The Herapath Property

t mu

nor Mr. Tertius who took the first steps towards immediate action. Even as he

e-as quickly as possible. In the meantime, send some coffee into the breakf

on her with a

t going down t

t here-wondering what had happened? We will all go-come an

which she presently poured out for them. She, too, was silent, but when she

d-what?"

was that Mr. Herapath was there, and there was some

what his position really was. He knew that he lived in Jacob Herapath's house, but in a sense he was not of the family. He seldom presented himself at Herapath's table, he was rarely seen about the house; Selwood remembered seeing him occasionally in Herapath's study or in Peggie Wynne's drawing-room. He had learnt sufficient to know that Mr. Tertius had rooms of his own in the house; two rooms in some upper region; one room on the ground-floor. Once Selwood had gained a peep in

presently stopped. They were practical and concrete facts. Most people in London knew the famous He

a parcel of land in Kensington fell into the market-Jacob Herapath made haste to purchase it, and he immediately began building on it. The result was a magnificent mass of buildings which possessed every advantage and convenience-to live in a Herapath flat was to live in luxury. Incidentally, no one could live in one who was not prepa

buildings. When the car stopped at it, Selwood saw that there were police within the open doorway. One of them,

ng the inspector out of earshot. "Is anything seriously wr

r gave him a

d by the caretaker in his private office. And it's here-

de the building and into a waiting-

t be afraid, Mr. Selwood-I'm not likely to faint nor to go in

id Selwoo

ked in a low voice.

he quickly lifted it, and except that she had grown pale, she showed no outward sign of shock

" he asked.

al with two people who were obviously in full con

aid, with a glance at the inspector, who just then quietly entered t

the police official, and a sudden fl

. Tell me what you have found," she went on eagerly.

oor and came nearer to whe

vate room, and they were sure something was wrong, and would we come round. I came myself with one of our plain-clothes men who happened to be in, and our surgeon followed us a few minutes later. We fo

th decision. "Please omi

had been discharged. Mr. Herapath had been shot through the right temple, evidently at close quarters

with unmoved countenance, invol

she said. "I suppo

asserted an uncontrollable instinct. He

for his insistence. "Don't! There's no need

"The doctor is still here. Afterwards, perhaps. If

oment; then she turn

ell," s

o men to follow him; with his hand on

re?" he said. "Yo

p a minute-there's one thing that shoul

e'll be here presently," replied the inspector. "

no one ever entered that room except at Herapath's bidding; now there were strangers in it who had come there unbidden, and Herapath lay in their midst, silent for ever. They had laid the lifeless body on a couch, and

ngs were-nothing had been touched when we arrived. He was lying from there to here-he'd evidently slipped down and sidewa

duced a revolver which he carefully handled

course he might have kept a revolver in his private desk or in his safe, and nobody would have known. We shall have to make an exhaustive search and see if we can find any ca

d listened with marked attentio

ve been self-infl

the revolver, there is strong presump

e been?" suggested

oulders. It was easy to se

ed, that is-the murderer must have been standing either close at his side, or immediately behin

immediate effect be?

subside to the floor in the position in which he was found," replied the doctor. "As he fell he would relinquish

eory that the revolver may have been placed

octor, with another shrug of the shoulders. "A cool and c

g for a while; then he turned to the doctor again. "Now, how long do you t

rs," answered th

ed Mr. Tertius. "And y

the doctor. "I should say h

red Mr. Tertius.

idor outside, opened the door of the room, and glancing at h

of C