possessed young woman, he said to himself-beyond a little heightening of colour, a little questioning look about eyes and lips she showed no trace of undue surprise or fear. Decidedly a

icemen touched their helmets-they were evidently well acquainted

anything but pleased with his task. "But it's like this,

. "Has something happened, Mr. Bent?" she went on. "If you want my father, and he's not in, then I don't kn

at something has happened. Your neighbour at the other end

d nothing to her, beyond the mere announcement. She moved

you want my father to help? He m

en living-room, and turning up a lamp whi

inued. "He's n

ered the sergeant. "No use keeping

t, "Mr. Kitely-we're af

er eyes dilated, and a brighter ti

she exclai

ere stood a gun, placed amongst a pile of fishing-rods and similar sporting implements. He

the piece of cord with which it was done is-so the police here say-just such a piece as

"Don't go for to think that-at present. But, you see, Harborough, he migh

ng steadily from one man to the other

lled?" she asked suddenly. "Ha

is death," answered Bent. "T

n say is, my father has no need to rob anybody-far from it, if you want the truth. But what do you want?" she

" said the sergeant. "Just to see if aught'

ere else," said Avice. "Though what good tha

t of cottage and shed, and the door of the shed was at its further end. But as the sergeant was about to open it, the policeman of the observant nature made his third discovery. He had been

nting triumphantly to a definite point of the coiled cord with the index

too, with an unusually sharp, keen-bladed knife; the edges of the severance were clean and distinct, the separated strands were fresh and unsoiled. It was obvio

e'll just peep into this shed, so as to make his daughter believe that was what we wanted: I don't want to frighten her more than we have done. Naught there, you see,"

cottage and putting his head ins

demand

father comes in, just ask him to step down to the police-stat

n the sergeant had joined the others, she shut the door

towards the town. "I haven't a doubt that the piece of cord with which Kitely was strangled was cut off that coil! Now wh

asked

senses would do such a thing? Take a piece of cord from a coil-leave the coil where anybody could find it-

hat then?"

ff-for the use it was put to,"

they reached the outskirts of the town,

mind," he said. "The murderer may have been interr

ere just passing, and a tall man emerged. In the light of the adjacent la

s just wondering whether to drop in on you as I

having a hand at whist with Councillor Northrop a

by that time, and Bent slipped between Brer

ain truth of it. You know old Kitely-your pa

ust slipped his own literally quiver with a spasmodic response to the astonished brain; the pipe whic

he exclaimed. "Y

e. "Sorry I let it out so clumsily-I didn't think it would affect

llalieu. "Dear-dear-de

pending the evening at your partner's, when that neighbour of his, Garthwaite, came running i

demanded Mallalieu. "The

there is no doubt! As determined a murder

d-at the gate o

all of a heap, has that news! Murder?-there hasn't been such a thing in these parts e

s to the house with a latchkey, and turned into a parlour where a fir

late. Will you gentlemen have a sandwich-or a dry biscuit? Well, you'll have a drink, then. And so," he went

nswered Bent, "because he had to go out for a good part of it, on bus

if from mere curiosity. "What time would that be, l

replied Bent. "He'd just got in w

ourse," suggested Malla

him and sat down. "We'd better tell you all about it," he said. "It's a queer

istened. A sleek, sly, observant, watchful man, this, said Brereton to himself-the sort that would take all in

d to him when B

f cord off, left it round the man's neck, and left the coil hanging where anybod

then?" a

ank off the contents

been a queer character or two hanging about the town of late. I'd better stir 'em u

o no good,"

he and Brereton said goodnight and turned towards it as the M