New Britain herald., 1925-06-27
CHAPTER I

It was a livid, red scintillation-- "Blood!" screcched Honeybun. "Blood!"
 The scream resounded through the halls and parks of his quiet English estate,
 Servants, busy with their morn- ing tasks, were startled. The gar dener dropped his rake. and taking near course through the yard, came up shortly before the master of the house.
 Anything the matter, sir" he inquired.
 "The natter" Honeybun repeat cd duly. Just look at this stuff in the rain-gsuge, Adams. It's -- it's horrible. Like -- like -"
 Like blood, sir" Adams sup piled the word as beads of per spiration popped out on his red face.
 And what's more. l believe 1t Is blood" .he added.
 The rain-gauge Honeybun held in his hand was more than half full of red fluid. It was of the color and consistency of freshly drawn | blood.
 Run around to Doctor Russell and ask him 10 step over,' Honey bun ordered to Adams,
 Its blood. right enough the blood of mammal was the doc tors procurement, Without an analysis I cannot say offhand whether it is human, but I am in- clined 10 think it Is.
 MT. Honeybun was greatly agi- tated. His clean shaven cheeks usually like two rosy apples, now were ashen white. A gray lock oi hair. strayed from it's usual place hung grotesquely over one ear.
 "Take some in the graduated glass and test fl ." he urged the doc tor. "In the meantime l shall al once communicate with the police I cannot be burdened with the re sponsibIity of such a gruesome dis covery In my grounds"
 With these things attended to Honeybun returned into his house and as was his usual practice, rant for his cook to order dinner. H. was widower, living alone, ant he ordered his house with a firm but kindly hand.
 Though by this time all the serv ants knew of the gruesome find, h' detained his cook and described tn occurrence that had disturbed th' placid life of the Honeybun estate
 Some boys trick" the cool comforted him. If l were you should lie down for a bit and reat the newspaper, You are too good man 10 be upset by such foolish ness"
 Two hours later the cook burs into his room with unwonted vio lenCe.
 "The most awful news, sir" sh cried, Sir Francis Lathrop c Lathrop Grange has been foun' dead -- murdered, they say --- il his own grounds"
 The master of the Larches sat u' and blinked at his informant witt wlde-open, staring eyes. Murdered" he exclaimed. His mind immediately ffashe' back to the blood in his rain-gauge
 Then that must account for th blood in my gauge" he said.
 But how glad l am that l gay prompt information to the police It ought to furnish them with good clcw," he added with satis faction.
 Bu, no such good fortune attend cd the authorities in their endeaN 0 to solve the mystery of Sir franci Iathrop's death. The Honeybun es tate was five miles from Lathro Grange, and the baronet and tn retired London merchant were nc even on visiting terms. At such distance in the country 1t was hard ly likely that they would have beel occupying such different social pos tions.
 Tho chief constable of the count did not fall 10 consider the strang report which Mir Honeybun ha made 10 the village policeman c the morning when the haronet body was found: but though tf contents Of the rain-gauge prove on analysis 10 be human blood, l was unable, with the best detectlN skill at his disposal, 10 trace ar connection between them and tF crime at Lathrop Grange. Yet certain amount of importance Ti felt 10 attach 10 the rain-gauge II cdent because of the medical ev donce given at the inquest. s Francis had been killed by clea ~punCture in the throat,
 By direction of the coroner q jury brought in an open verdict vilful murder and left the poh, to pursue their investigations.
 On the day after the funeral tall young man and a girl in det mourning paced to and fro in Il great oak paneled entrance hall Lsthrop Grange, They were carr ing on an earnest conversation, ar both bore traces of the strain the last few days. Indeed, in Ma garet Lathrop's dark, expressi' eyes there was more than strat there was look Of combined gri and fear. Her companions ia rather registered a righteous 8 ger. further emphasized by q quick nervous gestures of his we shaped hands.
 The pair were lovers and al , cousins, the girl being the or " child of the dead baronet, while | young man was his nephew, nc Sir Guy Lsthrop. who as the I suit of his death had succeeded the title and estates.
 If you were not standing by n