The Strange Case of Mortimer Fenley

king

lled in to investigate a bond robbery which took place in the Fenley Bank some two months ago. Probably you never heard of it. Will you kindly explain our position to your Chief Constable? Of course, we shall work with you a

ced a crime of greater magnitude than the theft of a duck. The arrest of a burglar who broke into a villa, found a decanter of whisky, and got so hopelessly drunk that he woke up in a cell at the

tion and a brief statement by the doctor. Then the coroner will issue the burial certificate, and the inquiry should be adjourned for a fortnight. I would

ian art in these simple instructions. How it broad

the last moment of his life. His eyes were fixed on the wood. He seemed to be dreaming, but his fri

d the Superint

t he looked absurdly boyish, but the Inspector, who had formed an erroneous f

nd candidly," said Winter. "Then we shall question the wi

oots belonging to each person in the house and employed on the estate, men and women, no e

ed all nice distinctions of rank. If one made a suggestion the other adopted

give his orders n

minal head of the household, and Fenl

my brother and myself," he said to the assembled servants. "You must obey

ld be answered without

plied that. At any ra

unce on the chauffeur, "you were seate

odie, rather taken aback by

looking at

rt of a

any one amo

didn't." This m

gine, and behave exactly as though you expected him to enter the car. Don't watch the wood. I mean that you are not to avoid looki

nk so,

e station. If you should happen to see me, wave your hand. Then you can get down

s,

outlying cottages. Police Constable Farrow was instructed to bring the butler and the array of boots to

elltale marks, and the Inspector, of c

way, he didn't take much troubl

so obviously impressed that the

ed. "We needn't have worried Tomlin

o neat imprints

least two women in The Towers who will

, is what Police Constable

id the Inspect

king a rise out of the local constabulary. Still, he gave one sharp glance at b

her ground. Bates pointed out the old scra

om beneath. Winter joined him, and the east front of the house burst into view. Brodie was in the act of descending from the ca

oak and ash, elm and larch, all of mature growth, and towering thirty to forty feet above their

s watchi

see the house even from where you are," he said. "Mr. Fenley had an idee of buildin' a shelter on thi

eaning to put the Inspector in the ri

saw me i

would have seen any one who fir

st guard against assuming

, y

ived notions. Now, while the butler is gathering old boots

ness in the inspectorial brea

ized the scratches and impressions on the bare rock and moss. Bates, ski

th, but may I put in a wo

u like," Winte

ten forty, or a trifle over an hour after the murder; an' I have

ut it at three da

ut checked himself. He was becoming slight

ey left home recently? There is no harm in mentioning his name. It can't he

tor bicycle last Sat

u fix t

half pa

not seen h

, s

kely to know if

nless he kem by

ere anothe

s are always locked, and the road has been grassed over, an' not

the ordeal was postponed. Winter and Furneaux commenced a careful scrutiny of the ground b

s," murmu

en we ar

you no

They mean a lot. It's

g intereste

oined th

ice Constable Farrow visited this part

' you, sir, but that's t

m this section during the next few days. You will

he cheerful answer. "Now, about that gun-it must be hidden somewhere in the undergrowth. The man who fire

Winter. "But here come assorted

had brought two wicker baskets, such as are u

e wheezed, pointing t

aid Winter. "Because I

he most clearly defined of the three footprints. Then beginning at the "house" basket, he ran over the contents rapidly. One pair of boots he set aside. After testing the "estate"

t is this?

Mr. Robert's!" said Toml

ibly thrilled; but Furneaux only sank ba

may have been made by Mr. Robert Fenley," he said, apparently talking to himself. "These marks are three or four days old. Mr. Robert Fenley went away on Saturda

wet rag; Farrow, not daring to interfere, nibbled his chin strap; Bat

me, Mr. Furneaux, why yo

tes, you tell him,

by the side of the detective, an

nt movement. This here new print is clean, an' the broken grass an' crushed leaves haven't had time to straighten themselves, as one might say. But, in thi

men have been hanged before today on just such evidence as this. We should deem ourselves lucky that these footprints were found so soon after the crime was committed. Tomorrow, or next day, there migh

to mean that the unknown, whose feet had left their impress in the s

at time, my friend. Y

ne understood except the one person for

hed the avenue. During their brief disappearance in the leafy depths two cars and three motor cycles had arrived at The Towers. A glance suffice

l nightfall. Then place two on duty. With four men you can provide the necessary reliefs, but I want that place watched continuously, and int

and stubborn zeal had blocked the path to the Quarry Wood since a few minutes after t

nt of the hour, debarred even, as he imagined, from standing on the rock and watching the com

en Farrow his orders. "But you can amuse yourself by an occasional p

w sal

sir, that I ca

. Remember-no one, absolutely no one except the police, is to be allowed

from the h

be told, if necessary, why you are there,

ant post, and that hint about a pipe was distinctly human. Odd thing, too, that Mr. Robert Fenley was

voice harsh with anger. This intrusion was unwarranted, illegal, impudent. He would have them expelled by force. When he caught sight o

of the murder. Incidentally, he sent off the Inspector post haste on his bicycle to station a constable at each gate, and stop the coming invasion. Th

often been amazed at the extent and accuracy of news items concerning the most secret inquiries. Of course the reporters sometimes missed the heart of an intricate case. In this instance, they had never heard of the bond robbery, though the num

x had fastened on

e at once?

erstood his engine and a road map thoroughly, and left the rest to Providence. "I

peared in that same place this morning and taken stead

s me that

f smoke? You must certainly have looke

ew out, and the rooks around the house kicked up such a row

the pheasan

ut they were risin' birds, an' may ha

artled before the

s are very tame, and they lie marvelous clos

round already traversed, and the only new incident happened when Hilton

the sideboard," he said. "Or, if you prefer Turkish, here are some," and he

s," he said solemnly. "Ah, I guessed

Charles, you talk ru

minent knave,' as de Quincey called him. 'Cré nom! I wonder what de Quincey meant by 'middling.' A man who could keep in the front rank under the Bourbons, during the Revolut

s the Italian garden and park, for the detec

tist, Trenholme?" h

ooms. And there's Tomlinson. Tomlinson is a rich mine. Do leave him to me.

otion that we shall get closer

invisible halo surrounding his c

hen you bring off a brilliant remark like that. I s

y ret

"They have just seen the newspapers. I told

ate Street earlier?" inquired Winter

ther things

an you tell me wher

an n

question seemed to disturb him. Evidently, if he could consul

home since leaving here on

t is

reled with y

, Mr. Winter, I must decline

e more we know the less our kno

re happened one of those strange coincidences which Furneaux's caustic

Winter of o

Summer by th

g body into the telephone box when he became aware

. Fenley's bank, and it is monstrous that I should be

protest wa

he calm accents of the

r," said

progr

find out from the exchange who 'phoned here two minutes ago? I don't mean Fenley's Bank, which

stand. G

mmissioner was anxious for news. He had hardly finished w

ed Fenley. "We won't have a mom

ted until Fenley's hurried footsteps acro

her was from the Lord knows who. I've put the Y

," said Furneaux. "It strikes me h