Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1924-04-25

The few words. simply spoken, YET
In their way charged with menace
thrilled through the little room. Fair
fax swung round upon his stool, tall
ggresslve-looking youth whose good
looks were half eaten up with dissi
patton. His eyes were unnaturally
bright. the cloudy remains In his glass
indicated absinthe.
Listen, you fellows!" he exclaimed
Mr.. Francis Ledsam, the great Grim
hal barrlster, is going to anlys the
mystery Of poor old vfctor's death for
us!"
! The three other young men aN
turned around from the bar. Their
eyes and whole attention seemed rivet.
ed upon Francis. No one seemed to
! notice the newcomer who passed quiet
I ly to a chair in the background, al
| though he was a person of some note
and interest to all of them. Imper-
, turbable and immaculate as ever, Sir
| Timothy Brast smiled amiably upon
the little gathering, summoned a wait
er and ordered a dry martini.
II can scarcely promise to do that"
Francis said slowly, his eyes resting
for second or two upon each of the
four faces. Exact solutions are lit
tie out of my line. think I can prom
ise to give you a shock, though, IL
you're strong enough to stand it,"
There was another of those curious
ly charged silences. The bartender
paused with the cocktail-shaker still
in bis hand. voss began to beat nerv-
ously upon the counter with his
knuckles.
1--WE can stand anything but sus-
pense," he declared. Get on with
your shOck-giving"
II believe that the person responsi-
BILE for the death of Victor Bidlake Is
in this room at the present moment"
Francis declared.
Again the silence, curious, tense and
dramatic. Little Jimmy, the bartender,
who had leaned forward to listen,
stood with his mouth slightly open and
the cocktail-shaker which was in his
hand leaking drops upon the counter.
The first conscious impulse of every
body seemed to be to glance suspi-
ciously around the room. The four
young men at the bar, Jimmy and one
waiter, Francis and Sir Timothy Brast,
were Its only occupants.
II say, you know, that's bit thick,
isn't itT' Sidney Voss stammered at
last II wasn't In the place at all,
was in Manchester, but it's bit rough
on these other chaps, Victor's pals"
II was dining at the Cafe Royal
Jacks declared, loudly.
Morse drew little breath.
Every one knows that I was at
Brighton" he muttered.
IT went home directly the bar here
closed Jimmy said, In a still dazed
tone. II heard nothing about it till
the next morning"
"Alibis by the bushel," Fairfax
laughed harshly. "As for me, was
doing my show-every one knows that.
I was never in the place at all"
1.-THE murder was not committed in
the place. Francis commented calmly.
ulIluA Stu Oll HlS olOOi' A SPoA Va
color blazed in his pale cheeks, the
glass which he was holding snapped
in his fingers. He seemed suddenly
possessed
II say, what the hi are you get
ting att" he cried. Are you accusing
me-or any of us-victor's palsT
II accuse no one," Francis replied,
unperturbed You invited a state
ment from me and 1 made It,"
Sir Timothy Brast rose from his
place and made his way to the end
of the counter, next to Fairfax and
nearest Francis He addressed the
former. There was an inscrutable
smile upon his lips, his manner was
reassuring.
young gentleman" he begged,
pray do not disturb yourself. I will
answer for 1t that neither you nor any
of your friends are the objects Of Mr..
Ledsam's suspicion. Without doubt,
it is I to whom his somewhat bold
statement refers"
They all stared at him. immersed In
another crisis, bereft of speech. He
tapped cigarette upon the counter
and lit 1t. Fairfax, whose glass had
just been refllled by the bartender, was
still CHASTITY pale, shaking with nerv-
BUSINESS and breathing hoarsely.
Francis, tense and alert in his chair,
watched the speaker, but said moth
ing.
you ses," Sir Timothy continued,
addressing himself to the four young
men at the bar. II happen to have
two special aversions In life. One
Is sweet champagne and the other am
ateur detectives-their stories. their
methods and everything about them.
I chanced to sit upstairs In the res
taurant, within hearing Of Mr.. Ledsam
and his friend Mr.. Wilmore, the novel
LIST, the other night, and heard Mr..
Ledsam, very much to my chagrtn,
announce his intention of abandoning
career in which he has, If he will
allow me to say so."-with a courte-
GUS bow to Francis-"attained con-
siderable distinction, to indulge In the
| mnth-aaton HamhOvaot ond malndra.