Evening Star Newspaper, February 18, 1927, Page 40

THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1927. — » ’ = = = (Copyright, 1927, by the Bell Syndicate, Tnc. S. Pat. Off.) < T Mark Ree. T. BY GENE BYRNES Murder of Roger Ackroyd | — iG] e ' KRt By AGATHA CHRISTIE. HIT ME_FROM BEHIND I TURNED ROLN' QUICK TO Copyright by Dodd, Mead & Co. (Continued from Yesterday's Star) | “People take me sometimes,” said | R R B — | Blunt sadly. “Funny idea of pleas- 1 followed him. He led me down a | ure—worse racket than the natives path to the left inclosed in vew |make with thelr tom-toms. hedges. A walk led down the middle, | Flora laughed. % g hordered each side with formal flower | I remember Melisande." continued ieds, and at the end was a round ‘mum‘) marrle old chap old paved recess with a seat and a pond |enough to } 1 g e Thatend ‘ot putsuing the | He threw a small piece of flint¥nto Lath to the end, Polrot took another |the goldfish pond. Then, with a| which wound up the side of wooded | change of manner, he turned ln. ¥ IOK'H‘;' iopa. In one spot the trees | *Miss Ackroyd, ‘can I do anything? | ceared away, and a seat had been [ About Paton, T mean. I know how | yut. Sitting there one splendid ous you must be i Vlew over the countryside. and one said Flora in a cold | looked right down on the paved recess | is really nothing to be | ind the goldfish pond. | done. Ralph will be all right. I've| “ is very beautiful.” =aid |got hold of the most wonderful detec- aying over the |tive in the world, and he's going to “And o |find out all about it.” { For some time I had felt un: [to our position. We were not 4 eavesdropping, since the two in the saw Flora. S| en below had only to lift their Jdong the path we ads to see us. Nevertheless, I should he was humming a little | have drawn attention to our presence Her step was more | before now, had not my companion | and in spite of [put a warning pressure on my arm. ! ler bliack dress, there was nothing but | Clearly he wished me to remain silent. jov in her whole attitude. She 3 But now he rose briskly to his feet, dden pirouctte on her toe clearing his throat. black draperies swunk out. “I demand pardon,” he cried. “I ame time she flung her head back | cannot allow mademoiselle thus ex- nghed outright tly to compliment me, and | As she did so_a man stepped out w attention to my presence. | from the trees. It was Hector Blunt. | They y the listener hears no good | The girl started, Her expresslon|of himself, but that is not the case| changed a little. | this time. To spare my blushes, I}| “How vou startled me—I didn’t see | must join you and apologize.” | vou.” He hurried down the path, with me | Biunt said nothing, but stood look- | close behind him, and joined the others Ing at her for a minute or two in|by the pond silence. “This is M. Hercule Poirot” said “What 1 like about you.” said Flora, “I expect you've heard of | 2 Look Lor the Red Dags in tfe T e o e o A A s a s s o s m o & o e sos o a_ s0a2 > aa » o4 cm ot aca o o o o sosnsrassstass EBRUARY Furni T S T S TS T T T T T T T T T T T T S Y T S T T T Y T T Y T P Y T T T T Y T Y VY Y Y Y YT YT eYTYYYY Yy Mid-Month Bargains—Use Your Credit! TAS SRR R AR AR S S s S A A A i s R SRR AR R AR SRR R AR AR A AR R R Z //§ 222727 77, 77727 227 7% Poirot howed. “I know Maj. Blunt by reputation,” when he | he said politely. “I am glad to have had a|encountered you, monsieur. 1 am in rt of humility in it. {need of some information that you| was much of a fellow for |can give me.” | talking. Not even when I was young.” | Blunt looked at him inquiringly. | “That was a very long time ago, 1| “When did you last sce M. Ackroyd | suppose,” said Flora gravely. aliye?” : | I caught the undercurrent of t dinner.” | Jaughter in her voice, but I don't| *And you ueither saw nor heard | nk Blunt did. anything of him after that?” | 727 2 27 “Yes,” he said simply, “it was.” “Didn’t see him. Heard his voice.” | “How does it feel to be Methuse- | *How was that?” ’ lah?” asked Flora. | This time the laughter was more apparent, but Blunt was following out an idea of his own. “Remember the Johnny who sold his soul to thé* devil? In return for heing made young again? There’s an opera about it.” “Faust, you mean?"” “That's the beggar. Rum stol Some of us would do it if we coul “Any one would think you were ecreaking at the joints to hear you talk,” cried Flora, half vexed, half amused. Blunt said nothing for a minute or two. Then he looked away from Flora into the middle distance and observed to an adjacent tree trunk that it was about time he got back to Africa. “Are vou golng on another expedi- tlon—shooting things?” “Expect so. yL'suaJX)' do, you know— t things, T mean.” .heg'ou shgo!t that head in the hall, didn’t you?” Blunt nodded. Then he jerked out going rather red, as he did so: “Care for some decent skins any time? If so, I could get "em’for you.” “Oh! please do,” cried Flora. “Will you really? You won't forget? “T shan’t forget,” said Hector Blunt. He added, in a sudden burst of com- municativeness: : “Time 1 went. I'm no good in this sort of life. Haven't got the manners for it. I'm a rough fellow, no use in society. Never remember the things one’s expected to say. Yes, time I went.” 7 . “But_you're not ‘going -att dhce,” erled Flora. “Not—not whilé we're in all this trouble. Ohplease. If vou go—" She turned away a little. “You want me to stay?” asked ‘Blunt. He spoke deliberately but quite simply. “We all—" “I meant you personally,” said Blunt with directness. Flora turned slowly back again and met his eyes. “I want you to stay,” she said, “if— 1f that makes any difference.” 7 “It makes all the difference,” said Biunt. . There was a moment's silence. They sat down on the stone seat by the gold- fish pond. It seemed as though neither of them kmew quite what to say next. | “I strolled out on the terrace- £ “Pardon me; what time was thi: | “About half-past nine. I was walk- | ing up and down smoking in front of the drawing-room window. 1 heard Ackroyd talking in his study——"" Poirot stooped and removed a micro- scopic weed. | “‘Syrely you couldn’t hear voices in | the study from that part of the ter-| race,” he murmured. He was not looking at Blunt, but was, and to my intense surprise, saw the latter flush. “Went as far as the corner,” he ex- plained unwillingly. “Ah! indeed?” said Poirot. In the mildest manner he conveyed an impression that more was wanted. “Thought 1 saw—a woman disap- pearing into the bushes. Just a gleam of white, you know. Must have been | mistaken.” It was while I was stand- ing at the corner of the terrace that T heard Ackroyd's voice speaking to| that secretary of his.” “Speaking to Mr. Geoffrey mond?"” “Yes—that's what 1 supposed at the time. Seems I was wrong.” name?” “Oh, no.” “Then, if 1 may ask, why did you think—7" Blunt explained laboriously. g “Took it for granted that it woul be Raymond, because he had said just | before I came out that he was taking some papers to Ackroyd. Never | thought of it being anybody else.” ““Can vou remember what the words you heard were?” “Afraid I can't. Something quite ordinary and unimportant. = Only caught a scrap of it. I was thinking of something e]se at the time.” | “It is of no importance,” murmured Poirot.” “Did you move a chair back against the wall when you went into the study after the body was dicov- | ered?” “Chair? No—why should I?" i Poirot shrugged his shoulders, but did not answer. He turned to Flora. “There is one thing I should like to | know from you, mademoiselle. When you were examining the things in the silver table with Dr. Sheppard, | was the dagger in its place, or was | it not?” Flora’s chin shot up. (Continued in Tomorrow's 2% 7 N | “Mr. Ackroyd didn’t address him by | R 3-Piece Bed-Davenport Suite 531 Easy Credit Terms A well-constructed suite, comprising Armchair, Rocker and Bed-Daven- port, which is readily con- verted into a comfortable, full-size bed. 42-Piece Valuable Pre: 7-Piece Water Set ‘ With a Columbia Dinner Set Electric Iron Free With a $100 1 FREE $50 miums With a $25 Purchase Purchase |Free With a $75 Purchase Purchase or More S S R R A R e R A e et eSS SRR LR AR SR SR SR SR R R SRR AR R AR AR SR R R R R S A R T X NNRNRNN Nursery Chair 98¢ Indispensable in the home where there are babies. No Phone or Mail Orders ““" / Rocker Jacquard Velour /A_fi/ Sturdily Living Room Suite - Constructed > :(h":‘fl:: ;:xsu ‘\T'-‘l’ue \y'i:h Handsomely upholstered — verstuffed suites ; 5 — | at the price. It comprises e N;:;::.u{-‘::::: U k K three pieces—a large Set- e braced throughout. Uphol iA_ e ALBdah sud Fie Marshall springs. 100ose ?u_red. in a good grade of side Chair. R imitation leather. $5.00 Delivers This Suite | Fumed Oak Phone 7222222077727 7 2777, “It—it’s such a lovely morning,” said Flora at last. “You know, I can't help feeling happy, in spite—in | ! , g3 : Stand and spite of everything. That's awful, T . : n Stool $2.98 “Quite natural,” said Blun saw your uncle until two year No Phone or Mail O-ders 27 did you? Can’t be expected to grieve very much. Much better to have no humbug about it."” “There's something awfully consol- mg about you,” said Flora. “You| make things so simple.” “Things are simple as a rule,” said the big-game hunter. “Not always,” said Flora. Her voice had lowered itself, and I saw Blunt turn and look at her, bring- Ing his eves back from (apparently)| the coast of Africa to do so dently put his own consf her change of tone, for he a minute or two, in rather mann, % & SRR 2 7 7 = ol > Porcelain-Top Kitchen Cabi $149 Three-Piece Bed-Davenport Suite ol Adds on additional The Bed - Davenport $ 1.50 room to the home—a is quickly and easily well-constructed suite, converted into a com. comprising Armchair, fortable bed; upholster- Wing Chair and Bed- ed in a good quality of Davenport. velour. A full-size, modern Cabinet $5.00 Delivers This Suite % 2% With Semi-Vanity Don't let the low price As pictured — A Semi- lead you to believe this is Vanity with triplicate mir- not a most unusual value. rors, a full-size Bow-end The suite must be ceen to Bed, a Dresser and Chif- be appreciated. Walnut fonier. Greatly underpriced finish on solid gum. for the February Sale. % y. you know, you mustn't| worry. About that young chap, I| mean. Inspector's an ass. Every-| body knows—utterly absurd to think he could have done it. Man from out- | Burglar chap. That's the only | ble solution.” | turned to look at him. ‘You really think so?" * said Blunt quickly. in golden oak. $1,00 Delivers This Cabinet % $5.00 Delivers This Suite > =T 2 || 7 2 EST. 1879 “T—oh, ¥ e e Another” silence, and then Flora burst out: ! I I 1 vhy T fel | it ae ey e | Read Mrs, Robert- u think me, T'd her tell ! ) . son’s Recipe se the lawyer has been He told us about the AdA A new way to serve % Bea—psonce s 7 left me twenty | housand p . Think of it—twenty ihousand tiful p.unds. 3 surprised. | Does it mean so much to you?” | " “Mean to me? Why, it's| “reedom—life—no more | raping and lying Ready to Fry #aid Blunt, sharply inter ' know what T mean.” she said | inly. “Pretending 1o be thank-| 1canGorton's Fat Pork 1 the nasty castoff things rict | elations give you. Last vear's coats | Salt Pepper wid_skirts and hats | UT enough fat sweet pork, Don't know much about ladies’ | Sitodice todieriticbotitm: othes; should have saild you were | dice, y well turned out. | of a frying pan. Cook carefully t me something, though, ’l until dry and brown, then remove 1 Flora in a low-voice. “Don't let’s ] grom pan. Open codfish cakes and talic of horrid things. I'm 5o happy.! gaq'y g A I'm frec. Free to do what I like.} 07 tm:“mhu‘ by, pepper Free not to 3 oroughly, spread e She stopped suddenly. | fatin the pan of fat and cover en- finish. Not to what?” usked Blunt auickly; | tirely with the onion and cucum- | forget now. Nothing importan Blunt had 2 stick in his ha ‘:"-C"Wd- Cover pan and cook hie thrust it into the pond, poking at| Slowly until browned on bottom. something. 5 Fold over, remove to hot platter o you doing, Maj. 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