Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-13

Jolly little house" Reggie purred. Jolly
garden too He wouldn't want to leave all this.
suppose he just lived for this placer"
That's right sir. When he wasn't on duty
you'd find him here. Generally in his garden"
THE simple lfe,' said Chunk "A wise man."
He looked at Reggie, who was drifting to the
door. well, constable, If you should learn Of
any relations let me know Good day. And
SO they drove on. You haven't made much Of
that. Fortune"
"Oh, yes. Yes. Interestin' and suggestive"
Reggie slowed the car. Nov then. Last night
Constable Napier went out on his bicycle. That
is the provisional hypothesis. Well acceptin'
that, where would he go?"a
ITO get to that road where he was found
dead, the natural way is over the down"
Yes. Cuttin' out where the body was found
which way would he naturally go on a night
patrol?"
Il should expect him to 60 round the coverts.
watching for poachers you know. There are
lou OF pheasantS in covert of mine on the
down.
oh. Thus takin' him the same way as II
he were goin' to where we found the body"
Certainly. The coincidence Is curious"
Lots OF things are curious" Reggie muir
INJURED. "Pheasants and poachers. wonder"
His face was perplexed WELL well. Let's
try it."
The car went slower stin up the narrow.
steepening road. When they were mile or
more from the village Reggie stopped. ANY
Nothing more on the road"
Clvihzation here ends. Yes. Now wen look
Tor things serious and particular" He ran the
car onto the heather and they got out and
walked on One Of our prehistoric roads" Reg
gle complained.
Very few cars come up here"
mo. I should say not And that's verv
curious The decease Of Constable Napier m
ascribed to car. But the road where the
body was found and the road which Napier
PROBABLY took are roads not adapted to cars
especially nocturnal cars"
IT admit your point" said Chunk. "But
surely there was q collision"
on yes. think the bicycle was In q COL
hsion. I should say there was q car That's
why I'm porin' over this rough and rocky road.
sut you can tell me what that car was out
for, you'd interest me-"
"A gang Of poachers often work with n car
nowadays" -
They had come to the top of the down. Reg
gle stopped and looked about him. A wide
prospect opened beyond the brown heather.
oim miles OF field and hedge, melting to q
violet haze where the land rose into the sky.
MY coverts are q little lower down." said
Chunk
Reggie sighed. well. well. Somebody does
ve mere. He pointed to wisp Of blue
smoke coming out Of the trees in a hollow
One or two old houses about That's Clair
mont's place"
Oh" Reggies vague eyes turned to him.
THE patron Of Constable Napier. He lives up
here You didn't tell me that Chunk"
His house is not on the road. It didn't
occur TO me- An old place in its own grounds"
Yes. Yes" Reggie wandered on and they
came TO the place where Smallpiece had laid
IN hiding. Lower down. the yellow November
sunlight glinted on the rough surface
Ah!' Reggie stopped. Three pieces of
thick convex lens-once composin' the front
glass Of bicycle. Thus verifyin' the provisional
He V,on oroA
at the channeled sandstone of the road. Yves.
Further evidence. An oozy mess which was
oil-and dry stain, probably blood Observe
these exhibits. Chunk. You may have to swear
to EN-"
Il shall be equal to that" Chunk thrust out
his lip. 1.-The inference is that this is where
Napier met his death"
Yes. Yes. Assumin' the glass fts-this is
where the cycle, with cyclist, crashed No
evidence how. The primeval road bears no
traces OF car. But probably car was pres
ent. Now, what was that car here for?"
Chunk pointed to the covert my pheasants"
yes 1t could be-" Reggie sighed well,
well. We shall have to tell these policemen"
he complained.
'T shall be delighted" Chunk said
Would you? Could you drive my car? Run
along and see If the glass FITS and If so bring
the constabulary back with you.'
REGGE sat down in the heather and con-
templated the road and the covert. After
a while he looked across the slope Of the down
to the hollow from which rose the house of
Col Clairmont He rose and wandered over
the heather till he came to the fence Of its
grounds. AS he made the tour Of the fence he
saw among the bushes another building. That
also was old; it seemed to have been a barn or
stable; it had been put into service again with
a new chimney and windows. But the windows
were shut and blinds drawn. Reggie strolled on
and saw in the heather some tiny scraps Of
burnt paper He found one scrap Of paper