Evening star., 1924-07-08
CHAPTER XII.
The Second Murder.

l am not ashamed to confess that
shivering along my spine as the de-
tective whispered that last word
Murder!-again? This was the second
time within three days that / had
heard Of the murder of a man whom
1 myself had seen alive and in vigor-
Gus health only few hours before
he was struck down. And-who
next?
l let out the usual commonplace
exclamation as 1 stood there, staring.
"Impossible. Quart ervay n :?
Why"
But 1 checked myself in time. No,
was not going to tell Hfferdene
anything until l had been to Rem
ardsmere. / glanced wistfully after
the train. now vanishing in the dis
tance-there went my last chance of
getting to Renardsmere that night
unless. indeed, l chartered a car.
Nothing impossible about it, re-
torted Jifferdene. There's no doubt
tion sent on"
"Ah.' exclaimed. Then you're not
dead certain?"
I'm dead certain myself" he an
swered, drawing me away toward the
barrier at the top of the platform.
Come on!-we must go there. I
hurried off to stop you as soon as
heard"
Where is it?" asked.
"Hotel-low-class place-down the
are these-as they came over the
telephone: man went to this hotel
very late last night and booked a
room, saying he wanted to catch one
of the Batavier line steamers at
noon today and giving instructions
that they needn't call him until 1880.
They called him at that time, got no
answer. eventually entered his room,
found him desd-murdered. From the
description it's Quartervayne!"
But it mayn't be-" / said though.
secretly. in view of what Quarter
wayne himself had told me about
leaving for Holland, I felt sure that
Jifferdene's surmise was correct. 1T
mayn't be-"
Wen soon settle that" he retort-
rate. Come on!-lets get down there" "
He hurried me off to the District
railway and into an eastbound train.
made no attempt to talk to him
during our short journey; l was
thinking hard about my own affairs,
my mind that as soon as / had been
with him to wherever it was we were
going just then / would leave him
and get down to Renardsmere, even
if 1T was in the middle Of the night
and If it cost me flo for car. What
ever else was in the wind. l must
have speech with Lady Renardsmere.
We left the train at Mark Lane,
and, passing across Tower Hill and
by the Mint. plunged into some mean
and squalid streets in the immediate
docks. Jifrerdene evidently knew his
way we'll enough. He led me straight
to police station, where he was
presently in close conversation with
officials. Presently he pointed to me
standing apart.
This gentleman can identify him.
he said. He knew him well
enough"
Once more 1 was forced, sorely
against my will, to accompany Jif-
ferdene to a mortuary. 1t was close
by, and, IL anything. 1t was gloomier
and more sordid than that in which
And presently / found myself looking
at Quartervayne's.
Yes" 1 muttered "Oh, yes! That's
-Quartervayne. And now let's get
out of this!"
We got out Jirerdene took ant
Put that out of your head now
| my lad" he said, not unkindly
| That's done.-had to be done, you
| know. I was right. you see. we'll
| that's the second!
'How-how was it?" I asked. "You
| haven't said"
"Knifed.-like the other" he an.
swered, with a shake Of his head
KNITTED! But this time. within. foul
walls Come on-we'l go to this
hotel where 1t was done"
from the local police station led al
| through one or two more shabby
| streets into a quiet thoPoughfare, a.
| the lower end of which saw . high
wall and above it the masts and spar
| and tunnels Of ships and steamers