Evening star., 1924-04-03
Continued from Yesterdays Starr

You must excuSe us for interrupt
ing you, Maj. Esmondhaugh." he SAID
~ tie fact Isl dare say you know
that we are engaged on Mr.. Tress
OF these murders. And"
Maj. Esmondhaugh interrupted him
with a wave of the hand.
Yes, ye~, so l think 4 have under
stood, Mr.. Smith" he said. But
really. Il can't tell you anything,
you know. 1.-The fact is. everything
Ia in the hands of these people
police officials, don't you know?-in
here, eh? ! think-yes, IL you per-
haps look in tomorrow mornings
chr"
He was showing signs of a desire
to go on his way, as he spoke, and
Smith, seeing that he did not wish
to be communicative. drew lack with
a bow. but Styler was not to be so
easily put off.
Can't you tell US ANYTHING, major?'
he asked earnestly. We've taken an
awful lot of trouble, and we've fol-
lowed up big clue tonight, and we
do, and"
We'll, really, Mr.. Styler," answered
Maj. z .mondhaugh. not unkindly. Il
really. ] wish ] could. you know,
6o1t 6a1 then; hem you knew ought mot to-
secrecy, you know, eh? But tell you
what" he exclaimed suddenly, with
the JOY of not very brilliant man
VINO receives unusual Inspiration, Il
tell you what, You know think that
it-yes-if you call on your friend
Dr. Hextall, presently, you'll hear
something-yes, comething pretty, all,
yes pretty important, you know!
sorry | mustn't stop, Mr. Smith-got
an aWtuily pressing engagement, and
m late for IL already"
He strobe hurriedlv away with a
NOD and smile, and Smith and Styier
iooked at each other. Then they, TOO,
hall.
Il shouldn't have said. from his
manner, that he'd anything much to
te l.. remarked Smith What do
you say, Styler?'
i say-let US take that cab and
Drive 70 the Doctors" answered Sty-
Ter Maj. Esmondhaugh is not what
l should call an imaginative sort of
gentleman. and II he says We shall
near something at Hextall we shall"
There was nothing to see outside
HeXtalIs house once the two reached
IT. neither had there been anything
10 see in Queen Anne street as they
PASSED through. Styler had glanced
IN at the LIGHTED windows OF the
Tress's fiat and looked in at the gen.
80 doorway on the street level
nothing unusual to be seen in door
nothing unusual in the bearing of
F"~tall's narlo-mnid when she admit
ted them to the house.
DIR. Hextall hasn't come back since
ha vent out with you, sir" she said.
will you come in and wait? I don't
know what time he'll be in. Those
foreign young gentlemen were here
just now. but they've gone away
again"
oh. we'll wait" answered Smith.
"Dr. Hevtall can't be long"
Well familiar with the house, Smith
led the way into the dining room. It
was little more than an hour since
they had all lately Quilted 1t in con-
sequence OF Demetriadi's arrival and
news. and the chairs which they had
exactly as they had left them. And
one-half of folding door which
communicated with small inner
room was open, and within it. search
ing about shelves and bookcases with
amp in her hand. was Nurse Pal
into the larger room.
mfr. Smith," she said. 81 wish you
and Mr.. Styler would help me to find
something. DR.. Hextall sent me across
from Mr.. Tresss to bring him a small
c"se which he said was in that safe
But 1t isn't there, and now I'm seek
ing it; believe he particularly wants
oh, DR. HextaIPs over there. Is
hep asked Smith, as he stepped into
the room. Been there long?"
Hes over there with Miss Tress."
answered Nurse Palliser. He came
In just as she was going to bed. I'm
sure he wants this case for some spe-
cial reason. and he said l should find
it somewhere about if II wasn't where
he said it was. Mr.. Styler-wouid you
mind looking If it's been put in that
cabinet?"
Smith, looking idly about him and
taking no particular interest in the
search. suddenly heard a step in the
hail. then he heard Hextalps voice.
With a glance at Styler he went
out into the dining room and closed
the folding door behind him. And as
his hand pulled it into place, the
door leading from the hall opened and
Hextall, pale, dazed-looking, but evil
IDENTIFY wound up to some curious
pitch of energy, entered. Behind him,
following quietly, were three men
one, the tall man of Margaret street,
the others the men who had driven
away with him from New Scotland
Yard.
'+h enadonlv felt himself rooted
to the carpet on which he stood. He
stared open-mouthed at Hextall. And