The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-18


 she cried. as he approached. "Please take me out of it. am not frightened of the storm-now."
 ''I will take you wherever you wish to go." he said gently. twill you tell me where you live? will accompany you home."
 "You are very good." she said gratefully. q live at Ashlingsea."
 ''That is the little fishing village at the end of the cliff road. is it not?" he said in- quiringly. 'I am staying at Staveley, but have not been there long. Come. will take you home and then win inform the police about-this tragic discovery"
 s'There is police station at Ashlingsea, she said. in low voice.
 He explained to her that he wanted to look after the comfort of his horse before he ac- companied her home, as it would be neces- sary to leave the animal at the farm until the following day. She murmured faint acquiescence. and when they reached the store house she took the lantern from him without speaking, and held it up to give him for the night
 They then set out for Ashlingsea. The violence of the storm had passed, but the wind occasionally blew in great gusts from the sea, compelling them to halt in. order to stand up against it. The night was still very black, but at intervals late moon managed to send watery beam through the scudding storm clouds. revealing the pathway of the winding cliff road, and the turbulent froth- cfo of 1ocb tho rlrc ho- low. Rain continued to fall in heavy fre- quent showers. but the minds of Marsland and his companion were so occupied with what they had seen in the old farmhouse that they were scarcely conscious of the dis comfort of getting wet.
 The girl was so unnerved by the discovery of the dead body that she was glad to avail herself of the protection and support of Marsland's arm. Several times as she thought she saw human form in the darkness of the road she uttered q cry of alarm and clung to his arm with both hands. At every step she expected to encounter maniac who had the blood of one human creature on his hands and was still swayed by the im- pulse to kill.
 The reserve she had exhibited in the house had broken down, and she talked free ly in her desire to shut out from her mental vision the spectacle of the murdered man sitting in the armchair.
 On the other hand. the discovery of the body had made Marsland reserved and thoughtful.
 He learned from her that her name was Maynard-Elsie Maynard-and that she lived with her widowed mother. Marsland was quick to gather from the cultivated ac- cents of her voice that she was refined and educated girl. He concluded that Mrs. May nard must be lady of some social standing in the district, and he judged from what he had seen of the girls clothes that she was in good circumstances. She remarked that her mother would be anxious about her, but would doubtless assume she had sought shel- ter somewhere. as having lived in Ashling- sea for a long time she knew everybody in the district.
 Marsland thought it strange that she made no reference to the companion who had ac- companied her to the farm. If no one ac- companied her, how was it that on opening the door to him she had greeted him as some one whom she had been expecting? She seemed unconscious of the need of enlighten- ing him on this point. Her thoughts cen tered round the dead man to such an extent that her conversation related chiefly to him. Half-unconsciously she revealed that she knew him well, but her acquaintance with him seemed to be largely based on the cir constance that the dead man had been ac- quainted with friend of her family; soldier of the new army who lived at Stay-