m&Ki : MS: UNNATURAL DEATH Dorothy L. Sayers PdR&GON CHIVERS PRESS iiK Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Sayers, Dorothy L. (Dorothy Leigh), 1893-1957. [Dawson pedigree] Unnatural death / Dorothy L. Sayers. p. cm.--(Eagle large print) Original title: The Dawson pedigree. ISBN 0-7927-1264-1 (softcover) 1. Large type books. I. Title. II. Series. [PR6037.A95D39 1992] 823'912--dc20 91^6864 CIP British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data available This Large Print edition is published by Chivers Press, England, and Curley Publishing, Inc, U.S.A. 1992. Published in the U.S.A. and territories by arrangement with HarperCollins Publishing Group and in the British Commonwealth with New English Library Ltd. U.K. Softback ISBN 0 7451 3386 X U.S.A. Softback ISBN 0 7927 1264 1 © 1927, 1955 Estate of Dorothy L. Sayers The right of Dorothy L. Sayers to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her estate in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Printed and bound in Great Britain by redwood press limited, Melksham, Wiltshire UNNATURAL DEATH §.' BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE Communicated by Paul Austin Delagardie Wimsey, Peter Death Bredon, D.S.O.; born 1890, 2nd son of Mortimer Gerald Bredon Wimsey, 15th Duke of Denver, and of Honoria Lucasta, daughter of Francis Delagardie of Bellingham Manor, Hants. Married 1935, Harriet Deborah Vane, daughter of Henry Vane M.D.; one son (Bredon Delagardie Peter) born 1936. Educated: Eton College and Balliol College, Oxford (1st class honours, Sch. of Mod. Hist. 1912); served with H.M. Forces 1914/18 (Major, Rifle Brigade). Author of: "Notes on the Collecting of Incunabula," "The Murderer's VadeMecum," etc. Recreations: Criminology; bibliophily; music; cricket. Clubs: Marlborough, Egotists'; Bellona. Residences: 110A, Piccadilly, W.; Bredon Hall, Duke's Denver, Norfolk. Arms: Sable, 3 mice courant, argent; crest, a domestic cat couched as to spring, proper; motto: As my Whimsy takes me. I am asked by Miss Sayers to fill up certain lacunae and correct a few trifling errors of fact in her account of my nephew Peter's career. I shall do so with pleasure. To appear publicly in print is every man's ambition, and by acting as a kind of running footman to my nephew's $riumph I shall only be showing a modesty puitable to my advanced age. t. The Wimsey family is an ancient one -- too ancient, if you ask me. The only sensible thing Peter's father ever did was |6 ally his exhausted stock with the IPgorous French-English strain of the ifelagardies. Even so, my nephew Gerald e present Duke of Denver) is nothing a beef-witted English squire, and my e Mary was flighty and foolish enough li she married a policeman and settled vu down. Peter, I am glad to say, takes after his mother and me. True, he is all nerves and nose — but that is better than being all brawn and no brains like his father and brother, or a bundle of emotions, like Gerald's boy, Saint-George. He has at least inherited the Delagardie brains, by way of safeguard to the unfortunate Wimsey temperament. Peter was born in 1890. His mother was being very much worried at the time by her husband's behaviour (Denver was always tiresome, though the big scandal did not break out till the Jubilee year), and her anxieties may have affected the boy. He was a colorless shrimp of a child, very restless and mischievous, and always much too sharp for his age. He had nothing of Gerald's robust physical beauty, but he developed what I can best call a kind of bodily cleverness, more skill than strength. He had a quick eye for a ball and beautiful hands for a horse. He had the devil's own pluck, too: the intelligent sort of pluck that sees the risk before it takes it. He suffered badly from nightmares as a child. To his father's consternation he grew up with a passion for books and music. His early school-days were not happy. He was a fastidious child, and I suppose it was natural that his school-fellows should call him "Flimsy" and treat him as a kind of comic turn. And he might, in sheer selfprotection, have accepted the position and degenerated into a mere licensed buffoon, If some games-master at Eton had not discovered that he was a brilliant natural ifericketer. After that, of course, all his eccentricities were accepted as wit, and Gerald underwent the salutary shock of teeing his despised younger brother Income a bigger personality than himself, the time he reached the Sixth Form, »ter had contrived to become the fashion athlete, scholar, arbiter ^ganiiarum — nee pluribus impar. ricket had a great deal to do with it — tenty of Eton men will remember the rreat Flim" and his performance iinst Harrow — but I take credit to *elf for introducing him to a good >r, showing him the way about Town, ^teaching him to distinguish good wine from bad. Denver bothered little about him -- he had too many entanglements of his own and in addition was taken up with Gerald, who by this time was making a prize fool of himself at Oxford. As a matter of fact Peter never got on with his father, he was a ruthless young critic of the paternal misdemeanours, and his sympathy for his mother had a destructive effect upon his sense of humour. Denver, needless to say, was the last person to tolerate his own failings in his offspring. It cost him a good deal of money to extricate Gerald from the Oxford affair, and he was willing enough to turn his other son over to me. Indeed, at the age of seventeen, Peter came to me of his own accord. He was old for his age and exceedingly reasonable, and I treated him as a man of the world. I established him in trustworthy hands in Paris, instructing him to keep his affairs upon a sound business footing and to see that they terminated with goodwill on both sides and generosity on his. He fully justified my confidence. I believe that no woman v has ever found cause to complain of Peter's treatment; and two at least of them have since married royalty (rather obscure royalties, I admit, but royalty of a soft)-. Here again, I insist upon my due share of the credit; however good the material one has to work upon it is ridiculous to leave any young man's social feducation to chance. 1 The Peter of this period was really thMrming, very frank, modest and well Mfahnered, with a pretty, lively wit. In H09 he went up with a scholarship to read History at Balliol, and here, I must ponfess, he became rather intolerable, world was at his feet, and he began to ¥e himself airs. He acquired eetations, an exaggerated Oxford finer and a monocle, and aired his nions a good deal, both in and out of the ion, though I will do him the justice to that he never attempted to patronise i mother or me. He was in his second when Denver broke his neck out ing and Gerald succeeded to the Gerald showed more sense of sibility than I had expected in Yl dealing with the estate; his worst mistake was to marry his cousin Helen, a scrawny, over-bred prude, all county from head to heel. She and Peter loathed each other cordially; but he could always take refuge with his mother at the Dower House. And then, in his last year at Oxford, Peter fell in love with a child of seventeen and instantly forgot everything he had ever been taught. He treated that girl as if she was made of gossamer, and me as a hardened old monster of depravity who had made him unfit to touch her delicate purity. I won't deny that they made an exquisite pair -- all white and gold -- a prince and princess of moonlight, people said. Moonshine would have been nearer the mark. What Peter was to do in twenty years' time with a wife who had neither brains nor character nobody but his mother and myself ever troubled to ask, and he, of course, was completely besotted. Happily, Barbara's parents decided that she was too young to marry; so Peter went in for his final Schools in the temper of a Sir Eglamore achieving his first dragon; laid his First-Class xu Honours at his lady's feet like the dragon's head, and settled down to a period of virtuous probation. Then came the War. Of course the ifoung idiot was mad to get married before he went. But his own honourable scruples made him mere wax in other people's hands. It was pointed out to him tthat if he came back mutilated it would be ^ery unfair to the girl. He hadn't thought |l>ft that, and rushed off in a frenzy of self tataegation to release her from the igagement. I had no hand in that; I was $ad enough of the result, but I couldn't >mach the means. [e did very well in France; he made a officer and the men liked him. And i, if you please, he came back on leave ith his captaincy in 16, to find the girl irried -- to a hardbitten rake of a Major lebody, whom she had nursed in the rA.D. hospital, and whose motto with len was catch 'em and treat 'em igh. It was pretty brutal; for the girl ta't had the nerve to tell Peter *ehand. They got married in a hurry they heard he was coming home, * X111 and all he got on landing was a letter, announcing the fait accompli and reminding him that he had set her free himself. I will say for Peter that he came straight to me and admitted that he had been a fool. "All right," said I, "you've had your lesson. Don't go and make a fool of yourself in the other direction." So he went back to his job with (I am sure) the fixed intention of getting killed; but all he got was his majority and his D.S.O. for some recklessly good intelligence work behind the German front. In 1918 he was blown up and buried in a shell-hole near Caudry, and that left him with a bad nervous breakdown, lasting, on and off, for two years. After that, he set himself up in a flat in Piccadilly, with the man Bunter (who had been his sergeant and was, and is, devoted to him), and started out to put himself together again. I don't mind saying that I was prepared for almost anything. He had lost all his beautiful frankness, he shut everybody out of his confidence, including his mother and me, adopted an impenetrable frivolity Y1V of manner and a dilettante pose, and became, in fact, the complete comedian. He was wealthy and could do as he chose, and it gave me a certain amount of sardonic entertainment to watch the efforts of post-war feminine London to eapture him. "It can't," said one ptlicitous matron, "be good for poor Peter i© live like a hermit." "Madam," said I, fpf he did, it wouldn't be." No; from that >int of view he gave me no anxiety. But I mid not but think it dangerous that a of his ability should have no job to mpy his mind, and I told him so. In 1921 came the business of the lenbury Emeralds. That affair has *er been written up, but it made a good il of noise, even at that noisiest of iods. The trial of the thief was a series red-hot sensations, and the biggest jation of the bunch was when Lord iter Wimsey walked into the witness-box ?hief witness for the prosecution, lat was notoriety with a vengeance, tally, to an experienced intelligence sr, I don't suppose the investigation offered any great difficulties; but a YV "noble sleuth" was something new in thrills. Denver was furious; personally, I didn't mind what Peter did, provided he did something. I thought he seemed happier for the work, and I liked the Scotland Yard man he had picked up during the run of the case. Charles Parker is a quiet, sensible, well-bred fellow, and has been a good friend and brother-in-law to Peter. He has the valuable quality of being fond of people without wanting to turn them inside out. The only trouble about Peter's new hobby was that it had to be more than a hobby, if it was to be any hobby for a gentleman. You cannot get murderers hanged for your private entertainment. Peter's intellect pulled him one way and his nerves another, till I began to be afraid they would pull him to pieces. At the end of every case we had the old nightmares and shell-shock over again. And then Denver, of all people -- Denver, the crashing great booby, in the middle of his fulminations against Peter's degrading and notorious police activities, must needs get himself indicted on a YVl murder charge and stand his trial in the House of Lords, amid a blaze of publicity which made all Peter's efforts in that direction look like damp squibs. ;%» Peter pulled his brother out of that cness, and, to my relief, was human enough to get drunk on the strength of it. fie now admits that his "hobby" is his ^legitimate work for society, and has iveloped sufficient interest in public iifairs to undertake small diplomatic jobs from time to time under the Foreign Office. Of late he has become a little more feady to show his feelings, and a little less jrrified of having any to show. fevHis latest eccentricity has been to fall in re with that girl whom he cleared of the large of poisoning her lover. She refused marry him, as any woman of character mid. Gratitude and a humiliating feriority complex are no foundation for itrimony; the position was false from te start. Peter had the sense, this time, take my advice. "My boy," said I, that was wrong for you twenty years sk is right now. It's not the innocent ig things that need gentle handling -- xvii it's the ones that have been frightened and hurt. Begin again from the beginning -- but I warn you that you will need all the self-discipline you have ever learnt.'' Well, he has tried. I don't think I have ever seen such patience. The girl has brains and character and honesty; but he has got to teach her how to take, which is far more difficult than learning to give. I think they will find one another, if they can keep their passions from running ahead of their wills. He does realise, I know, that in this case there can be no consent but free consent. Peter is forty-five now, it is really time he was settled. As you will see, I have been one of the important formative influences in his career, and, on the whole, I feel he does me credit. He is a true Delagardie, with little of the Wimseys about him except (I must be fair) that underlying sense of social responsibility which prevents the English landed gentry from being a total loss, spiritually speaking. Detective or no detective, he is a scholar and a gentleman; it will amuse me to see what Yviii sort of shot he makes at being a husband and father. I am getting an old man, and have no son of my own (that I know of); I ^should be glad to see Peter happy. But as pis mother says, "Peter has always had [everything except the things he really |wanted," and I suppose he is luckier than Jmost. Paul Austin Delagardie W1W Contents PARTI I Overheard 3 II Miching Mallecho 19 III A Use for Spinsters 31 IV A Bit Mental 52 V Gossip 70 VI Found Dead 87 VII Ham and Brandy 117 VIII Concerning Crime 137 IX The Will 156 PART II X The Will Again 169 XI CrossRoads 197 XII A Tale of Two Spinsters 228 XIII Hallelujah 247 XIV Sharp Quillets of the Law 262 XV Temptation of St. Peter 284 XVI A Cast-iron Alibi 302 XVII The Country Lawyer's Story 314 SVIII The London Lawyer's Story 334 PART III XIX Gone Away XX Murder XXI By What Means? XXII A Case of Conscience XXIII -- and Smote Him, Thus 359 388 406 432 462 Parti The Medical Problem But how I caught it, found it, or came by it, What stuff 'tis made of, whereof it is horn, I am to learn." Merchant of Venice £'&"*:*> IJRfr* Chapter I EfK Overheard Itte death was certainly sudden, texpected, and to me mysterious." Letter from Dr. Pater son to the Registrar in the case of Reg. v. Pritchard. '*>';' if he thought the woman was being lered----" [y dear Charles," said the young man the monocle, "it doesn't do for lie, especially doctors, to go about ing' things. They may get into itful trouble. In Pritchard's case, I ader Dr. Paterson did all he ibly could by refusing a certificate [Mrs. Taylor and sending that inainonly disquieting letter to the rar. He couldn't help the man's *a fool. If there had only been an 3 inquest on Mrs. Taylor, Pritchard would probably have been frightened off and left his wife alone. After all, Paterson hadn't a spark of real evidence. And suppose he'd been quite wrong -- what a dustup there'd have been!" "All the same," urged the nondescript young man, dubiously extracting a bubbling-hot Helix Pomatia from its shell, and eyeing it nervously before putting it in his mouth, "surely it's a clear case of public duty to voice one's suspicions." "Of your duty -- yes," said the other. "By the way, it's not a public duty to eat snails if you don't like 'em. No, I thought you didn't. Why wrestle with a harsh fate any longer? Waiter, take the gentleman's snails away and bring oysters instead. ... No -- as I was saying, it may be part of your duty to have suspicions and invite investigation and generally raise hell for everybody, and if you're mistaken nobody says much, beyond that you're a smart, painstaking officer though a little over-zealous. But doctors, poor devils! are everlastingly walking a kind of social tight-rope. People t't fancy calling in a man who's liable iring out accusations of murder on the rtlest provocation." ;euseme." ie thin-faced young man sitting alone the next table had turned round |erly. ^s frightfully rude of me to break in, »very word you say is absolutely true, Unine is a case in point. A doctor -- itjan't have any idea how dependent ill "on the fancies and prejudices of itients. They resent the most ptary precautions. If you dare to ;st a post-mortem, they're up in at the idea of 'cutting poor dear Soup,' and even if you only ask ssion to investigate an obscure 5e in the interests of research, they fine you're hinting at something isant. Of course, if you let things go, lit turns out afterwards there's been jiggery-pokery, the coroner jumps your throat and the newspapers |i a butt of you, and, whichever way it ^wish you'd never been born." m speak with personal feeling," said 5 the man with the monocle, with an agreeable air of interest. "I do," said the thin-faced man, emphatically. "If I had behaved like a man of the world instead of a zealous citizen, I shouldn't be hunting about for a new job today." The man with the monocle glanced round the little Soho restaurant with a faint smile. The fat man on their right was unctuously entertaining two ladies of the chorus; beyond him, two elderly habitues were showing their acquaintance with the fare at the "Au Bon Bourgeois" by consuming a Tripes a la Mode de Caen (which they do very excellently there) and a bottle of Chablis Moutonne 1916; on the other side of the room a provincial and his wife were stupidly clamouring for a cut off the joint with lemonade for the lady and whisky and soda for the gentleman, while at the adjoining table, the handsome silver-haired proprietor, absorbed in fatiguing a salad for a family party, had for the moment no thoughts beyond the nice adjustment of the chopped herbs and garlic. The head waiter, presenting for R section a plate of Blue River Trout, tped the monocled man and his ipanion and retired, leaving them in privacy which unsophisticated people f^ys seek in genteel tea-shops and >r, never find there. i feel/' said the monocled man, ictly like Prince Florizel of Bohemia, confident that you, sir, have an jsting story to relate, and shall be tly obliged if you will favour us with recital. I perceive that you have led your dinner, and it will therefore ips not be disagreeable to you to re to this table and entertain us with ipstory while we eat. Pardon my jonian manner — my sympathy is ijUie less sincere on that account." m't be an ass, Peter," said the Tipt man. "My friend is a much rational person than you might je to hear him talk," he added, ig to the stranger, "and if there's ttng you'd like to get off your chest, lay be perfectly certain it won't go •ther." fother smiled a little grimly. the man with the monocle, with an agreeable air of interest. "I do," said the thin-faced man, emphatically. "If I had behaved like a man of the world instead of a zealous citizen, I shouldn't be hunting about for a new job today." The man with the monocle glanced round the little Soho restaurant with a faint smile. The fat man on their right was unctuously entertaining two ladies of the chorus; beyond him, two elderly habitues were showing their acquaintance with the fare at the "Au Bon Bourgeois" by consuming a Tripes a la Mode de Caen (which they do very excellently there) and a bottle of Chablis Moutonne 1916; on the other side of the room a provincial and his wife were stupidly clamouring for a cut off the joint with lemonade for the lady and whisky and soda for the gentleman, while at the adjoining table, the handsome silver-haired proprietor, absorbed in fatiguing a salad for a family party, had for the moment no thoughts beyond the nice adjustment of the chopped herbs and garlic. The head waiter, presenting for B section a plate of Blue River Trout, tped the monocled man and his tpanion and retired, leaving them in pivacy which unsophisticated people lys seek in genteel tea-shops and »r, never find there. feel/' said the monocled man, ictly like Prince Florizel of Bohemia, confident that you, sir, have an »sting story to relate, and shall be Hy obliged if you will favour us with recital. I perceive that you have red your dinner, and it will therefore >s not be disagreeable to you to re to this table and entertain us with History while we eat. Pardon my isonian manner — my sympathy is tfche less sincere on that account." m't be an ass, Peter," said the script man. "My friend is a much rational person than you might ise to hear him talk," he added, ig to the stranger, "and if there's ung you'd like to get off your chest, lay be perfectly certain it won't go •ther." fother smiled a little grimly. 'Til tell you about it with pleasure if it won't bore you. It just happens to be a case in point, that's all." "On my side of the argument," said the man called Peter, with triumph. "Do carry on. Have something to drink. It's a poor heart that never rejoices. And begin right at the beginning, if you will, please. I have a very trivial mind. Detail delights me. Ramifications enchant me. Distance no object. No reasonable offer refused. Charles here will say the same." "Well," said the stranger, "to begin from the very beginning, I am a medical man, particularly interested in the subject of Cancer. I had hoped, as so many people do, to specialise on the subject, but there wasn't money enough, when I'd done my exams., to allow me to settle down to research work. I had to take a country practice, but I kept in touch with the important men up here, hoping to be able to come back to it some day. I may say I have quite decent expectations from an uncle, and in the meanwhile they agreed it would be quite good for me to get some all-round experience as a G.P. Keeps one 8 getting narrow and all that. Consequently, when I bought a nice practice at ... -- I'd better not lion any names, let's call it X, down >shire way, a little country town of 5,000 people -- I was greatly pleased ind a cancer case on my list of its. The old lady----" [ow long ago was this?" interrupted i .* tree years ago. There wasn't much done with the case. The old lady was fety-two, and had already had one rtion. She was a game old girl, and was making a good fight of it, very tough constitution to back her ..ie was not, I should say, and had pbeen, a woman of very powerful ;t or strong character as far as her igs with other people went, but she :tremely obstinate in certain ways pas possessed by a positive tination not to die. At this time she me with her niece, a young woman ity-five or so. Previously to that, been living with another old lady, 's aunt on the other side of the 9 <stay in town under Sir Warburton's Kit she was vigorously opposed to £he was accustomed to a country life ild not be happy except in her own So she went back to X, and I was keep her going with visits for it at the nearest large town, lere is an excellent hospital. She amazingly after the operation and illy was able to dismiss her nurse %n in the old way under the care of ;e." moment, doctor," put in the man 11 called Charles, "you say you took her to Sir Warburton Giles and so on. I gather she was pretty well off." "Oh, yes, she was quite a wealthy woman." "Do you happen to know whether she made a will?" "No. I think I mentioned her extreme aversion to the idea of death. She had always refused to make any kind of will because it upset her to think about such things. I did once venture to speak of the subject in the most casual way I could, shortly before she underwent her operation, but the effect was to excite her very undesirably. Also she said, which was quite true, that it was quite unnecessary. 'You, my dear,' she said to the niece, 'are the only kith and kin I've got in the world, and all I've got will be yours some day, whatever happens. I know I can trust you to remember my servants and my little charities.' So, of course, I didn't insist. "I remember, by the way -- but that was a good deal later on and has nothing to do with the story - > ? 19 }lease," said Peter, "all the Us." fell, I remember going there one day finding my patient not so well as I have wished and very much The niece told me that the was caused by a visit from her >r -- a family lawyer from her town, not our local man. He had on a private interview with the lay, at the close of which she had *ed terribly excited and angry, king that everyone was in a *acy to kill her before her time. The «*, before leaving, had given no ilation to the niece, but had Jed upon her that if at any time her pressed a wish to see him, she was for him at any hour of the day or id he would come at once." was he ever sent for?" f-The old lady was deeply offended im, and almost the last bit of she did for herself was to take lirs out of his hands and transfer It-to the local solicitor. Shortly tftrds, a third operation became 13 necessary, and after this she gradually became more and more of an invalid. Her head began to get weak, too, and she grew incapable of understanding anything complicated, and indeed she was in too much pain to be bothered about business. The niece had a power of attorney, and took over the management of her aunt's money entirely." "When was this?" "In April, 1925. Mind you, though she was getting a bit 'gaga' -- after all, she was getting on in years -- her bodily strength was quite remarkable. I was investigating a new method of treatment and the results were extraordinarily interesting. That made it all the more annoying to me when the surprising thing happened. "I should mention that by this time we were obliged to have an outside nurse for her, as the niece could not do both the day and night duty. The first nurse came in April. She was a most charming and capable young woman -- the ideal nurse. I placed absolute dependence on her. She had been specially recommended to me by 14 rarburton Giles, and though she was len more than twenty-eight, she had iscretion and judgment of a woman her age. I may as well tell you at iat I became deeply attached to this id she to me. We are engaged, and >ped to be married this year -- if dn't been for my damned lientiousness and public spirit." doctor grimaced wryly at Charles, Kirmured rather lamely that it was id luck. fiancee, like myself, took a keen It in the case -- partly because it ly case and partly because she was greatly interested in the disease. >ks forward to being of great ice to me in my life work if I ever chance to do anything at it. But ly the way. Engs went on like this till itfeer. Then, for some reason, the began to take one of those ftAitable dislikes that feebleminded ^do take sometimes. She got it into that the nurse wanted to kill her Ifsame idea she'd had about the 15 lawyer, you see -- and earnestly assured her niece that she was being poisoned. No doubt she attributed her attacks of pain to this cause. Reasoning was useless -- she cried out and refused to let the nurse come near her. When that happens, naturally, there's nothing for it but to get rid of the nurse, as she can do the patient no possible good. I sent my fiancee back to town and wired to Sir Warburton's Clinic to send me down another nurse. "The new nurse arrived the next day. Naturally, after the other, she was a second-best as far as I was concerned, but she seemed quite up to her work and the patient made no objection. However, now I began to have trouble with the niece. Poor girl, all this long-drawn-out business was getting on her nerves, I suppose. She took it into her head that her aunt was very much worse. I said that of course she must gradually get worse, but that she was putting up a wonderful fight and there was no cause for alarm. The girl wasn't satisfied, however, and on one occasion early in November sent for me hurriedly in the middle of the night because her Tfi was dying. Then I arrived, I found the patient in pain, certainly, but in no immediate I told the nurse to give her a >Kia injection, and administered a of bromide to the girl, telling her to bed and not to do any nursing for the few days. The following day I filled the patient very carefully and that she was doing even better than >sed. Her heart was exceptionally and steady, she was taking iment remarkably well and the less of the disease was temporarily ted. niece apologised for her agitation, liid she really thought her aunt was if said that, on the contrary, I could ffirm positively that she would live >ther five or six months. As you in cases like hers, one can speak lery fair certainty. any case,' I said, 'I shouldn't ss yourself too much. Death, when it Jome, will be a release from »g.' [es,' she said, 'poor Auntie. I'm 17 afraid I'm selfish, but she's the only relative I have left in the world.' " Three days later, I was just sitting down to dinner when a telephone message came. Would I go over at once? The patient was dead." "Good gracious!" cried Charles, "it's perfectly obvious --'' "Shut up, Sherlock," said his friend, "the doctor's story is not going to be obvious. Far from it, as the private said when he aimed at the bull's-eye and hit the gunnery instructor. But I observe the waiter hovering uneasily about us while his colleagues pile up chairs and carry away the cruets. Will you not come and finish the story in my flat? I can give you a glass of very decent port. You will? Good. Waiter, call a taxi. . . . 110A, Piccadilly." 18 Chapter II Miching Mallecho |y the pricking of my thumbs wnething evil this way comes." Macbeth 11 night was clear and chilly, and a rood fire burned in a welcoming on the hearth. The bookcases lined the walls were filled with rich bindings, mellow and glowing in ip-light. There was a grand piano, huge chesterfield piled deep with and two arm-chairs of the build rjtes one to wallow. The port was jf in by an impressive manservant led on a very beautiful little lale table. Some big bowls of and yellow parrot tulips beckoned, :e, from dark corners. ;tor had just written his new 19 acquaintance down as an aesthete with a literary turn, looking for the ingredients of a human drama, when the manservant reentered. 1 Inspector Sugg rang up, my lord, and left this message, and said would you be good enough to give him a call as soon as you came in." ''Oh, did he? -- well, just get him for me, would you? This is the Worplesham business, Charles. Sugg's mucked it up as usual. The baker has an alibi -- naturally -- he would have. Oh, thanks. . . . Hullo! that you, Inspector? What did I tell you? -- Oh, routine be hanged. Now, look here. You get hold of that gamekeeper fellow, and find out from him what he saw in the sand-pit. . . . No, I know, but I fancy if you ask him impressively enough he will come across with it. No, of course not -- if you ask if he was there, he'll say no. Say you know he was there and what did he see -- and, look here! if he hums and haws about it, say you're sending a gang down to have the stream diverted. ... All right. Not at all. Let me know if anything comes of it." 20 rt the receiver down. Icuse me, Doctor. A little matter of IS. Now go on with your story. The was dead, eh? Died in her sleep, I Passed away in the most it manner possible. Everything all tape and Bristol-fashion. No no wounds, haemorrhages, or symptoms, naturally, what?" factly. She had taken some Itnent at 6 o'clock -- a little broth litie milk pudding. At eight, the ^ave her a morphine injection and it straight out to put some bowls *S on the little table on the landing Sight. The maid came to speak to mt some arrangements for the next Id while they were talking, Miss it is, the niece -- came up and ilo her aunt's room. She had only ilere a moment or two when ted out, 'Nurse! Nurse!' The Pushed in, and found the patient course, my first idea was that by incident a double dose of morphine administered - 91 J5 "Surely that wouldn't have acted so promptly." "No -- but I thought that a deep coma might have been mistaken for death. However, the nurse assured me that this was not the case, and, as a matter of fact, the possibility was completely disproved, as we were able to count the ampullae of morphine and found them all satisfactorily accounted for. There were no signs of the patient having tried to move or strain herself, or of her having knocked against anything. The little night table was pushed aside, but that had been done by the niece when she came in and was struck by her aunt's alarmingly lifeless appearance." "How about the broth and the milk pudding?" "That occurred to me also -- not in any sinister way, but to wonder whether she'd been having too much -- distended stomach -- pressure on the heart, and that sort of thing. However, when I came to look into it, it seemed very unlikely. The quantity was so small, and on the face of it, two hours were sufficient for digestion nn it" had been that, death would have place earlier. I was completely t, and so was the nurse. Indeed, she sry much upset." the niece?" niece could say nothing but 'I told I told you so -- I knew she was Pthan you thought.' Well, to cut a »ry short, I was so bothered with patient going off like that, that iorning, after I had thought the over, I asked for a postmortem." difficulty?" i*the slightest. A little natural Ife, of course, but no sort of ton. I explained that I felt sure mst be some obscure morbid % to which I had failed to diagnose I should feel more satisfied if I Itnake an investigation. The only iich seemed to trouble the niece ^thought of an inquest. I said -- wisely, I suppose, according to tfeules -- that I didn't think an would be necessary." Kmean you offered to perform the Ptem yourself." 23 "Yes -- I made no doubt that I should find a sufficient cause of death to enable me to give a certificate. I had one bit of luck, and that was that the old lady had at some time or other expressed in a general way an opinion in favour of cremation, and the niece wished this to be carried out. This meant getting a man with special qualifications to sign the certificate with me, so I persuaded this other doctor to come and help me to do the autopsy." "And did you find anything?" "Not a thing. The other man, of course, said I was a fool to kick up a fuss. He thought that as the old lady was certainly dying in any case, it would be quite enough to put in, Cause of death, Cancer; immediate cause, Heart Failure, and leave it at that. But I was a damned conscientious ass, and said I wasn't satisfied. There was absolutely nothing about the body to explain the death naturally, and I insisted on an analysis." "Did you actually suspect----?" "Well, no, not exactly. But -- well, I wasn't satisfied. By the way, it was very 24 it the autopsy that the morphine had ijjf-to do with it. Death had occurred after the injection that the drug ily partially dispersed from the fow I think it over, I suppose it tve been shock, somehow." the analysis privately made?" i but of course the funeral was knd things got round. The coroner 'about it and started to make »s, and the nurse, who got it into sad that I was accusing her of or something, behaved in a very jsional way and created a lot of trouble." ^nothing came of it?" ing. There was no trace of poison ting of that sort, and the analysis *actly where we were. Naturally, to think I had made a ghastly m of myself. Rather against my Sessional judgment, I signed the ite -- heart failure following on ind my patient was finally got into ^ after a week of worry, without it" re? » 25 "Oh, yes. That was another scandal. The crematorium authorities, who are pretty particular, heard about the fuss and refused to act in the matter, so the body is filed in the churchyard for reference if necessary. There was a huge attendance at the funeral and a great deal of sympathy for the niece. The next day I got a note from one of my most influential patients, saying that my professional services would no longer be required. The day after that, I was avoided in the street by the Mayor's wife. Presently I found my practice dropping away from me, and discovered I was getting known as 'the man who practically accused that charming Miss So-and-so of murder.' Sometimes it was the niece I was supposed to be accusing. Sometimes it was 'that nice Nurse -- not the flighty one who was dismissed, the other one, you know.' Another version was, that I had tried to get the nurse into trouble because I resented the dismissal of my fiancee. Finally, I heard a rumour that the patient had discovered me 'canoodling' -- that was the beastly, word -- with my fiancee, 2fi of doing my job, and had done with the old lady myself out of ie -- though why, in that case, I have refused a certificate, my rl-mongers didn't trouble to explain, stuck it out for a year, but my In became intolerable. The practice to practically nothing, so I sold :a holiday to get the taste out of my -- and here I am, looking for opening. So that's that -- and the its, Don't be officious about public if*, ' ;tor gave an irritated laugh, and Ifcmself back in his chair. i*t care," he added, combatantly, its! Confusion to 'em!" and he his glass. hear!" agreed his host. He sat Iw moments looking thoughtfully fire. |SN)U know," he said suddenly, "I'm father interested by this case. I sensation of internal gloating insures me that there is something restigated. That feeling has never yet -- I trust it never will. It 97 warned me the other day to look into my Income-tax assessment, and I discovered that I had been paying about £900 too much for the last three years. It urged me only last week to ask a bloke who was preparing to drive me over the Horseshoe Pass whether he had any petrol in the tank, and he discovered he had just about a pint -- enough to get us nicely halfway round. It's a very lonely spot. Of course, I knew the man, so it wasn't all intuition. Still, I always make it a rule to investigate anything I feel like investigating. I believe," he added, in a reminiscent tone, "I was a terror in my nursery days. Anyhow, curious cases are rather a hobby of mine. In fact, I'm not just being the perfect listener. I have deceived you. I have an ulterior motive, said he, throwing off his side-whiskers and disclosing the well-known hollow jaws of Mr. Sherlock Holmes." "I was beginning to have my suspicions," said the doctor, after a short pause. "I think you must be Lord Peter Wimsey. I wondered why your face was so familiar, but of course it was in all the 98 pjj: a few years ago when you mgled the Riddlesdale Mystery." |ite right. It's a silly kind of face, of *j but rather disarming, don't you M don't know that I'd have chosen I do my best with it. I do hope it mtracting a sleuth-like expression, rthing unpleasant. This is the real - my friend Detective-Inspector of Scotland Yard. He's the one illy does the work. I make imbecile Long and he does the work of tely disproving them. Then, by a iof elimination, we find the right lion, and the world says, 'My god, rition that young man has!' Well, re -- if you don't mind, I'd like to at this. If you'll entrust me with le and address and the names of ies concerned, I'd like very much a shot at looking into it." Jtor considered a moment, then head. iry good of you, but I think I'd lot. I've got into enough bothers Anyway, it isn't professional to if I stirred up any more fuss, I 29 should probably have to chuck this country altogether and end up as one of those drunken ship's doctors in the South Seas or somewhere, who are always telling their life-history to people and delivering awful warnings. Better to let sleeping dogs lie. Thanks very much, all the same." "As you like," said Wimsey. "But I'll think it over, and if any useful suggestion occurs to me, I'll let you know." "It's very good of you," replied the visitor, absently, taking his hat and stick from the man-servant, who had answered Wimsey's ring. "Well, good night, and many thanks for hearing me so patiently. By the way, though," he added, turning suddenly at the door, "how do you propose to let me know when you haven't got my name and address?" Lord Peter laughed. "I'm Hawkshaw, the detective," he answered, "and you shall hear from me anyhow before the end of the week." 30 Chapter III Use for Spinsters PM are two million more females males in England and Wales! this is an awe-inspiring istanee." Gilbert Frankau you really think of that story?" Barker. He had dropped in to with Wimsey the next morning, ^parting in the Netting Dale in, in quest of an elusive letter-writer. "I thought it ^rather as though our friend had too cocksure about his grand ispecialising. After all, the old girl easily have had some sort of ick. She was very old and ill." might, though I believe as a rf fact cancer patients very 31 seldom pop off in that unexpected way. As a rule, they surprise everybody by the way they cling to life. Still, I wouldn't think much of that if it wasn't for the niece. She prepared the way for the death, you see, by describing her aunt as so much worse than she was.'' "I thought the same when the doctor was telling his tale. But what did the niece do? She can't have poisoned her aunt or even smothered her, I suppose, or they'd have found signs of it on the body. And the aunt did die -- so perhaps the niece was right and the opinionated young medico wrong." "Just so. And of course, we've only got his version of the niece and the nurse -- and he obviously has what the Scotch call ta'en a scunner at the nurse. We musn't lose sight of her, by the way. She was the last person to be with the old lady before her death, and it was she whd administered that injection.'' "Yes, yes -- but the injection hadj nothing to do with it. If any thing's clear| that is. I say, do you think the nurse can] have said anything that agitated the oU 32 id gave her a shock that way. The Iwas a bit gaga, but she may have |lse enough to understand something Istartling. Possibly the nurse just lething stupid about dying -- the py appears to have been very re on the point." said Lord Peter, "I was waiting to get on to that. Have you that there really is one rather Bfigure in the story, and that's the iwyer." one who came down to say ing about the will, you mean, and !§ruptly sent packing." Suppose he'd wanted the patient pk will in favour of somebody quite somebody outside the story as it. And when he found he couldn't lattention paid to him, he sent the down as a sort of substitute." lid be rather an elaborate plot," ler, dubiously. "He couldn't know loctor's fiancee was going to be Unless he was in league with of course, and induced her to ftthe change of nurses." 33 'That cock won't fight, Charles. The? niece wouldn't be in league with the< lawyer to get herself disinherited." "No, I suppose not. Still, I think there's] something in the idea that the old girl was either accidentally or deliberately startled to death." "Yes -- and whichever way it was, it probably wasn't legal murder in that case. However, I think it's worth looking into. That reminds me." He rang the bell;* "Bunter, just take a note to the post fori me, would you?" "Certainly, my lord." Lord Peter drew a writing pad towards him. "What are you going to write?" asked Parker, looking over his shoulder with some amusement. Lord Peter wrote: "Isn't civilisation wonderful?" He signed this simple message and slipped it into an envelope. "If you want to be immune from silly) letters, Charles," he said, "don't carryj your monomark in your hat." M 34 fjiat do you propose to do next?" rker. "Not, I hope, to send me Monomark House to get the ^client. I couldn't do that without authority, and they would Jtick up an awful shindy." replied his friend, "I don't violating the secrets of the ml. Not in that quarter at any link, if you can spare a moment mysterious correspondent, who ?does not intend to be found, I will come and pay a visit to a friend Ut won't take long. I think you'll isted. I -- in fact, you'll be the IH I've ever taken to see her. She much touched and pleased." led a little self-consciously. said Parker, embarrassed. rthe men were great friends, id always preserved a reticence personal affairs -- not so much ling as by ignoring them. This seemed to mark a new stage of and Parker was not sure that he te conducted his own life with an uddle-class morality which he 35 owed to his birth and up-bringing, and, while theoretically recognising that Lord Peter's world acknowledged different standards, he had never contemplated being personally faced with any result of their application in practice. "-- rather an experiment," Wimsey was saying a trifle shyly; "anyway, she's quite comfortably fixed in a little flat in Pimlico. You can come, can't you, Charles? I really should like you two to meet." "Oh, yes, rather," said Parker, hastily, "I should like to very much. Er -- how long --I mean----" "Oh, the arrangement's only been going a few months," said Wimsey, leading the way to the lift, "but it really seems to be working out quite satisfactorily. Of course, it makes things much easier for me. » "Just so," said Parker. "Of course, as you'll understand -- I won't go into it all till we get there, and then you'll see for yourself," Wimsey chattered on, slamming the gates of the lift with unnecessary violence -- "but, as 3fi fjtjt: was saying, you'll observe it's quite a w departure. I don't suppose there's er been anything exactly like it before. I course, there's nothing new under the n, as Solomon said, but after all, I resay all those wives and porcupines, as e child said, must have soured his position a little, don't you know." Quite," said Parker. "Poor fish," he ed to himself, "they always seem to nk it's different." Outlet," said Wimsey, energetically, I taxi! . . . outlet -- everybody needs outlet -- 97A, St. George's Square -- after all, one can't really blame pie if it's just that they need an outlet, ean, why be bitter? They can't help it. it's much kinder to give them an et than to make fun of them in books d, after all, it isn't really difficult to e books. Especially if you either write tten story in good English or a good in rotten English, which is as far as people seem to get nowadays. Don't gree?" & Parker agreed, and Lord Peter ered away along the paths of 37 literature, till the cab stopped before one! of those tall, awkward mansions which;! originally designed for a Victorian family] with fatigue-proof servants, have lately] been dissected each into half a dozen] inconvenient band-boxes and let off in] flats. Lord Peter rang the top bell, which was marked "CLIMPSON," and relaxed! negligently against the porch. "Six flights of stairs," he explained; "itj takes her some time to answer the bell,l because there's no lift, you see. She) wouldn't have a more expensive flat;) though. She thought it wouldn't be) suitable." Mr. Parker was greatly relieved, if] somewhat surprised, by the modesty of] the lady's demands, and, placing his foot] on the door-scraper in an easy attitude, prepared to wait with patience. Before] many minutes, however, the door was] opened by a thin, middle-aged woman, with a sharp, sallow face and very] vivacious manner. She wore a neat, darfcj coat and skirt, a high-necked blouse and long gold neck-chain with a variety irnaments dangling from it at Is, and her iron-grey hair was under a net, in the style jjale in the reign of the late King »rd Peter! How very nice to see ler an early visit, but I'm sure I excuse the sitting-room being a disorder. Do come in. The lists ready for you. I finished them In fact, I was just about to put it and bring them round to you. I ijrou don't think I have taken an ionable time, but there was a ^prising number of entries. It is IM you to trouble to call." all, Miss Climpson. This is my tective-Inspector Parker, whom mtioned to you." you do, Mr. Parker -- or ought ispector? Excuse me if I make this is really the first time I in the hands of the police. I not rude of me to say that. ie up. A great many stairs, I ir> J>ut I hope you do not mind. I do Bbe high up. The air is so much 39 literature till the cab stopped before one of those tall awkward mansions which, originally des*Sned for a Victorian family with fatigue-tfro°f servants, have lately been dissect^ eacn ^n^° half a dozen inconvenient band-boxes and let off in flats. Lord Peter ran& the t°P bell, which was marked «c^IMPSON'" and relaxed negligently a$ainst the P°rcn- ''Six flights of stairs," he explained; "it takes her soJ116 ^me ^° answer the bell, because thefe's no lift' y°u see- Sne wouldn't ha^e a more expensive flat, though. SW thought it wouldn't be suitable." Mr. parktfr was §reatly relieved, if somewhat s^rPr^se^' by the modesty of the lady's d^rnanc^s' an^' P^c^g his foot on the door^craPer *n an easy attitude, prepared towa*t with patience. Before many minut88' however, the door was opened by > ^hin, middle-aged woman, with a shfP' sallow face and very vivacious rn^nner- She wore a neat, dark coat and skft> a high-necked blouse and a long gold jack-chain with a variety of 98 irnaments dangling from it at is, and her iron-grey hair was under a net, in the style ijjle in the reign of the late King >rd Peter! How very nice to see ler an early visit, but I'm sure i excuse the sitting-room being a disorder. Do come in. The lists ready for you. I finished them it. In fact, I was just about to put tt and bring them round to you. I fiyou don't think I have taken an ionable time, but there was a prising number of entries. It is IM you to trouble to call.'' all, Miss Climpson. This is my itective-Inspector Parker, whom itioned to you." you do, Mr. Parker -- or ought ispector? Excuse me if I make this is really the first time I in the hands of the police. I not rude of me to say that, le up. A great many stairs, I tj but I hope you do not mind. I do Bbe high up. The air is so much 39 better, and you know, Mr. Parker, thanks! to Lord Peter's great kindness, I have! such a beautiful, airy view, right overj the house. I think one can work so muchi better when one doesn't feel cribbed, cabined and confined, as Hamlet says. Dear me! Mrs. Winbottle will leave thei pail on the stairs, and always in that very) dark corner. I am continually telling her] about it. If you keep close to the banisters) you will avoid it nicely. Only one more] flight. Here we are. Please overlook the untidiness. I always think breakfast things look so ugly when one has finished with them -- almost sordid, to use a nasty word! for a nasty subject. What a pity that some) of these clever people can't invent self- cleaning and self-clearing plates, is itj not? But please do sit down; I won't keep] you a moment. And I know, Lord Peter,} that you will not hesitate to smoke. I do so! enjoy the smell of your cigarettes -- quite delicious -- and you are so very good] about extinguishing the ends." ' j The little room was, as a matter of facft most exquisitely neat, in spite of tl crowded array of knick-knacks an< A(\ >hs that adorned every available tspace. The sole evidences of Hi were an empty eggshell, a and a crumby plate on a ti tray. Miss Climpson promptly tthis riot by carrying the tray gto the landing. ~ker, a little bewildered, lowered mtiously into a small armchair, >d with a hard, fat little cushion ide it impossible to lean back, jr wriggled into the window-seat, mie and clasped his hands about Miss Climpson seated upright rte; gazed at him with a gratified ras positively touching, gone very carefully into all ;," she began, taking up a thick je-script. "I'm afraid, indeed, are rather copious, but I trust ils bill will not be considered too handwriting is very clear, so I there can be any errors. Dear $$ad stories some of these poor lad to tell me! But I have id most fully, with the kind sof the clergyman -- a very nice 41 man and so helpful -- and I feel sure that! in the majority of the cases youii assistance will be well bestowed. If yo\ would like to go through ----" -:X2 "Not at the moment, Miss Climpson,'1 interrupted Lord Peter, hurriedly. "It'j all right, Charles -- nothing whatever do with Our Dumb Friends or supplyhi{ Flannel to Unmarried Mothers. I'll tel you about it later. Just now, Mist Climpson, we want your help 01 something quite different." Miss Climpson produced a business-lil notebook and sat at attention. "The inquiry divides itself into twl parts," said Lord Peter. "The first pai I'm afraid, is rather dull. I want you (ij you will be so good) to go down Somerset House and search, or get the to search, through all the deatl certificates for Hampshire in the month November, 1925. I don't know the to^ and I don't know the name of tl deceased. What you are looking for is death-certificate of an old lady of cause of death, cancer; immediate caus heart-failure; and the certificate will hal 42 ione » e there are more than 4o the requirements?" at's where the second part d where your remarkable tact dness are going to be so helpful n you have collected all the I shall ask you to go down to e towns concerned and make skilful inquiries, to find out e case we want to get on to. Of mustn't appear to be You must find some good y living in the neighbourhood 43 d by two doctors, one of whom litfcer a Medical Officer of Health, *geon, Certifying Surgeon under wry and Workshops Act, Medical under the Workmen's ition Act, Physician or Surgeon General Hospital, or a man appointed by the Cremation If you want to give any excuse barch, you can say that you are statistics about cancer; but rfeally want is the names of the icerned and the name of the in. and just get her to talk in a natural wayj You must pretend to be gossipy yourselj -- it's not in your nature, I know, but I'i sure you can make a little pretence about it -- and find out all you can. I fancy you'll find it pretty easy if you once strike the right town, because I know for a certainty that there was a terrible lot of ill-natun talk about this particular death, and u won't have been forgotten yet by a lon{ chalk." "How shall I know when it's the rigl one?" "Well, if you can spare the time, I wani you to listen to a little story. Mind youl Miss Climpson, when you get to wherevei it is, you are not supposed ever to havl heard a word of this tale before. Butl needn't tell you that. Now, CharleJ you've got an official kind of way puttin' these things clearly. Will you jusl weigh in and give Miss Climpson the gis of that rigmarole our friend served out us last night?" Pulling his wits into order, Mr. Park< accordingly obliged with a digest of tl doctor's story. Miss Climpson listei 44 it attention, making notes of the id details. Parker observed that red great acumen in seizing on the >ints; she asked a number of very luestions, and her grey eyes were it. When he had finished, she the story, and he was able to llate her on a clear head and memory. ir old friend of mine used to I should have made a very pryer," said Miss Climpson, itly, "but of course, when I was iris didn't have the education or wtunities they get nowadays, ler. I should have liked a good to, but my dear father didn't ;in it for women. Very old you young people would think mind, Miss Climpson," said "you've got just exactly the if>ns we want, and they're rather iwe're in luck. Now we want this ipushed forward as fast as down to Somerset House at 45 once," replied the lady, with great energy, "and let you know the minute r] ready to start for Hampshire." "That's right," said his lordship, rising! "And now we'll just make a noise like hoop and roll away. Oh! and while I thii of it, I'd better give you something in ham for travelling expenses and so on. I thii you had better be just a retired lady ii easy circumstances looking for a nic< little place to settle down in. I don't thinl you'd better be wealthy -- wealthy people don't inspire confidence. Perhaps yot would oblige me by living at the rate about £800 a year -- your own excellent taste and experience will suggest tl correct accessories and so on foi creating that impression. If you wil allow me, I will give you a cheque f( £50 now, and when you start on yoi wanderings you will let me know whaj you require." "Dear me," said Miss Climpson, don't----" "This is a pure matter of business, course," said Wimsey, rather rapidli "and you will let me have a note of 4fi P> ? >urse. Miss Climpson was *'And I will give you a proper tmediately. ^dear," she added, hunting fer purse, "I do not appear to t^penny stamps. How extremely me. It is most unusual for me my little book of stamps -- so ifways think they are -- but only ?Mrs. Williams borrowed my last iend a very urgent letter to her >an. If you will excuse me a ' in your usual businesslike » I have some," interposed ink you very much, Mr. Parker. the twopence. I never allow gbe without pennies -- on account iroom geyser, you know. Such a Visible invention, most tel;' and prevents all dispute Plater among the tenants. Thank *h. And now I sign my name stamps. That's right, isn't it? lither would be surprised to find 47 h«;< "Miss Climpson," said Lord Peter,."! a manifestation of the wasteful way which this country is run. Look electricity. Look at water-power. Look the tides. Look at the sun. Millions power units being given off into spa< every minute. Thousands of old maw is daughter so business-like. He always said a woman should never need to kncn anything about money matters, but times have changed so greatly, have the} not?" Miss Climpson ushered them down all six flights of stairs, volubly protesting &\ their protests, and the door closed behin^ them. "May I ask----?" began Parker. "It is not what you think," said hi^ lordship, earnestly. "Of course not," agreed Parker. "There, I knew you had a nasty mine Even the closest of one's friends turn 01 to be secret thinkers. They think private thoughts which they publiclf repudiate." "Don't be a fool. Who is Mil Climpson?" irsting with useful energy, forced tupid social system into hydros is and communities and hostels as companions, where their it gossip-powers and units of rlness are allowed to dissipate or even become harmful to Inity, while the ratepayers' *spent on getting work for which ten are providentially fitted, itly carried out by ill-equipped like you. My god! it's enough to lan write to John Bull. And then mng men write nasty little ing books called 'Elderly and 'On the Edge of the -- and the drunkards make Hi 'em, poor things." quite," said Parker. "You mean Climpson is a kind of inquiry rim." my ears and tongue," said Lord imatically, "and especially my asks questions which a young not put without a blush. She is *that rushes in where fools get a pthe head. She can smell a rat in 49 the dark. In fact, she is the cat'i whiskers." "That's not a bad idea," said Parker. "Naturally -- it is mine, therefore brilliant. Just think. People wai questions asked. Whom do they send? man with large flat feet and a notebook the sort of man whose private life conducted in a series of inarticulal grunts. I send a lady with a long, wool] jumper on knitting-needles and jingj things around her neck. Of course she as questions -- everyone expects it. Nob< is surprised. Nobody is alarmed. And s< called superfluity is agreeable ai usefully disposed of. One of these da] they will put up a statue to me, with inscription: " 'To the Man who Made Thousands of Superfluous Women Happy without Injury to their Modesty or Exertion to Himself.' " "I wish you wouldn't talk so mucl complained his friend. "And how abouti 50 rpe-written reports? Are you lilanthropist in your old age?" no," said Wimsey, rather hailing a taxi. "Tell you about j£v Little private pogrom of my Insurance against the Social -- when it comes. 'What did |th your great wealth, comrade?' IfFirst Editions.' 'Aristocrat! a la &' 'Stay, spare me! I took *s against 500 moneylenders Issed the workers.' 'Citizen, you well. We will spare your life, promoted to cleaning out the ^oila! We must move with the Izen taxi-driver, take me to the [useum. Can I drop you No? So long. I am going to ^12th century manuscript of |iile the old order lasts." |t*ker thoughtfully boarded a mnd 'bus and was rolled away routine questioning, on his own iong the female population of pe. It did not appear to him to in which the talents of Miss rould be usefully employed. 51 Chapter IV A Bit Mental "A babbled of green fields" King Henry\ v | Letter from Miss AlexandraKatheri\ Climpson to Lord Peter Wimsey. "C/o Mrs. Hamilton Budge, "Fairview, Nelson Avenue, "Leahampton, Hants. "April 29th, 1921 "My Dear Lord Peter, You will be happy to hear, after ml two previous bad shots (I), that 3 have found the right place at lastj The Agatha Dawson certificate is th< correct one, and the dreadful scandal about Dr. Carr is still vei much alive, I am sorry to say for th< sake of human nature. I have beei fortunate enough to secure rooms M 52 *y next street to Wellington where Miss Dawson used to ty landlady seems a very nice I though a terrible gossip! -- Pis all to the good!! Her plor a very pleasant bedroom ling-room with full board is ieas weekly. I trust you will this too extravagant, as ition is just what you wished >k for. I enclose a careful it of my expenses up-to-date. Ill excuse the mention of ?%ar, which is, I fear, a fat large item! but wool is isive nowadays, and it is that every detail of my it should be suitable to my 1!) position in life. I have !*eful to wash the garments so that they do not look too sis this might have a yus appearance!! N)u will be anxious for me to use a vulgar expression) cackle, and come to the ptH). On the day after my R3 arrival, I informed Mrs. Budge that I was a great sufferer from rheumatism (which is quite true, as I have a sad legacy of that kind left me by, alas! my port-drinking ancestors!) -- and inquired what doctors there were in the neighbourhood. This at once brought forth a long catalogue, together with a grand panegyric of the sandy soil and healthy situation of the town. I said I should prefer an elderly doctor, as the young men, in my opinion, were not to be depended on. Mrs. Budge heartily agreed with me, and a little discreet questioning brought out the whole story of Miss Dawson'stillness and the 'carryings on' (as she termed them) of Dr. Carr and the nurse! 'I never did trust that first nurse,' said Mrs. Budge, 'for all she had her training at Guy's and ought to have been trustworthy. A sly, red-headed baggage, and it's my belief that all Dr. Carr's fussing over Miss Dawson and his visits all day and every day were just to get love54 with Nurse Philliter. No poor Miss Whittaker couldn't any longer and gave the girl tk -- none too soon, in my Not quite so attentive after . Carr wasn't -- why, up to It minute, he was pretending lady was quite all right, when littaker had only said the day that she felt sure she was ibe taken from us.' Iked if Mrs. Budge knew Miss Der personally. Miss Whittaker lece, you know, ^personally, she said, though imet her in a social way at the working-parties. But she ill about it, because her maid rti sister to the maid at Miss s. Now is not that a tie coincidence, for you know ;e girls talk! iso made careful inquiries ie Vicar, Mr. Tredgold, and ich gratified to find that he sound Catholic doctrine, so Kshall be able to attend the 55 Church (S. Onesimus) without doing violence to my religious beliefs -- a thing I could not undertake to do, even in your interests. I am sure you will understand this. As it happens, all is well, and I have written to my very good friend, the Vicar of S. Edfrith's, Holborn, to ask for an introduction to Mr. Tredgold. By this means, I feel sure of meeting Miss Whittaker before long, as I hear she is quite a 'pillar of the Church'! I do hope it is not wrong to make use of the Church of God to a worldly end; but after all, you are only seeking to establish Truth and Justice! -- and in so good a cause, we may perhaps permit ourselves to be a little bit JESUITICAL!!! 'This is all I have been able to do as yet, but I shall not be idle, and will write to you again as soon as I have anything to report. By the way, the pillar-box is most conveniently placed just at the corner of Wellington Avenue, so that I can easily run out and post my 56 to you myself (away from Kteyes!!) -- and just take a at Miss Dawson's -- now ^Maker's -- house, The ft the same time, leve me, Merely yours, candra Katherine Climpson." le red-headed nurse gave her dck, slightly hostile look-over. |uite all right," he said lally, "I haven't come to sell you imophones, or to borrow money in the Ancient Froth-blowers charitable. I really am Lord ;ey -- I mean, that really is my f^ou know, not a Christian name **s Circus or Earl Derr Diggers. to ask you some questions, and rl excuse, I'm afraid, for butting do you ever read the News of i > > iilliter decided that she was to go to a mental case, and that had come to fetch her in 57 said Nun you ga? "Oh -- well, you may have noticed mi name croppin' up in a few murders aitf things lately. I sleuth, you know. For hobby. Harmless outlet for natur; inquisitiveness, don't you see, whicj might otherwise strike inward anj produce introspection an' suicide. Vei natural, healthy pursuit -- not t< strenuous, not too sedentary; trains ai invigorates the mind." "I know who you are now," Philliter, slowly. "You -- evidence against Sir Julian Freke. In fa< you traced the murder to him, didi you?" "I did -- it was rather unpleasant,' Lord Peter, simply, "and I've got anot little job of the same kind in hand n< and I want your help." "Won't you sit down?" said Ni Philliter, setting the example. "How ai concerned in the matter? " >j "You know Dr. Edward Carr, I thinkl late of Leahampton -- conscientious bu1 little lackin' in worldly wisdom -- serpentine at all, as the Bible advises, m"Sometimes," she said, guardedly. ise. ) J she cried, "do you believe it jr,then?" ter looked at her a few seconds. was eager, her eyes gleaming tinder her thick, level brows. Expressive hands, rather large liBtrong, flat joints. He noticed ripped the arms of her chair. *t the faintest," he replied, ttly, "but I wanted your ^- she checked herself. "You iili not supposed to give opinions ises. 5 ) f^e given it me already," said grinning. "Though possibly I illow for a little prejudice in >r. Carr's diagnosis." |res -- but it's not merely ^ mean, my being engaged to wouldn't affect my judgment of ise. I have worked with him on any of them, and I know that his rreally trustworthy -- just as I as a motorist, he's exactly the 5Q "Right. I take it that if he says tl death was inexplicable, it really was s( That's one point gained. Now about the lady herself. I gather she was a littlj queer towards the end -- a bit mental,; think you people call it?" "I don't know that I'd say that either, course, when she was under morphia, si would be unconscious, or only sei conscious, for hours together. But up the time when I left, I should say she wj quite -- well, quite all there. She w< obstinate, you know, and what they call character, at the best of times." 4'But Dr. Carr told me she got fancies -- about people poisoning her?" The red-haired nurse rubbed her fing< slowly along the arm of the chair, ai hesitated. "If it will make you feel any les unprofessional," said Lord Pet< guessing what was in her mind, "I mJ say that my friend Detective-Inspect Parker is looking into this matter wil me, which gives me a sort of right to questions." "In that case -- yes -- in that cas< an can speak freely. I never about that poisoning idea. I anything of it -- no aversion, I (ifear of me. As a rule, a patient it, if she's got any queer ideas nurse. Poor Miss Dawson was >st kind and affectionate. She when I went away and gave me jsent, and said she was sorry to plidn't show any sort of |ss about taking food from you?" [i wasn't allowed to give her any last week. Miss Whittaker said id taken this funny notion, and ill her meals herself.'' lat's very interestin'. Was it Miss then, who first mentioned this itricity to you?" teod she begged me not to say Jtbout it to Miss Dawson, for fear her." you?" »t. I wouldn't mention it in any itient. It does no good." Eiss Dawson ever speak about it slse? Dr. Carr, for instance?" 61 "No. According to Miss Whittaker, h aunt was frightened of the doctor t because she imagined he was in lea with me. Of course, that story rather le colour to the unkind things that were sai afterwards. I suppose it's just possib that she saw us glancing at one another speaking aside, and got the idea that were plotting something." "How about the maids?" "There were new maids about th time. She probably wouldn't talk about to them, and anyhow, I wouldn't discussing my patient with her servants.'* "Of course not. Why did the other mai leave? How many were there? Did th all go at once?" "Two of them went. They were siste One was a terrible crockery-smasher, a Miss Whittaker gave her notice, so other left with her." "Ah, well! one can have too much seeing the Crown Derby rollin' round floor. Quite. Then it had nothing to do wi -- it wasn't on account of any little -- "It wasn't because they couldn't g< along with the nurse, if you mean tha fi2 Philliter, with a smile. "They .* obliging girls, but not very pWell, now, is there any little ^the-way incident you can think £ht throw light on the thing, a visit from a lawyer, I it agitated your patient quite a it in your time?" ily heard about it from Dr. She never heard the name of the liat he came about, or "''*, said his lordship. "I have been it things of the lawyer. There's rister charm, don't you think, *rs who appear unexpectedly ibags, and alarm people with Conferences, and then go away fent messages that if anything tey are to be sent for. If it for the lawyer, I probably ive treated Dr. Carr's medical rith the respect it deserves. He te again, or wrote, I suppose?" ^know. Wait a minute. I do rone thing. I remember Miss 63 Dawson having another hysterical attai of the same sort, and saying just what si said then -- 'that they were trying to her before her time.' " "When was that?" "Oh, a couple of weeks before I lei Miss Whittaker had been up to her wi the post, I think, and there were soi papers of some kind to sign, and it seei to have upset her. I came in from my wz and found her in a dreadful state, maids could have told you more about i than I could, really, for they were doii some dusting on the landing at the til and heard her going on, and they ran don and fetched me up to her. I didn't them about what happened mysel naturally -- it doesn't do for nurses gossip with the maids behind th< employers' backs. Miss Whittaker s* that her aunt had had an annoyii communication from a solicitor." "Yes, it sounds as though there mi{ be something there. Do you rememl what the maids were called?" "What was the name now? A funny 01 or I shouldn't remember it -- Gotobt 64 Bertha and Evelyn Gotobed. tow where they went, but I could find out." last question, and I want you about Christian kindliness and slander when you answer it. jsWhittakerlike?" inable expression crossed the m Handsome, very decided in te said, with an air of doing ice against her will, "an >mpetent nurse -- she was at ^ree, you know, till she went to i@r aunt. I think she would have tectly wonderful theatre nurse, iike me, nor I her, you know, -- and it's better I should be so at once, the way you can u'ng I say about her with a charity added -- but we both hospital work when we saw it, ted one another." p the world didn't she like you, liter? I really don't know when more likeable kind of person, if my mentionin' it." ffi "I don't know." The nurse seemet little embarrassed. "The dislike seemi to grow on her. You -- perhaps you he? the kind of things people said in the toi when I left? that Dr. Carr and I -- -it really was damnable, and I had most dreadful interview with Mati when I got back here. She must hi spread those stories. Who else could h< done it?" "Well -- you did become engaged to Carr, didn't you?" said his lordsl gently. "Mind you, I'm not say in' it waj a very agreeable occurrence and all tl but----" "But she said I neglected the patieni never did. I wouldn't think of such! thing." "Of course not. No. But, do you supp« that possibly getting engaged was offence in itself? Is Miss Whittal engaged to anyone, by the way?" "No. You mean, was she jealous? sure Dr. Carr never gave the slightest, the slightest----" "Oh, please," cried Lord Pel "please don't be ruffled. Such a nice W( 66 like a kitten, I always think — d nice. But even without the rd'ye-call-it on Dr. Carr's side, prepossessin' person and all Jt you think there might be in it?" Ihink so once," admitted Miss but afterwards, when she got h awful trouble over the postgave up the idea." didn't object to the postnot. But there's such a thing as •self in the right in the eyes of ibours, Lord Peter, and then pd tell people all about it at ja-parties. I wasn't there, but leone who was. I know those »> l> It's not impossible. People can peful if they think they've been fo >; you're right," said Nurse loughtfully. "But," she added fttiat's no motive for murdering innocent old lady." ithe second time you've used fi7 that word," said Wimsey, grave] "There's no proof yet that it murder." "I know that." ''But you think it was?" "I do." 11 And you think she did it?" "Yes." Lord Peter walked across to aspidistra in the bow-window and stn its leaves thoughtfully. The silence broken by a buxom nurse who, entei precipitately first and knockl afterwards, announced with a giggle: "Excuse me, I'm sure, but you'n request this afternoon, Philliter. HeJ Dr. Carr come for you." Dr. Carr followed hard upon his nai The sight of Wimsey struck speechless. "I told you I'd be turnin' up again b< long," said Lord Peter, cheerfi "Sherlock is my name and Holmes is nature. I'm delighted to see you, Dr. Your little matter is well in hand, seem ' I'm not required any longecj make a noise like a bee and buzz off." R8 he get here?" demanded Dr. Itogether pleased, ^ou send him? I think he's very pNurse Philliter. /'saidDr. Carr. clever," said the red-haired m fiq Chapter V Gossip "With vollies of eternal babble." Buttler: Hudibn "So you are thinking of coming to live Leahampton," said Miss Murgatroy^ "How very nice. I do hope you will settling down in the parish. We are not t( well off for week-day congregations there is so much indifference and so mu< Protestantism about. There! I hai dropped a stitch. Provoking! Perhaps was meant as a little reminder to me to think uncharitably about Protestant All is well -- I have retrieved it. Were thinking of taking a house, Mil Climpson?" "I am not quite sure," replied Mi Climpson. "Rents are so very hi| nowadays, and I fear that to buy a hoi ?n almost beyond my means. I round very carefully, and view tion from all sides. I should prefer to be in this parish -- and the Church, if possible. Perhaps would know whether there is e anything suitable." es, he would doubtless be able to omething. It is such a very nice, 1 neighbourhood. I am sure you it. Let me see -- you are Nelson Avenue, I think Mrs. said?" with Mrs. Budge at Fairview." are she makes you comfortable, e woman, though I'm afraid she ps talking. Hasn't she got any e subject? I'm sure if there's going about, Mrs. Budge never t hold of it." pounds said Miss Climpson, seizing the itarith a swiftness which would credit to Napoleon, "she did ing about a house in Wellington hich she thought might be to let «" gton Avenue? You surprise me! 71 I thought I knew almost everybody thei Could it be the Parfitts -- really movii at last! They have been talking about for at least seven years, and I really h^ begun to think it was all talk. Mi Peasgood, do you hear that? Mij Climpson says the Parfitts are reall leaving that house at last!" ''Bless me," cried Mrs. Peasgool raising her rather prominent eyes from^ piece of plain needlework and focusii them on Miss Climpson like a pair opera-glasses. "Well, that is news, must be that brother of hers who wt staying with them last week. Possibly is going to live with them permanent! and that would clinch the matter, course, for they couldn't get on with< another bedroom when the girls coi home from school. A very sensibl arrangement, I should think. I believe is quite well off, you know, and it will b< very good thing for those children, wonder where they will go. I expect it be one of the new houses out on Winchester Road, though of course tl would mean keeping a car. Still, I exp< 72 Nwant them to do that in any case, he will have it himself, and let le the use of it." think Parfitt was the name," iMiss Climpson hurriedly, "I'm sn't. It was a Miss somebody -- ftiittaker, I think, Mrs. Budge J5 fhittaker?" cried both the ladies -,'10h, no! surely not?" ite Miss Whittaker would have she thought of giving up her *sued Miss Murgatroyd. "We ?at friends. I think Mrs. Budge run away with a wrong idea, ifeuild up such amazing stories ygatall." Ifi't go so far as that," put in jood, rebukingly. "There may ing in it. I know dear Miss has sometimes spoken to me ig to take up chicken-farming, [-she has not mentioned the Wierally, but then she always i^me. Depend upon it, that is itiends to do." Ige didn't actually say Miss 73 Whittaker was moving," interposed Mil Climpson. "She said, I think, that Mfc Whittaker had been left alone by soi relation's death, and she wouldn't surprised if she found the house lonely.'^ "Ah! that's Mrs. Budge all over!" Sj Mrs. Peasgood, nodding ominously, most excellent woman, but she sometii gets hold of the wrong end of the sti< Not but what I've often thought the sai thing myself. I said to poor Mi Whittaker only the other day, 'Don't find it very lonely in that house, my d< now that your poor dear Aunt is no mon I'm sure it would be a very good thin| she did move, or got someone to live her. It's not a natural life for a yoi woman, all alone like that, and so I her. I'm one of those that believe speaking their mind, you know, Climpson." "Well, now, so am I, Mrs. Peasgooc rejoined Miss Climpson promptly, that is what I said to Mrs. Budge at time. I said, 'Do I understand that was anything odd about the old li death?' -- because she had spoken (M 74 th< $ circumstances of the case, iov^, I should not at all like to ioiuse which could be called in t$,ot*orious. I should really feel ijfortable about it." In saying js Climpson no doubt spoke with iceirity. at all -- not at all," cried Miss iyd^ so eagerly that Mrs. !iwh*o had paused to purse up her asssume an expression of jsescrecy before replying, was Ip crowded out and left at the :e never was a more wicked desath was natural -- perfectly id ia most happy release, poor !isilF*e, for her sufferings at the Irmly terrible. It was all a staory put about by that young Ejwinom I'm sure I never liked) laggrandise himself. As though w«ould pronounce so definitely ttexsct date it would please God tor sufferer to Himself! Human ttoMiity make a most shocking M MMss Climpson, when they lead b/suaspieion on innocent people, 75 >^ simply because we are wedded to our o presumptuous opinions. Poor Mi Whittaker! She went through a m terrible time. But it was proved absolutely proved, that there was nothi in the story at all, and I hope that you man was properly ashamed of himself. "There may be two opinions about th Miss Murgatroyd," said Mrs. Peasgo "I say what I think, Miss Climpson, an my opinion there should have been inquest. I try to be up-to-date, and believe Dr. Carr to have been a very a young man, though of course, he was the kind of old-fashioned family doc that appeals to elderly people. It wa great pity that nice Nurse Philliter sent away -- that woman Forbes was more use than a headache -- to use brother's rather vigorous expression don't think she knew her job, and that' fact." "Nurse Forbes was a charm person," snapped Miss Murgatroyd, pi with indignation at being called elderlyi "That may be," retorted M Peasgood, "but you can't get over the I 76 nearly killed herself one day by ie grains of calomel by mistake She told me that herself, and i,did in one case she might do in * Miss Dawson wasn't given 4! said Miss Murgatroyd, "and at ,, Nurse Forbes' mind was on her tfand not on flirting with the ive always thought that Dr. Carr ate against her for taking his Hnan's place, and nothing would ised him better than to get her >!e." t't mean," said Miss Climpson, would refuse a certificate and dfchat trouble, just to annoy the *ely no doctor would dare to do lif' mrse not," said Mrs. Peasgood, ly with a grain of sense would for a moment." tk you very much, Mrs. cried Miss Murgatroyd, m very much, I'm sure ----" what I think," said Mrs. 77 < < i Then I'm glad I haven't si uncharitable thoughts," said Mi Murgatroyd. "I don't think your own observations so remarkable for their charity," retoi Mrs. Peasgood. Fortunately, at this moment Mj Murgatroyd, in her agitation, gave vicious tweak to the wrong needle dropped twenty-nine stiches at once. Vicar's wife, scenting battle from al hurried over with a plate of scones, helped to bring about a diversion. To Miss Climpson, doggedly sticking to mission in life, broached the subject of house in Wellington Avenue. 1 'Well, I don't know, I'm sure," repl Mrs. Tredgold, "but there's Mi Whittaker just arrived. Come over to corner and I'll introduce her to you, you can have a nice chat about it. You like each other so much, she is sucl keen worker. Oh! and Mrs. Peasgood, husband is so anxious to have a word you about the choirboys' social. Hel discussing it now with Mrs. Findlatel wonder if you'd be so very good as 78 id give him your opinion? He so much." ictfully the good lady parted the and, having deposited Mrs. safely under the clerical wing, iss Climpson away to an arm the tea-table. iMiss Whittaker, I so want you to l&s Climpson. She is a near of yours -- in Nelson Avenue, we shall persuade her to make pmongus." iwill be delightful," said Miss f , st impression which Miss g®t of Mary Whittaker was that tally out of place among the ^ of S. Onesimus. With her strongly-marked features and f authority, she was of the type well" in City offices. She had a rid self-possessed manner, and ully tailored -- not mannishly, th a severe fineness of outline tived the appeal of a beautiful 1th her long and melancholy of frustrated womanhood, 79 observed in a dreary succession of chi boarding-houses, Miss Climpson was to dismiss one theory which had vagi formed itself in her mind. This wasi passionate nature, cramped association with an old woman and ej to be free to mate before youth she depart. That look she knew well -- could diagnose it with dreadful accui at the first glance, in the tone of a v( saying, "How do you do?" But meel Mary Whittaker's clear, light eyes ui their well-shaped brows, she was sti by a sudden sense of familiarity. She seen that look before, though the and the when escaped her. Chati volubly about her arrival in Leahami her introduction to the Vicar ancN approval of the Hampshire air and si soil, Miss Climpson racked her shi brain for a clue. But the mei remained obstinately somewhere at back of her head. "It will come to the night," thought Miss ClimpJ confidently, "and meanwhile I won'fc anything about the house; it would so pushing on a first acquaintance." 80 ipon, fate instantly intervened to this prudent resolve, and very lined the whole effect of Miss l*s diplomacy at one fell swoop. which the avenging Errinyes was that of the youngest Miss !-- the gushing one -- who came liover to them, her hands filled r-linen, and plumped down on the »sofa beside Miss Whittaker. ttpy dear! Why didn't you tell really are going to start your pining scheme at once. I'd no |ft got on so far with your plans, you let me hear it first from ialse? You promised to tell me *ody." pidn't know it myself," replied :er, coolly. ''Who told you this story?" trs. Peasgood said that she >m . . ." Here Miss Findlater lifficulty. She had not yet been to Miss Climpson and hardly to refer to her before her face. rf- was what a shop-girl would Glimpson" would hardly do, as 81 she had, so to speak, no off! cognisance of the name; ''Mrs. Bud new lodger" was obviously impossib the circumstances. She hesitated -- beamed a bright appeal at Miss Climp and said: "Our new helper -- ra introduce myself? I do so de formality, don't you, and to belong to Vicarage work-party is a sort introduction in itself, don't you thi Miss Climpson, I believe? How do yotf It is true, isn't it, Mary? -- that you letting your house to Miss Climpson,i starting a poultry-farm at Alford.'' i "Certainly not that I know of. Climpson and I have only just met another." The tone of Miss Whitta voice suggested that the first m might very willingly be the last so f she was concerned. "Oh dear!" cried the youngest Findlater, who was fair and bobbed rather coltish, "I believe I've dropp brick. I'm sure Mrs. Peas understood that it was all settled.' appealed to Miss Climpson again. "Quite a mistake!" said that 1 82 *illy, "what must you be >f me, Miss Whittaker? Of fieould not possibly have said I only happened to mention lost casual way, that I was ?that is, thinking of looking a house in the neighbourhood ih -- so convenient you know, l&rvices and Saints' Days -- (^suggested -- just suggested, I by whom, that you might, dy, at some time, consider ihouse. I assure you, that was ring which, Miss Climpson was {-accurate or disingenuous, but jlf to her conscience on the itical grounds that where so isibility was floating about, it pin it down in the quarter 'd e for peace. "Miss she added, "put me right at 5?said you were certainly not liny such thing, or you would sr before anybody else." Itaker laughed. nildn't," she said, "I should house-agent. It's quite true, 83 a*,*. I did have it in mind, but I certaii haven' t taken any steps." "You really are thinking of doing, then?" cried Miss Findlater. "I do hoi -- because, if you do, I mean to apply f( job on the farm! I'm simply longing tqij away from all these silly tennis-pari and things, and live close to the Earth the fundamental crudities. Do you r< Sheila Kaye-Smith?" Miss Climpson said no, but she was yj fond of Thomas Hardy. "It really is terrible, living in a li town like this," went on Miss Findlal "so full of aspidistras, you know, small gossip. You've no idea will dreadfully gossipy place Leahamptoi Miss Climpson. I'm sure, Mary dear^ must have had more than enough o< with that tiresome Dr. Carr and the tl people said. I don't wonder yai thinking of getting rid of that nous shouldn't think you could ever comfortable in it again." "Why on earth not?" said Whittaker, lightly. Too lightly? Climpson was startled to recognise ii 84 the curious quick defensiveness jlected spinster who cries out rs no use for men. ill," said Miss Findlater, "I link it's a little sad, living where re died, you know. Dear Miss though of course it really was iat she should be released -- all > ? fy, thought Miss Climpson, she ting the matter off. The e of suspicion surrounding the rfeeen in her mind, but she shied if to it. are very few houses in which hasn't died sometime or Miss Whittaker. "I really rtiy people should worry about it's just a question of not pVe are not sensitive to the past )ple we don't know. Just as we Siess upset about epidemics and ^that happen a long way off. Do suppose, by the way, Miss bthat this Chinese business is J anything? Everybody seems to casually. If all this rioting and 85 Bolshevism was happening in Hyde P< there'd be a lot more fuss made about iti Miss Climpson made a suitable ret That night she wrote to Lord Peter: "Miss Whittaker has asked me to She tells me that, much as she W( enjoy an active, country life, wi something definite to do, she has a d< affection for the house in Wellim Avenue, and cannot tear herself a\ She seems very anxious to give impression. Would it be fair for me toi 'The lady doth protest too m\ methinks'? The Prince of Denrm might even add: 'Let the galled ji wince' -- if one can use that expressic a lady. How wonderful Shakespeare One can always find a phrase inl works for any situation!" rf 8fi |y Chapter VI Found Dead lood, though it sleep a time, et never dies." iiChapman: The Widow's Tears r,'Wimsey, I think you've found tmest," objected Mr. Parker. "I ieve there's the slightest reason ang that there was anything odd Dawson woman's death. You've go on but a conceited young >inion and a lot of silly gossip." re got an official mind, Charles," is friend. ''Your official passion ice is gradually sapping your intellect and smothering your You're over-civilised, that's >le. Compared with you, I am a nature. I dwell among the ways beside the springs of 87 Dove, a maid whom there are (I shocked to say) few to praise, likewij very few to love, which is perhaps justj well. I know there is something wroi about this case." "How?" "How? -- well, just as I know theres something wrong about that case reputed Lafite 76 which that infei fellow Pettigrew-Robinson had the nei to try out on me the other night. It haj nasty flavour." "Flavour be damned. There's indication of violence or poison. Thei no motive for doing away with the old And there's no possibility of proving anything against anybody." Lord Peter selected a Villar y Vil from his case, and lighted it with artk care. "Look here," he said, "will you tak< bet about it? I'll lay you ten to one Agatha Dawson was murdered, twent^l one that Mary Whittaker did it, and fi to one that I bring it home to her wM the year. Are you on?" Parker laughed. "I'm a poor man, 88 he temporised. you are," said Lord Peter, itly, ''you're not comfortable mrself. If you were, you'd have -taking your money, old chap,' like a shot, in the happy iof certainty." enough to know that nothing ity," retorted the detective, ^e you -- in -- half-crowns," he itiously. )«i said ponies," replied Lord rould have taken your alleged consideration and spared you, l-sixpence will neither make you. Consequently, I shall tmake my statements good." it step do you propose taking?" "ker, sarcastically. "Shall you exhumation order and search regardless of the analyst's kidnap Miss Whittaker and m third-degree in the Gallic w* ill. I am more modern. I shall late psychological methods. )le in the Psalms, I lay traps; 89 I catch men. I shall let the alh criminal convict herself." "Go on! You are a one, aren't yu really want to find out about household. Servants always ing." only that. Don't you remember Philliter said the girls were >rtly before she left herself? ing over the odd circumstances 91 of the Nurse's own dismissal — the st< about Miss Dawson's refusing to take f< from her hands, which wasn't at all boi out by the old lady's own attitude to nurse — isn't it worth considerin' these girls should have been pushed off! some excuse just about three weeks af( one of those hysterical attacks of Ml Dawson's? Doesn't it rather look though everybody who was likely remember anything about that partici episode had been got out of the way?" "Well, there was a good reason getting rid of the girls.'' "Crockery? — well, nowadays it's so easy to get good servants. Mistres put up with a deal more carelessness they did in the dear dead days bey^i recall. Then, about that attack. Why^ Miss Whittaker choose just the V< moment when the highly-intelligent Ni Philliter had gone for her walk, to bol Miss Dawson about signin' some tiresol old lease or other? If business was H&1 to upset the old girl, why not havl capable person at hand to calm down?" Hit Miss Whittaker is a trained ie was surely capable enough to aunt herself." jrfectly sure she was a very ^voman indeed," said Wimsey, lasis. P right. You're prejudiced. But ad. in by all means. It can't do » Ifeter paused, in the very act of »bell. His jaw slackened, giving narrow face a faintly foolish and »k, reminiscent of the heroes of Wodehouse. >n't think ----" he began. if" He pressed the button. "It luny harm, as you say. Bunter, advertisement appears in the $>lumns of all this list of papers, Hintil further notice." 18? fcertisement made its first on the Tuesday morning. .any note happened during the |pt that Miss Climpson wrote in less to say that the youngest (liter had at length succeeded in 93 persuading Miss Whittaker to t< definite steps about the poultry faj They had gone away together to look business which they had seen advertis in the Poultry News, and proposed away for some weeks. Miss Climi feared that under the circumstances would not be able to carry on investigations of sufficient important justify her far too generous salary, had, however, become friendly with Findlater, who had promised to tell all about their doings. Lord Peter repl in reassuring terms. On the Tuesday following, Mr. Parl was just wrestling in prayer with-** charlady, who had a tiresome habil boiling his breakfast kippers till resembled heavily pickled loofahs, the telephone whirred aggressively. "Is that you, Charles?" asked Peter's voice. "I say, Murbles has nil letter about that girl, Bertha Gotobed.^ disappeared from her lodgings Thursday, and her landlady, ge'M anxious, and having seen advertisement, is coming to tell us al$ Q4 Ui you come round to Staple Inn i?" >," said Parker, a little irritably. a job to see to. Surely you can [fey yourself." ;!" The voice was peevish. ''But you'd like to have some of the jt an ungrateful devil you are. You ing the faintest interest in this Ir- I don't believe in it, you know, don't use language like that -- iten the girl at the Exchange. Iwhat I can do. Eleven? -- Oh, I say!" i" said the telephone. Hjff," said Parker, bitterly. IfeGiotobed. H'm! I could have ;> $ied across to the breakfast the Daily Yell, which was {gainst the marmalade jar, and pursed lips a paragraph whose mded headlines had caught his before the interruption of the isode. 95 "NIPPY" FOUND DEAD IN EPPING FOREST 5 pounds Note in Handbag. He took up the receiver again and asl for Wimsey's number. The mansei answered him. "His lordship is in his bath, sir. Ste put you through?" "Please," said Parker. The telelphone clucked again. Presei Lord Peter's voice came faintly, "Huft "Did the landlady mention wW Bertha Gotobed was employed?" "Yes -- she was a waitress at *| Corner House. Why this interest all sudden? You snub me in my bed, but' woo me in my bath. It sounds lil music-hall song of the less refined Why, oh why?" "Haven't you seen the papers?" "No. I leave these follies till break! time. What's up? Are we order* Shanghai? or have they taken sixpence the income-tax?" "Shut up, you fool, it's serl^ 96 late." >r?" Gotobed was found dead in est this morning." k)d! Dead? How? What of?" i. Poison or something. Or heart violence. No robbery. No clue, idown to the Yard about it now." 'give me, Charles. D'you know, of awful feeling when you said mid do no harm. Dead. Poor ties, I feel like a murderer. Oh, -I'm all wet. It does make one dess. Look here, you spin down Bd and tell 'em what you know in you there in half a tick, ire's no doubt about it now." rut, look here. It may be quite different. Nothing to do id." Wmay fly. Use your common and Charles, does it mention 19" lere was a letter from her on >y which they identified it. She led last month and went to 97 "That's saved her life. She'll b( absolutely horrible danger, if she c< back. We must get hold of her and \$ her. And find out what she knows. G< bye. I must get some clothes on. hell!" Cluck! the line went dead again, Mr. Parker, abandoning the kipj without regret, ran feverishly out of house and down Lamb's Conduit Stret catch a diver tram to Westminster. The Chief of Scotland Yard, Sir Andi Mackenzie, was a very old friend of Peter's. He received that agitated yoi man kindly and listened with attentit his slightly involved story of cancer, w! mysterious solicitors and advertisers in the agony column. "It's a curious coincidence," he indulgently, "and I can understand feeling upset about it. But you mayi your mind at rest. I have the pol surgeon's report, and he is q^ convinced that the death was perf< natural. No signs whatever of any assai They will make an examination, course, but I don't think there is 98 reason to suspect foul play." that was she doing in Epping ^ew shrugged gently, lust be inquired into, of course, ing people do wander about, you lere's a fiance somewhere, to do with the railway, I fe/Collins has gone down to him. Or she may have been with friend." ^he death was natural, no one re a sick or dying girl like ildn't. But say there had been teg about -- some horse-play -- fell dead, as these heart cases do. The companion may well fright and cleared out. It's not >»>>. *r looked unconvinced, has she been dead?" Ive or six days, our man thinks. Ite by accident that she was at all; it's quite an part of the Forest. A party >ple were exploring with a Q9 couple of terriers, and one of the nosed out the body." "Was it out in the open?" "Not exactly. It lay among some bu -- the sort of place where a frolic young couple might go to play hide seek." "Or where a murderer might go to hide and let the police seek," Wimsey. "Well, well. Have it your own w said Sir Andrew, smiling. "If it murder, it must have been a poi job, for, as I say, there was not slightest sign of a wound or a struggle let you have the report of the autops the meanwhile, if you'd like to run there with Inspector Parker, you c course have any facilities you want, you discover anything, let me know."» n-i Wimsey thanked him, and colle Parker from an adjacent office, him briskly down the corridor. "I don't like it," he said, "that i course, it's very gratifying to know our first steps in psychology have I action, so to speak, but I wish to 100 m quite such decisive action, jr trot down to Epping straight see the landlady later. I've got j/foy the way, which you'll like." *ker took one look at the slim ister, with its long rakish body icd-copper twin exhausts, and Here and then that the only hope ig down to Epping without »e was to look as official as ind wave his police authority 'es of every man in blue along le shoe-horned himself into his Hit protest, and was more lHian relieved to find himself ily ahead of the traffic -- not Allowing roar of the ordinary line, but in a smooth, uncanny ip Daimler Twin-Six," said Lord umming dexterously round a it appearing to look at it. iing body. Specially built . . . gadgets ... no row -- hate ec Edmund Sparkler . . . very are should be no row . . . Little remember . . . call her Mrs. 101 Merdle ... for that reason . . . present we'll see what she can do." ^ The promise was fulfilled before th< arrival at the spot where the body been found. Their arrival made considerable sensation among the lit crowd which business or curiosity drawn to the spot. Lord Peter instantly pounced upon by four reportf and a synod of Press photograph whom his presence encouraged in hope that the mystery might turn out toj a three-column splash after all. Parker; his annoyance, was photographed in undignified act of extricating hims from "Mrs. Merdle." Superintends Walmisley came politely to his assistai rebuked the onlookers, and led him to scene of action. The body had been already removed1 the mortuary, but depression in the m< ground showed clearly enough wher( had lain. Lord Peter groaned faintly ai saw it. "Damn this nasty warm spfl weather," he said, with feeling, showers -- sun and water -- couldn'i! 102 Body much altered, mdent?" yes, rather, my lord, especially [posed parts. But there's no doubt identity." t't suppose there was. How was it »e back, quite quiet and natural disarrangement of clothing, or She must just have sat down ie felt herself bad and fallen >The rain has spoilt any footprints Ion the ground. And it's grassy. Jtoff, grass, eh, Charles?" IThese twigs don't seem to have ^en at all, Superintendent." said the officer, "no signs of a is I pointed out in my report." but if she'd sat down here and ;k as you suggest, don't you think it would have snapped some of ig shoots?" *erintendent glanced sharply at tend Yard man. m't suppose she was brought and do you, sir?" 103 "I don't suppose anything," retorl Parker, "I merely drew attention point which I think you should consitfj What are these wheel-marks?" "That's our car, sir. We backed it here and took her up that way." "And all this trampling is your men I suppose?" "Partly that, sir, and partly the partj found her." "You noticed no other person's tracl suppose?" "No, sir. But it's rained consideral this last week. Besides, the rabbits te been all over the place, as you can and other creatures too, I fancy. Weas or something of that sort." "Oh! Well, I think you'd better taki look round. There might be traces of s< kind a bit further away. Make a cii and report anything you see. And oughtn't to have let all that bunch* people get so near. Put a cordon round tell 'em to move on. Have you seen all want, Peter?" Wimsey had been poking his si aimlessly into the bole of an oak-tree 104 Is' distance. Now he stooped and a package which had been tinto a cleft. The two policemen ^forward with eager interest, raporated somewhat at sight of It-- a ham sandwich and an empty >ttle, roughly wrapped up in a »wspaper. ;kers," said Walmisley, with a INothing to do with the body, I >;> . |nk you're mistaken," said placidly. "When did the girl V exactly?" .She went off duty at the Corner five a week ago tomorrow, lesday, 27th," said Parker, us is the Evening Views of 27th," said Wimsey. "Late &ion. Now that edition isn't on the ill about 6 o'clock. So unless ^brought it down and had supper fas probably brought by the girl her companion. It's hardly rone would come and picnic here not with the body there. Not tes need necessarily interfere 105 with one's enjoyment of one's food. A guerre comme a la guerre. But for moment there isn't a war on." "That's true, sir. But you're assumi the death took place on the Wednesday Thursday. She may have been somewh< else -- living with someone in town anywhere." ji "Crushed again," said Wimsey. "Sti it's a curious coincidence." "It is, my lord, and I'm very glad found the things. Will you take charge] 'em, Mr. Parker, or shall I?" "Better take them along and put with the other things," said Par! extending his hand to take them fi Wimsey, whom they seemed to intefl quite disproportionately. "I fancy lordship's right and that the parcel a here along with the girl. And certainly looks as if she didn't c< alone. Possibly that young man of was with her. Looks like the old, old s1 Take care of that bottle, old man, it have finger-prints on it." "You can have the bottle," Wimsey. "May we ne'er lack a friend 106 give him, as Dick Swiveller says, earnestly beg that before you ifryour respectable young railway it anything he says may be taken used against him, you will cast and your nose, upon this ham » 's wrong with it?" inquired ing. It appears to be in Ihgly good preservation, thanks to irable oak-tree. The stalwart oak i§o many centuries Britain's ttegainst the invader! Heart of oak lips -- not hearts, by the way, as Hy misquoted. But I am puzzled jongruity between the sandwich ;t of the outfit." ordinary ham sandwich, isn't jods of the wine-flask and the >w long? how long? -- it is a ham Goth, but not an ordinary one. Id it see Lyons' kitchen, or the M the multiple store or the mi shop in the back street. The 'was sacrificed to make this m? dainty tit-bit fattened in no dull styj never knew the daily ration of pig-wasl the not unmixed rapture of the domes! garbage-pail. Observe the hard texti the deep brownish tint of the lean; rich fat, yellow as a Chinaman's ch< the dark spot where the black treacle has soaked in, to make a dish fit to li Zeus from Olympus. And tell me, mai no discrimination and worthy to be fed boiled cod all the year round, tell me it comes that your little waitress and railway clerk come down to Eppi Forest to regale themselves sandwiches made from coal-bias treacle-cured Bradenham ham, wl long ago ran as a young wild boar al the woodlands, till death translated it an incorruptible and more glorious b< I may add that it costs about 3s. a po< uncooked -- an argument which you allow to be weighty." "That's odd, certainly," said Parkeri imagine that only rich people ----" "Only rich people or people understand eating as a fine art," Wimsey. 'The two classes are by 108 ientical, though they occasionally &. j&y be very important," said wrapping the exhibits up "We'd better go along now and » ;amination was not a very Imatter, for the weather had been warm and there had certainly *ls. In fact, after a brief glance, jft the two policemen to carry on devoted his attention to the Is handbag. He glanced through from Evelyn Gotobed -- (now >pper) -- and noted down the address. He turned the cutting advertisement out of an inner tent, and remained for some msideration of the 5 pounds note which up, side by side with a 10s. note, 7s. 8d. in silver and a latch-key and a powder t£ having this note traced, I suppose?" ;, my lord, certainly." latch-key, I imagine, belongs 109 to the girl's lodgings." "No doubt it does. We have asked hi landlady to come and identify the bodt Not that there's any doubt about it, just as a matter of routine. She may gn us some help. Ah!" -- the Superintend* peered out of the mortuary door -- think this must be the lady." The stout and motherly woman wl emerged from a taxi in charge of youthful policeman, identified the without difficulty, and amid many sobs^i that of Bertha Gotobed. "Such a ni young lady," she mourned. "What^ terrible thing, oh, dear! who would go> do a thing like that? I've been in sucl state of worriment ever since she didi come home last Wednesday. I'm st many's the time I've said to myself wished I'd had my tongue cut before I ever showed her that wicki advertisement. Ah, I see you've got there, sir. A dreadful thing it is people should be luring young girls aw! with stories about something to thi advantage. A sinful old devil -- calling himself a lawyer, too! When she di< nn ick and didn't come back I wrote retch, telling him I was on his jd was coming round to have the as sure as my name's Dorcas the wouldn't have got round me it I'd be the bird he was looking sixty-one come MidSummer sol told him." >eter's gravity was somewhat lis diatribe against the highly lie Mr. Murbles of Staple Inn, version of Mrs. Gulliver's ilcation had been decently "How shocked the old boy ive been," he murmured to ['m for it next time I see him." Hiver's voice moaned on and on. ^spectable girls, both of them, Evelyn married to that nic« in from Canada. Deary me, it terrible upset for her. And John Ironsides, was to have Eiss Bertha, the poor lamb, thi.s mntide as ever is. A ver;y rectable man -- a clurk on th e rhich he always used to say, & 'Slow but safe, like the 111 Southern -- that's me, Mrs. G.' T'ch, -- who'd a believed it? And it's not she was one of the flighty sort. I give h< latch-key gladly, for she'd sometimes on late duty, but never any staying! after her time. That's why it worried? so, her not coming back. There's nu nowadays as would wash one's hands glad to be rid of them, knowing what might be up to. No. When the time past and she didn't come back, I said, Marl words, I said, she's bin kidnapped, I by thatMurbles." /'Had she been long with you, Gulliver?'' asked Parker. "Not above a fifteen month or so, hadn't, but bless you, I don't have to a young lady fifteen days to know if si a good girl or not. You get's to knowf the look of 'em almost, when you'vei my experience." "Did she and her sister come to together?" "They did. They come to me when was lookin' for work in London. And could a' fallen into a deal worse hai can tell you, two young things fromJ 119 b and them that fresh and pretty were uncommonly lucky, I'm s. Gulliver," said Lord Peter, y must have found it a great to be able to confide in you and good advice." I think they did," said Mrs. it; ''not that young people seems to want much guidance as is older. Train up a child she go, as the Good Book says, ivelyn, that's now Mrs. Cropper d this London idea put into her up they comes with the idea of te ladies of, havin' only been in before, though what's the between serving in one of them at the beck of all the nasty bobtail and serving in a lady's Wton't see, except that you works aid don't get your meals so le. Still, Miss Evelyn, she was te go-ahead one of the two, and sry well for herself, I will say, r. Cropper as used to take his regular at the Corner House 113 every morning and took a liking to the in the most honourable way." "That was very fortunate. Have you idea what gave them the notion of comh to town?" "Well, now, sir, it's funny you shoi ask that, because it was a thing I no could understand. The lady as they used! be in service with, down in the count! she put it into Miss Evelyn's head. N< sir, wouldn't you think that with g( service that 'ard to come by, she'd hi done all she could to keep them with h« But no! There was a bit of trouble day, it seems, over Bertha -- this p< girl here, poor lamb -- it do break on! 'eart to see her like that, don't it, sir?i< over Bertha 'avin' broke an old teapot very valuable one by all accounts, and lady told 'er she couldn't put up 'avin' her things broke no more. So says: 'You'll 'ave to go,' she says, 'bi she says, Til give you a very g< character and you'll soon get a g< place. And I expect Evelyn '11 want to^ with you,' she says, 'so I'll have to fl someone else to do for me,' she s« 114 k says, 'why not go to London? better there and have a much resting life than what you would ? she says. And the end of it was, 'em up so with stories of how pounds e London was and how grand was to be had for the asking, was mad to go, and she give ^present of money and behaved some, take it all round." said Wimsey, "she seems to m very particular about her Was Bertha a great crockery isir, she never broke nothing of this Miss Whittaker -- that was -- she was one of these opiniated will 'ave their own way in A fine temper she 'ad, or so feha said, though Miss Evelyn -- ^ndw Mrs. Cropper -- she always as there was somethink at the It. Miss Evelyn was always the as you might say. But there, ^as our peculiarities, don't we? lWwn belief as the lady had of her own choice as she 11E wanted to put in the place of Bertha that's this one -- and Evelyn -- as is nc Mrs. Cropper, you understand me -- she jest trampled up an excuse, as tl say, to get rid of 'em." ''Very possibly," said Wimsey. suppose, Inspector, Evelyn Gotobed "Now Mrs. Cropper," put in Mi Gulliver with a sob. "Mrs. Cropper, I should say -- has be| communicated with?" "Oh, yes, my lord. We cabled her once." "Good. I wish you'd let me know wl you hear from her." "We shall be in touch with Inspecj Parker, my lord, of course." "Of course. Well, Charles, I'm goinj leave you to it. I've got a telegrams send. Or will you come with me?" "Thanks, no," said Parker. "To frank, I don't like your methods driving. Being in the Force, I preferi keep on the windy side of the law." "Windy is the word for you," Peter, "I'll see you in Town, then. » 11fi Chapter VII Ham and Brandy what you eat and I will tell you §rouare." BrillatSavarin said Wimsey, as Parker was in that same evening by Bunter, hi got anything fresh?" I've got a new theory of the ttn'ch knocks yours into a cocked rgot evidence to support it, too." crime, by the way?" Epping Forest business. I don't tithe old Dawson person was at all. That's just an idea of iAnd you're now going to tell me tha Gotobed was got hold of by Slave people." lid you know?" asked Parker, a 117 little peevishly. "Because Scotland Yard have ti maggots which crop up whene^ anything happens to a young wonu Either it's White Slavery or Dope Dens sometimes both. You are going to say i\ both." "Well, I was, as a matter of fact. It often is, you know. We've traced the note." 'That's important, anyhow." "Yes. It seems to me to be the clue the whole thing. It is one of a series out to a Mrs. Forrest, living in Sc Audley Street. I've been round to mi some inquiries." "Did you see the lady?" "No, she was out. She usually is, II told. In fact, her habits seem to expensive, irregular and mysterious, has an elegantly furnished flat ovei flower-shop." "A service flat?" "No. One of the quiet kind, with a you work yourself. She only turns occasionally, mostly in the evenii spends a night or two and departs. F^ 11ft in from Fortnum & Mason's. Bills jmptly by note or cheque. Cleaning an elderly female who comes in leven, by which time Mrs. Forrest Uy gone out." l't anybody ever see her? " llear, yes! The people in the flat id the girl at the flower-shop were jive me quite a good description of over-dressed, musquash and Jbreviated sort of shoes with laheels and hardly any uppers -- W the sort of thing. Heavily strong aroma of orifan wafted ithe passer-by; powder too white ^fashion and mouth heavily with sealing-wax red; eyebrows tfclack to startle, not deceive; Ills a monument to Kraska -- the Nty." idea you studied the Woman's luch good purpose, Charles." a Renault Four-seater, dark tapestry doings. Garages just corner. I've seen the man, and le car was out on the night of the out at 11.30. Returned about 8 119 < < the next morning." (» tse me," said Parker, "I asked the |at the flower-shop to ring me up Mrs. Forrest came in. If she's rould you like to come round with tmuch." returned from the telephone lir of subdued triumph, pst gone up to her flat. Come fe'll take a taxi -- not that death fours. Hurry up, I don't want to ».» >r of the flat in South Audley las opened by Mrs. Forrest in pfimsey recognised her instantly description. On seeing Barker's made no objection whatever to lem in, and led the way into a mauve sitting-room, obviously by contract from a Regent iblishment. sit down. Will you smoke? And I'J 121 "My colleague, Mr. Templeton," Parker, promptly. Mrs. Forrest's rather hard & appeared to sum up in a practised mai the difference between Parker's sevi guinea "fashionable lounge suitii tailored in our own workrooms, fits li] made-to-measure suit," and "colleague's" Savile Row outlines, beyond a slight additional defensives of manner she showed no disturbai Parker noted the glance. "She's sumi us up professionally," was his mei comment, "and she's not quite whether Wimsey's an outraged brothel husband or what. Never mind. Let wonder. We may get her rattled." "We are engaged, Madam," he beg! with formal severity, "on an inqi relative to certain events connected the 26th of last month. I think you wen town at that time?" '$ Mrs. Forrest frowned slightly in effort to recollect. Wimsey mad£| mental note that she was not as younj her bouffant apple-green frock made appear. She was certainly nearing* 122 and her eyes were mature and I think I was. Yes, certainly. I town for several days about that low can I help you?" :a question of a certain bank-note thas been traced to your m," said Parker, "a 5 pounds note x/y58929. It was issued to you Bank in payment of a cheque on i? likely. I can't say I remember >er, but I think I cashed a cheque It time. I can tell in a moment by lue-book." I'f think it's necessary. But it ielp us very much if you can to whom you paid it." see. Well, that's rather difficult, dressmaker's about that time -- was by cheque. I paid cash to the 'know, and I think there was a 5 pounds lat. Then I dined at Verry's with ^friend -- that took the second 5 pounds lember, but there was a third. I t25 pounds -- three fives and ten ones. M the third note go? Oh, of 1QQ course, how stupid of me! I put it 01 horse." "Through a Commission Agent?" "No. I had nothing much to do one so I went down to Newmarket. I put £ 5 on some creature called Brighteye? Attaboy or some name like that, at 50 Of course the wretched animal didn't wl they never do. A man in the train gave the tip and wrote the name down for I handed it to the nearest bookie I saw funny little grey-haired man with a hoai voice -- and that was the last I saw of il "Could you remember which day^ was?" "I think it was Saturday. Yes, I'm si it was." c>| "Thank you very much, Mrs. Forrestlj will be a great help if we can trace the notes. One of them has turned up sine* -- other circumstances." "May I know what the circumstanc are, or is it an official secret?" Parker hesitated. He rather wisJ now, that he had demanded point-blanfe the start how Mrs. Forrest's £5 note come to be found on the dead body of 194 at Epping. Taken by surprise, lan might have got flustered. ie had let her entrench herself behind this horse story. >le to follow up the history of a jjfle handed to an unknown bookie at leeting. Before he could speak, lyjbroke in for the first time, in a bulant voice which quite took his ick. not getting anywhere with all complained. "I don't care a il curse about the beastly note, |sure Sylvia doesn't." I is Sylvia?" demanded Mrs. l^ith considerable amazement, is Sylvia? What is she?" gabbled irrepressibly. "Shakespeare las the right word, hasn't he? But, ;s my soul, it's no laughing It's very serious and you've no to laugh at it. Sylvia is very set, and the doctor is afraid it an effect on her heart. You may it, Mrs. Forrest, but Sylvia is my cousin. And what she rknow, and what we all want to m know -- don't interrupt me, Inspector, this shilly-shallying doesn't get anywhere -- I want to know, Mrs Forrest, who was it dining here with on the night of April 26th. Who was Who was it? Can you tell me that?" This time, Mrs. Forrest was visibl taken aback. Even under the thick coat powder they could see the red flush into her cheeks and ebb away, while eyes took on an expression of somethii more than alarm -- a kind of vicious fi such as one may see in those of a cornel cat. "On the 26th?" she faltered, can't----" ii "I knew it!" cried Wimsey. "And tl girl Evelyn was sure of it too. Who wasj Mrs. Forrest? Answer me that!" "There -- there was no one," said Forest, with a thick gasp. "Oh, come, Mrs. Forrest, think agai said Parker, taking his cue prompi "you aren't going to tell us that accounted by yourself for three bottles Veuve Clicquot and two people's dinnej "Not forgetting the ham," -puJ 12fi with fussy self-importance, "the lam ham specially cooked and fiby Fortnum & Mason. Now, Mrs. j> a moment. Just a moment. I'll rery thing." woman's hands clutched at the pink Jhions, making little hot, tight "I -- would you mind getting me ig to drink? In the dining-room, Ihere -- on the sideboard." got up quickly and disappeared next room. He took rather a long irker thought. Mrs. Forrest was «k in a collapsed attitude, but her was more controlled, and she thought, recovering her wits, up a story," he muttered to himself. However, he could lout brutality, press her at the >eter, behind the folding doors, Ing a good deal of noise, chinking tes and fumbling about. However, iry long, he was back. my taking such a time," he handing Mrs. Forrest a glass 1«T7 of brandy and soda. "Couldn't find syphon. Always was a bit wool-gatherij y'know. All my friends say so. Starin' in the face all the time, what? And th< sloshed a lot of soda on the sideboj Hand shakin'. Nerves all to pieces and) on. Feelin' better? That's right. Put down. That's the stuff to pull you togetl How about another little one, what? rot, it can't hurt you. Mind if I have myself? I'm feelin' a bit flustei Upsettin', delicate business and all Just another spot. That's the idea." He trotted out again, glass in hi while Parker fidgeted. The presence?! amateur detectives was sometimes embarrassment. Wimsey clatteredi( again, this time, with more comi sense, bringing decanter, syphon three glasses, bodily, on a tray. "Now, now," said Wimsey, "now w< feeling better, do you think you answer our question, Mrs. Forrest?" "May I know, first of all, what right have to ask it?" Parker shot an exasperated glanc< his friend. This came of giving 1«IQ think. t?" burst in Wimsey. "Right? Of Iwe've a right. The police have a ask questions when any thing's the tiHere's murder the matter! Right, n» ler?" |rious intent look came into her jParker could not place it, but recognised it instantly. He had ist on the face of a great financier >k up his pen to sign a contract, had been called to witness the &, and had refused. It was a |t that ruined thousands of people, lally, the financier had been id soon after, and Wimsey had to investigate the matter, with a from Dumas: "Let pass the God." if raid," Mrs. Forrest was saying, that case I can't help you. I did Ijpiend dining with me on the 26th, Aas not, so far as I know, been (ed, nor has he murdered » is a man, then?" said Parker. 19Q Mrs. Forrest bowed her head with kind of mocking ruefulness. "I live ap from my husband,'' she murmured. "I am sorry," said Parker, ''to have press you for this gentleman's name address." "Isn't that asking rather muc Perhaps if you would give me furt! details----?" "Well, you see," cut in Wimsey agai "if we could just know for certain wasn't Lyndhurst. My cousin is frightfully upset, as I said, and tl Evelyn girl is making trouble. In fact course one doesn't want it to go further -- but actually Sylvia lost her very completely. She made a savi attack on poor old Lyndhurst -- witW revolver, in fact, only fortunately she & shocking bad shot. It went over shoulder and broke a vase -- moi distressin' thing -- a Famille Rose j« worth thousands -- and of course it smashed to atoms. Syliva is really hart responsible when she's in a temper. Ai we thought, as Lyndhurst was actifl traced to this block of flats -- if you d rsn d» said Wimsey, with intense 1 swear to you on my honour as ton that I have not the slightest with your husband. I have In heard of him before." Wrest shook her head. 131 efinite proof it wasn't him, it Im her down and prevent murder >ne, don't you know. Because, tthey might call it Guilty but til, it would be awfully awkward te's cousin in Broadmoor -- a Misin, and really a very nice When she's not irritated." >rrest gradually softened into a tie. I understand the position, Mr. m," she said, "and if I give you a will be in strict confidence, I »" irse, of course," said Wimsey. le, I'm sure it's uncommonly kind swear you aren't spies of my *?" she said, quickly. "I am livorce him. How do I know this I» "I don't think, after all," she said, would be much good my giving you name. In any case, if you asked whether he'd been here, he would say wouldn't he? And if you've been senti my husband, you've got all the evidei you want already. But I give you solemn assurance, Mr. Templeton, ttu know nothing about your friend, Lyndhurst----" ii "Major Lyndhurst," put in Wims< plaintively. "And if Mrs. Lyndhurst is not satisfy and likes to come round and see me, I do my best to satisfy her of the fact, that do?" "Thank you very much," said Wims "I'm sure it's as much as any one ct expect. You'll forgive my abrupt«f won't you? I'm rather -- er -- nervot constituted, and the whole business^ exceedingly upsetting. Good aftentf Come on, Inspector, it's quite all rigW you see it's quite all right. I'm really much obliged -- uncommonly so. Pl< don't trouble to see us out." He teetered nervously down the nai 199 in his imbecile and well-bred rker following with a policeman fness. No sooner, however, had the ^closed behind them than Wimsey friend by the arm and bundled »r-skelter into the lift, ight we should never get away," "Now, quick -- how do we get the back of these flats?" do you want with the back?" Parker, annoyed. "And I wish lldn't stampede me like this. I've rss to let you come with me on a and if I do, you might have the ^to keep quiet." it you are," said Wimsey, "just let's do this little bit and it all the virtuous indignation off Bst later on. Round here, I fancy, ick alley. Step lively and mind )in. One, two, three, four -- here W Just keep a look-out for the fitranger, will you?" ig a back window which he |fo belong to Mrs. Forrest's flat, promptly grasped a drainpipe in to swarm up it with the agility 133 of a cat-burglar. About fifteen feet froj the ground he paused, reached appeared to detach something with quick jerk, and then slid very gingerly,] the ground again, holding his right handing a cautious distance from his body, though it were breakable. And indeed, to his amazement, Parl observed that Wimsey now held a loi stemmed glass in his fingers, similar those from which they had drunk in Forrest's sitting-room. "What on earth ----?" said Parker. "Hush! I'm Hawkshaw the detective gathering finger-prints. Here we come wassailing and gathering prints in Mi That's why I took the glass back. I brouf a different one in the second time. Son had to do this athletic stunt, but the cotton-reel I could find hadn't much oni When I changed the glass, I tip-toed ii the bathroom and hung it out of window. Hope she hasn't been in since. Just brush my bags down, will old man? Gently -- don't touch the glai "What the devil do you want fii prints for?" 134 lu're a grateful sort of person. Why, you know, Mrs. Forrest is someone ird has been looking for for years, ijrway, you could compare the swith those on the Bass bottle, if Besides, you never know when prints mayn't come in handy. je excellent things to have about the iCoast clear? Right. Hail a taxi, will in't wave my hand with this glass >k so silly, don't you know. I say!" 11?" |w something else. The first time I it for the drinks, I had a peep into "oom. *f" |t do you think I found in the wash *awer?" rt?" )dermic syringe!" iy?" ^yes, and an innocent little box of with a doctor's prescription IThe injection, Mrs. Forrest. One Injected when the pain is very What do you think of that?" jme when we've got the results of 135 that post-mortem," said Parker, rej impressed. "You didn't bring prescription, I suppose?" "No, and I didn't inform the lady we were or what we were after or ask-] permission to carry away the fai crystal. But I made a note of chemist's address." "Did you?" ejaculated Parkj "Occasionally, my lad, you have s< glimmerings of sound detective sense.'! , t'j 136 is* Chapter VIII y ; Concerning Crime is at the mercy of a murderer fits remorseless, who takes no ilices and who keeps his head." Edmund Pearson: Murder at Smutty Nose I*: from Miss Alexandra ' \e Climpson to Lord Peter "Fairview, "Nelson Avenue, "Leahampton. "12 May, 1927. (ear Lord Peter, ive not yet been able to get lie information you ask for, as tittaker has been away for weeks, inspecting chicken137 farms!! With a view to purchase, mean, of course, and not in an sanitary capacity (I). 4 reall think she means to set up farmin with Miss Findlater, though wha Miss Whittaker can see in that we gushing and really silly youn woman I cannot think. However, Mis Findlater has evidently quite a 'pas (as we used to call it at school) fo Miss Whittaker, and I am afraid non of us are above being flattered b such outspoken admiration. I mu say, I think it rather unhealthy you may remember Miss Clemen Dane's very clever book on subject? -- I have seen so much that kind of thing in my rathe WOMAN-RIDDEN existence! It ha such a bad effect, as a rule, upon th weaker character of the two But I must not take up your time wi my TWADDLE!! ''Miss Murgatroyd, who was quite friend of old Miss Dawso however, has been able to tell me little about her past life. rj 138 ;eems that, until five years ago, Dawson lived in Warwickshire her cousin, a Miss Clara tker, Mary Whittaker's great- m the father's side. This Miss was evidently rather a icter,' as my dear father used to u*In her day she was considered ^advanced' and not quite nice because she refused several goffers, cut her hair SHORT id set up in business for herself HORSE-BREEDER I I I Of , nowadays, nobody would (anything of it, but then the old or young lady as she was she embarked on this lutionary proceeding, was quite fEER. itha Dawson was a school irof hers, and deeply attached Jr. And as a result of this lislship, Agatha's sister, IET, married Clara iker's brother JAMES! But did not care about marriage, >re than Clara, and the two 13Q ladies lived together in a big old! house, with immense stables, in 4] village in Warwickshire -- Crofton, ij think the name was. Clara Whittakei turned out to be a remarkably good! business woman, and worked up big 'connection' among the hunting) folk in those parts. Her hunters] became quite famous, and from capital of a few thousand pounds wit! which she started she made quite fortune, and was a very ricftl woman before her death! Agathj Dawson never had anything to with the horsey part of the business^ She was the 'domestic' partner, an* looked after the house and th< servants. "When Clara Whittaker died, sh< left all her money to AGATHA^ passing over her own family, wil whom she was not on very goot terms -- owing to the narrow minded attitude they had taken u| about her horse-dealing!! He! nephew, Charles Whittaker, who w« a clergyman, and the father of 1/10 Whittaker, resented very much (getting the money, though, as he iept up the feud in a very un Istian manner, he had really no to complain, especially as had built up her fortune rely by her own exertions. But, irse, he inherited the bad, old %oned idea that women ought be their own mistresses, or money for themselves, or do fthey liked with their own! and his family were the only ing Whittaker relations, and Me and his wife were killed in >r-car accident, Miss Dawson Mary to leave her work as a and make her home with her. lat, you see, Clara Whittaker's was destined to come back to Whittaker's daughter in the Miss Dawson made it quite iR that this was her intention, led Mary would come and the declining days of a iold lady! iry accepted, and as her aunt -- 141 **il or, to speak more exactly, her grea aunt -- had given up the big ol$ Warwickshire house after Clara death, they lived in London for short time and then moved t Leahampton. As you know, poor of Miss Dawson was then alread suffering from the terrible disease of which she died, so that Mary di not have to wait very long for Clan Whittaker's money!! "I hope this information will be \ some use to you. Miss Murgatroy did not, of course, know anythi about the rest of the family, but always understood that there were other surviving relatives, eith on the Whittaker or the Claws side. "When Miss Whittaker returns, hope to see more of her. I end my account for expenses up to dat I do trust you will not consider extravagant. How are your money; lenders progressing? I was sorry to see more of those poor worn whose cases I investigated -- the f47 « «i were so PATHETIC! lam, .»« > ? 'Very sincerely yours, 'Alexandra K. Climpson. - I forgot to say that Miss tias a little motor-car. I do not, ;r know anything about these iinit Mrs. Budge's maid tells me Whittaker's maid says it is an this right?). It is grey, and isXX9917." ^er was announced, just as Lord shed reading this document, and ar wearily in a corner of the td. liiick?" inquired his lordship, letter over to him. "Do you beginning to think you were the Bertha Gotobed business, *ather relieved. I don't believe of Mrs. Forrest's story, for rtiiy own, and I'm now hoping riping out of Bertha was a pure and nothing to do with my ait." Hi?" said Parker, bitterly, 141 helping himself to whisky and s< "Well, I hope you'll be cheered to 1< that the analysis of the body has made, and that there is not the slight sign of foul play. There is no traced violence or of poisoning. There waj heart weakness of fairly long standii and the verdict is syncope after a hej meal." "That doesn't worry me," said Wimi "We suggested shock, you know. Amh gentleman met at flat of friendly II suddenly turns funny after dinner makes undesirable overtures. Virti. young woman is horribly shocked. Wi heart gives way. Collapse. Exit. Agii of amiable gentleman and friendly left with corpse on their hands. hj thought: motor-car; Epping Foi exeunt omnes, singing and washing hands. Where's the difficulty?" "Proving it is the difficulty, that's By the way, there were no finger-i on the bottle -- only smears.'' "Gloves, I suppose. Which looks camouflage, anyhow. An ordii picnicking couple wouldn't put on 144 a bottle of Bass." >w. But we can't arrest all the rho wear gloves." for you, the Walrus said, I sympathise. I see the difficulty, early days yet. How about those ».» ;tly O.K. We've interrogated the land interviewed the doctor. Mrs. suffers from violent neuralgic ifbtid the injections were duly id. Nothing wrong there, and no of doping or anything. The dtion is a very mild one, and possibly be fatal to anybody, ihaven't I told you that there was puf morphia or any other kind of the body?" lill!" said Wimsey. He sat for a lutes looking thoughtfully at the $ Mile case has more or less died out Jpers," he resumed, suddenly. The analysis has been sent to there will be a paragraph to tnd a verdict of natural death, rill be the end of it." 145 "Good. The less fuss there is abo the better. Has anything been heard of sister in Canada?" "Oh, I forgot. Yes. We had a cable tl days ago. She's coming over." "Is she? By Jove! What boat?" "The Star of Quebec -- due in Friday." "H'm! We'll have to get hold of her, you meeting the boat?" i "Good heavens, no! Why should I? "I think someone ought to. reassured -- but not altogether happ; think I'll go myself, if you don't mini want to get that Dawson story -- and time I want to make sure the y woman doesn't have a heart attack b I interview her." "I really think you're exaggerat: Peter." "Better safe than sorry," said lordship. "Have another peg, won't Meanwhile, what do you think of Climpson's latest?" "I don't see much in it." "No?" "It's a bit confusing, but it all s idfi Iraightforward." The only thing we know now is Whittaker's father was annoyed [iss Dawson's getting his aunt's ind thought it ought to have come you don't suspect him of having Miss Dawson, do you? He died |ier, and the daughter's got the ryhow." 'know. But suppose Miss Dawson *ed her mind? She might have id with Mary Whittaker and leave her money elsewhere." -- and been put out of the she could make a will?" possible?" lertainly. Except that all the Pi% have goes to show that will ras about the last job anybody ladeher to do." while she was on good terms But how about that morning ffllter mentioned, when she said i^e trying to kill her before her iry may really have been ^t^vith her for being such an 1/17 unconscionable time a-dying. If Dawson became aware of that, she we certainly have resented it and may well have expressed an intention^ making her will in someone else's fai -- as a kind of insurance agaj premature decease!" "Then why didn't she send for ^ solicitor?" "She may have tried to. But after she was bed-ridden and helpless, may have prevented the message ft being sent." "That sounds quite plausible." "Doesn't it? That's why I want Ei Cropper's evidence. I'm perfectly cei those girls were packed off because: had heard more than they should. Or, such enthusiasm over sending thei London?" "Yes. I thought that part of Gulliver's story was a bit odd. I say, about the other nurse?" "Nurse Forbes? That's a good id< was forgetting her. Think you can her?" si Of course, if you really 14ft t ( int." I think it's damned important. e, Charles, you don't seem very ic about this case." you know, I'm not so certain it is all. What makes you so fearfully t it? You seem dead set on lit a murder, with practically go upon. Why?" eter got up and paced the room. from the solitary reading-lamp is lean shadow, diffused and sly elongated, up to the ceiling, over to a book-shelf, and the rank, blackened, settled down, ed his hand, and the hand's ew with it, hovering over the es of the books and blotting one by one. repeated Wimsey. "Because I is is the case I have always been tfor. The case of cases. The without discernible means, or clue. The norm. All these" -- he extended hand across the book the shadow outlined a vaster a menacing gesture -- "all these 149 k*> books on this side of the room are about crimes. But they only deal witMl abnormal crimes." "What do you mean by abnoj crimes?" >ji "The failures. The crimes that been found out. What proportion do suppose they bear to the succe* crimes -- the ones we hear not about?" "In this country," said Parker, ra1 stiffly, "we manage to trace and coi the majority of criminals ----" "My good man, I know that wh< crime is known to have been commit you people manage to catch perpetrator in at least sixty per c< the cases. But the moment a crime is suspected, it falls, ipso facto, int< category of failures. After that, the is merely a question of greater or^ efficiency on the part of the police/ how about the crimes which are even suspected?" Parker shrugged his shoulders. "How can anybody answer that?" ^ "Well -- one may guess. Read1 1Rft »r to-day. Read the News of the I0r, now that the Press has been read the divorce court lists. they give you the idea that is a failure? Isn't the sillier sort rtism packed with articles to the lect? And yet, looking round ithe marriages you know of ly, aren't the majority of them a |i»in a hum-drum, undemonstrative ray? Only you don't hear of them, fti't bother to come into court and ifethat they dodder along very ibly on the whole, thank you. , if you read all the books on this I'd come to the conclusion that ras a failure. But bless you, it's te failures that make the noise, .fill murderers don't write to the jabout it. They don't even join in symposia to tell an inquisitive HVhat Murder means to me,' or became a Successful Poisoner.' mrderers, like happy wives, keep ingues. And they probably bear Hit the same proportion to the ~'-?.as the divorced couples do to 151 the happily mated." ''Aren't you putting it rather high?" "I don't know. Nor does anybody. Thi the devil of it. But you ask any doc! when you've got him in an unbuttoi well-lubricated frame of mind, if he has often had grisly suspicions which he c< not and dared not take steps to verify, see by our friend Carr what happens wl one doctor is a trifle more courage than the rest." "Well, he couldn't prove anything/ "I know. But that doesn't mean thei nothing to be proved. Look at the sc< and scores of murders that have unproved and unsuspected till the fool murderer went too far and did somel silly which blew up the whole shl Palmer, for instance. His wife brother and mother-in-law and vai illegitimate children, all peacefully away -- till he made the mistake polishing Cook off in that spectaci manner. Look at George Joseph Si Nobody'd have thought of bothering more about those first two wives^ drowned. It was only when he did it*| 1R7 ic that he aroused suspicion, tg, too, is supposed to have got many more crimes than he was -- it was being clumsy over id the chocolates that stirred up its' nest in the end. Burke and Ite convicted of murdering an old md then brightly confessed that Sut away sixteen people in two Ihd no one a penny the wiser." jyn>ere caught." ise they were fools. If you ptoeone in a brutal, messy way, fcf someone who has previously Irdllicking health, or choose the Hafter a will's been made in your extinguish the testator, or go on jryone you meet till people begin |ybu're first cousin to a upas tree, you're found out in the end. But somebody old and ill, in ffances where the benefit to sisn't too apparent, and use a method that looks like natural accident, and don't repeat your often, and you're safe. I swear irt-diseases and gastric enteritis 1*3 and influenzas that get certified are not nature's unaided work. Murder's so easy, Charles, so damned easy -- even without special training." Parker looked troubled. 'There's something in what you say. I've heard some funny tales myself. We all do, I suppose. But Miss Dawson ----" "Miss Dawson fascinates me, Charles. Such a beautiful subject. So old and ill. So likely to die soon. Bound to die before long. No near relations to make inquiries. No connections or old friends in the neighbourhood. And so rich. Upon my soul, Charles, I lie in bed licking my lips over ways and means of murdering Miss Dawson." "Well, anyhow, till you can think of one that defies analysis and doesn't seem to need a motive, you haven't found the right one," said Parker, practically, rather revolted by this ghoulish conversation. "I admit that," replied Lord Peter, "but that only shows that as yet I'm merely a third-rate murderer. Wait till I've perfected my method and then I'll show you -- perhaps. Some wise old buffer ISA rtsaid that each of us holds the life of tether person between his hands -- but lone, Charles, only one." kt filM : m te: & IfiB and influenzas that get certified are nature's unaided work. Murder's so ea Charles, so damned easy -- even with special training." Parker looked troubled. 'There's something in what you I've heard some funny tales myself, all do, I suppose. But Miss Dawson -- "Miss Dawson fascinates me, Charl Such a beautiful subject. So old and ill. likely to die soon. Bound to die bef long. No near relations to make inquiri No connections or old friends in neighbourhood. And so rich. Upon soul, Charles, I lie in bed licking my over ways and means of murdering Dawson." "Well, anyhow, till you can think of that defies analysis and doesn't seem need a motive, you haven't found the ri; one," said Parker, practically, ra revolted by this ghoulish conversation. "I admit that," replied Lord Pe "but that only shows that as yet merely a third-rate murderer. Wait I've perfected my method and then show you -- perhaps. Some wise old btt 154 that each of us holds the life of ;r person between his hands -- but », Charles, only one." &* IS' fej,r 1M Chapter IX The Will "Our wills are ours to make them thine.' Tennyson: In Memorial "Hullo! hullo -- ullo! oh, operator, shall call thee bird or but a wandering voic< . . . Not at all, I had no intention of beii rude, my child, that was a quotation froi the poetry of Mr. Wordsworth . . . w( ring him again . . . thank you, is that Carr? . . . Lord Peter Wimsey speakil . . . oh, yes . . . yes . . . aha! . . . notj bit of it. ... We are about to vindic* you and lead you home, decorated wi triumphal wreaths of cinnamon ai senna-pods. . . . No, really . . . we^ come to the conclusion that the thingi serious. . . . Yes. ... I want Nui Forbes' address. . . . Right, I'll hold . . . Luton? ... oh, Tooting, yes, I've! 15fi . . Certainly, I've no doubt she's a but I'm the Grand Panjandrum |the little round button a-top. . . . awfully . . . cheer-frightfully-ho! Jl say! -- hullo! -- I say, she doesn't iternity work, does she? Maternity -- M for Mother-in-law -- rity? -- No -- You're sure? ... It >e simply awful if she did and came . . I couldn't possibly produce a For her. ... As long as you're quite . Right -- right -- yes -- not for %ld -- nothing to do with you at all. lye, old thing, goodbye." Peter hung up, whistling lully, and called for Bunter. ilord?" feat is the proper suit to put on, *, when one is an expectant father?" legret, my lord, to have seen no Ifashions in paternity wear. I should ly lord, whichever suit your lordship will induce a calm and cheerful Wf mind in the lady." ifortunately I don't know the lady. in fact, only the figment of an over lg-brain. But I think the garments 1«V7 should express bright hope, sel congratulation, and a tinge of tent anxiety." o "A newly married situation, my lor< take it. Then I would suggest the loui suit in pale grey -- the willow-pussy clot my lord -- with a dull amethyst tie socks and a soft hat. I would recommend a bowler, my lord, anxiety expressed in a bowler hat w< be rather of the financial kind." "No doubt you are right, Bunter. Ai will wear those gloves that got unfortunately soiled yesterday at Chai Cross. I am too agitated to worry aboi clean pair." "Very good, my lord." "No stick, perhaps." "Subject to your lordship's bel judgment, I should suggest that a st may be suitably handled to exp] emotion." "You are always right, Bunter. CalU a taxi, and tell the man to driv< Tooting." Nurse Forbes regretted very much. t*8 lave liked to oblige Mr. Simms pe, but she never undertook ity work. She wondered who could iisled Mr. Simms-Gaythorpe, by limner name. y'know, I can't say I was said Mr. SimmsGaythorpe, Jg his walking-stick and retrieving an ingenuous laugh. "Miss >yd -- you know Miss Murgatroyd lampton, I think -- yes -- she -- l^heard about you through her" is a fact), "and she said what a ig person -- excuse my repeatin' irsonal remarks, won't you? -- iharmin' person you were and all how nice it would be if we could you to come, don't you see. But she was afraid perhaps you lo maternity work. Still, y'know, I it was worth tryin', what? Being' is, what? -- about my wife, that fee. So necessary to have someone id cheery at these -- er -- critical m't you know. Maternity nurses ih ancient and ponderous sort of if you don't mind my say in' so. 15Q My wife's highly nervous -- naturally first effort and all that -- doesn't lj middle-aged people tramplin' round -- see the idea?" yj Nurse Forbes, who was a bony woi of about forty, saw the point perfect and was very sorry she really could see her way to undertaking the work. "It was very kind of Miss Murgatroyc she said. "Do you know her well? Sucl delightful woman, is she not?" The expectant father agreed. "Miss Murgatroyd was so very mi impressed by your sympathetic wayi don't you know -- of nursin' that poor lady, Miss Dawson, y'know. Disl connection of my own, as a matter of fi -- er, yes -- somewhere about fifteei cousin twelve times removed. So nerv< wasn't she? A little bit eccentric, like rest of the family, but a charming lady, don't you think?" "I became very much attached to said Nurse Forbes. "When she was in possession of her faculties, she wai most pleasant and thoughtful patient^ course, she was in great pain, and w&] ifin her under morphia a great part of je." |f yes! poor old soul! I sometimes jaNurse, it's a great pity we aren't just to help people off, y'know, they're so far gone. After all, practically dead already, as you Usay. What's the point of keepin' Eferin' on like that?" OForbes looked rather sharply at afraid that wouldn't do," she said, one understands the lay person's view, of course. Dr. Carr was not opinion," she added, a little lM> ink all that fuss was simply said the gentleman warmly, soul! I said to my wife at the iy couldn't they let the poor old Fancy cuttin' her about, when she'd just mercifully gone off in way! My wife quite agreed with was quite upset about it, don't x> very distressing to everybody " said Nurse Forbes, "and of ifii course, it put me in a very awkw* position. I ought not to talk about it, but you are one of the family, you will quj understand." "Just so. Did it ever occur to y^ Nurse" -- Mr. Simms-Gaythorpe leai forward, crushing his soft hat between hands in a nervous manner -- "that thx might be something behind all that?" Nurse Forbes primmed up her lips. "You know," said Mr. Simrai Gaythorpe, "there have been cases'* doctors tryin' to get rich old ladiesU make wills in their favour. You don't eh?" Norse Forbes intimated that it was her business to think things. "No, of course not, certainly not. Bul man to man -- I mean, between you me, what? -- wasn't there a little -- ei friction, perhaps, about sending for solicitor-johnnie, don't you know? course, my Cousin Mary -- I call cousin, so to speak, but it's no relation! all, really -- of course, I mean, she'si awfully nice girl and all that sort of but I'd got a sort of idea perhaps Tfi9 ^altogether keen on having the will wallah sent for, what?" rMr. Simms-Gaythorpe, I'm sure juite wrong there. Miss Whittaker ist anxious that her aunt should fiery facility in that way. In fact -- I link I'm betraying any confidence you this -- she said to me, 'If at ie Miss Dawson should express a »e a lawyer, be sure you send for fce.' And so, of course, I did." lid? And didn't he come, then?" linly he came. There was no about it at all." That just shows, doesn't it? tog some of these gossipy females [cuse me, but y'know, I'd got 4he wrong impression about the 'quite sure Mrs. Peasgood said rer had been sent for." i*t know what Mrs. Peasgood ive known about it," said Nurse a sniff, "her permission was in the matter." Ly not -- but you know how :fget about. But, I say -- if there t,3¥hy wasn't it produced?" T63 "I didn't say that, Mr. Sim Gaythorpe. There was no will. The la came to draw up a power of attorney, that Miss Whittaker could sign cheq' and so on for her aunt. That was v necessary, you know, on account of the lady's failing powers." ^ "Yes -- I suppose she was pretty w towards the end." "Well, she was quite sensible wh took over from Nurse Philliter September, except, of course, for fancy she had about poisoning." ' 'She really was afraid of that?'' "She said once or twice, I'm not go to die to please anybody, Nurse.' She great confidence in me. She got on be with me than with Miss Whittaker, to you the truth, Mr. SimmsGaythorpe. during October, her mind began to way altogether, and she rambled a She used to wake up sometimes all fright and say, 'Have they passed it Nurse?' - just like that. I'd say, 'No, haven't got that far yet,' and that w quiet her. Thinking of her hunting d expect she was. They often go back Tfi4 know, when they're being kept igs. Dreaming, like, they are, time." in the last month or so, I suppose fld hardly have made a will, even if wanted to." rtfl don't think she could have it then." |*earlier on, when the lawyer was the could have done so if she had 9' linly she could." she didn't?' I was there with her all the ler particular request." Just you and Miss Whittaker." iieven Miss Whittaker most of the isee what you mean, Mr. Simms but indeed you should clear ind of any unkind suspicions of dttaker. The lawyer and Miss and myself were alone together *ly an hour, while the clerk drew lecessary papers in the next room. fall done then, you see, because we that a second visit would be too >r Miss Dawson. Miss Whittaker if& "I didn't say that, Mr. Sim Gaythorpe. There was no will. The la came to draw up a power of attorney, that Miss Whittaker could sign cheq and so on for her aunt. That was vi necessary, you know, on account of the lady's failing powers." "Yes -- I suppose she was pretty w towards the end." "Well, she was quite sensible wh took over from Nurse Philliter September, except, of course, for fancy she had about poisoning." r "She really was afraid of that?" "She said once or twice, Tm not g® to die to please anybody, Nurse.' She great confidence in me. She got on be with me than with Miss Whittaker, to< you the truth, Mr. SimmsGaythorpe. during October, her mind began to way altogether, and she rambled a She used to wake up sometimes all fright and say, 'Have they passed it Nurse?' -- just like that. I'd say, 'No, haven't got that far yet,' and that W quiet her. Thinking of her hunting d expect she was. They often go bacte Tfi4 know, when they're being kept igs. Dreaming, like, they are, stune." in the last month or so, I suppose (A hardly have made a will, even if [Ranted to." id don't think she could have it then." garlier on, when the lawyer was le could have done so if she had !$:.: ' linly she could." The didn't?' I was there with her all the ler particular request." ifJust you and Miss Whittaker." >ven Miss Whittaker most of the ie what you mean, Mr. Simms but indeed you should clear pnd of any unkind suspicions of dttaker. The lawyer and Miss and myself were alone together rty an hour, while the clerk drew :esjsary papers in the next room. U done then, you see, because we that a second visit would be too >r Miss Dawson. Miss Whittaker ifft only came in quite at the end. If Dawson had wished to make a will, s had ample opportunity to do so." "Well, I'm glad to hear that," said, Simms-Gaythorpe, rising to go. "Tl little doubts are so apt to mi unpleasantness in families, don't know. Well, I must be toddlin' now. frightfully sorry you can't come to Nurse -- my wife will be so disappoint I must try to find somebody else equj charmin' if possible. Goodbye." Lord Peter removed his hat in the and scratched his head thoughtfully. "Another good theory gone wrong,"I murmured. "Well, there's another stt to the jolly old bow yet. Cropper first: then Crofton -- that's the line to tata fancy." Tfifi Part II |rhe Legal Problem ladsome light of jurisprudence." Sir Edward Coke ; A genealogical table is printed at the end of the book Chapter X The Will Again ll! the will! We will hear Caesar's Julius Caesar iss Evelyn, my dear, oh, poor ^, . I'll girl in black started, and looked if. .: j' ' .' Mrs. Gulliver -- how very, very toftf to come and meet me!" |lad I am to have the chance, my poking to these kind gentlemen," landlady, flinging her arms girl and clinging to her to the loyance of the other passengers f§*ff the gangway. The elder of the ftemen referred to gently put his %er arm, and drew them out of of traffic. n?n "Poor lamb!" mourned Mrs. Gulli "coming all this way by your loneso and poor dear Miss Bertha in her gr and such terrible things said, and her s a good girl always." "It's poor Mother I'm thinking abo said the girl. "I couldn't rest. I said to husband, 'I must go,' I said, and he s 'My honey, if I could come with y would, but I can't leave the farm, b you feel you ought to go, you shall, said." "Dear Mr. Cropper -- he was al that good and kind," said Mrs. Gull "but here I am, forgittin' all abou good gentlemen as brought me allv way to see you. This is Lord J^f! Wimsey, and this is Mr. Murbles, as p that unfortnit advertisement, as I believes was the beginnin' of it all. ' wish I'd never showed it to your i sister, not but wot I believe the gentl acted with the best intentions, 'avin'i seen 'im, which at first I thought 'e wrong'un." "Pleased to meet you," said Cropper, turning with the ready ad 170 from service in a big restaurant, jefore I sailed I got a letter from >rtha enclosing your ad. I couldn't mything of it, but I'd be glad to tnything which can clear up this business. What have they said it inter?" IPe was a verdict of natural death at liry," said Mr. Murbles, "but we lat the case presents some tencies, and shall be exceedingly for your co-operation in looking matter, and also in connection >ther matter which may or may some bearing upon it." llto," said Mrs. Cropper. "I'm sure Proper gentlemen, if Mrs. Gulliver for you, for I've never known her in in a person yet, have I, Mrs. G? iyou anything I know, which isn't >r it's all a horrible mystery to I don't wa©t you to delay me, for ?to go straight on down to Mother. in a dreadful way, so fond as she iBertha, and she's all alone except roung girl that looks after her, and lot much comfort when you've lost 171 your daughter so sudden." "We shall not detain you a mom Mrs. Cropper," said Mr. Murbles. > was she? lown by that pillar there, a tall in a crimson hat and grey fur. gone now." ;eme." Ifreter unhitched Mrs. Gulliver £rm, hitched her smartly on to lupied arm of Mr. Murbles, and into the crowd. Mr. Murbles, iperturbed by this eccentric *! shepherded the two women tepty first-class carriage which, 173 t is it, Mrs. Cropper?" said Lord fVoice in her ear. "Did you think *bgnised somebody?'' lire a noticing one, aren't you?" Cropper. "Make a good waiter jould -- not meaning any offence, rs a real compliment from one lows. Yes, I did think I saw but it couldn't be, because the she caught my eye she went &v> i - ";,'" v ' lid you think it was?" I thought it looked like Miss it,- as Bertha and me used to work Mrs. Cropper noted, bore a large lal "Reserved for Lord Peter Wimsey party." Mrs. Cropper made soi protesting observation about her ticj but Mr. Murbles merely replied everything was provided for, and privacy could be more conveniei secured in this way. "Your friend's going to be left behii said Mrs. Cropper as the train moved q\ "That would be very unlike hu replied Mr. Murbles, calmly unfoldii couple of rugs and exchanging his fashioned top-hat for a curious kin< travelling cap with flaps to it. Cropper, in the midst of her anxiety, not help wondering where in the worldl had contrived to purchase this Victoi relic. As a matter of fact, Mr. Murbl caps were specially made to his design by an exceedingly expensive End hatter, who held Mr. Murbles in dl respect as a real gentleman of the school. Nothing, however, was seen of Peter for something like a quarter 01 hour, when he suddenly put his hea< 174 amiable smile and said: red-haired woman in a crimson tree dark women in black hats; londescript women in those pull if dust-coloured hats; old women fey hair, various; sixteen flappers ihats -- hats on rack, I mean, but Itiem crimson; two obvious brides i^ts; innumerable fair women in ill colours; one ash-blonde dressed none of 'em our friend as far Thought I'd best just toddle 10 train to make sure. There's just fisort of female whose hat I can't itise it's tucked down beside her. iMrs. Cropper would mind doin' tgger down the corridor to take a Hier." 'ropper, with some surprise, to do so. roll are. 'Splain later. About four l»-along. Now, look here, Mrs. )if it should be anybody you rather on the whole she didn't patching her. I want you to walk and me, just glancin' into the mts but keepin' your collar 175 turned up. When we come to the pai have in mind, I'll make a screen for yS what?" These manoeuvres were successfi accomplished, Lord Peter lightini cigarette opposite the suspeci compartment, while Mrs. Cropper vi< the hatless lady under cover of his rai elbows. But the result was disappoint Mrs. Cropper had never seen the before, and a further promenade frorrw to end of the train produced no b< results. "We must leave it to Bunter, th< said his lordship, cheerfully, as returned to their seats. "I put him 01 trail as soon as you gave me the word. Now, Mrs. Cropper, we reallyfl down to business. First of all, we shi be glad of any suggestions you may to make about your sister's death:! don't want to distress you, but we havei an idea that there might, just possibly something behind it." "There's just one thing, sir -- lordship, I suppose I should say. was a real good girl -- I can answ4 17fi jolutely. There wouldn't have been ryings-on with her young man -- ,of that. I know people have been iall sorts of things, and perhaps, of girls as they are, it isn't to be at. But, believe me, Bertha |jt go for to do anything that wasn't brhaps you'd like to see this last le wrote me. I'm sure nothing nicer and properer from a girl ig forward to a happy marriage, i as wrote like that wouldn't be irking about, sir, would she? I arest, thinking they was saying ifcher." fefeter took the letter, glanced fit, and handed it reverently to Mr. not thinking that at all, Mrs. though of course we're very glad lour point of view, don't you see. you think it possible your sister ive been -- what shall I say? -- of by some woman with a story and all that, and -- well -- Into some position which shocked much? Was she cautious and up 177 to the tricks of London people an& that?" And he outlined Parker's theory of: engaging Mrs. Forrest and the supj dinner in the flat. 13 "Well, my lord, I wouldn't say B< was a very quick girl -- not as quid me, you know. She'd always be read] believe what she was told and give p< credit for the best. Took more after father, like. I'm Mother's girl, U always said, and I don't trust anyl further than I can see them. But warned her very careful against takii with women as talks to a girl in street, and she did ought to have be< her guard." "Of course," said Peter, "it may been somebody she'd got to know well -- say, at the restaurant, and: thought she was a nice lady and there'* no harm in going to see her. Or the might have suggested taking her into service. One never knows." * "I think she'd have mentioned it iifl letters if she'd talked to the lady my lord. It's wonderful what a 178 &e'd find to tell me about the s. And I don't think she'd be for llo service again. We got real fed Iservice, down in Leahampton." ^s. Now that brings us to quite a ^point -- the thing we wanted to j.or your sister about before this lent took place. You were in with this Miss Whittaker whom jtioned just now. I wonder if you'd (ting us just exactly why you left, jood place, I suppose?" my lord, quite a good place as though of course a girl doesn't Ifreedom the way she does in a it. And naturally there was a of waiting on the old lady. Not linded that, for she was a very lady, and generous too." ten she became so ill, I suppose ittaker managed everything, Ift , ' ipiy lord; but it wasn't a hard >ts of the girls envied us. Only iker was very particular." dally about the china, what?" ^ told you about that, then?" 179 "I told 'em, dearie," put in Gulliver, "I told 'em all about how come to leave your place and goij London." ^ "And it struck us," put-in Mr. MurbK "that it was, shall we say, somewhat ri of Miss Whittaker to dismiss so compel and, if I may put it so, so well-spoken personable a pair of maids on so trivh pretext." "You're right there, sir. Bertha -- I you she was the trusting one -- she quite ready to believe as she done wrol and thought how good it was of Whittaker to forgive her breaking1 china, and take so much interest sending us to London, but I always thoi there was something more than mef \ eye. Didn't I, Mrs. Gulliver?" "That you did, dear; something than meets the eye, that's what you to me, and what I agrees with." "And did you, in your own mil pursued Mr. Murbles, "connect-l sudden dismissal with anything whiclPj taken place?" "Well, I did then," replied 190 with some spirit. "I said to ^- but she would hear nothing of it, ifter her father as I tell you -- I [ark my words,' I said, 'Miss ;r don't care to have us in the Eter the row she had with the old that row was that?" inquired Mr. i#I don't know as I ought rightly to ^bout it, seeing it's all over now >romised to say nothing about it." :.-0£ course," said Mr. Murbles, Lord Peter, who was about to (ijmpetuously, "depends upon your science. But, if it will be of any m in making up your mind, I may say, in the strictest i£e, that this information may be i|most importance to us -- in a Hit way which I won't trouble you in investigating a very singular set ^instances which have been our notice. And it is just barely ~ again in a very roundabout lat it may assist us in throwing it on the melancholy tragedy of 181 your sister's decease. Further than tl cannot go at the moment." "Well, now," said Mrs. Cropper, *5 that's so -- though, mind you, I don't what connection there could be -- biii you think that's so, I reckon I'd bet come across with it, as my husband we say. After all, I only promised I woul< mention about it to the people4; Leahampton, as might have m&l mischief out of it -- and a gossipy lot is, and no mistake." ''We've nothing to do with Leahampton crowd," said his lords "and it won't be passed along unles turns out to be necessary." "Righto. Well, I'll tell you. One mon early in September Miss Whittaker col along to Bertha and I, and says, 'I you girls to be just handy on the lan* outside Miss Dawson's bedroom,' says, 'because I may want you to coi and witness her signature to a docui We shall want two witnesses,' she 'and you'll have to see her sign; don't want to flurry her with a loi people in the room, so when I give yotfi 189 rant you to come just inside the lout making a noise, so that you rfjer write her name, and then I'll Straight across to you and you can names where I show you. It's fy,' she says, 'nothing to do but i^pnir names opposite where you iword Witnesses.' la was always a bit the timid sort of documents and that sort of she tried to get out of it. !Nurse sign instead of me?' she it was Nurse Philliter, you know, laired one as was the doctor's g§he was a very nice woman, and iher quite a lot. 'Nurse has gone tier walk,' says Miss Whittaker, *rp, 'I want you and Evelyn to do ifig me, of course. Well, we said mind, and Miss Whittaker goes «to Miss Dawson with a whole tpers, and Bertha and I followed on the landing, like she said." loment," said Mr. Murbles, "did iwson often have documents to ar, I believe so, quite frequently, 183 but they was usually witnessed by Whittaker or the nurse. There was si leases and things of that sort, or heard. Miss Dawson had a little h< property. And then there'd be the ch< for the housekeeping, and some papei used to come from the Bank and away in the safe." 11 Share coupons and so on, I supj said Mr. Murbles. "Very likely, sir, I don't know about those business matters. I did to witness a signature once, I remei a long time back, but that was diffei The paper was brought down to me'^ the signature ready wrote. There any of this to-do about it." "The old lady was capable of d< with her own affairs, I understand?'' "Up till then, sir. Afterwards,^ understood, she made it all over tci! Whittaker -- that was just before shl feeble-like, and was kept under Miss Whittaker signed the cheques tl "The power of attorney," said! Murbles, with a nod. "Well now, di<' sign this mysterious paper?'' 194 Isir, I'll tell you how that was. and Bertha had been waiting a ie, Miss Whittaker comes to the imakes us a sign to come in quiet. »mes and stands just inside the Ere was a screen by the head of ;o we couldn't see Miss Dawson p, but we could see her reflection in a big looking-glass she had on ideof the bed." lurbles exchanged a significant Lord Peter. sure you tell us every detail," >ey, "no matter how small and ly sound. I believe this is goin' to leitin'." ^ lord. Well, there wasn't much ipt that just inside the door, on Bid side as you went in, there tie table, where Nurse mostly *Iown trays and things that had and it was cleared, and a blotting-paper on it and an ind pen, all ready for us to sign Miss Dawson see that?" asked les/ 185 "No, sir, because of the screen." "But it was inside the room." "Yes, sir." "We want to be quite clear about Do you think you could draw -- q^ roughly -- a little plan of the n showing where the bed was and the sen and the mirror, and so on?" "I'm not much of a hand at drawini said Mrs. Cropper dubiously, "but try." Mr. Murbles produced a notebook fountain pen, and after a few false stall the following sketch was produced. next page.) "Thank you, that is very clear inch You notice, Lord Peter, the caref arrangements to have the docui signed in presence of the witnesses, witnessed by them in the presence of Dawson and of each other. I needn't you for what kind of document arrangement is indispensable." "Was that it, sir? We couldJ understand why it was all arranged that." "It might have happened," explail * rm fvvuss w MISS DAWSO/V MiRROK wSjWts *te.lf#£SS£S toes, "that in case of some >out this document, you and your ild have had to come into court Evidence about it. And if so, you Ne been asked whether you iw Miss Dawson write her and whether you and your 4 na 1< It sister and Miss Dawson were all in same room together when you signed names as witnesses. And if that happened, you could have said couldn't you, and sworn to it?" :0h,yes." ( < :And yet, actually, Miss Dawson w have known nothing about your be there." "No, sir." 'That was it, you see." "I see now, sir, but at the time Be and me couldn't make nothing of it." "But the document, you say, was ne signed." ''No, sir. At any rate, we n witnessed anything. We saw Miss Daw: write her name -- at least, I suppoS' was her name -- to one or two papers, then Miss Whittaker puts another lot front of her and says, 'Here's ano little lot, Auntie, some more of ti income-tax forms.' So the old lady 'What are they exactly, dear, let me s So Miss Whittaker says, "Oh, only usual things.' And Miss Dawson s 'Dear, dear, what a lot of them. 98 mted they do make these things to And we could see that Miss ter was giving her several papers, !®n top of one another, with just the >r the signatures left showing. So twson signs the top one, and then the paper and looks underneath at one, and Miss Whittaker says, all the same,' as if she was in a get them signed and done with. Dawson takes them out of her rstarts looking through them, and she lets out a screech, and says, lave it, I won't have it! I'm not ^How dare you, you wicked girl! ^wait till I'm dead? -- You want me into my grave before my teven't you got everything you Miss Whittaker says, 'Hush, rdfr won't let me explain ----' and idy says, 'No, I won't, I don't &r anything about it. I hate the if it. I won't talk about it. You >e. I can't get better if you keep l§me so.' And then she begins to IB^arry on dreadful, and Miss %>mes over to us looking awful ion white and says, 'Run along, you girls,1? says, 'my aunt's taken ill and can't at! to business. I'll call you if I want you,' says. And I said, 'Can we help with 1 miss?' and she says, 'No, it's quite>j right. It's just the pain come on again.? give her her injection and then she'll all right.' And she pushes us out of room, and shuts the door, and we hei the poor old lady crying fit to br< anybody's heart. So we went downsl and met Nurse just coming in, and wei her Miss Dawson was took worse a{ and she runs up quick without taking things off. So we was in the kitchen, $ saying it seemed rather funny-like, Miss Whittaker comes down again says, 'It's all right now, and Aunl sleeping quite peaceful, only we'll havi put off business till another day.' And: says, 'Better not say anything about to anybody, because when the pain coi on Aunt gets frightened and talks a^ wild. She don't mean what she says, bi people was to hear about it they think it odd.' So I up and says, Whittaker,' I says, The and Berthatl 190 res to talk'; rather stiff, I said it, I don't hold by gossip and never Miss Whittaker says, That's right,' and goes away. And the she gives us an afternoon off and -- ten shillings each, it was, M was her aunt's birthday, and itiady wanted us to have a little ler honour." *ry clear account indeed, Mrs. and I only wish all witnesses msible and observant as you are. fust one thing. Did you by any j£t a sight of this paper that upset ftsonsomuch?" w -- only from a distance, that is, It looking-glass. But I think it was >rt -- just a few lines of type i:Vv m Was there a type-writer in the the way?" tes, sir. Miss Whittaker used one 2tt for business letters and so on. stand in the sitting-room." ite so. By the way, do you Miss Dawson's solicitor calling Ifterthis?" 191 "No, sir. It was only a little time Bertha broke the teapot and we left. Whittaker gave her her month's wan but I said no. If she could come down girl like that for a little thing, and such a good worker, Bertha should g< once and me with her. Miss Whitt said, 'Just as you like,' she said -- never was one to stand any backchat^ we went that afternoon. But afterwarc think she was sorry, and came over to us at Christchurch, and suggested shouldn't we try for a better job; London. Bertha was a bit afraid to g« far -- taking after Father, as I mentioi but Mother, as was always the ambiti one, she says, 'If the lady's kind enougl give you a good start, why not go? The! more chances for a girl in Town.' Ai said to Bertha, private-like, afterwards says, 'Depend on it, Miss Whittaker w* to see the back of us. She's afraid we'lki talking about the things Miss Dawson that morning. But, I says, if she's will to pay us to go, why not go, I says. A gii got to look out for herself these days, if we go off to London she'll give 192 laracter than what she would if »&d. And anyway, I said, if we don't can always come home again.' mg and short was, we came to after a bit we got good jobs ms, what with the good character fciittaker gave us, and I met my ilhere and Bertha met her Jim. So |efc regretted having taken the not till this dreadful thing to Bertha." (Ssionate interest with which her ftiad received this recital must Ified Mrs. Cropper's sense of the IK Mr. Murbles was very slowly is hands over one another with a ig sound -- like an old snake, irough the long grass in search of hjj? ;e scene after your own heart, said Lord Peter, with a glint ^dropped eyelids. He turned rs. Cropper, the first time you've told this and I wouldn't have said it hadn't been 1QQ >> "I know. Now, if you'll take my ach Mrs. Cropper, you won't tell it a^ Stories like that have a nasty way of b< dangerous. Will you consider itj impertinence if I ask you what your pi are for the next week or two?" "I'm going to see Mother and get h< come back to Canada with me. I wai her to come when I got married, but didn't like going so far away from Bei She was always Mother's favourite taking so much after Father, you Mother and me was always too much to get on. But now she's got nobody el and it isn't right for her to be all alonef I think she'll come with me. It's a journey for an ailing old woman, bi reckon blood's thicker than water, husband said, 'Bring her back first-cl my girl, and I'll find the money.' HeJ good sort, is my husband." ^ "You couldn't do better," said Wims "and if you'll allow me, I'll send a Mi to look after you both on the train joti'i and see you safe on to the boat. And d< stop long in England. Excuse me buttii on your affairs like this, but hones 194 Hi'd be safer elsewhere." j^on't think that Bertha ----?" »s widened with alarm. l't like to say quite what I think, ll don't know. But I'll see you and ler are safe, whatever happens." tertha? Can I do anything about IB lyou'll have to come and see my Scotland Yard, I think, and tell tat you've told me. They'll be » ill something be done about it?" e, if we can prove there's been play, the police won't rest till it's ked down to the right person, ficulty is, you see, to prove that wasn't natural." I've in to-day's paper," said Mr. that the local superintendent is ;3fied that Miss Gotobed came e for a quiet picnic and died of a ek." man would say anything," said We know from the postmortem d recently had a heavy meal -- ese distressin' details, Mrs. 1QR Cropper -- so why the picnic?'' i "I suppose they had the sandwiches the beer-bottle in mind," said Murbles, mildly. "I see. I suppose she went down: Epping alone with a bottle of Bass took out the cork with her fingers. E tried doing it, Murbles? No? Well, they find the corkscrew I'll believe went there alone. In the meantime, I the papers will publish a few mi theories like that. Nothin' like inspi criminals with confidence, Murbles goes to their heads, you know." m 1Q6 Chapter XI i" felt CrossRoads ice -- and shuffle the cards." Don Quixote tr took Mrs. Cropper down to rch and returned to town to have inee with Mr. Parker. The latter listened to his recital of Mrs. story, when the discreet fttiid closing of the flat door the return of Bunter. »k?" inquired Wimsey. fit exceedingly to have to inform ship that I lost track of the lady. jfour lordship will kindly excuse ision, I was completely done in |C|God, Bunter, you're human didn't know anybody could do drink," 1ft7 "I am much obliged to your lordsl According to instructions, I searched platform for a lady in a crimson hat ai grey fur, and at length was fortui enough to observe her making her way by the station entrance towards the bookstall. She was some way ahead of but the hat was very conspicuous, and! the words of the poet, if I may so expi myself, I followed the gleam." "Stout fellow." "Thank you, my lord. The lady wal into the Station Hotel, which, as you ki has two entrances, one upon the platfc and the other upon the street. I hui after her for fear she should give m< slip, and made my way through revolving doors just in time to see>( back disappearing into the Lai Re tiring Room." "Whither, as a modest man, you not follow her. I quite understand." "Quite so, my lord. I took a seat in entrance hall, in a position from wl could watch the door without appearii do so." " « "And discovered too late that the 1Q8 b exits, I suppose. Unusual and .' " iy lord. That was not the trouble. Itching for three quarters of an it the crimson hat did not Your lordship will bear in mind never seen the lady's face." *ter groaned. jee the end of this story, Bunter. €ault. Proceed." end of this time, my lord, I felt peonclude either that the lady had pn ill or that something untoward nered. I summoned a female who happened to cross the hall >med her that I had been $Wth a message for a lady whose Described. I begged her to from the attendant in the liRoom whether the lady in pas still there. The girl went presently returned to say that id changed her costume in the and had gone out half an hour t?j tter, Bunter. Didn't you spot or whatever it was when she 199 came out again?" "Excuse me, my lord. The lady come in earlier in the day and had lefj attache-case in charge of the attendi On returning, she had transferred hervj and fur to the attache-case and put small black felt hat and a light-wej raincoat which she had packed ther< readiness. So that her dress concealed when she emerged and she carrying the attache-case, whereas, I first saw her, she had been ei handed." 'Everything foreseen. What a womi !I made immediate inquiries, my in the region of the hotel and the stal but without result. The black hatm raincoat were entirely inconspicuous^ no one remembered having seen hi went to the Central Station to discovi she had travelled by any train. Sevi women answering to the description/j taken tickets for various destinations^ I could get no definite information. -M visited all the garages in Liverpool^! the same lack of success. I am gi distressed to have failed your lordshif 2flfl i f « be helped. You did everything do. Cheer up. Never say die. imust be tired to death. Take the id go to bed." ink your lordship, but I slept ly in the train on the way up." is you like, Bunter. But I did hope letimes got tired like other £ smiled discreetly and withdrew, we've gained this much, said Parker. "We know now iMiss Whittaker has something to jince she takes such precautions >eing folio wed." row more than that. We know was desperately anxious to get the Cropper woman before Ifelse could see her, no doubt to fmouth by bribery or by worse the way, how did she know she ing by that boat?" 'ropper sent a cable, which was ie inquest." these inquests. They give away formation one wants kept quiet, tee no evidence worth having." 9ft1 "Hear, hear," said Parker, emphasis, "not to mention that we hai sit through a lot of moral punk byi Coroner, about the prevalence of jazs the immoral behaviour of modern girl going off alone with young men to Ej Forest." ..*< "It's a pity these busy-bodies can had up for libel. Never mind. We'll g< Whittaker woman yet." "Always provided it was the Whil woman. After all, Mrs. Cropper may*! been mistaken. Lots of people do eta their hats in cloak-rooms without criminal intention." "Oh, of course. Miss Whittal supposed to be in the country with Findlater, isn't she? We'll get invaluable Miss Climpson to pump tl when they turn up again. Meanwhile; do you think of Mrs. Cropper's storyti "There's no doubt about what hapf there. Miss Whittaker was trying the old lady to sign a will without knoj it. She gave it to her all mixed up wi income-tax papers, hoping she'd name to it without reading it. It musl flfHl rill, I think, because that's the iment I know of which is invalid f| witnessed by two persons in the ie of the testatrix and of each if > ly. And since Miss Whittaker »e one of the witnesses herself, get the two maids to sign, the have been in Miss Whittaker's fsly. She wouldn't go to all that ^disinherit herself." ilhat brings us to another ^Miss Whittaker, as next of kin, re taken all the old lady had to ly case. As a matter of fact, she tother about a will?" tf>s, as we said before, she was iiss Dawson would change her wanted to get a will made out Hno, that won't work." because, anyhow, any will made ttWd invalidate the first will. ithe old lady sent for her solicitor le later, and Miss Whittaker put fie of any kind in her way.'' ling to Nurse Forbes, she was in? particularly anxious that every fa should be given." "Seeing how Miss Dawson distn her niece, it's a bit surprising, really, she didn't will the money away. T would have been to Miss Whitta advantage to keep her alive as lo possible." "I don't suppose she really dist her -- not to the extent of expecting made away with. She was excited ancfe more than she meant -- we often do. "Yes, but she evidently thought be other attempts to get a will signed; "How do you make that out?" J-I "Don't you remember the pow attorney? The old girl evidently th that out and decided to give Whittaker authority to sign everythinj her so that there couldn't possibly b jiggery-pokery about papers in future "Of course. Cute old lady. How irritating for Miss Whittaker. And that very hopeful visit of the solicitor* So disappointing. Instead of the exp will, a very carefully planted spoke i wheel." ?ru tut we're still brought up against |em, why a will at all?" Nare." men pulled at their pipes for dn silence. it evidently intended the money Mary Whittaker all right," iParker at last. "She promised besides, I daresay she was a id old thing, and remembered really Whittaker money which ^to her over the head of the Rev. whatever his name was." to. Well, there's only one thing prevent that happening, and lord! old son. Do you know is out at? -- The old, old story, taovelists -- the missing heir!" rdj yes, you're right. Damn it Ms we were not to think of it iffy Whittaker possibly found out ras some nearer relative left, scoop the lot. Maybe she was &eif Miss Dawson got to know ishe'd divide the money or lary altogether. Or perhaps >aired of hammering the story 9ra into the old lady's head, and so hit oi idea of getting her to make the unbeknownst to herself in Mary's fav< "What a brain you've got, Charles, see here, Miss Dawson may have ki all about it, sly old thing, and detei to pay Miss Whittaker out for her ind< urgency in the matter of will-makinl just dyin' intestate in the other chapj favour." :is "If she did, she deserved anything got," said Parker, rather vici< "After taking the poor girl away froi job under promise of leaving hefr dibs." "Teach the young woman not to mercenary," retorted Wimsey, wil cheerful brutality of the man wh< never in his life been short of money. "If this bright idea is correct," Parker, ''it rather messes up murder theory, doesn't it? Because would obviously take the line of keel her aunt alive as long as possible, in she might make a will after all." "That's true. Curse you, Charles^ that bet of mine going west. What all ?flfi Carr, too. I did hope I was going licate him and have him played iy the village band under a il arch with 'Welcome, Champion '' picked out in red-white-andjtric bulbs. Never mind. It's lose a wager and see the light in ignorance bloated with gold. ip! -- why shouldn't Carr be right If Perhaps it's just my choice of a ^that's wrong. Aha! I see a new more sinister villain step upon . The new claimant, warned by |« ____» I»J unions?" I't be so pernickety, Charles, 'orbes, probably. I shouldn't she's in his pay. Where was I? I wouldn't interrupt.'' by his minions ----" prompted ris -- warned by his minions that tawson is hob-nobbing with :and being tempted into making things, gets the said minions to ler off before she can do any 2fl7 "Yes, but how?" "Oh, by one of those native poh which slay in a split second and defyj skill of the analyst. They are familii the meanest writer of mystery stoi I'm not going to let a trifle like that si in my way." "And why hasn't this hypothet gentleman brought forward any claii the property so far?" "He's biding his time. The fuss the death scared him, and he's lyingil till it's all blown over." "He'll find it much more awkwai dispossess Miss Whittaker now taken possession. Possession is nine of the law, you know." "I know, but he's going to pret< wasn't anywhere near at the time of Dawson's death. He only read aboutF< few weeks ago in a sheet of newspi wrapped round a salmon-tin, and now rushing home from his distant fai thing-ma-jig to proclaim himself a&J long-lost Cousin Tom. . . . Great that reminds me." gj He plunged his hand into his poeki 9fl8 it a letter. ;ame this morning just as I was and I met Freddy Arbuthnot on itep and shoved it into my pocket I'd read it properly. But I do tere was something in it about a jmebody from some godforsaken 'ssee." folded the letter, which was in Miss Climpson's old-fashioned md, and ornamented with such a underlinings and exclamation to look like an exercise in Station. rd!" said Parker, ^s worse than usual, isn't it? -- t>e of desperate importance, t's comparatively short." tr Lord Peter, lard something this morning [AY be of use, so I HASTEN mnicate it!! You remember I toned before that Mrs. K maid is the SISTER of the it maid at Miss Whittaker's? 3! The AUNT of these two 2flQ girls came to pay a visit to Mrs Budge's girl this afternoon, and was introduced to me -- of course, boarder at Mrs. Budge's I ai naturally an object of local interei -- and, bearing your instructions mind, I encourage this to an extent! should not otherwise do!! "It appears that this aunt w* well acquainted with a /orraei housekeeper of Miss Dawson's before the time of the Gotobed girl I mean. The aunt is a high! respectable person FORBIDDING ASPECT! - with bonnet (I), and to my mind, a moi disagreeable CENSORIO woman. However! -- We got ill speaking of Miss Dawson's death, this aunt -- her name is Timmins primmed up her mouth and sai( 'No unpleasant scandal would surprise me about that family, Mis Climpson. They were rno UNDESIRABLY connected! Yi recollect, Mrs. Budge, that I fe obliged to leave after fi 21 n r a ranee of that most :AORDINARY person who iced himself as Miss Dawson's n? Naturally, I asked who this r?be, not having heard of any irelations! She said that this whom she described as a DIRTY NIGGER (III) one morning, dressed up as a frYMAN!!! -- and sent her -- imins -- to announce him to Dawson as her COUSIN 1LUJAH!!! Miss Timmins ^him up, much against her ie said, into the nice, CLEAN, troom! Miss Dawson, she dually came down to see this re' instead of sending him lis 'black business' (I), and as Ming scandal, asked him to lunch! -- 'with her niece Miss Timmins said, 'and ible blackamoor ROLLING idful eyes at her.' Miss is said that it 'regularly ifer stomach' -- that was her rand I trust you will excuse it 211 -- I understand that these parts the body are frequently referred t in polite (I) society nowadays, fact, it appears she refused to cool the lunch for the poor black man (after all, even blacks are God' creatures and we might all black OURSELVES if He had not His infinite kindness seen fit < favour us with white skins!!) -- ai walked straight out of the house!!! that unfortunately she cannot tell * anything further about thl remarkable incident! She certain, however, that the 'niggei had a visiting-card, with the nai 'Rev. H. Dawson' upon it, and address in foreign parts. It does s< strange, does it not, but I beliei many of these native preachers bi called to do splendid work amoi their own people, and no doubt-ti MINISTER is entitled to haveli visiting-card, even when black!! N " In great haste* ' 'Sincerely y< "A.K. Climpsoi 919 ifeless my soul," said Lord Peter, ichad disentangled this screed -- nir claimant ready made." hide as black as his heart, Jy," replied Parker. "I wonder ie Rev. Hallelujah has got to -- he came from. He -- er -- he fhe in 'Crockford,' I suppose." mid be, probably, if he's Church said Lord Peter, dubiously, search of that valuable work of 'Dawson -- Rev. George, Rev. iRev. Gurney, Rev. Habbakuk, Irian, Rev. Hammond -- no, Rev. Hallelujah. I was afraid liiadn't altogether an established Iwould be easier if we had an idea It of the world the gentleman 'Nigger,' to a Miss Timmins, m anything from a high-caste [to Sambo and Rastus at the it may even, at a pinch, be an mr an Esquimaux." >se other religious bodies have fords," suggested Parker, a llessly. 213 "Yes, no doubt -- except perhaps more exclusive sects -- like Agapemonites and those people gather together to say FROM. Was Voltaire who said that the English three hundred and sixty-five religions^ only one sauce?" "Judging from the War Tribunals,3 Parker, "I should say that was an ui statement. And then there's America country, I understand, remarkably supplied with religions." "Too true. Hunting for a single collar in the States must be like proverbial needle. Still, we could iru few discreet inquiries, and meanwhile! going to totter up to Crofton with the old'bus." s "Crofton?" "Where Miss Clara Whittaker and Dawson used to live. I'm going to loo! the man with the little black bag strange, suspicious solicitor, remember, who came to see Miss Da^ two years ago, and was so anxious she should make a will. I fancy he all there is to know about the^ 214 ijah and his claim. Will you come 't -- not without special ion. I'm not officially on this case, > > *e on the Gotobed business. Tell rf you think they're connected. I id your restraining presence. No >ble pressure than that of the police force will induce a smoke dry lawyer to spill the beans." I'll try -- if you'll promise to reasonable precaution.'' m as chaste as ice and have a pure as snow, thou shalt not dumny. I am not a dangerous lack up and get your leave. The horse-power foams and frets lue bonnet -- black in this case -- ij-- in a manner of speaking, over » tdrive me over the border one of " grumbled Parker, and went tjshone to call up Sir Andrew sat Scotland Yard. IK". ?is a delightful little old-world 215 village, tucked away amid the mazeu criss-cross country roads which fills triangle of which Coventry, Warwick Birmingham mark the angles. Thr< the falling night, "Mrs. Merdle" pui her way delicately round hedge-blinc corners and down devious lanes, her qu< made no easier by the fact that Warwick County Council had pitched that particular week for a gn repainting of signposts and had reac the preliminary stage of laying a couple thick coats of gleaming white paint all the lettering. At intervals the paMi Bunter unpacked himself from the seat and climbed one of tin uncommunicative guides to peer at' blank surface with a torch -- a prx which reminded Parker of A3 Quartermaine trying to trace the feati of the departed Kings of the Kuki under their calcareous shrouds'*! stalactite. One of the posts turned out be in the wet-paint stage, which add< the depression of the party. Finally, several misdirections, blind alleys reversings back to the main road/ 21 fi fto a fourways. The signpost here ive been in extra need of repairs, |arms had been removed bodily; it fstark and ghastly -- a long, livid lerected in wild protest to the ithetic heavens. starting to rain," observed ^conversationally. here, Charles, if you're going to [cheerfully and be the life and soul [pedition, say so and have done ['ve got a good, heavy spanner ider the seat, and Bunter can help lebody." ink this must be Brushwood resumed Parker, who had the lis knee. "If so, and if it's not Earner, which I thought we passed mr ago, one of these roads leads Crofton." *would be highly encouraging if lew which road we were on." in always try them in turn, and if we find we're going wrong." tfeury suicides at crossroads," tensey, dangerously. 's a man sitting under that tree," 217 pursued Parker. "We can ask him." "He's lost his way too, or he wouldn' sitting there," retorted the other. "Pe< don't sit about in the rain for fun." At this moment the man observed approach and, rising, advanced to them with raised, arresting hand. Wimsey brought the car to a standstil "Excuse me," said the stranger, turned out to be a youth in motor-eye kit, "but could you give me a hand my 'bus?" "What's the matter with her?" "Well, she won't go." "I guessed as much," said Wii "Though why she should wish to ling( a place like this beats me." He got 01 the car, and the youth, diving into^ hedge, produced the patient inspection. "Did you tumble there or put there?" inquired Wimsey, eyeing oi machine distastefully. "I put her there. I've been kickingc starter for hours but nothing happenef| I thought I'd wait till somebody along." 218 j. What is the matter, exactly?" f't know. She was going beautifully she conked out suddenly." |e you run out of petrol?" 10. I'm sure there's plenty in." tail right?" m't know." The youth looked "It's only my second time out, m fewell -- there can't be much te'll just make sure about the jlirst," said Wimsey, more He unscrewed the filler-cap >d his torch upon the interior of 'Seems all right." He bent over rhistling, and replaced the cap. re her another kick for luck and ftlookattheplug." ing man, thus urged, grasped the irs, and with the energy of ilivered a kick which would have it to an army mule. The engine life in a fury of vibration, *trendingly. rod!" said the youth, "it's a fter laid a gentle hand on the 219 ''What did you do to it?" demanded] cyclist. "Blew through the filler-cap," sai< lordship with a grin. "Air-lock in the old son, that's all." ( '* mnds a wonderful old girl," said ^heartily. "I'd have liked to know fegot some friends who knew Miss ilte well -- when she was living shire, you know." sir? Well, that's strange, isn't is a very kind, nice lady. We died, too. Of this cancer, was m terrible thing, poor soul. And lieing connected with her, so to cpect you'd be interested in ir photographs of the Crofton W se gentlemen the photographs Wttaker and Miss Dawson. tainted with some friends of down in Hampshire. Step ifeyou're sure you won't take sir. 223 Mrs. Piggin led the way into a cosy private bar, where a number of hunt looking gentlemen were enjoying a glass before closing-time. Mr. Pigj stout and genial as his wife, me forward to do the honours. "What'll you have, gentlemen? -- two pints of the winter ale. And fancy^ knowing our Miss Dawson. Dear me, world's a very small place, as I often to my wife. Here's the last group asi ever took of them, when the meet held at the Manor in 1918. Of course, yl understand, it wasn't a regular meet,^ owing to the War and the gentlemen away and the horses too -- we coi keep things up regular like in the old But what with the foxes gettin' so tei many, and the packs all going to the -- ha! ha! -- that's what I often us< say in this bar -- the 'ounds is going td| dogs, I says. Very good, they used to it. There's many a gentleman has lau&l at me sayin' that -- the 'ounds, I sa] goin' to the dogs -- well, as I was &'< Colonel Fletcher and some of the oJ gentlemen, they says, we must cari ?.?4 they says, and so they 'ad one iratch meets as you might say, ;ep the pack from fallin' to las you might say. And Miss she says, ' 'Ave the meet at , Colonel,' she says, 'it's the last Ifeyer see, perhaps,' she says. And >oor lady, for she 'ad a stroke in !ear. She died in 1922. That's 'er, the pony-carriage and Miss reside 'er. Of course, Miss ' lad 'ad to give up riding to le years before. She was gettin' always followed in the trap, up |ry last. 'Andsome old lady, ain't V,: . ^eter and Parker looked with >le interest at the rather grim sitting so uncompromisingly ith the reins in her hand. A dour, featen old face, but certainly Istill, with its large nose and leavy eyebrows. And beside her, iper and more feminine, was Dawson whose curious death !m to this quiet country place, sweet, smiling face -- less ?9* dominating than that of her redoubt friend, but full of spirit and charac Without doubt they had been a remarl pair of old ladies. ..n Lord Peter asked a question or about the family. "Well, sir, I can't say as I knows about tha . We always understood as Whittaker had quarrelled with her p< on account of comin' here and settinl for herself. It wasn't usual in them for girls to leave home the way it is But if you're particularly interested,, there's an old gentleman here as can!) you all about the Whittakers and Dawsons too, and that's Ben Cobling.J was Miss Whittaker's groom for years, and he married Miss Claws maid as come with her from Noi Eighty-six 'e was, last birthday, bi grand old fellow still. We thinks a 1< Ben Cobling in these parts. 'Im and^ wife lives in the little cottage what Whittaker left them when she di< you'd like to go round and see theifll morrow, sir, you'll find Ben's memo! good as ever it was. Excuse me, sir^| m ». I must get 'em out of the bar. -- egentlemen, please! Three and ice, sir, thank you, sir. Hurry up, m, please. Now then, Joe, look it place, Crofton," said Lord rhen he and Parker were left alone it, low-ceilinged bedroom, where lets smelt of lavender. "Ben sure to know all about Cousin Fm looking forward to Ben w& if: »»'/ 227 Chapter XII A Tale of Two Spinsters « The power of perpetuating our proj in our families is one of the valuable and interesting circumst belonging to it." Burke: Reflections on the Revoluti The rainy night was followed by a streaked morning. Lord Peter, ha^ wrapped himself affectionately roundi abnormal quantity of bacon and e{ strolled out to bask at the door of "Fox-and-Hounds." He filled a slowly and meditated. Within, a ch( bustle in the bar announced the n( arrival of opening time. Eight di crossed the road in Indian file. A sprang up upon the bench, strel herself, tucked her hind legs under and coiled her tail tightly round thei 22ft cprevent them from accidentally jloose. A groom passed, riding a >rse and leading a chestnut with fgtiane; a spaniel followed them, liculously, with one ear flopped t'fcver his foolish head, ter said, "Hah!" -door was set hospitably open by who said, "Good morning, fmorning, sir," and vanished in. 'eter said, "Umph." He his right foot from over his left [tiled happily across the ie corner by the churchyard bent figure have into sight -- liu with a wrinkled face and legs lisibowed, his spare shanks fcather gaiters. He advanced if brisk totter and civilly bared head before lowering himself idible creak on to the bench Icat. listing, sir," said he. rning," said Lord Peter. "A p:": "That it be, sir, that it be," said tin man, heartily. "When I sees a beau! May day like this, I pray the Lord spare me to live in this wonderful worl His a few years longer. I do indeed.' "You look uncommonly fit," said>| lordship, "I should think there was 6t chance of it." "I'm still very hearty, sir, tl you, though I'm eighty-seven Michaelmas." Lord Peter expressed a pr< astonishment. "Yes, sir, eighty-seven, and if it w< for the rheumatics I'd have nothfa complain on. I'm stronger maybe what I look. I knows I'm a bit bent,i but that's the 'osses, sir, more thatf Regular brought up with 'osses I've all my life. Worked with 'em, slept' 'em -- lived in a stable, you might sir. ? > "You couldn't have better compJ said Lord Peter. oi "That's right, sir, you couldn't. My; always used to say she was jealous 'osses. Said I preferred their convei san ell, maybe she was right, sir. A talks no foolishness, I says to at's more than you can always en, ain't it, sir?" leed," said Wimsey. "What are to have?" you, sir, I'll have my usual pint iim knows. Jim! Always start ith a pint of bitter, sir. It's than tea to my mind and don't ts of the stomach." s?say you're right," said Wimsey. mention it, there is something ut tea. Mr. Piggin, two pints of ase, and will you join us?" you, my lord," said the "Joe! Two large bitters and a Beautiful morning, my lord -- Mr. Cobling -- I see you've other's acquaintance already." e! so this is Mr. Cobling. I'm fto see you. I wanted particularly %hat with you." sir?" telling this gentleman -- Lord isey his name is -- as you could fll about Miss Whittaker and Miss 231 Dawson. He knows friends of Dawson's." "Indeed? Ah! There ain't mm couldn't tell you about them ladies.^ proud I'd be to do it. Fifty years J with Miss Whittaker. I come to under-groom in old Johnny Blackthc time, and stayed on as head-groom he died. A rare young lady she them days. Deary me. Straight switch, with a fine, high colour in cheeks and shiny black hair -- just Ij beautiful two-year-old filly she was/* very sperrited. Wonnerful sperrf There was a many gentlemen as have been glad to hitch up with h< she was never broke to harness. Like'f she treated 'em. Wouldn't look at except it might be the grooms stablehands in a matter of 'osses. the way of business, of course. Well, is some creatures like that. I 'ad a tei bitch that way. Great ratter she was a business woman -- nothin' else. I? 'er with all the dogs I could lay 'art but it weren't no good. Bloodshed was an' sich a row -- you never 'earc 232 ;s a few on 'em that way to suit irposes, I suppose. There ain't no females." >tersaid"Ah!" rent down in silence, jgin roused himself presently Implation to tell a story of Miss in the hunting-field. Mr. rapped this by another. Lord "Ah!" Parker then emerged ^introduced, and Mr. Cobling privilege of standing a round of fhis ritual accomplished, Mr. Iged the company would be his a third round, and then excused the plea of customers to attend in, and Lord Peter, by skilful lenihgly slow degrees, began to way back to the history of the family. Parker -- educated at i-Furness grammar school and wits further sharpened in the >lice service -- endeavoured now to get matters along faster by a Jtion. The result, every time, ike Mr. Cobling lose the thread 233 of his remarks and start him off i series of interminable side-tr Wimsey kicked his friend viciously o ankle-bone to keep him quiet, and* endless patience worked the convers back to the main road again. At the end of an hour or so, Mr. Co explained that his wife could tell th great deal more about Miss Dawson what he could, and invited them to his cottage. This invitation being acce with alacrity, the party started off,* Cobling explaining to Parker that h eighty-seven come next Michaelmas hearty still, indeed, stronger th appeared, bar the rheumatics troubled him. "I'm not saying as F bent," said Mr. Cobling, "but that's the work of the 'osses. Regular lived! 'osses all my life ----" "Don't look so fretful, Chart murmured Wimsey in his ear, "it m the tea at breakfast -- it frets the coa the stomach." Mrs. Cobling turned out to delightful old lady, exactly like.a dri pippin and only two years youngert 234 ?ni if. She was entranced at getting lity to talk about her darling tlha. Parker, thinking it put forward some reason for , started on an involved IV* and was kicked again. To ig, nothing could be more that all the world should be t.'dh the Dawsons, and she ly on without prompting, ifeeen in the Dawson family la girl -- almost born in it as ilsay. Hadn't her mother been to Mr. Henry Dawson, Miss ipa, and to his father before jrself had gone to the big house maid when she wasn't but it was when Miss Harriet was tears old -- her as afterwards '. James Whittaker. Yes, and there when the rest of the born. Mr. Stephen -- him as been the heir -- ah, dear! only fcame and that killed his poor fthere was nothing left. Yes, a that was. Poor Mr. Henry with something -- Mrs. 235 Cobling wasn't clear what, but it wj very wicked and happened in Lc where there were so many wicked p< -- and the long and the short was, h< it all, poor gentleman, and never h< his head again. Only fifty-four hei when he died; such a fine upi gentleman with a pleasant won everybody. And his wife didn't lival after him, poor lamb. She wi Frenchwoman and a sweet lady, bi was very lonely in England, havii family and her two sisters walled upr in one of them dreadful Romish Comfi "And what did Mr. Stephen do wl money went?" asked Wimsey. "Him? Oh, he went into busines strange thing that did seem, though heard tell as old Barnabas Dawsoi Henry's grandfather that was, was but a grocer or something of that they do say, don't they, that shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves is generations? Still, it was very hard i Stephen, as had always been brought have everything of the best. And to be married to a beautiful lady, 9?fi *h heiress. But it was all for the ten she heard Mr. Stephen was after all, she threw him over, lowed she had no heart in her at ;phen never married till he was and then it was a lady with no 11 -- not lawful, that is, though udear, sweet girl and made Mr. rmost splendid wife -- she did Mr. John, he was their only tough t the world of him. It was ty when the news came that he in the War. A cruel business >ir, wasn't it? -- and nobody the fcit as I can see, but all these ird taxes, and the price of gone up so, and so many out of >' * ras killed? That must have been *ief to his parents." lir, terrible. Oh, it was an awful xgether, sir, for poor Mr. is had had so much trouble all went out of his poor mind and Out of his mind he must have do it -- and what was more ill, he shot his dear lady as 237 well. You may remember it, sir. was pieces in the paper about it." "I seem to have some v recollection of it," said Peter, untruthfully, but anxious not to s< belittle the local tragedy. "And John -- he wasn't married, I suppose!] "No, sir. That was very sad, was engaged to a young lady -- a nui one of the English hospitals, understood, and he was hoping to gel and be married to her on his next Everything did seem to go all together them terrible years.'' The old lady sighed, and wiped hern "Mr. Stephen was the only son, th< "Well, not exactly, sir. There darling twins. Such pretty childn they only lived two days. They com< years after Miss Harriet -- hi married Mr. James Whittaker." "Yes, of course. That was hoi families became connected." "Yes, sir. Miss Agatha and Harriet and Miss Clara Whittaker at the same school together, ai Whittaker asked the two young la< 238 >end their holidays with Miss jci that was when Mr. James fell ith Miss Harriet. She wasn't as [iss Agatha, to my thinking, but Lvelier and quicker -- and then, .Miss Agatha was never one for foolishness. Often she used to 'Betty,' she said, 'I mean to be rid and so does Miss Clara, and to live together and be ever so rMhout any stupid, tiresome ui And so it turned out, sir, as Jor Miss Agatha, for all she was Us very determined. Once she'd you couldn't turn her from it reasons, nor with threats, nor igs -- nothing! Many's the time when she was a child -- for I ive a little help in the nursery j$i sir. You might drive her into or into the sulks, but you lake her change her little mind, » i£ame to Wimsey's mind the rf the stricken, helpless old Iding to her own way in spite of ir's reasoning and her niece's 239 subterfuge. A remarkable old ]g certainly, in her way. .^ "I suppose the Dawson family practically died out, then," he said. "Oh, yes, sir. There's only Miss now -- and she's a Whittaker, of coi She is Miss Harriet's granddaughter,^ Charles Whittaker's only child. Shen left all alone, too, when she went tdi with Miss Dawson. Mr. Charles am wife was killed in one of these dr< motors -- dear, dear -- it seemed wt fated to have nothing but one tn after another. Just to think of Ben ai outliving them all." "Cheer up, Mother," said Ben, fe his hand on hers. "The Lord have« wonderful good to us." "That He have. Three sons we1 sir, and two daughters, and foul grandchildren and three gr* grandchildren. Maybe you'd like their pictures, sir." i! Lord Peter said he should like to^ much, and Parker made confirm* noises. The life-histories of all! children and descendants were del 240 length. Whenever a pause seemed rte, Parker would mutter fin Wimsey's ear, "How about lelujah?" but before a question put, the interminable family twas resumed. lior God's sake, Charles," Peter, savagely, when Mrs. risen to hunt for the shawl idson William had sent home Dardanelles, "don't keep saying :mt me! I'm not a revival ml being duly admired, the m turned upon foreign parts, id black people generally, which, Lord Peter added ly, hasn't the Dawson family tiss&rt of connections in those itries, somewhere ?'' said Mrs. Cobling, in rather a te. There had been Mr. Paul, >s brother. But he was not jmuch. He had been a terrible family. In fact -- a gasp here, King of the voice -- he had ?41 turned Papist and become -- a (Had he become a murderer, appare he could hardly have done worse.) Henry had always blamed himself?! much in the matter. "How was it his fault?" "Well, of course, Mr. Henry's wi my dear mistress, you see, sir -- shq French, as I told you, and of course! was a Papist. Being brought up tha she wouldn't know any better, natu: and she was very young when she's married. But Mr. Henry soon taugh: to be a Christian, and she put aw, idolatrous ideas and went to the church. But Mr. Paul, he fell in lo one of her sisters, and the sister ha vowed to religion, as they called it} had shut herself up in a nunnery, then Mr. Paul had broken his heart "gone over" to the Scarlet Woman again the pause and the hush -- be monk. A terrible to-do it made. Am lived to be a very old man, and f Mrs. Cobling knew was living yet, the error of his ways. * "If he's alive," murmured P 242 >bably the real heir. He'd be >awson's uncle and her nearest frowned and returned to the couldn't have been Mr. Paul I kind," he said, "because this sort of Miss Agatha Dawson's that I rat was a real foreigner -- in ?ery dark-complexioned man -- )lack man, or so I was told." cried the old lady -- "oh, no, couldn't be. Unless -- dear Lord t?iit£ouldn't be that, surely! Ben, ink it could be that? - Old know?" )k his head. "I never heard tell itit him." Ibody did," replied Mrs. Cobling, illy. "He was a long way back, *»had tales of him in the family, Jimon,' they called him. He iy to the Indies, many years ago, ly knew what became of him. ^it be a queer thing, like, if he re married a black wife out in i, and this was his -- oh, dear -- 743 his grandson it 'ud have to be, if not great-grandson, for he was Mr. Hei uncle, and that's a long time ago." This was disappointing. A grandsoi "old Simon's" would surely be too dij a relative to dispute Mary Whittal title. However: 'That's very interesting," said Wii "Was it the East Indies or the West Ii he went to, I wonder?" Mrs. Cobling didn't know, but believed it was something to do America. "It's a pity as Mr. Probyn aim England any longer. He could have, you more about the family than will can. But he retired last year and away to Italy or some such place." "Who was he?" "He was Miss Whittaker's solicil said Ben, "and he managed all Dawson's business, too. A nice gentl< he was, but uncommon sharp -- hapi Never gave nothing away. But lawyers all the world over," add* shrewdly, "take all and give nothing, "DidheliveinCrofton?" 244 j§|r, in Croftover Magna, twelve )m here. Pointer & Winkin have less now, but they're young men, fit know much about them." by this time heard all the Iliad to tell, Wimsey and Parker disentangled themselves and ileave. Sousin Hallelujah's a washout," Jer. jly -- possibly not. There may be lection. Still, I certainly think ;ful and papistical Mr. Paul is using. Obviously Mr. Probyn is rget hold of. You realise who he IT the mysterious solicitor, I >e he is. He knows why Miss tght to have made her will. And ing straight off to Croftover rt*took up Messrs. Pointer & see what they have to say ip By, Messrs. Pointer & Winkin ling to say whatever. Miss withdrawn her affairs from 245 ___ ,'S Mr. Probyn's hands and had lodged all\ papers with her new solicitor. Mes Pointer & Winkin had never had 1 connection with the Dawson family, had no objection, however, to furnis Mr. Probyn's address -- Villa Bij Fiesole. They regretted that they couli of no further assistance to Lord Wimsey and Mr. Parker. Good mornii "Short and sour," was his lordsl comment. "Well, well -- we'll have of lunch and write a letter to Mr. Pi and another to my good friend Bi Lambert of the Orinoco Mission to line on Cousin Hallelujah. Smile, si smile. As Ingoldsby says: The bn are blowing a race, a race! The brl are blowing «-- we near the chase!' ken John Peel? Likewise, know'st th< land where blooms the citron-fh Well, never mind if you don't -- yc always look forward to going ther< your honeymoon." -H 24fi ill Chapter XIII Hallelujah i&tors are very good kind of it they are the last people I choose to have a visiting ice with." Sheridan: The Rivals int prelate, Bishop Lambert of Mission, proved to be a tod kind man. He did not plfcnow the Rev. Hallelujah thought he might belong tabernacle Mission -- a list body which was doing a le work in those parts. He Jelf communicate with the ickjuarters of this community iPeter know the result. Two Bishop Lambert's secretary Ig up the Tabernacle Mission 247 and received the very satisfacl information that the Rev. Halleh Dawson was in England, and, hidt available at their Mission Hous< Stepney. He was an elderly mini! living in very reduced circumstances fact, the Bishop rather gathered thatj story was a sad one. -- Oh, not at? pray, no thanks. The Bishop's miserable slave of a secretary did al work. Very glad to hear from Lord P< and was he being good? Ha, ha! and was he coming to dine with the Bishoj Lord Peter promptly gathered? Parker and swooped down with him the Tabernacle Mission, before whosi and grim frontage Mrs. Merdle's black bonnet and sweeping copper e^ made an immense impression. The si fry of the neighbourhood had clusf about her and were practising horn? almost before Wimsey had rung the On Parker's threatening them >i punishment and casually informing that he was a police-officer, they5! into ecstasies of delight, and j< hands, formed a ring-o'-roses roundii 248 le guidance of a sprightly young of twelve years old or its. Parker made a few harassed lem, but the ring only broke up, with laughter, and reformed "he Mission door opened at the displaying this undignified to the eyes of a lank young man icles, who shook a long finger ringly and said, "Now, you ^ without the slightest effect irently without the faintest m of producing any. ler explained his errand, le in, please," said the young had one finger in a book of I'm afraid your friend -- er -- ler a noisy district." shook himself free from his |rs, and advanced, breathing js and slaughter, to which the >onded by a derisive blast of irun those batteries down," said r, ,&' |n't do anything with the little »wled Parker. 249 "Why don't you treat them as hi beings?" retorted Wimsey. "Childrei creatures of like passions with politic and financiers. Here, Esmeralda! added, beckoning to the ringleader. The young woman put her tongue^ and made a rude gesture, but obsei the glint of coin in the outstretched suddenly approached and s challengingly before them. fj "Look here," said Wimsey, "here's a crown -- thirty pennies, you know: use to you?" The child promptly proved her kh with humanity. She became abash* the presence of wealth, and was sfl rubbing one dusty shoe upon the c< her stocking. "You appear," pursued Lord Petefi be able to keep your young frieni order if you choose. I take you, in fa< a woman of character. Very well, i$ keep them from touching my car I'm in the house, you get this half-ci see? But if you let 'em blow the h< shall hear it. Every time the horn you lose a penny, got that? If the?l ?Rft times, you only get two bob. If I thirty times, you don't get And I shall look out from time to if I see anybody mauling the car sitting in it, then you don't get JC Do I make myself clear?" *s care o' yer car fer 'arf a crahn. Hfc'-'orn goes, you docks a copper *} right." fou are, mister. I'll see none on fesit." (rl. Now, sir." itacled young man led them into little waiting-room, suggestive ray station and hung with Old prints. Mr. Dawson you're here," said Vanished, with the volume of I'll clutched in his hand. tly a shuffling step was heard on ilit matting, and Wimsey and ied themselves to confront the taimant. however, opened to admit an ;t Indian, of so humble and an appearance that the hearts «1E1 of the two detectives sank into their Anything less murderous could scaj be imagined, as he stood bliuj nervously at them from behind a pj steel-rimmed spectacles, the frai which had at one time been brokeijj bound with twine. The Rev. Hallelujah Dawson undoubtedly a man of colour. He ha« pleasant, slightly aquiline featurefj brown-olive skin of the Polynesian] hair was scanty and greyish -- not w^ but closely curled. His stooping shoi were clad in a threadbare clerical His black eyes, yellow about the and slightly protruding, rolled amial them, and his smile was open and fn ''You asked to see me?" he begaf perfect English, but with the soft m intonation. "I think I have nol pleasure----?" "How do you do, Mr. Dawson? Ye$ are -- er -- makin' certain inquiries] -- in connection with the family Dawsons of Crofton in Warwickshire it has been suggested that you mi| able to enlighten us, what? as td= 7m tn connections -- if you would be I»" The old man drew himself "I am myself -- in a way -- a It of the family. Won't you sit rr roll. We thought you might be." Nilo not come from Miss i» Was something eager, yet til the tone. Wimsey, not quite that was behind it, chose the »art. jJMWe are -- preparin' a work on families, don't you know, and genealogies and that sort &?" fyes -- I hoped perhaps ----" foes died away in a sigh. ''But I iry happy to help you in any Hie question now is, what rSimon Dawson? We know that ^family and sailed for the West "ah! -- in seventeen ----" Br hundred and ten," said the ith surprising quickness. "Yes. 9*3 He got into trouble when he was a sixteen. He took up with bad men than himself, and became involvedtj very terrible affair. It had to do gaming, and a man was killed. Not duel -- in those days that would not been considered disgraceful -- thi violence is always displeasing to the -- but the man was foully murden Simon Dawson and his friends fled justice. Simon fell in with the press and was carried off to sea. He s< fifteen years and was then taken French privateer. Later on he es and -- to cut a long story short away to Trinidad under another Some English people there were him and gave him work on their plantation. He did well there-: eventually became owner of a plantation of his own." "What was the name he went by?! "Harkaway. I suppose he was that they would get hold of him deserter from the Navy if he went own name. No doubt he should%ij reported his escape. Anyway, hejj 254 life and was quite satisfied to re he was. I don't suppose he re cared to go home, even to leritance. And then, there was matter of the murder, you mgh I dare say they would not jht that trouble up against him, iwas so young when it happened not his hand that did the awful jritance? Was he the eldest a abas was the eldest, but he Waterloo and left no family, was a second son, Roger, but pmallpox as a child. Simon was .?.» is the fourth son who took the 'rederick. He was Henry fether. They tried, of course, to it became of Simon, but in ps it was difficult, you to get information from taces, and Simon had quite So they had to pass him ®j 255 11 And what happened to Sint< children?" asked Parker. "Did he any?" The clergyman nodded, and a dusky flush showed under his dark skii "I am his grandson," he said, sii "That is why I came over to EngI When the Lord called me to fe< lambs among my own people, I was quite good circumstances. I had the sugar plantation which had come do\i me through my father, and I married was very happy. But we fell on bad -- the sugar crop failed, and our flock became smaller and poorer i could not give so much support to minister. Besides, I was getting t( and frail to do my work -- and I hs sick wife, too, and God has blessed usJ many daughters, who needed our was in great straits. And then I cam< some old family papers belonging to] grandfather, Simon, and learned tto name was not Harkaway but Dawsoflj I thought, maybe I had a fafflfl England and that God would yet ran table in the wilderness. Accordingly, 256 t^ame to send a representative our London Headquarters, I dssion to resign my ministry liid come over to England." sget in touch with anybody?" rent to Crofton -- which was in my grandfather's letters -- lawyer in the town there -- a Ijm of Croftover. You know m ffdofhim." fcwas very kind, and very much 4o see me. He showed me the >©1 the family, and how my should have been the heir to » Property had been lost by that inot?" unfortunately -- when I my grandmother's marriage he -- he told me that it was no &fct all. I fear that Simon Is a sad sinner. He took my ir to live with him, as many of P-'did-take women of colour, her a document which was -be a certificate of marriage 257 signed by the Governor of the coi But when Mr. Probyn inquired into i\ found that it was all a sham, and no governor had ever existed. It n distressing to my feelings as a Chris of course -- but since there wj property, it didn't make any a* difference to us." 'That was bad luck," said P< sympathetically. "I called resignation to my aid,1 the old Indian, with a dignified little/i "Mr. Probyn was also good enouj send me with a letter of introductw Miss Agatha Dawson, the only suryj member of our family." "Yes, she lived at Leahampton.' "She received me in the most chai way, and when I told her who I Wjc acknowledging, of course, that I hi the slightest claim upon her -- shefj good enough to make me an allowai 100 pounds a year, which she continued til death." "Was that the only time you saw hifj "Oh, yes. I would not intrude upQgi It could not be agreeable to her to 258 if my complexion continually at said the Rev. Hallelujah, with proud humility. "But she gave tand spoke very kindly." forgive my askin' -- hope it Nertinent -- but does Miss keep up the allowance?" 10 -- I -- perhaps I should not Ifeut it would have made a great tto our circumstances. And Miss *ather led me to hope that it deontinued. She told me that she the idea of making a will, but, It is not necessary at all, Cousin ^ Mary will have all my money gone, and she can continue the on my behalf.' But perhaps iker did not get the money she did. It is very odd. She forgotten about it." #he liberty of writing her a few |spiritual comfort when her aunt ips that did not please her. Of did not write again. Yet I am ilieve that she has hardened her ihst the unfortunate. No doubt 259 there is some explanation." "No doubt," said Lord Peter, "i I'm very grateful to you for your kindi That has quite cleared up the little of Simon and his descendants. I'll make a note of the names and dates,' may." "Certainly. I will bring you the ps which Mr. Probyn kindly made oute me, showing the whole of the fai Excuse me." He was not gone long, and reappeared with a genealogy, neatly out on a legal-looking sheet of blue paj Wimsey began to note down particulars concerning Simon Dawsoni his son, Bosun, and his grand* Hallelujah. Suddenly he put his fing< an entry further along. "Look here, Charles," he said. "Hi our Father Paul -- the bad boy who tui R.C. and became a monk." "So he is. But - he's dead, Pel died in 1922, three years before Agl Dawson." "Yes. We must wash him out. these little setbacks will occur." 2BQ dshed their notes, bade farewell »v. Hallelujah, and emerged to leralda valiantly defending Mrs. igainst all-comers. Lord Peter >ver the half-crown and took rf the car. lore I hear of Mary Whittaker," |!the less I like her. She might at tve given poor old Cousin his hundred quid." a rapacious female," agreed ^Well, anyway, Father Paul's id, and Cousin Hallelujah is ily descended. So there's an le long-lost claimant from ». it all!" cried Wimsey, taking from the steering-wheel and his head, to Parker's extreme [at strikes a familiar chord, in thunder have I heard those >re?" «,> 261 Chapter XIV Sharp Quillets of the Lcr "Things done without example -- in their issue Are to be feared." Henry VHI$ "Murbles is coming round to dinnei night, Charles," said Wimsey. "I you'd stop and have grub with us want to put all this family history bun before him." "Where are you dining?" "Oh, at the flat. I'm sick of restai meals. Bunter does a wonderful bl steak and there are new peas and po\ and genuine English grass. Gerald up from Denver specially. You can'ti it. Come along. Ye olde English don't you know, and a bottle of Pepys calls Ho Bryon. Do you good." Parker accepted. But he noticed 262 Speaking on his beloved subject i Wimsey was vague and Something seemed to be it the back of his mind, and even Eurbles appeared, full of mild mr, Wimsey listened to him le courtesy indeed, but with shis attention. *e partly through dinner when, nothing, Wimsey suddenly It fist down on the mahogany ish that startled even Bunter, to jerk a great crimson le Haul Brion over the edge of m the tablecloth, r^aid Lord Peter. Iffi a low shocked voice begged §s pardon. is," said Wimsey, without "isn't there a new Property " said Mr. Murbles, in some had been in the middle of a a young barrister and a broker when the interruption :d was a little put out. f I'd read that sentence 2fi3 somewhere -- you know, Charles doing away with the long-lost cfc from overseas. It was in some pj other about a couple of years ago^ had to do with the new Act. Of com said what a blow it would be to roi novelists. Doesn't the Act wash ouf claims of distant relatives, Murbles?^ "In a sense, it does," repli< solicitor. "Not, of course, in the entailed property, which has its ownfj But I understand you to refer to ore personal property or real estatt entailed." "Yes, what happens to that, now»-J owner of the property dies without a will?" "It is rather a complicated m< began Mr. Murbles. "Well, look here, first of all -- the jolly old Act was passed, the n< kin got it all, didn't he -- no matte! was only a seventh cousin fifteejfcH removed?" "In a general way, that is conN there was husband or wife ----" "Wash out the husband and 264 16 person is unmarried and has jlations living. It would have mext-of-kin, whoever that was, could be traced." you had to burrow back to te Conqueror to get at the i" supposing you could get a clear ik to so very early a date," Murbles. "It is, of course, in ^degree improbable----" ifes, I know, sir. But what w in such a case?" Act makes inheritance on rery much simpler," said Mr. tlsetting his knife and fork icing both elbows on the table fl-the index-finger of his right it his left thumb in a gesture of >es," interpolated Wimsey. "I i;an Act to make things simpler leans that the people who drew Understand it themselves and me of its clauses needs a law itangle it. But do go on." 265 "Under the new Act," pursued! Murbles, "one half of the property g< the husband and wife, if living, subject to his or her life-interest, thi to the children equally. But if there spouse and no children, then it goes father or mother of the deceased, father and mother are both dead, 9 everything goes to the brothers^ sisters of the whole blood who are at the time, but if any brother or dies before the intestate, then to his issue. In case there are no broth< sisters of the----" "Stop, stop! you needn't go any fin You're absolutely sure of that? It the brothers' or sisters' issue?" M "Yes. That is to say, if it were y< died intestate and your brother and your sister Mary were already^ your money would be equally di among your nieces and nephews.' "Yes, but suppose they were all dead too -- suppose I'd gone t( living on till I'd nothing left but^ nephews and great-nieces -- wouto inherit?" 266 why, yes, I suppose they ;aid Mr. Murbles, with less however. "Oh, yes, I think they they would," said Parker, a iently, "if it says to the issue sed's brothers and sisters." we must not be precipitate," tirbles, rounding upon him. "To d, doubtless, the word 'issue' imple one. But in law" -- (Mr. o up till this point had held inger of the right-hand poised kfe ring-finger of the left, in of the claims of the brothers of the half-blood, now placed upon the table and wagged ex-finger admonishingly in ection) -- "in law the word one of two, or indeed several hs, according to the nature of in which it occurs and the ocument." new Act ----" urged Lord l&t, particularly," said Mr. 'a specialist in the law 267 concerning property, and I should r^ to give a decided opinion as interpretation, all the more as, up present, no case has come befoi Courts bearing on the present issue! pun intended, ha, ha, ha! Bul immediate and entirely tentative oj -- which, however, I should advise to accept without the support ofi weightier authority -- would be, I that issue in this case means is* infinitum, and that therefore the nephews and great-nieces wouJ entitled to inherit." "But there might be another opinii "Yes -- the question is a comp! one----" "What did I tell you?" groanediJ "I knew this simplifying Act would^ a shockin' lot of muddle." "May I ask," said Murbles, why you want to know all this?" "Why, sir," said Wimsey, takinj his pocket-book the genealogy Dawson family which he had n from the Rev. Hallelujah Dawsony is the point. We have always talked' 2fi8 ittaker as Agatha Dawson's fwas always called so and she ifhe old lady as her aunt. But if this, you will see that actually iiearer to her than great-niece: grand-daughter of Agatha's let" le," said Mr. Murbles, "but was apparently the nearest elative, and since Agatha ltd in 1925, the money passed question to Mary Whittaker >ld Property Act. There's no There." Wimsey, "none whatever, int. But----" ,!" broke in Parker, "I see idriving at. When did the new to force, sir?" lary, 1926," replied Mr. *.i Uss Dawson died, rather ^v as we know, in November, ion Peter. "But supposing she the doctor fully expected her ibruary or March, 1926 -- are *Iy positive, sir, that Mary 269 Whittaker would have inherited then' Mr. Murbles opened his mouth to -- and shut it again. He rubbed his very slowly the one over the oth< removed his eyeglasses and res them more firmly on his nose. Then:? "You are quite right, Lord Petei said in a grave tone, "this is m serious and important point. Muel serious for me to give an opinion 01 understand you rightly, yoi suggesting that any ambiguity interpretation of the new Act provide an interested party with good and sufficient motive for ha? the death of Agatha Dawson." "I do mean exactly that. Of coi the great-niece inherits anyhow, i\ lady might as well die under the nei as under the old. But if there was doubt about it -- how tempting, doi see, to give her a little push over thi so as to make her die in 1925. Esj as she couldn't live long anyhc there were no other relatives defrauded." "That reminds me," put in 270 le great-niece is excluded from itance, where does the money ' } - sto the Duchy of Lancaster -- or irds, to the Crown." rf said Wimsey, "to no one in Upon my soul, I really can't If very much of a crime to bump ifcfaing off a bit previously when rin' horribly, just to get the intends you to have. Why the 14 the Duchy of Lancaster have cares about the Duchy of *?* It's like defrauding the )? y» observed Mr. Murbles, be much to be said for your w. Legally, I am afraid, murder, however frail the yenient the result." tha Dawson didn't want to barker, "she said so." id Wimsey, thoughtfully, "and e had a right to an opinion." said Mr. Murbles, "that igo any further, we ought to cialist in this branch of the 271 law. I wonder whether Towkingtoi home. He is quite the ablest authoi could name. Greatly as I dislik< modern invention, the telephone, I might be advisable to ring him up." Mr. Towkington proved to be at and at liberty. The case of the great was put to him over the 'phon< Towkington, taken at a disadvj without his authorities, and hazardi opinion on the spur of the nn thought that in all probability the niece would be excluded froi succession under the new Act. But an interesting point, and he would-fri of an opportunity to verify his refenl Would not Mr. Murbles come roui talk it over with him? Mr. Ml explained that he was at that dining with two friends who interested in the question. In thaW would not the two friends also come and see Mr. Towkington? "Towkington has some very 63 port," said Mr. Murbles, in a cai aside, and clapping his hand ovt! mouthpiece of the telephone. 272 rhy not go and try it?" said leerfully. ly as far as Gray's Inn," [r. Murbles. jtter," said Lord Peter. Ibles released the telephone and tr. Towkington. The party would once for Gray's Inn. Mr. was heard to say, "Good, hearty manner before ringing ^arrival at Mr. Towkington's the oak was found to be |«nsported, and almost before ;nock, Mr. Towkington himself le door and greeted them in a reerful tone. He was a large, pwith a florid face and a harsh Hirt, he was famous for a way ICome now," as a preface to Lcitrant witnesses into tight rti he would then proceed to |with a brilliant confutation. He *y by sight, expressed himself meet Inspector Parker, and guests into the room with 273 "I've been going into this little while you were coming along," he* "Awkward, eh? ha! Astonishing thin: people can't say what they meam they draw Acts, eh? ha! Why d suppose it is, Lord Peter, eh? ha! now!" "I suspect it's because Acts are up by lawyers," said Wimsey grin. "To make work for themselves, daresay you're right. Even lawyers live, eh? ha! Very good. Welle Murbles, let's just have this case a greater detail, d'you mind?" Mr. Murbles explained the again, displaying the genealogical and putting forward the point as re possible motive for murder. "Eh, ha!" exclaimed Mr. Towk much delighted, "that's good -- very -- your idea, Lord Peter? Very inge Too ingenious. The dock at the Old is peopled by gentlemen who a$ ingenious. Ha! Come to a bad end these days, young man. Eh? Yes now, Murbles, the question here t 274 Station of the word 'issue' -- that, eh, ha! Yes. Well, you think it means issue ad How do you make that out, > say I thought it did; I said I i might," remonstrated Mr. lildly. "The general intention appears to be to exclude any where the common ancestor is »k than the grandparents -- not le descendants of the brothers » snapped Mr. Towkington. 5hed at you, Murbles! The law 4 to do with good intentions. the Act say? It says, 'To the id sisters of the whole blood me.' Now, in the absence of inition, I should say that the to be construed as before the construed on intestacy -- in so 'rate, as it refers to personal tich I understand the property be, eh?" Mr. Murbles. ton't see that you and your 275 great-niece have a leg to stand on -- now!" "Excuse me," said Wimsey, "but mind -- I know lay people are ignorant nuisances -- but if you we so good as to explain what the word did or does mean, it we frightfully helpful, don't you know. "Ha! Well, it's like this," sai Towkington, graciously. 1837----" » Bi "Queen Victoria, I know," said intelligently. I! "Quite so. At the time when Victoria came to the throne, the 'issue' had no legal meaning -- not meaning at all." "You surprise me!" "You are too easily surprised,'! Mr. Towkington. "Many words h legal meaning. Others have a meaning very unlike their ord meaning. For example, the word f down-dilly.' It is a criminal libel to lawyer a daffy-down-dilly. Ha! ^ advise you never to do such a things certainly advise you never to do ita 276 Is which are quite meaningless Unary conversation may have a law. For instance, I might say tpnan like yourself, 'You wish to -and-such property to so-andni would very likely reply, 'Oh, lately' -- meaning nothing in ttby that. But if you were to will, 'I leave such-and-such so-and-so absolutely,' then would bear a definite legal Isand would condition your fa certain manner, and might re an embarrassment and ilts very far from your actual In, ha! You see?" *11. Prior to 1837, the word it nothing. A grant 'to A. and lerely gave A. a life estate, is was altered by the Wills Act a will was concerned," put in -' fri After 1837, in a will, 'issue' of the body' -- that is to say, ifinitum.' In a deed, on the 277 other hand, 'issue' retained itsi meaning -- or lack of meaning ehj You follow?" "Yes," said Mr. Murbles, ' intestacy of personal property -- "I am coming to that," said! Towkington. "---- the word 'issue' continued to 'heirs of the body,' and that held g( 1926." "Stop!" said Mr. Towkington, "is the child or children of the dec certainly meant 'issue ad infinitw but -- issue of any person not a el the deceased only meant the child of person and did not include descendants. And that undoubtedly! good till 1926. And since the neiwi contains no statement to the contri think we must presume that it coi to hold good. Ha! Come now! In um before us, you observe that the cl< is not the child of the decease* issue of the child of the deceased; she the child of the deceased's She is merely the grandchild deceased sister of the decej 278 ly, I think she is debarred iting under the new Act, eh? mr point," said Mr. Murbles. loreover," went on Mr. , "after 1925, 'issue' in a will rjdoes not mean 'issue ad /'That at least is clearly stated, ills Act of 1837 is revoked on Not that that has any direct rthe question. But it may be an ^of the tendency of modern and might possibly affect ithe court in deciding how the was to be construed for the the new Act." iSaid Mr. Murbles, "I bow to knowledge." ;ase," broke in Parker, "any rin the matter would provide finotive for murder as the iexclusion from inheritance. If iker only thought she might jy in the event of her great 4ng into 1926, she might quite *ted to polish her off a little lake sure.: 5 > 279 "That's true enough," said Murbles. "Shrewd, very shrewd, ha!" addec Towkington. "But you realise that al theory of yours depends on Whittaker's having known about th< Act and its probable consequent early as October, 1925, eh, ha!" 'There's no reason why she shouh said Wimsey. "I remember readii article in the Evening Banner, I tl was, some months earlier -- aboi time when the Act was having its reading. That's what put the thing ii head -- I was trying to rememb< evening where I'd seen that thing washing out the long-lost heir, you*] Mary Whittaker may easily have too." "Well, she'd probably have taken about it if she did," said Mr. Mi "Who is her usual man of affairs?" Wimsey shook his head. "I don't think she'd have asked hii objected. "Not if she was wise, You see, if she did, and he $< probably wouldn't get anything 280 m either made a will or die^d iaary, 1926, and if after that th*e idid unexpectedly pop off In 55, wouldn't the solicitoM* inclined to ask questions? Mt sr safe, don't y'know. I 'xpecrt some stranger and asked a jent little questions undesr le, what?" ly," said Mr. Towkingtom. a remarkable disposition for you, eh?" I did go in for it, I'd tale:e precautions," retorted !E wonderful, of course, time igs murderers do do. But I Ihighest opinion of Miss rains. I bet she covered her well." think Mr. Probyn mentionefd Psuggested Parker, "the tirrme >wn and tried to get Miss rke her will." f^ said Wimsey, with energy, 1% certain he tried to explain pie old lady, only she was so re very idea of a will sr*e 281 wouldn't let him get a word in. But I if; old Probyn was too downy a bird the heir that her only chance of getti dollars was to see that her great-aura off before the Act went through. you tell anybody that, Mr. Towkin "Not if I knew it," said that gentl grinning. "It would be highly undesir agreed Mr. Murbles. if "Anyway," said Wimsey, "we easily find out. Probyn's in Italy -- going to write to him, but perhaps better do it, Murbles. And, i meanwhile, Charles and I will think way to find whoever it was that Miss Whittaker an opinion on the ma "You're not forgetting, I suppose^ Parker, rather dryly, "that before p down a murder to any particular m< it is usual to ascertain that a murd been committed? So far, all we that, after a careful post-m analysis, two qualified doctors agreed that Miss Dawson died a B death." "I wish you wouldn't keep on say 282 Charles. It bores me so. It's iven never flitting which, as the irves, still is sitting, still is jyiting one to heave the pallid lias at him and have done with rait till I publish my epoch pork: The Murder's Vade pr 101 Ways of Causing mth. That'll show you I'm not .trifled with." ii" said Parker. isaw the Chief Commissioner |Bg and reported that he was at »d to take the Dawson case 283 Chapter XV Temptation of St. Petei Pierrot: "Scaramel, I am tempted. Scaramel: " Always yield to temptati L. Housman: Pr As Parker came out from the Commissioner's room, he was cauj an officer. "There's been a lady on the 'ph< you," he said. "I told her to ring 10.30. It's about that now." "What name?" "A Mrs. Forrest. She wouldn't sayi! she wanted." "Odd," thought Parker. His resej in the matter had been so unfruitfi he had practically eliminated Forrest from the Gotobed myst< merely keeping her filed, as it were, back of his mind for future referei 284 h) 5 said Parker, teton? lypuzzled. It Templeton -- the gentleman rithyou to see me?" of course -- I beg your pardon ie matter had slipped my -- you want his address?" >me information which I think id to hear." You can speak quite freely to >w;Mrs. Forrest." freely," purred the voice at of the wire, "you are rather *know. I should prefer just to Templeton privately, and to take up with you." 28ft im, whimsically, that she Igth discovered the absence of wine-glasses and was ringing a professional capacity. His r were interrupted by his being telephone to answer Mrs. til. Detective-Inspector Parker? -- to trouble you, but could you jive me Mr. Templeton's HF "I see." Parker's brain worked bi It might be inconvenient to havdi Forrest writing to Mr. Templeton al< Piccadilly. The letter might m delivered. Or, if the lady were to into her head to call and discover* Mr. Templeton was not known porter, she might take alarm and botf her valuable information. "I think," said Parker, "I ougi perhaps, to give you Mr. Temj address without consulting him. Bi could'phone him----" n "Oh, yes, that would do. Is he book?" "No -- but I can give you his number." "Thank you very much. You'll f< my bothering you." "No trouble at all." And he nam< Peter's number. Having rung off, he wai' moment and then called the himself. "Look here, Wimsey," he saidp had a call from Mrs. Forrest. She to write to you. I wouldn't 286 jl I've given her your number, Ills and asks for Mr. Templeton, ginember who you are, won't Wonder what the fair lady liably occurred to her that she told a better story, and she N)rk off a few additions and its on you." ie'11 probably give herself frough sketch is frequently so convincing than the worked-up <"«* I couldn't get anything out of > >. >ect she's thought it over and |t it's rather unusual to employ ilYard to ferret out the of errant husbands. She fe's something up, and that I'm ided imbecile whom she can in the absence of the official Well, you'll deal with the ingoing to make a search for 5J 287 ''Rather a vague sort of searcl it?" "Well, I've got an idea which maj out. I'll let you know if I get results/ Mrs. Forrest's call duly came in about twenty minutes' time. Forrest had changed her mind. Woulc Templeton come round and see hei evening -- about 9 o'clock, if tlu convenient? She had thought the over and preferred not to puts information on paper. Mr. Templeton would be very haj come round. He had no other engage It was no inconvenience at all. He Mrs. Forrest not to mention it. Would Mr. Templeton be so vei as not to tell anybody about his visit! Forrest and his sleuths were conta on the watch to get Mrs. Forresi trouble, and the decree absolute to come up in a month's time. Any ti with the King's Proctor woul< positively disastrous. It would be if Mr. Templeton would com< Underground to Bond Street, and pi 288 on foot, so as not to leave a car mtside the door or put a taxi a position to give testimony |$. Forrest. jleton chivalrously promised to directions. Irrest was greatly obliged, and jet him at nine o'clock. n » oing out to-night. I've been say where, so I won't. On the I've got a kind of feelin' that io disappear from mortal ken, V Anything might happen. One !& stroke, don't you know. So leave the address in a sealed I don't turn up before to irnin', I shall consider myself *n all promises, what?" , my lord." m not to be found at that re wouldn't be any harm in say Epping Forest, or Common." my lord." y, you made the photographs 289 of those fingerprints I brought you time ago?" "Oh, yes, my lord." "Because possibly Mr. Parker wanting them presently for inquiries he will be making." "I quite understand, my lord." "Nothing whatever to do witi excursion to-night you understand. "Certainly not, my lord." "And now you might brin Christie's catalogue. I shall be att sale there and lunching at the club. And, detaching his mind from Lord Peter bent his intellectu financial powers to outbiddin breaking a ring of dealers, an e$ very congenial to his mischievous Lord Peter duly fulfilled the coi imposed upon him, and arrived on the block of flats in South Audley Mrs. Forre,st, as before, opened to him herself. It was surprisii considered, that, situated as she Wl appeared to have neither m< companion. But then, he supj 290 f however disarming of suspicion res of the world, might prove the whole, Mrs. Forrest's e was a sound one: no »es. Many transgressors, he [%ad because they never knew imple little rules and few. ) > IS;.' *est apologised prettily for the mce to which she was putting ;ton. fever know when I am not spied I * said. "It is sheer spite, you jidering how my husband has me, I think it is monstrous -- Pfrv. st agreed that Mr. Forrest must ister, jesuitically, however, ithe opinion that the monster ^[abulous one. you will be wondering why I (htyou here," went on the lady, and sit on the sofa. Will you ty or coffee?" ^please." 291 "The fact is," said Mrs. Forrest, I've had an idea since I saw you. l' know, having been much in the position myself" (with a slight lau^ felt so much for your friend's wife."| "Sylvia," put in Lord Peter commendable promptitude. "Oh, Shocking temper and so on, but pos some provocation. Yes, yes, quite. »i woman. Feels things -- extra sensitii highly-strung and all that, don't*j know." "Quite so." Mrs. Forrest nodd( fantastically turbanned head. Swat the eyebrows in gold tissue, with onl] flat crescents of yellow hair plasi over her cheek-bones, she looked, exotic smoking-suit of embroil tissue, like a young prince out Arabian Nights. Her heavily ringed busied themselves with the coffee-ci "Well - I felt that your inquiries*! really serious, you know, and thougl told you, it had nothing to do with was interested and mentioned the in a letter to -- to my friend, you s< was with me that night." 292 said Wimsey, taking the cup fyes -- er -- that was very -- er d of you to be interested." y friend -- is abroad at the !y letter had to follow him, and is reply today." est took a sip or two of coffee clear her recollection, r rather surprised me. He e that after dinner he had felt ther close, and had opened the window -- that window, inch overlooks South Audley noticed a car standing there -- ed one, black or dark blue or colour. And while he was at it -- the way one does, you $aw a man and woman come lock of flats -- not this door, o along to the left -- and get off. The man was in evening ie thought it might have been » Jr, with his coffee-cup at his and listened with great lirl in evening dress, too?" 293 2< < No -- that struck my particularly. She was in just a plat dark suit, with a hat on." Lord Peter recalled to mind as as possible Bertha Gotobed's c Was this going to be real evidence "Th -- that's very interestin stammered. "I suppose your couldn't give any more exact details dress?" "No," replied Mrs. Forrest, regr "but he said the man's arm was to girl as though she was feeling ti unwell, and he heard him say, ' right -- the fresh air will do you But you're not drinking your coffee.' «i "I beg your pardon ----" ^f recalled himself with a start, dreamin' -- puttin' two and two to as you might say. So he was along the time -- the artful beggar, coffee. D'you mind if I put this aw have some without sugar?" i "I'm so sorry. Men always seem sugar in black coffee. Give it to mfi empty it a way." ^ "Allow me." There was no slop-to* 94 lie, but Wimsey quickly got up line coffee into the window-box jflfhat's all right. How about for you?" roll -- I oughtn't to take it ^ps me a wake." V." if you like." She filled both s^t sipping quietly. "Well -- jally, but I thought perhaps I fjrouknow." very good of you," said liking a little longer -- about ("I go out very little, you itter to keep oneself out of the ithese occasions"), and books liehael Arlen"). Had she read iin Love yet? No -- she had ^om the library. Wouldn't Mr. tftiave something to eat or |iy? A brandy? A liqueur? you. And Mr. Templeton felt it to be slippin' along now. >n't go yet -- I get so lonely, mings." a desperate kind of appeal in 295 her voice. Lord Peter sat down aga She began a rambling and confused story about her " friend had given up so much for the frie now that her divorce was really off, she had a terrible feeling that the friend was not as affectionate used to be. It was very difficult; woman, and life was very hard. And so on. As the minutes passed, Lord became uncomfortably aware ti was watching him. The words tumte -- hurriedly, yet lifelessly, like a s but her eyes were the eyes of a who expects something. Som alarming, he decided, yet somet was determined to have. It remin of a man waiting for an operation up to it -- knowing that it will do hii -- yet shrinking from it with senses. He kept up his end of the conversation. Behind a barrage of talk, his mind ran quickly to analysing the position, getti range... 296 * he became aware that she was tamsily, stupidly and as though herself -- to get him to make *£ i itself did not strike Wimsey as fas rich enough, well-bred tractive enough and man of the jgh to have received similar ifairly often in his thirty-seven life. And not always from women. There had been those ^experience as well as those bestow it. But so awkward an a woman who admitted to sussing a husband and a lover fomenon outside his previous he felt that the thing would isance. Mrs. Forrest was mough, but she had not a ^attraction for him. For all her id her somewhat outspoken struck him as spinsterish -- . That was the thing which fei during their previous trker -- a young man of rigid united wordly knowledge -- 9Q7 was not sensitive to these emanatioj Wimsey had felt her as som essentially sexless, even then. And^ it even more strongly now. Never met a woman in whom "the gr eloquently hymned by Mrs. Elino^ was so completely lacking. Her bare shoulder was against hi marking his broadcloth with patches of powder. Blackmail was the first explanati occurred to him. The next move w for the fabulous Mr. Forrest, or s representing him, to appear slid the doorway, aglow with virtuousi and outraged sensibilities. "A very pretty little trap,' Wimsey, adding aloud, "Well, I must be getting along." She caught him by the arm. "Don't go." -A There was no caress in the touch a kind of desperation. He thought, "If she really practice of this, she would do it be| "Truly," he said, "I oughtn't longer. It wouldn't be safe for you 298 $,." she said. ite woman might have said it Or with a brave gaiety. Or igly. Or alluringly. Or «»r * lit grimly. Her fingers dug at linn it all, I'll risk it," thought must and will know what it's Vf '/.'' le woman." He coaxed into his loaty, fatuous tone of the man iring to make an amorous fool body stiffen as he slipped his ler, but she gave a little sigh of it). |er suddenly and violently to pissed her mouth with a Ifgeration of passion, fhen. No one who has ever lit can ever again mistake jinking, that uncontrollable $he flesh against a caress that |He thought for a moment that [to be actually sick, her gently, and stood up -- his mind in a whirl, but soi triumphant. His first instinct hat right, after all. 'That was very naughty of said, lightly. "You made me myself. You will forgive me, won't She nodded,shaken. ''And I really must toddle. It's frightfully late and all that. Whew hat? Ah, yes, in the hall. Now, g( Mrs. Forrest, an' take care of y< An' thank you ever so much for tell about what your friend saw.'' "You are really going?" She spoke as though she had hope. "In God's name," thought "what does she want? Does she1^ that Mr. Templeton is not every thai he seems? Does she want me to night so that she can get a look laundry-mark on my shirt? Sti< suddenly save the situation for -1 offering her Lord Peter Wii visiting-card?" His brain toyed freakishly wf4 thought as he babbled his way to s this, Miss Climpson felt sure Findlater was being "preyed le expressed it to herself, by ie Mary Whittaker. "It would for the girl," thought Miss I'if she could form a genuine to a young man. It is natural llgirl to be schwdrmerisch -- woman of twenty-two it is {undesirable. That Whittaker Courages it -- she would, of *&: likes to have someone to £nd run her errands. And she be a stupid person, who will with her. If Mary Whittaker irry, she would marry a Eiss Climpson's active mind [tired up a picture of the rabbit and a little paunchy, with a |!ng, 'Til ask the wife." Miss fondered why Providence saw ite such men. For Miss lUien were intended to be Stgen though wicked or foolish, ister made and not born -- a inly woman.) 303 ''But," thought Miss Climpson, Whittaker is not of the marrying s( is a professional woman by natui has a profession, by the way, but sKj not intend to go back to it. Pi nursing demands too much sympj and one is under the authority doctors. Mary Whittaker pref< control the lives of chickens. 'Bet reign in hell than serve in heaven^j me! I wonder if it is uncharital compare a fellow-being to Satan, poetry, of course -- I daresay that it not so bad. At any rate, I am that Mary Whittaker is doing! Findlaternogood." Miss Climpson's guest was vei$ to tell about their month in the They had toured round at first fof£l days, and then they had heartil delightful poultry farm which sale, near Orpington in Kent. So gone down to have a look at it, aru that it was to be sold in about a forl time. It wouldn't have been course, to take it over without inquiries, and by the greatest goo& 304 a dear little cottage to let, jquite close by. So they had ir a few weeks, while Miss looked round" and found out ll^te of the poultry business in k and so on. They had enjoyed was delightful keeping house light away from all the silly )me. ie, I don't mean you, Miss ^ou come from London and are U*e broadminded. But I simply |f|the Leahampton lot, nor can bi. lery delightful," said Miss "to be free from the I'm sure -- especially if one jft^ with a kindred spirit." [Of course Mary and I are friends, though she is so much I am. It's absolutely settled take the farm and run it i't it be wonderful?" find it rather dull and lonely |wo girls together? You musn't m've been accustomed to see young people in Leahampton. SftR Shan't you miss the tennis-parties young men, and so on?" "Oh, no! If you only knew what a^ lot they are! Anyway, I've no men!" Miss Findlater tossed hei "They haven't got any ideas. Ai always look on women as sort of1 playthings. As if a woman lik< wasn't worth fifty of them! You have heard that Markham man th< day -- talking politics to Mr. Tredjj that nobody could get a word in edj and then saying, Tm afraid this i& dull subject of conversation for yoi Whittaker,' in his condescending! Mary said in that quiet way of hergjf think the subject is anything but di Markham.' But he was so stuj couldn't even grasp that and sale doesn't expect ladies to be interc politics, you know. But perhaps one of the modern young ladies wl the flapper's vote.' Ladies, indec are men so insufferable when tl about ladies?" "I think men are apt to be jeci| women," replied Miss Clii Sftfi ly, "and jealousy does make ter peevish and ill-mannered. ivthat when one would like to set of people and yet has a >icion that one can't genuinely >m, it makes one exaggerate Impt for them in conversation. r, my dear, I am always very fto- speak sneeringly about men igh they often deserve it, you |f I did, everybody would think j&envious old maid, wouldn't fe^ |»i . & mean to be an old maid, ietorted Miss Findlater. "Mary re quite decided that. We're things, not in men." made a good start at finding going to work," said Miss pfLiving with a person for a excellent test. I suppose you ly to do the housework for il. We did every bit of it, and «t fun. I'm ever so good at iBoors and laying fires and /Mary's a simply marvellous 9H7 cook. It was such a change from h the servants always bothering roum they do at home. Of course, it was modern, labour-saving cottage belongs to some theatrical peo think/' "And what did you do when you w inquiring into the poultry business? "Oh, we ran round in the car a places and attended markets. Mark frightfully amusing, with all the fun farmers and people. Of course, F been to markets before, but Mary all so interesting -- and then, too, W picking up hints all the time for ou marketing later on." "Did you run up to Town at all?" » "No." "I should have thought you'd have the opportunity for a little jaunt." "Mary hates Town." "I thought you rather enjoyed a now and then." "I'm not keen. Not now. I used to was, but I expect that was only of spiritual restlessness one gets one hasn't an object in life. nnn 5 J Hater spoke with the air of a rake, who has sucked life's found it dead sea fruit. Miss did not smile. She was to the role of confidante, rare together -- just you two -- ie?" linute of it. And we weren't le another a bit." ir experiment will prove very said Miss Climpson. "But really start on your life Hi't you think it would be wise ilpr a few breaks in it? A little companionship is good for ; I've known so many happy M spoilt by people seeing too >g another." Wouldn't have been real then," asserted the girl, }ly. "Mary and I are I happy together." $id Miss Climpson, "if you an old woman giving you a lining, I should be inclined not bow always bent. Suppose 309 cook. It was such a change from the servants always bothering roui they do at home. Of course, it was modern, labour-saving cottage belongs to some theatrical peoj think." >! "And what did you do when you inquiring into the poultry business?*' "Oh, we ran round in the car ai places and attended markets. Marl frightfully amusing, with all the fi farmers and people. Of course, I' been to markets before, but Mary all so interesting -- and then, too, picking up hints all the time for oijj marketing later on." "Did you run up to Town at all?; "No." "I should have thought you'd havi the opportunity for a little jaunt. "Mary hates Town." "I thought you rather enjoyed a now and then." "I'm not keen. Not now. I used was, but I expect that was only 1 of spiritual restlessness one get one hasn't an object in life. >?'*» nnn ?> Hater spoke with the air of a rake, who has sucked life's .found it dead sea fruit. Miss idid not smile. She was 4o the role of confidante, are together -- just you two -- *?" linute of it. And we weren't te another a bit." ir experiment will prove very I said Miss Climpson. "But really start on your life p't you think it would be wise >r a few breaks in it? A little G@mpanionship is good for I've known so many happy tspoilt by people seeing too ^mother." (puldn't have been real then," asserted the girl, Uly. "Mary and I are lappy together." lid Miss Climpson, "if you Jan old woman giving you a ling, I should be inclined not |isbow always bent. Suppose Miss Whittaker, for instance, want( off and have a day in Town on he^i say -- or go to stay with friends would have to learn not to mind that; "Of course I shouldn't mind. Will she checked herself. "I mean, I'm! sure that Mary would be every bit to me as I am to her." "That's right," said Miss Clii "The longer I live, my dear, th$C| certain I become that jealousy^ most fatal of feelings. The Bible 'cruel as the grave,' and I'm sure so. Absolute loyalty, without jeali the essential thing.'' "Yes. Though naturally one wouh to think that the person one was^j friends with was putting another pei one's place . . . Miss Climpson, f| believe, don't you, that a friendship1 to be'fifty-fifty'?" 1 'That is the ideal friend: suppose," said Miss ClinAj thoughtfully, "but I think it is a vet' thing. Among women, that is. very much if I've ever seen an exi it. Men, I believe, find it easier 310 that way -- probably because many outside interests." friendships -- oh yes! I know ,a lot about them. But half fl- don't believe they're real *at all. Men can go off for years all about their friends. And (ireally confide in one another. :tell each other all our thoughts Men seem just content to faother good sorts without ever ibout their inmost selves." that's why their friendships ilij" replied Miss Climpson. $ make such demands on one tT-:v great friendship does make cried Miss Findlater eagerly. ibe just everything to one. It's phe way it seems to colour all hts. Instead of being centred in Is centred in the other person. Christian love means -- one's for the other person." don't know," said Miss I once heard a sermon about ; most splendid priest -- and 311 he said that that kind of love become idolatry if one wasn't careful. He said that Milton's r about Eve -- you know, 'he for Go she for God in him' -- was not con: with Catholic doctrine. One must gi proportions right, and it was proportion to see everything thro eyes of another fellow-creature.' "One must put God first, of c said Miss Findlater, a little fo "But if the friendship is mutual was the point -- quite unselfish sides, it must be a good thing.'' i "Love is always good, when it right kind," agreed Miss Climps I don't think it ought to possessive. One has to train ones she hesitated, and went on coura -- "and in any case, my dear, I help feeling that it is more na more proper, in a sense -- for a woman to be all in all to one anoth for two persons of the same sexi after all, it is a -- a fruitful aff< said Miss Climpson, boggling a this idea, "and -- and all that, y0 319 sure that when the right MAN ig for you----" the right man!" cried Miss icrossly. "I do hate that kind of :es one feel dreadful -- like a or something. Surely, we have that point of view in these ipson perceived that she had rest zeal outrun her detective IShe had lost the goodwill of her %nd it was better to change the However, she could assure Inow of one thing. Whoever the that Mrs. Cropper had seen at It was not Miss Whittaker. The iss Findlater, who had never iend's side, was sufficient that. » i «n 313 C:*l "Private and confidential. "Dear Sir, "I was much interested in letter relative to the death of Agatha Dawson, late of Leahamj and will do my best to answer inquiries as briefly as possil always, of course, on understanding that all informati< to the affairs of my late client 314 hapter XVII The Country Lawyer's si < < And he that gives us in these da] lords may give us new laws." Wither: Contented Man's Letter from Mr. Probyn, m Solicitor, of Villa Bianca, Fies\ Mr. Murbles, Solicitor, of Stapled iias strictly confidential. I exception, of course, in |®f the police officer you in connection with the Imsh to know (1) whether itha Dawson was aware that possibly prove necessary, provisions of the new Act, to make a testamentary in order to ensure that pat-niece, Miss Mary sr, should inherit her Ipfoperty. (2) Whether I ever wto make this testamentary and what her reply was. »r I had made Miss Mary aware of the situation in plight be placed, supposing mnt to die intestate later iber 31,1925. fourse of the Spring of 1925, [on was called by a learned the ambiguity of the certain clauses in the Act, fin respect of the failure to :ecise interpretation to be 315 °i placed on the word 'Issued immediately passed in review fj affairs of my various clients, wil view to satisfying myself that proper dispositions had been ma< each case to avoid misunderstai and litigation in case of intestacy, once realised that Miss Whittal inheritance of Miss Daws< property entirely depended on interpretation given to the claui question. I was aware that Dawson was extremely averse fj making a will, owing to superstitious dread of decease we meet with so frequently in3 profession. However, I thought ft] duty to make her understand* question and to do my utmost to will signed. Accordingly, I went to Leahampton and laid the before her. This was on Marcl 14th, or thereabouts -- I aitts certain to the precise day. "; "Unhappily, I encountered i Dawson at a moment when* opposition to the obnoxious i< 316 will was at its strongest. for had informed her that a ^operation would become in the course of the next ts, and I could have selected unfortunate occasion for the subject of death upon She resented any such -- there was a conspiracy, id, to frighten her into »r the operation. It appears rery tactless practitioner of frightened her with a suggestion before her operation. But she had come lat and she meant to come us, if only people would not ralarm her. b?se, if she had died under ition, the whole question lire settled itself and there been no need of any will. I it that the very reason why I is for the will to be made II fully expected her to live le following year, and I >the provisions of the Act Q17 once more, as clearly as I could^ retorted that in that case I ha< business to come and trouble! about the question at all. It would time enough when the Act passed. "Naturally, the fool of a doctoij insisted that she was not to be what her disease was -- they all do -- and she was convinced thai next operation would make all and that she would live for When I ventured to insist -- givii my reason that we men of law all preferred to be on the safe! cautious side, she beci exceedingly angry with me,; practically ordered me out house. A few days afterwai received a letter from complaining of my impertinenci saying that she could no longefel any confidence in a personal treated her with such inconsi< rudeness. At her request, I forwl all her private papers ii possession to Mr. Hodgs< Q1Q >ton, and I have not held any ication with any member of ily since that date, answers your first and lestions. With regard to the certainly did not think it inform Miss Whittaker that iritance might depend upon Jaunt's either making a will lying before December 31, rile I know nothing to the idy's disadvantage, I have iheld it inadvisable that should know too exactly how ley stand to gain by the decease of other persons, any unforeseen accident, tmay find themselves in an ^position, where the fact of JSessing such knowledge i'rif made public -- be highly il to their interests. The I thought it proper to say tif at any time Miss Dawson >ress a wish to see me, I to be sent for without »course, the withdrawal of 319 Miss Dawson's affairs from my put it out of my power to intei any further. "In October, 1925, feeling thai health was not what it had be< retired from business and cai Italy. In this country the Ei papers do not always arrj regularly, and I missed announcement of Miss Dawi death. That it should have occi so suddenly and under circumsl somewhat mysterious, is cert interesting. "You say further that you woi glad of my opinion on Miss A[ Dawson's mental condition afc^ time when I last saw her. It|3 perfectly clear and competent far as she was ever competent with business. She was in nod gifted to grapple with legal proW and I had extreme difficult getting her to understand what trouble was with regard to th< Property Act. Having been bi up all her life to the idea 320 went of right to the next of found it inconceivable that *? of things should ever alter, red me that the law would lit the Government to pass ^ct. When I had reluctantly her that it would, she was re that no court would be lough to interpret the Act so the money to anybody but iker, when she was clearly 3^ person to have it. 'Why jb Duchy of Lancaster have sto it?' she kept on saying, jven know the Duke of ler.' She was not a sensible woman, and in ras not all sure that I had comprehend the situation >art from the dislike she Isuing the subject. However, doubt that she was then »os mentis. My reason for ito make the will before deration was, of course, she might subsequently & of her faculties, or -- 39,1 which comes to the same thing a business point of view -- have to be kept continually underi influence of opiates. "Trusting that you will find the information you require, \ "I remain, " Yours faithfi Thos. Proto < r other. He had seen him -- a tquisite pale grey, ambling if Pall Mall. Damn Wimsey! &t he have let Miss Dawson in her grave? There she was, to anybody -- and Wimsey Ion prying into her affairs and anquiry to such a point that >ly had to take official notice il he supposed he must go on irnal solicitors. 323 He was proceeding on a systemft own, which might or might notai fruitful. He had reviewed the suhii the new Property Act, and decided^ and when Miss Whittaker had bi aware of its possible effect on hi expectations, she would at once c< taking legal advice. Her first thought would no douW consult a solicitor in Leahamptc unless she already had the idea play in her mind, there was not deter her from doing so. Accoi Parker's first move had been to n to Leahampton and interview th« firms of solicitors there. All thr< able to reply quite positively that never received such an inquiry froi Whittaker, or from anybody, durii year 1925. One solicitor, indeed ^ senior partner of Hodgson & Hod$ whom Miss Dawson had entrust affairs after her quarrel with Mr. -- looked a little oddly at Parker heard the question. "I assure you, Inspector," "that if the point had been brougl 394 men a way, I should certainly jmbered it, in the light of ^events." tier never crossed your mind, I $ said Parker, ''when the fbse of winding up the estate Miss Whittaker's claim to if *Vi lay it did. Had there been any ^searching for next-of-kin it don't say it would -- have The . But I had a very clear lithe family connections from If the death took place nearly before the Act came into fe formalities all went through &s automatically. In fact, I it about the Act one way or iat connection." tid he was not surprised to favoured Mr. Hodgson with tgton's learned opinion on the ich interested Mr. Hodgson And that was all he got at except that he fluttered very much by calling upon iring all about her interview with Vera Findlater. Miss Cfc walked to the station with him, in th that they might meet Miss Whitta am sure you would be interested her"--but they were unlucky, whole, thought Parker, it might bej well. After all, though he would li Miss Whittaker, he was not parti keen on her seeing him, especially | Climpson's company. "By the w said to Miss Glimpson, "you had* explain me in some way to Mrs. B she may be a bit inquisitive." "But I have/' replied Miss Cli with an engaging giggle, "wh Budge said there was a Mr. Parkef me, of course I realised at once mustn't know who you were, sqi quite quickly, 'Mr. Parker! Oh, th be my nephew Adolphus.' You doft! being Adolphus, do you? It's fu that was the only name that e mind at the moment. I can't thi for I've never known an Adolphus.'i "Miss Climpson," said solemnly, "you are a marvellous and I wouldn't mind even if you' 326 hike." it was, working out his second iify. If Miss Whittaker did not lhampton solicitor, to whom >? There was Mr. Probyn, of he did not think she would him. She would not have lat Crofton, of course -- she ictually lived with her great tad met him the day he came fcfcampton to see Miss Dawson. then taken her into his lout the object of his visit, rt have known from what her it had to do with the making In the light of her new ^she would guess that Mr. len had the Act in his mind, ^thought fit to trust her with The asked him now, he would Hy that Miss Dawson's affairs ip&r in his hands, and refer her son. And besides, if she asked ^land anything were to happen >yn might remember it. No, not have approached Mr. 327 What then? To the person who has anytl conceal -- to the person who wants his identity as one leaf among the, of a forest -- to the person who more than to pass by and be for( there is one name above others^ promises a haven of safety and London. Where no one kno1 neighbour. Where shops do not knc customers. Where physiciai suddenly called to unknown whom they never see again. Wlw may lie dead in your house for together unmissed and unnoticed)!! gas-inspector comes to look at thag Where strangers are friendly ancil are casual. London, whose rather] and grubby bosom is the reposil many odd secrets. Discreet, incuril all-enfolding London. Not that Parker put it that himself. He merely thought, "Tel she'd try London. They mostli they' re safer there.'' i Miss Whittaker knew London, She had trained at the Royal Fi 328 owould know Bloomsbury better ler district. For nobody knew Parker how rarely Londoners Ipof their own particular little ;s, of course, she had at some her time at the hospital had imended to a solicitor in irter, the chances were that lave gone to a solicitor in the or Holborn district, tely for Parker, this is a itch swarms with solicitors. Road, Gray's Inn itself, r, Holborn, Lincoln's Inn -- ites grow all about as thick as why Parker was feeling so fed-up that June afternoon. ipatient grunt he pushed away rtate, paid-atthedesk-please, the road towards Bedford he had marked down as his le afternoon, at the first solicitor's he iich happened to be the office Trigg. He was lucky. The outer office informed him that Mr. Trigg had just returned! lunch, was disengaged, and wouj him. Would he walk in? Mr. Trigg was a pleasant, fresl man in his early forties. He begi Parker to be seated and asked could do for him. n For the thirty-seventh time, started on the opening gambit wl had devised to suit his purpose. "I am only temporarily in Lone Trigg, and finding I needed legal was recommended to you by a mz in a restaurant. He did give me nil but it has escaped me, and anywj no great importance, is it? The this. My wife and I have come up to see her great-aunt, who is in a way. In fact, she isn't expected to?l "Well, now, the old lady has been very fond of my wife, don't and it has always been an ui thing that Mrs. Parker was to her money when she died. It's quM bit, and we have been -- I WJ looking forward to it, but in a kinij way counting on it as something 330 later on. You understand, 't any other relations at all, so, old lady has often talked about rill, we didn't worry much, one mother, because we took it for wife would come in for lere was. But we were talking (^friend yesterday, and he took ick by saying that there was a something, and that if my I-;aunt hadn't made a will we anything at all. I think he tHall go to the Crown. I didn't mid be right and told him so, is a bit nervous -- there are ito be considered, you see -- led me to get legal advice, great-aunt may go off at and we don't know whether ill or not. Now, how does a re stand under the new j> it has not been made very MMr. Trigg, "but my advice to id out whether a will has been mot, to get one made without statrix is capable of making 331 one. Otherwise I think there is a v< danger of your wife's losini inheritance." "You seem quite familiar w! question," said Parker, with a si suppose you are always being since this new Act came in?" "I wouldn't say 'always.' comparatively rare for a great-nit left as sole next-of-kin." "Is it? Well, yes, I should thintepj be. Do you remember being asl question in the summer of 11 Trigg?" A most curious expression cai the solicitor's face -- it looked ah alarm. "What makes you ask that? "You need have no hesitj answering," said Parker, taking official card. "I am a police of! have a good reason for asking. In legal point to you first as a problei own, because I was anxious to ha' professional opinion first." "I see. Well, Inspector, in suppose I am justified in telling1 332 was asked that question in ,." remember the circumstances?" I am not likely to forget them >t, the sequel to them." mnds interesting. Will you tell your own way and with all the can remember?" ly. Just a moment." Mr. Trigg fcad out into the outer office, am engaged with Mr. Parker ree anybody. Now, Mr. Parker, tr service. Won't you smoke?" septed the invitation and lit up briar, while Mr. Trigg, >king cigarette after cigarette, |s remarkable story. qoo ooo Chapter XVIII «H '^ *«! The London Lawyer's Si 1 'I who am given to novel-readii often have I gone out with the when the stranger has summoi to visit the unknown patient in um house. . . . This Strange Adj may lead, in a later chapter^ revealing of a mysterious crime! The Li "I think," said Mr. Trigg, "that it the 15th or 16th June, 1925, thatoj called to ask almost exactly tin question that you have done -- 01 she represented herself as inqui behalf of a friend whose name sh< mention. Yes -- I think I can desei pretty well. She was tall and hai with a very clear skin, dark hair^ eyes -- an attractive girl. I r« 334 ifaad very fine brows, rather id not much colour in her face, utwas dressed in something Hit very neat. I should think it ^called an embroidered linen rm not an expert on those things ishady white hat of panama r '. jollection seems very clear," thave rather a good memory; w her on other occasions, as r. cst visit she told me -- much ?d -- that she was only in Town, and had been ommended to me. I told her Id not like to answer her Ifchand. The Act, you may had only recently passed its g, and I was by no means up ides, from just skimming had convinced myself that Riant questions were bound Hady -- Miss Grant was the lye, by the way -- that I should 335 like to take counsel's opinion before? her any advice, and asked if she c< again the following day. She sai could, rose and thanked me, offeri^ her hand. In taking it, I happened t( rather an odd scar, running acre backs of all the fingers -- rather ast a chisel or something had slipped at time. I noticed it quite idly, of coui it was lucky for me I did. ''Miss Grant duly turned up t\ day. I had looked up a very learnei| in the interval, and gave her tl opinion that I gave you just looked rather concerned about fact, almost more annoye) concerned. " 'It seems rather unfair,' sh< 'that people's family money si away to the Crown like that. Af1 great-niece is quite a near r< really.' "I replied that, provided the grc could call witnesses to prove deceased had always had the inl leaving her the money, the Croi in all probability, allot the esl 336 oportion of it, in accordance ishes of the deceased. It would, e entirely within the discretion to do so or not, and, of course, been any quarrel or dispute matter at any time, the judge ffe an unfavourable view of the 's application. case,' I added, 'I don't know gat-niece is excluded under the ,y understand that she may be. there are still six months ct comes into force, and many happen before then.' ean that Auntie may die,' she e's not really dangerously ill 1, as Nurse calls it.' she went away then after lee, and I noticed that the at-aunt' had suddenly become sdecided that my client felt a nal interest in the matter." he had," said Parker. "When r again?" gh, I ran across her in the ember. I was having a quick er in Soho, before going on 337 to a show. The little place I us patronise was very full, and I had td-1 a table where a woman was al seated. As I muttered the usual foi about 'Was anybody sitting there! looked up, and I promptly recognh client. " 'Why, how do you do, Miss Gn said. 31 "'I beg your pardon,' she n rather stiffly. 1 think you are mist " 'I beg your pardon,' said I, still, 'my name is Trigg, and you & consult me in Bedford Row last Ji if I am intruding, I apologist withdraw.' *' "She smiled then, and said, 'I'm si did not recognise you for the momei "I obtained permission to sit table. "By way of starting a convert asked whether she had taken any advice in the matter of the inhei She said no, she had been quite with what I had told her. Still conversation, I inquired whetl great-aunt had made a will after < rather briefly, that it had not been the old lady had died. I noticed was dressed in black, and was in my opinion that she herself eat-niece concerned. Iked for some time, Inspector, 11 not conceal from you that I ss Grant a very interesting y. She had an almost masculine ing. I may say I am not the an who prefers women to be iNo, I am rather modern in that f ever I was to take a wife, I should wish her to be an companion." t&id Mr. Trigg's attitude did him it. He also made the mental on that Mr. Trigg would of object to marrying a young had inherited money and was red with relations. e," went on Mr. Trigg, "to find with a legal mind. Miss Grant 1 in that respect. She took a st in some case or other that tit in the newspapers at the get now what it was -- and 339 asked me some remarkably sensil intelligent questions. I must say quite enjoyed our conversation, dinner was over, we had got on personal topics, in the course of happened to mention that I ] Golder's Green." "Did she give you her own address "She said she was staying at the Hotel in Bloomsbury, and that looking for a house in Town. I sai( might possibly hear of sometl Hampstead way, and offer< professional services in case shet require them. After dinner I accoi her back to her hotel, and bade bye in the lounge." 'She was really staying there, Apparently. However, al fortnight later, I happened to hei house in Golder's Green that ha< vacant suddenly. It belonged, as a? of fact, to a client of mine. In p$ of my promise, I wrote to Miss the Peveril. Receiving no replyF1 inquiries there, and found that sh< the hotel the day after our 340 <« (< address. In the hotel register, merely given her address as l^rter. I was somewhat but thought no more about month later -- on January exact, I was sitting at home K)ok, preparatory to retiring to lid say that I occupy a flat, or lionette, in a small house which divided to make two *nts. The people on the ground liaway at that time, so that I alone in the house. My 51* only comes in by the day. ICHie rang -- I noticed the time, irter to eleven. I answered it, p's voice spoke, begging me to itly to a certain house on Heath, to make a will for K) was at the point of death." recognise the voice?" mnded like a servant's voice, it had a strong cockney ted whether to-morrow would enough, but the voice urged \or it might be too late. Rather 341 annoyed, I put my things on and wei It was a most unpleasant night, col foggy-1 was lucky enough to find a the nearest rank. We drove to the a< which we had great difficulty in f« as everything was pitch-black. It out to be a small house in a very h position on the Heath -- in fact, thei no proper approach to it. I left the the road, about a couple of hundreds off, and asked the man to wait for was very doubtful of ever finding taxi in that spot at that time of nif grumbled a good deal, but consei wait if I promised not to be very 1( "I made my way to the house. A! thought it was quite dark, but preS< saw a faint glimmer in a groui room. I rang the bell. No answer, could hear it trilling loudly. I rai and knocked. Still no answer, bitterly cold. I struck a match to had come to the right house, and noticed that the front door was ajar! "I thought that perhaps the senfe had called me was so much occupi her sick mistress as to be unable 342 le to the door. Thinking that in I might be of assistance to her, I door open and went in. The hall ;tly dark, and I bumped against Ha-stand in entering. I thought I ant voice calling or moaning, n my eyes had become to the darkness, I stumbled id saw a dim light coming from ateieft." lithe room which you had seen lined from outside?" ;so. I called out, 'May I come fvery low, weak voice replied, fe/ I pushed the door open and ijroom furnished as a sitting le corner there was a couch, on j$ bed-clothes appeared to have ly thrown to enable it to be id. On the couch lay a woman, ily dimly make her out. There rt in the room except a small |4h a green shade so tilted as to Ight from the sick woman's was a fire in the grate, but it I could see, however, that 343 the woman's head and face were si in white bandages. I put out my hai felt for the electric switch, but she out: " 'No light, please -- it hurts me.! "How did she see you put your hi the switch?" "Well," said Mr. Trigg, "that odd thing. She didn't speak, as a mi fact, till I had actually clicked the down. But nothing happened. Tl didn't come on." "Really?" "No. I supposed that the bulb hi taken away or had gone phut. Hoi said nothing, and came up to the said in a sort of half-whisper, 'Is lawyer?' "I said. 'Yes,' and asked what I for her. "She said, 'I have had a accident. I can't live. I want to will quickly.' I asked whether th< nobody with her. 'Yes, yes,' she hurried way, 'my servant will be moment. She has gone to lodl doctor.' 'But,' I said, 'couldn't 344 roll are not fit to be left alone.' In't get through to one,' she It's all right. She will be here It waste time. I must make my jfispoke in a dreadful, gasping felt that the best thing would IJwhat she wanted, for fear of jr. I drew a chair to the table [lamp was, got out my fountain tinted will-form with which I jfled myself, and expressed to receive her instructions, teginning, she asked me to give brandy and water from a dch stood on the table. I did ie took a small sip, which pevive her. I placed the glass tnd, and at her suggestion ir glass for myself. I was it, for, as I said, it was a pounds t, and the room was cold. I It for some extra coals to put Wit could see none." lid Parker, "is extremely suggestive." rit queer at the time. But the ^was queer. Anyway, I then 345 said I was ready to begin. She said may think I am a little mad, becaus head has been so hurt. But I am sane. But he shan't have a penny money.' I asked her if someont attacked her. She replied, 'My huj He thinks he has killed me. But I am to live long enough to will the away.' She then said that her nami Mrs. Marion Mead, and procee make a will, leaving her estate, amounted to about £10,000, various legatees, including a daugW three or four sisters. It was rai complicated will, as it included devices for tying up the daughter's*! in a trust, so as to prevent her fr< handing over any of it to the father.3 "Did you make a note of the nai addresses of the people involved?: "I did, but, as you will see lat< could make no use of them. The to was certainly clear-headed enouj the provisions of the will, thotti seemed terribly weak, and hetf never rose above a whisper afterit time when she had called to rm 346 (Might. igth I finished my notes of the Istarted to draft it out on to the There were no signs of the >turn, and I began to be really ilso the extreme cold -- or else -- added to the fact that it 3ong past my bed-time, was ife appallingly sleepy. I poured 8* stiff little dose of the brandy le up, and went on writing out tad finished I said: Nibout signing this? We need less to make it legal.' 'My servant must be here in two. I can't think what has tier.' Jt she has missed her way in %kid. 'However, I will wait a '; I can't go and leave you like :ed me feebly, and we sat for silence. As time went on, I !efel the situation to be uncanny. The sick woman rtly, and moaned from time 347 to time. The desire for sleep overpo^ me more and more. I couldi understand it. "Presently it occurred to me, stui though I felt, that the most sensibh would be to get the taxi-man -- if still there -- to come in and witnes will with me, and then to go myself a doctor. I sat, sleepily revolving my mind, and trying to summon en< speak. I felt as though a great weiy inertia was pressing down upoi Exertion of any kind seemed beyond my powers. "Suddenly something happened brought me back to myself. Mrs/ turned a little over upon the coi peered at me intently, as it seemed*! lamplight. To support herself, si both her hands on the edge of the noticed, with a vague sense of soi unexpected, that the left hand wedding-ring. And then I something else. fl "Across the back of the fingers right hand went a curious sc; though a chisel or some such tl 348 id cut them." Isat upright in his chair, said Mr. Trigg, ''that interests irtled me. Or rather, startled the word. In my oppressed iffected me like some kind of I struggled upright in my bthe woman sank back upon her moment there came a violent II>ell." tent?" lank Heaven it was my taxi had become tired of waiting. I I don't quite know what I lut I was alarmed. I gave some it or groan, and the man came Happily, I had left the door found it. myself together sufficiently to ritness the will. I must have ^and spoken in a strange way, >er how he looked from me to >ttle. However, he signed the Mrs. Mead, who wrote her teak, straggling hand as she 349 " 'Wot next, guv'nor?' asked thl when this was done. "I was feeling dreadfully ill by could only say, 'Take me home.' "He looked at Mrs. Mead and me, and said, 'Ain't there nobody the lady, sir?' "I said, 'Fetch a doctor. But home first.' "I stumbled out of the house on I heard him muttering something it's being a rum start. I don't rei the drive home. When I came back' I was in my own bed, and one of doctors was standing over me. II "I'm afraid this story is gettii long and tedious. To cut matters seems the taxi-driver, who wasll decent, intelligent fellow, had foi completely insensible at the encll drive. He didn't know who I was0 hunted in my pocket and foi visiting-card and my latchkey, me home, got me upstairs and, < that if I was drunk, I was a wol than he had ever encountered experience, humanely went re 35Q rdoctor. ;tor's opinion was that I had lyily drugged with veronal or of that kind. Fortunately, if the murder me, the dose had been under-estimated. We went into thoroughly, and the upshot was it have taken about 30 grains of ft appears that it is a difficult le by analysis, but that was the ^the doctor came to, looking at all round. Undoubtedly the been doped. we went round to look at the May. It was all shut up, and tilkman informed us that the tad been away for a week and rected home for another ten >t into communication with tey appeared to be perfectly ordinary people, and they ?y knew nothing whatever ifey were accustomed to go so often, just shutting the it bothering about a caretaker 'he man came along at once, investigate matters, but 351 couldn't find that anything had beei or disturbed, except that a pair of and some pillows showed signs of a scuttle of coal had been usedn sitting-room. The coal-cellar, will contained the electric meter, hi left locked and the meter turni before the family left -- they apj had a few grains of sense --m accounts for the chill darkness house when I entered it. The visit apparently slipped back the catcl pantry window -- one of the gimcrack affairs -- with a ki something, and had brought lamp, siphon and brandy. Daring,.*] really difficult. "No Mrs. Mead or Miss Grant heard of anywhere, as I needn't The tenants of the house were no& start expensive inquiries -- al they'd lost nothing but a shilling^ of coals -- and on considerate seeing that I hadn't actual! murdered or anything, I thought ill let the matter slide. It was ^ unpleasant adventure." 352 are it was. Did you ever hear Grant again?" res. She rang me up twice -- jr three months, and again only a jo, asking for an appointment. think me cowardly, Mr. Parker, le I put her off. I didn't quite it might happen. As a matter of union I formed in my own mind had been entrapped into that the idea of making me spend It there and afterwards ling me. That was the only ?I could think of which would for the sleeping-draught. I i^cretion was the better part of gave my clerks and my instructions that if Miss lid call at any time I was out nectedback." you suppose she knew you had iihe scar on her hand?'' are she didn't. Otherwise she lly have made advances to me rame again." link you are right. Well, Mr. much obliged to you for this QKQ ysltf information, which may turn out very valuable. And if Miss Grant ring you up again -- where did si from, by the way?" "From call-boxes, each time. Itj that, because the operator always one when the call is from a public didn't have the calls traced.'' j "No, of course not. Well, if she again, will you please maJ appointment with her, and then know about it at once? A call to S< Yard will always find me." Mr. Trigg promised that he woi this, and Parker took his leave. "And now we know," thought Pai he returned home, "that somebody odd unscrupulous somebody making inquiries about great-nil 1925. A word to Miss Climpson, I fc indicated -- just to find out whethei Whittaker has a scar on her right whether I've got to hunt up an] solicitors." ^ The hot streets seemei oppressively oven-like than befoj fact, Parker was so cheered 354 that he actually bestowed a »ard upon the next urchin who him. (h fev 355 Part III edico-Legal Problem There's not a crime s its proper change out still 'jme rung on the counter of this H." E. B. Browning: Aurora Leigh 3 Chapter XIX %. Gone Away Nothing good or evil save in the Epictetus >t, I imagine, deny," observed 'that very odd things seem to ic people who are in a position formation about the last days ^Dawson. Bertha Gotobed lenly, under suspicious ices; her sister thinks she sees iker lying in wait for her at locks; Mr. Trigg is inveigled se of mystery and is semi wonder what would have Mr. Probyn, if he had been lugh to remain in England." nothing," replied Parker. "I Int out to you that during the 359 month in which these disasters oc< to the Gotobed family, the object oj suspicions was in Kent with Miss Findlater, who never left her side." ''As against that undoubted rejoined Wimsey, "I bring forwj letter from Miss Climpson, in wl amid a lot of rigmarole with which not trouble you -- she informs upon Miss Whittaker's right hand a scar, precisely similar to the one^ Mr. Trigg describes." ''Is there? That does seem to Miss Whittaker pretty definitely Trigg business. But is it your the^i she is trying to polish off all the who know anything about Miss Rather a big job, don't you thinfej single-handed female? And if so, 2! Dr. Carr spared? and Nurse Philliti Nurse Forbes? And the other chappie? And the rest of the popufc Leahampton, if it comes to that?1 "That's an interesting point already occurred to me. I think why. Up to the present, the Daw? has presented two different probl< 360 one medical -- the motive and ;, if you like that better. As far tunity goes, only two people ^possibles -- Miss Whittaker and irbes. The Forbes woman had gain by killin' a good patient, moment we can wash her r, as to the medical problem -- £1 must say that up to now that pompletely insoluble. I am latson (said he, his hawk-like ting angrily from under the lids). Even I am baffled. But (I. (he cried, with a magnificent self-confidence). My Honour p is concerned to track this fend (capitals) to its hidden nail the whited sepulchre to ren though it crush me in the iOud applause. His chin sank ttipon his dressing-gown, and he few guttural notes into the lone which was the cherished *of his solitary hours in the '$ . ' jtentatiously took up the book 361 which he had laid aside on Wii entrance. "Tell me when you've finish* said, caustically. "I've hardly begun. The me^ repeat, seems insoluble — and criminal evidently thinks. There to no exaggerated mortality amoni doctors and nurses. On that side business the lady feels herself s< The motive is the weak point — hei hurry to stop the mouths of the peoj knew about the legal part problem." "Yes, I see. Mrs. Cropper has back to Canada, by the way. She seem to have been molested at all.11 "No - and that's why I still thii was somebody on the watch in Lii Mrs. Cropper was only worth silei long as she had told nobody hei That is why I was careful to r$ and accompany her ostentatioi Town." "Oh, rot, Peter! Even if Miss Wi had been there — which we couldn't have been — how was she! were going to ask about the msiness? She doesn't know you 55 (ight have found out who Murbles idvertisement which started the uness was in his name, you case, why hasn't she attacked you?" Is is a wise old bird. In vain are in his sight. He is seeing no bnts, answering no invitations, ffoes out without an escort." bknow he took it so seriously." Murbles is old enough to have ralue of his own skin. As for me pou noticed the remarkable in some ways between Mr. Venture and my own little It, as you might say, in South it?" rithMrs. Forrest?" le secret appointment. The iendeavour to get one to stay it all costs. I'm positive there king in that sugar, Charles, that ihould contain -- see Public fflft iii Health (Adulteration of Food) various." "You think Mrs. Forrest accomplice?" 1 'I do. I don't know what she has by it -- probably money. But I fe< there is some connection. Partly of Bertha Gotobed's £5 note; i] because Mrs. Forrest's story palpable fake -- I'm certain the never had a lover, let alone a husl you can't mistake real inexperiem chiefly because of the similai method. Criminals always tend to>i their effects. Look at George Smith and his brides. Look ai Cream. Look at Armstrong and parties." "Well, if there's an accomplice,! better. Accomplices generally giving the show away.'' "True. And we are in a good because up till now I don't think th< that we suspect any connection them." "But I still think, you know, we get some evidence that actual 3fi4 fcn committed. Call me finicking, [e. If you could suggest a means laway with these people so as to trace, I should feel happier about leans, eh? -- Well, we do know about it." it?" take the two victims ----" » pounds t, old particular. The two lictims and the two (alleged) ictims. Miss Dawson was ill and Bertha Gotobed possibly Iby a heavy meal and an led quantity of wine; Trigg sufficient dose of veronal to sleep, and I was offered ifef probably the same kind -- I have kept the remains of that deduce from that, what?" je that it was a means of death only be used on somebody helpless or unconscious." y. As for instance, a t injection -- only nothing have been injected. Or a 365 delicate operation of some kind could only think of one to fit the cj the inhalation of something -- chloroform -- only we could find noi of suffocation." "Yes. That doesn't get us vei though." "It's something. Then, again, very well be something that a nurse would have learnt or hearcd Miss Whittaker was trained, you which, by the way, was what mai easy for her to bandage up her 01 and provide a pitiful and unreco^ spectacle for the stupid Mr. TriggJ] "It wouldn't have to be anythi out of the way -- nothing, I mei only a trained surgeon could -dcvi required very specialised knowlectgi "Oh, no. Probably something pi< in conversation with a doctor or nurses. I say, how about getting*: Dr. Carr again? Or, no -- if he'dw ideas on the subject he'd have trdl out before now. I know! I'll ask the analyst. He'll do. I'll get in toi him tomorrow." 366 lean while/' said Parker tr «j |we just sit round and wai [ j[ for else to be murdered.'' istly, isn't it? I still feel poor fotobed's blood on my head, so ^ 'ty'" -I" practically got clear prooof on business. Couldn't you pui^ |-ne >d on a charge of burglary ^hjte iiout the rest of the dope?^> j^s |^ It was a burglary, you k^now into a house after dark - an(j a scuttleful of coal to^ ner ifrigg could identify her -v^_ ne |have paid the lady P^rtic^ujar Ibn more than one occasio^ _ mid rake up his taxi-mar^ for live detail." ppulled at his pipe for a few something in that," he sa^ think perhaps it's worth ^hile before the authorities. Bu t ,,7Q t We in too much of a hurry, you ih we were further ahead Wj^ iroofs. There's such a tiling as te 367 Habeas Corpus -- you can't hold)! people indefinitely just on a chai stealing coal----" "There's the breaking and enl don't forget that. It's burglary, all You can get penal servitude for burglary." "But it all depends on the view takes of the coal. It might deci( there was no original intention of si coal, and treat the thing as ai misdemeanour or civil trespass, we don't really want a convict stealing coal. But I'll see what the about it at our place, and meanwl get hold of Trigg again and try the taxi-driver. And Trigg's d< might get it as an attempt to i Trigg, or at least to inflict grievoi harm. But I should like som< evidence about ----" "Cuckoo! So should I. But manufacture evidence out of Dash it all, be reasonable. I've bt up a case out of nothing. Isi handsome enough? Base ingratii that's what's the matter with you.' 3B8 fs inquiries took some time, and ;red into its longest days, jrlin and Levine flew the and Segrave bade farewell to Is. The Daily Yell wrote anti ters and discovered a plot, laid claim to a marquisate, and Uovakian pretended to swim the fHammond out-graced Grace, an outburst of murder at ^Foxlaw won the Gold Cup and opened at Oxhey and swallowed tody's front garden. Oxford it women were dangerous, and |c hare consented to run at the ly. England's supremacy was at Wimbledon, and the House ide the gesture of stooping to tile, Lord Peter's projected opus on a-hundredand-one icausing sudden death had >y the accumulation of a mass rich flowed all over the library it, and threatened to engulf lose task it was to file and 369 cross-reference and generally to pi order from chaos. Oriental scholi explorers were button-holed in clul strenuously pumped on the subji abstruse native poisons; experiments performed in laboratories were communica^ unreadable documents; and the lift James Lubbock, who had the mis to be a particular friend of Lord was made a burden to him wil inquiries as to the post-mortem d< of such varying substances as chl< curare, hydrocyanic acid gj diethylsulphonmethylethylmetham "But surely there must be soi which kills without leaving a pleaded Lord Peter, when at informed that the persecution musl "A thing in such universal del surely it is not beyond the wit of s< to invent it. It must exist. Why properly advertised? There ought! company to exploit it. It's ridiculous. Why, it's a thing one wantin' one's self any day." "You don't understand," said Sii 370 "Plenty of poisons leave no ff post-mortem appearances. And them -- especially the vegetable yare difficult to find by analysis, know what you are looking for. ince, if you're testing for arsenic, ron't tell you whether strychnine fct or not. And if you're testing for ie, you won't find morphia, pot to try one test after another it the right one. And of course certain poisons for which no tests exist." all that," said Wimsey. "I've igs myself. But these poisons lognised test -- how do you set tg that they're there?" course, you'd take the into account, and so on. You Hat the history of the case." but I want a poison that doesn't symptoms. Except death, of you call that a symptom. Isn't i6n with no symptoms and no thing that just makes you go [ethat?" not," said the analyst, rather 371 annoyed -- for your medical analys by symptoms and tests, and nobodi suggestions that undermine th< foundations of his profession -- "n( old age or mental decay. Thei always symptoms." Fortunately, before the sympj mental decay could beconn pronounced in Lord Peter, sounded the call to action. "I'm going down to Leahamptoni warrant," he said. "I may not use the chief thinks it might be worth make an inquiry. What with the Ei mystery and the Daniels businei Bertha Gotobed, there seems feeling that there have been t( unexplained tragedies this year, Press have begun yelping again them! There's an article in John this week, with a poster: 'Nil Murderers at Large,' and the Views is starting its reports wi| weeks have now passed, and the p< no nearer the solution ----' y< the kind of thing. We'll simp! to get some sort of move on.*-j 372 k>me?" tinly -- a breath of country do me good, I fancy. Blow away rebs, don't you know. It might are me to invent a good way of P' people. '0 Inspiration, solitary irbling thy native woodnotes Did somebody write that, or mt it? It sounds reminiscent, » who was out of temper, replied idrtly, and intimated that the ir would be starting for m in an hour's time. be there," said Wimsey, |piind you, I hate being driven by pounds low. It feels so unsafe. Never ill be bloody, bold and resolute, Pretoria said to the Archbishop iry. » w Jehed Leahampton without any justify Lord Peter's fears, brought another officer with the way they picked up the Jtable of the County, who y dubiously disposed towards 373 their errand. Lord Peter, observing array of five strong men, going seize upon one young woman, reminded of the Marquise de Brim - ("What! all that water for ai person like me?") -- but this led hii to the subject of poison, and he rei steeped in thought and gloom till drew up before the house in Well Avenue. Parker got out, and went up th< with the Chief Constable. The d( opened to them by a frightened-1 maid, who gave a little shriek at them. "Oh, sir! have you come something's happened toil Whittaker?" ll "Isn't Miss Whittaker at home, "No, sir. She went out in the ci Miss Vera Findlater on Monday four days back, sir, and she hasn'< home, nor Miss Findlater neither, frightened something's happened When I see you, sir, I thought you? police come to say there had accident. I didn't know what to do$ 374 jied, by God!" was Parker's lought, but he controlled his », and asked: know where they were going?" Beach, Miss Whittaker said, a good fifty miles," said the stable. "Probably they've just stay there a day or two." ilikely gone in the opposite thought Parker. lidn't take no things for the They went off about ten in the IThey said they was going to there and come home in the And Miss Whittaker hasn't nothing. And her always so Cook and me, we didn't know I, I expect it's all right," said ponstable. "It's a pity, as we irly wanted to see Miss iWhen you hear from her, you Sir Charles Pillington called » fe But please, sir, what ought »> 375 "Nothing. Don't worry. i'\\, inquiries made. I'm the Chief Coi you know, and I can soon find out there's been an accident or anythii if there had been, depend upon should have heard about it. Coi girl, pull yourself together, nothing to cry about. We'll let you soon as we hear anything." But Sir Charles looked disl Coming on top of Parker's arrival district, the thing had an unpleasi about it. Lord Peter received the cheerfully. it "Good," said he, "joggle 'em u] 'em moving. That's the spirit. Alw« it when somethin' happens. Myi suspicions are goin' to be justifit always makes one feel so import virtuous, don't you think? Wonder took the girl with her, though. By we'd better look up the Findlatei may have heard something." This obvious suggestion was act< at once. But at the Findlaters' hot drew blank. The family were 376 ^with the exception of Miss Vera, staying in Wellington Avenue ;s Whittaker. No anxiety was by the parlour-maid and none, ly, felt. The investigators took arouse any alarm, and, leaving and polite message from Sir rithdrew for a consultation. s?s nothing for it, so far as I can id Parker, "but an all-stations >k out for the car and the ladies, mst put inquiries through to all of course. With four days' start, be anywhere by now. I wish to sf'd risked a bit and started >proval or no approval. What's tier girl like? I'd better go back Wise and get photographs of her littaker woman. And, Wimsey, I look in on Miss Climpson and tas any information." m might tell 'em at the Yard to re on Mrs. Forrest's place," said !When anything sensational a criminal it's a good tip to tccomplice." are you are both quite mistaken 377 ,«7 "Nothing. Don't worry. r\\ j inquiries made. I'm the Chief Cons you know, and I can soon find out there's been an accident or anything if there had been, depend upon should have heard about it. Com* girl, pull yourself together, nothing to cry about. We'll let you ki soon as we hear anything." But Sir Charles looked disti Coming on top of Parker's arrival district, the thing had an unpleas< about it. Lord Peter received the cheerfully. S "Good," said he, "joggle 'em uj 'em moving. That's the spirit. Alwi it when somethin' happens. Myy suspicions are goin' to be justifi< always makes one feel so imporl virtuous, don't you think? Wonder took the girl with her, though. By we'd better look up the Findlatei may have heard something." This obvious suggestion was act at once. But at the Findlaters' hoi drew blank. The family were 376 with the exception of Miss Vera, staying in Wellington Avenue iss Whittaker. No anxiety was by the parlour-maid and none, ly, felt. The investigators took ito arouse any alarm, and, leaving and polite message from Sir iwithdrew for a consultation. j's nothing for it, so far as I can tid Parker, "but an all-stations >k out for the car and the ladies. mst put inquiries through to all I, of course. With four days' start, be anywhere by now. I wish to I'd risked a bit and started >proval or no approval. What's iter girl like? I'd better go back mse and get photographs of her littaker woman. And, Wimsey, I look in on Miss Climpson and ias any information." m might tell 'em at the Yard to re on Mrs. Forrest's place," said 'When anything sensational a criminal it's a good tip to iceomplice." are you are both quite mistaken 377 ,«' about this," urged Sir Charles Pin "Criminal -- accomplice -- bless^ have had considerable experienced course of a long life -- longer tiu of yours -- and I really feel convince Miss Whittaker, whom I know quit is as good and nice a girl as you couii to find. But there has undoubtedly accident of some kind, and it is own make the fullest investigation. I on to Crow's Beach police immec as soon as I know the descriptioi car.77 "It's an Austin Seven and the m XX9917," said Wimsey, much to tl Constable's surprise. "But I doul much whether you'll find it at Beach, or anywhere near it." "Well, we'd better get a movi snapped Parker. "We'd better se] How about a spot of lunch in aifc time at the George?" Wimsey was unlucky. Miss Cl was not to be found. She had had h< early and gone out, saying she fel long country walk would do her g< Budge was rather afraid she had 97Q -- she had seemed so upset and lince yesterday evening, ideed, sir," she added, "if you :, you might find her up at the pie often drops in there to say her like. Not a respectful way to va place of worship to my mind, ink so yourself, sir? Popping in a week-day, the same as if it tend's house. And coming home mnion as cheerful as anything to laugh and make jokes. I don't jw we was meant to make an dng of religion that way -- so il and nothing uplifting to the it. But there! we all 'as our Miss Climpson is a nice lady 3 must say, even if she is a fatholic or next door to one." iter thought that Roaming tes rather an appropriate name are ultramontane section of the "ch party. At the moment, he felt he could not afford time discussion, and set off for the Jtiest of Miss Climpson. 's of S. Onesimus were hospitably open, and the red Sane lamp made a little spot of welci brightness in the rather dark bi Coming in from the June suni Wimsey blinked a little before he( distinguish anything else. Present was able to make out a dark, bowed; kneeling before the lamp. For a me he hoped it was Miss Climpsoi presently saw to his disappointmei it was merely a Sister in a black presumably taking her turn to >| before the Host. The only other occ of the church was a priest in a a who was busy with the ornaments High Altar. It was the Feast of SJf Wimsey remembered suddenly walked up the aisle, hoping to fil quarry hidden in some obscure His shoes squeaked. This annoyed was a thing which Bunter permitted. He was seized with a: that the squeak was produced by possession -- a protest against a n atmosphere on the part of W particular besetting devil. BI with this thought, he moved ft 3Rft fidently. -iest's attention was attracted by ik. He turned and came down ithe intruder. No doubt, thought to offer his professional services ise the evil spirit. you looking for anybody?" ^the priest, courteously. |I was looking for a lady," began Then it struck him that this a little odd under the ices, and he hastened to explain r, in the stifled tones considered Ite to consecrated surroundings. |yes," said the priest, quite id, "Miss Climpson was here a ago, but I fancy she has gone, usually keep tabs on my flock," |iwith a laugh, "but she spoke to she went. Was it urgent? What should have missed her. Can I :ind of message or help you in Inks," said Wimsey. "Sorry to Unseemly to come and try >ple out of church, but -- yes, tther important. I'll leave 381 a message at the house, frightfully." He turned away; then stopped am back. "I say," he said, "you give a& moral problems and all that sort don't you?" "Well, we're supposed to try," priest. "Is anything bothering particular?" "Ye-es," said Wimsey, " religious, I don't mean -- nothii infallibility or the Virgin anything of that sort. Just somel not comfortable about.'' The priest -- who was, in fact, Mr. Tredgold -- indicated that] quite at Lord Peter's service. $ "It's very good of you. Could somewhere where I didn't have to* so much. I never can explain thii whisper. Sort of paralyses one, know." "Let's go outside," said Mr. Tn So they went out and sat tombstone. "It's like this," said M 382 tical case, you see, and so on. ne knows somebody who's very, nd can't last long anyhow. And awful pain and all that, and kept hia -- practically dead to the bu know. And suppose that by aight away they could make g happen which they really happen and which couldn't they lived on a little longer (I in exactly how, because I don't ye personal details and so on) -- the idea? Well, supposin' itwho knew all that was just to a little push off so to speak -- rs on -- why should that be a ul crime?" --" began Mr. Tredgold. law says it's a crime, fast said Wimsey. "But do you ink it's very bad? I know you'd of course, but why is it so ful? It doesn't do the person oesit?" n't answer that," said Mr. 'without knowing the ways of e soul. In those last weeks or 383 a message at the house frightfully." He turned away; then stopped ant back. "I say," he said, "you give adu moral problems and all that sort don't you?" "Well, we're supposed to try," priest. "Is anything bothering particular?" "Ye-es," said Wimsey, "nj religious, I don't mean -- nothing infallibility or the Virgin M^ anything of that sort. Just somethii not comfortable about." The priest -- who was, in fact, thi Mr. Tredgold -- indicated that quite at Lord Peter's service. "It's very good of you. Could somewhere where I didn't have to so much. I never can explain thinj whisper. Sort of paralyses one, doi know." "Let's go outside," said Mr. Tri So they went out and sat on tombstone. "It's like this," said Wi 38? jtical case, you see, and so on. me knows somebody who's very, md can't last long anyhow. And awful pain and all that, and kept >hia -- practically dead to the |ou know. And suppose that by might away they could make lg happen which they really happen and which couldn't they lived on a little longer (I lain exactly how, because I don't ive personal details and so on) -- the idea? Well, supposin' who knew all that was just to > lean that one murder leads to if ten. In any case it leads to a to commit others." That's the trouble. But it iftave if I hadn't started trying to [S out. Ought I to have left it tThat is very difficult. Terrible, in . You feel responsible." irself are not serving a private i?" * >. Nothing really to do with me. like a fool to help somebody 3R5 who'd got into .trouble about the^ through having suspicions himsel my beastly interference start* crimes all over again." "I shouldn't be too troubled. Prc the murderer's own guilty fears have led him to fresh crimes even your interference.'' "That's true," said Wii remembering Mr. Trigg. 1 'My advice to you is to do wl think is right, according to the lai we have been brought up to n Leave the consequences to God. Ai think charitably, even of wicked You know what I mean. Brii offender to justice, but remember! we all got justice, you and I escape either." a "I know. Knock the man down bt dance on the body. Quite. Forf troublin' you -- and excuse my ban because I've got a date with am Thanks so much. I don't feel rotten about it now. But I wa&i worried." Mr. Tredgold watched him as h< afa tween the graves. "Dear, dear," "how nice they are. So kindly and us and so vague outside their chool code. And much more wand sensitive than people think. A icult class to reach. I must make 1 intention for him at Mass to» ^ practical man, Mr. Tredgold lot in his handkerchief to remind is pious resolve. iroblem -- to interfere or not to -- God's law and Caesar's, now -- it's no problem to ft for the ordinary man -- how isentangle his own motives. I it brought him here. Could it be -- No!" said the vicar, himself, "I have no right to ' He drew out his handkerchief made another mnemonic knot jfcder against his next confession had fallen into the sin of less. 387 Chapter XX Murder Siegfried: "What does this mean?1 Isbrand: "A pretty piece of kidnaj that's all." Beddoes: Death's Jest* Parker, too, had spent a disapi half-hour. It appeared that Miss Wl not only disliked having her phol taken, but had actually destroyed existing portraits she could lay h« shortly after Miss Dawson's deal course, many of Miss Whittaker's might be in possession of one -- of course, Miss Findlater. But Pai not sure that he wanted to start hue-and-cry at the moment.! Climpson might be able to get course. He went round to Nelson A| Miss Climpson was out; there ha^ 388 gentleman asking for her. Mrs. eyes were beginning to bulge with -- evidently she was becoming "about Miss Climpson's "nephew" Efriends. Parker then went to the totographers. There were five. to of them he extracted a number -oups, containing unrecognisable of Miss Whittaker at church iand private theatricals. She had lad a studio portrait made in >ton. Findlater, on the other hand, he Iral excellent likenesses -- a fir girl, with a rather sentimental lump and prettyish. All these he to Town, with directions that lid be broadcast to the police, Pwith a description of the girl's Hi last seen. really cheerful members of the Ithe "George" were the second ffi, who had been having a gossip with various garage and publicans, with a view to Ip information, and the Chief who was vindicated and 3RQ triumphant. He had been telephoi various country police-stations, a discovered that XX9917 had actua observed on the previous Monday A.A. scout on the road to Crow's Having maintained all along t Crow's Beach excursion was a g one, he was inclined to exult ov< Scotland Yard man. Wimsey and dispiritedly agreed that they had b down and make inquiries at Beach. t Meanwhile, one of the photogr whose cousin was on the staff Leahampton Mercury, had put through to the office of that u paper, which was just going to p: stop-press announcement was foil a special edition; somebody rang London Evening Views which b into a front-page scoop; the fat w fire, and the Daily Yell, Daily Daily Wire and Daily Tiding were all suffering from excitement, came brightly o morning with bold headlines disappearing young women. .* Beach, indeed, that pleasant and tble watering-place, knew nothing IWhittaker, Miss Findlater, or car sNo hotel had received them; no id refuelled or repaired them; no had observed them. The Chief le held to his theory of an and scouting parties were sent arrived at Scotland Yard from le place. They had been seen at Newcastle, at Sheffield, at jr, at Rugby. Two young women lea in a suspicious manner at ie; a car had passed noisily IDorchester at a late hour on light; a dark-haired girl in an condition" had entered a public New Alresford just before ime and asked the way to Among all these reports, tected that of a boy-scout, who m the Saturday morning that he two ladies with a car having a the downs on the previous lot far from Shelly Head. The Austin Seven -- he knew that, ifc was keen on motors (an 391 unanswerable reason for accuracy boy of his age), and he had noticed" was a London number, though he c< say positively what the number wasc] Shelly Head lies about ten miles the coast from Crow's Beach, curiously lonely, considering how lies to the watering-place. Under th< is a long stretch of clear sandy never visited, and overlooked houses. The cliffs themselves are and covered with short turf, runnfc into a wide expanse of downs, with gorse and heather. Then come* of pine-trees, beyond which is an narrow and rutty road, leading a! into the tarmac high-road bi Ramborough and Ryders Heall downs are by no means freqi though there are plenty of rougl which a car can follow, if you particular about comfort or fus^ your springs. Under the leadership of the b< the police-car bumped uncoi over these disagreeable roads, hopeless to look for any previ< kill if or the chalk was dry and hard, grass and heath retained no Everywhere, little dells and presented themselves -- all dike, and many of them capable pa small car, not to speak of the igns and remains of a recent iving arrived at what their guide to be approximately the right ^y pulled up and got out. Parker the ground between the five of they set off. took a dislike to gorse-bushes Inhere were so many of them and Any of them might hold a trackage or a sandwich paper or cloth or a clue of some kind. He itong unhappily, back bent and le ground, over one ridge and the hollow -- then circling to to left, taking his bearings by rar; over the next ridge and the next hollow; over the next »i£.was something in the hollow. :it first sticking out round the gorse-bush. It was light in 393 colour, and pointed, rather like a f He felt a little sick. "Somebody has gone to sleep he said aloud. Then he thought: "Funny -- it's always the f leave showing." He scrambled down among the slipping on the short turf and rolling to the bottom. He swore irr The person was sleeping oddly, must be a nuisance all over her that. It occurred to him that it was early in the year for flies. There n an advertising rhyme in the Something about "Each fly you s means, remember, Three hundre next September." Or was it a fewer? He couldn't get the me right. Then he pulled himself toge went forward. The flies rose up i cloud. It must have been a pretty hea he thought, to smash the back of in like that. The shingled hair wa y| 3Q4 lay between the bare arms, ned the body on its back. irse, without the photograph, he it -- he need not -- be certain that :?Vera Findlater. is had taken him perhaps thirty rambled up to the rim of the id shouted. 11 black figure at some distance ind turned. He saw its face as a »t with no expression on it. He igain, and waved his arms in tores of explanation. The figure ling; it lurched slowly and over the heathy ground. It was jman -- a heavy man, not built in the heat. Wimsey shouted the policeman shouted too. iw the others closing in upon rotesque figure of the boy-scout iridge, waving its staff -- then again. The policeman was ^iiow. His bowler hat was thrust liis head, and there was ion his watch-chain that glinted as he ran. Wimsey found 395 himself running to meet him and -- explaining at great length. It far off to make himself heard, explained, wordily, with empl pointing, indicating. He was breathless when the policeman came together. They wereJ breathless. They wagged their he* gasped. It was ludicrous. He running again, with the man at hi! Presently they were all there, pci measuring, taking notes, grubbingi the gorse-bushes. Wimsey sat dot was dreadfully tired. "Peter," said Parker's voice^ and look at this." He got up wearily. There were the remains of lunch a little farther down the horn policeman had a little bag in his he had taken it from under the was now turning over the titii contained. On the ground, clos< dead girl's head, was a thicfcpl spanner -- unpleasantly discoloi with a few fair hairs sticking to-i But what Parker was calling his^l kfi Ipone of these, but a man's mauve \j tre did you find that?" asked There picked it up at the top of the said Parker. lied off into the gorse it was," ?ated the scout, "just up here, dde down just as if it had fallen K)dy'shead." >tmarks?" :ely. But there's a place where is are all trodden and broken. :if there'd been some sort of pi What's become of the Austin? lit touch that spanner, my lad. lay-, be finger-prints on it. This de an attack by some gang or ly money in that purse? Ten ite, sixpence and a few coppers 11, the other woman may have on her. She's very well off, you Jld up for ransom, I shouldn't Parker bent down and very Enfolded the spanner in a silk lief, carrying it slung by the four Well, we'd better spread about 397 and have a look for the car. Better ti belt of trees over there. Looks a spot. And, Hopkins -- I think you'd; run back with our car to Crow's a and let 'em know at the statioi come back with a photographer. ai this wire and send it to the Commissioner at Scotland Yard, a doctor and bring him along wit And you'd better hire another cai you're about it, in case we don't ffj Austin -- we shall be too many 14 away in this one. Take Alf back wit you're not sure of finding the place Oh! and Hopkins, fetch us>fj something to eat and drink, will may be at it a long time. Here^J money -- that enough? " *I " Yes, thank you, sir." The constable went off, taking was torn between a desire to stay some more detecting, and the pi glory of being first back with Parker gave a few words of prais< valuable assistance which filled delight, and then turned to thi Constable. kill $r obviously went off in this Would you bear away to the and enter the trees from that end, »r, will you bear to the right and jcough from the other end, while I fht up the middle?" Ihief Constable, who seemed a il shaken by the discovery of the jeyed without a word. Wimsey >arker by the arm. he said, "have you looked at I? Something funny, isn't there? jht to be more mess, somehow. >u think?" lot thinking anything for the said Parker, a little grimly, tit for the doctor's report. Come rt;We want to dig out that car." lave a look at the cap. H'm. Sold iman of the Jewish persuasion, |ifl Stepney. Almost new. Smells if California Poppy -- rather a t$f gangsman, apparently. Quite liads of the village." we ought to be able to trace Heaven, they always overlook M Well, we'd better get along." 399 The search for the car present difficulties. Parker stumbled ui almost as soon as he got in un< trees. There was a clearing, with rivulet of water running through it;1 which stood the missing Austin.'^ were other trees here, mingled wit pines, and the water made an ell spread into a shallow pool, with a muddy beach. II The hood of the car was up, and approached with an uncomfortable that there might be somes disagreeable inside, but it was emi tried the gears. They were in and the handbrake was on. On was a handkerchief -- a largf handkerchief, very grubby and initials or laundry-mark. Parker a little over the criminal's carel* of strewing his belongings about. Hi round in front of the car and immediate further proof of carel< For on the mud there were footi two men's and a woman's, it seenw The woman had got out of the -- he could see where the left 4hn lavily in as she extricated herself ie low seat: Then the right foot -- ivily -- then she had staggered a started to run. But one of the been there to catch her. He had lout of the bracken in shoes with >ers on them, and there were iffling marks as though he had and she had tried to break away. line second man, who seemed to rather narrow feet and to wear toed boots affected by Jew boys ider sort -- had come after her rear -- the marks of his feet were jsing and half-obliterating hers, had stood together for a little, tracks moved away, with those lan in the middle, and led up to rinark of a Michelin balloon tyre learly. The tyres on the Austin lary Dunlops -- besides, this msly a bigger car. It had stood there for some little a little pool of engine-oil had im the crank-case. Then the i had moved off, down a sort of led away through the trees. 401 Parker followed it for a little distanc the tracks soon became lost in a" carpet of pine-needles. Still, there other road for a car to take. He tin the Austin to investigate fui Presently shouts told him that th< two were converging "upon the c< the wood. He called back and befoi Wimsey and Sir Charles Pillingtoi crashing towards him through the which fringed the pines. "Well," said Wimsey, "I imagj may put down this elegant bit of headgear to the gentleman in tl boots. Bright yellow, I fane] buttons. He must be laments beautiful cap. The woman's f< belong to Mary Whittaker, I take it^ "I suppose so. I don't see how be the Findlater girl's. This worm or was taken off in the car." "They are certainly nott* Findlater's -- there was no mitt shoes when we found her.'' "Oh! you were taking notice, thought you were feeling a bit d< world." 402 |l was, old dear, but I can't help things, though moribund. Hullo! lis?" ait- his hand down behind the of the car and pulled out an in magazine -- that monthly m of mystery and sensational iblished under the name of The lask. reading for the masses," said jht by the gentleman in the |i>oots, perhaps," suggested the instable. likely by Miss Findlater," said a lady's choice," said Sir n a pained tone. dunno. From all I hear, Miss kier was dead against itality and roses round the porch, other poor girl copied her in They might have a boyish iction." it's not very important," said bit. Look at this. Somebody's 403 been making marks on it." Wimsey held out the cov< inspection. A thick pencilmark hac drawn under the first two words title. "Do you think it's some s< message? Perhaps the book was seat, and she contrived to make the unnoticed and shove it away: before they transferred her to tin car." "Ingenious," said Sir Charles}! what does it mean? The Black. It no sense." "Perhaps the long-toed gentlei a nigger," suggested Parker, taste runs rather to boots and hairi possibly a Hindu or Parsee of sorts^ "God bless my soul," said Sir horrified, "an English girl in the a nigger. How abominable!" 3I "Well, we'll hope it isn't so: follow the road out or wait for the! to arrive?" "Better go back to the body, W said Parker. They've got a long us, and half an hour more or '404 ing them up won't make much turned from the translucent cool jss of the little wood back on to the The streamlet clacked merrily rer the pebbles, running out to the >st on its way to the river and the all very well your chattering," isey to the water. "Why can't you tjyou'veseen?" N 405 Chapter XXI By What Means? n Death hath so many doors to life." Beaumont and FI< Custom of the Coi The doctor turned out to be a plui fussy man -- and what Wi impatiently called a "Tutster." He over the mangled head of pool Findlater as though it was an atl measles after a party or a self-pit fit of the gout. "Tst, tst, tst. A terrible blow. H< we come by that, I wonder? Tst, tsj extinct? Oh, for several days, you Tst, tst -- which makes it so mucl painful, of course. Dear me, how si for her poor parents. And her They are very agreeable girls; yol A(\£ :of course, Sir Charles. Yes. Tst, e is no doubt, I suppose," said "that it is Miss Findlater." whatever," said Sir Charles. i, as you can identify her, it may be to spare the relatives the shock of Icher like this. Just a moment, -- the photographer wants to pie position of the body before you lything. Now, Mr. -- Andrews? a-- have you ever done any >hs of this kind before? No? -- mustn't be upset by it! I know ler unpleasant. One from here, show the position of the body -- the top of the bank -- that's cpow one of the wound itself -- a view, please. Yes. Thank you. tor, you can turn her over, please forry, Mr. Andrews -- I know >w you are feeling, but these Te to be done. Hullo! look how are all scratched about. Looks I put up a bit of a fight. The right jleft elbow -- as though someone trying to hold her down. We 407 must have a photograph of the marksl Andrews -- they may be important. ll doctor, what do you make of this face?" The doctor looked as though he have preferred not to make so much examination of the face. However^ many tuts he worked himself up to an opinion. "As far as one can tell, with alii post-mortem changes," he ventun looks as though the face hadv roughened or burnt about the nos lips. Yet there is no appearance < kind on the bridge of the nose, n< forehead. Tst, tst -- otherwise I have put it down to severe sunburn.^ "How about chloroform bui suggested Parker. ill "Tst, tst," said the doctor, ann< not having thought of this himseH wish you gentlemen of the police^ would not be quite so abrupt. You! everything decided in too great a b! was about to remark -- if you hi anticipated me -- that since I col put the appearance down to si 4M jmains some such possibility as *est. I can't possibly say that it is mlt of chloroform -- medical »ements of that kind cannot be made without cautious ition -- but I was about to remark light be." lat case," put in Wimsey, ''could re died from the effects of the »rm? Supposing she was given too that her heart was weak?" |ood sir," said the doctor, deeply this time, "look at that blow head, and ask yourself whether it jary to suggest any other cause of [oreover, if she had died of the irm, where would be the necessity >low?" it is exactly what I was ig," said Wimsey. >se," went on the doctor, "you trdly dispute my medical !e?" ily not," said Wimsey, "but as *it is unwise to make any medical tcements without cautious rtion." 409 "And this is not the place for it," Parker, hastily. "I think we have d< there is to do here. Will you go wit body to the mortuary, doctors Andrews, I shall be obliged if yoi come and take a few photographs of I footmarks and so on up in the wood] light is bad, I'm afraid, but we mi our best." He took Wimsey by the arm. "The man is a fool, of course," hi "but we can get a second opinion, meantime, we had better let supposed that we accept the explanation of all this." "What is the difficulty?" ask< Charles, curiously. "Oh, nothing much," replied "All the appearances are in favoui girls having been attacked by a ci ruffians, who have carried Miss Wl off with a view to ransom, after knocking Miss Findlater on the he^ she offered resistance. Probably^ the true explanation. Any discrepancies will doubtlesi themselves up in time. We sh< 41 n when we have had a proper medical iation." returned to the wood, where aphs were taken and careful lements made of the footprints, 'hief Constable followed these ies with intense interest, looking Barker's shoulder as he entered the (ars in his notebook. ty," he said, suddenly, "isn't it Wd--" i's somebody coming," broke in kind of a motor-cycle being urged gear over the rough ground be the herald of a young man tith a-camera. ^God!" groaned Parker. "The IPress already." jived the journalist courteously showing him the wheel-tracks and stprints, and outlining the ig theory as they walked back to [Inhere the body was found. give us any idea, Inspector, of nice of the two wanted men?" II said Parker, "one of them 411 appears to be something of a dandi wears a loathsome mauve cap and nj pointed shoes, and, if those marks magazine cover mean anything, qj other of the men may possibly coloured man of some kind. Of the s< man, all we can definitely say is wears number 10 shoes, with heels." 31 1 'I was going to say," said PillinJ "that, a propos de bottes, it is remarkable----" "And this is where we found the Miss Findlater," went on P; ruthlessly. He described the injurh the position of the body, and the joi gratefully occupied himself with photographs, including a groi Wimsey, Parker and the chief Coi standing among the gorse-bushesff| the latter majestically indicated spot with his walking-stick. "And now you've got what you w« son," said Parker, benevolently,^ off, won't you, and tell the rest boys. You've got all we can tell we've got other things to doJ 41? ig special interviews." ^reporter asked no better. This was uwnt to making his information liive, and no Victorian matron could more delicate appreciation of the of exclusiveness than a modern tper man. U now, Sir Charles," said Parker, ie man had happily chugged and himself away, "what were you to say in the matter of the its?" rSir Charles was offended. The Yard man had snubbed him and mbt on his discretion, ing," he replied. "I feel sure that iclusions would appear very tary to you." preserved a dignified silence Hit the return journey. ftiittaker case had begun almost rtibly, in the overhearing of a IjTemark dropped in a Soho Hit; it ended amid a roar of that shook England from end to ^crowded even Wimbledon into the 413 second place. The bare facts murder and kidnapping app< exclusively that night in a Late edition of the Evening Views. morning it sprawled over the papers with photographs and full d< actual and imaginary. The idea aj English girls -- the one brutally kill< other carried off for some end unthii sinister, by a black man -- aroused passion of horror and indignation of the English temperament is cai Reporters swarmed down upon Beach like locusts -- the dowi Shelly Head were like a fair with bicycles and parties on foot, rusl to spend a happy weekend surroundings of mystery and bl< Parker, who with Wimsey had rooms at the Green Lion, sat ai the telephone and receiving the and wires which descended upon Mi all sides, with a stalwart p< posted at the end of the passage out all intruders. Wimsey fidgeted about the" smoking cigarette after cigar* 414 leitement. is time we've got them," he said. r!ve overreached themselves, thank But have a little patience, old fe can't lose them -- but we must the facts first." l're sure those fellows have got Test safe?" yes. She came back to the flat on night -- or so the garage man >ur men are shadowing her illy and will let us know the anybody comes to the flat." lay night!" JBut that's no proof in itself, ^night is quite a usual time for lers to return to Town. Besides, I lilt to frighten her till we know fshe's the principal or merely the pee. Look here, Peter, I've had a 'from another of our men. He's iking into the finances of Miss *r and Mrs. Forrest. Miss |r has been drawing out big sums, le last December year in cheques hand these correspond almost 415 J exactly, amount for amount, with which Mrs. Forrest has been payinj her own account. That woman has big hold over Miss Whittaker, ever old Miss Dawson died. She's in it up neck, Peter." "I knew it. She's been doing the while the Whittaker woman held do^ alibi in Kent. For God's sake, Cl make no mistake. Nobody's life is si a second while either of them is at li "When a woman is wicked* unscrupulous," said Pa sententiously, "she is the most criminal in the world -- fifty times; than a man, because she is alw* much more single-minded about it."; "They're not troubled sentimentality, that's why," said Wii "and we poor mutts of men ourselves up with the idea that romantic and emotional. All pui son. Damn that 'phone!" W Parker snatched up the receiver. "Yes -- yes -- speaking. Good don't say so. All right. Yes. Yes, oli you must detain him. I think mys< 416 ptnit he must be held and questioned, je that all the papers have it. Tell m're sure he's the man. See? Soak it ito 'em that that's the official view, wait a moment -- I want iphs of the cheque and of any ^prints on it. Send 'em down iiately by a special messenger. It's I suppose? The Bank people say food! What's his story ... Oh! ... 'elope? -- Destroyed? -- Silly ^ight. Right. Goodbye." turned to Wimsey with some mt. lelujah Dawson walked into Lloyds Stepney yesterday morning and lied Mary Whittaker's cheque for drawn on their Leahampton to Bearer, and dated Friday 24th. ium was such a large one and the the disappearance was in Friday ^aper, they asked him to call ^Meanwhile, they communicated ihampton. When the news of the *ame out yesterday evening, the IjJton manager remembered about toned the Yard, with the result 417 that they sent round this morning an< Hallelujah up for a few inquiries story is that the cheque arriv/ Saturday morning, all by itself envelope, without a word of explan* Of course the old juggins chuck< envelope away, so that we can't veri tale or get a line on the post-mai people thought the whole thing 1< bit fishy, so Hallelujah is detained p< investigation -- in other words, ai for murder and conspiracy!" "Poor old Hallelujah! Charles, simply devilish! That innocent, dec< creature, who couldn't harm a fly.' "I know. Well, he's in for it have to go through with it. It's better for us. Hell's bells, tj somebody at the door. Come in." "It's Dr. Faulkner to see you, sir< the constable, putting his head in, "Oh, good. Come in, doctor. Hal made your examination?'' "I have, Inspector. Very intei You were quite right. I'll tell y< much straight away." "I'm glad to hear that. Sit down 418 tboutit." be as brief as possible," said the He was a London man, sent down >tland Yard, and accustomed to twork -- a lean, grey badger of a air were obviously just out of the shall have the photographs here tent, and you will see. Of course, impossible that both men should ?ing brand new shoes, but on the &'unlikely." agreed the doctor. fffnow we come to the most tlve thing of all. One of the men had very much bigger feet other, from which you would taller and possibly heavier man 423 with a longer stride. But on measuring footprints, what do we find? In all cases -- the big man, the little mai the woman -- we have exactly the length of stride. Not only that, but footprints have sunk into the groi precisely the same depth, indicating! all three people were of the same wgj Now, the other discrepancies might but that is absolutely beyond the re^i coincidence." ,i:£ Dr. Faulkner considered this moment. ''You've proved your point," he si length. "I consider that absoii convincing." "It struck even Sir Charles Pillj who is none too bright," said Parl had the greatest difficulty in pre^ him from blurting out the extract agreement of the measurements Evening Views man." "You think, then, that Miss Wl had come provided with these sh< produced the tracks herself." "Yes, returning each time thr< bracken. Cleverly done. She had 424 ike about superimposing the lints. It was all worked out to a -- each set over and under the two to produce the impression that people had been there at the same fntensive study of the works of Mr. Freeman, I should say." what next?" 11, I think we shall find that this lorrest, who we think has been her rtice all along, had brought her car the big car, that is -- and was there for her. Possibly she did the of the footprints while Mary ;er was staging the assault, she probably arrived there after rhittaker and Vera Findlater had Austin and departed to the hollow Sdbwns. When Mary Whittaker had her part of the job, they put the Pehief and the magazine called liac/c Mask into the Austin and >ff in Mrs. Forrest's car. I'm the movements of the car pted, naturally. It's a dark blue four-seater, with Michelin Eyres, and the number is XO4247. 49R We know that it returned to Forrest's garage on the Monday with Mrs. Forrest in it." ''But where is Miss Whittaker?" "In hiding somewhere. We shall g< all right. She can't get money froi own bank -- they're warned. If Forrest tries to get money for her^ will be followed. So if the worst comi the worst, we can starve her out in with any luck. But we've got another There has been a most deteri attempt to throw suspicion unfortunate relative of Miss Whitl -- a black Nonconformist parson, wij remarkable name of Hallelujah Da] He has certain pecuniary claims oni Whittaker -- not legal claims, but which any decent and humane should have respected. She didn't jn them, and the poor old man mighj well have been expected to nurse a against her. Yesterday morning he| to cash a Bearer cheque of h< pounds 10,000, with a lame-sounding stoifj effect that it had arrived by the fii without explanation, in an envelo] 426 je, he's had to be detained as one of klnappers." it that is very clumsy, surely. He's jt certain to have an alibi." |fancy the story will be that he hired gangsters to do the job for him. He is to a Mission in Stepney -- where lauve cap came from -- and no ^there are plenty of tough lads in his kmrhood. Of course we shall make inquiries and publish details 5ast in all the papers." id then?" LI then, I fancy, the idea is that Miss &er will turn up somewhere in an condition with a story of assault riding to ransom made to fit the If Cousin Hallelujah has not :ed a satisfactory alibi, we shall lat he was on the spot directing the *ers. If he has definitely shown that I't there, his name will have been ted, or he will have turned up at time which the poor dear girl ^t exactly ascertain, in some den to which she was taken in a IMch she won't be able to identify." 427 "What a devilish plot." "Yes. Miss Whittaker is a chai young woman. If there's anything stop at, I don't know what it is. Anc amiable Mrs. Forrest appears another of the same kidney. Of c< doctor, we're taking you inton! confidence. You understand that catching Mary Whittaker depends believing that we've swallowed all false clues of hers." "I'm not a talker," said the d« "Gang you call it, and gang it is, as I'm concerned. And Miss Findlatei hit on the head and died of it. I onljlj my colleague and the Chief Constabll be equally discreet. I warned II naturally, after what you said night." "It's all very well," said Wimsey, what positive evidence have we, aft against this woman? A clever deft counsel would tear the whole thi rags. The only thing we can abJ prove her to have done is the that house on Hampstead Heal stealing the coal. The other deal 428 led natural deaths at the inquest, as for Miss Findlater -- even if we it to be chloroform -- well, >form isn't difficult stuff to get hold it's not arsenic or cyanide. And |fif there were finger-prints on the m----" tere were not," said Parker, lily. 'This girl knows what she's ;»> iat did she want to kill Vera iter for, anyway?" asked the doctor, ily. ''According to you, the girl most valuable bit of evidence id. She was the one witness who >rove that Miss Whittaker had an for the other crimes -- if they were » may have found out too much the connection between Miss iker and Mrs. Forrest. My Jsion is that she had served her turn Jcome dangerous. What we're to surprise now is some thication between Forrest and pounds r. Once we've got that----" iph!" said Dr. Faulkner. He had 429 11 What a devilish plot." "Yes. Miss Whittaker is a chari young woman. If there's anything stop at, I don't know what it is. Ai amiable Mrs. Forrest appears another of the same kidney. Of c< doctor, we're taking you inton confidence. You understand that catching Mary Whittaker depends believing that we've swallowed all false clues of hers." "I'm not a talker," said the "Gang you call it, and gang it is, as I'm concerned. And Miss Findlat* hit on the head and died of it. I onlj my colleague and the Chief Constabll be equally discreet. I warned naturally, after what you saidj night." "It's all very well," said Wimseyl what positive evidence have we, all against this woman? A clever defi counsel would tear the whole thi rags. The only thing we can abs< prove her to have done is the that house on Hampstead He< stealing the coal. The other deal 428 ied natural deaths at the inquest. las for Miss Findlater -- even if we it to be chloroform -- well, >form isn't difficult stuff to get hold it's not arsenic or cyanide. And ^if there were finger-prints on the me----" tere were not," said Parker, lily. "This girl knows what she's >? foat did she want to kill Vera Iter for, anyway?" asked the doctor, ily. "According to you, the girl le most valuable bit of evidence id. She was the one witness who >rove that Miss Whittaker had an lor the other crimes -- if they were r> I may have found out too much the connection between Miss tker and Mrs. Forrest. My Jsion is that she had served her turn jcome dangerous. What we're to surprise now is some ihication between Forrest and ter. Once we've got that ----" iph!" said Dr. Faulkner. He had 429 strolled to the window. "I don't wai worry you unduly, but I perceive Charles Pillington in conference with% Special Correspondent of the Wire., Yell came out with the gang story all the front page this morning, an< patriotic leader about the dange^ encouraging coloured aliens. I n< remind you that the Wire would be r^ to corrupt the Archangel Gabriel in to kill the Yell's story." "Oh, hell!" said Parker, rushing window. "Too late," said the doctor. "The man has vanished into the post offic course, you can 'phone up and try it." Parker did so, and was court* assured by the editor of the Wire thi story had not reached him, and thati did, he would bear Inspector Pai instructions in mind. The editor of the Wire was speal exact truth. The story had been re< by the editor of the Evening B( sister paper to the Wire. In til crisis, it is sometimes convenient 430 ptiand should not know what the right does. After all, it was an exclusive tfc, fc-. 431 Chapter XXII A Case of Conscience "I know thou art religious, And hast a thing within thee call< conscience, With twenty popish tricks and ceremonies Which I have seen thee careful to observe." Titus Androi Thursday, June 23rd, was the Eve John. The sober green workaday dn which the church settles down to her duties after the bridal raptun Pentecost, had been put away, and? altar was white and shining once Vespers were over in the Lady Chaj S. Onesimus -- a faint reek of in< hung cloudily under the dim beams roof. A very short acolyte with a vei to 5s extinguisher snuffed out the Hes, adding the faintly unpleasant yet itified odour of hot wax. The small regation of elderly ladies rose up iringly from their devotions and >ed away in a series of deep lections. Miss Climpson gathered up mtity of little manuals, and groped ler gloves. In doing so, she dropped ^ffice-book. It fell, annoyingly, behind jong kneeler, scattering as it went a ^Pentecostal shower of Easter cards, ^markers, sacred pictures, dried and Ave Marias into the dark behind the confessional. Climpson gave a little exclamation rath as she dived after them -- and idiately repented this improper ?st of anger in a sacred place, ipline," she murmured, retrieving ISt lost sheep from under a hassock, ipline. I must learn self-control." rammed the papers back into the Irbook, grasped her gloves and ig, bowed to the Sanctuary, dropped Ig, picked it up this time in a kind of if martyrdom, bustled down the 433 aisle and across the church to the s< door, where the sacristan stood, kejri hand, waiting to let her out. As she w< she glanced up at the High Altar, unliti lonely, with tall candles like faint ghi in the twilight of the apse. It had a and awful look she thought suddenly. "Good night, Mr. Stanniforth," she quickly. "Good night, Miss Climpson, $ night." She was glad to come out ofi shadowy porch into the green glow of\ June evening. She had felt a menace, it the thought of the stern Baptist, wit call to repentance? the prayer for gral speak the truth and boldly rebuke Miss Climpson decided that she hurry home and read the Epistlefl Gospel -- curiously tender comfortable for the festival of that and uncompromising Saint. "And' tidy up these cards at the same time^ thought. Mrs. Budge's first-floor front s< stuffy after the scented loveliness walk home. Miss Climpson fluRJ '434 low open and sat down by it to *ange her sanctified oddments. The of the Last Supper went in at the rer of Consecration; the Fra Angelico rnciation had strayed out of the office [arch 25th and was wandering among iSundays after Trinity; the Sacred i with its French text belonged to is Christi; the . . . "Dear me!" said Climpson, "I must have picked this ^church." tainly the little sheet of paper was her writing. Somebody must have it. It was natural to look and see ter it was anything of importance. Climpson was one of those people iy: "I am not the kind of person who mother people's postcards." This is inotice to all and sundry that they ecisely, that kind of person. They >t untruthful; the delusion is real to 'It is merely that Providence has them with a warning rattle, like the rattle-snake. After that, if re so foolish as to leave your mdence in their way, it is your tair. 435 Miss Climpson perused the paper. In the manuals for self-examinat issued to the Catholic-minded, ther< often included an unwise little para^ which speaks volumes for the inn< unworldliness of the compilers. You$ advised, when preparing for confession^ make a little list of your misdeeds,,] one or two peccadilloes should slip mind. It is true that you are cautic against writing down the names of people or showing your list to friends, or leaving it about. But acci< may happen -- and it may be thatjj recording of sins is contrary to the of the Church, who bids you whisper with fleeting breath into the ear priest and bids him, in the same moi that he absolves, forget them as thi they had never been spoken. At any rate, somebody had recently shriven of the sins set forth the paper -- probably the preifl Saturday -- and the document fluttered down unnoticed between? confession-box and the hassock, es the eye of the cleaner. And here it 4M tale that should have been told to none iGod -- lying open upon Mrs. Budge's id mahogany table under the eye of a iw-mortal. do Miss Climpson justice, she would ibly have destroyed it instantly id, if one sentence had not caught her me lies I told for M. W.'s sake." the same moment she realised that was Vera Findlater's handwriting, It "came over her like a flash" -- as explained afterwards, exactly what iplication of the words was. a full half-hour Miss Climpson sat struggling with her conscience. Her il inquisitiveness said "Read"; her ltestant appearance -- or possibly he ight nothing of religion one way or the jr. In any case, he would put his Sessional duty before everything. Why isend him the paper, without reading rriefly explaining how she had come it? Then the responsibility would be consideration, however, Miss Epson's innate honesty scouted this The as Jesuitical. Secrecy was id by this open publication as much pshe had read the thing -- or more so. »ld Adam, too, raised his head at this suggesting that if anybody was to see the confession, she might just rell satisfy her own reasonable sity. Besides -- suppose she was dstaken. After all, the "lies" might ^nothing whatever to do with Mary iker's alibi. In that case, she would betrayed another person's secret ily, and to no purpose. If she did ito show it, she was bound to read it 439 first -- in justice to all parties concenu Perhaps -- if she just glanced at anol word or two, she would see that it nothing to do with -- MURDER -- then she could destroy it and forget it. 4 knew that if she destroyed it unread never would forget it, to the end of life. She would always carry with her grim suspicion. She would think of Mi Whittaker as -- perhaps -- a Murderi When she looked into those hard blue ey^ she would be wondering what sort1 expression they had when the behind them was plotting -- MURDJ Of course, the suspicions had there before, planted by Wimsey, now they were her own suspici< They crystallised -- became real her. "What shall I do?" She gave a quick, shamefaced giant the paper again. This time she saw^ word "London." Miss Climpson gave a kind of little like a person stepping under a shower-bath. "Well," said Miss Climpson, "if 44ft & I am going to do it, and may I be iven." 1th a red flush creeping over her »ks as though she were stripping lething naked, she turned her attention je paper. \e jottings were brief and ambiguous. :er might not have made much of but to Miss Climpson, trained in kind of devotional shorthand, the was clear as print, ilousy" -- the word was written and underlined. Then there was a fence to a quarrel, to wicked itions and angry words and to a pre Jation coming between the penitent's ihd God. "Idol" -- and a long dash, im these few fossil bones, Miss ipson had little difficulty in structing one of those hateful and mate "scenes" of slighted jealousy rtiich a woman-ridden life had made ily too familiar. "I do everything for you don't care a bit for me -- you tine cruelly -- you're simply sick of it's what it is!" And "Don't be so his. Really, I can't stand this. Oh, 441 stop it, Vera! I hate being slobbe over." Humiliating, degradi exhausting, beastly scenes. Girls' sch boarding-house, Bloomsbury-flat see: Damnable selfishness wearying of victim. Silly schwarmerei swamping decent self-respect. Barren quar ending in shame and hatred. ifj "Beastly, blood-sucking woman," Miss Climpson, viciously. 'It's too She's only making use of the girl." But the self-examiner was now tro with a more difficult problem. Piecin hints together, Miss Climpson sor out with practised ease. Lies had been? -- that was wrong, even though don help a friend. Bad confessions had made, suppressing those lies. This to be confessed and put right. But (thei asked herself) had she come to conclusion out of hatred of lies or spite against the friend? Difficult, searching of the heart. And ought sh^ content with confessing the lies tw priest, also to tell the truth to the we Miss Climpson had here no doubt* the priest's ruling would be. "Y.o 44?, go out of your way to betray your id's confidence. Keep silent if you but if you speak you must speak the i. You must tell your friend that she is yto expect any more lying from you. is entitled to ask for secrecy -- no fe." far, so good. But there was a further >lem. Hight I to connive at her doing what is r?" -- and then a sort of explanatory -- "the man in South Audley >t." is was a little mysterious. . . .No! the contrary, it explained the whole »ry, jealousy, quarrel and all. lose weeks of April and May, when Whittaker had been supposed to be time in Kent with Vera Findlater, id been going up to London. And fead promised to say that Mary was liier the whole time. And the visits to had to do with a man in South Street, and there was something about it. That probably meant a iiair. Miss Climpson pursed her lips Jly, but she was more surprised 443 )> than shocked. Mary Whittaker! she we never have suspected it of her, someh But it so explained the jealousy and quarrel -- the sense of desertion. But to had Vera found out? Had Mary Whitta confided in her? -- No; that sente again, under the heading "Jealousy what was it -- "following M. W.London." She had followed then, and s And then, at some moment, she had b out with her knowledge -- reproached friend. Yet this expedition to Lo must have happened before her conversation with Vera Findlater, and girl had then seemed so sure of M affection. Or had it been that she trying to persuade herself, determined self-deception, that there "nothing in" this business about the Probably. And probably some brutalit; Mary's had brought all the misetf suspicions boiling to the surface, v reproachful and furious. And so the; gone on to the row and the break. "Queer," thought Miss Climpson, Vera has never come and told me her trouble. But perhaps she is ash 444 >r child. I haven't seen her for nearly jk. I think I'll call and see her and raps she'll tell me all about it. In ich case" -- cried Miss Climpson's lience, suddenly emerging with a *ht and beaming smile from under the its of the enemy -- "in which case I |J1 know the whole history of it ||imately and can quite honourably ,ord Peter about it." le next day -- which was the Friday -- roke, however, with an unpleasant in the conscience. The paper -- still into the office-book -- worried her. rent round early to Vera Findlater's only to hear that she was staying iMiss Whittaker. 'Then I suppose re made it up," she said. She did not [to see Mary Whittaker, whether her 4was murder or mere immorality; le was tormented by the desire to iup the matter of the alibi for Lord Wellington Avenue she was told that to girls had gone away on the ly and had not yet returned. She reassure the maid, but her own 445 heart misgave her. Without any r( reason, she was uneasy. She went round the church and said her prayers, but hi mind was not on what she was saying, an impulse, she caught Mr. Tredgold as pottered in and out of the Sacristy, asked if she might come the next event! to lay a case of conscience before him.! far, so good, and she felt that a "g( walk" might help to clear the cob-w< from her brain. ^ So she started off, missing Lord P< by a quarter of an hour, and took the ti to Guildford and then walked and lunch in a wayside tea-shop and wall back into Guildford and so came hoi where she learnt that "Mr. Parker-4 ever so many gentlemen had been asl for her all day, and what a dreadful miss, here was Miss Whittaker and Findlater disappeared and the police looking for them, and them motor was such dangerous things, miss, w< they? It was to be hoped there wasn'l accident." And into Miss Climpson's mind came, like an inspiration, the ^ 4*fi mth Audley Street." [iss Climpson did not, of course, know it Wimsey was at Crow's Beach. She led to find him in Town. For she was sed with a desire, which she could lly have explained even to herself, to id look at South Audley Street. What was to do when she got there she did iknow, but go there she must. It was pold reluctance to make open use of confession paper. Vera Findlater's at first hand -- that was the idea to jh she obscurely clung. So she took the ^train to Waterloo, leaving behind her, jase Wimsey or Parker should call |n, a letter so obscure and mysterious so lavishly underlined and interlined M was perhaps fortunate for their that they were never faced with it. Piccadilly she saw Bunter, and that his lordship was at Crow's with Mr. Parker, where he, Bunter, just off to join him. Miss Climpson Iptly charged him with a message to iployer slightly more involved and aious than her letter, and departed ith Audley Street. It was only when 447 she was walking up it that she realij how vague her quest was and how lift investigation one can do by mer< walking along a street. Also, it suddei occurred to her that if Miss Whittaker carrying on anything of a secret natures South Audley Street, the sight of acquaintance patrolling the pavem< would put her on her guard. Much sti by this reflection, Miss Climpson plunj abruptly into a chemist's shop and bouj a toothbrush, by way of concealing movements and gaining time. One while away many minutes comparing shapes, sizes and bristles of toothbrusl and sometimes chemists will be nice gossipy. Looking round the shop for inspiral Miss Climpson observed a tin of snuff labelled with the chemist's name. "I will take a tin of that, too, plei she said. "What excellent stuff it is| quite wonderful. I have used it for i/ei and am really delighted with recommend it to all my friei particularly for hay fever. In 448 jre's a friend of mine who often passes ir shop, who told me only yesterday iat a martyr she was to that complaint, dear,' I said to her, 'you have only to a tin of this splendid stuff and you [1 be quite all right all summer.' She so grateful to me for telling her tut it. Has she been in for it yet?" And described Mary Whittaker closely, twill be noticed, by the way, that in the iggle between Miss Climpson's nence and what Wilkie Collins calls ptective fever," conscience was getting tiworst of it and was winking at an Itmt of deliberate untruth which a time earlier would have staggered MS chemist, however, had seen nothing [iss Climpson's friend. Nothing, if ore, was to be done but to retire the field and think what was next to Hie. Miss Climpson left, but before ig she neatly dropped her latchkey a large basket full of sponges ling at her elbow. She felt she might have an excuse to visit South Street again. 449 Conscience sighed deeply, and h< guardian angel dropped a tear among tl sponges. Retiring into the nearest teashop came to, Miss Climpson ordered a cup coffee and started to think out a plan ft honey-combing South Audley Street, needed an excuse -- and a disguise, adventurous spirit was welling up in elderly bosom, and her first dozen or ideas were more lurid than practical. At length a really brilliant not! occurred to her. She was (she did attempt to hide it from herself) precis^ the type and build of person one associ* with the collection of subscription Moreover, she had a perfectly good genuine cause ready to hand. The chiil which she attended in London ran a sh mission, which was badly in need of fui and she possessed a number of collect cards, bearing full authority to recii subscriptions on its behalf. What natural than that she should try a li house-to-house visiting in a weal quarter? The question of disguise, also, was* d^n lidable than it might appear. Miss iittaker had only known her well jssed and affluent in appearance. Ugly, imping shoes, a hat of virtuous ugliness, shapeless coat and a pair of tinted rsses would disguise her sufficiently at [stance. At close quarters, it would not liter if she was recognised, for if once got to close quarters with Mary iittaker, her job was done and she had id the house she wanted. liss Climpson rose from the table, paid ^bill and hurried out to buy the glasses, lembering that it was Saturday, tng secured a pair which hid her eyes lively without looking exaggeratedly iterious, she made for her rooms in St. ge's Square, to choose suitable ring for her adventure. She realised, lurse, that she could hardly start work tonday -- Saturday afternoon and ly are hopeless from the collector's of view. choice of clothes and accessories tted her for the better part of the loon. When she was at last satisfied rent downstairs to ask her landlady 4R1 for some tea. "Certainly, miss," said the gooi woman. "Ain't it awful, miss, about thii murder?" "What murder?" asked Miss Climpsoi vaguely. She took the Evening Views from h* landlady's hand, and read the story | Vera Findlater's death. Sunday was the most awful day Climpson had ever spent. An actii woman, she was condemned to inactivi) and she had time to brood over tragedy. Not having Wimsey's or Parkei inside knowledge, she took the kidnapi story at its face value. In a sense, found it comforting, for she was able^ acquit Mary Whiittaker of any shar^ this or the previous murders. She-i them down -- except, of course, in case of Miss Dawson, and that never have been a murder after all the mysterious man in South Ai Street. She formed a nightmare ima| him in her mind -- blood-bolt< sinister, and -- most horrible of all 452 jsociate and employer of debauched and utal black assassins. To Miss limpson's credit be it said that she never fr one moment faltered in her termination to track the monster to his king-place. le wrote a long letter to Lord Peter, tiling her plans. Bunter, she knew, had ft 110A Piccadilly, so, after considerable ight, she addressed it to Lord Peter isey, c/o Inspector Parker, The (ice-Station, Crow's Beach. There was, jourse, no Sunday post from Town. fever, it would go with the midnight ition. the Monday morning she set out iy, in her old clothes and her icles, for South Audley Street. Never *her natural inquisitiveness and her training in third-rate boarding js stood her in better stead. She had id to ask questions without heeding fe -- to be persistent, insensitive and rant. In every flat she visited she her natural self, with so much 'ity and such limpet-like obstinacy Jhe seldom came away without a dftt subscription and almost never withoi some information about the flat and ij inmates. By tea-time, she had done one side the street and nearly half the oth< without result. She was just thinking going to get some food, when she cai sight of a woman, about a hundred y; ahead, walking briskly in the sai direction as herself. Now it is easy to be mistaken in fa< but almost impossible not to recognise back. Miss Climpson's heart gave bound. "Mary Whittaker!" she saick herself, and started to follow. The woman stopped to look into a si window. Miss Climpson hesitated to c< closer. If Mary Whittaker was at larf then -- why then the kidnapping had done with her own consent. Puzzled, Climpson determined to play a wail game. The woman went into the shop, friendly chemist's was almost oppos Miss Climpson decided that this was3 moment to reclaim her latchkey, went in and asked for it. It had be< aside for her and the assistant produc< 454 once. The woman was still in the shop rer the way. Miss Climpson embarked >on a long string of apologies and ^rcumstantial details about her -elessness. The woman came out. Miss impson gave her a longish start, brought conversation to a close, and fussed out |ain, replacing the glasses which she had loved for the chemist's benefit, le woman walked on without stopping, she looked into the shop windows from to time. A man with a fruiterer's row removed his cap as she passed and itched his head. Almost at once, the lan turned quickly and came back, fruiterer picked up the handles of his row and trundled it away into a side jet. The woman came straight on, and Climpson was obliged to dive into a 'way and pretend to be tying a Ntlace, to avoid a face to face tanter. iparently the woman had only >tten to buy cigarettes. She went into ibacconist's and emerged again in a Ite or two, passing Miss Climpson That lady had dropped her bag and 455 was agitatedly sorting its contents. The' woman passed her without a glance and went on. Miss Climpson, flushed from stooping, followed again. The worn* turned in at the entrance to a block $f] flats next door to a florist's. Mii Climpson was hard on her heels now, f< she was afraid of losing her. Mary Whittaker -- if it was Mai Whittaker -- went straight through th< hall to the lift, which was one of the kh worked by the passenger. She stepped and shot up. Miss Climpson -- gazing the orchids and roses in the florii window -- watched the lift out of sighl Then, with her subscription cat prominently in her hand, she too enter* the flats. i* There was a porter on duty in a'W glass case. He at once spotted Climpson as a stranger and asked polil if he could do anything for her. Climpson, selecting a name at ranc from the list of occupants in the entrap asked which was Mrs. Forrest's flat, man replied that that it was on the f< floor, and stepped forward to bring then 456 lown for her. A man, to whom he had >en chatting, moved quietly from the pass case and took up a position in the >orway. As the lift ascended, Miss timpson noticed that the fruiterer had jturned. His barrow now stood just ftside. |The porter had come up with her, and inted out the door of Mrs. Forrest's flat, is presence was reassuring. She wished would stay within call till she had icluded her search of the building, fever , having asked for Mrs. Forrest, must begin there. She pressed the & first she thought the flat was empty, after ringing a second time she heard steps. The door opened, and a heavily ir-dressed and peroxided lady made her sarance, whom Lord Peter would at fe -- and embarrassingly -- have rgnised. il have come," said Miss Climpson, Iging herself briskly in at the doorway the skill of the practised canvasser, ctry if I can enlist your help for our ion Settlement. May I come in? I am 457 sure you ---- "No thanks," said Mrs. Forrestjl shortly, and in a hurried, breathless ton* as if there was somebody behind her wl she was anxious should not overhear h( "I'm not interested in Missions." She tried to shut the door. But Mis Climpson had seen and heard enough. "Good gracious!" she cried, starini "why, it's----" "Come in." Mrs. Forrest caught her the arm almost roughly and pulled over the threshold, slamming the d< behind them. "How extraordinary!" said Mfc Climpson, "I hardly recognised you, Mil Whittaker, with your hair like that." * "You!" said Mary Whittaker. "You of all people!" They sat facing oi another in the sitting-room with tawdry pink silk cushions. "I knew were a meddler. How did you get here?* there anyone with you?" "No -- yes -- I just happened," b< Miss Climpson vaguely. One thought uppermost in her mind. "How did you free? What happened? Who killed Verl 458 Jhe knew she was asking her questions udely and stupidly. ''Why are you (isguised like that?" ,"Who sent you?" reiterated Mary dttaker. :/Who is the man with you?" pursued fiss Climpson. "Is he here? Did he do the lurder?" If What man?" £The man Vera saw leaving your flat. he ----?" 'So that's it. Vera told you. The liar. I jiught I had been quick enough." iddenly, something which had been ibling Miss Climpson for weeks jtallised and became plain to her. The ression in Mary Whittaker's eyes. A time ago, Miss Climpson had assisted Native to run a boarding-house, and had been a young man who paid his by cheque. She had had to make a tin amount of unpleasantness about 11, and he had written the cheque rllingly, sitting, with her eye upon at the little plush-covered table in Ira wing-room. Then he had gone away linking out with his bag when no one 459 was about. And the cheque had comd back, like the bad penny that it was. & forgery. Miss Climpson had had to give evidence. She remembered now the odd^i defiant look with which the young mail had taken up his pen for his first plunge! into crime. And to-day she was seeingKJ again -- an unattractive mingling recklessness and calculation. It was wil the look which had once warned Wimsei and should have warned her. She breath* more quickly. "Who was the man?" "The man?" Mary Whittaker laugh! suddenly. "A man called Templeton -- friend of mine. It's really funny that should think he was a friend of mine^ would have killed him if I could." "But where is he? What are you doinj Don't you know that everybody is looki for you? Why don't you - "That's why!" Mary Whittaker flung her ten o'cl( edition of the Evening Banner, wl was lying on the sofa. Miss Climpson the glaring headlines: -?" M /i en 11 AMAZING NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN CROW'S BEACH CRIME. "WOUNDS ON BODY INFLICTED AFTER DEATH. "FAKED FOOTPRINTS." Miss Climpson gasped with amazement, bent over the smaller type. "How :traordinary!" she said, looking up fickly. jNot quite quickly enough. The heavy fess lamp missed her head indeed, but II numbingly on her shoulder. She rang to her feet with a loud shriek, just Mary Whittaker's strong white hands !&ed upon her throat. 4£1 Chapter XXIII --And Smote Him, Thus « > Tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church-door; but 'tis enough, 'twilfel serve. » Romeo and JuUe&l Lord Peter missed both Miss ClimpsoniJ communications. Absorbed in the polici inquiry, he never thought to go back Leahampton. Bunter had duly arrive with "Mrs. Merdle" on the Saturdi evening. Immense police activity was displayed in the neighbourhood of downs, and at Southampton am Portsmouth, in order to foster the id( that the authorities supposed the "gang to be lurking in those districts. Nothinj as a matter of fact, was farther frc Parker's thoughts. "Let her think she ^ safe," he said, "and she'll come back. It| 4R? «the cat-and-mouse act for us, old man," tWimsey fretted. He wanted the analysis of ithe body to be complete and loathed the lought of the long days he had to wait, jid he had small hope of the result. .(" flf\ It's all very well sitting round with rour large disguised policemen outside [rs. Forrest's flat," he said irritably, rer the bacon and eggs on Monday lorning, "but you do realise, don't you, tat we've still got no proof of murder, tot in one single case." That's so," replied Parker, placidly. 'Well, doesn't it make your blood boil?" tid Wimsey. ^Hardly," said Parker. "This kind of |ng happens too often. If my blood boiled |ery time there was a delay in getting rdence, I should be in a perpetual fever. iy worry? It may be that perfect crime i're so fond of talking about -- the one it leaves no trace. You ought to be irmed with it." fOh, I daresay. 0 Turpitude, where are charms that sages have seen in thy Time's called at the Criminals' is, and there isn't a drink in the place. 463 Wimsey's Standard Poets, with emendations by Thingummy. As a matter of fact, I'm not at all sure that Miss Dawson's death wasn't the perfect crime -- if only the Whittaker girl had stopped at that and not tried to cover it up. If you notice, the deaths are becoming more and more violent, elaborate and unlikely in appearance. Telephone again. If the Post Office accounts don't show a handsome profit on telephones this year it won't be your fault." t 'It's the cap and shoes," said Parker, mildly. "They've traced them. They were ordered from an outfitter's in Stepney, to; be sent to the Rev. H. Dawson, Peveril| Hotel, Bloomsbury, to await arrival.'' "The Peveril again!" ,-? "Yes. I recognise the hand of Mi Trigg's mysterious charmer. The Rei Hallelujah Dawson's card, with mess* 'Please give parcel to bearer,' W4 presented by a District Messenger n< day, with a verbal explanation that gentleman found he could not get up^ Town after all. The messenger, obei instructions received by telephone, t< 464 e parcel to a lady in a nurse's dress on e platform at Charing Cross. Asked to escribe the lady, he said she was tall and ore blue glasses and the usual cloak and nnet. So that's that." "How were the goods paid for?" "Postal order, purchased at the West ntral office at the busiest moment of :eday." ^And when did all this happen?" 'That's the most interesting part of the isiness. Last month, shortly before Miss ittaker and Miss Findlater returned m Kent. This plot was well thought out orehand." Yes. Well, that's something more for to pin on to Mrs. Forrest. It looks like f of conspiracy, but whether it's proof urder----" tit's meant to look like a conspiracy of Jin Hallelujah's, I suppose. Oh, well, Wall have to trace the letters and the ^writer that wrote them and Irrogate all these people, I suppose, what a grind! Hullo! Come in! Oh, plou, doctor?" Ixcuse my interrupting your 465 breakfast," said Dr. Faulkner, "but early this morning, while lying awake, I was visited with a bright idea. So I had to come and work it off on you while it was fresh. About the blow on the head and the marks on the arms, you know. Do you suppose they served a double purpose? Besides making it look like the work of a gang, could they be hiding some other, smaller mark? Poison, for instance, could be injected, and the mark covered up by scratches and cuts inflicted after death/ "Frankly," said Parker, "I wish I could think it. It's a very sound idea and may bij the right one. Our trouble is, that in thej two previous deaths which we have beei investigating, and which we are inclin< to think form a part of the same series this one, there have been no signs traces of poison discoverable in the bodi< at all by any examination or analysis skill can devise. In fact, not only no prc of poison, but no proof of anything natural death." And he related the cases in fuller del "Odd," said the doctor. "And you thij this may turn out the same way. Still! 466 this case the death can't very well have been natural -- or why these elaborate efforts to cover it up?" "It wasn't," said Parker; "the proof Jbeing that -- as we now know -- the plot ras laid nearly two months ago." 'But the method!" cried Wimsey, "the lethod! Hang it all -- here are all we iople with our brilliant brains and our 'ofessional reputations -- and this half rained girl out of a hospital can beat the it of us. How was it done?" 'It's probably something so simple and ivious that it's never occurred to us," Id Parker. "The sort of principle you *n when you're in the fourth form and rer apply to anything. Rudimentary. le that motor-cycling imbecile we met "at Crofton, who sat in the rain and red for help because he'd never heard in air-lock in his feed. Now I daresay boy had learnt ---- What's the matter you?" [y God!" cried Wimsey. He smashed hand down among the breakfast ?s, upsetting his cup. "My God! But it! You've got it -- you've done it -- Afi7 -- Obvious? God Almighty -- it doesn't need a doctor. A garage hand could have told you. People die of it every day. Of course, it was an air-lock in the feed." "Bear up, doctor," said Parker, "he's always like this when he gets an idea. It wears off in time. D'you mind explaining yourself, old thing? " i Wimsey's pallid face was flushed. H^ turned on the doctor. "Look here," he said, "the body's pumping engine, isn't it? The jolly of heart pumps the blood round the arterie and back through the veins and so o doesn't it? That's what keeps thin working, what? Round and home again 1 two minutes -- that sort of thing?" "Certainly." "Little valve to let the blood ouj 'nother little valve to let it in -- just li an internal combustion engine, which is?" "Of course." I! "And s'posin' that stops?" "You die." "Yes. Now, look here. S'posin' you a good big hypodermic, empty, and di{ 468 into one of the big arteries and push the landle -- what would happen? What would Irjappen, doctor? You'd be pumpin' a big tir-bubble into your engine feed, wouldn't |ou? What would become of your irculation, then?" '"It would stop it," said the doctor, fithout hesitation. "That is why nurses ive to be particular to fill the syringe >perly, especially doing an intravenous jection." 'I knew it was the kind of thing you irnt in the fourth form. Well, go on. lur circulation would stop -- it would be an embolism in its effect, wouldn't r_ fOnly if it was in a main artery, of pse. In a small vein the blood would a way round. That is why" (this ted to be the doctor's favourite ling) "that is why it is so important embolisms -- blood-clots -- should be irsed as soon as possible and not left fonder about the system." res -- yes -- but the air-bubble, doctor a main artery -- say the femoral or rig vein in the bend of the elbow -- 46Q that would stop the circulation, wouldn't it? How soon?" "Why, at once. The heart would stop beating." "And then?" "You would die." "With what symptoms?" "None to speak of. Just a gasp or two. The lungs would make a desperate effort to keep things going. Then you'd just stop.. Like heart failure. It would be hearft failure." "How well I know it. ... That sneezef in the carburettor -- a gasping, as you say. And what would be the post-morteflff symptoms?" it "None. Just the appearances of heart failure. And, of course, the little mark o$ the needle, if you happened to be looking for it." .-# "You're sure of all this, doctor?" sa Parker. i "Well, it's simple, isn't it? A pi problem in mechanics. Of course th would happen. It must happen." "Could it be proved?" insisted Parker "That's more difficult." 470 < ady. Coming back to Town, Wimsey?" ^Naturally. Take you up in the car. Lose lime. Ring the bell for Bunter, would t? Oh, Bunter, we're going up to Town. 471 How soon can we start?" "At once, my lord. I have been holding your lordship's and Mr. Parker's things ready packed from hour to hour, in case a hurried adjournment should b§ necessary." "Goodman." "And there is a letter for you, Mr, Parker, sir." , "Oh, thanks. Ah, yes. The fingerprints off the cheque. H'm. Two sets only --> besides those of the cashier, of course ^ Cousin Hallelujah's and a female sefyi presumably those of Mary Whittakery Yes, obviously -- here are the four finger^ of the left hand, just as one would placf them to hold the cheque flat whili signing." "Pardon me, sir -- but might I look that photograph?" "Certainly. Take a copy for yourself* know it interests you as a photographs Well, cheerio, doctor. See you in Toi some time. Come on, Peter." Lord Peter came on. And that, as Faulkner would say, was why Mil Climpson's second letter was broughtj 472 (from the police-station too late to catch urn. They reached Town at twelve -- owing Wimsey's brisk work at the wheel -- Ind went straight to Scotland Yard, *opping Bunter, at his own request, as he is anxious to return to the flat. They ftmd the Chief Commissioner in rather a rusque mood -- angry with the Banner rd annoyed with Parker for having failed muzzle Pillington. "God knows where she will be found *xt. She's probably got a disguise and a l-away all ready." ?lProbably gone already," said Wimsey. le could easily have left England on the mday or Tuesday and nobody a penny wiser. If the coast had seemed clear, 'd have come back and taken Jsession of her goods again. Now she'll abroad. That's all." rU'm very much afraid you're right," *eed Parker, gloomily. Meanwhile, what is Mrs. Forrest ig?" tehaving quite normally. She's been 473 carefully shadowed, of course, but not interfered with in any way. We've got three men out there now -- one as a coster -- one as a dear friend of the hall-porter's who drops in every so often with racing tips, and an odd-job man doing a spot of work in the back-yard. They report that she has been in and out, shopping and so on, but mostly having her meals at home. No one has called. The men deputed to shadow her away from the flat have watched carefully to see if she speaks to anyone or slips money to anyone. We're pretty sure the two haven't met yet." ''Excuse me, sir." An officer put hi& head in at the door. "Here's Lord Peter Wimsey's man, sir, with an urgent] message." -/O Bunter entered, trimly correct bearing, but with a glitter in his eye. laid down two photographs on the table. "Excuse me, my lord and gentlem< but would you be so good as to cast youi eyes on these two photographs?" |l "Finger-prints?" said the Chiel interrogatively. "One of them is our own of rid 474 photograph of the prints on the 10,000 pounds cheque," said Parker. "The other -- where did you get this, Bunter? It looks like the same set of prints, but it's not one of ours." 'They appeared similar, sir, to my juninstructed eye. I thought it better to dace the matter before you." 'Send Dewsby here," said the Chief ;ommissioner. Dewsby was the head of the finger-print lepartment, and he had no hesitation at ill. "They are undoubtedly the same prints," he said. A light was slowly breaking in on fimsey. 'Bunter -- did these come off that wine lass?" 'Yes, my lord." 'But they are Mrs. Forrest's!" 'So I understood you to say, my lord, id I have filed them under that name." 'Then, if the signature on the cheque is muine ----" ;ttle of Bass. Easy, ain't it -- when you low how?" "That being so," said the Chief >mmissioner, "the sooner we get hold of *r the better. You'd better go at once, ispector; take a warrant for Whittaker Forrest -- and any help you may iuire." "May I come?" asked Wimsey, when *y were outside the building. !*Why not? You may be useful. With the m we've got there already we shan't any extra help." le car whizzed swiftly through Pall 477 Mall, up St. James's Street and along Piccadilly. Half-way up South Audley Street they passed the fruit-seller, with whom Parker exchanged an almost imperceptible signal. A few doors below the entrance to the flats they got out and were almost immediately joined by the hall-porter's sporting friend. "I was just going out to call you up," said the latter. "She's arrived." "What, the Whittaker woman?" "Yes. Went up about two minutes ago." "Is Forrest there too?" "Yes. She came in just before the other woman." "Queer," said Parker. "Another good! theory gone west. Are you sure it's Whittaker?" "Well, she's made up with old-fashioned clothes and greyish hair and so on. But she's the right height and general appearance. And she's running the olc| blue-spectacle stunt again. I think it's the right one -- though of course I didn'lj get close to her, remembering yoi instructions." 478 "Well, we'll have a look, anyhow. Come along." The coster had joined them now, and they all entered together. "Did the old girl go up to Forrest's flat all right?" asked the third detective of the porter. "That's right. Went straight to the door and started something about a subscription. Then Mrs. Forrest pulled iher in quick and slammed the door. jNobody's come down since." "Right. We'll take ourselves up -- and and you don't let anybody give us the slip >y the staircase. Now then, Wimsey, she mows you as Temple ton, but she may still lot know for certain that you're working rith us. Ring the bell, and when the door's ^pened, stick your foot inside. We'll stand ist round the corner here and be ready to ish." This manoeuvre was executed. They sard the bell trill loudly. Nobody came to answer it, however. fimsey rang again, and then bent his ear the door. "Charles," he cried suddenly, "there's 479 something going on here." His face was white. "Be quick! I couldn't stand another ----!" Parker hastened up and listened. Then he caught Peter's stick and hammered on the door, so that the hollow lift-shaft echoed with the clamour. "Come on there -- open the door -- this is the police." And all the time, a horrid, stealthy thumping and gurgling sounded inside -- dragging of something heavy and a scuffling noise. Then a loud crash, as though a piece of furniture had been flung to the floor -- and then a loud hoarse scream, cut brutally off in the middle. "Break in the door," said Wimsey, the sweat pouring down his face. Parker signalled to the heavier of the two policemen. He came along, shoulder first, lunging. The door shook and cracked. Parker added his weight; thrusting Wimsey's slight body into the corner. They stamped and panted in the narrow space. ^ The door gave way, and they tumbled^ 48ft into the hall. Everything was ominously quiet. "Oh, quick!" sobbed Peter. A door on the right stood open. A glance assured them that there was nothing there. They sprang to the sitting-room door and pushed it. It opened about a foot. Something bulky impeded its progress. They shoved violently and the obstacle jgave. Wimsey leapt over it -- it was a tall labinet, fallen, with broken china j&trewing the floor. The room bore signs of violent struggle -- tables flung down, a woken chair, a smashed lamp. He dashed lor the bedroom, with Parker hard at his leels. The body of a woman lay limply on the led. Her long, grizzled hair hung in a dank fope over the pillow and blood was on her >ad and throat. But the blood was inning freely, and Wimsey could have united for joy at the sight. Dead men do >t bleed. [Parker gave only one glance at the ijured woman. He made promptly for the tessing-room beyond. A shot sang past fe head -- there was a snarl and a shriek 481 -- and the episode was over. The constable stood shaking his bitten hand, while Parker put the come-alongo'-me grip on the quarry. He recognised her readily, though the peroxide wig had fallen awry and the blue eyes were bleared with terror and fury. "That'll do," said Parker, quietly, "the game's up. It's not a bit of use. Come, be reasonable. You don't want us to put the bracelets on, do you? Mary Whittaker, alias Forrest, I arrest you on the charge ----" he hesitated for a moment and she saw it. "On what charge? What have you got against me?" "Of attempting to murder this lady, for a start," said Parker. "The old fool!" she said, contemptuously, "she forced her way in here and attacked me. Is that all?" "Very probably not," said Parker, "I warn you that anything you say may be taken down and used in evidence at your trial." -c Indeed, the third officer had already produced a notebook and wal 482 imperturbably writing down: "When told the charge, the prisoner said 'Is that all?' " The remark evidently struck him as an injudicious one, for he licked his pencil with an air of satisfaction. "Is the lady all right - who is it?" asked Parker, coming back to a survey of the situation. "It's Miss Climpson -- God knows how she got here. I think she's all right, but she's had a rough time." He was anxiously sponging her head as he spoke, and at that moment her eyes opened. "Help!" said Miss Climpson, Confusedly. "The syringe -- you shan't -- J0h!" She struggled feebly, and then ptecognised Wimsey's anxious face. "Oh, jar!" she exclaimed, "Lord Peter. Such |kn upset. Did you get my letter? Is it all flight? ... Oh, dear! What a state I'm in. -- that woman ----'' "Now, don't worry, Miss Climpson," aid Wimsey, much relieved, everything's quite all right and you ustn't talk. You must tell us about it ter." 483 "What was that about a syringe?" said Parker, intent on his case. "She'd got a syringe in her hand," panted Miss Climpson, trying to sit up, and fumbling with her hands over the bed. "I fainted, I think -- such a struggle -- and something hit me on the head. And I saw her coming at me with the thing. And I knocked it out of her hand and I can't remember what happened afterwards. But I have remarkable vitality," said Miss Climpson, cheerfully. "My dear father always used to say 'Climpsons take a lot of killing'!" Parker was groping on the floor. "Here you are," said he. In his hand was a hypodermic syringe. "She's mental, that's what she is," said the prisoner. "That's only the hypodermic I use for my injections when I get neuralgia. There's nothing in that." "That is quite correct," said Parker, with a significant nod at Wimsey. "There is --nothing in it." On the Tuesday night, when the prisoner had been committed for trial on the --^484 charges of murdering Bertha Gotobed and Vera Findlater, and attempting to murder Alexandra Climpson, Wimsey dined with Parker. The former was depressed and nervous. "The whole thing's been beastly," he grumbled. They had sat up discussing the case into the small hours. 4 'Interesting," said Parker, ''interesting. I owe you seven and six, by the way. We ought to have seen through that Forrest business earlier, but there seemed no real reason to suspect the Findlater girl's word as to the alibi. These mistaken loyalties make a lot of trouble. "I think the thing that put us off was that it all started so early. There seemed no reason for it, but looking back on Trigg's story it's as plain as a pikestaff. She took a big risk with that empty house, and she couldn't always expect to find %mpty houses handy to do away with people in. The idea was, I suppose, to fniild up a double identity, so that if Mary Whittaker was ever suspected of anything, he could quietly disappear and become e frail but otherwise innocent Mrs. 4K5 Forrest. The real slip-up was forgetting to take back that 5 pounds note from Bertha Gotobed. If it hadn't been for that, we might never have known anything about Mrs. Forrest. It must have rattled her horribly when we turned up there. After that, she was known to the police in both her characters. The Findlater business was a desperate attempt to cover up her tracks — and it was bound to fail, because it was so complicated." "Yes. But the Dawson murder was beautiful in its ease and simplicity." "If she had stuck to that and left well alone, we could never have proved anything. We can't prove it now, which is why I left it off the charge-sheet. I don't think I've ever met a more greedy and heartless murderer. She probably really thought that anyone who inconvenienced her had no right to exist." "Greedy and malicious. Fancy tryin' to shove the blame on poor old Hallelujah* I suppose he'd committed th£ unforgivable sin of askin' her for money/" "Well, he'll get it, that's one good things The pit digged lor Cousin Hallelujah hsit \ AQ& « <<< turned into a gold-mine. That £10,000 cheque has been honoured. I saw to that first thing, before Whittaker could remember to try and stop it. Probably she couldn't have stopped it anyway, as it was duly presented last Saturday." Is the money legally hers?" 'Of course it is. We know it was gained by a crime, but we haven't charged her with the crime, so that legally no such crime was committed. I've not said anything to Cousin Hallelujah, of course, or he mightn't like to take it. He thinks it fwas sent him in a burst of contrition, poor fold dear." ?>,'<.<1 "So Cousin Hallelujah and all the little pallelujahs will be rich. That's splendid, tow about the rest of the money? Will the frx)wn get it after all?" 'No. Unless she wills it to someone, it ill go to the Whittaker next-of-kin -- a *st cousin, I believe, called Allcock. A ^ry decent fellow, living in Birmingham, lat is," he added, assailed by sudden mbt, "if first cousins do inherit under as confounded Act." ^Oh, I think first cousins are safe," said 487 Wimsey, "though nothing seems safe nowadays. Still, dash it all, some relations must still be allowed a look-in, or what becomes of the sanctity of family life? If so, that's the most cheering thing about the beastly business. Do you know, when I rang up that man Carr and told him all about it, he wasn't a bit interested or grateful. Said he'd always suspected something like that, and he hoped we weren't going to rake it all up again, because he'd come into that money he told us about and was setting up for himself in Harley Street, so he didn't want any more scandals." "I never did like that man. I'm sorry for Nurse Philliter." "You needn't be. I put my foot in it again over that. Carr's too grand to marry a nurse now -- at least, I fancy that's what it is. Anyway, the engagement's off. And I was so pleased at the idea of playing Providence to two deserving young people," added Wimsey, pathetically. "Dear, djsarh Well, the girl's well out of it. Hullo! there's the 'phone. Who on earth ----? Some damned thing at the 488 Yard, I suppose. At three ack emma! Who'd be a policeman? -- Yes? -- Oh! -- right, I'll come round. The case has gone west, Peter." "How?" "Suicide. Strangled herself with a sheet. I'd better go round, I suppose." «T>1 it I'll come with you." 'An evil woman, if ever there was one," said Parker, softly, as they looked at the rigid body, with its swollen face and the deep, red ring about the throat. Wimsey said nothing. He felt cold and sick. While Parker and the Governor of the prison made the necessary arrangements and discussed the case, he sat hunched unhappily upon his chair. Their voices went on and on interminably. Six o'clock had struck some time before they rose to go. It reminded him of the eight strokes of the clock which announce the running-up of the black and hideous flag. As the gate clanged open to let them out, they stepped into a wan and awful darkness. The June day had risen long ago, but only a pale and yellowish gleam 489 lit the half-deserted streets. And it was bitterly cold and raining. "What is the matter with the day?" said Wimsey. "Is the world coming to an end?" "No," said Parker, "it is the eclipse." Genealogical Table Follows