Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1924-04-18
THE EVIL SHEPHERD'
BY E. Phillips Oppenheim
by IwnMy


were tell-tale little lines at it's corners.
None whatever, am sorry to say,
Mr.. Ledsam," he admitted. "At pres
ent we are quite in the dark"
you found the weapon l hear"
Shopland nodded.
1T was just an ordinary service re-
volver, dating from the time Of the
war, exactly like hundred thousand
others. The inquiries we were able to
make from it came to nothing"
"Where was 1t picked up?"
"In the middle of the waste plot OF
ground next to Soto's. The murderer
evidently threw it there the moment he
had discharged 1t. He must have been
wearing rubber-soled shoes, for not a
soul heard him co.
Francis nodded thoughtfully.
II wonder," he said, after slight
pause whether 1t ever occurred to
you to interview Miss Daisy Hyslop,
the young lady who was with Bidlake
on the night of his murder?"
81 called upon her the day after
ward" he detective answered.
"She had nothing to say"
Nothing whatever"
Indirectly, of course" Francis con-
tinued, "the poor girl was the cause of
his death. If she had not insisted
upon his going out for taXicab the
man was lettering about would
prot we never got hold of him" !"
r. .ctive glanced up furtively
at aker. He seemed to reflect
foi lent.
.ered," he said, Gin conversa-
Il h the commissionaire, that
y iyslop was a little impatient
ight It seems, however, that
as anxious to get to ball which
eing given down in Kensington." F"
1ere was a ball, was there?"
cis asked.
Without a doubt" the detective re-
"a. 1T was given by Miss Clara
ltiwell. She happens to remember
ging Miss Hyslop to come on as
,rly as possible"
They were walking along the Mall
ow, eastward. The detective. who
eemed to have been just a saunterer,
lad accommodated himself to Francis
estimation.
Let me see, there was nothing
tolen from the young mans person,
vas there?" Francis asked presently
Apparently nothing at all, sir"
And l gather that you have made
every possible inquiry as to the young
mans relations with his friends?"
$50 far as one can learn, sir, they
seem to have been perfectly amicable." :"
"Of course" Francis remarked pres
emily, this may have been quite a
purposeless affair. The deed may
have been committed by man who
was practically lunatic, without any
motive or reason whatever"
Precisely SO, SIR" the detective
agreed.
. But. all the same, don't think 1t
was"
Neither do /, sir"
Francis smiled slightly.
"Shopland," he said, "if there is no
further external evidence to be col
lected, suggest that there is only one
person likely to prove Of assistance"
And that one person, sirT
Miss Daisy Hyslop."
"The young lady whom I have al
ready SEEM"
Francis nodded.
"The young lady whom you have al
ready seen," he assented. "At the
same time, Mr.. Shopland, we must re-
member this. If Miss Hyslop has any
knowledge of the facts which are be-
hind Mr.. Bidlake's murder, 1t Is more
likely to be to her interest to keep
them to herself, than to give them
away to the police free gratis and for
nothing Do you follow me?"
Precisely, sir"
"That being So" Francis continued,
II am going to make proposition to
you for what 1t is worth. Where were
you going when met you this morn
ing, Shopland?
"To call upon you in Charges street,
sir"
what for?"
II was going to ask you II you
would be so kind as to call upon Miss
Daisy Hyslop, SIR"
Francis smiled.
Great minds," he murmured. II
VIII see the young Iauy rnls afternoon,
Shopland."
The detective raised his hat. They
had reached the spot where his COM
panion turned off by the Horse Guards
Parade.
II may hope to hear from you, then,
sir2"
"Within the course of q day or two,
perhaps earlier" Francis promised.
CHAPTER vi
Armed with powerful letter Of In.
PRODUCTION, Francis called on Miss
Daisy Hyslop. who received him that