Show TELEGRAM FICTION n. n The Mill MiU House Murder I I By J. J S. S FLETCHER FLETCHER- I It is difficult to decide the exact 1 nature of the sound which thus broke in in inon on on the dead silence which Ii reigned over that upper part of the house it louse it was something between a adeep adeep adeep deep protracted groan as of some person erson in pain and a shuddering I cry such as people give who are struggling with a fearsome night night- mare In the silence which followed i iI I stood listening expecting the sound to recur but there was no no recurrence The occupant of that room was doubtless the old woman Mally Brewster retired to rest before before be- be bei i fore ore the family had quitted the house louse and in pursuance of her mistress' mistress mysterious policy locked in n and made safe during Mrs Mar- Mar absence After lingering In n the corridor at the foot of the stairs for a minute or two listening but mt hearing no further sound I went down to the living room again and soon afterward let myself out of the house and went away wondering wondering wondering won won- dering what good I had done or what information I had secured by my adventure At Home Again I did not see Eddison again that night Next morning at breakfast he told me the result of the previous previous previous pre pre- evenings evening's talk According to him lim Mrs had given no trouble and Ramsden had approved approved ap ap- proved the suggestions put forward by y the trustees Sugden however had lad shown some restiveness he wanted to go back to London and denied that he had mismanaged things But in Eddison's opinion Sugden's mother was anxious to keep p Sugden at home under her own wing and Ramsden being of the he same mind Sugden had been obliged to fall in with the trustees' trustees wishes Accordingly the conference had ended with the understanding that Sugden was to remain at Tod Tod- as assistant manager to Ramsden and that William was to be summoned from London and given instructions as to his future future future fu fu- fu- fu ture superintendence of the agency in Gresham street So it passed off quite peaceably concluded Eddison And of course there wasn't a word about James' James death I said nothing they nothing they said I nothing But were we're not going to let that rest Camberwell What were you after last night I heard you'd gone out I told him then what I had been doing He seemed to be amused rather than surprised Hannah would have lave the skin off your back for that he remarked laughing I wish she could have caught you There would have been a rumpus To enter her sanctum shed sanctum shed she'd be furious if she knew it Lucky for you the old woman was in bed In a locked room I said Why does Mrs lock her up Oh well theres there's nothing very surprising in that he answered To me at any rate knowing these folks as I do Mally Brewster's a avery avery avery very old woman Mrs probably afraid that if left alone she might set fire to something or orlet orlet orlet let somebody into the house Besides Besides Besides Be Be- sides Ive I've known mistresses who always locked up their maidservants maidservants maidservants at night and not old women servants either Well Vell you got nothing nothing nothing noth noth- ing much out of your venture then Only a bit of fam fam- ily history I answered and went wenton on to tell him of what I had read in the big Bible I suppose you know all that already Mrs Mar Mar- had a twin sister I re re- re marked He rose from the breakfast table and going over to the hearth picked up a box About Her Sister Ah Deborah now he answered Debbie as we called her she died its it's maybe 25 years ago Debbie had a bit of history I remember Hannah and Debbie well enough as young women women fine fine handsome strapping lassies hassles they were And Debbie was the best looking It was always thought in those days that James was going to marry Debbie Everybody in Hol- Hol linshaw believed that when John married Hannah James would marry Deborah But James didn't You see just about the time that he might have married Deborah the time at which Hannah married Continued on Following Page I. I TELEGRAM FICTION The Mill MiU House Murder By J. J S. S FLETCHER FLETCHER- Continued from Preceding Page his brother John James was In the first stages of building up his business business busi busl- ness here Hed He'd got mill going and hed he'd no time for marrying In other words James jilted Deborah then I suggested And Deborah died in Lancashire Eddison nodded Then why should Mrs Marten- Marten royde after entering her death Inthe in inthe inthe the family Bible have crossed the entry out S I wouldn't know of that But I Ican Ican Ican can very well understand it Hannah's Hannahs Hannahs Hannah's Hannahs Hannah's Han Han- nah's never spoken of that vagary of hers to me but you remember what Avis told you Soon after the news lews of Deborah's death came she began not to credit it said her sister sis- sis ten ter er would be coming back some- some time Ay that crossing out of the entry's rather sad Next day at noon noan Avis Riley coming coining home to her dinner from her mornings morning's work at the mill asked to see Eddison and me and andas as soon as she saw us blurted out outher outher outler her ler news in brusque fashion Mally Brewster's off she an an- flounced nou Left Mill House Run Runaway away At least it looks like it You know mow where Becca Beeca Thorp lives Mr Eddison That little cottage near the Arms Well Becca was up very early this morning as usual getting them lads of hers off to the mill and Mally Brewster walked in on her and asked for a acup acup acup cup of tea And she told Becca Becea she was going She said she couldn't bide at Mill House any longer At Af the Cottage Ten minutes later we were at the thedoor thedoor door of Becca Beeca Thorps Thorp's cottage Becca herself opened it it-a it a big shrewd-eyed shrewd woman who at sight of Eddison held the door still wider Morning Becca said Eddison Can we have a word with you Come your ways in Mr Eddison Eddison Eddi- Eddi son replied Becca Theres nObody nobody no no- body here but our two lads having theIr heir dinners and you'll make no difference to them while they're on at that job They're always as hungry hungry hungry hun hun- gry as hunters when they come in from their work We followed her into the living room of the cottage where at a table table table ta ta- ta- ta ble beneath the little flower pots of the window ledge two hefty young fellows in the linen overalls which the mill hands wore were steadily at work with knives and forks on plates piled high with meat and vegetables Each looked up and gave my companion a stolid nod each went on with his eating as if nothing else in the world mattered Eddison turned to Becca Beeca who was already busy with something that was cooking on the oven top Youve had Mally Brewster here this morning he asked Avis Riley has just told us What's it all about Nay naught but that she's off oil Mr Eddison replied Becca She come in here first thing this mornIng morning morning morn morn- ing just as these here lads were starting for their work and begged early before before before be be- a cup of tea Shed She'd got up fore any of em were stirring and had made shift to get out of a chamber window and well and well there it was she was she was going But why couldn't she bide there any longer asked Eddison What had happened Shed She'd been there long enough to get used to anything anything anything any any- thing I should think Why Ill I'll tell you Mr Eddison she answered I didn't tell yon lass Avis but Ive I've just told them lads and Ill I'll tell you She said she couldn't bide an hour 11 longer nger at Mill MillHouse MillHouse MillHouse House for she was seeing James JamesM M ghost every night regular Where has she gone asked Eddison Why she said she should go to her own place replied Becca and andI I know where that is is She came from the other side of Tod Tad Fell and she said there'd be them that knew her and would take her in How was she going to get to asked Eddison Why it must be 12 miles across the felland fell felland felland fell fell- and in winter too More like 16 sir said one of the lads Therell be snow up on the top and all Well she aimed at walking said Becca Shed naught with her herbut herbut herbut but a little bundle Oh shed she'd walk 16 miles A strong woman is old Mally Were you for going after her Mr Eddison I am going after her replied Eddison buttoning up his overcoat And at once But you needn't tell anybody You lads keep your mouths shut when you get back to the mill Amid assurances of secrecy from Becca and her lads we left the cottage cottage cottage cot cot- tage and went out to the car Eddison Eddison Eddi Eddi- son turned it in the direction of the road which led to the upper reaches of the dale Continued Tuesday Copyright 1938 for The Telegram |