“Scandal At Barons Court"

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 289, 7 December 1936, Page 9

“Scandal At Barons Court"

(By Allan Grey)

Instalment 14.

i Dawson looked uneasy, but ho | answered frankly enough. 3 “Yes, I did, Inspector, although | I'm not saying I though anyone had said differently.” $ Whaley looked at the baronet. “Well?” he said. j Sir Bertram shrugged his shoulders. | If he was worried by the fact that his * lie was proved, he concealed it ad- 4 mirably. , 4 “Why didn’t you tell the truth? < asked Whaley. Sir Bertram shrugged again, and <, smiled a little wanly. _ 1 “Well, Inspector, I did see my niece. She looked worried, and I<i believe she had a—er—-difference of < opinion with Howard just after lunch. < Then, after the murder was discover- < ed, I decided it wasn’t worth mention- < ing. I know she didn’t murder the man.” JS “You know?" asked Whaley, “or , you assumed?" < “They’re pretty well the same, < said Foulkes, gruffly. I ‘I wish they were,” said Whaley. , iHo was still smiling blandly as 'he « turned to Howard. ‘Well, Mr Lane. , What was the trouble between you and < Miss Evelyn?" '' ! Howard said nothing. The In- . spector frowned, and his voice grew ■ harder. « “You did quarrel with her?" ' Howard cleared his throat. , “I—we had a difference, ye 3. But . it was purely a personal one, and I ; don’t see that it affects you, Inspec- . tor.” ‘‘Aren’t I the best judge of that?” ! demanded Whaley. Howard Lane shrugged. His face ; was set. , „ . “No,” he said. “I’m not talking, so it’s no use pressing me. I didn’t kill Lester Brice, if that’s what you’re getting at," he added, in a tight voice. “I don’t suppose you did, ’ said Whaley, affably. “Well, gentlemen, it’s unpleasant to state that all of you, with the exception of Colonel_ Lane and Mr Dawson have —lied. Not only that., but the lies have been proved. He broke off, as Sir Bertram, looking keenly at the little Scotsman, uttered a sharp ejaculation. “You don’t get everything right, Whaley," he said. ‘‘Unless Dawson’s told you he was in the summerhouse, just before three o’clock this afternoon.” Dawson! . Whaley turned grimly to the Scotsman. CHAPTER XIV. “Well?” the Chief Inspector’s tone was hostile. “Is that true, Dawson?” , The Scotsman’s eyes were turned towards the baronet. “No," he-.said, bluntly, “It’s a. lee. (Sir Bertram may have .seen me near, j but not in the summerhouse.” _ I “My dear Dawson,” said Sir Bertram, freezingly, "I’m not in the habit of lying—” I “Yes you are!” snapped Whaley, rand we’ve proved it. Why try and [implicate Mr Dawson? To make me 'lose the scent?” ! There was a moment’s pause. Then ' the baronet forced a suggestion of a smile, although his face looked paler than usual. ! “Why not?” he asked. “If Dawi son's innocent, he’s nothing to worry 'about? And I think it’s time the rest |of us had a rest, Whaley. You’ll be I forcing us to admit something that isn’t true, soon.” | “You’ve done that already,” grunted Whaley. He was staggered to think that Sir Bertram would go to such lengths. And it told him, very plainly, that the j baronet was desperately trying to shield someone else. That someone was almost certainly his niece. Only by calling his bluff immediately had Whaley proved to his own satisfaction that the statement that Dawson had been in the summerhouse was a false ; one. Evelyn Foulkes—• The harder Whaley looked at the situation, the more convinced he was ; that the secret rested between the I three members of the Foulkes family, and Howard Lane. Already he was I sure in his own mind that Conway 1 Sowell and Jenny Lea had actually • told the truth. It was Colonel Lane who broke the silence that fell on the party. Ho ! spoke leisurely.' • , “Don’t you think, Inspector, that Ii i would be better for everyone to get a ' good night’s' rest in before you go i at them any more? Tempers will be ■ getting frayed, pretty soon.” Whaley shook his head. “Sorry, Colonel,” 'he - said. “You 1 can get to bed, if you feel like it, but 1 we’ve got to keep at this until we’ve 1 found the truth. If I thought anyone outside was mixed up In it, I’d say [ ‘yes’. But It’s. getting Increasingly 1 obvious that the murderer’s here, and the quicker I find him the safer.” 1 Lane shrugged his broad shoulders. 1 “It’s up to you, of course,” he said, “But I’ll stick it out with the others.” 1 Whaley nodded, and then dipped his hand in his pocket. He brought out the letter he had received by airmail | from London, and read it, as if to refresh his memory. Then he looked , grimly at Sir Bertram. “ You didn’t know Lester Brice,” ha | said, “apart rrom Knowing he was ! fenny Lea’s'husband?” “No,” said Sir Bertram. “You’ve never heard from him?" “Never.” “Yet,” said Whaley,, very softly,, ‘your address was found in a bopk at ais flat. That’s strange, isn’t It?” Sir Bertram looked dumbfounded. Whaley could have sworn that: the baronet was being , sincere,. now. . “I—l . just can’t understand it, Whaley.” - . • “Nor can I,” said Whaley, still •oftly. “Nor can I understand why e’s made a note of—your niece’s me.” ■ ■ l (To b© continued.)

“If you think you can trick me, you’re mistaken,” she said. “ I’ve told you Ihc truth.” Whaley shrugged his shoulders. “ i’m sorry,” lie said, “ but I just don’t believe you. When you do decide to let me know just where you went, and where you left Miss Evelyn, you can send a message. Meanwhile I must ask you not to leave the house, for any reason.” ” While I’m In this house,” sa.d Agatha Foulkes, fiercely, “ I’ll do exactly what I want, inspector!” “ Oh, no'you won’t,” said Whaley, with a broad smile. “ The house is in the hands of the police, and noone moves anywhere without permission. If I’d been told the truth from the start it wouldn’t have been necessary, but I’ve heard nothing but lies. Good-night, Miss Foulkes.” “ If you can think of anything else 1o ask me,” said Agatha Foulkes, icily, “ don’t worry about w'aking me up, inspector. I sleep very lightly.” Whaley grinned at Bilson as the door closed, with a snap, behind the spirited figure of Sir Bertram’s sister. “ I can’t help liking her,” he said. “ She’s got plenty of pep, hasn’t she?” “ She’s leading you up the garden,” said Bilson. Whaley smiled. “Maybe,” he said, “but there are a lot of things going to happen, yet. Bilson, get all the men—Sewell as well, together in the lounge. I’ll have a round table talk. That might help to clear something—even if we only manage to catch someone out by accident.” Whaley added one or two sentences to tho report he was making, put it in an envelope and left it on the desk, ready to hand to one of the plainclothes men when lie went off duty. Then he hurried across tho hall to the lounge, but before he reached It he heard the sound of raised voices. He stopped dead still. The voices were coming from tho grounds just outside the front door. Whaley hurried towards the door, opened it, and looked out on Howard Lane and one of the plain-clothes men. The policeman was growling. “ You know better than to try and lilt a police-officer, whoever you aro. You'll go too far if you’re not careful.” Howard Lane said nothing, but Whaley could see the younger man was breathing heavily. He had a hat and coat on, and carried a pair ,of gloves in his right hand. linwardly, Whaley cursed that policeman. After twenty years in the force it was hard to realise that some men had to be told in so many words v.iiat/ to do. The fact that Howard Lane had slipped out of the house was significant, but the plain-ciotbes guard Imd destroyed every chance of follow-! mg young Lane. But it wasn’t Whaley's practice to’ rebuke his men before other people.! lie swallowed hard, and called out: “What’s the trouble there?” The plain-clothes man obviously thought he had done something hril- 1 ‘larit. With a hand on Howard Lane’s shoulder he mounted tho steps to-! wards the door. “ I found Mr Lane trying to get out,”! he said, “ and when I stopped him he took a punch at me.’-’- “ I wish he’d hit you,” thought Whaley. Aloud: “ You’re not making my job very easy, Mr Lane. If you wanted to go out, why didn’t you ask me if it was all right?” “ I didn’t think It was necessary,” said Howard Lane. “Well, it's usual in these circumstances,” said Whaley. “ Where were you thinking of going?” “ I was taking a stroll,” said Howard Lane. Whaley said nothing. It was obviously another lie, but he was used to them, by now'. After a moment: “ Well—later, if you don’t mind. I want a talk with you—and with the other gentlemen. All right, Brooks.” The policeman went down, throwing his chest out with self-glorification, and Howard Lane went resignedly towards tho lounge. Whaley caughl him up as be reached the door. “Why don’t you stop lying?” he demanded. Howard Lane’s eyes held dread; bui ho said nothing. Whaley was temptec to see whether lie was carrying anything with him—and then he decidec that it wasn’t the right moment foi searching Howard Lane. He shrugged, and followed the younger mar into the lounge. Sir Bertram, Conway Sewell am Colonel Evcrard Lane were already there, and a few moments later Bilsor came In, with Dawson the little Scot: •garago owner, who had been making the best of the past hour or two talking to Pauline Vine’s. Tho door closed. Whaley looked round the group, anc found his most pleasant smile. He waved to Dawson, Howard Lane anc Bilson, who were standing up. “Let’s all sit down,” he said. “This is likely to take some time’, so we might as well get comfortable.” He watched the faces of the others carefully, and admitted with some •chagrin that only Howard Lane seeme'd perturbed. The others were looking as any men would have looked ir the same circumstances—serious, bu! not dismayed. Whaley sought Colonel Lane’s glance, and felt better when he sav the other’s silent sympathy. “Well, gentlemen,” he said, “I’ve an unpleasant Job, as you all know Now, I’m going to put all my cards on the table, to see if I can get at the truth. Tho trouble is,” he added, “that it’s almost certain the murderer is in tills room ” He paused. No-one’s face altered, The're wasn't going to be much change out. of this talk, Whaley decided. He went on: “And we can’t be sure there isn’t going to be some more funny stuff. Now—Sir Bertram. You tell me that to your knowledge your niece wasn’t In the grounds this afternoon?” “That’s right,” said Foulkes. Whaley looked grim. “It’s not true,” lie said. “Mr Dawson—you saw Miss Evelyn and Sii Sir " rlram walking together, didn’ vr