1 The he TELEGRAM Mill FICTION House Home Murder I By J. J S. S FLETCHER FLETCHER- SYNOPSIS James owner of Mills Is found murdered James had asked Ronald Camberwell private investigator to make a report on his nephew Sugden Sugden hIs his London representative William an anold anold anold old had suggested that Sugden was In financial difficulties Police Superintendent Beverly suspects Sugden It is known that he was in- in inthe the neighborhood at the time of the murder although supposed tobe to tobe tobe be on his way to London Sugden and his brother Ramsden manager of the mill mm and their mother have opposed James' James forthcoming marriage They are enraged when they find that the business has been left In trust for five years CHAPTER IX DC We walked down own to that part of f which clustered about bout the mill and crossing the river ver by the bridge approached the Mill ill House House House-a a big rambling old place lace of the gray stone of the district dis dis- having on a gable over its front door the date 1685 Save for fora a wisp of smoke curling out of one ne of the queer old chimney stocks there lere was was- not a sign of life about the ic place and when we knocked on n the door in the stone porch for several everal minutes we were still without with with- out ut any response Then we proceeded pro pro- I toward the back where we i found a paved yard set between high stone walls A door gave upon it which looked as firmly closed as s the one in front But here we e had better luck After we had knocked loudly three times a window win win- dow ow above the door opened and an n old woman loo looked ed out on us A Queer Meeting It It was a queer face that I saw framed in the casement of the win win- dow dow-a ow a face enclosed in an old old- fashioned tightly fitting cap of white linen the edges of which curled in little frills about apple apple- tinted cheeks and a chin all the themore themore themore more prominent because there was wasn an n apparently toothless mouth between be be- tw tween en it and a dumpy nose Whoever Whoever Who- Who ever this old thing was a mere glance lance at her intelligent face show showed d me ne that she had all aU her wits about her ler and that they were of no common cornmon com corn mon moti order Hello hello exclaimed Bever- Bever Icy ley ey Thought you were all asleep here Weve We've been knocking ten min min- utes tes I The tightly compressed lips I opened What might you be wanting they inquired Wanting Why we want to see Mr r. r Ramsden or Mr Sugden or or both oth replied Beverley Where are re they Mr Ramsden and Mr Sugden's down own at the mill mister and the mistress is out in the village somewhere somewhere somewhere some some- where answered the old woman They'll be home to their dinners before long I expect Well cant can't we come inside and wait walt for them The white-capped white head shook itself it it- self elf with decision Mrs doesn't allow alow al al- al low ow strangers in when she's out the le toothless mouth replied Nonsense said Beverley Come Comedown Comedown down own and open the door We arent aren't going to steal anything The old woman wasted no furler fur fur- thor ther ler words on us She shut down the window with a decisive bang and nd we heard the catch snapped Beverley looked at me inc Queer doings he said It t mean mean Well as they're coming home lome to their dinners well we'll wait for or them Come around to the front of f the house again And look here Camberwell Im I'm going to change my tactics I said wed we'd ask Sugden Sugden Sugen Sug- Sug den en a few polite questions Now I wont You dont don't know our good old Id Yorkshire motto do you Hear all 11 say naught Well well we'll hear whatever we we can and say naught in n return return return-at at present You listen and nd Ill I'll listen and we may hear something Mrs Again We had reached the front of the house again by that time Looking down the lane leading to the mill we Seow saw Ramsden and Sugden coming com com- ing ng oward award us At the the same same time Mrs came out of f a cottage on the opposite side and joined her ber sons The three walked toward oward Mill ill House and Beverley and I went into the lane to meet them hem As we drew near each other I saw that mother and sons were watching us narrowly and though their lips remained immobile and expressions steady there was unmistakable unmistakable un un- un mistakable ble suspicion in the eves of r all three Good morning Mrs Marten Marten- royde said Beverley assuming a friendly manner which suited his always natured good-natured appearance Morning gentlemen Weve We've been trying to get into your house Mrs just to sit and wait wai till you come in but that old girl gir of yours knows how to say sav no Are you you afraid of the silver being stolen or what I dont don't allow anybody in my house when Im I'm out answered Mrs Mally Brewster h has s strict orders to admit nobody nobody- neither parson squire hor-squire slave no nor king when king when Im I'm not there What Wha might you be wanting Well we just wanted to have a abit abit abit bit of talk with you and with Mr R Ramsden and Mr Sugden You know weve we've got to clear up this matter of your laws in death eath Well that that's s your job retorted Mrs Were not police police po po- lice folk And if we had any ideas or suggestions its it's no use putting em to you you you-you'd you'd never credit em There was no attention paid to what I said that night in the mill when you were all gathered round James' James dead body and wondering I who'd killed him I said then that I expected some of his men had hadeen i been een getting a bit of their own owr back ack But the late Mr was always on such good terms with his workpeople wasn't he Unpleasantness At Mill Theres been unpleasantness time me and again said Ramsden Weve never had a strike nor a lockout but Uncle James has had rows with some some of em at odd times imes But can you point to any particular par par- cular individual asked Beverley I want something definite If I knew of anybody who had a grudge against Mr anybody who'd an old score to pay poly off I could get to work But I 1 cant can't canto do o anything on vague generalities Ramsden looked at his mother The he look conveyed the impression that hat he had an idea in his mind and nd was not sure whether he should let t it out or not There was that chap Marris Morris you know he said He was gardener up p at the grange Uncle James found out that he was selling stuff out ut of the gardens and the green greeny houses louses and putting a pound or two a week into his own pocket so he chucked him hint out And Marris he was a tempered foul-tempered chap He threatened Uncle James re remarked remarked re re- marked Sugden When was all this asked Bev- Bev erley Happened about 18 months ago replied Ramsden about that Wheres Marris live now asked I Be Beverley Other side of Todman Fell replied re re- plied Ramsden He came from I there here his village is and is-and and ande he e went back there Beverley made a note in his pock pock- I Well he said weve got goto gotto gotto to o get down to the bottom of it I Its It's s 's a stiff problem you know Mrs i but theres there's guilt somewhere Somebody did it it itAy Ay and therell there'll not be wanting evil vil disposed folk and wicked tongues in these parts to say that innocent folk did it exclaimed Mrs I know em Mr Hr Beverley They'll be saying before they've done that me or my lads ads or all of us put an end to James ames before he could wed this fine ine young madam from London But Jut were we're clear anyhow I was wasn In n bed when James was coming across cross that bridge to meet his death eath and Ramsden here was with his friends in Shipton and Sugden ther there here was in London Whereabouts On the way to London at any rate said Sugden with a laugh that hat sounded a little forced Not SNot quite there Mother I didn't leave Leeds till pretty late Well you were in the train anyway anyway anyway any any- way retorted Mrs Y You o 0 u weren't anywhere about hawe And if it you ask me Mr Beverley It'll take you all ll your time ime to find out who put an end of James for it was neither thief nor robber They'd taken naught out of ot his pockets so o youve you've naught to go by She made a move toward the thedoor thedoor thedoor door of her house and as the two young men followed her Beverley and I moved oft off When we had turned the corner into the main road Beverley laughed Take me all my time will it he IB said I think not Mrs Mar Mar- Well Camberwell weve we've settled one thing That young Sug Sug- den Is a damned liar In the train between Leeds and London was he at the time James was killed when I know that at half haU past two a few hours later he was booking his ticket at Shipton Theres There's a lie for you Camberwell Sugden's the man Tomorrow morning well we'll go in my car and trace Master Sugden's movements from the moment he left Abbeyside Abbeyside Abbey Abbey- side station at that Monday afternoon to the time he was seen by and Guest on the top road at Continued Thursday Copyright 1938 for The Telegram