Evening star., 1926-11-14

And that's alp" asked Goade
That's all. But. mister, l tell YOU.
Ed ought never to swing. Some one
ought to make him say what else
! it was he'd got against Hawkins"
I'm afraid it's a pretty hopeless
affair" Goade decided slowly.
Don't say that. sir" the chef beg
Ced. Just go and have q word with
| Mr.. Bulliver If il was just imprison-
ment, wouldn't say anything, but
~ pal once who was a warder at
the Jail. I've seen them gallows.
Ugh"
The young man dabbed at the per-
Spiration upon his forehead. He was
out Of condition and he shivered a lit
lie, Notwithstanding the heat. Goade
looked down the long, sunny road and
sighed
We'll, I'll tell you what I'll do" he
conceded. Mai. Manton's friend Of
mine. I'll go back and have a word
with him. From what you've told me
Of the case. however, tell you frank
ly that l don't think there 5 a chance"
Mister" the other said, earnestly,
maybe there amt. l only know that
I'll feel better afterward for having
had a try, and l think you Will. too.
If there's anything you want to see
me about you'll find me in the Ca
thedral Arms, sir. I'm not really off
duty today, but when l heard you'd
gone had to start out after you"
COADE nodded and d owe back to
Exeter. He made his way direct
to the prison, rang the imposing
looking bell and was duly conducted
into Maj. Manton's apartments. The
latter welcomed him with some sur
prise.
"Hullo, Goade," he said II thought
you were off this morning"
We'll, | did start" Goade replied,
"but I got held up. Tell me--you
have man here, Thorne, under SEN
tence Of DEATH
Manton nodded.
Poor chap, yes, and I'm afraid
he'll hang, too"
Goade recounted his advep<ure of
the morning. Manton listened at
tentively. but his expression was a
little dubious.
"Of course, If there was anything
else between the two men, he COM
mented when Goade had finished
anything that really reflected dis
credit upon Hawkins, ThOrne might
have a chance, simply because Of his
war record, which was good. 1t was
the only thing they had to urge in
his favor. however. and 1t was a
pretty thin petition"
when do you expect the reply from
Whitehall?"
well, they have to keep it day
or two. Let's see, today is Tuesday.
| should think they'd probably keep
1t there till Saturday. We shall get
it back on Monday, and unless any
thing fresh turns up I'm afraid it's
fn in
Il suppose you could get me n few
minutes with this man Thorne?"
"Of course l could, if you Ike
I'D better do the thing properly"
Goade reflected. ''and see his solicitor
first"
"Bulliver & Bulliver You'll find
them next door but one to the hotel.
Pretty starchy card. Ernest Bulliver.
If you decide to step over and have
word with Thorne be here at 3
O'Clock and III see to it,"
COADE made his way to the So
- licitor's office. He waited for a
quarter of an hour in a dingy waiting
room, whose walls were hung with
the announcements of sales and plans
Of building lots. Eventually a lanky
youth took him out into the passage,
opened one of several doors and
ushered him into a very solemn and
bareloOking apartment. A tall, thin
man rose from behind a desk to greet
him--a pale man, with black hair
plastered down at the sides and at
the back He was dressed in somher
clothes and resembled a superverger.
Mr.. Goade," he said gloOmily,
elancing at the card. Kindly be
seated"
Goade accepted the chair which was
offered and laid his hat upon the
table.
Il am not professionally interested
II the case, Mr.. Bulliver," he began,
although, as you will gather from
my card. l am connected with Scot
land Yard. l wanted to have word
with you, however, about this man
Thorne"
Perfectly hopeless affair." Mr.,
Bullver declared. leaning a little back
tn his chair. Il couldn't get the
shadow of a defense out of him. All
that he said to me from beginning to
end was: L meant to kill the man,
and I'm glad l did
He never specifically stated the
reason, I suppose?"
Never" the lawyer replied. "One
concludes that it was because Haw-
That class of person, ] dare say, re-
CARDS those matters very seriously,
and there is no doubt that without
having had sufficient to drink to con-
fuse the issue, Thorne had been
drinking before he worked himself up
TO that murderous frame of mind"
There was a girl" Goade ventured.
"to whom both men were attached
quite true l caused inquiries to
l. I,,I lnft &c,
Canada before this regretable event,
and in the course OF my inquiries I
learned that the two men had been
together on moderately friendly terms
many times since she had left the
hotel"
Goade admitted that this made the
affair seem more hopeless than ever.
with whom did the girl live while
in England?" he asked.
with her uncle and aunt-Morton
by name. If you wish for their adj
dress 1 can provide you with it. In
fact. l happen to remember 1t: l
Ash Farm, Trawlee. TraWlee is
about l6 miles from here-rather an
out-of-theway place."
Thank you very much" Goade
said, rising to his feet. II presume
If I should think it worth while to
have word with the prisoner you
WOulU nave no ODJeCtlOU.
Not the slightest. Mr.. Bulliver
assured him. "A petition for a re-
prieve has gone up as a matter. of
course. l fear the result is hopeless.
Good morning, Mr.. Goade."
x X
AT O few minutes after that aft
"A ernoon Goade, accompanied by
the governor. was ushered into the
condemned cell-one of three cut off
from the remainder of the prison and
little larger than those In general
use. Thorne, a we'll set-up young
man with good features. but with
terrible lines about his face, was
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