"The Falconhurst Mystery"

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 45, Issue 13985, 22 November 1919, Page 7

"The Falconhurst Mystery"

By EDWARD PICKERING. Author of "Murder Will Out," "A Winning Hazard," "Was She Guilty?" "A Witness from the Dead," etc. ~, „ _ (COPYRIGHT.) - .■>'"■"-'■-.. - :i

CHAPTER XXll.—Continued,

"Mr Gilbert.Dorman has inherited Falconhurst through Sir Brooke Devayne's death,-'' Hester replied. "But he had no more to do with it than yourself, Mr Ezra. Of that I am so confident that I refuse to hear his name mentioned again. And now I'm going to ask you a strange question. How did Mrs Ellison become possessed of Sir Brooke Devayne's will?"

"How can I tell?" exclaimed Mr Ezra excitedly. "I don't know and I don't care. She produced it to me, and I've acted in simply a professional cap-

acity."

"I have just come from her house."

'' You ; ve asked me for my advice, Mrs Devayne," replied Mr Ezra, after a moment's thought. "Well, I'll give it to you. Don't go near Mrs Ellison again. It will do no good, and I won't promise what may happen if you do. There you arc. I 'ye given you my opinion, and as for Sir Brooke's murder, I'd let sleeping dogs lie if-I were you."

"I have nothing to fear in seeing Mrs Ellison," answered Hester, "and I am resolved to do my r best in clearing up the mystery of Sir Brooke's murder. Mr Penkridge may have spoken about it to you. Has he any suspicions? Was he iv the house whe"n it happened?"

"Sir Brooke's murder is about the last thhig Mr Penkridge • would talk about to me or anybody, else,',' said Mr Ezra, his beady eyes twinkling. "He's so tender-hearted that the least mention of it—l referred to it once—upsets him."

"Mr Penkridge left Falconhurst before I went there, my husband told me, but I should very much like to speak to him," replied Hester.

"I wouldn't," advised Mr Ezra. "He would be upset again. The slightest thing does it. Ask my clerk," and he called Septimus out of his cupboard room. "Now, what's your opinion of Mr Penkridge, Inkley? Isn't he nervous as you are? A bag of nerves, in fact?"

"I can only speak well of Mr Penkridge, sir,'' answered Septimus. " He's been a good friend to me in many ways. He was so good as to give me this coat I'm wearing, and there are other things he's shown his kindness in." CHAPTER XXIII. "No, Mrs Devayne, I'm. not surprised, because I've-had my suspicions for a long time. What I've been looking out for is evidence —good substantial proof that not the cleverest man at the Old Bailey bar could upset." Hester had gone direct from Mr Ezra's office to the house wherein Mr Royce occupied two rooms, telling him the result of her unexpected meeting with Septimus Inkley.

"We've proof that Jasper Penkridge was in the librray at Falconhurst, at least, Mr*Royce,''' she replied.

"At some time. How are we going to fix the date when that bit of cloth was torn out of his coat? He would say it had been dime before the night Sir Brooke was murdered, and who's to deny it? Anyway, the jury wouldn't hang him on the evidence." "What stronger proof could there be?" "My dear lady, suppose I am as sure that Penkridge is the man as I am of being alive at this minute," replied the detective impressively. "A jury mightn't be. If we could only get Mrs Ellison to speak out, everything would go on in the regular way." 4 'Do you think she knows that Jasper Penkridge is the murderer?" '' Yes. And that opens up a big subject, Mrs Devayne. Why was Sir Brooke murdered?" "It is impossible for mo to imagine a reason." "Ah, well!" and Mr Royce signed regretfully. "It's no use going into it, and I've to concentrate myself on Mr Penkridge. ,Most criminals trip themselves up sooner or later. They overlook the little things—don't notice the importance of them —and there they are. He'll do it." "And until he docs that dreadful mystery will not be cleared up," exclaimed Hester. "It's making my life unbearable, Mr I'oyec, and I'm determined to bring Jasper Penkridge's crime home to him." "Patience, mam; there's nothing done without it, and if it's any satisfaction to you, I'm going to see Mr Ezra myself. Never mind what for nor what may come of it, but Mr Ezra and I are going to have a chat. I don't think I've ever given way to an explanation of what I do or don't do in cases, but I'm making an exception 4n yours." "And you will tell mo exactly what conies of your seeing Mr Ezra?" pleaded Hester. "It's weak to promise, but I'll let you know how matters go on, perhaps, only you mustn't interfere. You must not go near Mrs Ellison again or she may gn*o Jasper the office, and that would send him flying out of the country." Hester reluctantly agreed to return to Falconhurst without paying another visit to Mrs Ellison, and Mr Royce chuckled to himself after seeing her downstairs. "Women are too impulsive for me," ho murmured, "although Mrs Devayne has made a couple of excellent liscoveries. I wonder what Ezra will have to tell me." He was early at the office next morning, and found Mr Ezra doctoring Silver Sides, who had eaten too much Hotting paper, and his olive-tinted face wore a distressed look as Mr Royce came .n. "I'l talk to you in a moment,'' said Mr Ezra mournfully. "You're Mr Hoyce, aren't you?" "You know I am, Mr Ezra," was the reply. '' Thought so, but wasn 't certain,'' , continued Mr Ezra, as casually as he could. "Sit down, Mr Royce —I've got j a little friend here who wants attending to, and if you're not in a hurry T. _

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT. A POWERFUL STORY OF ABSORB ING INTEREST,

(To be Continued")

'' No, I'm not pressed for time.'' "Give Mr Royce the newspaper, Ink : ley,'' called out Mr Ezra, who was bending over Silver Sides' cage, and in response the clerk emerged from his lair, but only to shrink against the side of the oflice at seeing the stranger from whom he had fled before. Mr Royce gave no sign of recognising him, and seated himself, watching Mr Ezra over the top of the newspaper as the lawyer pottered about his mice. Septimus had retreated out of sight, consumed by conflicting emotions, not tho least being a wild desire to rush away, for he had a certainty that Mr Eoyce's visit boded danger, and the silence that hung over the office was like the hush preceding a storm. Mr Ezra, having soothed his afflicted little friend sufficiently, fastened the cage door and sat down at his desk, eyeing Mr Royce sharply. "Now, I'm ready to attend to you," ho said. "I daresay you've wondered why I didn't do so before, but the fact is ' ' "I didn't wonder at all," interposed Mr Royce. "You never expected me, for one thing." "Perhaps not/ replied Mr Ezra lightly. "What I've called about is rather out of the regular way," went on • Mr Royce. "It's about aMr Jasper Penkridge." "Well, what about him?" demanded the other, betraying a sudden interest. "You're a friend of Mr Penkridge, and therefore I don't scrapie to tell you that, from certain information I've received, it will be necessary for me to know where he's to be found, and seeing you and he arc friends, Mr Ezra, I thought it likely you might be able to tell me,""said the detective with a simplicity that would have deceived anyone but his Hearer at that moment.

"See here, Royce,"; replied Mr Ezza, with a quick decision to meet a danger resolutely. ' ' Just tell me the meaning of this. Don't beat about the bush. Is it anything to do with Sir Brooke Devayne 's affairs, because if so my lips are closed.

The presence of Septimus Inkley seemed to have been forgotten by both of them. He, out of sight behind the door of the little inner office, was listening to the conversation.

- "You're perfectly right about my knowing Penkridge,'! went on Ezra, "but it's only in the way of business. He's been here several times, and may come again. Where he lives I know no more than you do."