Evening star., 1932-07-01

Isl.
me about half past six if he could-be-
fore he went on to some literary dinner
he is rather a big bug, Carruthers,
and If he couldn't make 1t he would
send me a line to Exhampton. Well
he didn't make it and he did send me
line" ~
what has all this got to do with it?"
said Emily.
Don't be so impatient, I am coming
TO the point The old chap was rather
fuddled when he wrote it-done him
self well at the dinner-after giving
me the item 1 wanted, he went on to
waste a good bit of juicy description on
me. You know-about the speeches
and what asses so and so, famous
novelist and famous playwright were.
And he said he had been rottenly
placed at the dinner. Their was an
empty seat on one side OF him Where
Ruby McAlmott, that awful best-seller
woman. ought to have sat IN and an
empty place on the other side OF him
where the sex specialist, Martin Dering,
ought to have BEEN but he moved up
near to a poet, who Is very well known
in Blackheath. and tried to make the
best Of things. Now, do you see the
point?"
lyrical with excitement. How mar
velous. Then the brute wasn't at the
dinner at alp"
Exactly"
You are sure you've remembered the
name right?'
"T'm positive. I have torn up the let
ter. worse luck, but I can always wire
to Carruthers to make sure. But ao-
solutely know I'm not mistaken.
There's the publisher still, of course
said Emily. The one he spent the aft
ernoon with. But rather think it was
a publisher who was just going TO
America, and if So that looks lshy. l
mean it looks as though he had selected
some one who couldn't be asked without
8 lot of trouble"
DO YOU really think we have hit it9"
said Charles Enderby.
Well it looks like 1t. I think the
best thing to be done is-to go straight
10 that nice Inspector Narracott and
lust tell him these new facts. 1 mean
we can't tackle an American publisher
who is on the Mauretsnia or, the Beren-
earia or somewhere. That's job for
the police
MY word, if this comes off What
q scoop!" said Mr.. Enderby. If 1t
does, I should think the Daily Wire
couldn't offer me less than
Emily broke in ruthlesSly into MS
dreams of advancement.
But we mustn't lose our heads, she
said. and throw everything else 70 the
wind. I must go to Exeter. don't
suppose I shall be able to be back here
until tomorrow. But I've got job Tor
you"
Emily described her visit TO the VIII
let's and the strange sentence she had
overheard on leaving.
l., elNrnltTfntu l.
lively to find out what is going to hap
pen tonight. There's something in the
wind"
What an extraordinary thingl"
Wasn't it? But, of course, 1t may be
a coincidence. Or it may not. But you
observe that the servants are being
cleared out Of the way. Something
queer is going to happen there tonight
and you have to be on the spot to see
what it is
you mean I have to spend the whole
night sflivering under bush in the
garden?"
"Weu. you don't mind that, do your
Journalists don't mind what they do in
A good cause. You'll do 1t, won't you?"
"Oh, rather" said Charles. II am
not going to miss anything. II any
thing queer goes on at Sittaford House
tonight. I shall be in It,"
Emily then told him about the lug
SIt's odd" said Mr.. Enderby. Aus
tralia is where the third Pearson Is,
isn't it?-the youngest one. Not, Of
course, that that means anything, but
still it-well, there might be a connec-
ton"
HIN" said Emily. "I think that's
all. Have you anything to report on
your side?"
We'll" said Charles, 1--WE got an
idea. The only thing is, don't know |
how you'll like it,"
'I hope 1 can listen sensibly and
quietly to anything"
We'll, the point is" said Charles, |
eyeing her doubtfully, don't think I
mean to be offensive or anything like
that, but do you think that lad of yours |
IS to be depended on for the strict !
truth?"
DO you mean" said Emily, that he
cid murder him after all? You are |
quite welcome to that view if you like |
said to you at the beginning that that |
was the natural view TO take, but I said |
we had to work on the assumption that |
he didn't"
"I don't mean that" said Enderby. |
''What 1 mean is, how far is his own |
story Of what happened true? He says |
he went there, had chat with the old /
fellow and came away leaving him alive |
and well. You don't think it's possible |
he went there and actually found the |
old man dead? 1 mean. he might have !
been scared and not liked to say So"
Emily frowned and creased her brow |
In thought.
I am not going to pretend she said. |
1T is possible. 1 hadn't thought of it /
before. I know Jim wouldn't murder |
any one, but he might quite well get |
ratified and tell silly lie. and then, Of !
course, he would have to stick to it. /
Yes it is quite possible"
The awkward thing is that you can't |
go and ask him about it now. mean |
they wouldn't let you see him alone /
would they?"
Il can put Mr.. Dacres on to him"
said Emily. you see your solicitor |
alone, l believe. The worst of Jim is |
that he is frightfully obstinate: if he |
has once said a thing he sticks to it."
Emily paused, lost in thought Two |
very different theories stretched out in |
opposite directions. There was the one /
suggested by Mr, Rycroft, in which |
Jim's quarrel with his uncle was the |
determining point The other theory. /
however, took no cognizance Of Jim /
whatsoever. The first thing to do I
Emily felt. was to see the doctor who 4
sible that Capt. Treyelyan had been |
murdered at-say-4 O'Clock, it might |
make a considerable difference to the |
question Of alibis. And the other thing |
to do was to make MIR. Dacres urge /
most strongly on his client the absolute |
necessity Of speaking the truth on this |
point.
She rose from the bed We'll" she |
said. you had better find out how / |
can get TO EXhampton There's a train |
at $40 to Exeter That will give me |
time to see the doctor first. And there's !
just one other thing 1 want to do before |
leaving Sittaford." said Emily.
What's that?" asked Mr. Enderby
4 am going to pay a call on Mr |
Duke. He's the only person in Sitta- |