New Britain herald., 1925-07-23

confer"
 Ensconced in the fragrant hay, Adela commenced the "conference" by showing her companion Mir. Stampage's letter. He smiled during its perusal and handed 1t back with the remark:
 Fairly conclusive, isn't it? It will help me to draw the net lit- tle closer. What worries me most at the moment is how 10 wind up without involving your father In the scandal. He does not seem to have shown much discretion in his selec- i ton of brother-in law
 Don't you worry about us" re. piled Adela stoutly, You wouldn't if you had heard father discussing you after roofing In Debrctl. He | was for setting WiImot on io you."
 with homicidaI intentions
 He didn't say so, but l interred as much" 'I am deeply grateful to him, He has given me an idea. Your reyer- end sire is q most hrainy person. shall endeayor to have his sugges- ton adopted and get myself mur- dercd by Wilmot.
 If you don't find life worth liv- ing you had better do so," said Adela demurely. I have no doubt yon will If it suits your case. But tell re," she added, switching on to q new subject, wont you get into trouble for posing as pal Of Roalie's superior officer at Scotland Yard ." There is no pose about it. Sir Trevor Hardman, ons of the assist ant commissioners, Is 2 very old friend of mine. You force me to blush, but have rendered him con- siderable assistance when he has been up against knotty points with i only boobs of the Roake type to | rely on. And l rather fancy that l | am wiping ths eye of one of old | Trevor's star mon just now"
 That is an immense relief to me. l have every confidence in you as an impersonat or, but Roake will be 1 breathing fire and slaughter when l he tumhles to the deception, as he is sure 10 do before long, and l have | been aWfully afraid that he would queer your pitch for good and all. Why on earth don't you choose characters that cant be turned up in books Of reference"
 "A grave error on my part I ad- init, but I had to appeal 10 Roake's innate snobbishress. What l chiefly blame myself for is not ascertaining that my prototype Is in Canada. l do not so much mind the Inspector unmaskng me, but it might spoil sport if the rain gauge experts here truth. By the way is your worthy Uncle Silas likely to communicate his suspicious to them direct?"
 Not the ghost of a chance of it." replied Adela He has always re- mained the power behind the throne, personally unknown 10 them That end of the thing has from the start been worked by my naughty old progenitor."
 Tt would interest me much 10 learn who initiated the idea" Lord Bulpeter's double inquired in gentle tones.
 You will have to keep guessing, laughed Adela. Anyhow I shall not tell you. Because" she added more soberly, T really don't know. One thing I can swear to. Father didn't come into it till after the murder. "So l have always figured it," was the reply. Now as to my murder by Wilmot. l want you to connive at that. Nothing has occurred tc make them think that you are now in the camp of their enemies?" T believe they still regard me as , my fathers aide-de-camp." , Then I will sketch out plan fol . my undoing for which you may take all the credit unless you like tc F spare some of 1t for Mir. Larkin."
 The sketch Of the plan for hi! own murder was concluded in fivt minutes, but the conference did no , break up till half an hour later. Bu the last part of 1t was not con [ cerned with the Lathrop case, or in F deed with anything but the mos E intimate and private matters. Mir. Samuel and Mir. James Hon eybun sat smoking in the summer
 house at the edge of the lawn a The Larches when the parlor mai, announced that Miss Adea Larkil had called.
 Bring her out here" said Mi Honeybun.
 Preceded by the parlor maid
 Adela came tripping up to the tw
 gentlemen in the summer-house.
 No, I won't sit down, thanks, she said as they politely made FOOT
 for her on the bench.
 "Of course I shouldn't be so for
 ward as to call on you, Mir. Hon
 eybun, on my own. I am really
 messenger, but the message is nc
 for you. It is for the chauffeur yo
 recently engaged. Wilmot, l thin
 his name is. Used to be with M
 Symes of Long Paston Manor"
 That was all right. Both the Hon
 eybuns jumped to the Conclusio
 that the message came from tn Reverend Mir. Larkin. But, true
 his forty years of "business" in tn
 city of London, Mir. Samuel shove
 caution. His smile was friendly nc
 to say paternal,
 "All right, missy" he said, "Yo
 shall sec Wilmot and hand him tf
 message. But you might give us
 hint of what it is about. These da!
 servants are treacherous beasts, ar
 we have 10 keep tabs on 'em." Don't I know it, l spend all n time at the rectory screwing o'
 wretched maids up to the mark
 was Adela's unveracious reply. "Ye