Evening star., 1924-03-19


silently as Darrell laid revolver and
cartridges on an adjacent table, and
it seemed a long time to both before
Hextall spoke.
THAT" he said in a low voice, that
may be the cartridge which your sis
ter fired off accidentally at your fiat"
But Darrell shook his head miser-
ably.
No he muttered. Because it
the one she had there-or Kesteven
did. Anyway, got it, and it's locked
up in my bedroom at the fiat"
Hextall picked up the revolver and
examined it.
Il don't know anything about these
things he answered. II suppose you
do? Can you tell if this has been
fired recently?"
Darrell took the spent cartridge and
glanced at the casing, almost indif-
ferently.
Il should say So" he answered.
He took the revolver from Iextall,
drew out the remaining cartridges
ana dropped them into his pocket.
I'll have hunt round and find out
if Paquitas got any more" he con-
her sleep and carrying this sort of
thing, it won't do. But--what's to be
done, Hextall?"
About what?" asked Hextar. who
was trying to thinN matters out.
Darrell gave him look which con-
Eeyed and suggested a good many
things.
That chap Walters" he answered
by gad!-he's got the whip hand Of
US! Surprising"
r,n,, nDon't suppose anything" inter
ters. Let's see him at once"
But even as he spoke he reflected
on the real uSeleSSneSS of anything
ne could say to the footman. If the
man told what he knew, certain COM
pilcations would surely arise. the end
of which nobody could foresee. He
pictured the police getting hold of
this news. 1t would be such a chance
for persevering detective as was not
often obtainable. Something Of his
feeling must have showed itself in
his face. for Darrell glancing at him.
groaned
IT'S all very we'll, Hextall" he said,
but We're at his mercy. If we let
him see that"
broke in HextaIl. What want is to
see him--to size him up
Walters, summoned to DarreIrs
study, presented d countenance of
stolld respect and attention to his
master and DR.. HeXtall. He replied
quietly and politely to all the doctors
questions. 1t was quite true that he
had seen Miss Tress on the night of
Mr.. keSteyen's death, and under the
circumstances described. He had not
been very near her, but he had no
t1ced that she was carrying a re-
volver He had not spoken a word
to any one on this matter-except to
Mr.. Tress. He listened with interest
while Hextall spoke to him. Miss
Tress. said Hextall, had lately been
formed habit of walking in her
sleep. Presumably. something in her
mental processes had made her pick
up and carry the revolver on that
particular night. And-it would be
as we'll, for the present at any rate
IT Walters would abstain from men
t1on1ng the matter to any one.
Walters nodded understandingly.
II shan't say a word, SIR" he said.
Tive never had any intention of say
ing word. l thought it my duty to
tell Mr. Tress, but l never dreamt of
telling any one else. You can rely on
me, sir"
That's right" responded Hextall.
I'm glad to hear it. Now, there's a
question that I wanted to ask you,
1 understand that you were walking
about the park and grounds for some
time about midnight on the night OF
Mr.. Kesteven's DEATH"
Quite an hour, sir" replied Wal
ters. From about eleven forty-five
to ten minutes to one"
"Was it a very still night?" asked
Hextall.
"The nights are always still about
here, sir. You don't hear anything
except perhaps dog barking at some
of the farms, or a train going along
in the distance"
Just so. Well, now, during the
hour that you were out there, did you
hear shot fired?"
NO, sir-most certainly not!
thought of that myself, sir, when
noticed the revolver in my mistress
hand-at least, L thought of it when
] heard about Mr.. Kesteven next
morning"
IF a shot had been fired anywhere
In the park or grounds or garden, at
that time-while you were out, you
know-you'd have heard it?"
Couldn't have failed to hear it.
sir. The sound of even a small pistol
would have carried q long way on a
still night. And that made me dead
certain, sir, that Miss Tress hadn't
fired her revolver while she was out.
j was never far away from the house.
and I couldn't possibly have helped
shot. fired within a mile"
I'm glad you thought of that" OBJ
served Hextall. He turned to Dar-
ren when the footman had gone, with
reiterated promise to keep close
counsel, and he smiled encouragingly,
That's the best bit of news we've
had, Tress," he said. "I must tell
that to Smith at once. Do you not see
what it means-that fact that Wal
ters never heard a shot?'
Not exactly, answered Darrell
1T means what has already crossed
the minds of more than one of u.s."
said Hextall. 1T means that there's
good reason to believe that Kesteven
was not shot where he was found,
but in some house in the neighbor-
hood. and that his body was brought
to that clearing in the spinney at a
later hour in the morning, I must
certainly let Smith know of this as
soon as | get to town this afternoon"
You're going to leave us?" ex-
claimed Darrell, ruefully.
i must-I only arranged for two
days leave. But I have a sugges-
tion to make to you. I should like to
have your sister under my care lit
tie longer-moreover. I don't think
It's exactly good thing for her to
be down here just now-and I think
you'd do well If you moved your es-
tablishment to town for q while.
Your flats big enough for you and
your sister and brother, isn't it?"
BY gad, that's good notion, and
we'll do it," answered Darrell "Of
course, the flats big enough for the
three of us, and we'll go at once
since that affair of the other night
I'm a bit sick of this place. I say
we haven't heard a word Of Miss
Brock"
'The governess? No-that's an
other mystery" replied HextalL
what do you know about herr?
Nothing! Paquita and I thought
the young 'un ought to have a gov
erness, you know, and we happened