The Riddle of the Purple Emperor

ke another investigation of Cheyne Court. Constable Roberts and Dollops were patrolling the forked lanes, and thanks to the latter's supply of "tickle tootsies" as he persisted in terming them

chimney-pots. A medieval appearance was strengthened by a deep moat, long since dried up, but which gave it the air of an old-world

Roberts had been stationed on guard, when that official came rushing toward

hot fired from somewhere, and a man rushed by me in the lan

" rapped out Cleek briskly. "What was

und of a shot, be'ind me it seemed, and round I spins, and next I knows was my helmet knocked down on

ed Cleek, as the three men ca

new hypothesis. "Now you speak, sir-the footsteps wa

eas, he caught sight of something which

ing of their relative positions. "Look, sir," he said, "blest if there ain't

room known both by Cleek and the superintendent to be the dining room, someone was obviously walking about with a light

h, "not a sound if you can help it, and l

downward and it revealed unmistakable traces on the soft, yielding earth. They led right up to the edge of th

the overshadowing trees, their eyes bent on the countless footprints which follow

d also, for from the steps they took another direction altogether, wheeling

y on the look-out, being a duti

lessed wall. Ten chances to one but what 'e's cut 'isself with all that broken glass at the top. Fancy finding broken glass on a marble bannister!" He snorted under his breath as he lifted himself over the

light could be seen through the chinks of the wooden shutters. But so well had the wooden barriers been nailed up, that it was impossible to see anything more than this shifting streak of light, and Cleek, abandoning the attempt, led a swift flight round to the back of the building. To the intense astonishment of them all they found a small side door, no

nd they paused, then

rush that sent the old panelled door crashing

ght them. Once more only the squeal and rustle of countless mi

e girl they now were seeking so strenuously. The room was empty. A guttering candle contrasted strangely with t

hment, then Cleek switched on his electric

then stopped abruptly, and ejaculations of h

the figure of a woman. The life-blood was oozing from a gun-wound above the breast and it needed only one brief glan

s Ch

d seen, and it seemed to his almost dazed senses, seen in the same position-just a month ago in the ballroom! It was the same woman who had driven the co

s in an apparen

ee men stood staring

oberts backed sh

isper. "It's Miss Cheyne herself, sir, and dea

o his disguise, but now he stood staring down at the grimly gro

body seemed to have heard. For Cleek and Mr. Narkom the discovery threatened to possess an even more tragic importance. In the finding of this

voice tense and strained, "and so we came too late. No wonder w

un. Constable Roberts, search this house first, then mount guard. Don't let any one enter or leave it. If any living man or woman comes near, a

ondon and can supply an alibi," h

he caught the words, the ruddy colour desert

e, and there was Sir Edgar 'imself on top of the steps. 'E must 'ave come in by the 9:10 tra

. Narkom gazed at Cleek, their mutual feeling sh

ly too clear. He might have gone to town, true enough, but only waited there long eno

dent with a little shrug of despair. "I would have g

eady he could hear Constable Roberts tramping from floor to floor in a vain search for something in the nature of a murderer, and could not

sign of Dollops, nor did the familiar hoot of a night-owl, Cleek's favourite signal, bring f