The Ione independent., June 20, 1930, Image 2

nJlFevu
f Little
Kftairaff
Mystery
5y J. S. FLETCHER
GumtipatSun
Nun liohit
forming
Scientific
Illustrations by IRWIN MYERS
. by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.)
W. N. U. Service
THE STORY
Mervyn Holt It enKSK'd by a
man calling himself MatarofT as
a traveling companion. After
short tour they put up at the
Woodcock Inn on Marrasitale
moor. They meet, casually. Mr.
Klphlnstone and Sheila MerchU
fon. Mamroff tells Holt they art
his wife and daughter and that
hi real name la Merchlson. That
night Maiaroft fails to return to
the inn and his disappearance is
unexplained. Holt meets Sheila
and tells her of MasarorT disap
pearance. Holt Is questioned by
Police Sergeant Manners and a
reporter, Hownaa. MaxarofT
murdered body Is found. Crole,
Maiaroff's lawyer, and May
thorne, private detective, arrive.
Valuable diamonds that Msiaroff
usually carried are missing. A
gun, stolen from Musgrave, Is
found at the scene of the mur
der. Evidence at the Inquest
proves MaxarofT was Merchlson.
His will leaves all to Holt. Her
man Kloop, close friend of Ma
saroff, Is In London. From him
it Is learned that Matarofl pos
sessed two remarkable diamonds,
which he had offered for sale to
Lord and Lady Locke. Loeke
says Maiaroft had one of the
stones and his agent. Armlntrade,
the other. Miss Merchlson ar
rives at Holt's rooms with the
missing will which she had stol
en from her mother.
CHAPTER VII Continued
11
"Mervyn!" site whispered. "Tar
slave: Gone In there I"
Tarslave l" I exclaimed. "The man
missing from Marrnsdule? Impossi
ble'." "I tell you Tarslave has Just cone
Into that shop the tobacco shop:
Tarslave Is In that shop! Comeback:"
"You're certain?" I said.
"lad certain! Tarslave Is In
there! Watch for him let me stand
In this shop door."
"He'll know you?"
"Of course! If he comes this way,
I'll slip Into this shop and buy some
thing anything. If he goes the other
follow. Good Heavens! what Is he
doing here! in London?"
It was a drapery establishment by
which we were standing, with a deep
doorway Sheila slipped within Its
shelter: 1. half-hidden, kept an eye on
the tobacconist's door. And presently
nut came a tali, wiry fellow, obviously
a countryman, bronzed In cheek and
neck ; he turned along the pavement,
fcway from us.
Sheila came out of the doorway and
glanced down the street.
"That's Tarslave !" she said. "But
1 knew It was. What next?"
"We must follow him," I answered.
"No matter where he goes, I'm going
to track him. Look here! I'll keep a
little way behind him; you keep a
little way behind me."
So we began our chase of this man
who had disappeared from T.lrnslde
on the night of Mazaroffs murder, and
for whom the police had nlready in
stituted a hue-and-cry.
Parsline went slowly away In front,
and Just as slowly Sheila sauntered
after me In the rear. He was an easy
man to follow, and It needed little
watchfulness on my part to see that
he had not the ghost of an Idea that
he was being followed,
i lie turned to his right sharply, Into
f'raed street, crossed the roadway,
and a little further along the other
side, turned again. Sauntering after
Mm, at a considerable distance, I saw
him enter the side door of a house a
rather bigger, more pretentious house
than those that flanked It. Then he
disappeared. I hastened my steps,
walked swiftly pnst the house he had
entered, and on the side door, on a
dirty, uncleaned brass plate reud, to
my utter amazement:
"Dr. Kccleshnre
Surgery Hours fl::;o to 11 a. m. 7 to
6:H0 p. m."
I hurried hack to the top of the
street, where Sheila was already
Lansing about.
"Cot him'" she asked.
I touched her arm with one hand,
pointing with the other to the house
Et the further end of the street.
"You see that house down there?
the one that stands out from the rest?"
"I see it !"
"Thnt's Eccleshnre's! Eecleslinre's,
do you understand? Itoctor Eerie
share. Eccleshare's good Lord! And
Pnrsliive's In there!"
Then silence fell upon us. We stood,
mutually questioning each other.
Sheila spoke first.
"Ecclesliare'g house! and Tarslave
In It? Then here's some devilry ut
work. Mervyn what's to be done?
Of course, I see how things are. Kc
t'lefdinre sent Tarslave here to hide!"
T.ut I hud been thinking during that
moment of silence thinking fast.
"There's only one thing to be done,"
I rn!d. "Look here you do Just what
I tell you. Get a tnxlcnb. Go straight
to M:iyt home's lO.'Ib Conduit street
got that? and tell him exactly v.hat's
happened. Get him to come buck here
villi you, and to bring his clerk, Cot
liii.'.'ley, Meanwhile, I'll keep an eye
mi Pin-slave and that house. Now
Lurry !"
S!'e went off on the Instant, without
6 much us a word, and I turned to
watch the house lift y yards uwuy.
And I had not watched long before
Tarslave came out again, and came my
way, too. He was carrying a rush
basket, such as servants use when they
go shopping. I sauntered after him
(on the opposite side). He went to a
grocer's shop; he bought potatoes and
a couple of fine cauliflowers. And,
that little domestic mission fulfilled,
he vent leisurely back to Doctor Ec
cleshnre's. I pictured him and some
housekeeper woman lu there Tar
slave would doubtless be peeling the
potatoes, like any tame family man,
and exchanging pleasant talk with the
female presiding genius and yonder
In the Northumbrian wilds, three hun
dred miles away, the police were want
ing hlui ... on suspicion of mur
der! I was laughing softly over this when
a hand was laid on my arm. I looked
sharply round to see Maythorne's
queer clerk, Cottlngley. He Jerked a
thumb over his left shoulder, silently,
and following the gesture I saw, a
few yards away, Sheila, Maythorne,
and a strange man, somebody or other
got up for the part of the confirmed
loafer, the type that Just hangs about,
and hangs about.
"GuVnor!" said Cottlngley, as If
Introducing XIaythorue. "Here!"
I went up to Maythorne and Sheila,
Cottlngley at my heels. The loafer
person made a slinking movement to
"Mervyn!" Sh Whispered. "Parslavt!
Gone In There,!"
the rear, and began to study the con
tents of a shop window. Maythorne
gave me a glance that meant more
things than I could realize.
"Now then. Holt." he Said, plunging
straight Into business, "Miss Merchl
son' given us a description of this
man Tarslave Just you give us an
other, so thnt Cottlngley ami this other
man of mine will know him to the Inst
detail. Here Johnson!"
The loafer Individual slid close to
us, like a shadow sifted by a moving
light, and he kept his eyes on me with
out blinking while I rapidly but
thoroughly' detailed a description of
Tarslave.
Cottlngley nodded at Maythorne,
nudged the loafer, and they turned
away, with seeming utter Indifference.
Sheila stared after them In obvious
wonder.
Maythorne laughed and motioned us
toward the end of Trued street.
"You two young people can go off
duty now," he said. "Tarslave Is as
safe as If we'd got him Inside the
Jewel case at the Tower! Take my
advice go somewhere and have the
day to yourselves. . Leave all this to
me the only thing Is that I want you,
Holt, to look In at my office nt six
o'clock sharp this evening. Now
I'm off! Iluslness!"
Minimum of Waste in
In a Down East sardine canning fac
tory the only thing that Is wasted Is
the odor. That may not be a dead
loss, for there are persons who as
sert they like the smell of a sardine
factory. The scales are sold to the
manufacturers of artificial pearls.
The fish meal Is in demand In Ger
many and In this country. The waste
oil Is collected and utilized In the pro
duction of paints and varnishes.
Even the tin cuttings from the cans
are baled and shipped to England for
reprocessing Into new sheets of the
metal.
Down East sardines are sent to 0.1
different countries. In Java, when
Not Included
The librarian had missed some of
her regular visitors In the children's
room. One day a little girl came In
who was a coumii to the musing ones.
On being questioned as to where her
cousins had been so long, she told the
librarian they hail had the scarlet fe
ver, "bul," she added, "Hie rest of the
futnlly are not 'guaranteed.'"
life
He was In tho tnxlcnb which ho had
kept waiting and was being driven
away before we could say anything.
We both looked at each other and
laughed.
"That's good advice of Maythorne
anyhow," I said. "Let's follow It.
Let's go somewhere where we van talk-
about "
"What?" she said as I hesitated.
"Ourselves!" said I. "We've had
enough of other people."
We had a delightful lunch In a de
lightful, old fashioned Inn; we spent
the afternoon amongst the autumn
tinted lanes, and . . .
Hut that, after all, has nothing to
do with this story, though It hits alt
to do with Sheila and myself. At half
past five I took her back to her friend's
Hat, and then went on to Conduit
street and Maythorne. He Immediate
ly waved a telegram at me.
"Here you are. Holt," he said. "More
developments. A wire from your man,
Webster."
There was no great amount of word
ing In Webster's telegram, but such
words as were there conveyed a good
deal of highly Important Information.
This Is what Webster said :
"Courthope, Armlntrade, Eceleslmre,
Mr. and Mrs. Elphlnstoue all left here
for Carlisle by eight o'clock train this
morning."
I handed back the telegram without
comment.
"Carlisle, of course, means London,"
Maythorne said. "The scene of opera
tion's shifted, Holt! we've got some
of the chief actors close at hand."
"Mrs. Klphlustone, of course, has
come after her daughter," I suggested.
"And the will," he answered. "Or to
find out what her daughter's done with
the will. Well there are two men
we'll have to have a pretty straight
talk with tomorrow. We're going to
have It out with Armlntrade. After
that, we're going to Interview Ecele
slmre and Tarslave. possibly with a
little police assistance, if need be. Itut
tonight you and I are going to see
Mrs. Elphlnstoue. We know where
she's to be found and we'll go now
and find her."
"Where?" I asked, wondering If he
had some further Information.
"Can you doubt?" he answered with
a laugh. "She'll be found at Ashing
ton mansions where, I suppose, you've
Just left her daughter. I want to nsk
Mrs. Elphlnstone a question or two.
And 1 may as well tell you. Holt she
won't answer 'em! Tonight, at any
rate."
That I quite expect," said I.
"Just so! Itut she'll answer 'em to
morrowor next day or the day
after that," he said, with a significant
glance. "The thing Is, first, to put
them to her."
We rode up to Malda Vale and got
out of our cab some twenty or thirty
yards short of Ahlngtn mansions.
Maythorne Immediately nudged my
elbow.
"What did I tell you?" be said.
"They're here, now !"
In front of the main entrance to the
flats a taxlcub stood. And within It
sat a woman a tall, angular, elderly
woman, dressed !n somewhat nisty
black, who stared Straight In front of
her until, attracted by our momentary
halt and seeing our eyes turn in her
direction, she gave us a quick side
glance only to withdraw It sharply and
to look ahead again, still more stead
ily. We passed on and entered the
door.
"I've seen that woman before, re
marked Maythorne, as we crossed the
hall to the elevator. "At Mnrras
dale." "So have I," I answered. "I saw
her about the Woodcock In fait, I
took her for the cook. What can she
be doing here?"
"Mrs. Elphlnstone will know," he
said. "Hut I shan't ak her thnt,
now. Well what's this Miss Apper
ley's number?"' he went on, as we
were whirled upwards. "Twenty
seven? Itlght! Now then, Holt we
Sardine - Canning Plant
representatives sought a new market,
the natives would have nothing to do
with the "little fishes boiled In oil."
Two hundred free cases were offered
If the prospective customers would
place a l,0oo case order. At last the
ileal was made. The sardines were
heaped high on trucks, together with
a band of native musicians, taken
from bazaar to bazaar, and sold. Thus
Introduced, there wns no further diffi
culty In adding Jnvn to the list of sar
dine consumers. New York Times.
Early Handkerchiefs
The white handkerchief wus consid
ered bad form In undent Home. Al
though colored cloth squares were
used for such purposes us headpieces,
neckerchiefs and barber's accessories,
the practice of "mopping" or "blowing"
In public was frowned upon by the
elite. Commentaries on Itoman life
cite the lack of the necessity to use
a "nose" handkerchief as a desirable
quality In a fiancee, and, conversely,
the frequent need of a "sweat" hand
kerchief as a Just cuuse for divorce.
walk straight In I We'll excuse our
selves to Miss Apperley afterward, "
I did as he bade me. Without cere
mony as as much us a tap, I opened
the door of Miss Apperley' silting
room, and Muythoruo and I entered,
abreast. We plunged Into the middle
of things. An acrlmonlus debate was
already at lis full height. Sheila
stood, Indignant and defiant, by the
center table. Mrs. Elphlnstone was en
throned, obviously In a fine temper,
In an elbow chair by the hearth. Mr,
Elphlnstone was perched on the edge
of a chair lu another corner, nursing
the handle of his umbrella and up
parently as uncomfortable as a nervous
and peaceable man can be.
"not one word, good mother, till
you tell me how you came Into pes
session of that will!" Sheila was say
tag, and saying with emphasis, as we
strode lu. "It's up to you to speak
first you're . . .'
She broke off there, or, rather, May
(home broke things off for her. lie
strode forward and took the words out
of Sheila's mouth.
"Your daughter's In the right, Mrs
Elphlnstone," he said In cool, even
accents. "It's up to you to give ex
planatlotis. Now, tome, Mrs. Elphln
stone how did you tbtaln possession
of Mazaroffs will which Is now safe,
let me tell you, safe lu Mr. Crete's
strong room. Come?"
Mr. Elphlnstone groaned wearily.
Hut Mrs. Elphlnstone showed temper
and fight.
"How dare you speak to me -me!
like that?" she demanded. "What
right-"
"My dear lady!" Interrupted May
thorne. "He culm, and don't be foolish.
Think a little. Here Is a very wealthy
man murdered under most auspicious
circumstances. He has his will In his
pocket, with other papers, and with
valuables, and with money. He Is uot
only murdered, but he Is robbed of
everything he has on Mm. Nothing
can be discovered almut his missing
property. Then a few nights Inter,
your daughter accidentally finds cut
that the will is In your hands! What
do you suppose the police authorities
will say to that, Mrs. Elphlnstone?
I'm asking you."
Mm. Elphlnstone looked at him half
wonderingly, as thoroughly obstinate
and slightly stupid people will look at
a questioner: I could see quite well
that she was wondering how he dared
to be so plain-spoken and uncere
monious. Mr. Elphlnstone groaned once more
audibly. "Most distressing!" he mur
mured. "Most unpleasant. Iteally
I I think, Marlon, that er you
know If I were you I I think I
should say how you got this er docu
ment I should really."
"Mrs. Elphlnstone will have to say
how she got It, and from whom." ob
served May thorne. "That will w as with
out doubt abstracted stolen fn.in Ma
zaroff's pocket by the man who mur
dered him. Ami, Mr. Elphlnstmie, It
Is later discovered In Mrs. Elphln
stone' keeping. How came It there!"
Mrs. Elphlnstone suddenly git there I
up her wraps and her umbrella and
rwe from her chair.
"What right have you to nsk w
questions?'' she demanded, facing May-
thorne. "You're not a policeman, ss
fur as I'm aware, and I don't know
that you've any authority. I am go
Ing, and whoever wishes to see me
will find me at Short's hotel. You'll
find me there, Sheila I snail not run
after you again."
"That's a useful thing to know, Mrs.
Elphlnstone," said Maythorne, still
pertinacious. "You will no doubt be
called upon at Short's. This Is a mat
ter of murder! And whether you like
It or not, Mrs. Elphlnstone or, as It
should be, Merchlson I am going to
know who murdered Muzaroff. If you
know, you're nlready an accessory
after the crime."
Mrs. Elphlnstone was at the door
by this time, and her eyes were as
hard as ever as she swept us all with
a half contemptuous glance. "Are you
coming, Malcolm? As for you. Sheila,
If you want me again, you'll have to
come to me. Otherwise "
She made a gesture which seemed
to Indicate that she washed her bunds
of her daughter and of everybody
present, and without wnltlng for Mi.
Elphlnstone, she marched oft down the
corridor.
Mr, Elphlnstone shook his head
wearily and despondently. He looked
round at all of us us If he wanted to
speak, but no words came, and he
presently turned and went after his
wife. Maythorne cUwed the door, and
glanced at us.
"You may think I wns too explicit
perhaps brutal with Mrs. Elphln
atone," he said, "but I don't beliefs
any of you understand. Knowing what
I do and Crole, of course, knows It
now I cannot keep this Information
from the police! It's Impossible! We
know the police know that Mazaroff
was robbed as well as murdered. That
will was on him I How did Mrs.
Elphlnstone get It? She Is shielding
somebody. That's the truth! Now,
then who Is It?" Then, without wait
ing for any reply or remark, he tapped
my shoulder and S(t off. I lingered s
moment, to exehnnge a word or tw
with Sheila, and then followed Mm,
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
HIS DIFFICULT?
i.tttlo Hllly.v returning from dancing
school, was asked by his mother, "How
was tho lesson?" to which Hilly re
plied. "Not so good, Mummy."
"How do you mean, 'not so good'?'
"Well," said the contemplative four
year-old, "I couldn't get the step tht
teacher showed mo."
"Oh, to thai was It. What do you
think was tho trouble?"
"Well, Mummy, I've been thinking
bout It, and 1 think It was my feels.
GOOD AT HISTORY
He Are you good at Malory f
She lndcd I ami I never forget
date.
No Unemployment
Thouth comieiiili.n is not great
When politics os diss?,
There e work In every stale
To Seep large numbers busy.
Nothing to Worry About
Gciilleimm (buying a cigar) Hj
Jove) If haven't left my pocket
book at home.
Saleswoman That' all right ; you
can pay me tomorrow.
Gentleman Yes, but suppose
should get run over or gel lilt by
falling brick?
Saleswoman Well, It wouldu't be
any great calamity, anyhow.
Quo VadisT
Tollceman (to multilist who nearly
collided) Don't you know that you
should always give half of the road
to a woman driver?"
Motorist I always do, when I find
out which half of the rood the wants.
Hoston Transcript
Results of tho Fray
"Say, old man, you are sight t
Why, you are pasted t It h fudge and
smeared with chewing gum. Gel mixed
up In a caudy store?"
'Worse than that. I attempted to
umpire a basketball game betweer
two girl teams."
WOULDN'T TRY IT AGAIN
Diner Let me see I hud a weuk
yesterday.
Walter Yes, sir. Will you try It
again today?
Diner No, I think not. If you will
bring me a different one Til see what
I can do.
The Fickle Publie
How many man nt Kcnlnl style
Who can't see when to slop
te entertaining for awhile
And then proves )ust a flop.
Poor Papal
He My dear, you talked In your
sleep n long time Inst night.
She What did I talk about?
"Well er It seemed to be mainly
abuse of me."
She I wasn't asleep.
More Modernism
Jack Why did you break wltn
Alice, I though! you were crazy about
her?
J I in I am, but I decided I couldn't
stand It to live wiih her folks.
Latest Car Out
Mrs. Ilrngg My husband's car I
the latest one out. you know.
Mrs. Cutler Yes. I've heard the
neighbors complain that It wakes
them up when he puis It In tl
garage.
Just a Drop
vVlfe of aviator who Is about to
ross the Atlantic- Hut what would
failure be?
Aviator Oh, Jusl a drop In tht
1 1 "
icean.
USE
Glenn's
Sulphur Soap
Hkia rapilunt, nul,i
Contains ponyl latum, Bai si Mi.
3 i I'ure ru.,i at n lr ihu r
lulehui fnukins. bwrnifrlns hillst
and twit soap. p..t lur
Soft, Clcnr Skin
Heklano Sir put U.m.n, lu
SUFFERING ELIMINATED
IVyears aurcrsa In tmilnd U.-i.i
Cokn troubles ry the Is, C J. Do a
! ui to W Ml I I t N A V
YCr7. W'tMNlK or I'll M HtMI.
Nvrwl l.kt. I, I life Irtti
. fewkiWiOuntftsutMSiMlpriip.
RECTAL COLON CLINIC
BE YOUR OWN BOSS
l.rartt Hoffman tit ill) l-ir.lns,
l al M-'i !.. p.tiiti anl tM.hrlittg Will
f t.r In in- imr
ll'OKVIAN riiaHIVI S. HiHl,
111 I .n i k I II SI. O.itl f him iw o. (a. It.
For Ivy Poisoning
Try Hartford's
Balsam of F.!yrrh
All tasters ars aulhsriiM te ralanS iuf
nofteiisHhstirt aotlli i set iMileti.
Her Need
I lllle HfUy , , III, and with
(he privilege of an ln.ilUl, ileimilnled
so much nf her iiiutlier'ii tunc Mini nt
liiitlon that her older brother. I' red.
huh n tiiMe niiiiuveil. One day when
Itclxy bad kept her ilevutt-d purciit
leading iiltHid to I er until tlie Has nl
IiiokI lioarxe. I'red remarked siiclni .
ly: "Well, loom, I thli.U M Itut I'.cN)
tieds Is a 'talking plituie of oit "
OLIVER TROUBLES
Contid toniiu. bud breath, conttlpetajn. bill
KUinru. riaiiva, twtntration, d.ittH, lutom.
n.s rmult tlm sod snwna.h. Avoid arrmtie
illnrot by Ink ins Ausuat Kbi rr at oner. rl
at snr t"4 diut ii'it. in 'lews -wrrirns
tmnsrh, livme li T, tidsdif'Stittl
crs out puiMins. Ymi frii .'ine.rs: anything,
with
AUGUST p LOWER
Or Press Afnt
A foul i i n ., i hi ii t i buy lias
liecn expelled because his teat he )
claim that he Is lin iipul.le of telling
the i rill h. If this ytniii'j mini tlmeii'l
ineiid his ways be will likely end up
In the weather bureau.--I, fe.
'I took Lydia E rinkham'i
Vegetable Compound when I
was tired, nervous and run
down. I saw the advertisement
and decided to trv It lieranse I
was hardly able to do my
housework. It has helped me
in every way. My nerves arc
better, I have a good appetite,
I sleep well and 1 do not tire so
easily. I recommend the Vcgc
table Compound to other
women for it gives me so much
strength and makes me feel
like a new person. "Mrs. Lena
Young, Hjfi, Ellsworth, Maine.
M.. aaa. Kfl I wm m a
in a
. 9
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