Northern Weekly Gazette. — 1910-07-09 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

IND UM/ EVESHAM.  CHAPTER I.  WAS IT SUICIDE. 'VE been having a walk round the park, Sir John." Sir John Evesham's butler entered the library noiselessly, and, under pretext of arranging some books on a side table, he clisburthenecl himself of this piece of informs tion, which at that moment, according to his master's views, was utterly • uncalled for, in fact if any other servant in his employ had i.aken such a liberty he would have been promptly consigned to the devil, but Jenkins waa a privileged person of thirty years' standing.  ." Ve,ry .well, wry well; her ladyiship hiasn't '4farlteld you, I suppose, neither have I," returned his maser somewhat testily.  Sir John Evesharn, fourteenth baronet to bear the title, and owner of that classic pile, known for miles round as "the mianor " had spent the greater part of a miserable November day in tramping round two out-lying farms with his agent; ana now, at half-past three in the afternoon, he did not intend that his well-earned rest should be dis, turbed by an account of how Jenkins chose to employ his. leisure. "I had a turn round the fish pond, sir," persisted Jenkins, not. heeding his lack of encouragement, and 1 found a man's hat in the willows at the far end."  Sir John, impulsive and excitable, whisked the MR' smoked 'cigar from his lips, bringing his feet with a clatter from their elevated position against the carved the carved oak mantelpiece. Jenkins had wielded a magic wand, and Deiore its touch his master's languour fled. "A. man's hat, Jenkins!" he exclaimed. "What sort of hat?"  . _ " Black felt, sir," replied the butler briefly, for long ekperience of Sir John had taught him that to answer questions was better policy than to advance opinioes. "Confound those lodgekeepers fumed Sir John., whilst Jenkins discreetly awaited further inquiries. "They're 'under strict orders to admit nobody to my park except on business, the fence can't possibly be climbed, yet a man's hat is found on the edge of the pond.. You picked it up, Jenkins?"  'Yes, sir "  "Bring it, here," comma-Tided his master, and the men withdrew, leaving the master of Evesham to rail aloud at "the cursed neglect" of servants in general, and his own servants in particular. It was obvious that Jenkins, in view of the present contingency, had taken the precaution of depositing the hat in an easily accessible place, for not longer than a minute elapsed ere he returned. bearing his fateful find, which he placed without a word, on the table at Sir John's elbow-. It RAS neither more nor less than a man's black felt bowler hat, of average size, and in perfect condition, save for a slight smudge of mud on the side of Use brim, co-A.oh had doubtless come there from contact with the damp ground.  Sir John took it in his .hand, whilst Jenkins switched on the light, watching with keen interest the minute examination which nits master was pursuing in the hope that he might be abie to detect something that would act as a slight pi:4de in the solution of the mystery as to how such a. hat came to 1)3 Within the sacredly guarded precincts of the manor park. But even the name of the maker had been carefully erased. "Men- don't throw away a practically new hat without some very good reason, Jenkins," he remarked at length, satisfied there was nothing further to. be gained by prolonging his examination. "You saw nothing else suspicious?" Jenkins hesitated slightly. "Et—the grass did. look a bit trampled in one place on the pond side, bur there couldn't have been a scuttle, sir—unless there's been two strangers in the pail. Her lady i gala zari,