CHAPTER XIV.—Continued.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13635, 14 April 1908, Page 6

CHAPTER XlV.— Continued.

"How many people know that Warren was in Laucault, and how many that Cflurthopo meant to moot him there?" askotl Inspector Winter oi himself, as ho continued to move the members of his troupe into the positions allotted. "James knew, and Hannah, and Marjorie," aiid Bennett, and Archibald, the groom, and Felix, the idiot. Some knew only of the ono man's presence, others knew of both. James Knew everything, because ho rode- like a madman to Niitworth to warn Bennett of Robert's intention to make the will which would disinherit him. What did those two precious rascals plan? They could motr not be sure of Robert's death, because accidents may happen, and an accident did happen* in this case, whereby the better fencer wab beaten. , Moreover, there was almost .1 certainty that Warren would disarm, or merely wound, his opponent, in which event the will became ot little present value. Hold on, though! Robert was a hard drinker. Did James think that grief and fury would kill him if the rapier failed H Obviously, the one man wfyo, next to Warren, had a mortal interest in the light was J»mes. Come on, Jimmic! Huntball or no, yotl must have boon peeping into Lancault at 9.15." So- "James, *' in the uniform o| the Grenadier Guards, stood at attention behind the "inner line of the ruined walls drawn, on the map. "Mar jorife," . went ,on the detective, "was waiting on the south side of the Greyhound," aiid a tr i m nurse, with a Red Cross badge on her arm, took up position -in the alley., "Where was Hannah? 'Helping to convey her sister's boxes to the station' is 'her story. Bui the porter who took charge of them says that Hannah, with th£;two stablemen who carried the trunks, arrived there before eight o'clock. Did Hannah go homo? By gad, has she a stronger hold on James than is supplied even by the suppressed will?" Winter pondered this query a long time. [ Ultimately, he compromised the situation by stationing another army nurse on the cross-road between the Greyhound, the railway statidn, Lanoault, and- Edenhurst Court. But her face was turned- toward Lancault, where her thoughts 'must have lain, as it was Hannah, who sent Marjorie thither on the morning of the tragedy. "Felix was in the village, Archibald was in the stables at the Court ? and Bennett was at Nutworth. Being a. lawyer, Bennett took mighty good care to be able to prove an alibi. He went out of his way to visit a client at the Feathers Inn, and have a< needless chat about some trumpery law case. I wonder how much that clerk of his Jeffry, knows of the wiU ? Even a) thick-headed squire like Robert would be aware that a- will must be witnessed. So Jeffry was one witness and; Hannah the other. Did they see what they were signing? At any' rate, a lawyer's, clerk would recognise the nature of ' the document. Probably ho engrossed it. Jeffry, my friend, this may be. a seripus matter for you. You must have a statue."

Winter selected, a gunner, and adjusted! a fountain-pen. He found, to his annoyance, "that he did not know Jeifry's Christian .,name. "Never mind ." he said, "I'll christen him John. 'John Jeffry is a likely sort of name. It sounds honest, and your poor mother little thought she was fondling a rascal." Then the detective opened his notebook, and read; very carefully, all he had written While Philip was talking in the Vicarage. Next, ho perused James' letter to Marjorie, asking her to meet him at tb© tower. He seemed to scrutinize ©very word, each twist and turn of the somewhat bold cajigraphy, as if he would extract from the mere symbols the secret thought and intent of the writer.

At last, at a late hour, he put away the letter and (razed at the Grenadier Guardsman lurking behind the walls of Langault. He t picked up a bit of string 'ap.fi fingered it lovingly, but replaced it in jkhe box where the toy soldiers were housed.

"Not y.et," he murmured softly, "not yet ;'I must learn first how Jamos proposes to get. rid of Hannah. If ho sees a clear road, he must be a cleverer man than I. I can see no way, except one, and then I shall have to use two pieces of string on one neck. Will he dare?". t