Evening star., 1926-09-05

It's Sir Michael, sir and lady, the
man confided ponderously. Met
with an accident while he was out
riding, seemingly"
seriously hurt?" Unwin inquired.
The sergeant shook his head. He
was stone dead when they found him.
SIR. A tourist gentleman from Lon
don had been sitting by the body for
an hour and more. waiting for some
one to pass. 1t were down on the
Cudfield lane, where not many do find
their way
George Unwin held a glass of water
to his Wife's lips, but she waved it
away. She was deathly pale. but she
showed no signs of fainting.
you mean that he Is dead. Ser
geant?"
THAT surely is So the man ad
mitted reluctantly. And a terrible
thing for all of us. for better man
or landlord never was. lie must have
fell on his head, they reckon. and that
bay mare Of his got obstreperous and
kicked him as he lay"
This is terrible news George
Unwin said, wondering at the solem-
nifty Of his own tone. Where have
they taken the body. Sergeant
That's Just what I'm here for, to
know your wishes. Mr.. Unwin. A
farm wagon was all that come along.
and they moved 'un to the Red Cow
at Cudfield. and laid un in the par
lor there. The inspector. he sent me
up right away to know if you'd any
special wish about the inquest or If
it could be held there
For a single moment Unwin almost
lost control of himself. Strange,
with his perfect memory. his grasp
Of detail, his careful consideration of
all that had happened. Of all that
might happen, he had forgotten one
thing--he was the coroner. and it
was his office to send this man to his
grave! When he spoke, however. it
was after not undue hesitation,
though he scarcely recognized his
from a long way off.
where it is he directed. ''The in
quest can be held in the market
room at the inn"
,; X Il y
THE sergeant took his leave and
departed under the escort of the
parlormaid for entertainment in the
kitchen. George Cnwin and his wife
were left alone in the room. 1t
ScciJlcu W nave grown udIkcE NuElIlR
the last few minutes. Unwin bent
over the lamp. He was stopped by
his Wife's staccato cry.
Don't do that, George can't
bear it, Listen, Turn toward me
| want to see your face.
He turned around without hesita-
ton, even with deliberation. Their
eyes met: hers afire with passionate.
hysterical questioning. his face
mask.
"You knew" she faltered
BE reasonable" he answered.
GLOW was it possible? Besides, why
should | have kept it from you all
this time?'
She said nothing more. Presently
she looked away from him. She
seemed to be gazing through the
walls, and there was horror in her
face which awed him in spite of him
self. lie moved uncomfortable about.
You take this hardly, Julia" he
said 'He was an old friend and
neighbor, of course, but after all we
saw very little of him..
She made no reply. There was
something about her dumbness which
for the first time brought tren1or
of icy fear into his heart.
George CnWin had never more per
fectly embodied the dignity and sufti-
cheney of the law than at the inquest
over which. in due course, he presid
ed. 1t was he himself who. in the
little room where the remains of the
dead man had been placed, drew the
sheet from his face. and. with the
doctor by his side, explained the in
iuries. In his seat at the head of the
long table in the market room after
ward his grave SVmDathetic voice
seemed almost to have attained new
note of humanity.
This is case, gentlemen" he said.
glancing down at the little company
five farmers, one gamekeeper. q re
tired SchoolmaSter, d labOrer and vii.
lage tradespeople $500 which will. |
think. present no difficulties to you.
The doctor will tell YOU that the in
illrieS from which our dearly loved