Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-06-21

|
chief So do I. Unless you come UP
to the scratch before he arrives or
give me the best sort of guarantee
that you're going to play fair / shall
have to think hard as to the line I'll
take. There may be more money in
opening my mouth than in keeping 1t
shut For answer. Alistair swore at
him. but at that moment. in my eager
ness to lose no word of their talk, I
went a little farther down the stairs
and my nephew must have heard me-
Look here. he said. this is no place
for discussing grievances. I'll walk
back with YOU to the village / adj
vanced then quite openly. 'Alistair.'
/ said. what is that man doing here?'
He wants my help, Uncle Hector he
replied instantly. He has a claim
against the war office, and I may be
able to steer him past some of the de-
partmental obstacles. Without wait
ing for any other comment by me the
two went off down the drive. / was
absolutely staggered by the glibness
of the lie. At first / hesitated. Then I
thought l saw my way clear before
me. In the past had considered only
myself and the family pride. not an
unworthy thing in itself, but an ele-
ment which should not be allowed to
wreck all reason. Perhaps 1t would
be as well now if 1 began to think Of
others. There was Eileen, for in
stance. and John himself. How would
1t be if 1 acted in their behalf rather
than my own? So. as Eileen had as
sured me that John would not reach
InVerlochtie before the evening. l
went across the loch and got Grant to
come and help. 1t seemed a wise and
proper course to play for time. What
ever wild schemes might be in the
girls head, she must abandon them
now If she would serve the best inter
estS of the man she loved. So l asked
her father to return with me and per-
suade her to stand fast until we had
adjusted ourselves to the new position
of affairs. He came willingly, but we
could not find Eileen. I know now
that she hid from us, and ! know also
| that, acting on her own clear judg-
ment, she had chosen the very line
we wanted to urge on her. That. at
least. is gratifying. 1t shows that a
woman's heart can discover the
straight path when a mans wit may
miss it. Eileen. within a few hours.
as it We're, took voluntarily the pru-
dent course which had failed to find
! during seven years"
| He rose suddenly from the table.
| Obviously he was a prey to such
| tumultuous feelings that he could no
| longer speak with the restraint he had
| imposed on himself thus far.
Il owe my son this public apology"
| he said. and his wan face went pitt
| last few words. His guilt or his in.
nocence yet remains to be proved.
That which is beyond dispute is my
own failure to give him a fathers sup
| port at the time he most needed II.
| John sprang up, too. He wanted to
| say something, to voice some protest
against his fathers manifest desire to
! shoulder all the blame. but Fur
/ neaux's almost hectic cry silenced
| both of them.
| Gentlemen" shrilled the detective,
| "the time for heroics has now passed.
| Unless / am greatly mistaken the car
which has just halle outside brings a
doctor and an inspector of police from
Mallaig. l suggest that we give one
moments close attention to the un-
| fortunate business they will proceed
to investigate. l beg every man in
| this room to forget everything except
the actual facts bearing on Mr.. Ali
| stair Panton's death. Its cause, even
its method. is by no means settled.
tell you my own opinion for what It
| is worth. He was not murdered!
Murder is a felony, a premeditated
act. I don't believe Connington had
either planned to kill Panton or meant
to injure him seriously when he
struck a boathook into his neck.
don't ask you to accept my conclu-
sions. / merely state them for your
possible guidance. You may be sur
prised tonight but I am quite sure
you will be thankful to me tomor.
row."
| The butler came in.
/ SfaVnnEnn lie l.
laig, Milford, and the inspector" he
announced. Police Constable Camp
bell is with them. 1 have shown them
into the morning room"
Sheldon, go with Lord Oban," said
Furneaux. Tell them nothing they
really ought to know. We must start
tomorrow work without being ham,
pered by the rules and regulations laid
down in the police manual"
Though Furneaux had made a most
surprising statement, he did not at
tempt to justify it.
Gee" he said with an ill concealed
yawn. I've not been so tired since
the night war was declared. I'm of
to find Timms and ask him to put me
to bye-bye. Mr.. Panton, II
you find I'm unable to move in the
morning don't start your search for
Spot without me. Good night, every.
body!"
Can that queer little person really
be a detective?" inquired Col. Grant
when the door had closed on the man
to whom every move in the deadly
game being played to a close at Inver-
lochtie seemed to be an open book.
He stands in very high repute in
London" said John.
I'VE met him first in company with
an eminent counsel and the chief of
his department. and they evidently
thought a lot of him." put in Fren.
sham. He's as sharp as they make
'em. Why, he hadn't looked into
Johnnie's rotten mixup for more than
S minutes before he saw bang clean
through the whole conspiracy"
Copyright. 1895 By Louis Trscy.)