Henderson daily dispatch., 1936-11-28
CHAPTER s
COLONEL GRAHAM

COLONEL GRAHAM smoked
furiously while he spoke.
''An this has taken us suddenly.
and some men can meet emergen-
cies well while others can't. I'VE
found that in campaigning. We've
all got TO keep steady. It's like
this-at least, this is how l figure
it out:
"There has been murder done,
and such a murder as has seldom
been planned before. It's a master
brain that thought it out, for, re-
member, if Reid here hadn't
thought of employing my hounds,
what chance would there have ever
been of finding the body? Let's
take the facts-leave theories
alone. BY some means Sir Henry
was induced to leave his room in
bis pajamas, and without rouSing
anyone else. He came to this
study-a very private room, re-
3nember--and remained here for
some time. Unfortunately we
have all trampled over the floor,
so there is very little likelihood OF
finding traces. but it looks uncOm-
monty as though he was there for
some time. Damme-Im tlleoriz-
ing now! Anyway, he went down
the passage to the chapel-why !?
We have no IDEA. Inside that
place he met the murderer or muir
derers, for there may have
been more than one, and was
either overpowered, or killed, and
the body let down into the crypt.
Then this master brain devised a
stroke of genius.
There is always the difficulty
OF disposing of a body, and that
has caused many men to so to the
gallows. The murderer opened a
coffin and placed the body of Sir
Henry inside
But wait a moment" Colindale
interrupted. Wasn't there the
body of the old baronet inside al
ready? It's a gruesonae business. F"
THAT may possibly give the de-
tectives a clue. as I believe it is
Called" the Colonel said thought
fully. whoever cid this bastard
~ crime must have known-and
there are few who do know it
that there was no body there"
Reid took a quick breath. mo
body ?"
"Old Sir 1uhn-Henry's father
had given precise instructions that
ne was to be cremated, and had
actually had a special crena-
forum constructed behind the
chapel, which still exists for all
know. In those early days of
cremation, when it was considered
almost sacrilege, the ashes were
placed III an urn in the coffin and
sealed up.
"You observe the Importance of
that. 1t would have been OF little
use to dispose of one body and
lave another on ones hands.
Here was a chance of getting rid
Of the body in such a way that,
except for this one chance, it
might never have been discovered,
For who would have dreamt of
looking in such place?
1.-The important thing now is to
give no hint that any discovery
has been made. II will be normal
TO have the police round here, but
the murderer may be watching,
and If his fears are lulled we may
be able to catch him on some slip"
"But, surely" Colindale said,
there must be motive in MUIR
der! Here there appears to have
been none, and pardon my saying
so, If what you have sketched out
Is correct, Sir Henry seems almost
to have been an accessory to mis-
DEATH mean. he went volun-
tarily to the chapel"
That's a matter for the police"
Colonel Graham rose stiffly and
brushed from his knees the cigar
ash that had fallen unheeded.
Il will get them on the tele-
phone" he said firmly.
Colin dale went to Lady
Severinge. asking Reid to wait for
him.
1--WE have found nothing" he