Evening star., 1932-07-06
5MURDER HAEuAR 81
!&aN kAeATHA CHRISTIE -

"Wireless Mr.. Rosenkraun on board
the Gargantua."
Damn it all" cried Dering, you'll
involve me in all sorts Of publicity
Look here
He went across to his desk, scribbled
q few words on a bit Of paper, then
took it to the inspector
"I suppose you've got to do what
you're doing" he said ungraclously,
''but at least you might do It IN my
way. It's not fair to run a cnap In
for lot of trouble"
On the sheet of paper was written;
"Rosenkraun, S. S. Gargantua; Please
confirm my statement | was Win you
lunch time until o'clock FRIDAY IA.
Martin Dering."
7 don't mind. But don't have it sent
to Scotland Yard or a police station.
You don't know what these Americans
are like. Any hint of me being mixed
IN in a police case and this new con-
tract that I've been discussing WILL &c
to the winds. Keep it private matter
inspector"
'Tve no objection to that, Mr.. Dering.
All I want is the truth. I'll send this
reply paid, the reply to be sent TO my
private address in Exeter.
THANK YOU YOU are good chap.
It's not such easy going earning your
living by literature, inspector. Youi
see the answer will be all right. | dio
tell you a lie about the dinner, out, as
a matter of fact, I had told my VIE
that that was where L had been, and
I thought I might as well stick to the
same story to you. Otherwise would
have let myself In for a lot OF trouble"
"If Mr.. Rosenkraun confirms your
statement, Mr.. Dering, you Will nave
nothing else to fear"
"An unpleasant character" the In
spector thought, as he left the mouse.
But he seems pretty certain that TINS
American publisher will confirm the
truth of his story
A sudden remembrance came 70 the
inspector, as he hoped into the train
which would take him back to Devon.
"Rycroft," he said, "of course-thata
the name of the old gentleman who
| lives in one Of the cottages at Sittaford-
A curious coincidence"
Emily Trefusis and Charles Enderby
we're seated at a small table in Deller'S
Cafe in Exeter. It was half past and
at that hour there was comparative
peace and quiet A few people were
having a quiet cup, of tea, but the res
taurant, on the whole. was deserted.
We'll" said Charles, what do you
think of him?"
Emily frowned.
TITS difficult" she said.
After his interview with the police,
Brian Pearson had lunched with them.
He had been extremely polite TO Emily,
80 4t,nr 4r1 ya0If+a fYa har OfAtai0N
To that astute girl 1t seemed shade
unnatural. Here was a young man
conducting clandestine love affair and
an officious stranger butts in.
Brian Pearson had taken it like a
lamb, had fallen In with Charles sug-
gestion of having car and driving
over to see the police.
Why this attitude of meek acqui-
escence? 1t seemed to Emily entirely
untypical of the natural Brian Pearson
as she read his character.
"Tll see you In hell first!" would, she
felt sure, have been far more his at
titude.
This lamb-like demeanor was sus-
picious. She tried to convey something
of her feelings to Enderby.
II get you," said Enderby. Our
Brian has got something to conceal,
therefore he can't be his natural high
handed self"
That's it exactly"
do you think he might possibly have
killed old Trevelyan?"
Brian" said Emily thoughtfully, "is
well, a person to be reckoned with.
He is rather unscrupulous, I should
think, and If he wanted anything, I
don't think he would let ordinary con-
ventlonal standards stand in his way.
He's not plain tame English"
Putting all personal considerations
on one side, he's a more likely starter
than Jim?" said Enderby.
Emily nodded.
Much more likely. He would carry
q thing through wel1-because he would
never lose his nerve"
Honestly, Emily, do you think he
did it?"
II don't know. He fulhlls the
conditions-the only person who does. "
What do you mean by 'fulfillS the
conditions'?"
"Wen % Motive" She licked of
the items on her fingers. THE same
motive Twenty thousand or more
pounds (2) Opportunity. Nobody
knows where he was on Friday after
noon, ard if he was anywhere that he
could say-well-surely he would say
it? So we assume that he was actually
in the neighborhood Of Hazelmoor on
Friday"
| ITO ha continued