Argosy All-Story Weekly, October 7, 1922 — page 140: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

286 “Ts there any information you would wish to give me, sir?’’ he said. Stephen shook his head. ‘““Not unless it’s necesary. Am I still under arrest?” ‘““No. You'll understand, though, sir, that I was obliged to do what I did. I had not seen Sir Piers then.” “If you understand anything at all of what happened in that room,” replied Ste- phen, “it’s more than I do. I can’t put you wise, sergeant.”’ ‘‘ All I’m personally concerned about,” said the sergeant, ‘“‘is the encounter be- tween Sir Piers and the marshman, Mat- thew—and this shooting business. That’s the case in hand, it’s been made clear enough by Sir Piers; there will, of course, be an in- quest. I’m going to telephone for the chief constable. The rest seems to be a family matter for the lawyers to settle. I’ve got the evidence I want.” ‘““What you say seems quite sound to me,” said Stephen quietly. ‘I shall be here if I’m wanted. If you don’t require anything further from me now, I'll leave you.” The sergeant nodded and made for the telephone room. Stephen, only too glad to be alone, entered the large library, and seat- ed himself at a table. He rested his throb- bing temples on his hands, and thought. The thing that had occurred was alto- gether beyond him. Presently he took a sheet of paper from the desk and a pencil; having a very accu- rate memory, Stephen set down, almost word for word, what he had heard Piers say to the sergeant. Having done this he scanned the state- ment through carefully; it still puzzled him. It looked remarkably natural and plau- sible. But he did not believe a word of it. Stephen himself had not been a witness of these remarkable happenings which Piers had described. He felt there was something wrong about them. : Nor for one moment did he believe in any death-bed repentance on Piers’s part. It was too unlike the man. Why, moreover, had Piers acknowledged him as the heir to the Marney inheritance? Why smooth the way for the man he had reason to hate? ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. Stephen, feeling quite at a loss, thrust the paper into his pocket, and went out. There was nothing to be done. On the stairs he met the doctor. “IT have just come from Mr. Maxon’s room,” said Cobbold. ‘He is very much better, and I anticipate no danger. But he keeps asking for you.” “‘T particularly want to see him,” said Stephen eagerly; “‘ can I?” ‘“T would rather keep him quiet,” said the doctor, ‘‘ stilli—he seems so troubled about it; you had better go. Don’t stay long.” Stephen hurried upstairs. He found Richard comfortably established in bed, very pale, but fully conscious and alert. “Hullo!” he said. ‘“ How’s Betty? Look here, do you think you can keep those police from worrying her?”’ “They haven’t seen her yet.” “ Good.” The assurance seemed to please Richard immensely.. He asked how it was that Piers came by his end; he seemed to have a vague idea that Stephen had killed him. Stephen briefly explained Mad Matt’s arrival. ‘*Do you say that Piers is not dead?” interrupted Richard. ‘“ You told me—” An extraordinary bitter light came into his eyes. “Stephen, if I were not lying here crippled, I think I would find him and kill him with my own hands! It is an affront to the human race that such a devil as Piers should be allowed to live!” “You need not trouble,” said Stephen quietly, though Richard’s vehemence sur- prised him, “he will not last the day. I have just come from him. I don’t know if I ought to be telling you this now—but here’s what Piers has told the police; it’s his own version.” He read out the copied statement to Rich- ard, who listened at first with blank amaze- ment, and at the finish for a long time re- mained silent. At last his lips twisted in a singularly grim smile. ‘“‘T agree with every word of it!” he said slowly. Stephen stared at him. “Are you sure?” he said. “I wasn’t a witness, but, plausible as it is, it seems to me like a lie.” Richard considered. comiclbooolx C©