The Man Who Knew too much

her was a policeman" was the proud boast of two small boys, a boast which entitled them to no small amount of re

n policeman had more in common with crime, had a vaster experience, and was in consequence a more helpful adviser than a man whose duties began and ended in the patrollin

d confused the bucolic mind. He had settled the vexed question as to whether a policeman could or could not enter a house where a man was

upon must be the constable on duty, and not an ornament o

as to when a servant should give notice and the date from which her notice should count--all these matters came within C

ing, and was a source of irritation to the male relatives on his wife's side, one of whom had unfortunately come within the grasp of the law ove

a function, and to the younger members of the family meant just tea and bread and butter. To Constable Wiseman it meant luxuries of a varied and costly nature. His taste ranged fr

iography with such encouraging phrases as, "Dear, dear!" "Well, whatever next!" the children doing no more than ask in a whisper

k the form of a very full resume of his previous day's experience. He left the impression upon his wife--and glad enough she was to h

never follered to the bitter en

tt's orchard was robbed-

r youngest on her knee, the youngest not having arrived at the age wh

neys than any other man in the force? Some people," he added, as he rose heavily and took down his tunic, which hung on the wall--"some people would ask for

t, anyway," sa

se of what's come to me officially to get me pushed along. You'll hear something in a day or two," he said mysteriously,

said Mrs. Wiseman, a

nd nodded

, "I could tell a thing or two. I've seen that boy look at the old man as though he'd like to kill him. You wouldn't believe it, would you, but I know, and it didn't happen so long ago either. He was always snubbing

n excellent prophet, va

as not unusual, for Constable Wiseman was nothing if not satisfied with his f

g and absorbing. It had been whispered before the evening parade that Sergeant Smith was to leave the force. There was some talk of his being dismissed, but i

of, and being drunk while on, duty. On the earlier occasions he had had remarkable escapes. Some people talked of influence, but it is more likely that the man's record had helped him, for he was

a public house, particularly when an officer has a fairly extensive area to cover, and in this respect he was well within the limits of that area. But it must be explained that the reason the sergeant wa

also

ying scandal. There is no doubt, however, that Sergeant Smith had made a despe

filled with the great news, was suddenly confronted with the object of his thoughts. The sergeant rode up to where the constable wa

s to suggest that he had been drinking again

an raised his e

t, I shall be opposite t

looked round

a matter of business," he said, "

Wiseman. "What I see with one eye goes ou

cline toward Weald Lodge. He made no secret of his visit, but rode through the wide gates up the gravel drive to

us interviews had taken place. Minute waited until the se

sense in coming to me; I

stiff dose of whisky without invitation. John Minute watched him without any great resentment. This was not civilized East

ed down half a tumbler of neat whisky and turned,

he mimicked. "Well, I'm going to show

o check the words on

you wouldn't do it. It doesn't suit your book, John Minute, to go into the court and testify against me. To

r--"a place called Felixstowe, for example. There's another place called Cromer. I've

ated the other slowly. "

t you. I know the date you came to this country, which I didn't know before, and I know how you earned your living until you found me. I know of some shares in a non-existent Rhodesian mine which you sold to a feeble-minded gentleman at Cromer

her, but recoiled, for at the first hint of danger Joh

wley!" he said. "You are clos

. "Tucked away with your marriage lines, I'll bet, and the certif

ute, with dangerous quiet.

e half-drunken man who, turning with a laugh,

gateway on his bicycle and turn down toward the town. Constable Wiseman subsequently explained that he looked at his watch because he

given in various accounts of the events which marked th

ed and handed over the car to a garage keeper with instructions to clean it up and have it filled ready for him the following morning. He g

and a sitting room. Therefore his face was not seen. When his dinner was served, it was remarked by the waiter that his goggles were still on his face. He gave

pty. But from the adjoining room he received orders to

turned to the right and appeared to be taking the London Road, but later in the day, as has been established, the car was seen on its way to Paddock Wood, and was later obser

of those little places that invite cyclists by an ill-printed board to tarry a while and refresh themselves--he had some conversation with the tenant of the cottage, a widow. She seem

nd politely. "It is a very curious thing

he woman eagerly. "You ough

edly, for that had been the item of general news

n Ashdown Forest. Many's the

know it wa

d discovered the body, and it had appeared, as the good lady explained, that this same chauffeur was a man for whom the poli

aid Mr. Holland, and took

he man who had been seen in the company of the chauffeur. Moreover, said a most indiscreet newspaper writer, the police had a photograph sho

y had revealed copies of this identical picture, and the car in which he was seated was not the car which had been

nd had seen Sergeant Smith flying down the road on his bicycle, and on the night of that day when Mr. Rex Holland had been seen at Uckfield, there arrived by the London train, which is due at Eastbourne at

rience which travelers before now have endured. He searched in every pocket, including the pocket of the lig

led, "but I be hanged if I will! In

his request he accompanied the inspector to the latter's office, and there deposi

said. "See if you can find it. I'll

but without success, till suddenly,

ss I am! I've go

n the lining was a first-class t

nts. He called a taxicab, drove to Weald Lodge, and dismissed the driver in the road. He arrived at Weald Lodge

servants in the house during the interview which he was to have with his nephew. He regarded s

came quickly from the opposite direction and pulled up outside the gates. P. C. Wiseman, who at this momen

abreast of the wall, and, looking up, saw a light flash for a moment in one of the upper wi

the house from whence a flood of light fell from the open French windows of the library. He blundered into the room a pace

his side, and almost within reach of his hand, was a revolver of a very heavy army pattern. Mechanic

s, Mr. Merrill," he fo

cle as the constable entered, but now stoo

hot and I came

epping quickly out on to the lawn, he blew his wh

siness, Mr. Merri

usiness," said the

revolve

hook hi

it before," he sa

m to think. He had no doubt in his mind that this unhappy youth ha

e had not taken half a dozen steps when he saw a dark figure of a man creeping stealthily along before him in the shade of the shrubs. In a sec

rdon, Sergeant

led the other. "What's wr

d haggard. The policeman looked at

ow it was yo

other again, and his voice

a murder--old

th staggered

te murdered? Then he did i

ed Wiseman, recovering his ba

Minute dead! You go back. I'll bri

to the house. Frank was where he had left him, save that he had seated himself an

you done?

doctor and another consta

e too late," said Frank

ammering and a faint

?" whispered

stairs, mounting two at a time, and presently located the noise. It came from an end room, and somebody was hammering on the panels.

d Jasper Cole staggered

a sandbag," he said thickly. "I

been killed," sa

the wall, his face working. "Ki

ound the electric switch and t

oung man master

ked, and Wiseman led

t Frank and bent over the dead man. For a long time

heard your voice and the sho

ared at the other, and in his ey