Evening star., 1927-10-30

door opened INTO nN1nS room. i
had several tables, miscellany o
books. tools, papers. fiddle, clothes
food in the raw. There were two oi
stoves.
Pots and pans were kept in the fire
place. An easel stood by the window
What was that thing in the corner
under the shelf of chemists bottles
4 little printing press?
Vera tossed a rug over it. where
has that rirl put the matches? Oh
sit down This place is a pigsty.'
She made chaos worse Confounded
Mr.. Fortune lit an oil stove for her.
But it's noble old place." he
said What was it?'
aha, what was it?" the youth
cackled in the doorway. "N by. sir
the buzz is it was built by Noah or
the model of the ark. and never used
since"
Don't be an owl, Charles" said
Isabel hastily. Clear the table
Where's the bread. W" Vera raised
asked fercely if she couldn't do some
thing.
Mr.. Fortune withdrew himself from
the conversation. The spasmodiC
movements of Vera suggested an eN
plosive temperature. He wandered
into remote corners of the room. They
had some rare old things among their
rubbish. That chest might he
fifteenth century. There WAS some
thing of an inscription on It, Much
later work. though. Queer lettering.
The girls were muttering together
not amably. lie was reminded OF
the rumhling of angry cats.
1t was in no way a pleasant tea,
The bread was ancient and the butter
remembered the tin from which it
came. His hosts were even less
agreeable.
The girls talked of the faults of the
meal and the discomforts of their
! life. Mr.. Fortune. was soon asking
the way to Cele. AS he fed, he heard
Vera grow shril. and something like
weeping from Isabel.
When he came in sight Of the
village, his chauffeur, Sam, emerged
! from the post office, wipins his mouth,
| trying not to look happy.
| Get anything" said Mr.. Fortune
| ''These village people are all right,
sir. What YOU might call omely; Very
| nice and 'omely. But they got a good
old down on the young ladies. Fair
| ate 'em.'
"Why?"
II don't know why. couldn't ear
of anything the young ladies ave
done. except biffed a boys cad what
was killing a bird. l seen him. He
could do with smacking. But the
village people are nerVy about it.
Seems as if they was afraid.
Sounds silly, sir. but that was the
idea l got. They tell me as no one
in Cele won't go near the young
ladies' cottage now, except the post
man-and e as to. No one won't
sell EN- anything, not milk nor moth
ing"
THEY arrived at Stanchester. and
= there, Mr.. Fortune announced
they would stay. if man could live
in the inn. He consumed another
tea and considered it possible. He
engaged in meditation and emerged to
telephone to Lomas.
There's more in this than meets
the eye You'd better come down. ="
A groan ratified in the telephone. 1t
asked why. well. you might appeal
to Nera's better nature. l didn't.
was quite bad for her" The tele-
phone. rather shrill wanted to know
what was the matter,
ASK me no more. The moon may
draw the sea. But | couldn't.
couldn't draw any of 'em. Not even
Charles" The telephone asked who
was Charles.
"Ah. that's very difficult. Who is
Charles, and what's he for? Come
along. l want you as witness TO
character. Before the chief constable.
Chief constables don't take to me-"
What have you been up to-" the
telephone cried.
Heaven Knows. Goodby."
Morning brought the chief of the
criminal investigation department in
petulant mood. 1t was not dispelled
by Mr. Fortunes account of his in
vestigations. I'm obliged to you,
| work to do. And YOU dragged me
here to listen to this. You've got
nothing at all"
"Oh, Lomas. And after that tea
suffered for your sake. You're very
unkind. Aunt wouldn't like it. How
is Aunt, by the way? Oh. hush. Con-
troll yourself. You've got to call on
the chief constable. l telephoned to
him you were coming"
In the presence of the chief con-
stable a solid square-cut man. Lomas
became official. They had come about
the case the chief constable referred
to them. There were one or two
points.
The young ladies at Cele?" Capt
Gambler said sharply. I've taken
your word for them. Isn't that right
| sr?"
We'll, of course. it's all in the fam.
| lily, Captain" Mr.. Fortune smiled.
"Lomas's aunt. you Know"
quite, quite" Capt. Gambler hastily
agreed.
Thanks very much. Wen leave
| the family out. please" Lomas cried.
You asked who they were, and told
you. You didn't say what you had
against them"
Because | hadn't anything like evil
| dence. But there's some queer tales
going about"
Lets hear them, please"
"Nery good. We have some forged
notes passed here a month ago. We
! couldn't trace their Origin-haven't t
/ traced it vet What we did find was
people saying that these strangers ~
| Cele were up to some queer game:
brought a mysterious machine with
them. had chemists stuff sent from
London. and so on | suppose YOU
don't wonder l wanted to know who
| they were"
Lomas laughed angrily. mo. ]
don't wonder at anything, after that.
Imaginative people you've got down
here. Captain. What else has Miss
Daymer been doing, plea se?"
Capt. Gambler shrugged. Sorry you
don't like it. You asked for it. l
told you l was satisfied"
'Lomas Apologies" Mr.. Fortune
smiled Family Indignation, you
know, Captain. Very natural, but not
relevant. Anything else being said
/ against Miss Daymcr?"
IF you put it to me, there is"
! Capt. Gambler frowned at Lomas.
The country people don't like TIE
way the young ladies carry on out
tthere''~
Il dare say. Miss Daymcr's habits
weren't learned in the country"