Clue of the Twisted Candle

ent and, though John Lexman wasfortunate enough to catch a belated connection to Beston Tracey,t

will telephone up to the village and get Briggsto come down for you."John

buttoning his mackintosh to his chin, hestepped forth resolutely into the rain to

essant and likely to l

rrow road were so manyleafy cascades; the

s bowl turned downwards continued hiswalk. But for the driving rain which searched every cr

s in his novels. It was onthis road that he had conceived "The Tilbury Mystery." Between thestation and th

an was a maker

a large and increasing public whowere fascinated by the wholesome and thrilling stories he wrote,a

along the deserted road to Little Beston. Hehad had two interviews in London, one o

Criminal Investigation Department and was now an AssistantCommissio

hor could desire. But it was not ofT. X. that John Lexman thought as he breasted the hill, on t

s he recalled it. Heopened the little wicket gate and went through the plantation tothe house, doing his be

ted in the thirteenth century. A small andunpretentious building, built in the Elizabethan style with quaintgables and high chimneys, its latticed

d stood for a moment in thebroad hallway

turb her. He passed through the long passage which led to thebig study at the back of the house. A fire burnt redly in theold-f

ed bookcase which covered one wall of theroom, the huge, solid-oak writing-desk, cover

led his pipe, walked overto the fire, and

had fought his way into thesemi-finals of the amateur boxing championship of England. Hisface was strong, lean, yet well-moulded. His eyes were grey anddeep,

the recluse or the st

om one would meet in themess-room of the British army, in the wardrooms of the fleet, orin the far

and before he could say "Comein" it wa

from thatbrief description both her manner and her charm. H

e back until - " she sai

sh has made," hesmiled. "I know your methods,

've come back. We hav

sed his

wn on a day like this?"She lo

Kara,"

re?""He came at four."There was

hy you don't like old K

reasons," she replied,

e. Where is he?""He is in the drawing-room."The Priory drawing-room was a low-ceilinge

ith dull-green tiles, a well-worn but cheerful carpet andtwo big silve

to a literary man withjagged nerves. Two big bronze bowls were filled with earlyviolets, another blaze

rriage. He was a man possessed of singularbeauty of face and of figure. Half a head

hance of seeing you."He spoke in the well-modulated tone of one who had h

emington Kara was aGreek and had been born and pa

en shook ha

at Grace Lexman. She satuncomfortably upright, her hands l

n doesn't object

h eating this side of London and I doubt very much," shesmiled a little, "if the meal I can give you will be worthy oftha

es, and Grace seized the opportunity to make her escape. Frombooks

y one of them, yo

face. "Poor devil,"

to be pitied. There is agreat criminal l

the ingenuity of your plots. Sometimes yourbooks baffle and annoy me. If I cannot see

lution before Ihave reached the fifth chapter."Joh

ble to tell how my stories will e

ra n

tudent. I follow every little thread of theclue which you leave exposed.""You shou

h. He is the most ingeni

riminal Investigation Department."Kara nodded. There was the light of interest in his eye

husband to supply the deficiencies. She was experiencing acurious sense of depression, a premonition of evil which she couldnot defi

the servants had givenher any trouble. She was well herself, and though she knew Johnhad a little money trouble, since his unfortunate speculation inRoumanian gold shares, and she half suspected that he had had toborrow money to ma

me; I have to see Mrs. Chandler on themundane subject of laundry."She favoured Kara with a

en"I want to see you, Kara," said John Lexman, "if you will give mefive

brought the coffee andliqueur, and placed them

nd who lamented his owninability to secure with money the cosiness which John hadobtained at little

ble for you to have electr

" replied

reek and made a little grimace;"I hate these candles."He waved his hand to the ma

hate candles?" asked

for the moment, but s

ntly he

lack powder and stuck in that powder wasa small candle that burnt lower and lower every mi

nds thrilli

ead with a silk handkerchie

ing more than th

is occur?" asked t

ing me reminders of the fact."He did not attempt to explain who the devils were or under

ed the bookshelf whichfilled one wall and

e drew forth

le - do you knowGathercole?"John was filling hi

e seen and done things, less inclined to talk abouthimself than any man I know."K

ced the book, "yet, in asense, his new journ

themountain systems of South America. I was interested in histheories and corresponded with him. As a result of thatcorrespondence he under

shook h

not - ?" beg

s an unusual kind of man. I invited himto dine with me before he left London, and in repl

. "Isuppose he will be away for quite a long time?""Three y

pe. "They have all the bestof it."Kara turned. He stood immediately behind the author and the othercould

es to a man. He, poorbeggar, is bound to actualities. You have the full range of allthe worlds which your imagination gives to you. You can createmen and des

omething in t

es life worth living - anincomparable wife."Lexman swung round in his chair, and met the other's

ot see -

ra s

s very anxious tomarry your wife. I don't suppose it is secret. And when I losther, I had ideas about you which ar

too, that I am a petted child offortune, and have had everything I wanted since I was a baby.

hen he made as though he wouldsay so

r if I am,

spoke with a

alked over to the fire, stood gazingdown into its depths, his legs wide apart, his ha

gar with a spill of paper. "My dear Lexman,my fellow countrymen are unpleasant people to

t you the money.""There were reasons why I should not borrow money from you,", saidJohn, quietly, "and I think you yourself have supplied theprincipal reason

rtlaugh, "and I haven't two thousand five hundred shillings at

nt toreproach you, but it was through you that I met Vass

idJohn, with a frown, "I had an interview with him yesterday in

ry foolishly made a lot of promises ofrepayment which I have been unable to keep.""I see,

own the room, his hands behind

worst, or how beastlyunpleasant the

threatened to ki

ra s

rily, "I nearly took the little whippersnapper by the scruff oft

sdrastic step?""He said he is being hard pushed for money," said the other,moodily, "and it is possibly true. He was beside himself withanger and anxiety, otherwise I might have given t

ther, roughly, "I cannot engage myselfin that kind of melodrama.""It is not nonsense," insisted the other, "when you are in Rome,et cetera, and when you have to deal with a low-class Greek youmust use methods which will at least impress him. If you thrashhim, he will never forgive you

fired and was sent to me by an unknown admirer last Christmas.""

um of revolvers, sword sticks and noxiousdrugs," said Lexman, recovering some of his g

it is loaded by slipping back the cover, but as myadmirer did not send a

he post," ex

on the salver and the auth

he said, when the gi

he letter in his h

" was his only comment as

half a dozensheets of yellow paper, only a single

ou want topreserve your life, you had better bring me a substantialinstalment."It was signed "Vassalaro."John read the letter aloud. "He must be mad to write a letterlike that

revolver," he said a

an looked a

part of twentyminutes to reach the Eastbourne Road."

ming up to the house and making a scene and that is certainlywha

at the letter again. It was written onpaper of an unusual texture. The surface was rough almost likeblotting paper and in some places the ink absor

ep this lette

ng weapon in your hand in certaineventualities."There was a tiny safe in one corner of the study and this Johnopened with a key which he took from his p

y as one who found morethan an ordinary amou

s leave soon

y intention on the part of my admirable compatriot,produce it and click it once or twice, you won't have to do more."Grace rose from the piano as Kara entered the little drawing-roomand murmured

d talking a

," said John, and went outof the room."Th

," said Kara. Hisfrankness was a little emba

Mr. Kara, or any other of myhusb

clined

usband would mind my getting it?""I will find it for you.""Don't let me bother you," he protested, "I know my way."Without waiting for her permission he

turnedto John who came in at that moment. "Might I take this book onMexico?" he asked. "I will return it in the morning."The

ar," she said, laying h

miled

money" she as

ter. He stifledthe temptation realizing that she wou

to meet the last train. I am expecting some proofs down."He hated lying

ning," he said, "Kara was notvery amu

anged very much,

can't understand what you ever saw in a fellowlike me, when you had a man who was

ticularlybeautiful," she said. "Oh, John, I am af

"Good heavens, Grace

r you.""That is exactly what I am a

had been doing atour through the Balkans with her father - it was the last tourthe famous archeologist made - a

out this Greek with hisJove-like face, his

aProtestant. He had been educated at Yale and at Oxford, and wasknown to be the possessor of vast wealth, and was virtually kingof a hill district forty miles out of Durazzo. Here he r

" for no particular reason so far as any one could judge,for his skin

shudderedto recall, he had revealed something of his wild and recklessnature. On the following day she did not see him, but two dayslater, when returning through the Bazaar from a dance which hadbeen given by the Governor General, her carriage was stopped, shewas forcibly dragged from its interior, and he

eiving valuable presents which she as constantly returned tothe only address she knew - Kara's estate at Lemazo. A few monthsafter her marriage she had learned through the newspapers thatthis "lea

intimacy betweenJohn and this strange undisciplin

venth hour, tell her husband a

ide of the piano, a little drawn of face,more than a little absorbed in his own meditations. Had he beenless worried she might have spoken. As it was, sh

watch, and rose. Shehelped him on with his

ing you have forg

eatened his life, and to meet him unarmedwas tempting Providence. The whole thing was of courseridiculous, but it was ridiculous that he should hav

d shares, buthad merely spoken glowingly of their prospects. He thought amoment, and then walked back slowly into

e said, and kissing the girl

g, and Kara had to rub the windowsfree of the mist which had gathered on them to discover where hewas. From time to time he looked out as though he expected to see

rs in abig top coat, standing before the dying fire. He start

e was sallow andpeaked, his cheeks were hollow, a

the end of the dark pl

out my instructions?

s Arabic, and the other an

ve ordered has been done,

er?"The man nodded a

aded?""You understand, you are not to shoot this man," said Kara. "Youare merely to present the pisto

rtridges," said Kara,

nto his pocket, and afterexamining

nt the revolverstraight at his heart. You nee

ou are tocarry out my instructions without any question. What will happenthen you shall see. I shall be at

Besides, his revolver isnot loaded. Now yo

the way?"Th

er it before," he

p somedistance from the station. He spoke a word or tw