Ravensdene Court

n the full tide of life and vigour lying there in that lonely place, literally weltering in his

hrough his shoulders. This was murder-black murder. And my thoughts flew to what Claigue, the landlord, had said, warningly, the previous afternoon, about the foolishness of showing so much gold. Had Salter Quick disregarded that warning, flashed his money about in some other public house, been followed to this out of the way spot and run thro

lessness of his hands-instead of being clenched in a death agony as I should have expected they were stretched wide; they looked nerveless, limp, effortless. But when my fingers came to the nearest one-

ble, and I saw at once that they did not extend beyond this spot. There were two distinct marks; one there of boots with nails in the heels; these were certainly made by the dead man; the other indicated a smaller,

eight; I traced them up its incline. But from the very edge of the cliff the land was covered by a thick wire-like turf; you could have run a heavy gun over it without leaving any impr

to be a gamekeeper. Unconscious of my presence he walked forward in my direction, picked up a bird which his shot had brought down, and was thrusting it into a bag that hung at his hip, when I called to him

istance. "Just so-I am staying with Mr. Raven. And I've just made a t

imed. "What-washed up

's been murdered.

me with rapidly dilating eyes: they ran me all o

nd-there are footmarks there, and I don't want them interfered with till the police have examined th

fully followed me to the dead man's side where he

d. Now, this is murder! You live about here, no doubt? Did you see or hear anyt

xclaimed. "No,

n on the headlands between th

d him against showing so much money. Now, before we do more, I'd like to know if he's been murdered for the sake of robbery. You're d

d bending down, did what I suggested.

d. "His pocket'

out," I

of the morning sun flashed on those coins as if in mockery. We both lo

t robbery!" I

a thick chain of steel which lay across

un, that's never been bought for less tha

makes it all the more myst

red, as he rose from the dead man's side

house and tell Mr. Raven what's happened, and send for the police. Do you stay he

e is, hereabouts. What beats me," he added, "is-what was he-and the man as did it-doing, here? Th

d mystery," I answered. "We

lt of pine, I saw that it was already getting on to nine o'clock and breakfast time. But this news of mine would have to be told: thi

to the house. So-he had evidently been back to the place whereat he had hidden the stained linen, whatever it was? Coming up to

ained rag-I, going to the beach, find a murdered man-coming back, I ascertain that Mr. Cazalette has already removed what he had previously hidden. What connec

r. Raven-they were strolling up and down, before the open window of the morning room, chatting.

see how his companion would take the announcement. So, as I walked up the steps of the terrace, I loudly called my host's name. He turned, saw from my expression tha

s happened. You know the man I was telling you of last night-Salter Quick? I found his dead body, half-an-hour ago, on your be

rted a little; exclaimed a little: he was more wonder-struck than horrified. But Mr. Cazalette's mask-like counte

the very end that I was thinking the fellow would come to! Not that I fancied it would be so

sentiments; instead, I looked at Mr. Raven. He was evidently too much surprised

t a very sad thing. Of course, the poor fellow has been mu

ed. "His money and his watch are unto

e as if failin

tery?" he

aid I. "Get the police out as quickly a

marked, "but we have a medical man closer at ha

may be able to tell us at what hour the

e had told her the news. She was sitting behind her tea and coffee things, staring at him: he, on his part, a cup of tea in one hand, a dry biscuit in the other, was marchin

man?" she whispered.

"I didn't want you to know until-later.

in the direction of the

death. I believe he's positively enjoying this: he's been

eady to accompany us. And Mr. Cazalette was ready, too, and, I thought, more eager than any of the rest. Indeed, when we set out from the house he led the way, across the gard

nds and the field above from Long Houghton village to that spot. Quick must have followed it last night. But how came he t

ame to the open country behind the pines and firs, where a narrow lane ran down to the sea, we heard the rattle of a light dog-cart and turned to see the inspector of police and a couple of his men, who

ut to the police, who examined them carefully, and agreed with me that one set was undoubtedly made by the boots of the dead man while the other was caused by the pressure of some light-footed, lightly-shoed person. And there being nothing else to be seen or done at that place, Salter Quick was lifted on to an improvised stretcher which the servants had brought down from the Court and carried by the way we had come to an outhouse in the gardens, where the police-surgeon proceeded to make a more careful ex

ette showed the keenest interest in them, and would not be kept

se that the assassin used?" he asked. "That'l

fe," said the police-surgeon. "One

ore, "a stiletto-such

. Any one of those fearsome things would serve, no doubt. But we'll be doing more

silver match-box, a tobacco-box of some metal, quaintly chased and ornamented. Various other small matters-but, with one exception, no papers or letters. The one exception was a slightly torn, dirty envelope addressed in an

curiosity while he carefully examined Quick's money, his watch (of which he took particular notice, even going so far as to jot down its number and the name of its maker on his shirt cuff), and the r

sign, a plan, something of that sort, anyway-scratched into it with the point of a nail, or a knife. Look at the lines-and see, there's marks and there's figur

till the inquest, sir," replied the inspector. "

n the direction of the house. Within a few minutes he came hurrying back, c

inside the lid of that bit of a box that the poor man kept his tobacco in. I'd like to take