The Hunt Ball Mystery

This is horribly tragic," he added in a low tone to Kelson, "but it h

tation the other evening. At any rate he wil

riston suggested. "You might

e drawing-room door and

waited i

the two men joined him. "No doubt to mak

, inevitable truth," Gifford answered. "Y

ression of his face, but where the dead man's personality had suggested determination overlaid with an easy-going, indulgent spirit of hedonism this man seemed to bristle with a restless mental activity, to be all brain; one whose pleasures lay manifestly on the intellectual side. One thing Gifford quickly noted, as he looked at the man with a painful curiosity

following Morriston into the room w

whom I can get no news. He came down to the Cumberbatch Hunt Ball, which I understand was held in this house, and from that evening seems to have mysteriously disappeared. He had an

k the news abruptly, had no

can," he now answer

word quickly. "What do you mean

Morriston answere

a start fel

eated. "You don

is d

hock raised the word a

, "only discovered the terrible t

tested incredulously. "

e die? An

gh by his own hand," Morristo

estly deepened. "By his own hand?" he echoed. "Suicid

n replied with sympathy. "May I tell

words were rapped out

cupation, seemed to take no notice of the gesture, continui

of the locked door in the tower and of the subsequent discovery when it had been opened. Hensha

at all," he said when

he whole affair is as mysterious as it is lamentabl

ul incredulity. "Why suicide? In connexion with

on the inside," M

yes fixed on Morriston. "But even that does not reconcile me to the monstrous improbab

brother was practically a stranger to me, and to us all. My friends here, Captain Kelson and Mr. Gifford, met

immediately transferred fro

row any light on the ma

ered readily. "I may as well tell you how our

responded, in a tone more

encounter at the station-yard and of the subsequent drive to the town, merely softening the detail of their prel

my unfortunate brother?

the hall of the hotel just as w

here toge

an hotel carriage, and

ted Gifford, who up to t

with my evening things had gone astray-been carried on

about it something vaguely suspicious, seemed about to put another qu

y facing round again he said sharply to Gifford, "Have yo

hing more," Gi

ain, and seemed as tho

cts stop short they may be supplemented. Apart from what is actually known-I ask this as the dead

his cross-examining manner no

nd what seems the obvious explanation o

And you, sir; have you any

xcept that he took his own

. I tell you the idea of my brother Clement taking his own life is to me absolutely inc

pt I must say he looked to me the

dedly. Then he addressed himself to Giffor

o more satisfactory a

the world as I take you to

N

hat my poor brother did not strike one as be

never tell. I knew nothi

I tell you, gentlemen, the thing is utterly imp

he was found. It is to be removed at nightfall

es

t of the ball. Henshaw spoke little, his mood seemed dissatisfied and resentful, but h

ton replied. "But after that no one seem

ppeared quite ear

"Naturally, before this awful discovery we had been much exercised

accept the inference that he came down here for the exp

iston replied, as he turned and be

of the topmost

und locked on the insid

, and nodded. Morriston pushed

the third man having been despatched to the town to make arrangements for its removal. With a n

rs. "I am the brother of the deceased," he said, addressing

p, business-like tone which had chara

inside," the detective answered sympathet

e a good deal to persuade me

e-Sergean

id the doctor

press a definite opini

er presumed the doctor

ously. "I'm not going to take it for granted, I

s arranging to meet the police surge

the lower portion of the bright steel d

ctor poin

must have been made," he remarked in a subdue

How could he have got this?" he demanded, look

"that one of my men must have left it wh

he detective corroborated. "It has been i

lips as though in strenuous thought. Then suddenly he demanded, "Beyond the fact th

sir," he replied with quiet conviction. "Clearly the deceas

ter the wound was given?" Henshaw sug

y rate unconsciousness, must have been almost

ars out that view I shall not

or took up

leave it undiscovered except by the door. To drop from this window, which is the only one large enough to admit of an adult body passing through, would me

nvited Henshaw to look down. T

dow found op

hink that it was opened that morning and owing to the extra work i

f down from the window," the inspector

cide theory," he said at length. "My brother was not that sort of man. He had nerves of iron; he was in love with life and all it

rd box in which was a collection of various articles, jewellery, a watch

aw's glance of curiosity. "We have collected and made a list of them, and the

letter? May

rapidly ran his eye through its contents. Then he gave a curious laugh, as he

rved quietly. "Perhaps if we could find out whom it wa