Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-01
The Crime i'm the
Dutch Garden
CHAPTER XVI.
BY HERBERT ADAMS.
HUNTING THE WILL.

CHAPTER XVI.
HUNTING THE WILL.
r TASWELL considered RichmondS
II presentation Of Blake's position.
Are you suggesting" he asked
l. i finally, that the nephew MUIR
dered Miss Querdling, that he
stole the will-or both?"
What do you think?" :,
well" he began, 1T is not easy to
see how Vincent could have known
about the will, II the girls did not, and
II only the aunt and her lawyer knew.
If he Is in 1t, he must have been In
league with one or both of the girls.
I think the will is unsigned, because
Miss Querdling would not have opposed
her lawyers advice, and that it will be
found. since there's little point in steal
ing an unsigned will" r.
1T Is perplexing," sighed Richmond.
yet, what about Blake and the MUIR
der? He benefits by 1t. was on the
scene at the time and his explanation
Is weak"
Lets admit he could have done it,
said Jimmie. IF 50. was it through
impulse or plan? The latter seems
unlikely. His presence here would ex-
cite comment, vet he motors here and
leaves the car on the road outside. A
murderer would come in secret, prob
ably disguised, and would try to cover
"Suppose," said Richmond. "he did
see the old lady and she turned his
scheme down. He might have lost cont
troll of himself and thrown the stone
devil on her"
against that-or three. The first IS
that, so far as We can tell, he had no
reason to think that her death would
benefit him. While she lived there was
hope. Second, he was liable TO be
seen in the gardens at any moment
Then, of course, the man may De
schemer, but doubt his being capable
Of the sudden fury you suggest. Ii ne
came openly, he would have gone N at
the proper entrance and been seen ny
Ben Acres. So for the present az.
inclined to believe his story that ne
did not go in at all.
why don't you show me as clearly
who did and not who didn't do 1t,
growled Richmond.
Jimmie laughed as they started to
the house for another look for thQ Will.
Morgan. the lawyer, was at IterroW
Craig when they arrived and described
the will as a lengthy document or stout
paper. tied with green SIX.
Evelyn said that her aunt WIS YER
methodical and usually dealt win Dusi-
ness matters at her desk and that Il
was Janet's job to remove waste pape'
and rubbish.
The maid, summoned to the young
ladies' dressing room, where the little
group was assembled, was positive she
had never removed any paper OF the
sort described.
But I seen the. will, all right" she
added suddenly.
When did you see iti Whsre?"
asked Richmond.
She was reading 1t. It was like the
gentleman says-large sheets OF paper
written over, and tied with green r1D-
bon" Janet could not be sure. but this
was on either the Monday or the Tues.
day before her mistress died.
At the insistence Of the lawyer. VINO
was sure Miss Querdling had not de-
stroyed it. every corner Of the house was
ranSacked, but nothing was found. The
desk at which Miss Querdling had done
most of her business yielded nothing,
except an empty secret drawer, behind
which there was an unsupported panel:
This slid back and revealed q faded
photograph of so years before man
with side-whiskers, whom Marjorie ana
EVELYN guessed to be their father
valentine and some dust that once had
been rose leaves But there was no Will.
Richmond received the girls promise
that the search would be resumed next
day. He and Jimmie drove over 70
Roscoe's home. Roscoe was still on
duty. but Mrs. Roscoe asked them IN.
The superintendent was glad TO ae-
cept the beer served by Mrs. Roscoe
IT'S the most bathing contrsdietory
affair that ever came my way, ne
exclaimed.
TT is diflcult," said Jimmie. and
calls for some clear thinking. Let's
cut out the things that will not really
assist, the impersonal ones first. The
letters probably won't help. Duckvorth
suggested they were written by Two
people. Probably so, the first by some
disgruntled servant, meaning no narm 7.
deviltry, or to keep alive the impression
Of the first enemy and to divert sus-
picion from later events.
Green thought the car he and Collect
saw resembled Strings and d..
Netherton saw Stirling driving IN that
direction"
II confirmed Strings visit to his
friend at Midley Moor" said Richmond.
yet it would not have been tmpos-
sible for him to have spent 10 or IS
minutes at Morrow Craig. No one else
admits parking on the course at that
time"
Jimmie resumed. Then the will.
suggest you inquire At the Dank.
don't think it's there, for I don't e.
lieve she would have signed q will likely
to be contested"
Then what has become Of tt?s
questioned Richmond.
''Mislaid; destroyed by the lady; or
stolen by some one else"
"Who would steal an unsigned will?"
'"Those who did not wish it signed;
those who thought 1t signed; or those
who in ignorance Of the law, might
think it had some value even when
unsigned"
such people being"
THAT brings us to the next point:
Who benefit by Annabelle Querdltng's
death? Three persons principally. Her
two nieces and her nephew. Vincent's
story of the building estate might have
been seized on as an excuse to account
for his calling here. If he came intent
on crime he would have come, and gone.
in secret. To come openly and then
turn back seems foolish. Yet it is its
weakness that makes it convincing" e.
"Well-where does that lead us?"
Are you prepared to accept the guilt
OF either Evelyn or Marjorie-jointly o.
separately-as principals or access
Sories?"