Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-03

''Oh. photograph and description t.
all police stations. Warrant, too?"
| no, sir. Not yet
"You surprise me-"
"Spoke very sarcastic" Iona,
smiled. Reginald, you're being su
perior. What's the natter"
You're all so hasty"
Lomas shrugged. THE woman rar
away. We've got to run after her
whats the case against Mrs
Brase?"
THAT'S what 1 want her to tel
me-"
Charge her first. find the evidence
afterward."
Bell shook his head. "She should
not have run, Mr.. Fortune"
* " y 4
GONE murdered husband is &
~ prina facie case" Tomas sait
| mildly. II want to hear her explana
ton. She's given four, you know
He was Ill. He'd gone to London
| He'd gone on holiday. He'd gone
to the devil. And all the while h
| was dead"
The case against her Is that tht
| rectors wife don't like her, the
county don't like her, the county
police don't like her, and the count,
| inspector is a fool"
MY dear fellow, somebody killed
the husband. We must ask her fol
her views about that. It's only de
cent. He was shot at her door,"
You think so?" said Reggie. nm
going TO swear he wasn't killed ir
the park"
Bell whistled. Tomas sat up
This isn't quite nice of you
Reginald" he said. mot even In the
park? Evidence grown a little, hasn't
it?"
Yes. I had found sand in the
blood clot. didn't know the park
was all chalk"
"A little subtle. little thin, isn't
it," Tomas frowned. Anything
more?"
NO. That's the lot. But it don't
fit Mrs. Brase.'
well. I've got a sleeve, too, Reginald.
month ago. painting. or pretending
to paint. Mrs. Brase said he was an
old friend. She played at art in
Paris before she was married. They
were together a good deal 1t was
talked about. Warnham says it made
bad blood between her and her
husband
THE rectors wife again" said
Reggie.
80 Il dare say. Brase has a brother,
too, YOU know"
Yes. Yes. Lots of nice friends
for Mrs. Brase. Was the artist down
here. when Brase was missed"
mo evidence
"Rectors wife drawn the line some.
where. Who is the mysterious
artist?''
Used the name Of Afford. Big
fellow. Spoke with some sort OF a
twang. Foreign in his ways. they
say"
Big fellow. And she's big. too
Reggie murmured. Il wonder"
You mean they could have carried
him up there between them. sir?"
said Bell.
Reggie gazed at him. 1T could be.
Sorry, Lomas. My error. You'll have
to find them. Nasty case" He rose
and lounged out
Not himself. Mr.. Lomas," Bell
shook his head. Not up to 1t yet,
he isn't"
But the morning brought Reggie
down in his usual amiable placidity
only little dreamy. He woke up
when Tomas spoke of going back to
town. Yes. You so and find them
Leave me Bell"
My dear fellow! Are you staying?
there?"
II don't know. I don't know any.
thing. Leave me Bell / want him to
protect me, I'm afraid of this f3ercp
inspector"
'All right. Don't let him hang the
rector's wife. Bell
v X X
THE methods of Mr.. Fortune seemed
to Supt. Bell frivolous. They took
car; they put it up at an inn miles
from Brase Hall: they walked to the
village of Brase.
They talked with every human crea-
ture they met. and in the village they
had to wander about like trippers, adj
miring cottage here and there, go.
ing over the church with the sexton,
drinking beer with the landlord of
the inn.
When they came out of the inn. Mr..
Fortune smiled. well, what do YOU
make of it all, Bell?"
''Sir?" Bell stared.
'They like Mrs. Brase. And nobody
cares about him.
Now, you put it like that" Bell
said slowly
But Reggie slid into the porch of the
inn. Look at that. Go talk to him.
Don't say I'm here" Bell was left
staring at the police car, which stood
by the rectory gate. He oheyed orders.
When the inspector and his car were
out OF sight, Reggie joined him again.
"Warnham' been searching the hall
with Brase's brother" Bell reported
Found nothing much. No pistol.
Some old letters to her, signed Tim.
He says that's this artist chap. But
he can't get proof the man was here
last week. That's what he went to
the rectory about. He's made up his
mind Mrs. Brase hasn't gone abroad.
He's found her passport"
Passport" said Reggie with con.
tempt. well, well. There's some
brains somewhere, but not in Warn.
ham. Muddled case, isn't. it?"
He's not what I'd call bright, sir
But he's working the only clues he s
got''
Reggie stopped. ''Oh, Bell, He
hasn't even begun"
mo, sir. Where would you begin p
when was the dead man last seen
alive?"
Il reckon Mrs. Brase is the one to
tell us that"
"Oh, my aunt! OF course, the muir
derer saw him last. But there must
be somebody here who saw him last
but one. Who was it and where was
he?"
We'll. Warnham's got it pretty
close. Brase was alive at the hall al
lunch on that day of the rector's din
ner. He didn't sleep at the hall that
night. He must have been killed be-
tween lunch and dinner. That's near
enough"
MY only aunt" Reggie gasped
! Nothing strike you about that, Bell:
No? But it's all sand down here and