Evening star., 1927-10-30
THE VIOLET FARM

| Eyes, yes" Mr.. Fortune glanced at
/ him. "Where's our Albert? Oh AL
bert stand quite still. Where were
/ the two when you saw them first?
! We're they sitting down."
Yes"
Just here"
| "Hereabouts."
| And YOU saw nobody else here?"
"Wasnt nobody to see"
"And, when the lady was knocked
! over, what did you do?"
Il run quick"
| Yes, | see" Mr.. Fortune turned
! to Capt. Gambler. Now l think AL
! bert can run home"
Il think so. Run away, my lad" :"
! Albert vanished. and the captain ap-
preached Lomas. "A bad businc&
! sir. You see, there's no help for it.
we shall have to charge them. Wen
go as slow as we can. When the
young lady can tell her story, it may
look different
IF she ever does tell it," Lomas
shrugged. "Oh. YOU must go on with
the case, OF course"
"You don't know the fellow who
struck her."
Not from Adam. Fortune has seen
him. Fortune.''
MIR. Fortune was little way OF.
He was on his knees by a clump of
gorse and brambcs. Did you want
me-" He rose. HAS Albert gone"
He made out the lads figure in the
path below. "Oh, yes. What did you
make of our Albert"
Hes got it all clear" said Capt.
Gambler.
Yes. Quite clear. l thought he
was telling the truth in one place.
Where he said he hadn't been rabbit.
ing. Not elsewhere"
We'll, I'll be hanged" said Capt.
Gambler. That's where l thought he
was lying"
Perhaps you're right. But !
shouldn't believe the rest, il l were
you. l don't think it happened"
Why, we know it happened.
What's the matter with the boys
story"
1T don't fit the facts. He says
there We're two women here, and
there's only one woman's footprints.
He says a woman and a man We're
sitting on the ground, and the
heather isn't crushed anywhere.
"Ile says Miss Daymer was hit in
a quarrel. and she was hit by a man
who came up behind her. Look at
the footprints. His toes to her heels.
He says Charles hit her The man
who hit her came from behind that
gorse."
Good gad"' said Lomas. THAT
let's these two out"
You mean I've got no evidence,
SIR cried Capt. Gambler.
"My dear fellow. Lots of evidence"
Mr.. Fortune murmured. There's our
Albert. Albert was up here"
'Of course, he was up here. We
brought him"
Mr.. Fortune gazed at Capt. Gambler.
Yes. captain. Quite SO. He shuff1es.
doesn't he? But look. There's his
footprints. too, coming by the gorse.
We didn't bring him there. He was
beside the gentleman who wears
nailed boots. with toe and heel-pieces.
who came behind Vera and knocked
her out. Lots of evidence. Some
body s been making use of our
Albert
I'll have the truth out of him."
ooh. no haste. Give Albert rope.
We don't want him. We want the fell
low that's behind him."
well. I'll he hanged" said Capt.
Gambler. You're going fast"
You think so? Let's go up to the
cottage. anyway"
Capt. Gamblers feelings were too
deep for words. He led the way up
to the cottage.
When they came to it. William was
still digging. But he had somebody
with him, small man. neatly bearded,
in dark clothes, who saw Capt.
Gambler and touched his hat. Good
day. sir. I was asking for Miss
Daymer"
What do you want with Miss Day.
mer, Tdford?"
Little matter of an account, sir.
Has she had an accident, sir?"
Something like that"
Nothing serious. | hOpe?"
Mr. Fortune coughed. II hope not"
said Capt. Gambler. and Mr. Fortune
sighed. I'm afraid your bill will have
to wait. Tidford"
"To be sure. sir. If I'd known. I
shouldn't have thought Good day.
SIR
GREEN here all day, William"
~ asked Mr.. Fortune.
"Aye."
"What do you know about it?"
Dunno nothing. They all went out
in the morning. T'other ones first.
Then mistress. T'other ones come
back. Then police come and took
EN- away. I did hear as mistress