The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-05-12


gagged upon our work, or in the dis
lance, taking her daily bicycle ride in
the park or the lanes around.
Out of doors there was Benjamin
Adams, my gamekeeper, the brother
of my butler; and Searle, my chauf-
feur, who came to me from a place in
DevOnshire with excellent references.
a simple minded and almost over
ingenious youth. These comprised
the little coterie Of persons with
whom I was brought into contact day
by day. Not oneDof them could pos
sibly have borne me any iu-wil; yet
1 lived among them, waiting for
death,
One morning. remember that it
was the first Of November-=I set out
for a long tramp, accompanied only
by Adams, the keeper, and a couple
of dogs. We were on the boundary
Of my land, looking for stray pleas
ants in a large root field On my
right was a, precipitous gorge, which
extended for about half a mile, thickly
planted with small fir trees. 1 was
walking. by arrangement. about
twenty yards ahead Of Adams, when
miliar sensa ton. There was the zip
of bullet singing through the air.
a report from somewhere in the gorge,
a neat round hole through my felt hat.
"Gawd Almighty" yelled Adams.
What be doing?'
1 showed him the hole in my hat.
He stood with his mouth open, look
Ing at 1t. There was no further sound
from the gorge except the tumbling
Of the stream down at the bottom. It
was an absolutely hopeless place TO
search.
Adams complained sometimes Of his
fast, but on this occasion he was
a hundred yards ahead Of me when
we reached the lane On our home
ward way he was volubIe.
There be James Adams. my
nephew" he said, and William Gro
combe, who do farm them lands. They
be harmless folk. il ever such weEe.
Some lad, I reckon, got hold Of a
rifle"
DO either Of them take in tour
ists?' I asked.
noon motored over to make in
quiries. Neither Of the farmers &C
cepted tourists; neither OF them had
seen a stranger about the place; and
as regards rifles. the only one ! could
discover had obviously not been dis
charged for year. drove on to the
county police station and left a mess
age for the inspector. He came over
to see me that evening. solemn, pom
derous and unimpressed.
I dismissed him after the usual re-
freshments had been profered and
accepted. A few further inquiries
which l myself made in the neighbor-
hood led to nothing.
7 took my little two-seater out to
call on A friend, few afternoons
afterward, and found the steering gear
fallen to pieces before had gone a
mile. I was thrown into a ditch. bur
escaped without serious injury. I
scarcely needed Searle's assurance to
convince me that he knew nothing
of the matter. but even in it's dam
aged state 1t was quite obvious that
the pins had been wilfully withdrawn
from the pillar.
The fact that I was compelled to
be prisoner in the house for
several days from an injury to
my knee, and worked at unaccus-
my accidental discovery Of Mrs.
Simpsons diary. I came into the
room unexpectedly and found her
writing. It never occurred TO me
but that she was engaged apon my
work, and so looked over her
shoulder. She was writing In
diary. completing her entry for the
day before.
y. G. worked for two hours, prac-
ticed golf in park, lunched in, took
out two-seater in afternoon. Met
with accident hut was able to walk
home. Said little about his injuries
which We're not serious. Accepted
invitation shoot Woolhanger. Manor
next Tuesday at eleven O'Clock
Probably return across moor at
dusk
Miss Simpson was suddenly con
scious Of my presence. She placed
her hand over the page.
This is my private diary, Sir Nor
man." she asserted.
$50 I gathered I replied. What
is your interest in my doings. Miss
Simpson,"
"A personal one" she assured me
I appeal to you as a gentleman to
let me have the volume"
7 confess that / was weak. An
alteration Of any sort whatever.
ending, without doubt, in a struggle
for the possession of the diary with
this quiet-looking elderly lady, was
peculiarly repugnant to me. l rang
the bell.
Il shall order the car to take you
to Barnstaple for the five o'clock
train. Miss Simpson" said.
She rose to her feet. grasping the
book firmly.
What is your complaint against
me, Sir Norman?" she asked.
During this last week" I told her
two attempts have been made upon
my life. l en- naturally suspicious
Of people who keep a close account
of my personal movements
She stood for Il moment looking
at me through her gold-rimnled spec
tacies in a dazed, incredulous sort Of
way. Then she turned and left the
room. I never saw her again.
1t was that very same afternoon.
on my return from the village. where
I had 9pne to mail a letter with NV