, 1924-02-20

1t seemed to me to rather lack color"
ut was a very simple and straight
forward case" Francis said slowly.
solver Hilditch is the principal part
ner In an American financial company
which has recently opened offices In
the West End. He seems to have ar
rived In England about two years ago.
to have taken a house in Hill street,
n to have spent a great deal OF
money. A month or SO ago, his partner
from New York arrived in London. a
man named Jordan OF whom nothing
was known. 1t has since TRANSFERRED,
however. that his journey to Europe
was undertaken because he was unable
to obtain certain figures relating to the
business, from Hilditch. oliver Hill
ditch met him at Southampton, trav-
eled with him to London and found him
a room al the Savoy. The next day the
whole OF the time seems to have been
spent In the office, and 1t Is certain.
from the evidence of the clerk, that
some disagreement took place between
the two men,. They dined together.
however. apparently IN good terms. at
SS AoyoAs nv puihSu >r
street soon after ten. At twelve o'clock
Jordan's body was picked up on the
pavement in Hill street. within a few
PAGES of Hilditch's door. He had been
stabbed through the heart with some
needle-like weapon. and was luite
dead"
"Was there any vital cause Of quar-
rel between them" Wilmore inquired.
Impossible to say" Francis replied.
The financial position of the company
depends entirely upon the value Of a
large quantity of speculative bonds,
but as there was only one clerk en-
ployed, 1t was impossible to get at any
figures. Hilditch declared that Jordan
had only a small share In the business.
from which he had drawn a considera-
BILE income for years. and that he had
not the slightest cause for complaint"
what were Hilditch's movements
that EVENING"" Wilmore asked.
"Not a soul seems to have seen him
after he left Regent street." was the
somewhat puzzled answer. His own
story was quite straightforward and
has never been ~contradicted. He let
himself Into his house with a latch
key after his return from the Cafe
Royal. drank a whisky and soda In the
library. and went to bed before half.
! past eleven. The whole affair"
Francis broke Off abruptly In the
middle Of his sentence. He sat with
his eyes fixed upon the door, silent
and speechless.
what In Heavens name is the mat
ter. old fellOw?' Wilmore demanded.
gazing at his companion In blank
amazement.
The latter pulled himself together
with an effort. The sight Of the two
new arrivals talking TO Louis. the head
waiter. on the threshold of the res
taurant. seemed for the moment to
have drawn every scrap Of color from
his cheeks. Nevertheless. his recovery
was almost instantaneous.
''If you want to know any more" he
said calmly, you had better go and ask
him to tell you the whole story himself.
There he Is"
And the woman with him" Will
more exclaimed. under his breath.
His wife"
To reach their table. the one con-
corning which Francis and his friend
had beer specializing. the new arrivals,
piloted by Louis, had to pass within a
few feet OF the two men. The woman.
serene, coldly beautiful. dressed like a
Frenchwoman In unrelieved black, with
extraordinary attention to details,
passed them by with n careless glance
.-l .,k.tIAI l~k4 Tho -b~t- -a-A
Louis was holding. Her companion,
however. as he recognized Francis. hes
itated. His expression OF somewhat
austere gloom was %lightened. A pleas.
ant but tentative smile parted his lips.
He ventured upon a salutation. half a
nod, half a more formal bow. a saluta-
ton which Francis instinctively re
turned. Andrew Wilmore looked on
with curiosity.
$50 that Is oliver Hlldltch7 7" he muir
INJURED.
L Is h man." Francis observed.
of whom last evening half the people
In this restaurant were probably asking
themselves whether or not he was
guilty OF murder. Tonight they will be
wondering what he Is going to order
for dinner. II Is a strange world"
Strange. indeed" Wilmore assented.
This afternoon he was In the dock.
with his fate In the balnnce-the con-
demned cell or a favored table AZ
Claridge's. And your m%eetingi One
can Imagine him gripping your hands.
with tears In his eyes, his voice broken
with emotion. sobblng out his thanks.
And Instead you exchange polite
bows. ! would not have missed this
situation for anything"
"Tradesman - Francis scoffed. zone
can guess already ut the plot Of your
next novel;"
He has courage" wilmore declared.
"He has also n very beautiful compan.