Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-08-18
THE DOUBLE CHANCE
Fascinating Romance of Wrongly accused Hero Loyal Sceh
By J. S. FLE1 CHER
Aathoy of "Rayney-Slode Amagamoion"

place WOulQ De glaQ 10 nave MIN,
said the butler. STEADY young man,
sir-a church warden"
"Ah. that's your sort to save and
get on" remarked the detective. He
drank off the contents of his glass,
he must be going. And within an
other hour Inspector Cortelyou was
in his bed and fast asleep.
But he was wide enough awake
next morning when he plunged into
his days work. His assistants and
the expert photographer came down
by the first train from London, and
he was busy with them for nearly
all the time up to noon. And if Mr..
Marshall Stead had but known it,
there was not a moment from that
time forward that Inspector Cortel-
You was not aware of his doings,
through the assistant, who was a
past master in the art of disguise,
and contrived to mingle in the in
dustrial life of Mannersley without
attracting attention.
For the inspector, being one of
those men who take a strong line
from the first, had at an early stage
of his own appearance on the scene
formed the conclusion that the
NoSiACi al lhS SOIlACiN Hdd
committed the murder or was i'm
plicated in it.
Beyond the question of the finger
prints he would have been at a loss
to explain his reasons for his belief,
Yet it was there. And often in the
course of a long career an impress
sion had been formed, an instinct
had arisen in his mind, which had
set him on the track, and he had
seldom been deceived by it: and the
instinct which was part of his ma
ture told him that in this case. il he
followed the scent, he would run his
quarry down.
He was not the sort of man to fol-
low conventional methods of pro-
cedure, nor to stick at anything in
gaining his end. On the second day
after his examination of the room
at the castle he went to Mark
Quinton's rooms and asked to see
him. They had met only an hour
before at the inquest then being held
on Sir Roberts body, but the de-
tective had at that time said nothing
Of the call, and Quinton was
obviously surprised to see him. But
he made him welcome all the same
You are just in time to take a
cup of tea with me. inspector" he
said. ringing the bell of his sitting
room. "Or perhaps you would like
something little stronger-a drop
of whisky, now"
THANK you, sir; a cup of tea is
exactly what | was longing for as
came up the HILL" answered the de-
tective.
He took the chair which the man.
ager pointed out, and looked round
him at the room in which Quinton
had arranged his own books and
pictures.
Nice quarters you have here. sir
an old farmhouse, If l mistake
not?"
yes" answered Quinton. 81 was
fortunate in finding such comfort
able rooms so close to a colliery viii
lage. Here, you see, one might fancy
oneself quite in the country. Now,
here's the tea, and ! can promise you
real farmhouse cream and butter"
Inspector Cortelyou made no men
ton of business until they had
drunk their tea. Instead. he talked
OF books and pictures, of which he
soon made 1t evident that he had
good knowledge. But when Quinton
had given him a cigar and a light for
1t. and he had taken the first few
whiffs at it, he looked his host fairly
and squarely in the face.
Mr.. Quinton." he said. I'm
man of plain words-that is, when
like to he, I've come here for a
straight talk with you"
Quinton, who had lighted a big
briar pipe, bowed his head.
And III tell you why" continued
the detective. 1--WE come to you be-
NH
and the people here. you're the only
man that's likely to be of use to me.
I've watched you. You're a straight
man and resolute man, and a man
with brains-and you can keep con-
fidence.
Quinton nodded without speaking.
i want somebody to talk to-" said
the inspector, land I'll talk to YOU.
Also, want some help which only
you can give
You mean in this case?" asked
Quinton.
Certainly. in this case," Unanswered
the inspector. And to waste no more
words, I'll tell you straight out that
| believe Sir Clinton innocent. and
Marshall Stead implicated, II not
actually guilty"
Great heavens" exclaimed Quin-
ton. STEAD! But why?"
Listen carefully and I'll tell you"
answered the detective, and told him
Of all he had discovered, and of the
theory he had built and was build
ing in his own mind. And Quinton
listened without saying a word, and
in some way or other was fascinat-
ed.
We'll. that's extraordinarily
strange about the finger prints" he
said when Inspector Cortelyou had
finished. "Of course, can't follow
you In everything, but see the rea-
SON Of most of what you say. But
the motive?"
~Ah, that's where you can be of
use:" exclaimed the detective, Now.