Evening Star Newspaper, March 17, 1924, Page 20

The Mystery of Lynne Court By 1. S. FLETCHER (Cepyright, 1928, by Nerman Remiagton Company.) (Continued from Yesterday's Star.) CHAPTER XIV. ' Cold Fear. Hoxtall and the Lynchfield doctor presently entered the room in which Smith was making a rough copy of the mysterious chart, “We're going to have hi our hospital in the jown Lynchfield doctor. “He'll have to be operated on. So you,” he continued, turning to the police officials, “must make arrangements ut once, and ‘in the meantime T'll stay here with him. s an odd thing," he remarked to Smith, indicating the chart. “I was looking it over this morning. Can You make it out?” " answered Smith. He put ich he had made into his nd taking Hextall outside ihe cottage pointed to Darrell, who vas walking moodily about the lane. Look here, Hextall,” he said, “what's the matter with Tress? Its very evi- dent to me that he'd cheerfully have ziven half his fortune if we'd found medicos moved to said the Trom London 1.>=u~rdn morning he was certain that Tickell had_ killed Kesteven, you remember, and he was 1l agog to see him swing for it. he's the other way ubout. Again answered Hextall. “His ystem has mnever been fe hasn't im- , and being 1 all the rest of i Smith shook i No!" he sal hat's not it. That youngster rd something— since yest mething's on his mind. Lool & Darrell, evidently conscious about come to a stand in the lane. muttering to himself; his pale face Wwas working almost convulsively, and he suddenly threw up both his hunds | e Lo signif, 3 . 1 at him!" repeated “Don’t tell me that's mere tell you that chap has ymething since yesterday we don't know of. And he's working himself up into a state of cold, kill- ing fear. Pure fea o him no good han said Hextall, “We've done all that's wanted, and we may as well go back at once.” Darrell hailed this proposal to wtl 4‘:""[0 Lynne Court with obvious re- e ders to put on speed. He was moody and taciturn all the way b when he reached the ho sed himself on the plea of a spii ting headache and left Hextall a Smith to lunch alone. In the p ence of the servants these two nothing to each other of the e of the morning, but when lunch was over they went off to a quiet corner of the crounds, cach mutually con- selous that there were matters to di HE “BLACK KNIGHT” Recently Crowned “’King of Quality Coals” It Is Our Pleasure to Announce That observation, ‘ P He gave his chauffeur curt nr-lfl ¢uss.” And Smith, taking his copy of this strange chart from his pocket, lald it on his knee and directed his comvlnlon s attention to it. at do you make of that, ¥ he said.” “Supposing you'd picked that serap of paper up—any- ow would it strike yoi What s it? Is this leg-of-mutton shaped diagram a map of some dis- trict? Are these initlals those of place: Are these cabalistic figures directions and instructions? Prob- ably they are—but it's going to be a Stiff job to find out their meaning. And yet—I will lay all I'm worth to this half-smoked cigar that in that rough dlagram, of which this is a copy, lies the whole secretof even’s murder!” Hextall took the copy into his own hand and studied if. “It looks like an clementary sort of route map,” he said after a pause. “And all thesc things are probably directions to a cgrtain place. But— where's the district that's mapped, and what do these other details mean? I sece onl. ne thing that gives me any notion. 1 confess that I see mothing that es me any notion,” muttered Smith. hat do you see?” 'Why, this,” replied Hextall. “You see that ||ne74\v|\ evening 12th— 15th—8% * Do you make not ing o( lhl cd Smith. “Nothing!” Vel Chid” Hoxtall, “perhaps T don’t, really. But it strikes me as Leing a bit significant that today is the thirteenth day of May, and that rday was, naturally, the twelfth. Smith stared, whistled and snatched at the paper. “By Georgé—good!" he sald. “Good! I'm beginning to see. You think “I should say,” continued Hextall, “that this was & memorandum of i structions, probably to Tickell, to go somewhere and mect somebody, on some —any — evening between ' the nd the eighteenth, between past eight and half- And T also think that s on his way to discharge that commission when he had that acgiden s He put the pa Tully in' his pocketbook. -1 that diagram and the rest of it worked out before many hours are over,” he went on. “I'm_ going off to town by the five train. you Tve arranged to stay here until tomorrow,” answered Hextall T want to see Miss Tress fairly co: lescent—and T also want to hav talk to Tress. I'm going to. hav solia try. ¢o pull him reufia.” 'You'll have to build up his nery was one thing and T wish I knew This is a lot than any of Smith.. What about st remarked Smith. good deal knocked b: another this morning. what was in his mind. i . _I'm more (h: t Tickell is as in- of that murder as I am. asked Hex- me person who'll very likely go scot-free,” replied Smith. “However, there are one or two things to go Zesting 1 T on an interesting Hite matter whic may have some bearing on the case, and he went prompily back 1o town to make some further investigation about it. Tl tell you what it was afterward—not yet.” And also Styler. Betors news of the murder came, had ot Just ‘a slight clue as regards Kesteven, very slight something, he'll be busy with that. So T want to get back to hear aafs_report. *What did he find out about Kest- t ripe for telling ‘m mot without cu- SR know.” tell ng! towe well!” answered Smith, “I can|I'm sun Dlrnll 'l‘n s ar ads 11" you that. It's a very small thing—but it may develop into & big | thing beca: one—we may get at Kesteven's iden- tity through it. When Styler had that interview with Fowler at your: me house, he got Fowler to take him nor e back to the flat In Queen Anne street, in order to look over any effacts that | attempt to engago him at billlard e wanted to| And at last Hextall took him aside see if there was anything in the |and spoke plainly. Kesteven had there. shape of papers that would show where Kesteven hailed from, before he introduced himeelf to Tress. On he surface, there was nothing in hls ers or trunks or clothes even a letter! But Styler's a peue- vering sort of chap, not easily baf- fled, and he's a perfect genius for finding things in unlikely places. He got ‘hold of one suit that Kesteven possessed when he first came into indeed, but | pene the Tress menage, and in the coat he found a secret pocket, in the lining wherein, wrapped in oiled silk, was— a marriage certificate. “A marriage certifics Hextall. “Kesteve! ‘Not in his name,’ “But I should say that it was his, from the fact that he was taking so much care of it. It was a certificate of a marriage contracted some years ago at an obscure church in the' city. Styler took a copy of it at the time he found it—but he'll have the origi- " exclaimed nal in his possession by now—he got @ key of the flat from Fowler yester- day before leaving for London. So we may work up something from that—Tve kot a bit of a start of a Y of own about that matter.” ven' e He brought her here, Well, I'm off to the station. there with me.” As the two friends reached the sta- tion—a mere railway halt at the far- ther end of the village—Alrs. Renton drove up in a smart pony carriage, accompanied by an military- looking man, who presently went off in the same train which carried Smith away. Mrs. Renton came to Hextall. Can I drive. you back to the Court?" she asked.” “I pass the gates, you know. Hextall thanked her and took the seat which the military man had just vacated. And Mrs. Renton whipped up her pony and immediately bezan to chatte! ou ‘mustn’t think I'm ‘a mere p. Dr. Hextall,” she sald, “but, ik viliage folk, I'm curious about lhllll..s lhdt happen on one's own door- Js it true that the man Tickell CLAFLIN Has a Constant Stock Artificia] Eyes !cmmopwcmc..':e:'::... I replied Smith.'} 1 ! | | MR. HARRY B. CHASE —who has had many years of experience in the coal business, is now associated with us as Sales Manager. Quality, Price and Service unsurpassed on both ANTHRACITE AND BITUMINOUS COALS. Celebrated POCAHONTAS Run-of-Mine and Egg « ' For Immediate Delivery JamesE. Colliflower & Co., . Sole Diambnfen of Raleigh “Black Knight” Insurance Bldg., 15th md EyeSts. NW. Washington, D. C. Phuuo Mnm 365-1'87—6-:-&-: 393 n assare you. It's—but perhaps I'll tont y|au sbout it tomorrow—I believe 'm_sleepy n has been found and that you've been 0 see him?* Hextall reflected before he an- swered. After all, everything that he knew as to what had taken place at the lonely cottage would be public property by mext morni (e only_forestalling the ne Toll! Mru. Renton the plain fagts, And £0 ho briefly told hier what had hap- ‘Nor yes- terday either—since lunch. You saw what I had then. I'm going to chuck n = T've hed nothing—honor Crell. " Bu w dering what Darrell had to tell. But being very tired, he soon fell asleep. Just as suddenly as he had fallen asleep, he awoke with o replied Hextall, “and the rosult in that your nerves are ragged and raw, and you're utterly Unstrung, and you'll get no sleep tonight, and be a ‘worse wreck tomorrow morning! You must break off your previous habits' by dggrecs—violent measures won't do you're golng to sit o tn that chale and Youll smoie & quiet cigar and have a reasonable amount of whisky, and I shall give you & sleeping draught, and in due course see you to bed. 'Put yourself in my hands, Tress, and I'll bring you round in several ways." Darrell became childishly obedient, and when Hextall finally feft him at his bedroom door he seemed to bave recovered his spirits. But his face clouded as he shook 'm afraid I've been on the queer de today,” he said. “But, by gad! I've had something to bother me, I window “1 suppos it would be a mercy if the or an “died,” she sald. "“It Tramsent it's be dnmd into law el thing. That Darrell Tr dreaded some- me increasingly evident to Hexull during the ramllnd:r of '2“ o- ln ono seat t was a trial to dine with him; It was uselcss to Was restiess could not kc D _to one roo: “Look here!” he sald. “I'm not go- Have Your Furniture UPHOLSTERED Now and Save Dollars UPHOISTER[NG$ 1 0 of 3-Piece Parlor or Living Room Suites, special this week at. ... . Labor Only W ik Y Special low prices on our com- frn JH plete stock of Tapestries, Velours ‘ [ and Silk Upholstery materials. ! P 1 Slip Covers Have them made to order now at half what you will pay later on. an Linen and Damask mate- Cabinet W rk rials at low prices. MERICAN UPHOLSTERY CO. 627 F St. N.W. w2205 orine Sampies Phone Main 8139 The World’ E Metropolitan is mutually owned by its 21,000,000 policyholders. -Its assets belong to the pohcyholders They are accumulated to meet policy obhganons and for no other purpose. 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