Evening star., 1924-03-09
<Continued from Yesterdays Starr
CHAPTER VI.
Nr. Smith of Pump Court.

IL
jumped out of n taxi-cab at the top
of Middle Temple Lane, and, hastily
descending that ancient thoroughfare,
turned of into Pump Court. where he
proceeded to climb a flight of we'll
worn stairs until he came to an oak
en- door on the Intel of which was
painted in faded white letters the
name "Mr. John Smith" Those
learned in the peculiar mysteries of
the various Inns of Court would
have deduced two facts from those
faded letters and from. that Intel
namely, that, first, Mr.. John Smith
had occupied the set of chambe be-
hind the double door for some time,
and that. second, he did not share
them with anybody else. They might
further have argtied from these two
facts that Mr.. John Smith was
successful barrister who had no need
to share chambers and clerks, ana
kept up a fine show OF both. In
that. however, they would nave oeen
wrong-the plain truth was that
Smith, an old schoolfellow OF hex
tails. was man of conslders oie
means, who tritied a little at the Bar.
and worked hard at what other men
would have treat ted as II hobby. It
pleased him to have a large set of
chambers all to himself, and he never
felt lonely in them in spite OIL the
fact that he kept but one clerk. VINO
was duly on show between the lloui
of 10 and $50. =.
This clerk opened the outer oak in
answer TO Hextalls knock. He was
queer faced, slightly sIuint'- 'esso,
foxy-haired individual ana !onn
Smith boasted that II took him Iloll
half past four to half past five every
afternoon to wash away the INK
stains which he had accumuiatso
since his arrival in the morning, tne
spilling and smearing or INK onsr W. ,,s
hands and face being apparently one
of his chief objects in life. HektaIi
caught him in this ablutionary stage,
and looked thoughtfully at as nlucn
as he could see of him over mass OF
Soapsuds and towel.
Good afternoon, Styler, salu rex
no, he amt DR.. Hextall, and that's
a fact, unusual as it is answered
Styler cheerful and unabashed. ihe
truth is, sir. there's a very interesting
case on down at the {. Z. T., sir
central criminal court, you Know
and Mr. Smiths been there all gay.
7 looked in myself this afternoon, SIR
and il was expected to be over before
or about 5, so don't think he'll be
long now Won't you come IN. uoc
tor? don't think from what l
heard of it that it could iast nluta itt
q few very nice, interesting lncloehts.
that's what attracted the guV nor ol
course" .A.-.
Il suppose murder cases and those
they. Styler?" observed Hextall, as he
walked into Smiths inner rooms anu
dronned into a chair. You like thai
atmosphere" oI;sb-
ing himself vigorously with towel:
"It's meat. drink, victuals, hre, 70
bacco and a sweetheart TO me- On; m;
Hextan, All, I'm getting on. l ant
Since came hereL,nrele ,-InrleGes Of Grim
inal law something wondertul' M;
smith, he's been tremendously go
to me: I've the run of all tneSe IVY ~
sir. and the =nestlmapie eaat ss it
were. and I've formed NICE lit.Ie
collection of criminal books ana ooc-
uments at home, mySelf-anu, py ths
by. Or. Hextall. If you don't ininu
INV mentioning it. sir, you maven an
,nedic ne that YOU could give away
have YOU? A Guy and Ferrier. nov,
air, or a TAYLOR? I've been LOOKING
for one on the secondhand staiis lof
"I.II see" replied Hextan good
I,umoredly what use are you going
10 make of all this knowledge
Styler?'' a,.,
polish on the tips of pair or large
prominent ears, began to smile: Inc Inc
smile awoke in the middle of his lips
and gradually extended slowly. re-
yealinc large, sharklike teeth. Hex.
tall was unconsciously reminded OF
seeing an alligator slowly opening
fts mouth in tank at the zooloSl-
cal gardens.
IN Rome
was not built in a day. l believe Dr.
Hextall. I'm not without ambition,
sir. and-here's the guv'nor"
A little fat, round-faced.. rosy,
checked gentleman, mild eyed, goio
spectac,ed almost venerable in spite
of The fact he was obviously no more
than thirty years of age. came softly
into the room. beaming on its occu-
pant. He was in wig and gown. the
wig a little awry, the gown bunch
ed up in a plump, white hand. and
he looked as mild mannered man
as ever exchanged gentle witticisms
with a judicial joker. No one, judg-
ing by appearances. would have sus-
pected Mr.. John Smith of sharing the
tastes of his clerk in the matter of
criminology.
Hello, Hextall?" he said in a voice
:.s mild and gentle as his looks.
Didn't expect to find you here.
What brings you?"
Something that will interest you,"
answered Hextall. "A-case."
We'll, expected that from merely
seeing you" observed Smith. He
to Styler, dropped into an easy chair
and produced a cigarette case.
Something that's occurred in your
practice?" he asked when the clerk
had gone away. And that is, of
course. of pressing Importance. 9th
H. I,o ;nIr
you'd have waited until we met
Take a cigarette and tell me what
it is'
He settled himself in his chair,
leaned his head comfortably against
the padded back, closed his eyes be-
hind the gold-Iimmed spectacles and
listened in unbroken silence while
Hextall told his story. When it came
10 an end he threw away his Gig
arctic, took off his spectacles and
sat up. The mild. blue eyes sud
denly flashed into wakefulness.
tall" he said. TT interestHme.
That's admitting good deal There's
a lot behind the superficial facts of
the story"
You think so?" said HextaIl un-
easily. He had half hoped that Smith
laugh at him. You think it's an
affair that ought to be looked into%'
"Oh. certainly! I'm afraid you'll
have to look into it, as you've
pledged yourself to the young lady"
answered Smith with a quiet smile
"As happen to know your slightly
quixotic temrerament I'm sure you
will. Now, I'll make one or two re-
marks. First of all. as to the story
of the two young Greeks. It's not at
all strange, as l chance to be a Man.
chester man, that I know those chaps
Just know them I met both when
1 was last in Manchester. Young
victor is the nephew of old Antonio