Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-23

NV Hotel that night a little be-
fore the appointed time, the
smoking room was almost
empty. An old gentleman read hi.
paper by the hearth; two men of the
commercial traveller type whispered tc.
gether in a corner. At q writing table
q tall. burly man. who looked like q
farmer, was penning a letter Eight
o'clock came. nobody of the expected
sort appeared. But, as the last note OF
a Ginning timepiece on the mantle
shelf tinkled out. the man who looked
ped 1t into an already addressed
envelope, licked up the flap, and
dangling the letter in his fingers, came
straight across the room to Engleden
and his clerk.
''Millwaters-at your service sir" he
said politely
Engleden looked his surprise.
You know me, them" he ex-
claimed.
Seen you in court once or twice,
sir" replied Millwaters ct occasion
ally drop in at the Law Courts, If I'm
passing that way" He glanced at
johnson, half smiling. Know your
clerk, too, Mr.. Engleden-Mr. Johnson.
think. Used to be with Mr.. Pen
feather. believe, Mr.. johnson"
You seem to know a good dealt"
remarked Johnson. What might your
present line be, now?"
MillwaterS smiled.
"Oh, I've bit of business that takes
me into what we may call legal
purlieus now and then. Mr. johnson"
he answered.
here. And what may that business
be, gentlemen, If I may ask?"
Engleden was attempting to size I'm
tha rdsr IL
answer. But johnson became direct in
manner
Il reckon you've an idea of it, Mill
waters" he remarked. You wouldn't
be long in getting at it. either. Pretty
nearly everything gets into the papers,
nowadays"
Not much left out, certainly" re-
piled Millwaters. Yes. I've an idea.
Of course. Col. Engleden, Ell? That's
about 1t, gentlemenl-Ive read all
there's been in the London papers. But
what am wanted for2''
Engleden checked JohnSon'S reply by
shake of the head. He gave Mill
waters glance that implied secrecy.
My uncle had strong belief in your
probity, Millwaters," he said "I hap.
pen to know that you were one of his
most trusted men,
I had that character, sir, I believe.
Col. Engleden certainly had a good
may say, high-opinion Of me- I've
got that in black and white. left
before he resigned; he gave me a
testimonial Of the best sort. Never
failed in my dutyl-that's what he
said. And he never said what he
didn't mean, sir"
Wen. I'm going to trust you" said
Engleden. You're aware that nv
uncle was murdered and you've read
the newspaper accounts. johnson and
myself are endeavoring to trace the
murderers. The police have a theory
which may be correct one. but we
are In possession of information
which, for reasons of our own, we
haven't yet communicated to the DO
lice, though 1 suppose we shall have
TO DO so in time. Now, Millwaters. as
you've read the newspapers, I want to
ask you question. Have you formed
any opinion about this murder?"
Millwaters heSitated while, lingering
the letter he carried across the room
Well, he said at last, IT don't
know, Mr.. Engleden. On the face of
1t, 1t may have been a murder for the
sake Of robbery. You may find it was
just that! Or-hao the colonel any
enemies?"
I should say. emphatically, that he
nadnt an enemy in the world" re-
piled Engleden
Il should say so, too. sir! No kinder
man ever lived! Well-theres an
other idea that occurred to me. Per-
haps it's far-fetched. Still, it is an
Idea His presence here, sir. in this
district may have h?-hiehly
inconvenient! He may have made the
mistake of-recognizing somebody! Do
you take me, sir?"
Il take you well enough, and from
PERTAIN faRfe hat
only known to johnson and myself, so
far think he did recognize some
body! think, too, that whoever it
was that he recognized, knew that that
recognition had taken place and that
he, the recognized person, was no
longer safe. And So"
The colonel had to be silenced, sir
removed" said Millwaters. Pre-
eissly! And the robbery was-mere
Possibly it was as you say-mere
bluff" agreed Engleden. But now
can you think Of any one TO whom the
colonels presence might be, as you put
It, highly inconvenient? Any che
with a past?"
Millwaters smiled.
There are a good many men. Mr..
Engleden-and some in what you'd call
high or. at any rate, high-ish quarters
Ito whom the coloneTs presence
wouldn't be exactly welcomed" he
answered. 1T would remind EN- Of
think you know what, sir? A time
when. they were decorated with the
broad srrow!"
.Engleden turned to johnson.
Il propose to give Millwaters resume
Of the facts that we have unearthed,"
he said. Then we will get his opinion.
Now, Millwaters, listen carefully" he
continued The facts, briefly are
these: Col. Engleden arrived in Barows-
hurgn on Sunday evening, to have a
look round the town, which is famous
for its antiquities. He kept himself
very much to himself We do not know
of his going to any public place, except
that he dropped in at the magistrates
court for half an hour or so on the
Monday morning. But on Monday
afternoon he did very curious thing
He went to the post ONCE and dis
patched a telegram to the present gov
ernor Of Southmoor. asking him If there
were any warders still there who were
there when he, Col. Engleden, was
governor. He received a reply, in due
course, to the effect that there were
not, but that some of them could be
traced. Now, Millwaters, can you sug-
gest any reason for Col. Engleden's
sending that telegram"
5"Yesl" replied Millwaters, promptly
sHe'd recognized son1ebody-one of his