Evening star., 1924-03-23
Continued from Yesterdays Starr

Continued from Yesterdays Starr
Il do, sir" answered the sexton,
promptly. Il did"
Il suppose somebody sent it to you
to place there, them asked Smith.
Come. I'm not asking out of any idle
curiosity You've seen me before.
You knoT.at the inquest"
"oh, | don't mind telling auSht
that | know replied the man read
lily, slipping into his pocket a couple
of coins which Smith offered him. II
don't know that there's any secret
about it. If you'll come this way, sir.
III show YOU"
He led them up the churchyard path
into Il gloomy chamber in the base
of the tower. place evidently set
apart for spades. mattocks, shovels.
cords. all the gruesome parapher-
MALTA necessary for preparing the
last homes OF the dead. And there he
pointed to Il cardboard box which lay
carelessly thrown on an old beech
table. with a crumpled sheet Of type
writing paper lying at its side.
Il got that box, with that there
wreath in it. by this mornings post"
he said. And that letter lying on top
OF the wreath. with a five shilling
postal order pinned to- You can see
what the letter says-its in printed
characters. like
Smith picked up the sheet of paper
and read the typewriter message.
w i'll the sexton at Lynne please
place this wreath on John hestevcn's
grave?"
"Of course" remarked the sexton,
1T doesn't say who it comes from. do
it now?''
Smith took up the lid of the box.
There was clue, anyway. The lid
bore printed label-Hetherton
Florist, Gloucester Road s. W. He
turned away with Il look Il Styicr.
Il suppose Mr.. Tress came 70 the
fGneral?" he asked, as they left the
tower
MIR. Tress and two of his servants.
Nir-butler and valet, answered the
sexton. Nobody elSe-ceptin' that
crowd @ gapers."
MIR. Trrss has gone back to Lynne
Court, | suppose" said Smith. How
NO. sir-Mr. Tress has gone off to
London" replied the sexton. Him and
his man-Fowler--wen straight away
from the gate yonder. es soon as this
ing that they We're off-the Courts
going to be shut up for a time, 'ceptin'
for two or three servants"
Has Miss Tress gone too, Them"
inquired Smith.
Il see Miss Tress and some nurses
go through the village this morning,
with the iittle boy said the sexton.
"Ain't nobody up there at all of the
family-only Mr. Mountain and the
servants. like"
Smith and Styler walked down the
churchyard, and under the lychgate
paused and looked at each other.
"Hetherton. Florist: Gloucester
Styler.'
Styler nodded. as if TO imply that
the admonition was supcrlluous.
1T was close by Gloucester road
that | sa w Miss Brock enter the house
which Mrs. Benton afterward en-
tered he said
Just so" assented Smith. And
IS in that quarter that were going
to make some small inquiries. Now,
Srylar. lets get back to town: there's
nothing to be done here. as the
Tresses have gone. l shall let this
man drive me to the railway: you, |
suppose. viii stick to your machine.
Tonight We'll TAX. a reSt-tomorroW
morning meet me a the Gloucester
road district station at 10 O'clock
Then Smith got into the car and
went off to Lynne station. rejecting
upon the wreath of violets. Some
body had felt sufficient regret for
John keSteveu to make him or her
punctiIious about sending a few flow
ers to lay on his lonely grave. But
who? And might there not be a clue
to something important through these
flowers"
And if there is" he mused, as the
next train carried him of to London.
''it shall go hard if Styler and 1 don't
unearth il. one things certain-that
violet wreath didn't come from any of
the TreSS folks.
Meanwhile Styler. feeling the need
of refreShment. and rejecting that
square meal would help him on his way
to town. was pushing his motor-bi-
cycle back to the inn. intent upon
securing food and drink. ON his way
he came across the Lynne police IN
SpeCtOr. who smiled KNOW iHSlS dl
sight of him.
'Still on the look around?" observed
he who knew we'll enough that Styler
and his master were what he called
amateur dabblerS in his own science.
Heard anything"
Nothing. but that Ticket's dead
replied Styler.
"Oh. We knew that early this morn
ing" remarked the Inspector Well,
he's saved his neck, of course. He'd
have been hanged. sure enough.
You heard anything" asked Sty-
Ter.
The inspector looked his questioner
I'D and down. His air was at first
severely official; then it began to re-
lax.
''Oh. Well" he said. 81 expect We're
all in the same boat--only We're in the
strict o way of it. so to speak. and you
and your guv'nor amt. Barrister,
isn't he, your guv'nor? All. SO heard
at the inquest Well, l don't know
that we've heard anything more than
you have. But we've found a small
matter that may turn out usetul-one
of my men found it on one OF the
mathis leading to that clearing Where
K.steyen's body was lying.
What is it," asked Styler.
The inspector silently turned and
I'D the way to the police station
There, from a safe in his office. he
took a small cardboard box in which
Iay something wrapped in cotton
w. WOOL. He unwrapped this and pro-
duced a tiny bit of wrought gold.
harm. representing the head of Il
Hindu god which had evidently been
torn away from somebody's watch
chain by the swapping of u wellworn
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