"The Falconhurst Mystery"

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 45, Issue 13988, 26 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.)

CHAPTER XXV.—Continued. "I only got back an hour ago,'/ said Adrian, after kissing his wife fondly, "and was told you were out—that yo/i had been away since yesterday morning. '' "I've been in London," she replied. "I had to go." '' Shopping, I suppose.'' "Do you thinl£ every woman does that?" she laughed. "No, I had a more important business to attend to. Something I ought to have told you about before you left home." '' And have you performed this "wonderful business?" He was merrier than ho had been for a very long time, yet Ms question rather jarred on her. "I've settled about the house we're going to make our home," he continued, as they went into the sombre dining--room. "And Gilbert can take up his abode at Falconhurst as soon as he chooses. I've not a single regret at leaving the place." "Perhaps Gilbert will refuse to live hpre." "Has he hinted at that to you?" "He doesn't want to dispossess us." "Sir Brooke's will can't be disputed, Hester," replied Adrian. "It means losing so many thousands a year to us." "We shall have enough to live on without Sir Brooke's money. Haven't you said so?" "About four hundred a year," answered Adrian. "And how let me hear of the wonderful business that took you to London." Now that the moment had come when she must divulge her reason for her errand, Hester hesitated. "I've been to see Mrs Ellison," she began. / "Adrian's face was gloomy again, because even the name of Mrs Ellison was very distasteful to him. '' I thought you didn 't care about the woman," he said. "I had to see her. It was not a very pleasant thing to me to do, but I am glad I went, for your sake, dear." "My sake? I don't understand. What did you and she talk about?" "Your uncle's death," and- Hester came close to Mm, putting her arm around his neck lovingly. "People have been saying horrible things, 'and I have made up my mind to prove that they are wrong and wicked." "Do you think I've been living all this time at FaKonhurst without knowing that?" he answered. "I'm a .suspected man, and people have held aloof from me. I was angry at first, but I had no right to be, pftrhaps. My uncle's death was too tragic for people I not to talk in the way they have. It is the thing that reconciles me to leaving Falconhurst. ■'' "Why have you not told nic this before?" "I wished to save you from the annoyance of it," he answered. "I decided on keeping .the rumours to myself. And now I should like to know in what possible way Mrs Ellison is brought into the question." <' Mrs Ellison knows who it was that murdered Sir Brooke." For a moment or two he look-:d £-t Hester in mute astonishment. "She told you that? Do you mean that Mrs Ellison knew all the time ar.d has held her tongue untH you went to see her?" • "I am confident she knows, although she professed to be in absolute ignorance," continued Hester. "She denied that she ever saw Jasper Penkridge.'; "Penkridge! Great .heavens! Is he the man?" "Yes, I am so certain that it was he who killed Sir Brooke that U. didn't need Mrs Ellison to lie to me. Mie did lie, but I forced an admission from her." "I can't imagine any reason for Penkridge having committed the murder. He had everything to lose by Sir Brooke's death. He does not benefit by my uncle's will." • "It's all a dark mystery to me," replied Hester, "but it shall be cleared away. You mustn't leave Falconhurst, until your uncle's murderer has oecn discovered." <' Tell me what reason you had for fixing the crime on Penkridge." Hester told him about her discovery in the library, and how Mr Royce had seen Inkley wearing the coat from which the piece of cloth had been torn, and Adrian heard what had happened since. "I must see Royce at once," he exclaimed. "I had resigned myself to the belief that he was a failure, and so he would have been but for'you. I ; ll not rest until this scoundrel Penkridge is found." ' "Go and see Mrs Ellison also.'' "No," and a peculiar look came yver Adrian's face. "I'll steer clear •of that woman, please! Royce can see her instead. I won't have you go near her again.": "Do you think she and Penkridge are in league?" "I don't know what to think, except —well, I'll wait before I tell you or anyone else what my opinion of Mrs Ellison is." Devayne was in London by the same evening, and, going to Royce's rooms, he found the detective calmly enjoying a substantial supper. "I'm not certain when I shall get another meal," said the detective after a long conversation with Adrian. "The affair is quite clear to me, but we've got to link up the chain of evidence, Mr Devayne. You see, when a man's life depends on the truth coming out, folks are shy of speaking. Say you're a witness, and you give a look at the prisoner in the dock —you look at his nock more particularly. He's thinking about you and what you're saying about him. As likely as not it will mean hanging him, but even if he's the blackest scoundrel who ever went to the gallows you don't want to be the means of

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sending him there. It's human nature, Mr Devayne, and, between you and me, human nature will have a lot to answer for. ,, "If Jasper Penkridge murdered Sir Brooke, I shall have no pity on him," replied Adrian. > "Of course you won't, but there's a lot of people who will. There always is a sickly pity for a man who's going to be hanged, or else we wouldn't have memorials signed by thousands to let 'em off," and Mr Royce helped himself to another plateful of stewed steak complacently. "We',ll start, directly, Mr Devayne," he said rather indistinctly. "I'm going to arrest Jasper Penkridge to-night, and as you've never seen a thing likts that done, probably you might cir-j to come with me." "I think I may be -oseOul,'' replied Adrian. "The fellow may resist viiid be violent." "No," answered Mr Royce composedly. "He'll be as quiet as a lamb. They always are when they know the game's up." CHAPTER XXVI. TJjfon the evening of Dorman's visit to Mrs Ellison, when their conversation had been overheard by Jasper Penkridge with such disastrous consequences, she had exerted every inducement to make their interview further her ends. Cynical and hard-nafcured as Dorman was, the influence of her beauty and clever talk was not to be resisted, and the time had passed unheeded. Moreover, he felt a debt of gratitude was due to Mrs Ellison, for she had been the means of relieving him from an extremely unpleasant position, for although he had firmly resolved that he would share Falconhurst and its rent roll with Adrian, Sir Brooke's will had enabled him to raise a handsome sum, which Mr Ezra was only too glad to lend at a ruinous interest. She had given an, explanation of the old man'a strange act in entrusting his will to her custody, and he had little reason to doubt her story. It was not until Dorman had loft that she heard of Penkridge having been in the house. He had gone long before then, and she resolved that the next time he called she would not be at home. (To be Continued"). i