Evening star., 1926-11-28

| books-it excites curioSity-as Mr..
" The license for my caravan, alas.
| requires larger amount Of confidence
on my part, I must confess you will
| find inscribed upon my cards the name
of Lauriston-Spencer Lauriston-a
harmless name. I think. Certainly
! not of gypsy origin"
Goade smiled.
You're still thinking of our ridic.
ulous farmer friend" he observed.
WAS he ridiculous?" the man re-
| fiected. II don't know. He may have
been right. My grandmother was a
| Spaniard, and there were stories about
| her--one never knows. Parts of one
self may sleep for years and be sud
denly awakened. Perhaps, after. all.
Mr.. Goade, the farmer was right.
| Perhaps 1 am a gypsy"
THERE was the sound of gallopins
l. horse in the street. They both
| looked out of the window. A young
| man almost threw himself from a
| great bay mare, all sweat and lather,
| and rang the bell Of house opposite
| a clean, white-fronted house with a
| brass plate.
"A Sherlock Holiness" the stranger
| remarked, might divine that that is
here has been some sort OF an acci-
dent"
The door was opened by a maid of
eat appearance in white cap and
iprOL.- The young man vanished in
| side, leaving the horse unattended ir
| the street. The latter, after q momen
or two, crossed the road and came
gathering up under the archway.
"A further effort at divination," the
Il
might lead one to the suppostio'
that the rider of that horse was a.
customed to seek refreshment her
We We're evidently right;
doctor"
Some green gates adjoining tn
house opposite had been opened ant
a small car emerged. A professional
looking parsonage hurried out OF tn
door, dragging on his coat even as h,
took his seat, and the car instantly
disappeared. The young man crossed
the road-a tall. stalwart-lookine
youth, sunburnt and yellow-haired
but with a strange, drawn look on his
face, and curiously set eyes. Even as
he reached the pavement, they could
hear the sound of eager, questioning
voices. Mr.. Spencer LauriSton opened
the door OF the room. The landlady,
a hostler, a waitress and the new
conner were standing In little group.
They seemed to be all talking to-
gether, but the note OF their voices
was uniformly tragic.
They turned toward him. The wait
ress hurried away to the tap-room to
draw beer. The landlady answered
the question.
This young gentleman here" she
announced-"Mr. Delbrig, the corn
factor-he do have brought terrible
news. if so be that 1t is true. He have
ridden from the Valley Farm, seven
miles from here. to fetch doctor to
Farmer Green
"And no doctor a MT going to be any
good either" the young man declared,
in an awe-stricken tone, his eyes fixed
upon the foaming tankard which the
girl was bringing ont. Right queer
Il do feel about it ali. If ever / seed
a dead man IN my life. he do be dead"
"An accident" the stranger sug.
gested.
IT'S what we never have had in
these parts that I can call to
mind" the corn factor declared. his
voice shaking a. little-"it's just
murder"
The landlady screamed.
you mean to say that some one has
murdered Farmer Green! Not his"
The woman stopped short. Some
unspoken thought seemed to be in the
minds of all of them.
He has either been killed or he's
killed hesclf." the young man said
simply. II reckon the coroner will de-
eide who done it,
THE owner of the caravan turned
L back toward the bar parlOr to
nGfaninp
over his shoulder He lit a cigarette
and rang the bell.
Our friend with the violent temper.
he observed must have been Farmer
Green. I saw his name upon a
wagon"
THE man." Goade added, "who took
such a violent dislike to you"
The owner of the caravan shrugged
his shoulders. "Iie mistook me for
gypsy" he remarked.
He turned away and left the room
little abruptly. Goade, after a few
minutes, also rose to his feet and,
crossing the cobbled yard. made his
way to the smokerOom opposite. AS
he had expected, the young man who
had ridden on was still there. Most OF
the other habitues had rushed off to
tell the news of this lurid happening.
corner with folded arms, and not all
the beer he had drunk had driven for
a moment that unnatural look of ter
ror from his face.
us the doctor back YETI" Goade
inquired
"Ten minutes ago. the landlady re-
piled
And the man Green?"
The landlady shook her head.
1T was the truth. as Mr.. Delbrig
did tell u.s." she declared. "Shot right
through the chest he was. The doc
tor said he must have died Immediate
whereabouts did it happen?"
Upstairs in the farmhouse the
young man interposed-"jus across
the threshold Of his bedroom
And Mrs. Green, where was she?"
They do say that she were down
in the dairy. ANYWAY. she called
out when she heard the shot and gave
the alarm. It'n all have to come out
at the coroner's inquest"
Goade sat down by the young mans
side and ordered drinks.
You don't think he could have
done 1t himself-that it could have
been an accident" he inquired.
1T bean't so easy to shoot yourself
in the chest with dOuble-barreled
shotgun" the latter answered. How
somever, If there was no one else to
say who done it. suicide they may de-
eide it was. Farmer Green were a
man with a rare uncertain temper.
and when he was fiery he were capa-
BILE of any sort of foolishness."
Are the police over there?"
six on 'em. They're trooping In
| from everywhere"
mo arrests yet?" a quiet voice
asked.
Goade glanced UP. The owner OF
the caravan had entered the room un-