Evening star., 1926-08-22

that one Of his clubs where
everybody7is learned or I'M
~tant.
In that mausoleum you see him re
yering his respect for human ma
re. But even there brave men talk.
was necessary to do something vio,
1T. Mr.. Fortune began to read a
r. wspaper aloud.
Gallant Channel Rescue" I say,
is Is a good story. ON the late ar.
al of the Calais boat at Dover 1t
inspired that the delay had been
used by an exciting adventure. Soon
ter leaving Calais Harbor one of the
- ssengers, Mr.. Wilfrid Hartford, fell
crboard. His companion, Mr..
- unged in to rescue him. Mr. Lang.
''n swan to his friends side and
Imported him till boat could reach
'hem. Mr.. Hartford was brought on
lard in an exhausted condition, but
now recovering Good work,
Nhat?" Reggie smiled. Ingram Lang
tpn-that's the biochemist, I sup
pose"
Let me see;" Prof Jubal shifted.
Yes. Langton's always been good at
citing his name in the papers. But
F. he ever risked his life for anybody
~ eat my hat"
He proceeded to give character.
i,ition of Ingram IAngton--a clever
How. Of course rather remarkable
i,e should have done so we'll working
one in that private laboratory Of his;
ut poor creature. -. Quite
v'.hout the scientific spirit.
Mixed UP with business. Kept his
'"rk secret .till he could make q
.plash. Used other mems re-
,ults and gave them no credit.
Mr.. Fortune listened smiling. 1t
was his experience that men of science
- not always love one another. But
'he contrasts between the mean fel-
'ow described by the professor and the
noble hero of the newspaper had a
certain interest.
That was how Mr.. Fortune came
into the case. But he did not know
II then. He had to dine with his sis
tcr--the one who married the bishop.
.And this was the next incident in the
rase of the only son. The bishop was
aging down the law upon confession.
\ theological argument developed. An
old clergyman listened to the bishop
Tor a while, then turned to Reggie.
AN odd thing happened in my
church last week. I found a young
man in It, a stranger to me. He
eemed very uncomfortable and I
ancied he was watching me. I asked
,m if there was anything ] could do
or him. He looked at me in a Curl
aus bewildered way and didn't an
wer. l talked a little about the
hurch. He didn't seem to listen.
Then he interrupted me to ask II
] was the clergyman there. said yes.
Did he want to speak to me as a
clergyman? Then he asked. did peo-
lie confess to me. told him ! didn't
Lear confessions. But he seemed so
distressed. asked him if l could help
hing he wanted to say TO a. priest?
{e stared al me very strangely and
ried out: 7 don't know. l don't
snow what want to confess and he
'ushed out of the church"
The old man sighed. That seemed
me very odd, Mr.. Fortune. man
'ho wants to confess and doesn't t
now what he wants to confess must
;,e quite uncommon"
INJURED What did he look like:"
Il really didn't notice. He was
'uite a lad. Very thin. I thought
i'm nervous He flushed and trembled
s he spoke to me-
Yes. Did you see his eyes?'
Il don't think l did. Now you men,
on it. 7 remember he was continually
rooping. as it were. Yet he didn't
eem at all sleepy"
Reggie put down his cigar. mo.
ont think he was sleepy he said
'owly. You've never seen him again?
1 wish you'd let me know If you do
THAT was the second incident in
the case II did not then occur
70 Mr.. Fortune to connect it with the
',rst But IL worried him, and when
week had gone by without any mes
age from the old clergyman, Mr..
ortune went down to his parish.
4 church and three old houses lurk
ogether in forest.
Mr.. Fortune went into the church
No lean young man with dropping
~velids was inside. But he fingered
Z was a strange little church. dark
II that Spring noon, for the Saxon
uilders had pierced the massive walls
with only few tiny windows.
Reggie had come into the chancei
\ brass in the floor bore a quaint pic
ure of a man. and on it was inscribed
omething about RQbertus Hartford
\rmger Robert Hartford, gentleman
lad died in the seventeenth century
HARTFORD" Reggie frowned at 1t.
Now what do / know about some
elbow called Harford9 Yes, he fell
If the Dover packet. and Langton,
he biochemist fshed him out. And
Yuhal said il was very improbable OF
!angton. But this is not relevant.
He walked across to the rectory
The rector had gone TO Chicnester'
Reggie got into his car and sought an
mn He found one at a CROSSROADS.
rhe landlord was harsh with him, but
ne,lowed under the influence OF his
oun ale. He hadn't heard OF any new
;olks coming TO live thereabouts he
1ad heard Mr.. Langton over AZ New
lands had folk staying with him.. A
Young gentleman and his mother,
Hartford by name. But they wouldn
be like strangers. Old Sussex folk,
the Harfords. There was Mr.. Geoffrey
Hartford over at Toldwynds. The
house of Ingram Langston was
marked on the ordnance map. Two
miles as the crow flies, fIegSle
rroaned. But he went on.
The red ch!mneys OF Langton
house were in sight when he hearo
loue one coughing. 1t was long
paroxysm, and at the end or II came
a woman's voice. anxious and tenoef'
Then a man spoke rather shrili
"Oh. don't fuss. mother. I'm per
esctlv ali right. haven't been cough
Ing FOR weeks.
reggie waited for them. They were
on path which led down from the
house beside a stream. The man hur-
xied an with quick. short steps, though
:c was tall. 4 heavy coat did not
conceal that he was very lean. the
face which rose above his mufi1er was
lean. TOO. and flushed.
Reggie strode on. Il beg your par
don" He lifted his hat. Could
YOU tell me the way to the Wyck
Arms? seem TO have lost mysef.
The woman turned 10 her SON.
&c tho hest waNp'
IJe looked NJ Reggie. and looked
away again quickly. like q naughty
child. Coming away from il. aren't
-. o.. l.n ,,,,,&tnrnd and nninted With