Evening star., 1924-03-29

duties. They'd be infinitely obliged to
you Il you would simplify matters,
and say at once that you believe it's
shoot Kesteven. They're not very
particular. these gentlemen, about
motive-unless it is obvious and OF
assistance to them; what they like is
plain, straight proof. But now, dlo
you manage to get anything out OF
them? Did they tell you II they are
going to act on Walters information?
Are they going to arrest Miss Tress?
"Oh, | don't know" replied Hextal
with q groan. Those two who were
here an hour ago said something very
guarded about never taking extreme
steps until a very strong case is made
out, but
Exactly, and they've been bother
ing you in the hopes of strengthening
their case" said Smith. II hope
through with them? What line have
you taken, now?"
i've told them plainly that Miss
Tress is a somnambulistic subject,
that she could have shot Kesteven
while in a state of somnambulism,"
replied Hextal. "One of them act
ually wanted to know If I thought II
possible for her to have gone out and
shot Kesteyen while in her normal
condition and to have lapsed into
somnombulistic state after the deed
was done and before returning to
the house. Assr'
Say rather scientific speculator
whose ideas have not yet reached
maturity" remarked Smith. We'll,
told you and Tress that ever since
Walters gave that information to the
police there's always been the dan
ger of Miss Paquita's arrest-it just
depends on what amount of import
ance the head authorities attach to
the footmans statement, and what
corroborative evidence they can
scrape together. OF course, there's
use in denying it.. And the great
thing to do Hextan. in order to re-
lieve you and everybody else OF all
anxiety, is to find the man or woman
who murdered both kesteven and
murders were the work of one handt'
Man or woman" repeated Hextall.
do you really think it might have
been woman's work."
revolver" replied Smith. There are
circumstances--I needn't go into
them yet-which make me think that
the murderer possibly was a woman.
You must remember that woman is
more elusive than man--in more
senses and way than one-and that
she has more cunning. greater skill
in deception and better opportunities
OF concealment Yes; IL may, have
took the life of both those two"
Hextall, who had been restlessly
pacing up and down the room. came
to halt on the hearthrug, and gave
Smith a searching glance.
claimed. do you really think you're
going to find out who did tin
either case? I want to know
Honor bright, believe I shall find
out who did it in both cases" re-
piled Smith. And as I've already
said, believe we've only one culprit
to deal with. There are many strands
in this rope, many twists and turns
in this web, Hextall. but we're grad
ually finding the ends of some and
untying the knots in others.
OF one thing I'm very sure-the mo-
tive for these murders will prove to-
be a very surprising one. And can
assure you OF this much now. with a
certainty that's unassailable-it's
nothing whatever to do with your
friends the Tresses. Darrell and Pa-
quita Tress are mere accidents---rnere
straws that have by sheer chance been
sucked into this swirling whirlpool. !
l know that!-know II. l say. That's |
why | should view with eqanimity |
any proposal on the part of the police |
to charge Miss Paquita- 1t would be !
unpleasant for her: IL would mean |
her detention at Brixton for few
Hextall's parIormaid entered the
his feet before she could speak.
You're wanting me at the tele,
Excuse me a minute. Hextall-I think
Styler's ringing me up
He was so certain about this sup
position that he Immediately hailed |
cablegram Styler answered just as
laconically.
IT'S come-just now"
Bring it here at once" commanded
Smith. He went back to Hextall. drop |
ped into the easy chair again, and |
went on with his interrupted dis |
TT would be unpleasant for !
Paquita," he said. 'if she were ar |
rested and charged with causing kes- !
toven's death; it would be unpleasant !
body. But" he went on to point out, !
such unpleasantnesses are some !
times unpreventable; in any case, the |
charge against Paquita must break |
affair might possibly help in estab- |
fishing the guilt of the real criminal
I'D rather 1t was established in |
some other fashion," said Hextall |
grimly; II want to keep Miss ,Tress !
out Of it. It's an extraordinary |
Instead of wasting all |
that time asking me questions, why |
don't they go after that man who !
was seen with Miss Brock? Why |
don't they"
MY dear fellow" interrupted
Smith, with laugh. You don't un-
derstand our police methods. I knew 1
what would happen as soon as ever |
! heard that Walters had blabbed. !
Your official policeman Is always |
see, it is undoubtedly obvious that !
Miss Paquita Tress was somewhere |
in Kestevens vicinity about the time |
of the murder in company with a |
revolyer--therefore-
Therefore they Immediately for !
got the fact that Miss Brock was last |
seen alive in the company of a |
strange man whom they don't seem |
to have done anything to trace!" ex-
claimed Hextall bitterly.
"Oh, well, you don't know what |
they've done, or are doingr" said !
Smith. You don't quite know what
l am doing, or have done"
I'D rather know that than know |
what the others are after" answered
Hextall. II suppose you're playing |
some deep game-but I'm awfully !
anxious. Smith-awfullyw
Well" observed Smith as Styler |
was ushered into the room. here !
comes something that may possibly
message from three and a half
thousand miles away, Hextall. And /
1 dare say 1t may seem meaningless |
to you-but 1T may mean a good |
deal to me-that is, when we read !
1t out"
He slowly opened the envelope |
which Styler handed to him and with |
equal slowness spread out the sheet |
which il inclosed. There at any rate
was an answer. He read it silently /
and deliberately.
From Sam Edwards, Georgetown,
to Smith, Pump Court, London
yours with remittance through
Pollock and Brine received Man |
committed suicide at Cay 1
enne three weeks ago. Was con-