Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-27

own table. Every one was present, Mrs.
and Col. Black on either side of him,
old Mrs Laverstoke Sinking at him
from farther down, the flirtatiouS young
lady journeying to meet her fiance now
making eyes at the coffee planter re-
turning from leave, the couple of Anglo
Indian officials, the padre. the quiet lit
tie husband of the large, domineering
lady, the two men who talked jute-
they were all there. And tonight-he
felt the irony of it-all the passengers
were rather more CHEEKY than usual.
1t was a special farewell dinner for
many would disembark. From all over
the saloon came the popping of corks
and bursts of laughter. Presently
there would be dancing under the COL
ored lamps of the promenade deck
and the final f1irtationS in dark cor
ners. It seemed incredible that any
of these people could, an hour back,
have stabbed man to death. In that
thought, he glimpsed the possibility
of a clue. Perhaps the murderer hadn't
had nerve enough to come down to
dinner? He took a pencil from his
pocket, wrote on corner of the menu
card, Anybody missing?" folded it up,
scrubbed "Purser" upon it. gave it to
the steward. And the answer, "All
nere," came back to him.
TT'was an hour later. The captains
cabin was somewhat crowded with
himself, the doctor and the purSer
Outside the door Macy waited, in case
they should have any more questions.
From the deck below came the music
of a band. Capt Forsyth gestured
to small heap Of papers on his table.
Nothing much there. Just the ordi-
nary stuff the ordinary man carries
matte in the suit case, which had not
been fired. Nothing unusual in carry
ing that when going out East.
gather that Mr.. Allan Sollas was
bound to Bombay on business Of some
sort not specified. He seems to have
been a wealthy man. There's that
thousand pounds in notes, in addition
to his letter of credit and a wad Of
travellers checks. besides twenty pounds
loose on his table-poor men don't
carry around such sums. Robbery
wasn't the motive. The twenty pounds
were plainly in sight, and we found
that fat packet Of the thousand al
most as soon as we looked in his suit
case"
II can't imagine why he didn't hand
them in to me for safe-custody," in
terposed the purser. Its madness,
keeping so much money in ones cabin -
quite" agreed the captain. TITS a
point. But don't see that 1t gets US
anywhere. All it tells us Is that rob-
berry was not the motive for his death"
1--WE certainly can't have all the
! passengers up, one by one, and inter-
rogate Them" said the doctor. 'The
whole ship would be in a buzz with 1t
in five minutes, and the murderer
| whoever he is-would have plenty of
warning to prepare himself for being
quite impossible" agreed the cap
tain. II want to come alongside the
safely under lock and key-and not a
soul on the ship the wiser. And
somehow will"
Splendid, Captain!" smiled the doc
tor. But how are we going even to
start looking for the gentleman?
not a hint Of clue"
There's the knife" said the cap
| tain. He jerked his hand to where the
large hunting-knife lay on his table.
"You are sure there are no finger
| prints on it,"
"If there are. can't see them" re-
piled the doctor. "And I've done my
best to find them. OF course. I have
no proper apparatus. On the other
hand. 1t is possible the murderer wore
rubber gloves"
For few minutes there was silence
"You can't suggest anything?" said
| the captain, at last. well, Heaven
knows, don't set up as a sleuth. but
we must work on some hypothesis
and so we will assume that the MUIR
derer Is q first-class passenger who
killed Mr.. SollaS from a motive Of re-
venge. DO you agree?"