Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-21


tain onyv. i is one of tho few cases
which have frightened him.
The hand nf Providence. Mrs. Penn
horton is convinced sent her to Mr.
Fortune: and she only Just cauEh'
him. He WAS leaving his fire to &c
10 Scotland Yard about the man who
died in Kcnsington Gardens when hei
card was brought 10 him. Il was ''
,all YOU Mrs. Warnham sent her sir,
The maid explained.
Mr. Fortune went down to receive
n little old lady. She had rosy
round face ana white hair
MIR. Fortune. How good Of YOU tc
HELM me- Mrs Warnham said YOU
would" She clasped his hands. You
were so beautiful With her
Mrs. Warnham is too kind
you saved her dear boys life
81 hope it's nothing like that" said
MI Fortune anXiously.
No My darling Vivian is we'll
But she has lost her kitten, Mr.. For
tune
Mr.. Fortune controlled his emotions.
I'm so sorry I'm afraid kittens
aren't much in my way
Her nice face looked distressed. Il
knew That's what / said to Mrs.
Warnham I told her you would only
laugh at me- like the police"
But I'm not laughing" said Reg
gle.
please don't" Her nice voice was
anxious. She said l was TO tell You
l was troubled and YOU would listen. y
"She was right"
IT am troubled" She wrung her
hands You see, it's the strange way
it went, and the people next door are
so peculiar, and l know the police
don't take it seriously. The officer
was civil and attentive, but he just
smiled at me-"
II know" said Reggie. They do
smile
Don't they?" Mrs. Pemberton
sighed Mrs. Warnham said YOU
would understand"
Yes. She's very kind. Perhaps, If
you began at the beginning"
Mrs. Pemherton had difficulty over
that. The facts, when extracted and
put in order by Reggie. took this
shape: She was a widow; her only
son was a general in India.
She lived in Electors Gate, one Of
those streets Of big Victorian houses
by the park. Her granddaughter,
Vivian, aged 6, had come to live
with her and brought a gray Persian
kitten. With care and pains garden
had been persuaded to bloom behind
the house.
There Vivian and her kitten were
playing when the kitten went over the
wall. Vivian scrambled up to look
over and saw it in the yard of the
house next door. saw a little girl run
out of that house, snatch up the kit
ten, and run in again. Vivian called
to her and was not answered. Vivian
came weeping to Mrs. Pemberton.
x X x x
MRS. PEMBERTON put on her
AVA bonnet and called at the house
next door. She was told that nobody
had been out at the back, no kitten
had come in, they had no kitten, her
granddaughter must have made mis-
take. They were not at all nice
about it.
who are they?" said Reggie
1t was Miss Cabot Miss Cabot and
her father lived there. They had
been there a dozen years or more,
very quiet people, perfect neighbors.
But. of course, Mrs. Pemberton
couldn't let them take Vivian's kitten.
She went to the police station and
complained. And the police wouldn t
take it seriously.
Mr. Fortune contrved to do that.
Mrs Pemberton went away murmur-
ing that he had been SO kind. He was
left wondering how long she would
think so. 1t did not seem case over
which the police would be persuaded
to lose much sleep. But it had points
which occupied his mind as he drove
to Scotland Yard.
He was late for his appointment.
The chief of the criminal investigation
department rebuked him. This lunch
con habit is growing on you, Mr.
Fortune"
1T wasn't luncheon" said Reggie.
"Ive had a most difficult and inter
estin' case"
Tomas sat up. Difficult. was It:
Come along then. Avery's full OF
ideas about it. What was the cause
of DEATH"
Reggie stared at him and at Inspec
tor Avery. Cause Of death? Oh, ah
You mean the man found in Kensing
ton Gardens?"
That is what I'm talking about.
said Tomas. with some bitterness
THAT happens TO be what we're here
for"
Nothing in it. He died from ex
posure.'
Exposure, sir?" Inspector Avery
was disappointed.
"Takin' the winds of March" Reg
u.
life. Rotten heart. Nothing much
good about him. Drug habit-anc
other errors. Who was he?"
I'm the foreign restaurant business
sir. Quite a big man. Why he should
lie down in the gardens to die beats
me-"
Reggie shrugged again. 'ITe jus
got there and got no farther"
You said something about drugs
sir?"
"Oh. he wasn't drugged when h
died, Probably he had run ont of his
dope. and life wasn't worth living
And the night frost finished him
Tomas lay back THAT clears hin
up. Avery. You can go home To tea.
But Inspector Avery was not sat
isfed.
Mr. Fortune vas worried abou
something. sir:'
Yes. Most intorcstin' case. j.
Electors Gate in your division?'
That's right. sir
"NNhat 90 you know about Mrs
Pcmberton : Persian Kitten
Tomas put up his eyeglass. M
dear fellow he protested.
inspector Avery also felt a shoe
10 his dignity. They don't come I
mo about kittens. sir
They come to me-" said R"ggi
sadly 1T wasn't you that smile
them
"Slr?"
Mrs. pomherton says she went t
the station and they only smiled.
hurts nor"
Il remember hearing of IT," Inspe'
tor Avery admitted. The lady WAS :
pa:he'ic. But they did the usual. sil
sent a sergeant to the house Whcr
the kitten was supposed 10 have gon
iI Tho lady SAID they hadn't got j
Ilor little niece did try 10 catch it, h,
il got aWaN We couldn't do an