Evening star., 1923-10-16
THE DOUBLE CHANCE
Fascinating Wrongly LyoI Seayt
BY J. S. FLETCHER
Aussor Of "Rayner,Slade Amasamaion" ETC.
A,.ssor Of "Royner-Slade An,1lsamation," etc.

when I've seen him dining here--for
! my poor master came to treating him
| quite as a gentleman, and asked him
here often-that no one ever would
have thought such a thing could be.
! For you know, sir, his mother was
at one time housekeeper here at the
castle"
The detective prIcked up his ears.
Bless me- he exclaimed. You don't
say so."
Yes. sir; and not so many years
| ago" replied Dauncey. "Ah. l re-
member Mrs; Stead coming and going
very well. because, OF course. I've
| been here a long, long time. I always
understood that she was the widow
! of some poor clergyman in whom Sir
Robert was interested-at any rate.
she had very superior manners. And
! 1T was Sir Robert who sent this boy
to school at Stelford and got him a
place when he left school"
'Ah. in the colliery counting house
suppose?' said Inspector Cortelyou.
| NO. sir; that was before the COL
| liery was In full go. No: he got him
on the railway as a clerk" replied
as the colliery started he put him
4 in there. and he rose from one step
to another until he's now head of the
counting house"
, Aye. to he sure" said the inspec-
| tor. Mother still living?"
/ No. sir: Mrs. Stead's dead-died a
year ago" replied Dauncey.
| Young man married?' asked the
! inspector
mo, sir: he's a single man; not but
what there's young women in the
place would be glad to have him."
sir-a church warden
"Ah. that's yor sort TO save and
get on" remarked the detective. He
drank off the contents of his glass
refused more refreshment, and said
he must be going. And within an
other hour Inspector Cortelyou was
in his bed and fast asleep.
But he was wide enough awake
next morning when he plunged into
i his days work His assistants and
the expert photographer came down
by the first train from London. and
he was busy with them for nearly
all the time UP to noon. And If Mr.
Marshall Stead had but known it,
there was not moment from that
time forward that Inspector Cortel-
| you was not aware OF his doings
master in the art of disguise. and
contrtved to mingle in the Industrial
life of Mannersley without attracting
attention.
For the Inspector, being one of
those men who take a strong line
from the first. had at an early stage
or his own appearance on the scene
formed the conclusion that the cashier
the murder or was implicated in 1t.
Beyond the question of the finger
prints he would have been at a loss to
explain his reasons for his belief. yet
II was there. And often in the course
OF long career an impression had
been formed. an instinct had arisen
in his mind, which had set him on
the track, and he had seldom been
deceived by 1t; and the instinct which
was part of his nature told him that
in this case, If he followed the scent,
he would run his quarry down.
He was not the sort of man to fol-
low conventional methods of pro-
cedure, nor to stick at anything in
after his examination of the room
at the castle he went to Mark Quin-
tons rooms and asked to see him.
They had met only an hour before at
Roberts body, but the detective had
and Quinton was obviously surprised
come ali the same
You are just in time to take a cup
of tea with me, inspector" he said,
ringing the bell of his sitting room:
Or perhaps you would like some
thing a little strong-a drop of
whisky, now?'
Thank you. sir: a cup of tea is
exactly what l was longing for as 1
came up the HILL" answered the de-
tective.
He took the chair which the man
him at the room in which Quinton
had arranged his own books and pic
lures.
Nice quarters you have here. sir
an old farmhouse. If 1 mistake not?"
Yes" answered Quinton. 'I was
fortunate in finding such comfortable
rooms SO close to a colliery village
Here, you see, one might fancy one's-
self quite in the country. Now, here's
the tea, and l can promise you real
farmhouse cream and butter"
Inspector Cortelyou made no men,
ton of business until they had drunk
their tea. Instead, he talked of books
and pictures, of which he soon made
it evident that he had a good knoWio
edge. But when Quinton had given
him a cigar and light for 1t, and
he had taken the first few whiffs at
1t, he looked his host fairly and
squarely in the face.
Mr.. Quinton."he he said I'm man
of plain words-that is. when 1 like
to be- I've come here for straight
talk with YOU"
Quinton, who had lighted a big
briar pipe, bowed his head.
And I'll tell you why" continued
the detective. I've come to you be-
cause, from what I've seen Of you and
the people here. you're the only man
that's likely to be OF use to me- I've
watched you. You're a straight man
and resolute man. and a man with
brains-and you can keep confidence"
Quinton nodded without speaking.
Il want somebody to talk to-" said
the inspector. 'and Til talk to you.
Also, / want some help which only
you can give"
You mean in this case?" asked
Quinton.
Certainly, in this case" answered
the inspector. And to waste. no
more words. I'll tell you straight out
that ! believe Sir Clinton innocent,