Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-05

moment later she threw open the door
and. having ushered In the unwelcome
visitor, closed II again, without a word.
you wished 10 see me?" Bensktn in
qufred, rising
The newcomer looked at him. She
was either out Of breath or overcome
by some emotion.
You wished 70 zee me?" Benkkin re-
peated.
you're q detective. aren't you?" she
reioined. The one who took the Dun
ster street murderer"
Benskin frowned for q moment. II
was q recollection that always disturbed
him.
yes, I am a detective" he acknowl-
edged
Queer sort Of a do" she went on,
looking round the room. You might al
most be a gentleman, living in Cork
street like this.
Z might almost" Benskin admitted
''but what Of it,"
@T've cot ! lodger. /" she confded He
has nothing 70 do with me / don'
know anything about hiTn-never spoke
Q dozen words to him in my life"
We'll, what about him.
Hes dead-been done in within the
last hour or So-muroered.
Suddenly he realized that she was IN
earnest.
GO on" he enjoined gravely. Tel
me what you want TO- but be careful
s'Oh. I'm not afraid" the woman de-
ciared. 1--WE got nothing against him
nor him against me. just looked In
70 tell him was going out. To see II hf
wanted q bit Of wood for his fire~-we're
gut Of coal--and there he was--snd, my
such a state as his room was IN ! had
one iook--tust Icing enough 70 be sure
that he vas dead--locked up the door
and came for You.
why didn't you fetch the nearest 20
Ncem2n2"
wei. for one thing I hate the man
On my beat. and ! doubt whether he'd
have come II asked him-he'd have
thought was kidding then ] knew gov
lived aere~--I see you often going IN and
ogt--2nd I knew Who you were--saV
YOU every day at the MonK murder trial
don't often miss one Of them ! said
u myself that you wouldn't want 2
clumsy fellow messing about the room
and spelling things. You can be tbc
FIRST person now 10 cross t1" threshold
after the man who done him in-~gfVei
you better chance. don't it2'
4 suppose IT docs BenHkin admitted
all come 81 o1ce
with q sigh he p8t on his still drip
ping macintosh End nat. postponed i1i'
meal and drove " 2 small house IN a
street Of OXFORD street. The woman
led him up the stairs
Those are my TWO rooms she point
= oft when they reached the first lsnd'
ing That's MS. Here's the key"
rs there light"
'<YoQ1 find the switch Just on me
left {"
Benskin turned the key. pushed oper
the door and Deered into what seemed
" be a wsii of darkness Before ~
could reach out for the switch he caugh
sight of the faint outline III man
crouchtne figure and only partially
Narded OF blow that had 1t land
ec on his Jaw would probably ha"'
broken IL.
Ny word he muttered. "was tina
the murdered man"
Nothing like him" the woman an
ewereG Feeling queer / haven't
drop Of anything IN the house 10 CIV
you"
i ghail be ali right directly" Beneki
ISSUED her Did you zee ~ho It vas
Did you know him
Not
He wasn't your lodgeFt
"rf course he wasn't / tell you M
dodgers lying IN there dead with al
head Dashed IN T1ats the man ala
Killed him He must haye been hidln
In the room all the time snd then
locked him in without knowing IT,
Would you recognize him Zen
skin ssked snZlousiy
mot on your life He'd . greet gra
naufnsr tied all over the bottom past