The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-04-08

doubtless they had been planted IN this bare
exposed position Of the downs to act as
wind screen for the sheep, which could be
seen grazing higher up the slope.
Crewe pulled up the car and looked
about him, then turned his head and spoke
to Gilett:
This part of the road is worth examin-
ing. There are several features about it
which fit in with my conception of the
scene of the crime"
The four men got out Of the car and
walked forward, looking about them. Crewe
walked little ahead, with his eyes rowing
over the rising bank and the trees at the
top. Several times he tried to Chamber up
the bank, but the incline was too steep.
What are you trying to do?" said Gil
lett, who was watching his proceedings
curiously.
81 am trying to fit in my theory of the
crime by actual experiments. If l can
satisfy myself that Lumsden was able to
climb this bank at some point / believe
we shall have reached the scene of the
murder
But why is it necessary to prove that?"
asked Gilett in a puzzled voice. Brett
might have met him on the road, shot him
from the car which had been pulled up. and
then carried the body to Cliff Farm
MY dear Gillett. have you forgotten that
the bullet which killed Lumsden took an
upward course after entering the body? If
he had been shot from the car it would
have gone downward
Damn it, | forgot all about that point"
exclaimed Gillett reddening with vexation
Lumsden couldn't have been shot on the
road, either, because in that case the bull
let would have gone straight thro' h him
unless the man who fired the { ut knelt
down in the road and fired upward at him,
which is not at all likely. Furthermore,
Lumsden was shot in the back low down,
and the bullet travelled upward and came
out above the heart. Therefore, we've got
to try to visualize a scene which fits in
with these circumstances. That's why |
have been looking at this bank so carefully.
Let US suppose that Lumsden was walking
along the road and encountered his wond-
be slayer. Lamsden saw the revolver and
turned to run. He thought his best chance
of escape was across the downs, so he
dashed toward the bank and sprang up it.
He had almost reached the top when the
shot was fired. That seemed to me the
most possible way of accounting for the
upward course of the bullet
81 see said 'Gillett, nodding his head
Brett might have fired from his seat in
his car, in that case
Precisely" returned Crewe. "But the
weak point in my argument is that so far
we have not reached point in the bank
which is capable of being scaled"
"a little further along it narrows and
is less steep" said Marsland, who had been
listening intently to Crewe's remarks
Come, and l will show YOU"
He led the way round the next bend of
the road, and pointed out spot where
the branches of the trees which formed the
windw screen hung down over the slope,
which was much less steep. 1t was a COM
paratively easy matter to scramble up the
bank at this point and pull oneself up on
to the downs by the aid of the overhangng
branches.
Crewe made the expirement, and reached
the top, without difficulty; so did Gillett
Marsland and Sergeant Westaway remained
standing in the road below, watching the
proceedings.
The downs from the top of the bank
swept gradually upward to the highest
point of that part of the coast: a landmark
known as the Giants Knoll, which gave the
bald summit the appearance of monks
tonsure. This hill commanded an extensive
view of the channel and the surrounding
countryside clear day. But Detective
Gillett was not interested in the Giants
Knoll. He was busly engaged examining
the brushwood and dwarf trees forming the
wind screen at the point where they had
scrambled up Suddenly he turned and