Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-13
STORY OF an English Countryside Cav-ByH c. Bailey

The man stared at him. Good day to YOU
You have found q pleasant place to rest In"
YES Peaceful for the spirit"
1T am glad your find it So" The man turned
to gaze at the distance. do you know the
down, sir?"
mo. I'm q stranger here"
The man looked at him again. Really"
Really stranger. Metaphorically . pill
grim. Seekin' the truth. A distressin' voca-
ton. sir. Present job waitin' for the police.
Also distressin'."
at don't follow?" The man seemed short
Of breath. THE police?"
1T Is rather obscure, yes. But here they
are" Chunk drove the car with extreme eau
ton. Out OF it came the chief constable.
"Hullo Clairmont!" He stared "Mr. For
tune brought you into it, has hep"
Into what, Kitchell? I don't understand
you. Is this-this gentleman detective?"
ITS Mr. Fortune, the Scotland Yard ex-
pert He's been looking into this case Of poor
Napier"
"Oh, really" said Clairmont. But here
I don't understand. I was told the accident
happened down in the marsh"
That's where the body was found" The
chief constable looked knowing.
do you remember hearing any noise last
night, Clairmont?" said Chunk.
IT remember nothing" said Clairmont quick
ly. You are very mysterious gentlemen"
sorry, old man." The chief constable
chuckled. 81 have to be-"
"Oh, no. No." said Reggie. quite simple.
Chunk thinks there were poachers after his
pheasants last night. Napier met EN-"
Clairmont turned on Chunk. Have you any
reason to think so?"
There Is reason to think the man was
killed here" said Chunk.
Reggie took Clairmonts arm. Look. That's
the oil from Napper's lamp. That's his blood.
Did you hear anything?"
Clairmont did look. His blood?" he said.
How can you be sure?"
he was smashed up by poachers there must
have been some sort of row. Did you hear
anything?"
CIairmont could be seen thinking IT heard
nothing that can recall SIR" he said at last.
IT viii ask my servants. If they have any
thing to tell, I'll inform you Kitchen. As you
know. I was much interested in Napier"
"Of course Thanks very much" said the
chief constable. and Clairmont marched away.
Nothing doing there, I'm afraid. There's
no reason why they should have heard any
thing, away in Clairmont's house. Still, I'm
inclined to accept your theory, Mr.. Fortune"
ct haven't a theory" Reggie was shrill. II
only say the bicycle was smashed here"
mo doubt about that, is there? Those bits
Of glass at his lamp. And there's the oil
and his blood He was killed here. That
means poachers They had car. So they
carried on the body and dumped him Gown
in the marsh to cover their tracks"
"And II Fortune had not pointed that out
to you, you would have arranged verdict Of
accidental death. Very efhcient. Kitchen."
"I should have done no such thing, my lord
should have looked for the car. Now know
1t was used by poachers."
which simplihes the matter" said Chunk
p EGGE sighed plaintively. "You fellows
are so quick" He fell on his knees and
scraped the blood-stained sand on to paper.
you want to test that?" The chief con-
stable frowned.
st want to test anything I can" He put
the scrapngs away, and worked on the oil.
when you're ready, I'd like to go back. I
have to get to work.
Reggie took him back to Northam and
went on with Chunk
You're not satisfied with the evidence?"
asked Chunk
THE evidence Is all right. What there is
Of it. It's the theories that brighten me-"
you don't believe there were poachers?"
cit could be- don't believe anything but
the facts. And don't understand them"
You have your doubts about this blood?"
mo. It's goin' to be blood all right. Like
wise lamp oil. But I'll have to make tests.
We want to have something proved"
You have the lamp glass that
fitted into the lamp myself"
Eyes. That is certain" said Reggie. 1.-The
glass came out Of Napper's bicycle But the
blood-you see, can't prove the blood came
out Of Napier. I'll only be able to say it's
human"
THAT will suffice, 1 take it."
What for?" Reggies eyebrows went up
ITO prove Napier was killed there on the hill?
Would you tell jury that?"
at should say 1t established a strong proba-
bility," said Chunk.
MY only auntl" Reggie sighed. "And you
were q judge good Judge"
you're odd fellow, Fortune" Chunk
frowned. "You were confident the man was
killed somewhere else. Now you've found the
evidence, you proceed to doubt it."