Evening star., 1923-10-11
THE DOUBLE CHANCE
Romance Wrongly Hero and Loy S.
BY J. S. FLETCHER
AMstor Of "Rdyner,SLade An,alsamation" ETC.

In the library of what was going on
| In the next room?'
| Il should think it strange thing
that ! heard nothing If the murder
minutes ! was waiting there. In fact,
ceivable."
"R"t you have heard Dr. ChiIde's
.estlmony?"
Marshall Stead made no reply.
From your knowledge of the
/ house can you say if the walls be-
tween the study and the library are
! very thick. and II the door is very
/ close-fitting one?'
while this matter has been under dis
cussion. The library and study are
! in the oldest part OF the house-the
part which projects into the grounds
and the walls are of very old ma
| sonry and very thick indeed. The
door is deeply inset in that between
the library and study.
But II is otherwise an ordinary.
well-ftting door?'
so far as know-yes"
And OF course 1t has a keyhoIe
ana will not fit like a glove at the
bottom?'
II have never examined. though
times"
The chairman interposed. "Don't
you think. Mr.. Stanford, that it would
be an easy thing to make some ex-
periments on this question:" he said.
1t would surely be possible to ascer-
tain definitely II such sounds as those
spoken OF by DIR. Childe couM be
heard from the study to the library"
II am much Obliged to your wor-
ship for the suggestion" said Stan
ford. 1T Is one which ] was about
to make. Thank you, Mr.. stead
that is all ! have to ask you. Your
W0FGhinQ n oG 90 n,l,.
me an opportunity of consulting with
my client and his solicitor If your
worshfps would adjourn for ten min
utes--"
We will adjourn for half an hour
said the chairman.
Stanford. the solicitor. and Clinton
Mannersley, who was closely guarded
by several officers. disappeared into
the lower regions of the police court
the magistrates retired into their
private room. Nobody else left the
court, and the long-pent-up excite
ment vented itself i'm comment and
discussion. 1t seemed as If every
body began to talk at once, and
Quinton. who had remained near
I'hillipa, bent down TO her
Won't this noise be too much for
you?" he said. Hadn't I better take
you out2"
NO. thank you" she said. YEARLY.
Il want to hear the magistrates de-
bO yOQ see the man VINO mas
just come In there. Mr.. Quinton-the
man who Ia talking to Mr. Illings-
WORTH"
Quinton glanced across the court.
and saw the man she indicated. He
was little. soberly dressed man.
middle,aged. and having pretty much
the appearance of an undertaken, see
ing that everything about him was
very decorous and solemn from the
top of his bald head to the points of
his well-polished boots.
He carried an old shfoned silk
hat-very wide in the brim and very
high In the -crown-in one hand, and
an equally old-fashioned umbrella in
the other.~and was altogether some
thing OF an oddly. But what Quin-
ton most remarked about him was
that his cleans -shaven face was liter
ally one mass of curious wrinkles
there were wrinkles about his eyes,
his mouth. his chin-there were
wrinkles everywhere. And out of all
these wrinkles, from beneath n pair
pair of eyes as black as coal, and
as sharp and penetrating as fer
ret's.
Yes" said Quinton. Il see him.
A quaint. interesting figure, isn't he?
Do you know him. Miss Mannersley?"
Yes she answered, still watching
the little man. He is a famous
Scotland Yard detective-Tnspector
Cortelyou. II was he who took
charge of the case when some of my
house last summer and who traced
the thieves. He Ia very clever and
very interesting. Do you think he
can have come down about-about
this. Mr.. Clinton?"
II should say so.' replied Quinton
AND"
He was interrupted at that point
by the return of Stanford and the
solicitor for the defense. Presently
the magistrates came back into the
to the dock. Stanford at once rose
During the last few minutes. your
worships." he said. II have had a
short conversation with my cliant.
and. In consequence of what he has
said. am going to take very un-
usual course. but a course which ]
feel absolutely justified in taking.
After what yon have heard ii must
be evident that this case must be
adjourned for expert evidence on GER
oner is anxious-painfully anxious
to make q statement to you from the
dock. and though it is more usual
for legal advisers in these circum-
stances to counsel their clients to say
nothing, / think II we'll to let mine
speak That is, of course. with your
worships' permission"
The chairman, after a whispered
consultation with his colleagues,
bowed his head in token of assent.
Very good, Mr.. Stanford" he said
Clinton. resting his hands on the
front Of the dock, looked at Philiipa,
He held up his head after that look,
and faced the magistrates with some
thing of pride.
of boyish simplicity that carried him
still farther into the affection of the
crowds. I'm nothing of a speaker,
as most OF you know. but I can tell
the truth in plain wa. Well. the
truths this, as far as I'm concerned.
made my escape from Dartmoor for
two reasons. The first was that
should have been a fool If I hadn't.
when I had the chance ] had. And
could have been in America or Can
ada now. but for the second reason
to beg Of him, to pray of him, to
reopen that beastly business of near
ly three years ago-you all know
what I mean.
II wanted to convince him of the
truth Of my innocence of that. I'll
his treatment of me. Just because
I'd been a bit rackety at Eton and
Cambridge, and had got into an aw-
full hole in the way of debt, he
seemed to think I was an out-and-
out rotter, whereas. really, I'm not,
bit--well. you know-and I always
meant to shake down into a real
steady-going sort-I did indeed,
We'll, when / got here, the other
day. I managed to see my cousin. and
what she told you in her evidence Is
true. OF courses Now, / hid in the
shrubbery in the castle garden last
night, right opposite the private
door, until / thought my uncle would
be in the study and alone. / knew
the habits of the house, you know.
Well, at last / opened the door and
went in. OF course, / couldn's see
into the room at FIRST because: OF the
screen. 1t all seemed strangely 81
INnt