Clip the Camera Clues.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 13 June 1939, Page 7

Clip the Camera Clues.

i “ All right. Incidentally, I suggest j that you inquire for someone who has ! been seriously ill.” | ’‘Sick?” The constable looked his surI PHse. “How can you tell that?” “The handwriting. Notice how un- ; SLead y is■* And since the wrapping i is so coarse I wouldn't waste time looking around any fashionable district.” •'Right-o.—By the bye, here are your newspapers.” “Thanks. What about my photos?” Not yet, sir. but we’ll get them later.” “Thanks,” Allenby said and then, curiously enough, chopped the newspapers out. of sight behind a row of books. "Bv the way, there’s something else, sir.” Boyd held out an envelope. “Here’s an enlargement of the photo made by our photographer of that little bunch of feathers found on Miss Fortier’s dressing gown lapel. None of us could make anything of it until the superintendent remembered a famous explorer who is living on the island this Fall." "Explorer?” “Yes, Carveth Wells. You've heard of him. of course?” “Of course. That was a bit of luck. What did you do?” “I took the feathers directly to Mr Wells. Almost at once he said they were an imitation of a West African killing Wanga." “Imitation, eh?” Boyd's dark head inclined. “Yes. and a crude one. too. Mr Wells went on to say that a Wanga is a voodoo symbol known all along the Gulf of Guinea. He also pointed out that. Wangas are in common use in Haiti and some of the other West Indies. It’s a sort of evil charm." Although Allenby was tolerably familiar with the Legba. Dutch Guiana, and several other voodoo rituals, he merely nodded. Nobody loves a wise guy. ‘ Good work." he said. “Wells' opinion casts a new complexion on Patricia’s death.” Constable Lunt nodded quickly. "Say, Inspector. I suppose you know several of the Gombeys are West Indian?” “Yes, I know. That’s why I didn't like finding this.” Inspector Boyd turned to Allenby “Do you know. sir. whether

there are any Gombeys in the employ ot Mr and Mrs Grafton?”

“Yes. There's one called Creepy. He's their boatman.” “Oh! Creepy, eh?” The way Boycl spoke piqued Allenby’s curiosity, and shortly he learned that, although Creepy had not been in trouble for many years, he had once served a term for inserting a knife between the ribs of a coloured gentleman who has displeased him. “Yes, I know, but he seems to have a good reputation with the Graftons.” “They are fond of him. He worked for the first Mrs Grafton's family Lord knows how long. Nevertheless I think we will invite this Creepy chap over to St. George’s for an interview with the superintendent.”

“I wish you wouldn'tAllenby urged. "The situation here is so extremely delicate I don’t want certain people alarmed any more than they have to be.”