Show the mazac off mystery ba Fletcher JS iS J S W U illustrations 14 I 1 irwia myers CHAPTER VIII continued 14 ini im coming to that n now ow 11 continued Eccle share 1 I had told Par slave to meet me on the path between high cup cap lodge and the woodcock about eight I 1 strolled out to meet him its as soon as dinner was over at Court hopes that mould be about itan t n minutes to eight we root met a little to the alie further side the side nearest the woodcock of delvers Re Rel ivers vers den As far as I 1 can recollect it would then be just after eight we stood a few minutes talking then A moment it if you please interrupted maethorne Mai thorne lie produced a memorandum book and laying it open on the table before him drew ec cle shares attention to a rough diagram penciled on one of the pages heres a sketch that I 1 made the day of my arrival at the woodcock lie he said A sketch of the paths across the moor now there are two iwo paths that lead from the direction of high cap lodge and go towards the lie woodcock one leads directly neross across the front of delvers Re Rel ivers vers den at the very foot of the rocks well call that the higher one the other Is some fifteen or twenty yards lower down amongst the heather call that tha t the lower lovier one which path were you and par far slave on Eccle Eceles share hare bent over the diagram for a moment twisting it round so as to get a clear idea of its geography ile he put his finger on a spot we were about there lie said on the lower one but I 1 dont know if youve made it quite plain those two paths one the lower ones a mere sheep track almost meet on vie he west side the high cap lodge side of ll It elvera elvers den near dear cowles cottage only separated there by a yard or two then the lower one goes away through the heather to the top side bide of high cap lodge the other one passes high cap lodge on the lower side at fifty or sixty yards distance and breaks into the moorland road to Clough thwaite well said maythorne alliss anyway a you and Par slave were ere on the lower one we were on the lower one perhaps a hundred yards from delvers Re Rel ivers vers den and continued Eccle share as I 1 was saying we stood there a few Ini minutes talking it was sas then quite dark but a clear starlit night we were just moving away in n the high cap lodge direction when ahen we heard a shot fired it seemed as far as we could make out to be in delvers Re Rel ivers vers den or just beyond it I 1 think it must have been in delvers Re Rel ivers vers den because there was vas a distinct echo from the rocks we heard nothing follow no cry scream anything of that sort neither of us took any particular notice I 1 think we each had the same idea that it was a gamekeeper who was atter after something in fact we heeded it so little that we went on talking shout about our own business for a minute or two atter after the shot was fired then because it was time tor for par slave to be getting on to catch his train we moved coming oer to the other oilier path because it leads directly to the moorland road we had just jus t got on it when ben we heard steps coming along from the direction of delvers Re Rel ivers vers den there were some high thick bushes close by and I 1 really dont know w aby hy we did it but we did I 1 we sort of instinctively moved into their shadow where it was quite dark and then a minute later walking ver very y swiftly a woman passed us A woman P it was manners who let out this sharp exclamation like all the rest of us lie he had bad been following eccle share closely now he showed biens of excitement clearly gome come notion had suddenly come to him A woman repeated Eccle Eceles share hare quietly A woman tall slender ender walking very quickly indeed we heard beard her breathing sharply she was ft as past and gone like a flash 11 in which direction asked maythorne towards Mar replied ec cle share and then suggested maythorne after a brief pause then Par slave and I 1 went on again he was getting pressed for time we neither heard nor saw anything there we passed cowles cottage IOU ou say cowle cowie saw us together probable but we never saw him we walked quickly across the moor struck the high road find and parted I 1 went into high cup cap lodge and ParsIn ve but let Par glave slave himself tell you what he did we all to Par slave who aho still sat perched on the edge of a chair near the door twiddling ills his thumbs went straight along the road to Pe fetherby Pethe rhy fi station tation then sala Par slave caught the oine dine fifteen train last train that Is to newcastle got to newcastle at ten fifty put up at a temperance near bear the station for the nihill went to see lee mr graham the lawyer as soon as id find my breakfast next morning bout ten that ud be when id done with alth him got a bit of a B snack find then caught the twelve tsehe ten express to london got to kings cross at a quarter to seven that evening came straight here and been here ever since bince le let nic me ask Pars fave a question abile I 1 think of it said crole par slave do you moan mean to say that since you left Mir Mar auve never heard of the murder there from the ne new slin slippers pers 1 I cant read sir nn answered par slave ive no scholarship cant neither read nor write but youve been in the company of doctor Eccle shares shores housekeeper continued crole do you mean to soy say that ashes never read anything about it to you out of the papers Par slave shook his head no sir she he be replied dont seem a paper reading woman flint her reads them story papers tales such like put but I 1 aint seen her a reading of newspapers well nit but youve no doubt been in the habit since youve been here of going out to have a glass of ale at some public house or other persisted crole have iou never heard it mentioned at such times no sir answered Par slave with math solemn assurance never I 1 always 6 go out to take a plot pint of ale at the public up the street but I 1 aint never talked to nobody dont understand this london talk all so much furlin aurrin furl in language to rue roe and I 1 aint never heard beard nobody talking of the murder you can take it from me mr crole sold said Eccle Eceles sharp hare that par slave neer heard of Mazar murder at all until last night when I 1 returned home I 1 told him we had bad a talk last night about our own experiences near It eivers den that evening in the light of what we remembered of course just what I 1 want to ask ash you vou some questions about doctor said crole it seems to me that were getting nearer a solution of this mystery than weve ever been before now you wont mind if I 1 ask you a few fess straightforward questions ask me anything you like replied Eccle share you were ere at the inquest on maza rons body at the woodcock said crole you gave gae evidence purely professional evidence interrupted Eccle share precisely as to the hie cause of death assented crole now why you tell the coroner and the jury what youve told us just now and if I 1 may put a word in said manners quickly why you tell us the police all ail youve just told us about Par slave when you knew quite well eliat we were looking tor for him As to your question manners I 1 aware of the hue and cry for Parsin Par slave ve to the extent you think ans answered ered Eccle share my time spent in the Mar Marrus dale district so much as on the east side of my hosts house As to yours crole well ive told you I 1 possibly impossibly made a mistake no doubt I 1 did lot but I 1 had reason for silence easily summed up the person that par slave and I 1 saw hurrying away from leivers Re Rel ivers sers den where presumably murder had just been committed was a woman crole summoned our undivided attention with a swift glance round the table lie he went forward to Eccle now Doc doctors torl lip said dont lets bent beat about the alie bush any longer lets get at the truth titita homeer lio wever unpleasant it may be did you form an any opinion ns as to who iho that woman was I 1 made a gesture of dislike at the situation rut but lie he bowed his head and replied without hesitation 1 I did certainly 11 1 1 who was aas she 1 I mrs elphinstone you feel sure of that positive without doubt ask par blase crole turned sharply on Parsin Par slave ve and Par slave threw up his bis head with a jerk what do you say any Par slave who was the woman that passed you mistress sir air no doubt on it never had no doubt myself crole turned again to Eccle share you said it was dark then but bur clear starlit star lit low how did you recognize her figure walk profile lle replied ec cle share id no doubt at the time and ive none now the woman who mho passed Par slave stave and myself just after at least almost just after we heard the shot fired was mrs elphinstone Tt ints why you kept silence suggested crole 1 I thought things out next morning answered Eccle share 1 I kept Par slave of course had gone I 1 well I 1 want to give a woman uway away and after all there might inight be explanations explanation I 1 exclaimed iclal mcl crole ex heres something that needs deeds explanation P anarton interrupted maythorne doctor and Par slave agree that they heard beard a shot fired near delvers Rel vert vers den soon boon after eight old mr Hassen ain denne told us crole when you holt and myself met him there that he heard a shot fired about ten now then which of those shots wits was it that killed mazaroff Rem remember emberl neither Eccle share nor Par slave saw anything of maza rolt roff near delvers Re Rel ivers vers den at eight and yet if the eight shot killed him he must have been about there when they were what do you make of that dont know it needs thinking out answered crole but to my mind the pertinent thing Is if tills this doctor Eccle share and Par slave are both dead certain they saw mrs elphinstone come away from delvers Re Rel ivers vers den where afterwards Mazar offs lifeless body was found robbed of money valuables papers and his will now then neither manners nor know this and im going to tell them as police officers A few nights after the murder mrs elphinstone was vins found to be in possession of the will I 1 liow how did slie she get it CHAPTER IX Miss missing it needed no more than a glance at the two policemen to see that this announcement no produced an effect on their officially trained minds which was equivalent to letting in a sudden flood of illuminating light on a hitherto I 1 A woman dark subject Corke looked at manners manners stared at corker dale then both turned on the solicitor mrs Elphin exclaimed manners in possession of the missing will T but Corker dales first remark was in a quieter tone need deed some explanation li he said with a significant look As I 1 understand matters the will was in III Mazar pocket when lie was murdered As for far as Is known it was replied refilled crole lie ile carried it away from Postle office at york in his pocket anyway and it certainly unions amongst st his effects at the woodcock which we ae examined after his death explanation yes but ill tell you liow how we came td to find out ti that 11 at mrs elphinstone got it ile he we went t on oil to narrate the happenings tit of the previous night but one on which sheila Sl iella came to me with the missing will now he continued the thing of course Is liow how where under tinder what circumstances cum curn stances did mrs elphinstone get hold of that will last ni night bt after mrs elphinstone arrived in london maythorne thorne saw her and tried to get an explanation out of her ne he got nothing not a word said mathorne MaU horne she showed nothing but defiance I 1 pointed out the inference that might be drawn the suspicion tbt be thrown thron upon her all no cooj she sh refused to may gay or tell dahlia and that makes me think re r marked crole a little eagerly that mrs elphinstone after all may kave bave a proper and reasonable explanation to give I 1 cant think that a worna of any common sense and she he a shrewd clever hard bard woman would be so foolish ns as to behave in this fashion fas lilon unless she knew she wag safe gate you hinted that have to give information to the police you maythorne 1 I did 1 and it produced no effect on her not the slightest I 1 her whole attitude was waa that of mind your own business 1 crole began to drum the table with his fingers looking round at the rest of us as it if lie he wondered whether hether anybody lind had got any suggestion to make As nobody spoke he made one himself 1 I wonder of mazaroff Maza rolt or merchison Merc hlson as he really was ruet met mrs elphon stone or mrs merchison Merc hlson ilson as she really Is at any time while he was fit at the woodcock before his death lie he said possible ble 1 I dont think he did replied maythorne at whom crole was looking particularly theres nothing whatever to suggest it of course it if mrs elphinstone could be got to speak it would clear up a tremendous lot from what abut little I 1 saw of mrs elphinstone at Mar observed crole ashes the sort of woman nho mho will not speak until it pleases her to do sol A hard woman d d hard where Is mrs elphinstone to be found fond asked Corke shorts hotel replied maythorne then I 1 think manners and I 1 had better go there nod and see her said Corke ue he turned to Eccle share you spoke of leaving england doctor when ive not quite settled the exact date replied Eccle share 1 I thought about the end of next week better put it off a bit doctor suggested Corke quietly As far as I 1 can see your evidence will be wanted and so BO will your mans now he continued 1 I suppose par slave there Is a native of this thia place Mar just so then hes hea very well acquainted with the personal appearance pe arance of mrs elphinstone known her a many years sir ever since she came to live at marras dale tower replied Par slave you N be in the habit of seeing her regularly Parsla vc suggested teW the detective most every day sir here and there and youve no doubt that it was mrs elphinstone you saw that night coming away from the place where you heard the shot fired and where Mazar offs dead body was afterwards discovered not a doubt about that sir serl I 1 take my solemn davy mrs elphinstone at on e and youve no doubt either doctor though you of course being I 1 gather gat lier a mere visitor to these parts know mrs elphinstone so well ive no doubt replied Eccle Eceles share hare although I 1 was only a visitor I 1 know mrs elphinstone well enough my host mr courthope Is her nephew nep liew ile he mr Armin trade and myself dined at Mar tower two of three times during my stay I 1 often met mrs elphinstone out on the moors or in the vi village linge im positive she was the woman Par slave rod and I 1 saw coming away that right night from delvers Re Rel ivers vers don den Corke turned to manners 1 I think wed better go round to shorts hotel he remarked what ahat I 1 think agreed manners cant be left where it Is we all got up there was vilas a brief silence crole was lust just going to say something when a knock came at the door Eccle shares housekeeper put her head inside theres a boung man outside sir I 1 wants to know it if mr maythorne Is here she said come in a taxi sir with an old gentleman the young man said it if mr Mas here which his name Is pickles one of my clerks muttered maythorne excuse me TO BE CONTINUED |