Show W ED ES II I EM ey lW v WS tivA B a Q COiGN CO y l HT Hit Tt TH se M L co AS y Ill AaRn MeT tW I P vs i la CHAPTER 1 IThe The Rumor Mark Brendon at thirty five al at already ready stood high In the th criminal department of ot the tho po- po poI police po police Indeed about to re- re re lice Ho was wee I an n Mark VI Bf M 8 taking holiday on devoting himself to his hie and accept ACCept- ACCeptIng accepting hobb hobby of oC trout fishing ing tte tle opportunity to survey his own life lite from I a birds bird's e eve ee e point of oC lew measure hit his achievement anti and consider Impartially his future not only as ac a a detective but a as ns a man He Ho found himself with five Ivo thou thou- thousand thousand sand pounds sated slL a tn a result ot of some come special grants during the war and a large largo honorarium from the tho French government He was also alAe al oIn In possession of oC a U salary calary and the tho prospect of ot promotion when a senior man mall retired at itt no distant date Too Intelligent to find findall findall II all that life liCe had to otter offer In his cork ork alone he ha now began to think of oC culture of ot human pleasures and those added Interests and roo re- re responsibilities that a wife Ite and fain Cam family ily lIy would otter offer He was somewhat o at- at atter af aC after ter a strenuous sear loar ear but to Dart Dart- Dartmoor Dartmoor Dartmoor moor h he always came ame for tor health and rest when opportunity offered and no now nol he had returned for the tho third time to th Duchy Hotel at Princetown Being a good talker he be neer failed of ot an nn audience there But better still st he ho liked all an hour sometimes with l the prison wardens warden For the convict con prison that domi domi- domi dominated nate 1 that gray smudge In tile the heart of oC the tho moors known n as Princeton held hold mini Interesting and famous criminals Ho had tad Iod found an unknown spot 1 comb somo rood good trout d dwelt and andon andon andon on an e evening In mid-June mid h he sot cot forth to tempt them la HII had dis OlEd cO certain deep pools In a dia- dia dis disused used quarry fed ted by a streamlet Fo Fot herein vv herein lay these might be ap- ap approached ap approached In tso to no ways stays Originally I broken into tho granite bosom ot of t the e moor for tor stone stono to build the b bi gone war ar ar prison irison of oC Princeton Princetown n a I road still extended to the deserted spot and joined the main thorough thorough- thoroughfare thoroughfare thoroughfare fare halt a mile distant hotter 10 r o o cr or came canle by a direct path over oer 0 er the moors Leasing Lea railway ay eta to tion upon hi his left hand he lie set et ht hi face it west est cst esta a where hero the waste heas he hea en a out before rim dark against a blaze ot of light from Crom the tho 61 sl at i Ag AgaInst tho the western llama flame ap ao ap- ap appeared appeared a 0 figure carrying currying a 0 basket I Mal Maik k Brendon with thoughts on th evening e rise of oC the trout JI ne II I his face CaeI at a light Vh e upon Wh-e-upon upon there passed by him the feir- feir fair cat est st woman he hf had ever er known Sho as JIm and not very sery cry tall toIl Silo oreno hat and the tho auburn of oC I hair plied piled high above e her d the arm aarm sunset beans ns ana ano liko like a halo round her head And Aud sie had blue blue els eves blue as th Their size Impre- Impre ed Bren Brendon don hue bhe walked quickly with Ith a gnarl and her slight sil sill sll cry ery ond roaf rost silken jumper showed sho ner he fUI figuie e clearly clearl her nou her round hips hiIM and firm girlish bosom bo om Her tier 1 es cc met his foi toi a moment wIth a frank franl trustful e then n sh had Th vision made Mark fark as zu u Id Iden n beauty laut will anti and he won won- won won won-der derd d about the girl Tr ConI forward ard noIh nov non Ih he t- t t teethe corn com I to a 11 Bleat crate rate that on the hlll Ide anti and stool abo aboe the dead rs o 0 I I IA A Th i str stopped as ho he saw Underneath him opened II a ca cavity 1 with sIth Ith sl side sides two hundred feet MI Maik pi to the e tr m bren breadth of oC the quarry vard ard ards northerly and stood abo aboe above e two Ide still pools In the midst Trout mo ed cd ana Ann here there circles of oC light II widened out on the Vl akier ter and rippled to the tho cliff beyond M Mark rk set about his sport iet et felt that a sort eort ot of o unfamiliar dl h had d dome come ome into his mind and lind while ho he brought two tin tine tin eved e cd tiles tiie lies troina froma from a bo hoc boK and fastened them to the hairlike leoder ho he always 1 ays used there persisted Ih the thought ot at the aubi rn her girl girl her e eves es blue as her her s sItt Itt delicate tread He lie began to fish as the light thickened but he only cat catt once or t twice tIce Ice and then decided to salt alt half an em hour He lie grounded his rod and brought a II brier pipe anil anu 0 of oC tobacco UK tiis 1 o ket J he things of oC daere day da- were store ere turning to but still there persisted a clinking sound uttered from Crom time to time v which the I sportsman man supposed to be a II It came from front behind the tile great ae- ae ac that t ran opposite hi his pla PlatO Q QI I b by th the pools poets Brendon suddenly that It was aRc no natural nol o but arose from some human actIvity It ts was as In tact fact the tho musi musical cal note of oC a masons mason's trowel and anda Ical a hen presently It ceased he a as asIan annoyed nO ed to hear hea heay heavy y footsteps In Inthe Inthe inthe Ian the A big s broad mm min n approached hIm clad in a a Norfolk jacket and and a red waist waistcoat alst- alst coat with aith Ith gaud gaudy brass buttons The stranger stopped as RS he sa sass his hia great le legs s took a II cigar Igar from his mouth and spoke Ah Alt Ah YOU Youve You've found Cound I e em then Ihen l round what ashe asked j the detec detec- detective I the tive I found Pound these trout I J come here for tor a ass S salm mi sometime sometimes I Ib u b InIn h I never ne ants v a a rod In I In this hole There ThAre are D a a dozen doen half there and some bigger ons It Va was Marks Mark's instinctive to 10 study oil alt fellow Cello creatures th horn he came In contact He Ito Soa So a pall pah of or br broad ad deis and a n thick neck 0 o fi PI hung a II square squar hard law nv and anti a n tie tie- de determined determined chin Then rhen come canto a II big bigmouth bigmouth mouth and the pall pait ot of toha mustaches IOu L l to ha hate hae o e observed ell on a on oi II i anco ance The Thov were ere ot of I i fo foxy 1 led Id I'd find and beneath th them m flashed h i ge ss bite when th the tho bl man talked In rather gl t tones ns n's His ills hair as a fiery red cut clos close Ios and anti or of ofa ofa a hue yet more violent than hi mu mustaches III ti 11 big man Ivan appealed though BI end n heartily w away assay ball place seems to be- be be bewitch witch Itch beItch p people ople said bald s ald th bl big biff manThe man inan The rhe other ther laughed Thure Thre is n ii ere It gets into OUt our 0 oo no 0 t do does s A man I 1 know Inow Is himself a n b out hot e He tie and his is Ife st will Ill III be bo just Justas 1 as h hapy opy as a pair of oC wood 00 1 pigeons at at best eist e st tin tho y think so I I 1 hp hoard heard rd a tro trowel el Yes es I lend ft a hand sometimes l hen tile tue no workmen are arc gone hut thInk of oC It ti It tu turn back on 1 and lod mako inako yourself elt A Ahou a ahouSe hou houIn houSe In a d J t lU ht do orse If worst it OU OUe e got no flu l I Is not their tron point They think loses lo poo poo souls soulis hy h S by dont don't OU fish w halting alting for or it to 10 got gt a bit d Well ell so long e care vou ou don dont don't t catch atch an thin that II 11 pun pull oti Oll in I 1 hing at Ms Na joko JOIO the tile red man 1101 off oCt through though tI the gap fifty al aide de distant Then In the stillness Mats Mat's 11 I hoard beam J I 1 c purr ol ot a machine lie Hc lull Aid e evidently departed upon a motol cle to the main road half halfa a mile distant he vv w is s rone Brendon rose roe roseall all 1 iti filed down to the llie other en- en cn tralle of th Ih QuaIl v that he ho might HJ t-J t tha thi o of oC which the or had spoken rite day grew very sery dm tim and the fret of or light nd and ind shadows shado died off oCt the parth earth leaving lel all ahi vague ague and sast ast and tta s Brondon Fe rc to h his hs sport aport and end found Cound a at coachman thy fly sufficiently The fhe two to pools I n trout of oC 1 able hie i ho he kept sl six and ici 1 lined the Iho rest lb II it theater the water eater Tr back under the stars lis I is thoughts drifted to the auburn girl I of oC the thc mO moor r rout rom q after acter II his first fish fishing In ing to the quarries Mark a morning moning to tie tle lower lower of oC th thi 1 river at the tho end of that ea dai not far short ot of otin n 0 when hen glass glasses were vere ere empty and nd knocked out half a doz- doz dozen doz dozen en eu mm mUI Just about to retire henda a ant nn-l 0 sil II report i I III Blake Boots al at the Duchy I Hot Hoh I 1 s 's was as ss walling aIling to extinguish tI II c e lights I and seeing Brendon he I Bud 5 tid J I heres here's something in our line haJ I i L the look 1001 of oC It 11 l i tv to tomorrow morro I A lee ice W 1117 ill 7 asked I thi a and longing Ith for bed bd Thais about the only fun Cun I ou gt up here Isn t it CunI I Convict s No-a No No o 1 a man mandon mandone mandon don done us HI n seemingly 1 Mi Jaw ti jaw II I Jaw i-Jaw base e slaughtered t Mc Pend ll by tl ti t looks of ol it tI I nJ who also ho Is s Mr 7 It T f e man e what's building the v bungalow do doss down n to I Mark started Th The Tho big bl- red man to hl mind complete in I es-I ev every or ery erv Ia physical CUlture He tic described hin and ili Blake replied I That s R tha th chap that's done clone It That's the gentleman's In II uncle uncle-in- ln iw lass 11 went to b bed bd d and slept no worse tJ f the tragedy 1 sor or I when came camo and e esery ery maId and man mall desired to toll toil hIm It il lies knew did ho show the thel kast Interest 1 lie i as just slipping on a rain rain- raincoat raincoat coat and ond about abot the leave leavO the hotel when Will Blake appeared and handed d him a letter Ho lIo felt curl curl- curl OU isu 1 end ind not o the curl I mci- mci d de nc lh vi si Ill I'll h th the tho rumored crime set n do III his rod and creel opened the tho not note and read rod what was wa written thoI I s 8 Cottages Dr Sir The police e havo tavo told lie ou are In and I lit It B nB as s though Providence Pro had bad cent nt nt ou sou I rM f t sr r that I have h no r right to seek pur sen services Ices direct direct- directly ly Is but If Ir jou ou can answer anser ans or er tho ho pra er Cr erlof lof or i i hart woman onan and gise gho her the benefit of oC your genius In inthis Inthis this dark rl moment she bhe would ho bo thank thankful Cui vours ours Jenny I Ml k k Brendon murmured 11 Il lIIl genUs gently under his breath he be turn a 0 to Will VIII I Where Is la Mrs frs l ho he asked I In In lit Station Cottages just before beCore t ti 11 come to the prison woods sire sir I HUll Him over oser then and say Ill I'll call callin callin in III halt half an hour I Continued In Our r vL t t |