Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-07-01
CONTINUED from Yesterdays starr

CONTINUED from Yesterdays Starr
TIL ten you all about IT," he re-
piled 1T was this way. This chap
-Jim-haS some relation here in this
village. 1 made out that he'd come
from Portsmouth to spend the day
with him. He turned in here about
room for a drink and we got talking
a bit. We were standing in that win
dow there, looking out on the street,
and you went by. He saw you-and
he gave a bit of a start. Hello
he says who's that young gentleman
that's passing along there Why
says l, do you know him. I know
him by sight well enough he says,
seen him in Portsmouth, / have, but
! don't know his name nor who he
ia Well says /. that's MIR. Gran
age, Lady Renardsmere's secretary,
up at the big house oh" he says.
that's it, is it? Lives here. eh?' Not
been here long, though l says. Then
he seemed to get into brown study
like: Well, he says at last its a
thing? says 1. .Why-seeing him
here" he says. DO you object to
seeing him here? says l. Not me!
he says. No business O. mine, guv'-
nor. But I'll tell you what he says,
confidential-like, between you and
me and the WALL know them in
Portsmouth that nd be main glad
to know where he isl do SO:
oh" says |, what for, To ask him
a question" he says. Cant you ask
that he drinks off his ale and with
out another word off he goes. He
didn't come in again, MIR. Cranage.
And-I thought I'd tell you ali about
it
Very good of you, Holroyd," l
answered. NO doubt you concluded
that when Jim the potman returned
to Portsmouth last night he went
straight to these people-whoeVer
they are-who are so anxious to
We'll, that's just what 1 did con-
clude, Mr.. Cranage. he replied
"And-I just thought I'd let you
know They might be people you
didn't want to see-up yonder, at
any rate.
IT'S utterly immaterial to me. Hol-
royd, whether | see them-whoever
they are, for I've no idea-up at
Renardsmere House or in your
parlor or in the street" L answered.
asking for me, here, send them up"
'.Then--you know this JIM he
asked, inquisitively.
He once served me with a dinner
at business place in Portsmouth,
l replied, thinking it best to be
candid. But l haven't the CLINT of a
notion as to what his conversation
with you meant-that is, in par
ticular, though | may have in gen.
eral But as l said-if anybody asks
for me, send them up
| left him at that and went away,
wondering. Putting things together,
/ came to a conclusion. Holliment
doubtless, had utterly vanished from
nj nf prnh3 hlN a
police had found evidence of the as
sault on his premises-the ruined
staircase, the burst-in door. and SO
on. They had made inquiries-Jim
of the stranger he had seen there,
and they were anxious TO find that
stranger and to question him about
his relate with HoIliment. Now
Jim had accidentally discovered my
wherea bouts. OF course he would re-
port it. Taking everything into con-
sideration, | decided that l might ex-
pect visit from the police at any
minute.
But the week end passed and moth
ing happened. Then, on the Monday
morning, Lady Renardsmere suddenly
took it into her head to go up to
town, and, as usual, at a moments
notice.
Before leaving she gave me a mes
sage for Peggie Manson with respect
to som ething or other that she wish
ed done about Ripping Ruby, and
about noon when | had finished my
correspondence I walked across the
valley to Manson Lodge to deliver it.
] met Peggie on the downs. where
some of her precious charges were just
then at walking exercise. We stood
watching them for some little time
when Bradgett had finally marshaled
them off toward their stables, pegGie
asked me to lunch with her and we
were strolling slowly in the direc-
tion of the house, chatting about
Lady Renardsmere and her peculiar
tiles, when round the corner of a cop
pice which lay between us and the
village came three strange men, who,
after one glance in our direction,
bore straight down on me.
I had seen Peggie the day before.
after church. and had told her of
what Holroyd had told me about Jim
the potman, and she had agreed that
sooner or later l should have a visit
from somebody. Here, undoubtedly,
was the visit.-and she turned on
me with a sharp exclamation.
"Detectivesi"
Two of the three men no doubt
were detectives. But it was only
because of our knowledge of the af-
fair that we took them to be deteV-
tives. Judged by merely outward ap-
pearance they might have been any
thing-commercia travellers, highly
respectable tradesmen. military or
naval men in multi, there was no
particular hand on them. One, a
youngish fellow in a gray tweed suit,
swinging smart cane, looked rather