The Strange Case of Mortimer Fenley

ly Gat

owning when h

howled through the City. That is why I really must go to town later. I'm not altogether sorry. The necess

ften defeats its own object, and I have come to the conclusion that you ought to know of a dispute between my father and Robert. There's a woman in the case, of course. It's a rather unple

ening and thinking. He was quite certain that when he met Mr. Brown he would meet t

inary film from before his eyes. "Bob and I never hit

father mar

pen a forgot

persons, may not

rich East Indian merchant, Anthony Drummond, of Calcutta, who owned racehorses, and one of Drummond's daughters fell in love with him. Th

My father suddenly developed business instincts and Manning made him a partner. Unfortunately-well, that is a hard

h, leaving his partner as trustee and guardian for the infant. There was a boom in tea estates; my father sold on the crest of the wave and came to L

It was a -- lie. She was dark-skinned, as I am, but there are Cornish and Welsh folk of much darker complexion. My father, too, sha

hen came this scrape I've spoken of. I believe Bob was being blackmailed. That's the long and the short of it. Now you know the pla

f the table near the door. Seemingly yielding to that ever-present desire for move

chair to Furneaux as the one occup

Fenley dead?" sai

so," said Fenle

re not

N

ver tried t

I dar

I ask

and I were in communication I would ha

e marry

n't k

o be satisfied that he was following a bli

he woman with whom you

ll you, but m

you to form

d between Bob and him

re?

n I. I saw there was trouble brewing, and kept out of

ng rifle-can you

d gone to Africa, as he was planning. Then

n your fath

He had not wei

try to trip me into admissions, Mr. Win

himself a weak brandy and soda, which he swa

mly. "Mr. Furneaux and I are merely clearing the ground. Soon we shall

to be married?" put in Furneaux.

do with this inquiry?" he said, and the venom in his tone was

heater, watching people on the stage of real life playing four acts of a tragedy, and it is our business to construct the fifth, which is produced in court. Let me give you a wildly supposititious version

Manning is not engaged to be marrie

uestions. He turned to Winter with the air of one who had nothing more to say. His colleague was evidently perp

e family history, Mr. Fenley," he said. "Of course, we shall be meeting you frequ

ion that when the opportunity served he would trounc

in every w

he gravest," said Winter seriously. "Do you

soul and

ll tackle the butler

garette and went out, blowing two long columns of smoke through his nostrils. He

rles," mumbled Winter. Furneaux threw o

other Bob into the tureen, isn't he? 'On my soul and honor,' too! Don't you remember, some French blighter said that when an innocent man was being made a political scapegoat?... Of course, the mot

and the d

I am informed by Mr. Hilt

s in his own domain. The very sight of the Mid-Victorian furniture gave him confidence. His skilled glance traveled to t

asantly. "You must have been dreadfull

rt from the table, knowing better than to place hi

ed, I may say I shall always be

Fenley was a k

so, and could be sharp if there was any laxity,

n him

e to The Towers; n

rs. Fe

hold entirely under my contro

hy

s an i

l that she ca

ally tha

for twent

tastrophe which took place at nine thirty a. m., but this delving into

habit, sir," he said severely, plainly hintin

reluctance to reveal Mrs. Fenley's failings. Now, please tell us exactly what

said, the butler had not breathed a word to a soul concerning the scene between father and son. He knew nothing of an inquisitive housemai

se delicate matters

of a heated dispute, but as the outcome of a brutal and well-conceived plan. Bear that i

He flushed slightly, and dared not look at Furn

orid turn of speech. He sighed deeply. He felt like a timid swimmer in a ch

fancied that the detectives did not attach such weight to the recital as he feared. He anticipated that Winter would write each syllable in a not

erting for you to hear father and

as most un

ing? For instance, did you imagine that Mr. Fenley wished his

id,

ed? Or, I had better put it, had their father expressed

tion that Mr. Fenley would like

ere these two young people o

when a young gentleman and young lady grow up from childhood in each other's company. They never think of marriage, wher

rneaux. "Tomlinson,

astonishment, but an

rite win

induces sound reasoning. I have some Al

ifle scandalized perhaps; but

appreciate

o Douro goes down no gul

gitation, Tom

sized detective was, to be sure, a

Mr. Robert Fenley take his .450 Express rifl

But I do happen to know that the gun was in his room o

cartr

uld be in a drawer, or, mo

s this g

m, sir-second door to th

nfidence, have you formed

earth could make me believe that he would kill his father in cold blood. He respected his father, sir.

lowing his own brains

eart.' When there was a bit of a family squabble he would threaten to mix a gallon of weed-killer and drink every drop. Everything was rotten, o

vocab

ir. I see you

Wendell Holmes, described adjectives of that class as the blank check

gain. He was beginn

of Mr. Fenley receiving any thre

ed to close a right of way through the park; but they

, feel utterly unable to ass

a thunderbolt fr

half brothers, on good

hers." He was not prepared for the Superintende

r's prominent eyes showed surprise at the statement. "He's a strange mixture, is Mr. Hilton. He's a fair nailer with a revolver. I've seen him hit a penny three times straight off at twelve paces, and, when in the mind, he would b

and pulled up with a jerk. B

id. "You are not giving evidence.

ay, and when things went against him at home, he'd take i

eally happy house

ried about Mrs. Fenley at first, but gave it up as a bad job; and Mr. Fenley and the young gentlemen used to hide their differences before her. T

ays met at br

ilton breakfasted early, and his father was joking about it, fo

aux c

account," he grinned. "Why did Mr. Hilton turn

miss the nine forty-five, and Mr. Fenley was vexed about it. Of course, I don

, the footman, entered,

omlinson?" he said. "The unde

t?" cried Wi

utler

before the inquest, and he suggested that it could be carried through more easi

dn't understand. Go, by a

ed hearse had arrived; some men were carrying in a rough coffin and three trestles. There was none of the gorgeous trappings which lend dignity t

rowled Winter o

eakfasted early this m

tch himself he would have caught t

eased with Tom

me. By the way, you hardly asked him a thing,

by and appreciated. It would be mean to suggest that the pro

nley was standing on the steps, a little below and to the left of the window. He was gazing with a curiously set stare at the bust of Police C

rope in that face and fi

terested in our sentinel than in the dispos

lways more valuable

o go to that woo

that you can't see the

they saw a motor bicycle traveling fast. Hilton Fenley saw it at the same moment and screened

ob!" hisse

had recognized the man cr

. "Your sight

n it be? This is the psychological moment wh

other one telephoned. No. He'd have told us. He'd guess it would crop up in talk some time or

one!" snapp

r, heavier, altogether more British in build and semblance than Hilton, was evidently asking breathlessly if the news he had read in London was true, and Hil

parted a certain strength to somewhat sullen features. He might be a ne'er-do-well, a loose liver, a good deal of a fool, perhaps, but he was learning one of life's sharpest lessons; in time, it might bring out what was best in his character. The detectives understood now why the

nvious approval of a skilled producer of melodrama. The hall measured some thirty-five feet square, and was nearly as lofty, its ceiling forming the second floor. The staircase was on the right, starting from curved steps i

wainscot, balusters and rails. The walls of the upper floor were decorated in shades of dull gold and amber. The general ef

tanding in the cross gallery and resisting the gentle efforts of Sylvia Manning, now attired in black, to take her away. The stout woman's face was deathly white, and her distended eyes were gazing dully at the ominous

of the spirit had induced a consciousness that all was no

hat "the master" was dead, and her dazed brain had realized what the sheet covered. S

ey've killed your father!

aught young man was aware that his mother

e here, you know. Do go to your room with Syl

them with my nails. But is he dead? Did that hussy lie to me? You all tell me lies because you th

lvia ran to pick her up. Then Hilton Fenley seemed to arouse himself from a stupor. Flinging a command at the servants, he rushed to Sylvia's

llow with disapproval the manner of the disappearance of the poor creature whom he called mother. Her shrieks redoubled in volume

or I'll break all your -- necks!

one, in sheer self-defense, had given her morphia, the only sedative that could have

d what the blazes do you want here? Get out