Evening star., 1924-07-07
Continued from Yesterdays Star.)


were drugged," he replied coolly.
you'll maybe remember. he gave you
drink-to keep the cold out-just
before you started. Well-doped. you
understand? Harmless, though-you
came to no harm.
And the two of you disposed Of NE
on Chilverton Downs, eh?" l said.
Up above Manson's place,-the
trainers." he answered. 'Ah. l knew
old Manson well enough! Run by his
daughter now. that place iS-and a
damn smart girl she is, and a clever
'un! Yes. we put you down there. all
Comforta ble-with hundred pounds
in your pocket, and scrap of a note
Bit of compensa ton like-and a hun
dred pounds is hundred pounds. my
lad! / daresay it came in useful
you were broke when / met YOU"
Temporarily, Mr., Quartervaynem l
said. only for the time being. But
why did you run that car over the
edge of the old chalk-pit?"
The damn thing broke down-hope-
lessly" he answered. "Holliment, he
took off the number plate. and all
that, and hid EN- amongst the heather
they'll be there now. if YOU hit on
the right spot. Then him and me. we
showed the old ark across the turf
and over the rim o that pit and
smashed her up. good and proper. we
didn't want tracing. dye see.
And after that. l suppose. you
walked across country. in the early
morning and got train at some
wayside station?" l suggested
You're right" he assented. We
did! And came UP here-and here
we've been ever since. Then-this
damned Chnk turns up. as l feared
he would, and he's done Holliment
in"
Mr. Quartervayne" said l. "If
you're so certain that this Chinaman
murdered Holliment, why don't you
n he u
NO" he eXcla aimed promptly. No!
I'll have no dealings with those chaps
never had had. and never will, Let
from me-"
You'd only have to tell them all
you've told me- 1 said.
Tell 'em-nothing" he declared.
And how could I tell one Chinaman
two Chinamen-yellow faces. slit
eyes-can't tell Ching from Chang.
This mans name is Chuh Sin, ac-
carding to you | remarked.
Il reckon a Chinaman can change
his name as easily as an English
man" he retorted. He might be
Lo Ping or All Flu by now, I'm 60
ing to have no truck with any police! E!
I'm fed up here! Going to clear out
first thing tomorrow morning. Hook
of Holland first. You come-weIl go
to Flushing or Middleburg. I'll pay
you well as my clerk-I can see
you're a smart chap, and no doubt a
good scholar. 1 ain't-never had
much schooling"
I'm much obliged to you. Mr.
Quartervayne. but I'm not going" I
said I'm not afraid of this mys-
terious and elusive Chinaman. though
] won't deny that from your account
Of the whole thing there seems to
he some danger to anybody who's
been unlucky enough to get mixed up
I'LL
or two more questions I'd like to ask
you. And tirst-are you aware under
what circumstances Holliments dead
body was found?"
He gave sort of involuntary
shudder and blinked his eyes rapidly
Il know where he was found, and
what had happened to him." he NUT
tered. Them damned Chinks-a
knife,-ah. don't they know how to
I'm not referring to that, said l.
DO you know that Holliment's watch
and chain--worth at least fifty
pounds-lay by him on tbs. path; that
he'd three or four hundred pounds in
ready money on him. also thrown
carelessly aside-and that his clothes
had been ripped and slit wherever it
was likely that anything could be
concealed in the padding or seams?
Do you know all that. Mr.. Quarter
wayne? You do,-then just tell me-
what was the murderer searching
for? Come now
But I knew as soon as ever I had
put the direct question, that I was
not going to get any straightforward
answer from Quartervayne. How
ever nervous and excited he might
be. he was sufficiently master of him
self to control his features and his
big, moon-like face became blank
and impassive. He lifted his pudgy
fingers. stroked his chin, and shook
his head.
"r~on,. -,o,.r. I,o ,neuorod "Uoyc
o. them eastern chaps are beyond me
don't understand 'em!'
"Perhaps-but you've sufficient
knowledge of human nature to know
that to eastern or western a valuable
gold watch and three or four hundred
pounds in cash are bit tempting.
when you've nothing to do but pocket
them" 1 said. still eyeins him mar
rowly. And you know jolly well.
Mr. Quartervayne that this was no
ordinary murder, 1t wasn't the work
Of a footpad, doi,a for what he could
get from his victim. Whoever it was
stn that hsHa bean Holimentand ihIs it
when alrs said and DONE
who else could it be-" he demand
ed sharply who else?'
1T might have been an English
man. said. Il don't know-and
whoever did 1t was after something
that he believed Holliment to have on
him. He searched rapidly and fran
tica1ly for it. throwing all else
rupted. You're damned clever. no
doubt. but there's other theories than
yours, There's this-the Chink was
interrupted before he could gather
up the watch and the money! He
heard somebody coming-and he
Tell that to the marines. Mr.. Quar-
tervayne. | exclaimed. It's a the
ory that's full of holes! II won't hold
water for one minute. He'd time to
rip up Hollimens clothing. 20 cut into
the padding at his shoulders, to ex-
anime and slit his waistband. to find
out If he was wearing d belt under
thing. Now what?''
II tell you I don't know he as
serted: 7 know nothing about it"
know a man named Neamore-Percy
Neamore?" '
He started as If had held re-
volver at him and his big face paled.
what do you know about Nea-
more?" he demanded. When"
Never mind ! retorted.. do you
know him? | think you do, Mr. Quar-
tervayne. and I'll tell you why Holli-
ment and Neamore were in. the War
rington Hotel in MAZDA Vale very late
last night. and when they left together
they went to see somebody in Della
ware road, close by-and not far from
the scene of the murder. Did they go
to see you, Mr.. Quartervayne? Be
cause I saw you in Delaware road
this very afternoon in a tixicab! Now
come-who is Neamore?'
He stared at me hard for a minute
in silence; then suddenly rising, he
made straight out of the room Be-
fore could follow he had walked
out of the hotel and into the night.
CHAPTER XII.
r1,~ Trafu Goex Ont.