Scandal at Barons Court

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19911, 13 June 1936, Page 21 (Supplement)

Scandal at Barons Court

by ALAN GREY. An Unusual and Powerful Mystery Story.

I svnorle. .\iombers of the house-party at Barons Comm—Sir Bcrtram Fonlkes. or Barons Cnori: Agatha Foulkes, Sir Bertrnm’s sisIter: Evelyn Fuulkes, Sir Bertram’s niece and ward; Howard Lane, Evelyn‘s fiance; Loloncl Everard Lane, the well-known EXplorer, Howard’s rather; Conway Sewell, the American speed-ace; Jenney Lea. actress, Seweil and Jenny are in love with each other. but Jenny is tied to a husband. Lester Brice, whom she has not heard of for years Pauline Vines. Agat'ha‘s com-panion-secretary; Cleaves, the butler. A homicidal manioc, Bandy Towers es~ clpes from Greymoor Aayiu nve miles away. Next day the murdergh body 01' 3 Stranger is discovered in the summerhouse among the woods behind Barons Cour!- At the same time, Towers nee: down the steep wooded bank before his pul‘suars, and parishes in the river. Chletinspector \Vhaley takes dharge of the cuss. .. CHAPTER VIII (Continued) am- “ When I got outside,“ went on Miss Vines, " the warders were coming, and I fainted. So 1 iiiiln't Soc ’l‘om——“ “1 See." said the Chief Inspector. “\Vell that‘s holpml‘ a lot, Miss Vines. Coming,r Colonel?" Ho flashed a smile towards Agatha Foulkes: “I think you can have your patient in peace now," he said. Agatha Foulkes smiled back at him. in the passage outside the two Lanes and \Vhaley walked slowly to—wards the head of the stairs. “I'd give a lot to know why .\liss Vines was attacked," said Whaley. “I suppose it was someone in the house,“ said Colonel Lane. " Ninety—nine per cent. certain," said \Vhaiey. “Miss \"ino says he came from the door. and i don‘t. think we‘ve any rvasOn to think she's keeping anything hark, now. She would't have tohi lm about, this linwson follow if sho'il wanted to ‘ilifll‘ anything." There was silent-o for n moment, and then the (Inlonol nslimi bluntly: "Do you SHSIN‘CL anyone," ln-spot-tor?" \Vhairy have on enigmatic. smile. ”Jlldli'n for youi'svlt‘," he said. The Colonel nmhlwt. llr', was sure, in his own mind, that. \thiloy suspected Sewell. nnd certainly it looked as if the American was guilty. lie was the only man who had been missing when Pauline \‘ines had screamed. In the hall. Bilson was waiting. \Nhaley oxvused himscli‘ and joined his subordinate. “Sewoll's in Jenny Lou‘s room." said the Sergeant, who was inwardly excited, \Nhaley could see. “But I think we've got something on him, Chief." “ What?" snapped Whaley. “ One of the servants saw him out—side, ten minutes ago,“ said Bilson. “ and thinks he went out. about 20 minutes ago." \V‘lmley rubecl his hands together. " Things are certainly getting nasty for Conway Sewell," he said. “ Let‘s go and have a talk with him." With Bilson, this time, Whaley went upstairs again to Jenny Lea‘s room. Jenny Lea was up and dressed, now, and was sitting in an easy chair. Seweli was lounging on a settee, and ’he looked up with his challenging grin as the ipoiloemen entered. \Vhaley didn‘t waste time, now. “\Vhere did you go, twenty minutes back?“ he snapped. Scwell stared at him, insolently. “I didn't-l“ he said. “You‘ve been limagining things, Officer. I haven‘t stirred from this room." i “No?" murmured \Vhaley. He turn—ed to Jenny Lee. “Is that. true, Miss Lea?“ i Jenny Opened her eyes wide. She [had recovered most of her composure now, and she was acting her part. Conway Scwoll had strengthened hor ‘resisianrc to xioliro cross—exuminaiimi. “Why, yes." she said, “Con‘s been with me every minnto." “Fine," said \thh-y. He turned to ,Bilsonnvho was making notes in his pocket—lmok. "Mulic thui carefully," the ordered. “.\[r Srwoil and Miss lit-a ‘hoth stair, tioiiniioly, that Mr Scwoll has not been out or the room for the iiast t\\'l‘lli)‘ minutes—since half past eight, that. is.“ I “i're got it." said niison. “Anti note also," said \thley, in :1 hard volrc, "that we‘ve two independent. witnesses to state Mr Sewoli was outside, at eight-iortyilve!” The last words came out like bullet :shots. Jenny Lon gasped, and every latom of colour was drained from her .face. iier fingers clutched at her throat. Seweli’s eyes were blazing. “That‘s a lie!" he bellowed. “I haVEn‘t budged! \tht are you trying to (10? Tie the attack on Miss Vines ,on me?"

There was utter silence in the room, until .icnny lieu gave a little scream. and flung herself, sobbing, on to the settce. CHAPTER X. W'haley looked grimly at the American. “You've let yourself in for it, now." he said. “You were outside, and you attacked Pauline Vines. Didn‘t you?" Conway Sewell's face muscles were working, but he said nothing. Whaley snapped: “You're only wasting time, Sewell. Why did you sattack that woman? It you won‘t tell us we‘ll find out—" “You‘re crazy," said Conway Sewell with a weak smile. “I tell you I haven‘t been outside." \Vhaley laughed, harshly. ' “You‘ll never convince a jury, after the evidence we've got." he said. “and you gave yourself away. id like you to go to your own room, Scwcli. “and stay there until i say you can go." "Say!“ Sewcil uttered an ugly laugh, “Supposing I won‘t. (micer'! Are you going- to make me?" “Yes," said \Vhalcy, without a smile. “I‘vc nearly twenty men in or near the house. Seweil, and it you take my advice you won‘t raise any objections." For a moment, he thought Sewell would ,tiei‘y him. Then with a shrug the American laughed. I “I guess you‘ve got me," he adlmitted. “So long, Jenny. Chin up, kid—they can‘t pin this on me)“ “‘ith nßilson. Whaiey accompanied the American to his room. Sewell maintained a surly silence, which lasted until the two policemen had gone out. Then he stared at the clos—ing door, and there was hatred in ‘his cxprvssinn. \Vhaley and Eileen missed thlt glance. "(iv-t downstairs. licnczith his window," snummit \Vhaicy. "I'll send a relief in a few minutes.” I Biison hurried off. while \Vhalcy [arranged for :1 guard to be placed nui—iside Sewell's room. With at the door and the window. lie had not actually lax-rested the American. and he knew ‘he was asking.r for trouble, for his actions were not strictly in accord, ‘with police regulation, bit he wasn‘tt wvorricd by that. i i As soon as the watch was set. lici ‘ielephonerl Dawson's garage, in Bar-i ,rington. A voice with a very obvious‘ Scots accent answered him. i “.\ir Dawson?“ asked \Vhaley. ‘ “Aye.“ said Thomas Dawson. “Who are we?” "My name's \Vhaley." said the policeman, “of the Criminal Investigation Department. _There has been an attack on a Miss Pauline Vines, whom ‘you know, I believe." There was a. second's silence, before Dawson muttered: “Aye—that's richt, Inspector. \Vull ye be at Barons Court?" “Yes," said \V‘haley. “I‘ll be rte-ht along," said Thomas Dawson. , Whaley grinned as he replaced the receiver. and picked it. up again almost ‘ immediately. His second call was tol the Harrington Police Station which, he knew, was almost opposite Dawson‘s garage. The Harrington police had already heard of the murder, and they acted promptly on Whaley’s re- t quest—to watch Mr. Tho-mas Dawson and make sure he came to Barons Court. If Dawson came, thought Whaley, it would be a good test of his genuineness. If he tried to dodge, it would mean that he knew more about the murder than he wanted to let the police discover. Whaiey was not. long waiting. Barrington, a small country town. was ten miles from Barons Court, less ‘ than twenty minutes journey by a fast ‘ cur. in twenty—tire minutes Thomos‘ Dawson arrived, and was admitted by :the ponderous Gleeves. Dawson looked SeotlishSandy —haired, fair—skinned and little—eyed, he would have bee-n a good—looking little man but for his hooked nose. lie was, “'haley imagined, about forty—live. \Viinlcy had seen the garage owner's car draw up, and was in the hall when Cleeves opened the door. ‘ Dawson looked at him. find tOOk it tor granted who he was. 1 “How i sshe?‘l‘he demanded. “She‘ll be all right, 11m glad to say," said \Vhaley. “But she tells me you were in the woods art the hack of Barons Court this afternoon, Mr Daw--5011.“ l “Aye," said Dawson, “that's rleht." i “You know a murder was commit,ted there?" l (To be continued.)

”\Veli, well, well!" sgiid \Vhaiey. smiling grimly. “who told you about Miss Vines being attacked?"