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The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1930-07-17, Page 7THE EXETER TIMES-ADVOCATE !W THURSDAY, JULY K, 1030 III!!,I. i&emple &ower u&y THE? STORY SO FAR as I would, I could not quite pacify my conscience, I glanced round the hall. The3Hwgli Drtimmoml/i and Feter Darrell _ =.... _ are interested in Mr. Granger, who, fpu’r .Joifers lmd risen, and Twatch- 31,,',', rrn,„.nu rp™,., wWch i8 ed ug they rpUallea thO M|ss Vierney tOp 0£ stairs and stood'for a Hives at Temple Tower, -aitronfely fortified. T“‘ accepts a position as private ,se- moment laughing amt talking, They «retary to Mri Granger and her moved aside to le^ a maid, with a can of hot water in her hand, pass(Freckles) T'oni S'cptt is with , Hugh is his Jiouse Tower, John,’ an friend ■staying sieur Temple <old friend of’Hugh’s has the plans «of Temple Tower, ‘but someone ;-$tple them out of his house. Short- 2ty\after, Gaspard, Granger’s ser- wanteds found strangled and the dug wajtch dog poisoned, They aneet Victor Matthews, a member ■©f the Nety. York pqlice, who re- flhirns with them and gives the ^ust'ory of the mysterious person 5n black. A boarder ,at Spragige’s •Farm was found outside Temple ’Tower*grounds the next day also -strangled. The local police are alien called- Miss Verney be- ■comes frightened to Hugh’s; Peter SDarrell goes to the Dolphin Inn-at IRye and meets Va'ndali and the ■woman Madamd^Vaqdali and while dlarrell is taking to the woman he j aioticed someone looking through -a bole above the fireplace. He | -hyent upstairs to the room and a' anasked man enters and nearly (Strangles him. When he recover-< <ed ‘ he discovered the lost plans Saying, beside the bed. .NOW GO: ON WITH THE STORY make him Spragge?” paused. them, and I remember asking my self if it were possible to imagine a more irrosaic English inn—the .for years. And thoughts because amazing change. der, peace—and then, in a second, a screaming, hysterical girl standing in the open doorway of Number 18, I while the hot water dripped from the overturned can into the hall be low. For a second no one moved: the tiling was so utterly unexpected as to be paralysing. The golfers, with their mouths open, stared at her dazedly: so did we. Then, simul taneously, the power of -action re turned to all of us. I dashed up stairs .behind the Inspector* and the journalist, a thousand wild thoughts Un my head. But the wildest of those thoughts had not prepared me i for the ghastly slight that met my , eyes as we entered the room, i Hanging to one of the old oak beams was Vandali. A glance at ■his purple, swollen face was suffi cient: the man was dead. His body sagged grotesquely, almost touching the wall that separated the room from Number 19. And with a sick sort of feeling, I realised that the strange drumming noise I had heard had been made by the poor devil’s heels’as he died. At his, feet lay •an overturned chair; evidently he had stood on it, and then kicked it away from udemeath him. I heard the snatches of what they were say ing: “Poor devil,” “Hanged him-, self,” “Where is the woman?”: the disjointed phrases, seemed to come from a long way off, and after a time I escaped downstairs. Why had Vandali hanged himself? The question hammered at my brain. True, I knew nothing about the man: all that I could say_was that I had seen him a couple of hours previous ly apparently quite happy and con tented. What on earth had happen ed to make'him commit suicide? Then another thought struck me. When Madame Vandali left me she had gone upstairs. At the utmost, only a quarter of an hour had elaps ed before I wgnt to Le Bossu’s. room., Therefore, whatever had caused the tragedy must have taken place dur ing that quarter of an hour, because it was impossible to think that she could have found him hanging and said nothing about it. Had they had some terrible quarrel, as a result of which she had left him and he (had committed 'suicide? ** It seemed almost incredible that' such a thing could have happened in so short a time. And yet what other . conceivable solution was there? /Something must have hap pened during that quarter of an hour to make the man kill himself, and , the only person who would be able \to throw any light on what -that something had been was man. But scene. routine unvaried I remember my of the sudden Tranquillity, 'Or- 1 Tihe quiet' the wo- blinding me. Was was she? Like a flash, the thought struck When I had first' peered up the chimney, I had starqd into Le Bossu’s eyes: the next time the open ing was shut. And when I had gone into his room, it was empty. Where had he been during that fate ful quarter of. an hour? Did that “However/. to cqt a long story sshort, I left Ker weeping and moan- ang and made ■ tracks for the house «tnd■ Mr. Granger. It took me the (best part of another half hour to g;.et in there: he kept peering at me jblirough a .hole in the door. Finally, fine opened' it, and then bolted it sagain as soon* as I was in. ‘What .do you want?’ he said in whining .sort of. voice. “I told .him, and I’ll eat my hat M he wasn’t as surprised as the wo- xnmi. “ ‘Two,’ he kept on croaking. ‘Two smen killed! Gaspard—and who was tUie other? Who was the other?’ “He clawed .at niy arm, as I des cribed the,.'other, and a look of re lief came oyer iliis yface. ““.That’s opg of'., them, at any -.araie/ he mutte^d. ^■^£1 “‘Look here/?., j* said sternly, qfchere’s moVe in thi^. Ilian meets ,tlie Mr. Granger. And you know xnore about it than you are telling sue. H°w comes it that these two jmen aie strangled, .one inside your grounds and one jusi outside? So'me- Sbody mus£’ .have,, done it: do you 3>3iow who?’’ " “But he wouldn’t say any more: Jhust shut up like an oyster. ‘YouTl be subpoenaed for the z 5‘uquest/ I warned him. ‘And then ^you’ll be on oath, don’t forget. Some one was in your grounds last night, ,iaiid that,someone did the murders. Moreover, I believe you know who £hat someone, was!’ . “But he jrisjt went on muttering grnd mumbling'to ' himself, and fin-I sally I left him. .There wasn’t any- | Shing more to be got^out of him for like moment: the man seemed half crazy to me. But' we’ll speak at the inquest.” “Did you go and see I asked as the Inspector “I .d'id—later,” lie answered. ‘And 1 did not get much out of him. He jjflent'ified- the body of the man in the wood ..as the man who had been (staying wit)i himt And all he could tell ‘.me was"'* that yesterday, about six o’clock, a 'note was delivered at' kls farm by a small boy for the supply the cause of the quarrel? Was Sodger—a note which threw him in-Jt the eternal triangle once again? . to -a' terrible state of agitation. He j j tried to- fit' a possible .solution iSays -he went out about eight-thirty ou those lines round the facts as I and th<it is the last lie’s seen of him.’..knew them. No one kew what Le “Very' strange/-’ said the red-hair-’ Bossu looked like: quite possibly .lie ^efl ^young . man. /‘But good copy.1 was a good looking, attractive man. 3Dead dog: two men strangled—one Suppose, then, that he was an old Inside, one out. ’ Very strange, I lover of Madame Vandali, she be suppose you 'are absolutely certain ignorant of the ' -Six couldn’t have b,edn this man Gran- j was. gjdt himself?” '“Absolutely,” “He hasn’t go-t the strength.” who ■ did it?” C . ......... .. “That is the point.” ( only by I miildly •‘that is thq point.” , “Has the-(doctor wps killed first,?” ash , “The one outside,” said the In spector. “Two or three hours be fore thd other?’ “Good!” cried the other. “Then -five arrive , at this conclusion, any- 'wvay.” He talked pn: he Was the type- of mmu who would talk on.for ever and ®ver, but I liarclly heard what he was sayinig. It seemSd almost .impos.- sible to. realise that I could, in a sen tence, explain to them, the whole halfling mystery. And not for the ’ ffirst time did the worrying thought jnetuVn, to ill's: were w6 justified in Withholding" our information? True, 3 saw the difficulties that confront ed ns: „what were we to say without Sncr-imih&.ting ourselves? Still, the thought kept coming back, and try she? < i ♦-4 *‘T.hen,- Sthe journalist. “‘Pirecisely,” ‘I O’• o maner of man he Suppose he had suddenly con- I fronted her, and'she had determin- said the Inspector, ed at once to leave Vandali. Would (that do? And honesty compelled demanded me to admit that if it did, it^Was v....j wy .the nearest margin. It remarked, 'meant that in a few minutes .she had | made up her mid, and left the hotel decided which ' without packing, having first reduc- asked the journal- ed Vandali to such a condition of | hopelessess that he took his own life. Thin; altogether too thin. And yet the whole thing was so inexplicable that one could not dis regard even the most wildly impro bable solution. “What on earth is all this excite ment?” I looked up to find that John James, had returned and ing up at the landing with erod look on his face. I and he sat down abruptly. /Good God!” herald. “What did he do it for?" “It is what I have been asking myself ever since it was discovered,” I answered. “The whole thing is so Utterly incredible that if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes I should hardly believe it. Well, inspector, was star- a bewild- told him, '.<V. mysteries accumulate at Rye.” “I dunno as there’s much mystery about this, sir/’ lie remarkeij, cross ing the hall to us. “Just a plain, case of suicide. Good eveniog, Sir John/’ “ ’Evening', Inspector. Nothing to account for it?” “Nothing, sir. I’ve asked the manager, and he can’t tell me any thing. A charming wife, lots of money; and, apparently, not a care in the world/’ And at that moment the manager himself, looking anxious and wor-* ied, came up. >• “A terrible thing, Sir John,” he cried, “I wouldn’t have had it hap pen in this hotel for the world. The scandal; and you know what people are. I don’t suppose I’ll be able to let that room again foi* months,” “By the way,” I remarked, “I wonder if you can tell me anything about a Mr. Thomas ing. The girl ip the he has just gone, and ing if it was ‘a man ago. He -had Number 19. But he shook his head, and looked at' me as If surprised that so irrele vant a detail could be introduced at such a moment. “No, sir, I do not,” he said “I be lieve I saw him when he arriyed, but I don't remember having seen him since, affair of my He came down the stairs, as if he still vainly hoped to hear something that would lessen the tragedy. And then, in a feverish attempt to restore things to their normal time-table, lie pealed the dinner-gong loudly. Grad ually the lounge emptied, though there was only one topic of conversa tion to be heard on at length I was left and the doctor. There seemed no ing, and yet' I was could not help thinking that there must be some further development; that Madame Vandali must return or the man who called himself Thomas. But as the time went on and noth ing happened, it seemed useless that waiting any longer would be profit able. Ad we were on the point of /going when the further development occurred. Only this time it was not the hysterical chambermaid, but the Inspector, whitefaced, who stood on the landing outside of Number 13. “Doctor,” lie called hoarsely. “For God’s sake come quick.” The doctor ran up the stairs, and almost mechanically we followed- him. What fresh horror had taken place in that ill-omened room? On the bed lay the motionless body of Vandali, covered with a sheet, but it was not at that we any of us looked. For the cupboard door was open and on the floor was the liiiddled-'up .hody of a woman. It was Madame Van dali and she, too, was dead. But in this case there was no ques tion of suicide: it was murder. The mark around her throat was plain to see: she had been strangled. “Good God!” muttered John shak ily, “'this is a bit grim,” “I was going through his effects,” said the Inspector, “and happened to open that door.”' ■-“Lift her out carefully,” ordered the doctor. “Though it is, obvious nothing can be done.” He mopped his forehead, and furiously ordered away two waiters from the door, who were looking in terriblei quarrel with this woinan. Possibly without even intending' to, he seized her by the throat and strangled her. That accounts for his hanging himself. When he real* ised what he hud done, half mad with remorse, he committed suicide,’ (To be continued) There is a delicate mellow flavour toSalada J^panTea -------------------------------------------------— who was stay office I was I met 11 tells me wonder- a while And, anyway,, this dreadful has driven everything else out head.” bustled away as the doctor every side. And alone with John object in stay- loath to go. I Edward Floody, for thirty years secretary of the Huron Old Boys’ Association of Toronto, was present ed by the association with a crest pin of Huron County and a hug grandfather’s clock. . The presentation was made at thd annual picnic at Exhibition Park .and a novel method was used to make it. Just after dinner, amidst a rumpus of several hundred chil dren and grown-ups, an Irish police man (Mr. B. H. McCreath) in full /•egalia, pinched the Secretary and gave him a rough passage tp a. rais ed dias where two learned judges (J, A. McLaren and E. J. B- Dun can) heard the charges of “fostering aiding and abetting a successful or ganization known as the Huron Old Boys’ Association for a period of thirty years.’’ The Crown Prosecutor (W. Proudfoot) presented the case that left no doubt of the prisoner’s gilt' and when the defence counsel 1 (Ernest M, Lee) agreed that the charge was justified, the judges sen tenced the prisoner Vo a penalty of listening to a beautiful chimes grand father’s clock for the Test of his nat ural life. D. Wilson, president of the .association was the complainant, Mrs. Floody, who is also a Huron Old Girl, was presented beautiful bouquet by Mrs. D. son on behalf of the ladies. Edward Floody, was born ham County and his parents thereafter moved to Blyth. tended Clinton School and later Bell ville College. For three years he taught .school in Goderich Township and a little over thirty years ago he moved to Toronto where he is asso ciated with the National Revenlie branch of the Dominion Government. He has been most active in further ing the interests of Huron County and only is the Association the •largest of any such body in Toronto, but it is. also one to survive a long period of years as an active associa tion. KIRKTON A HURON ODD HOYS RRHSHN'T SECRETARY WITH A GRANFATRHR’S CROOK. T4» (GREEN) JAPAKT£A> *Fresh from the gardens’ HARRISr—DIEGlSD A quiet but pretty wedding took place at the parsonage of the Luth eran church, Brodhagen,. on Satur day, July 5th., when Gladys Violet, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Die- gal, of Logan, was united in mar riage to Nelson M, Harris, son of Mrs, John Harris and the late John Harris, of Hibbert. Rev, John Al berti officiated. The bride was .beautifully gowned in white crepe georgette and lace, with hat to match and carried a bouquet of pale pink and white carnations with fefn. Miss Maud E. Millar of Washagd, a cousin of the groom acted as ‘brides maid .and wore pink georgette with hat to match and, carried deep car nations and fern. Edgar Ritz, a cousin man. The w$is a the scene of their annual picnic pq. Saturday. The picnickers arrived shortly before noon, and had their dinner at the park. During the af ternoon, races, softball and horse shoe pitching formed the program. The sports coibmittee in charge of these games was ’ composed of . M, Hooper, W- Rodb, E. Rutherford, Mrs. W. Wynne, Doris McNaughton, Mrs. E, Rutherford. The general committee in charge of the picnic was composed of the, Sunday school teachers under tlie Superintendent, C, Gunning. with a . D. Wil- in Dur- shortly He at- (Crowded out last week.) Mrs. Archie McCurdy is visiting her son and daughter in Detroit. ' Quite a number from here spent Dominion Day at Goderich. When-’ Herman Paynter went" -to the barn the other morning he,found that someone had taken fifty of his best chicken. The Canning Factory have started threshing their peas which are a good crop this year. A joint Communion Service of the three appointments of the Kirktou Circuit will be held at Kirktoh clyircli bn Sunday morning. ) Edgar Ritz, of the bride acted as best WILSONS bridegroom’s gift to the bride brown leather hand bai; the bridesmaid a gold bar pin to the best man a pair of links. After the ceremony Mr. Harris left' for Grimsby, Falls and other points, return they will reside groom’s farm in Hibbert. ■and Niagara On their on gold Mrs. the WOODHAM UNITED CHURCH IRONIC About 150 liam United School made members of the Wood church and. Sunday Queen’s Park Stratford REALL One pad kills flies day for 2 or 3 weel packet. No spraying, no bad odor. \ Grocery or General Store. 10 CENTS PER PACKET WHY PAY, MORE? THB WILSON FLY PAD CO.. Hamilton, Ont. nil da^JOnd every* is. 3^ads in each io stickiness, AsK^your Druggist, With,-wide-open mouths. As 'he .said, it was obvious that nothing could be done. The unfor tunate woman was quite dead. Her face, too, was puffed though not quite so man’s. “Throttled!” said shakily, soul.” “Yes, but who by?” wailed the manager. The pool* little man, completely unnerved by this second tragedy, was standing by the door wringing his hands, haired iously supply “Him,” he said, pointing with dramatic suddenness to the bed. We all turned and stared at him, •and his ferret-nose was literally twitching with excitement. “But they were a devoted couple,” stammered the manager. Red-hair snorted contemptuously, and turned to the doctor. “Was it you,” he asked, “who ex amined those two men who found dead this morning?” “It was,” said the doctor, what ...” “Man, don’t you see?” the almost yelled, the answer, two men? For a moment no istiared at (John, at me: what on at? “Look here,” ly, “it is clear I’m wrong. ’When you find three people mysteriously strangled within twenty-four hours in the same local ity what do you assume? Why— that they were alt strangled by the same person.” The Inspector nodded portentious- ly. “That’s so,” lie conceded. “Very well, then,” said the other “If someone else murdered these three, why should that man go and hang himself? But supposing it was he who did it: supposing he was a murderer by instinct, and had some and swollen, badly as the Cars the doctor “Throttled to death, poor And it was left to the red- journalist, who had myster- appeared from nowhere, to the answer. he said, were “But other “It is the clue: it is Who murdered those Why—he did, of course.’ one. spoke. I and John stared earth was he driving © he went on excided- t-o me. Tell, me if Husband and Wife i Both Suffered from Headaches Mrs. N. P. Ritchie, Prud’hopimeJ Sask., writes:—“I suffered for som&j time, from terrible headaches, ii Kajydnds of headache powdorai Llsboy. not mlievel '■'/Burdock BlooxQ advertised and decided D would try a bottle, and when I hadq taken it I seemed to feel bettor, I* continued until I had used threap bottles more. <fMy husband, far two years, also suffered from terrible headaches, which were so bad he could not sleep, but now our headaches do not bother us at all, as B.BB. has dome such, wonders for us.7’ RURDOCK1 Bitters . For the past 51 years MANUFACTURED ONLY BY THE T. MILBURN CO., Limited Toronto, Ont. i fl One of the greatest dangers on the highway is the driver who insists on passing other cars when there is no &p^c€ for him in the traffic fine ahead. If he should meet a j^ir coining in the opposite direction, a'crash follows—-with^jury to persons or cars. ' It’s a good ^ile to keep in line, .ugj$ss you have a clear view of > < Don t be a nuisance bx^“cutting in other drivers and cr^g^s needless danger, crash It is discourteous to . You may have a you don’t, you are liable ‘to a fine under The Keystone of Safety on The King’s Highway and all other roads and Streets The HON. GEO. S. HENRY Chairman