The Stowmarket Mystery

Acqua

Table of

tened horse supplied sensation for a week. What would happen when it became known that the rector's daughter had been attacked by the Squire of Beechcroft in the park mea

occurrence. The appearance of Brett, of the waiting groom, and of a ch

e's friend, the man-servant a stranger who had seen nothing and heard little, whilst the

knew that this healthy, high-minded, and athletic youn

you jumped the hed

hly," was the answer. "It was Nellie he

what happened save the principals, a fortunate thing in

pinion, and secretly surprised at the interest taken by the barrister in t

ve the mise-en-scéne. The stage was quite clear for the chief actors. And now, may I make a suggestion? The longer we remain here th

with us now?" excla

e sudden appearance of her lover tried her ne

My father will forget all about his lunch

d she hurried off t

by my presence at this moment, nor could she meet Mrs. Eastham with any degree of composure. Now, this afternoon she will

e of the horse, as they would be detained some time in the v

f over sixty, was not only surprised bu

ith outstretched hands when he entered the mornin

n and he adopted the pleasing fiction of a relatio

set forth, in a few explicit w

lsively. "Providence has guided your steps here at this hour.

darting a look of

," she explained, "though we dearly love a little gossip, we are slow to believe that a man married to such a charming if somewhat unconventional woman as Margaret Hume-Frazer-I cannot

g on?" inquired Brett, for H

I could not receive him again at my house. He discovered that Nellie came here a good deal, and managed to call about the

hat he understands lacquer work, Satsuma ware, pain

r to the Hall, for Miss Layton has great taste as an amateur gardener, Mr. Brett. But this friendship suddenly ceased. Mr. Capella became very strange and gloomy in his manner. At last Nellie told me that the wretched man had dared to utter words of love to her, hinting

fantasy, "you are well acquainted with all the circumstances connected with Sir Alan's

jury, but in these last few days I ha

e your

n they were outwardly good friends. She said that once he showed her a Japanese sword, a most wonderful piece of workmanship, with veins o

lement like that used to k

ore she noticed that he seemed to understand the dreadful thing. It is fastened in its sheath by a hidden spring, and

that she regarded the Italian as a man who might conceivably be th

e belief, and had not scr

of her annual allowance. The young heir had, on the other hand, made up the deficit. But why did these artificial restrictions exist? Why were precautions taken by the father to diminish his daughter's income? She

motive for an otherwise fiendishly irrational

entary gloom of their thoughts. Before

is watch. "Fifty

rvelled at the coolness of the meeting between the

et before?"

r; "do you mean to say they have not

tt gaily. "Meanwhile, I am going to the Hall. I

do

hatic that it create

nutes I must have a long talk with my cook. She has to prepare pies and pastry sufficient to

ook his

ake as to imagine that Hume murdered his cousin. He was sure of the affections of a delightful girl; he could not su

nd, strongly-built, cheerful-looking. He halted opposite Mrs. Eastham's ho

oud, "you are an egr

the unabashed detective.

s you astray. You never theorise ab

ual caution, he glanced around to assure himself that no

t, that swine killed

strong

ger than h

e you do

m go to your chambers and guessed what was up, so I

pure goo

t or not, Mr. Bret

uitted. He cannot be tried

my hol

aughed

"A 'bus-driver's ho

teen

uppose it was not your first offence, or

this departmental jo

n engaged on too many smart bits of work for me t

e nearer, and sai

l paid for your services. Secondly, you will be able to place your hand on the true murderer of Sir Alan Hume-Frazer, or I will score

xperience had taught him not to argue w

ere is more in this business than perhaps you are

age the landlord of the local inn in a discussion on crops. I am off to Beechcroft Hall. Mr. Hume and I will call

ly admitted by Mrs. Crowe, an

ed his retre

idn't know it-worse luck!-until after he was acquitted. And he doesn't know that Miss Nellie Layton didn't reach home until 1.30 a.m., though she left the ball at 12.15, and her house is, so to speak, a minute's walk