Evening star., 1926-10-03
did the Hernes get at him-and what

did they do?
There would be just the freight
Pickering in the dark. Flames re-
flected in that shining paneling-just
crackle of burning. That's what he
saw: that's what he heard. And then
there was a cry And he was out of
bed kneeling in that corner. And he
was dead How did the Hernes get
him out of bed. and why did they
take him over there?"
Reggie pulled the bedclothes to the
ground ran his hands over the bare
bedstead, dragged it out into the mid
die of the room and examined the wall
and the floor where it had stood. He
rose breathless and wiped the sweat
from his face.
He wandered to the fireplace. The
vast old chimney had been narrowed
for a modern CRATE, and the new work
was solid. He made off to the corner
where John Douty died.
well. well. This isn't systematic y
he protested to himself. This is
| futile" But To the corner he went.
"Why did l do that" he said. He
steadied himself against the paneling.
| Yes, it was here he cried, and felt
cold come over him like a wave.
He stumbled into the middle of thA
room, shivering "Me, too?" he
gasped. II think not" He made q
| dash for the door and tumbled into
the arms of Inspector Barton.
Hold up, doctor" that brisk. little
man cried. Feeling queer? What'n
/ get you? Like drop of whisky"
Reggie held him tight. zone mo-
ment. You're nice and natural, In
spector," he said, unsteadily. what
l really want is a 2-foot rule
Inspector Barton produced a spring
| measure.
Come into the next room. BY the
way, who slept in the next room? Nc
one? But it's q very nice room.
Measure it along the outer wall. Good
Come into the corridor. Measure the
length of the two rooms. Now for
it, They went into the room of
death, and Reggie bit his lips. Right
up into the corner. Along the outer
wall" Reggie kept close to his elbow
as he measured. And that's that
Reggie murmured. Come away"
"Six feet or more short" Barton
cried THAT partition wall is never
6 feet Thick
six feet of something in the wall,
Reggie drew him out. Seal the room
again, Barton
81
IL Bell examining Mrs. Herne.
Mrs Herne can't remember wheth
er her son was at Nimms on the day
| Sir John Douty died, SIR Bell said.
That's a pity" Reggie murmured
'1e often comes out to see me. He
| has his motor bicycle" said Mrs.
| Herne placidly. Il expect him to-
night, sir. if you would like to ask
him anything"
'"I should. But l dare say you can
tell me why no one was put In the
| room next to Mr.. Douty's the night
ne died?"
Mrs. Herne had no difficulty. 1--WE
have a number of better rooms, sir.
There was no need to use it,
II suppose it really wasn't used?
"No, sir! Not to my knowledge"
when was Mr.. DOuty's. used be-
fore?"
II couldn't say, sir. 1t was the
first time Mr.. Douty had slept here.
The builders have only just finished
with the house. 1t was empty for
many years"
But you were here when it was
occupied. I suppose nothing unpleas-
ant ever happened in the room?'
mo, sir; not in my time" The
sound of a motor bicycle was heard.
THAT Is my son. l think" Mrs
Herne went out.
Hard as nails, SIR" Bell said.
Mr.. Herne was not as majestic
person as his mother, even darker
Of face and more plainly of gypsy
blood.
"My mother tells me you want to
know if l was here the day Sir John
died. he smiled. II was. i came
over about this time"
You didn't see him." Bell asked.
NO"
There was one thing I wanted to
ask you, Mr.. Herne," Reggie muir
| INJURED. "Why did you suggest to Sir
John that he should buy Mimms
Hall?"
Mr.. Herne smiled. "He was a man
who could pay price. 1t was good
business for me- Mimms Mall is
rather a white elephant nowadays,
You'd have to get a man specially in
terested to buy it. Well. John Douty
was the man. His family built the
place-and lost it. 1t seemed natural
when he'd made the Douty fortune
he should come back
Your family have been in Mimms
a long time, haven't they?
Mr.. Herne laughed. II believe we
were here in the old days when the
Doutys owned everything and every
body. But, of course, we were only
village people"
And you wanted to see the old
family restored to It's ancient homer"
"Oh-well, l don't know" Mr..
Herne had lost something of his as
surance. That's sentiment, isn't It?
I'm a business man, sir"
Eyes. Yes. 1t was rather bad
business for the Doutys."
Not my fault, was it," Mr.. Herne
said sharply. Il didn't get their
money, sir. Nimms Hall wasn't
mine"
mo. But the family Of Douty
hasn't much luck here"
Mr.. Herne scowled. They had a
merry time here in the old days
Yes. Yes. That's all, Mr.. Herne,"
Reggie murmured.
And when he was gone: "Sly fell
low" Bell said. But there's nothing
to get hold Of. sir, Is there?"
He hated 'em WELL" Reggie said
What we want now. Bell. is a COM
petent housebreaker."
On the next morning two experts
inspected the paneling of the best
bedroom. They could find no part
made to move. They took down a
section of it in the corner. What
they revealed was another paneled
wall. unpublished, with less carving,
worm-eaten.
One of the workmen tapped the