spector was human. When were
you here last, sir?"
ct have been at the Law Courts
since f."
"Of course, / know you well
enough, Mr.. Mottisfont," said the
inspector. IT will tell you as much
of this affair as / can, and If you
can throw any. light on it all the
better. You are a barrister, sir.
need not warn you about the i'm
portance of anything you may
ayes, yes. Get on. There is
some CHASTITY mistake here"' said
Philip impatiently.
1.-The constable on duty" said
the inspector, speaking rapidly,
passing the street door and hear
ing screams, calls up to ask what
was the matter, and getting no
reply, came up to investigate. He
found the flat open, and a lady,
who it appears is the Niscountess
TalIbois, very i'll and almost I'M
conscious. With her was Mrs.
Trent, the -l4ousekeeper, giving
what help she could. Mrs. Motifs
font was in back room and had ,
apparently tainted. Lady Tallbois
rallied sufficiently to make a state
ment to the constable. Give me
your notebook, Willis"
The constable passed it to him
and the inspector consulted it.
"As far as l can make sense of
Lady Tallbois' statement, which
was very incoherent, she came
here to demand the return of some
pearls belonging to her, which she
alleged Mrs. Mottisfont had stolen.
That Lady TallboIs turned faint
and asked for some water, which
Mrs. Mottisfont fetched and adj
ministered. Directly afterward
Lady TalIbois became extremely
I'll, and there seems no doubt that
she was poisoned.
The inspector closed the note
book. Mottisfont, his face gray and
drawn, made no comment. The
thing sounded to him so wholly
incredible.
1.-THE constable sent Mrs. Trent
out for a doctor, and rang up Bow
street." said the inspector. Il
obtained a cab and came here at
once. The doctor had just arrived
and pronounced that Lady Tallbois
had undoubtedly been poisoned.
He administered what remedies
he could and subsequently decided
that the only thing to do was to
remove her at once to his surgery
in the next street. This was done;
she was carried down and taken in
my cab. BY that time she was UNI
conscious"
lis she dead?" said Philip. in a
voice he hardly recognized as his
own.
From what the doctor said l
gathered that the case was hope
less" said the inspector grimly.
"One of our sergeants arrived and
directed him to take Mrs. Mot
tisfont to the station, as she had
then recovered"
Philip, who had seated himself
by the table, covered his eyes
with his hand and tried to collect
his thoughts. Why Lady Tallbois
had been there. and what it all
meant, was completely beyond
him. In all his previous life there
had been no shock so stunning
as this. But rapidly his faculties
returned. and a CLEAN of ligh,
came TO him.
"And now" said the inspector
'there are some questions l want
answered
ASK Them said Philip. In g
moment he was on the alert. keen
and wary.
What is this?" The inspector
laid his hand on little square
mahogany case that stood on the
table.
my medicine chest"
There are several bottles III il
labeled Poison
"of course there are" SAID
Philip.
Don't you keep it locked?"
mo. There are no children
drink a labeled poison. ] doubt i
to harm any one. It belongs IL
my bedroom"
ct found it there" said the in
spector. THE bedroom opens from
the other side of the hall" H.
made note in his book ant
handed the medicine chest int,
the care Of the constable. Mr.
Mottisfont, find a quantity O
luggage, apparently packed an,
- ready for moving, in the bacl
loom and bedrooms"
Certainly. We have been pack