Evening star., 1923-10-09

on the blade stained with the victims
blood.
you saw this dagger or knife
lying on your masters desk?' asked
II did. sir" replied the old butler.
"You know all about it-what 1t
was used for?'
quite well. sir. Its place was on a
masters desk and the screen. table
on which he used to lay out the re-
views and magazines that Sir Robert
took in
then?"
yes sir; and l always considered
it dangerous, because it was very
sharp and pointed. as you can see'
sir"
Now from the position of that
thing for anybody entering by the
| garden door behind Sir Robert to
| have picked up that knife and
plunged aYss it i into his oodyE
"sir Robert was, I believe. rather
, deaf?"
| HE was. sir, and lately he had been
getting worse"
| Stand down for a. moment, MI
| please"
"Sergt. Johnson, by instructions,
, when the prisoner was brought to the
police station. you searched him!
! 81 did. sir"
| II found a purse containing nine
: pounds seven shillings ana three
pence; silver cigarette case,
| silver matchbox, a penknife. silver
PENCIL case. copy of .Run's Guide
and key"
! "Is this the key?'
THAT is the key, sir."
That will do, johnson. Call Mr.
Mr. balncey, do you recognize
this key?"
| What key is it?''
TT is one of two keys made for the
! garden doors in my late masters s
study. sir.
| WHO carried the keys?"
"sir Robert carried one, sir; Miss
Phillipa carried the other"
| Can you say positively which OF
| "Yes. sir; it is Miss Phillipa's. My
masters key was-was on his BODY,
answered the old butler.
| Rowland Parke turned to the 9encn.
81 am as anxious as any man can
be to keep Miss Mannersley's name
out of the case. your worships. ne
said. but shall be obliged to call
her at later stage to give evidence
as regards the question of TINS Key.
|
prisoners possession, and
Clinton Mannersley. whose apathy
had by this time left him. started up
| from his seat in the dock
claimed. There's no need to drag
my cousin into this beastly place and
rotten business
/ But Stanford had turned round and
| whispered a word, and the prisoner
nodded his head and reseated himself
Ha ~ a
Parke, there are one or two matters
which ! wish to elicit from the pres
ent witness before he leaves the Dox.
Mr.. Dauncey, could the prisoner have
the private door of the study-the
garden door,"
NO. sir
And he. of course. had not been
admitted at the hall door,
| Certainly not, sir"
You know who was admitted last
night?"
newspaper in my chair in the wine
hall from a quarter to 9 to the time
: that-that this happened, sir.
WHO was admitted during thai
timer"
Nobody. sir. but Mr.. Quinton. a
| about haif-past 9. and Mr. Stead
:. Qufnton call for help"
Very well. Now. final answer
; from you You have known the pris-
oner from boyhood?'
"Yes, sir, and been very fond Of
him." said Dauncey with troubled
glance at the dock.
. lis il not a fact that he and the
late Sir Robert Mannersley did not
get. on well-that they were on bSo
| terms?"
They didn't agree. sir" replied the
butler reluctantly.
"The prisoner was always of a ho'
temper. wasn't her
He was quick-tempered, sir"
Apt to fly into sudden rage, eh?'
4 "At times. sir-if he was provoked.
Did he not on one occasion, and
/ believe, in your presence, commit {
savage assault on page boy, ant
half beat him TO death with hunt
ing crop?"
Yes. sir" replied Dauncey, 'anc
the lad richly deserved all he gotn'
Rowland Parke sat down. quite un
concerned by the ripple of laughter
;! II suppose, Mr. Dauncey, that yol
have an opinion of your own abou
this case?" he said.
: The old butler shook his head dole
fully. I'm fairly amazed by it,, sir.
his head and looked defiantly al
around him-"but I'm sure of this
there's nothing and nobody going t
make me believe that Mr. beg par
don-that Sir Clinton killed my poo
master. No. sir; no--a thousan
! times no. He was wild boy. bu
I he wasn't a bad UNI
4 The applause from the back of tn
court showed where popular opinion
| | held. and Moses Pogmore's voice mad
itself heard.
That's reight, owl lad, that
/ reight, Let 'em find { real murdere
li-Mr. Clinton never did it,"
III Rowland Parke was on his leg
/ again when order had been restored
l ! He spoke in subdued accents as h
turned to the bench.
"I am sorry. your worships. I
: have to take this course. but / hav
/ no option. Call Miss Phillips Man
nersfey."
door opened and Mark Quinton ap
ipeared. leading the dead mans daugh
ter.