| Show The Great Hitchcock Murder Mystery Continued from page 8 " ' A Baffling Caoo — Evory Suopoct Lookod Like Alfrod Hitchcock & the scene Bootle was comcase had been unable to the baffled by pletely determine the manner in which Lord Windblown met I was similarly baffled his death and I must confess stable Bootle already on “You — you’re not charging me Inspector?" he quavered 1 considered the point a moment There was no hurry and I turned abruptly “Withers" I ordered “take me to Lady Agatha” Lady Agatha was unpacking a large bag in her dressing room when 1 entered “Here Withers” she said holding out two knives which appeared to be exact duplicates of the one which He that for clues looked around the library 1 directed Small the butler to summon the occupants of the house and he had soon assembled Sir Roderick the London solicitor Cripps the gardener and Withers Lady Agatha’s personal maid Lady Agatha Withers reported was somewhat upset by Lord Windblown’s death and had begged to be excuse' Sir Roderick was as 1 had caused Lord Windblown’s death to cook" ) 1 carrying a billiard cue when he entered and I examined was clean this closely for traces of blood 1 learned that it was Questioning each suspect in the Small who had discovered murder when he came in at 10 to bring the master his nightly tumbler of brandy Sir Roderick averred that he had been practicing carom Withers insisted that shots alone in the billiard room she had been upstairs with Lady Agatha who had just It returned from London Cripps explained that be had been placing a small tarpaulin over the cere us 1 was faced with four airtight alibis Baffling Suddenly staring at the corpse I noticed a knife protruding from the tweeds of the unfortunate nobleman night-bloomi- ng ’’There's your cause of death Bootle” I said quietly 1 examined the knife handle carefully and realized that it was not of local manufacture "This knife has been brought down from London” 1 said looking straight at Sir Roderick The solicitor blanched and on questioning him further I learned that he was in the habit of carrying such a knife Sir Roderick as the questioning developed was who could not bear the skin a compulsive apple-eate- r it and he used the knife to dispose stared at the murderous weapons “Do you realize killed your that it was a knife of this manufacture which turn of “Take these somewhat impeded by the presence of a kitchen knife in his chest “She done it!" he cried pointing straight at Lady Agatha “She done in the master and she done me in the same way just before she come in here" He was halted by a fit of coughing and then went on “This house is full of them knives She’s got a factory in South London as makes ’em The master wouldn’t give her money and she started the knife factory to spite him Lord Windblown found out about it and tonight he accused her of debasing his name and disgracing the peerage by going into trade So she stabbed him 1 seen her do itl” At the conclusion of his lengthy and rather ungrammatical piece of dialogue Cripps sank to the floor and ' husband?" I demanded “Really?" she observed indifferently “Served him jolly well right” and she would say no more During my interrogation of Small he had mentioned the Honorable Lavender Mopeland Lord Windblown’s ward After leaving Lady Agatha I hurried to the Hare & Harebells where she was employed The sight of the knives in Lady Agatha’s dressing room had confused me but my mind was momentarily cleared by the sight of Lavender polishing glasses It was after hours so the pub was deserted except for her “Good evening Inspector" she said cheerfully blowing on a glass “Have yOu found out yet who stabbed Lord Windblown?” My senses quickened into reluctant suspicion at this incautious remark “Miss Mopeland” I said “No one outside Windblown Towers knows that Lord Windblown has even been murdered How could you know that he has been stabbed?” I felt it necessary to request Lavender to accompany me back to Windblown Towers She made no objection The lovely mature showed not the slightest emotion as she gazed on the lifeless form of Lord Windblown “Served him jolly well right" she said and I caught my breath for those had been Lady Agatha’s exact words I determined to confront the two women immediately and sent Small to fetch Lady Agatha expired custody -- Small returned in a moment Standing at the right of the door he announced “The Lady Agatha Countess of Windblown" and an owl hooted outside Lady Agatha’s eyes swept the room until they came to rest on the person of the Honorable Lavender Mopeland “You" she said in a voice which dripped with hate and advanced on the proud young woman “Keep your distance Lady Agatha” Lavender warned and drew from her bodice a kitchen knife which ' was a duplicate of ail the others If I had reason before to suspect the Honorable Lavender Mopeland my suspicions were now confirmed But before 1 could act luckily Withers entered assisting Cripps the gardener whose progress was 1 motioned Bootle to take Lady Agatha into And so dear reader our little fable is ended Once more the Police Inspector has mucked things up so thoroughly that the truth has tumbled out in spite of his efforts I am afraid something dreadful will happen to Lady Agatha when she is tried at the next assizes As for the Honorable Lavender Mopeland she received back the thousands of pounds which Lord Windblown had embezzled from her estate But she had found peace in her simple life and prefers to go on serv- -' ing the locals at the Hare & Harebells rather than revert to her proper station as a great lady “It’s cozylike there of an evening" she says And that’s the way I like to leave a story — cozylike with — The End everybody happy - |
