Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-05
CHAPTER I.
DIR. Sheppard at the Breakfast Table.

CHAPTER L.
DIR. Sheppard at the Breakfast Table.
Mrs. Ferrars died on the night of
| the 16th-17th September-a Thurs
day. l was sent for at 8 o'clock on
the morning of Friday, the 18th.
There was nothing to be done. She
had been dead some hours.
1t was just a few minutes after
when / reached home once more. l
opened the front door with my latch
key, and purposely delayed a few
moments in the hall, hanging up my
hat and the light overcoat that / had
deemed wise precaution against the
chill of an early Autumn morning.
To tell the truth, / was considera bly,
upset and worried. I am not going
to pretend that at that moment /
foresaw the events Of the next few
weeks. / emphatically did not do so.
But my instinct told me that there
were stirring times ahead.
From the dining room on my left
there came the rattle of teacups> and
the short, dry cough Of my sister
Caroline.
is that you, James?" she called.
An unnecessary question, since who
else could 1t be? To tell the truth,
1t was precisely my sister Caroline
who was the cause of my few min
Ctes' delay. The motto of the mon
goose family. so Mr.. Kipling tells us,
Ia. 60 and find out" If Caroline
ever adopts a crest, 1 should certainly
suggest mongoose rampant. One
might omit the first part of the
motto. Caroline can do any amount
Of finding out by sitting placidly at
home. | don't know how she man
ages it, but there it is. / suspect
that that the servants and trades
men constitute her intelligence corps.
When she goes out 1t is not to
gather in information, but to spread
it. At that, too. she is amazingly
expert.
1t was really this last-named trait
IF hers which was causing me these
pangs of indecision. Whatever I told
Caroline now concerning the demise
IF Mrs. Ferrars would be common
knowledge all over the village within
he space Of an hour and a half. AS
/ professional man, / naturally aim
AT discretion. Therefore 1 have got
INTO the habit of continually with
holding all information possible from
ny sister. She usually finds out just
he same. but I have the moral sat
sfaction of knowing that / am in
40 way to blame.
Mrs. Ferrars' husband died just
1yer year ago. and Caroline has con-
'tantly asserted, without the least
/ foundation for the assertion. that his
wife poisoned him.
She scorns my invariable rejoinder
hat Mr.. Ferrars died of acute gas
ritis, helped on by habitual overin-
1ulgence in alcoholic beverages. The
;ymptoms Of gastritis and arsenical
1oisoning are not, agree, unlike, but
'aroline bases her accusation on quite
lifferent lines.
You've only got to look at her."
have heard her say.
Mrs. Ferrars. though not in her
frst youth, was a very attractive
woman, and her clothes, though sim
nle, always seemed to fit her very
we'll, but all the same. lots of women
.1uy their clothes in Paris and have
Tot, on that account, necessarily
poisoned their husbands.
AS I stood hesitating in the hall,
with all this passing through my
mind, Caroline's voice came again.
with a sharper note In 1t.
What on earth are you doing out
here, James? Why don't you come
nd get your breakfast"
Just coming, my dear" said
hastily. i've been hanging up my
1vercoat."
You could have hung up half a
lozen overcoats In this time
She was quite right. / could have.
walked into the dining room. gave
Caroline the accustomed peck on the
,heek, and sat down to eggs and
1acon. The bacon was rather cold.
You've had an early CALL" re.
marked Caroline.
Yes" I said. Kings Paddock.
Mrs Ferrars
Il know" said my sister.
How did you known"
Annie told me-
Annie is the house parlormaid. A
1ice girl, but an inveterate talker.
There was a pause. continued to
oat eggs and bacon. My sisters nose,
which Is long and thin nuivarad q lit