Richmond planet., 1925-08-15
VI

it can be identified. but the second
finger of the left hand is missing"
CHAPTER VI
Detective-Inspector Wragge
TINE Right Honorable Stephen
Colne was a bachelor. and when
staying at his country seat he
played second fiddle to the austere.
middle.aged maiden sister whom he
had installed as chatelaine.
But though he gave MS sister a
free hand in the ordering of his
household, there was n reservation
which she did o dare to t~ransgress,
His study was an inner shrine which
even the grim spinster was forbidden
to invade without invitation.
1t was here that Mr.. Stephen Colre
was sitting on the day after t. IN
quest on the unidentified human re.
mains found in the chalk pit on Bare
Acre Down. He was impatiently
turning over some papers that had
reached him by the morning post.
but his glance strayed frequently to
one of the windows giving on the
drive. His pale intellectual face was
| set rigidly, but a CLEAN came into
his tired eyes as his car rushed up
the savenue and stopped under the
Georgian portico.
The man who descended and Up
preached the front door wore the
black garments and conventional
| hard felt hat of an Anglican clergy
man.. A moment later Mr.. Colne's
butler announced him as "Fhe
Reverend Mr.. Branson." though Mr.
Colne had quite another name for
tho visitor when the butler had gone
his ways.
well. Inspector Wragge." he
said. shaking hands with an air Of
| c~oniescension. the commissioner
| made 10 difficulty about assigning
you TO the case. I presume?"
None whatever. sir" was the re-
ply.
James Wragge IA n of the
most formidable detective officers at
tached to New Scotland Yard. In
what likeness his Creator had fash.
toned him probably no living BeinS
but his wife knew. SO versatile were
his assumptions of types and III
! acters. 1t vas a popular belief at
The Yard" that Jem Wragge wore
some sort of a Disguise in the pri'
| vacy of his room at headquarters.
Mr.. Colne allowed the fatent dry
ness in the inspectors reply TO pass
UNDECIDED.
Mr.. Wragge selected a convenient
chair and sat down opposite his host.
You will have gathered the sail
| ent features Of the a from the
London papers" Mr.. Colne resumed.
There is no doubt in my mind that
| Sir Dudley Glenister faxed the evil
| dence Of his cousin Georges death In
| America. after inveigling him back
| to England and killing him within a
mile or two Of his home. That Is
| what you have set out to prove"
The inspector had produced a
memorandum book-a dainty thing
of russia leather with gilt.edged
leaves.
IT have already laid q train, SIR"
he said, glancing at a nearly blank
page. II have cabled the American
| police to look up the death Of the man
buried as George Glenister at Lone
Wolf City, Montana, and accepted by
our courts as establishing the pres
ent baronet's right Of succession. l
| only had an hour at my disposal be.
| fore catching the train. but l ascer'
| tanned that Sir Dudley was not out Of
| England within a year Of Sir Philip
Glenister's death. If he procured the
taking of the American evidence he
must therefore have employed a dele
gate who'proceeded to the spot. In a
few days I ought to be able to lay
my hands on his emissary."
Mr.. Stephen Colne nodded ap'
| prevail. "A judicious start" he said.
incidentally. Sir Dudley has or
| dered all his guests but Doctor Mel
iNille to leave the Grange.
Inspector Wragge looked UP sharp.
ly.
TO Re Continued