Show y SAX t eA r le r at NA S INC Nae nERE h ERE TODAY paul Jaul Harley criminal Jn tor Is la engaged by Sir Charle Abl igdon to Investigate the rea reason reason son lIOn ot of the surveillance qt SI Charles by persons unknown tn t him While Harley Is dining n athe the home Sir Sir falls tails from his chair In a dying d Ing con condition The last lut words by v Abingdon are Nicol Brinn Brina an Tongue TongUe Dr pronounce death due to heart Harle Insists that Sir Charles was poison poisoned ed tind calls on Nicol Brinn to as ashim Brinn him the meaning ot of Tongue Fire Brinn admits that he ho learned meaning In India but refuses to dl dl I his secret Paul Investigates the life lito ot of Or- Or Or Khan an Oriental with Ith who Phil Abingdon daughter of ot SS Charles Is friendly NOW NOW GO ON tt W ITH TIlE STORY When presently the tho emerged from the elevator ele below he paused before loafing leaving the hotel to mop his brow with Ith large soiled handkerchief The perfume of ot hyacinths seemed to ha havo hae e pursued him bringing With Ith It a memory ot of tho the handsome et- et effeminate ef effeminate Ivory Rory face tace of ot the man above He was recalled to his hid hl senses by the voice of ot the tho Impudent Impudent Impudent dent page Been Been kicked out govnor go nor the youth Inquired youre the third this morning Is that BO so answered Parker The girl wot wet comes to do his nails A bird too She few minutes came down a 11 a ago Then Then- Then Shut Shut up cried the hall porter You re asking for tor forthe forthe the tho sack and I 1 m the tho man to get It tor for you ere did not appeared to be vastly perturbed by this prospect and he ie grinned agreeably at Parker Park- Park or er as 8 the latter Iatter made his way out Into the courtyard sufficiently Interested Any Anyone one DU k to have havo done so 10 might have hate found matter tor for surprise had ho he follow tollow- followed followed ed that conscientious as he left the hotel He did not proceed to the shop of ot Mr Jarvis but crossing the Strand mounted a 0 city city bound motor bus and proceeded proceeded pro- pro eastward upon It as tar far as the Law Courts Here he dismount dismount- dismounted dismounted ed cd and plunged Into that maze mazo ot of tortuous lanes which dissects the formed by Chancery Lane and Holborn His Ills step was leisurely and once he stopped to light his pipe peer peer- peerIng peering ing with Interest Into tho the shop window of ot a law stationer Final Final- Finally Finally ly Iy he came to another little shop which had once formed a part of ot a private house It was of ot the lock lock lock- lockIn lock lock-In In variety and upon the gauze blind v Which concealed the Interior appeared the words worda The Chan Chan- Chancery Chancery cery Agency I Whether the Chancery A Agency ency was a II press agency a literary or a 11 dramatic agency ency was Wag not sped specified tied fled but Mr Parker was e well acquainted with nith Ith the establish establish- establishment establishment establishment ment for tor ho he unlocked the door with a II key he carried and entering a II tiny shop closed and I locked locked the tho door behind him again The place was not more than ton on yards ards square and the ceiling barely fur tur- fur furnished was as tery v cry ery low It was aa as an office but Mr Parkers Parker's business as Was not ot of ota ofa ofa a nature to detain him here There was a second door to be unlocked and beyond It appeared a a flight ot of narrow at stairs stairs at some somo time the servants servant's stair stall of ot the partially demolished house which had occupied occupied pied that sito In former do davs s Re- Re Relocking locking Re-locking locking this door In turn Mr Parker mounted the stair stall and presently found himself In a spa spa- spa and well furnished bedroom This bedroom contained an ex- ex extraordinary extraordinary ex extraordinary number of ot wardrobes and a 11 big dressing table with Uh wing ng mirrors lent a 11 theatrical touch to the apartment This was still fur fur- further fur further ther enhanced by tho the presence ot of ail 1111 sorts of ot wig wigs boxes of ot false hall hair and other Items of ot up male make At the table Mr II Parker seated himself and when halt an hour later the bedroom door was Waa open open- opened opened opened ed It was not Mr Parker who ho cro crossed sed the study With With- Within in Ith- Ith In and walked through to the private private private vate office where Innes was seated writing It was Mr Paul Harley narley CHAPTER XI The Tho Purple Stain For more than an hour Harley Ha sat lat alone smoking ng neglectful of ot I I hill i s V He turned Timed l sharply and thre thra was Mrs Firs the routine duties which should have ha claimed his Ills attention His face tace was set and and his ec- ec ex expression was one of ot total abstraction abstraction abstraction tion In spirit ho he stood again In that superheated loom at the Sa oy oy He rang the bell communicating with the outer office Innes came In Innes he said rapidly Is is there anything of ot really rate first first Importance with which I 1 should deal doal personally Well Wen replied the secretary glancing at some somo papers which he carried there Is nothing that could not Wait alt until tomorrow at ata ata ata a pinch The The pinch has come said Harley I am going to Interview the tho two mo most t Important Witnesses w In the tho Abingdon case The speakers speaker's face tace grew grimly serious Innes It if I 1 am right I 1 Ishall Ishall shall probably proceed to ono one ot of tv two 0 places the apartments apartment of ot 01 Or Or mus Khan or the chambers of Nicol Brinn Listen Remain here until I whatever phone phone whatever the hour Shall I 1 advise Wessex to stand standby standby by I 1 Harley nodded do Yes Tes do so You understand Innes I am engaged and not to be disturbed on any ac- ac account account ac account count 1 I I understand You Tou are going out by the r private exit Exactly As Innes retired quietly closing the door Harley took up the tele- tele telephone tele tole- telephone phone and called Sir Charles Abingdon's number He was an- an answered answered an answered by a voice which he nixed This Is Paul Harley speaking ho he said I Is that Benson 1 Yes Tes sir answered the butler Good morning sir Good morning Benson I have ono one or two questions to ask you and there Is fe something I want ant yeOu to do for tor me mo Miss Is out I presume Yes Tos Yes sir replied Benson sadly At the tu funeral sir Is Mrs Mra Howett Hewett In 1 She Is sir air I shall be bo around In about a 11 quarter of ot an hour Ben Benson Bemon on In the tho meantime will you be good enough to lay the dining table ex exactly asit as It was laid on the night of ot Sir Charles death 1 Benson Denson could be heard nervous nervous- nervously nervously nervously ly clearing his throat then Per I haps sir he sold said diffidently I t quite understand you La lay laythe Laythe the table tor for dinner sir For exactly dinner dinner exactly I want everything e to be there thero that was present on the night of ot the trag trag- tragedy tragedy tragedy edy everything Naturally youl ou I twill have to place different flow flow- flowers flowers ers In the Lases but I 1 want to toses see ses the same s vases ases ases From the soup tureen to the sen serviette lette rings Ben Ben- Benson Benson son Ben son I wish you to duplicate the dinner table as aa I 1 remember it pay pay- pay paying ing particular attention to the tho ex- ex exact exact ex exact ling act position of ot each III article Mrs Irs Howett Ho will doubtless be bo able to assist you In this Very good sir said sold Benson Benson- Benson but his voice betokened bewilder bewilder- m m in nt nt I will see Mrs Howett at atenco once sir Replacing the receiver Harley took a bunch of ot ke keys k y from pocket and crossing cronl the office locked the door He then retire to his private apartments apartment and nd locked the communicating door few ow later ha he came out o proceeded oThe The Chancery Agency and pro In lo the direction of ot th tn Strand before As AB he be alighted from a 11 cab be fore the house of the late Charles Benson Bonson opened the door We have havn plat Just finished d air sir h 1 said Bald as Harley ran up the steps Dut But Mrs Mra Howett would like to seyou se seyou I Isaid you sir Very good Benson replie Harley handing his hat and nd canto can canto to the butler I 1 will see her 1 the dining room please Benson throwing open open the door Paul Harley walked Into the which so often otten figured In his imaginings Brows contracted Harley just Inside the room looking slowly slowly ly Iy about him And as he so eo an interrogatory cough his gaze gaze- to the doorway Ho He turned turned ed sharply and there was waa Mr Mrs Howett a pathetic little figure 1 black blach Ah Ah Mrs Howett Howett said geld Harley kindly please try to forgive m mitor for tor this unpleasant farce with Ith It painful memories But I have good reason I think you you know this Now as I am naturally anxious t thalo ha halo o o over thing clear before Mis Abingdon returns will you be goo enough to tell me it the tho table 1 liat at present set exactly as on night that Sir Charles and I 1 camin In to dinner No Xo Mr Harley was the tho an answer ewer that that was what I was nn an anxious to explain The table is no laid as Benson left It on dreadful dread Cui night I Ah I see soe Then you personally personal Iy made some modifications I the tha lov flowers en an meted moed mo ed the center so vase vaie so Th methodical old lady illustrated he words I also had the spoons changed you ou remember Densol 1 Benson Inclined his head hend Fro a sideboard he took out two all sll allter ter er spoons which he substitute tor for those already upon the table Anything else Mrs Ho Howett ett 7 The The table Is now ELB as I left lett It sir a few tew minutes bet before ore your ar arrival arrival rival rhal Just after atter your sour our arrival found Jones the most moat competent Impudent girl altering the tho position of ot the servi serviettes ettes odes At least such was my Impression impression Im Impression Of Ot the sen 1 Harley She She denied dented It It continued housekeeper speaking with animation but but she sho could give giro n explanation It was the last straw I She took too many altogether altogether gether As Harley remained silent theold old lady ran on animatedly bu Harley was no longer listening This is not tho the same table lin en he asked suddenly Why no sir replied Benson Last Laet weeks week's linen will be ba at laundry It has not gone yet Interrupted ed Mr Mrs Howett I was WOJ up the list when you vou ou brought ht m Mr 11 Harleys Harley's message re Paul Harley turned to her May I ask you to bring the actual actual ac actual linen used at the table o that occasion Mrs Howett 1 h heald said My request must singular singular I know but I 1 assure It Is no Idle Idla one Benson looked positively stupid but Mrs Howett Ho ett Who nho bad had conceited con con- con conceived ceh ed a sort of ot reverence for tor Harley hurried away aay excitedly Continued In Our Nl Neit Ne-et t Issue |