I lie
-By-
J. S. FLETCHER
JHasrrartorM by IRWIN MYERS
(, by Alfred A. Knopf, I no.)
W. N. U. Service
THE STORY
Mervyn Holt la enrasred by a
man calling himself MaxarofT aa
(raveling companion. After a
thort tour they put up at the
Woodcock Inn . on MarrasJnle
moor. They meet, casually, Mrs.
Elphinitone and Sheila Mervtil
on. M a in r off tella Holt they are
hl wife and daughter and that
his real name I Merchlson. That
nlg-ht Mitiaroff falls to return to
the Inn and hla disappearance It
unexplained. Holt meed Sheila
and tells her of MaiarofT's dlsnp
pearance. Holt la questioned by
Police Sergeant Manners and a
reporter, Bownaa. MaiarofTs
murdered body Is found. Crole,
MaiarofT's lawyer, and May
thorne, private detective, arrive.
Valuable diamonds that M.iaro(T
usually carried are missing. A
gun, stolen from Musgrave, ta
found at the teen of the mur
der. Evidence at the Inquest
proves Maxarofl wai Merchlson.
His will leaves all to Holt. Her
man Kloop, close friend of XU
larofT, la In London. From him
It Is learned that Maxarofl pos
sessed two remarkable diamonds,
which he had offered for sale to
Lord and Lady Loeke. Look
says Masaroff had on of the
stones and his agent, Armlntrade,
the ether.
CHAPTER V Continued
' -10-
"There you are," he said. "James
Mallison, no occupation, Park lane
which seems to argue that Mr. Malli
son lives with his aunt and his uncle-In-law.
Rut perhaps Cottlngley knows?
Cottlngley knows a lot ! Do you know
anything about Mallison, Cottlngley?"
"Very little! Toung man about
town. A bit foppish. Sporty In a
way. Lives with Sir Samuel and I.ady
Loeke. They say tbis Mallison will
come In for Sir Samuel's money."
"And that's all jou know, Cot
tlngley r
"All
Maythorne threw the scrnpbook on
the table.
"Weil, that's that!" he said. "We
know a bit more now about Mallison.
Doubtless he's the man Mazaroff spoke
to at Huntingdon and at York. Now,
there's nothing much In that, but It
seems that Mallison was going north.
And what I'd like to know Is this
did he and Mazaroff ever meet again?
What we want to get at Is the rela
tionship of Mazaroffs mnrder to the
fact that Mazaroff had Blue Diamond
Number Two on him when he was
murdered. How many people know
that he had? Well, from all we can
make out. here was a man Mallison
who certainly knew It Mallison had
seen the blue diamond Number Two
In MazarofTs possession. Probably,
when they encountered at Hunting
don, and at York, the blue diamond
deal with Sir Samuel Loeke was the
subject of their conversation. We'll
have to get and talk with Mallison,
certainly. And Armlntrade? That
man has got to be seen, too he knows
more than he's told; in fact, he's told
nothing. And In the meantime, he
must be carefully watched. Holt!
Is that man you left at the Woodcock,
the chauffeur, Webster, a man of good
Intelligencer
"Webster's a sharp, clever chap." I
answered. "Smart trusty."
"Give me some telegraph forms. Cot
tlngley," said Maythorne. "Holt, I'm
going to send Webster a wire In your
came, telling him of certain things I
wunt him to do there as regards keep
ing an eye on High Cap lodge. We
shall have to go back there, I expect,
but It mayn't be tomorrow. As for
tomorrow, will you two come here at
ten o'clock In the morning?"
Crole and I went away, leaving
Mnythorne concocting his telegram to
Webster.
I bonght the evening newspapers
and went off to Jermyri street, resolved
on going to bed at exactly nine o'clock.
I should have kept my resolution If,
just as I was about to make the
definite move bedward. Maythorne had
not turned up.
"I've seen Sir Samuel Loeke, again,
Holt." he said. "I've found out a cer
tain fact tnat may or may not be
relevant. About this chap Mallison, of
course."
"Yes?" I said.
"Mallison," continued Maythorne,
"went up north Just about the time
you and Mazaroff did. Old Loeke
wants to r'M a shooting next year
grouse moor, you know mid he
thought It would be a good notion If
Mallison went and Inspected some
fhootlngs while guns were actually Ht
work. From what he told me, I'm
pretty dead certain that Miilllsoti was
In the immedliite neighborhood of Mar
rusdale at the very time you und Maza
roff readied the Woodcock Inn. Kli?"
I saw that he expected me to make
Rome comment. I had no comment to
make: ull I could say was that I had
never seen anything of Mallison In
these regions. He smiled.
"Why. no!" he answered. "Of course
you didn't or, I might say, wouldn't,
If but still. Cunt's all In the clouds.
Yet Mallli-.on was certainly there or
thereabouts."
"I wonder If we shall ever find out
nil about It!" I said.
lie gave me a queer, knowing look.
"We shall rind out all about It,
Holt," he replied. "And when we do,
there'll be a tine surprise! Look here!
Mazaroff Mystery
Do you remember that when we were
at Kelver's don I picked up something
close by where Mazaroff s body was
found? You do? Well, now"
He broke off short. Somebody was
knocking, geutly but persistently, at
my outer door. I walked out of the
room, across the little hall, and opened
the door to stand back attuned.
Sheila stood there alone!
CHAPTER VI
How Wa It Got?
Her name sprang to my lips Invol
untarily as I stood there, staring at
her. She laughed, half shyly, as I let
It out, but she was more collected
than I, and she stepped Into the hall
as readily as If there were nothing
strange In this to me surprising
visit. I had left the door of the sit
ting room open; she glanced through
and saw Maythorne. and her first
words were businesslike enough.
"You've Mr. Maythorne there?
That's better!" she said. "Well"
I followed her Into the room and
closed the door. Maythorne had
Jumped to his feet ; for a second or two
"Yes She Answered, "I Know a Lot
More Than That"
the three of us stood gazing at each
other. As for myself, I felt utterly
at a loss: Maythorne was quite calm.
He drew a chair In front of the fire,
silently motioning Sheila to It.
"Miss Merchlson Is here because
something has happened," he said.
"Exactly!"
She thrust her hand Into some Inner
pocket and drew out a folded paper.
As quietly as If she were giving me
an ordinary letter to read she held It
out to me.
"Mr. Maythorne Is right," she said.
"Something has happened. That's the
will! I brought It to you myself."
I gave one glance at the signature
at Its foot here, without doubt, was
the will, made at York, of which
1'ostlethwalte had spoken at the In
quest. I handed It across to May
thorne. "Where did you get this, Miss Mer
chlson? he asked.
The answer came promptly and
sharply with a certain hardness of
tone.
"Stole It!"
"Stole It? From whom?"
"No use beating about the bush,
now! I stole It from my own mother!"
Maythorne and I exchanged glances:
Sheila looked from one to the other.
"I dure say you've heard, perhaps
known, of cases where daughters have
had to tell the truth about their own
mothers. Mr. Maythorne?" she said.
"Well whether It's wrong or not, I'm
going to tell the truth about mine. I
stole that will from her this morning,
because I knew she'd no right what
ever to be In possession of It, and
when I'd got It, I Jumped on my
bicycle and made off to Black Gill
Junction, and caught the next train
going south to hand It over! If I
hadn't, who knows what would have
become of It?"
"Yes?" said Maythorne. "Exactly,
Rut you know a lot more than that.
Miss Merchlson. And we three are
alone."
She put he Angers together In her
lap I noticed they trembled a little.
"Yes," she answered. "I know a
lot more than that. Let me tell you,
for It's no use denying It. that my
mother Is one of those women who
love money money, to her, means all
sorts of things never mind what. I
saw from the beginning that ns soon
as It was put Into her mind that
Mazaroff was really Merchlson, the
Idea of getting hold of his fortune be
gan to shape itself.
"Well, I didn't know what my moth
er might do: I don't know now, I tell
you both, and at once, what she has
done I only know that somehow or
other she became ijiossessed of that
will, and that I've stolen It from her
and given It up to you. That came
about In this way. Night before last,
latlsli In the evening, my mother did
a most unusual thing for her. Some
little time after dinner, she went out,
saying that she was going to see an
old man who Is lying 111 In the vlllnge.
Now, my mother Is not by no means
au anxious sort about old men und
mm,
Mm w
14
women who are III and I wni sur
prised that she should take so much
trouble In this particular Instance. I
tell you both I suspected something
then, but I didn't know what! Could
I help It?"
"Go on," said Maythorne, quietly.
"Tell us everything."
"Well, last night, the same thins
occurred again," continued Shelln,
"She went out, on the same excuse,
and she was away still longer. I !.eard
her come In I wont to see If there
was anything I could do for her. And
It was H en I made a discovery. She
was In the Inner library. I saw her
through the curtains that shut It off
from the big library. There was a
small lamp on the table In the center;
she stood by It examining a sheet of
paper. And I don't know If It was
Intuition, or what It flashed across
me that what she was looking at was
the missing will I So well, then I
watched her I'll confess It, She rend
the paper through, folded It up, looked
round, and then went over to one of
the bookcases, and slipped the paper
Into a big volume In a corner. Then
I went off and I didn't sleep. I
knew there was mischief. I was cer
tain dead certain! that paper was
the will, wherever and however she
hud got It And In the middle of the
night I got up, and went down, and
got the paper out In the dark, and
then Just struck a mutch and of
course one glance wus enough. I put
It back, and went back to beiL And
then there was no sleep. I felt oh.
I don't know what I feltl There was
devilry somewhere close at hand.
My own mother or not! what busi
ness had she with that will? Where
did she get It? By what means? Was
she mixed up with? but I didn't dare
to think about what she might bo
mixed up with. What I did realize
was this the probability was that If
the will remained In her possession,
she'd destroy It, and then well then,
all sorts of things would happen that
I didn't want to happen. And so I
determined to take matters Into my
own hands. I got up enrly. I took rfe
will, got on my bicycle, and set off
for F.lack Gill Junction It was still
dark when I set out. I got down to
Carlisle and then, of course. It was
plain sailing up to town. And
you've got the will !"
"You're a good plucked 'un!" May
thorne said, with obvious admiration.
"You know at any rate how to act
without hesitation. Wei! ! this Is a
queer tale, Holt. How does It strike
you?"
"It may be." I answered, "that Mrs.
Elphlnstone could give a perfectly
proper and valid explanation as to
how she became possessed of the will."
Sheila turned on me like a flash.
"Mervyn!" she exclaimed, "I believe
you think I should have asked her that
before I stole the will and ran off
with It to you !"
"No no!" I protested "I"
"I believe you do I believe you do!"
she exclaimed. "A pretty fool I should
have been If I'd as much as let her
know that I knew It was there! I
know what would have happened If
I'd told her that I knew what was hid
den In the book! She'd hnve burned
It before my very e.ves. I know I No!
knowing what I did. there was only
one thing to do, and that was to place
It In safety."
"Miss Merehlson's right," said May
thorne. "That was the only thing to
do. And here It Is, and tomorrow
morning I'll hand It over to Crole.
Mind you. Miss Merchlson, your moth
er, as Holt suggests, may have a per
fectly good explanation ns to how she
got the will. Hut, under the circum
stances, you took the best step you
could."
Sheila Jumped up. suddenly, and be
gan to button her coat.
"Then that's all right," she said.
"I've done my bit, anyway and now
I'm off I'll sleep tonight."
"Where are you going?" I asked ns
Maythorne and I rose. "Wherever It
Is, you must let me see you there,
afe!y?"
"Oh, you can do that," she an
Hard to Grasp Facts
At first the brain reels a little In
the attempt to grasp the facts of the
stellar system, even explained with
the lucidity and exactness of which
Sir James Jeans Is a master. From
the vast extensions of the sky he car
rles us Into the Inmost recesses of
the atom, where the electron whirls
ground Its perpetual circuit several
thousand million times every second.
These numbers, says the London
Spectator, are but dazzle painting, nnd
it is simpler to sny that the electron
travels ns far In a second hs our
latest seaplane travels In an hour.
Sir James Jeans has a happy fertility
He Knew the Law
The late Haley liske of Insurance
fame told this story at an Insurance
men's banquet In New York.
"An American company," he said,
"opened a brunch In eastern Europe
and was soon doing well.
"A rich peasant visited the main
ofllce one day", Insured his farm, nnd
then said to the manager:
"'Now, then, sir, I must have ev
erything plain and clear before I go.
Exactly what would I got If my house
and barn were to burn down tonight?'
" 'Not more than ten years and not
less than three,' " saJd the manager.
swered, half carelessly. Tin going h
my old school friend, Khoda Appeiiey
She lives In a Hat of her own In Ash
lugton mansions, In Maldit Vale. I'm
nil right but you can get mo a taxi
and rldo there with me If you like."
"And tomorrow, in the morning,"
said Maythorne, "let Holt call for you
and bring you to my office. And by
thehye, before we go out, I've got
something In my pocket, Miss Merchl
son, that I'd like to show you. Come
to the light."
Suddenly, from some Inner pocket,
he produced and laid on the table In
the full glare of the lamp, an old
fashioned cairngorm brooch, act In
tine, much woru silver. He looked
closely at Shelln.
"Have you ever seen that before?"
he asked. "Think !"
"NoP replied Shelln. "Never 1
Whose Is It? What Is It?"
Maythorne picked up the brooch,
and began to linger It, Turning it
over, he pointed to the pin at the back,
which was considerably worn, and
tilted loosely to Its socket.
"It would easily slip out of any
woman's gown," he said. "And I
picked It up at Helvcr'a den, close to
the spot where MaiarofT's dead body
wus found."
She turned on him a quick, question
ing glance that shifted from him to
the brooch, and ho picked up the
brooch again, and restored It to his
pocket.
"So to the best of your recollec
tion you've never seen It before?" he
said.
"Never!" she repented. "Never!"
Presently we all three went down
stairs, and Into the street. I got a
tnxlcab, and Shelln and I got Into It.
Maythorne said good-night and went
off; we, too, set out on our ride to
Maida Vale. She suddenly laughed
shyly.
"Mervyn!" she said. "Were were
you glad to tee me?"
"Will It be an answer," said I, "If
I tell you that I'd been Uiluklng about
you all the evening?"
"Thnt's a nice answer," she laughed.
"Oh, well uow don't let's tnlk we'll
talk tomorrow, or next day, or some
other day. Hut you can hold my hand.
If you like, till we get to the end of
the ride."
We held each other's hands In
silence all the way to Mnlda Vole.
I saw her safely In rharge of her
friend, and went bnck home In the
same cab. Wondering, of course
wondering , . . what next?
CHAPTER VII
The Missing Man
I was back at Ashlngton mansions
soon after nine o'clock on the follow
ing morning, nnd by half past Sheila
and I were walking down F.dgware
road on our way to Maythorne's otllce.
Amidst the crowded London streets,
we were alone In a sense In which we
could not have been alone In the soli
tudes of Marrasdnle, and the sensa
tion was as novel ns it was delightful.
Yet I knew It could not Inst, and we
had not been walking far when Shelln
voiced exactly what I was feeling.
"Mervyn! I'll have to go back, you
know!" she said. "I've done what I
came for given you the will ami
now I'll have to go home soon, any
wayand face the music, (if course,
my mother has guessed long since
what's happened. And there'll be a
nice row! I shall have the liveliest
quarter of an hour I ever had In my
life. And I shull only have one re
tort to make not a nice one to make
to one's own mother nnd that's to
ask tier what she was doing with that
will and how she got It? And, If I
know her. she won't say."
"There may be developments before
It conies to that," I renin rked. "The
fact Is, we none of us know where we
are. I don't, anyhow! I feel ns If I
didn't know what on earth's going to
turn up next."
"Anything may," said Sheila. "I
suppose the thing Is. In these cases, to
be ready for anything and surprised
at nothing."
And at that very moment a surprise
was within touching distance of us.
Suddenly Sheila stopped de.nl and
clutched my arm; turning sharply on
her, I saw that she was staring as li
fascinated at the open door of a tobac
conist's shop, a few yards ahead of us.
(TO RE CONTINUED)
of the Stellar System
In such comparisons, and forcibly
strikes the Imagination when he tells
us that If the carbon atom were
magnified to the size of Waterloo sta
tion, Its electrons would be repre
sented by six wasps flying round In
the vast vacuity. All the rest Is
emptiness; nnd so In the celestial
spaces It Is Immense odds against any
given spot being occupied. "We live
In a gossamer universe; pattern, plan
nnd design nre there In abundance
but solid substance Is rnre."
Put Health First
The views of students as to what
makes life happy are revealed by a
ballot competition conducted by the
National I'nlon of Students through
out the universities of England anil
Wules, says the London Observer. The
following was the order of Importance
voted for the various attributes con
ducive to a happy life:
A sound constitution; a sense of hu
mor; a congenial occupation; an as
sured future; a charming wife (or
husband); a blameless reputation;
4fK) a year; a brllllnnt career; a thick
skin; a good cook; a persuasive man
ner; a library nnd a poker face
(equal); nn artistic temperament; n
schoolgirl complexion.
Scraps
of $
7
HUSH v
The passerby stopped mid looked
at the man struggling vainly with hla
broken-down motor cur.
"Excuse me." said the stranger, "but
perhaps 1 can help you, There are
one or two things I can tell you about
your make of car."
The owner straightened himself up
snd looked ut the other.
"Please keep them to yourself, old
chap," he remarked, wurulngly; "ihoie
ore ludles present,"
ON THE BEACH
"May's gown makes a perfect trlgbi
t her."
"Yes; but outside of her costume
she's a shapely and beautiful girl."
Inequality of Things
full oft sums dog of stuhiilnf style
And pedigree without a (suit
Is worth a thousand dollars, white
Its owner lin t worth his salt.
Taking Awful Chance
Doily Dimples coquetllslily ) DM
you rend Dr. Itluetmrn this morning
when he stated (hut klssliiii Is abso
lutely dangerous to health?
I tapper Dan (recklely) Well
what do you sny, Miss Dolly? Left
tart nn epidemic I
The Old Standing
First Po.r Inventor-1 saw BHge
today, He looked happy, prosperous,
well fed. Success must have Come to
him.
Second (sadly) It hns.
First What's he been working on?
Second (more sadly) A salnry.
S. C. T. J.
"What do you know admit cook-
Ing?" asked Mrs Snapp of the appli
cant for posit Inn of cMk.
"Nothing much, inii'mii." came the
answer, "hut Ah knows a terrible lot
about de private affairs oh most ehry
body In town." Pathfinder Magialne.
Woman's Cunning
A I've always noticed that a worn
an always lowers her voice when she
begs for something !
H Yes; and raises It sky high If
tier desire Is not gratllledl
NOW WHAT?
' Sou. don I jou know that a roll
Ing stone gathers no iiiohs?"
"I agree Willi you, falher. but what
In the world would I do with any
moss?"
They All Do
I'm an easy coins (mrty
Hut I'd like to take a knock
At the shoe clerk who esiiuses
The toe hole In my eork.
Was an Early Bird
"Yes, I'm sorry I married you; so
there!"
"Oil I You were no young dlrd when
I married you "
"No. P.ut considering what I got,
you must admit I was an early dlrd."
Feeling Audience
fiazonda -Did the audience show
any feeling when she sang?
tinzoof Yes. nboiit half ol them be
gun feeling under the seats for their
lulls.
Joy of III Health
Mrs. Bladder--You're looking very
happy this morning. Have you had
good news?
Mrs. (lubber Just wonderful. M,
husband has Just had a nervous
breakdown und we're going, to Europe
for the summer.
Try Umbrella Test
"That mfin Is so honest he wouldn't
steal a pin."
"I never thought much of the pin
est, Try hi in with nn umbrella."
I . rS h I
Often
a best
man
never
a groom
and their men's pipes
irillJI Don't let your pipe stand
tctwecn you and domestic hap
piness. To tame that wild briar of
yours, try Sir Walter's favorito
smoking tokicco. It's satisfying,
and a lot milder. And it's wrapped
in heavy gold foil to keep it fresh
right down to the last fragrant
pipcfuL
TUNH IN on The lUItUh ere" ew
riMky. loooiotl OOiM.(NrwYoikTlk
et the WKAFcueM xuett nrnroisoN. B.C
SirV<er
Raleigh
Smoking Tobacco
111 ty W
It's miller
Watch Your Step
Oil what da-Is the calculation U
made Is not stated, but some fciow
with a sluirp pencil hns worked It
out that the accident list of last
year cost this country .!n',immi ii,
Alinot one third of this wns repre
sented In nutomohlle casualties.
New
3ii:niriM;
i:ahim;t
sizi;
f HE IDEAL
FAMILY
LAXATIVE
HON
IIAIIIT.
rOHMINQ
Effectire in Milder Doncs
Insist on the Genuine
FOR CONSTIPATION
Deer That "Barks"
The nilliitjae, a Species of deer
found In India, Is known us the
"barking"' deer, its Its call f alarm
Is like the bark of n fox.
Paradoxical
The Insects lire more reasonable
Hum man because they do not rea
son. Clarence Darrow,
Why suffer when relief is
prompt and harmless!
Millions of people hnve learned to
depend on Haver Aspirin to relieve a
sudden headache. They know it eases
the pain so quickly. And that it Is so
harmless. Genuine Bayer Aspirin never
hnrnis the heart. Look for the Unyer
Cross stamped on every tablet.
Ill AYE K
iff
HEADACHE?