Gunnison news-champion., 1924-02-08
CHAPTER 10

The two men occupied q table set
against the wall They were. In their
way. an interesting contrss, physically.
neith.r Of them sood-lookInx. according
TO ordinary standards. but both with
[ many pleasant characteristics Andrew
wilm0re. slight and dark. with saIIov
I chesss and brown eyes. looked very
{ tnuch shat he was-a moderately sue
cessfui journalist and writer Of stories.
keen golfer. a bachelor who pre-
/ ferred a pipe 10 cixarS. and lived al
Richmond because he could not End q
/ hat In London which he could afford,
large enough for his somewhat eI-
psnslye habits Franeis Leisam was
of sturiier type. with features per.
hzps better known 10 the world owing
I 10 the constant activities Of the car.
1 toonist. HIS reputation during III.
. last few years had carried him. not.
Igithstandlng his comparative youth
he was only thirty-iiye years Of age
Into the very front ranks Of his profes-
sion, and his Income was one of which
| men spoke with bai.d breath. He
CANE from a family Of landed proprie-
tor whose younger sons for genera.
iious had drifted always either to the
bar or the Law. and his name WIS well
known in the purlieus Of IIncoln's Inn
before he himself had made IL famous
He vas persistent refuser of invita-.
fions. and his acquainInnces In the
fashionable world were comparatively
few Ne; every now and then he felt
mild Interest In the people whom his
companion ass.duOusiy pointed out to
hin
Francis finally broke In on Andrews
chatter. Il know you're dying 10 talk
about the Hildltch case. aren't youi
Wei, 20 ahead"
I'm only interested in this last de-
vcl0pment." Wilmore confessed. "Ot
course. read the newspaper reports
To tell you the truth, for a murder trial
II seemed TO me 10 rather lack color"
1T was a very simple and straight.
forward case" Francis said slowly.
"oIlver Hliditch is the principal part.
ner Ia an American financial company
which has recently opened offices In
the West End. He seems TO have ar.
rived In England about two yenrs ago.
10 hnve taken house In Hill street,
and 10 have spent great deal Of
money. month or so ago. his partner
from New York arrived in London, n
man named Jordan OF whom nothing
was known. II has since transpIred.
however. that his journey to Europe
was undertaken because he was unable
10 obtain certain figures relating to the
business, from Hllditch. Oliver Hi.
ditch met him at Southampton. trav.
eied with him TO London and found him
room nj the Savoy. The next day the
whole Of the time seems to have been
spent In the ONCE. and Il Is certain,
from the evidence OF the clerk. that
some disagreement took place between
the two men. They dined together.
however. apparently on good terms. a,
the Cafe Royal. and parted In Regen,
street soon after ten. AT twelve O'Clock
Jordan's body was picked up on the
pavemen, In Hin street, within few
PAGES Of HlldItch's door. He had been
stabbed through the heart with some
aeedie-iike weapon, and was lutte
dead"
WAS there any vital cnuse OF quar-.
rel between them7" Wilmore Inquired.
Impossible to say" Francis replied
The financial position OF the company
depends entirely upon the value OF a
large quantity OF speculative bonds,
| but rs there was only one clerk en-
ployed. II was impossible to get at any
figures. Hildifch declared that Jordan
had only a small share in the business.
from which he had drawn a eonsidera-
bic income for years. and that he had
not the slightest cause for complaint"
What were HiidItch's movements
that EVENING"" wilmore asked.
mot soul seems TO have seen him
after he left Regent street." was the
somewhat puzzled answer. His own
story was quite straightforward and
has never been contradicted. He let
himself into his house with latch
key after his return from the Cafe
Royal, drank a whisky aud soda in the
library. and went to bed before half.
past eleven. The whole affair.""
Francis broke OF abruptly in the
middle Of his sentence. He sat with
his eyes nxed upon the door. silent
and speechless.
What In Heavens name 10 the mat
ter. old fellow7" wilmore demanded.
gazing at his companion In blank
amaxement.
The latter pulled himself together
with an effort. The sight Of the two
new arrivals talking to Louis. the head
waiter. on the threshold Of the res
taurant, seemed for the moment to
have drawn every scrap Of color from
his cheeks. Nevertheless. his recovery
was almost instantaneous.
II you want to know any more" he
said calmly, 'you had better go and ask
| him to tell you the whole story himself
There he Is"
And the woman with hlmr' VII.
more exclaimed. under his breath.