Evening star., 1924-03-13
The Mystery of Lynne Court
By J. S. FLETCHER
(Cspyrisht, 1873, BY Norman Remington Csnpany }

police will bring against him. My dear
fellow, police, officialdom and the
public love to see the superficial and
the obvious successful. In this case
a man hooks 1t in the dead of night,
slightly disguised, under highly sus-
picious circumstances. leaving a mur-
dered man behind him, carrying, prob
ably. some of that murdered mans
money on him-why. of course he's
lguilty-who else? You were the first
person We suspected: therefore you
are guilty says everybody. We sus-
pected you at once-and we don't
want to suspect anybody else" There
fore, Tickell will hang"
Just then a footman came along to
announce lunch and Hextall and
Smith went downstairs-to find Oar
rcll Tress in conversation with lady
whom he presently introduced as Mrs.
Renton, a neiEhbor. Mrs. Renton, a
pretty. clever-looking woman of ap-
lparently thirty to thirty five, gave the
two strangers a quick, critical in
spection and fastened on Hextall as
the four sat down to lunch.
II came round to see if 1 could be
of any use to Miss Tress," she said.
Miss Tress tells me that she is in
your hands. DR.. Hextall, so must
her7s heP9s 70 ''u' l Supp'Se ID" '
Hextall, in virtue of his position as
medical adviser, felt himself justified
in taking a good look at his QueS-
toner. Mrs. Renton, he decided. was
a woman of some character, evidently
Ishrewd, self-reliant and forceful; her
lsmart gown, her obvious self-posses-
sion, her entire air suggested that she
Twas a thorough woman OF the world.
She looked at Hextall with a frank
Inquiry, which somehow managed at
the same time to convey to him that
she knew we'll how things had stood
lin that house. And Hextall entered
into the freemasonry Of her glance
viding you don't talk to Miss Tress
too long and no more than's necessary
about the event of this morning
which means-no more than mere
Preference to it."
"Oh, of course!" exclaimed Mrs
IRenton. "I came to talk to her about
anything but that. l dare say we
shall all hear enough about that later
on-officially. The newspapers, you
know"
"Too much" muttered Darrell. He
was evidently beginning his promised
course of reformation, for in common
with his two man guests ne mad de-
ler had offered and was drinking
whisky mad potash water instead
Hextall noticed the effect which even
this comparatively innocent compound
tier, his eye clearer and his voice more
J under control-and he knew Whal
J had led his host to the excesses OF
which, he had heard so much darrell
Tress was evidently of highly neu-
him to drink-and there was time
. enough for him to be cured, said Hex
! tall, with a resolve to attempt cure
! TOO much" he repeated. glanclne
| at the windows of his dining room
"I'm expecting to see the place over.
! run with reporters before the day
out. Why can't all these things be
. kept quiet?"
lis very much concerned about any
thing that happens on somebody else:
doorstep" said Smith. Privacy /;
) impossible-even if you want to kill
your dearest friend"
, lat Smith, who sat opposite to her
: Smith responded to her gaze with one
of his innocent and bland expressions
you think there is no privac,
son the contrary" replied Smith, "l
think there never was such q time FOL
privacy. This is the age or privacy
} lOnce upon a time / could not nave
lunched with you. for instance, unless
1 had known who your grandfather
was; nowadays, I am not at all con
, icerned to know If your mother once
} took in washing. Privacy came II
J when pedigrees went out"
You are gentleman OF paradox
. cal bad habits" said Mrs. Renton
"You said just now that privacy is
impossible in this age"
.Quite so," replied Smith. 1T is my
lcustom to say one thing at one time
and another at another time. The only
man who ever speaks the truth Is the
man who keeps up a custom OF per,
sistent self-contradiction. Besides,
was not thinking of what you were
: ithinking-I was thinking, in the frs
case. of privacy in doing, in the sec
ond, of privacy in being. Do you sex
: the difference?"
, II believe you're pulling my leg
answered Mrs. Renton. But perhap.
, you're only a metaphysician on the
spree-is that it?'
"Excellentm murmured Smith.
| have q fne appreciation of your mean
ing"
| Darrell Tress looked at Hextall ani
t smiled. He had vague notion thai
/ his lady guest and this fat little mar
from London were both. wits and be.
i; Iyond him, and he began to chatter tt
, the doctor about matters which YeI7