Evening star., 1924-03-16
(Continued from Yesterdays Star.)
CHAPTER XIII.
The Annotated Chart.


NATION which ran round the crowded
hand to hand among those sitting
at the table. and presently Smith and
Hextall bent over it together.
Prom the police inspector at
Lynchfieid," muttered Smith Lynch
field? All, that's on the Hampshire
border, on the way to Southampton.
Man answering description of Tickell
Is lying unconscious from bicycle &C
cident at cottage near here. Send
some one to Identify All, you see.
Hextall, he's been making his way
to Southampton to get out of the
country. Now, what are these fell
lows about"
The legal gentleman from London.
the coroner, the foreman of the jury
and a police superintendent were
whispering together at the end Of the
table. Presently the coroner looked
Under the circumstances" he said,
sI think we had better adjourn until
this week day. 1t is very probable,
gentlemen, that much more impor-
tant evidence will be placed before
you
The excited audience made it's way
out of the room to swell the throng
altered in the schoolyard, and the
officials and witnesses left behind
formed groups and began to talk. And
Darrell TreSs came up to Smith and
Hextall, looking more nervous and
alarmed than ever.
Il say-I say" he exclaimed. do
do you really think that is Tickell-
do you?"
The police superintendent. bustiing
forward, overheard Darrell's words.
I'VE want you to go along with US,
Mr.. TreSS," he said. II suppose plenty
of your servants could identify him.
but it will be far better if you go
and the inspector are going at once.
How soon can you be ready?"
Darrell looked at his two COM
panicns. 1t WAS plain enough that
he had no taste for this expedition.
and once more Hextall felt himself
vaguely puzzled and concerned by
his attitude and behavior. But Smith
took Darrell by the arm and led him
to the door.
Your cars outside, too, Tress," he
said. Come along-Hextall and 1
are going with you. How long" he
added, turning TO the superintendent,
how long will it take US to get to
Lynchfield?"
"Lynchfield? Oh. a little over an
hour" answered the superintendent.
'1t's about twenty miles across
country"
The two cars. the police officials in
in the other, sped of through the ex
cited crowd which had gathered in
the village street Darrell shrank
away from the prying eyes and lean
ed back in the car, wiping HIS fore
head.
Il wish to God I'd never seen
Kesteven, nor Tickell. nor any of the
Internal crew." he growled as they
got clear of the village and took the
road which led across the hills to-
ward the Hampshire border. And
wish Tickell had got clear away.
so do, by CAD. l do. indeed, so that
couldn't be bothersd with all this
soon as youll let her go. Hextall.
I'll take Paquita and the youngster,
and we'll go abroad somewhere
Egypt, or India. or somewhere-and
keep out of the way until it's all
over"
bad time CT the year. Tress. for
either Egypt OR India" remarked ed
Smith coolly. And I'm afraid you'll
You'll be about the most important
witness they'll have you know
Darrell showed renewed signs Of
temper and imratsence, and Hextall.
who saw that his nerves were seri-
You don't know that there'll be
any trial, Smith" he said with a
meaning glare at the barrister.
You've got to- to commit rinr man & for trial;
yet. Besides that, if TickelI's had a
bad accident, he mayn't recover. We
might find him dead
Darrell started in his seat. and
snapped out an exclamation which
Hextall knew to be genuine enough.
by CAD! l wish he may be dead"
he said. 1T would be the best news
There'd be an end Of all this. then.
Do you think it's likelyT' he went
on. turning. eagerly to Hextall. do
you, really?"
Il don't know whether it's likely or
unlikely" answered Hextall. again
conscious of vague uneasiness
raised by Darrell's strange manner.
But the probability is that he met
telegram at some time yesterday
morning, and if he's been unconscious
for twenty-four hours he's badly
hurt"
The two cars went on. up hill. down
noon struck they pulled up before a
police station in the wide street of
pleasant little market town, which
wooded country. A couple of officials
came out and exchanged greetings
with the police from Lynne, and Oar
rell and his companions left their
Lynchfield superintendent had already
begun his story when his confrere
from Lynne interrupted him.
Stop a bit" he said. This is Mr..
gentlemen are his friends. Tell him
what you were going to say; they're
all concerned"
There's. not such lot. to tell"
remarked the local superintendent.
''of course we heard from your peo-
pie first thing yesterday morning.
giving a description of this man, and
we kept a smart lookout in our dis
trict all yesterday. because, you see.
we're between you and Portsmouth
and Southampton. and we thought h.
might be making for the coast. How
ever, we never heard nor saw any,
thing until about half past this
morning. Then laboring man came
who lives in by-lane that runs be-
tween this road and another high
road, two or three miles out of the
town. going west; his is the only
cottage thereabouts He said that
yesterday morning about z o'clock.
after he'd gone to his work. his wife
went UP their lane to fetch water
from spring. I know the place he
was talking about: there's a sharp
fall and sudden twist in that lane.
quarry. The woman heard groans
coming from the quarry. and she went
there and found the man I wired to
you, about.Tiekell. dead certain!
OF this quarry, and he was badly
hurt-sort of half-conscious when the
woman found him. She fetched some
water and brought him round. and
after time she MANAGED to get him
TO her cottage. Then he became un-
conscious, or tainted again, and he
was like that. coming to and then
going off again. all day. They're
oldish people who Live at this