The Stowmarket Mystery

Hume's

Table of

d the book

rve at this time to reopen t

s nostrils twitched, and his eyes shot strange gleams. He caught the back

" he said, and Brett could not hel

ur cousin stabbed by a stranger whom you did not know, whose face even you never saw. Sir Alan was undoubtedly murdered. The dagger-like attachment to your Japanese sword had been driven

te of himself, he felt all his old inter

queri

rsed up and critical, surv

against you 'might be deemed insufficient.' In these words he conveyed the popular opinion. I see I have noted here that Miss Margaret Hume-Frazer was at a Covent Garden Fancy Dress Ball on the night of the

nguished for her charity and

To

n, named Giov

stage

really an

ject. David Hume regained his equanimity an

my part of the story, if you formed any t

emoranda. Something that met

Scotland Yard, was convinced of your

hy

lice, but Brett's rem

a specific for human conduct. 'Lock 'em up,' says Mr. Winter, when he is inquiring into a crime. Of course, he is right nine ti

iate the humours of Scotland

aid it was there, to the best of his belief, at midnight. Then, again, a small drawer in Sir Alan's writing-table had been wrenched open whilst you were alone in the room. On this point the footman was positive. Near the drawer rested the sword

oba

ending your execution would

, then, so

be tried aga

e; to compel society to reinstate me as a man profou

dly projecting several rings

e innocent?" he s

chair, and reached for hi

d bitterly. "You have the repute of being able to pluck the heart

sess the faculty of self-control. Kindly exercise it

N

id kil

not

suspect

he remote

kill h

rought forward at the trial. Three doctors said

uld prefer to see you comfortably seated, unless

which all the household gods do reverence, even in the height of summer. It is impossible to c

and ran an index finger along underlined passag

ive your cousi

my grandfather on my mother's side, Admiral Cunningham, had brought this weapon, wi

Alan soon after

to town on purpose, in fact. Afterwards I

ards? Be particu

ther-that is, lived at the same hotel, paid calls in company, visited the same restaurants, went to the same theatres-until

l tradition in Sco

er's wish, so my father

er is stil

hank go

the sixth

l assume the title while the suc

l with your cou

him of my engagement to Helen, but he warmly congratulated me.

e about

she had been going the pace somewhat heavily. Alan went to see her, told her to stop this practice, and sent formal notice to the same effec

ant! It was not men

hould

er to raise Sir Alan's lifeless body. But about this fa

l her Rita because, as boys, we teased her by s

hy

manner and style." "Ho

an, and picked up Italian ways from her nurse, an old party who was devotedly attached to her. Even Alan was a good Itali

cted this young lady to upbraid her brother aft

s the trying on of a fancy dress costume, the 'Queen of Night

she get

suddenly, and without the kno

ng at Beechcroft n

anniversary of her brother's death. She had become most popular in the district. Helen is very fond

hy

ton does not indulge in details, but that i

Brett shot a qu

u were going to

ther from our engagement, and in the same breath hav

rister

nces. We are simply drifting in the feeble hope that some day a kindly Providence will dissipate the cloud that hangs over me. Ah, Mr

" snapped the barrister. "You have interfere

elapsed before

trouble at Mrs.

. It seems that Alan's fath

ld

eft inst

ow

jolly little girl he knew as a boy had developed into. She was just the kind of wife he wanted, and I fancy he imagined I had stolen a march on him. But he

ou any

I suppose you were going to

es

again at 6 p.m. on New Year's Eve, and he was very short with me. I can only vaguely assume that some feeling of res

s to him during the

nt. I called him an ass, and said that he had better have remained away another year

What did

point with him, and contrasted me with him, to his disadvantage. All very unfair, of

and resolved to hold

he way of our marriage, which was arranged for the following spring. Indeed, my second trial took place on the very dat

He clasped his hands in front of his knees

fixedly at the other, "I believe