Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-12
Continued from Yesterdays Starr

Continued from Yesterdays Starr
Il don't think SO. sir. but I'll make
Inquiries
He moved toward the door. but the
inspector held up a large hand.
mo. thanks. I'll do my own in
quring. But first of all | want to
fix the time a little more -clea rly.,
When was Mr.. Ackroyd last seen
aliye?"
Probably by me-" said. when 4
left at---let me see--about 10 minutes
to nine. lie told me that he didn't
wish to be disturbed, and / repeated
the order to Parker"
Just so, SIR said Parker respect
fully.
mfr Ackroyd was certainly alive at
half-past nine" put in Raymond. for
! heard his voice in here talking"
"Who was he talking to-"
THAT / don't know. Of course, at
the time I took it for granted that it
was DIR. Sheppard who was with him.
/ wanted to ask him question about
some papers I was engaged upon, but
when heard the voices remembered
that he had said he wanted to talk
to DIR. Sheppard without being dis
turbed, and l went away again. But
now it seems that the doctor had al
ready left?'
nodded.
II was at home by quarter-past
nine" I said. II didn't go out again
until / received the telephone call"
WHO could have been with him at
half-past nine?" queried the inspector.
''It wasn't you, Mr.-er-"
Maj. Blunt" ! said.
Maj. Hector Blunt?" asked the in
spector. a respectful tone creeping into
his voice.
Blunt merely jerked his head af-
Tentatively.
II think we've seen you down here
before, SIR said the inspector 81
didn't recognize you for moment,
but you were staying with Mr.. Ack-
royd a year ago last May"
June corrected Blunt.
Just so. June il was. Now, as
was saying, it wasn't you with Mr..
AckrOyd at ninethirty this evening""
Blunt shook his head.
Never saw him after dinner" he
volunteered.
The inspector turned once more to
Raymond.
You didn't overhear any of the con.
versatiOn going on, did you. sir?''
II did catch just a fragment of it, ~
said the secretary, and. supposing as
] did that il was DIR. Sheppard who
was with Mr.. Ackroyd. that fragment
struck me as distinctly odd. AS far
as I can remember. the exact words
were these. Mr.. Ackroyd was speak
ing. THE calls on my purse have been
so frequent of late'--that is what he
was saying-'of late. that fear it is
Impossible for me to accede to your
request. :. / went away again at
once, of course. so did not hear any
more. But I rather wondered because
DIR. Sheppard
Does not ask for loans for HIM
self or subscriptions for Others" l
finished.
"A demand for money said the
inspector musingiy. at may be that
here we have very important clew."
He turned to the butler. You say.
Parker, that nobody was admitted by
the front door this evening""
That's what | say, sir"
Then il seems almost certain that
Mfr. Ackroyd himself must have ad
mitted this stranger But l don't quite
SEQ
The inspector went into a kind OF
day dream for some minutes.
zone things clear" he said al
length, rousing himself from his alb
sorption. Mr. Ackroyd was alive and
well at nine-thirty. That is the last
moment at which he is known To have
been alive"
Parker gave vent to an apologize
cough which brought the inspectors
eyes on him at once.
"Well?" he said sharply.
"If you'll excuse me, sir, Miss Flora
Jaw him after that"
Miss Flora?'
YES, sir About Il Quarter TO II
that would he. 1t was after that thai
she told me Mr.. Ackroyd wasn't to bt
disturbed again tonight.
Did he send her TO YOU with thai
Not exactly. sir. ] was bringing
a tray with soda and whisky wher
Miss Flora, who was just coming out
of this room, stopped me and said hei
uncle didn't want to be disturbed
The inspector looked at the butler
with rather closer attention than h
had bestowed on him up to now.
You'd already been told that Mr.