CHAPTER TX By a fortunate chanceâ€"usually the reverse is the case, and the man wanted is very far awayâ€"Detective Inspector Mearcroft and a police surgeon from the county headquarters at Exeter hapâ€" pened to be at Bideford when Dodson‘s message came through. Their business there had ended, and they were just leaving for Exeter, when the possibility of a fresh case diverteqg them to Roma Cleft, "You shculdn‘t have moved the beody," he snapped. "It should have stayed where it was until I saw it." "Well, you see,., zir, being as I am Well, you see, zur, being as I am alone, and once the news got about, the whole village would ha‘ trapsed down there, I thought it better to move him here. One thing I‘ve done, z2urâ€"I went back with Ted and Tom Lamley an‘ we roped the place in, and I left them two on guard with orders not to let anyone inside the rope, an‘ not to go inside themselves You won‘t find t trodd@n about down there, zur." "Ah," said Mearcroft, mollified, "that is something at any rate, Dodson. Well, Mearcroft, a spare, thin~man of midâ€" dle heignt, had a reputation extending far beyond the confines of his own country. It was rumoured, indeed, with some truth, that Scotland Yard would not have disdained his services, but that devotion to a country life, and particularly the wonderful west counâ€" try in which his activities were centred, kept him where he was, much to the satisfaction of his superiors, who were wont to admit openly that Scotland Yard‘s loss was Devon‘s gain. P. C. Dodson‘s eyes goggled when he saw who stspped from the car at his gate.. His chagrin was great, however, when Mearcroft at once ‘proceeded to fall foul of him. CHAPTPRS VII to VIIIâ€"Phyllis Laleham‘s guardian, Terrivale Wake, a solicitor, receives a visit from a mysâ€" terious woman, Elise Harrison, who apâ€" pears to have a hold upon him. She asks for money and he gives her 100 pounds. Whilst he is out of the office she opens a drawer and reads a letttr which she finds there. She goes, and Alfred Jennings, Wake‘s clerk, also reads the letter. In the Phyllis is finding Cartwright much too attentive to her, although he treats his wife with almost open contempt. He apologizes to Phyllis for his display of temper. After lunch, Detectiveâ€"Inspecâ€" tor Mearcroft is announced. scmeone who must have been hiding on the wreck just as she was about to do o. Jimmy and Tubby accompany her to the Manor House, which they have almost reached when they hear the squeals of a dog and the thud of blows. Phyllis and Jimmy rush through the gates, but is stopped by the lodge keeper. Tubby knocks him down and hurries after his friends, They find that Cartwright is illâ€"treating a dog, and when Jimmy interferes, Cartwright attacks him with a whip. Jimmy knocks him down, and Cartwright retires mutâ€" tering threats. CHAPTERS TV t by the body whilst / to Roma Cleft to in there. Phyllis asseri dive, but was struc scmeone who must | the wreck just as sl yorie and her two friends are swimming towards an old wreck just off the shore when Jimmy sees a girl in the act of diving from it. There is 4 haze over the sea which does not, however, explain why the girl cannot be seen when they reach the wreck. Jimmy, diving, brings the girl to the surface and finds that she is Phyllis Lalcham. Loter, he and Tubby, attracted by the barking of a dog, find the dead body of a middleâ€"aged man upturned boat. "cuts" him and explains t with his wife at the Man Roma Cleft and that the g is evidently one of a long : companicns none of, who been p:rsuaded to stay at House for long. Next mo jorie and her two friends a: towards an old wreck ju shore when Jimmy sees a CHAPTERS I to IIIâ€"Jimmy Ashâ€" croft and Tony Baringâ€"â€"who is known as "Tubby"â€"are travelliny by train to North Devon and become interested in a girl who is in the company of a man of the "bounder" type. Tubby learns that her name is Phyllis Laleham .and that of her companion, George Cartâ€" wright. At the station, Jimmy and Tubâ€" by are met by Marjoric Cgttle at whose uncle‘s house at Roma Cleft they are to stay, Marjorie knows Cartwright but SYNOPSIS OP PREVIOUS CHAPTERS CORN SYRUP PRODUCT OF ST. LA WRENCE STARCH CO. LTD. IV to VIâ€"Jimmy waits hilst Tubby hurries back to inform the peliceman asseris that she did not struck on the head by iins that he lives Manor House at the girl with him long succesz:ton of whom has ever ay at the Manor t morning, Marâ€" lving against an GOLDE N . "If they had eycs, and tongues to say what those eyes had seen this mornâ€" ing, it would be more to the mark," Mearcroft laughed. "Come along," he added, "it‘s no use poking about here ary Ilonger." Leaving the Bideford constable to reâ€" lieve the Lamleys as guard over the repedâ€"in space, he took the others back to Dedson‘s cottage, angq there in due course he headed off Jimmy Ashcroft and Tubby Baring returning from the fracas in the Manor House grounds and heard their story of the morning‘s "At the time of theâ€"shot," he murâ€" mured, "the water would have been up to the pebblesâ€"so no footsteps in the sand. Could one man have launched that boat?" "Oh, yes, zur. She were only a little craft, light and {la-t-bottomed. Anyone could ha‘ oushed her off." Mearcroft fell silent, Then he sudâ€" denly turned to the doctor. "What diqg you make of the dead man?" he asked. "Eh, 1 Oh, a chap in the prime of lifeâ€"sound inside as well as out, I should say, judging by externals. Would probably have lived for years if he hadn‘t met that bullet, Make any more of khim yourself?" Mearcroft‘s smile was provoking. "Yesâ€"IlO0ts," "What?" the doctor challenged. "Ah," the inspector murmured, "that would be telling." "Confoundsd oyster," the doctor grumbled. "If T didn‘t know you, I‘d zsay you were bluffing. One would think you were afraid these pebbles had ears!" It was an unpromising locality, as Mearcroft ixpmediately recognized. The pebbles there were thick and large, ruling out at once the existence of posâ€" sibly revealing footsteps. There was abâ€" solutely no sign of any struggle, and after half an hour‘s intensive search, the only evidence of anything untoward having happened was the ominous stain of bloog on the woodwork of the upâ€" turned boatâ€"and that had been visible at first glance. Beardsley, the docstor, who was fond of pulling his confreres leg, glanced at him slyly. The inspector merely smiled placidly and turned to Dodson. "Where was this missing hboat of Beltons lying?" he asked. "Close by here, zur. By the edge of the, pebbles, not a dozen yards away. Mearcroft regarded the retreating Mearcroft tide. "You‘ll never make a detective of fiction, Mearcroft. D‘you mean to say that after all this time you haven‘t disâ€" covered a button, a piece of cloth or a hank of hair?" He had brought a sergeant and a constable with him from Bideford, and leaving the former at the police station he took the constable and the surgeon, under Dodson‘s guidance, with him to the scene of the murderâ€"as all of them were convinced it was. There he foumd the derelict boat roped off with string, rather like a cricket pitch is roped off during the interval at a county cricket groungq to prevent the crowd encroachâ€" ing on it. Already about a dozen loafers had gathered there, being sternly kept at a distance by the two Lamleys who evidently regarded themselves as duly accredited minions of the law. "I took upon myself to do that, zur just before you came." "Gcod man!" said Mearcroft frankly His estimation of Dodson was going up "Well, there‘s no more to be gathered here," he added, "not a shred of paper to prove his identity, Let‘s go down to the shore." "Yes; that may be important," Mearâ€" croft nxddsd. "Better phons to the coastguard stations along the coast to detain any man coming ashore." "No cne ain‘t said so," Dodson anâ€" swered, "but there‘s one thing been reâ€" ported as may have something to do with it. Old Joe Belton was along here in a proper tear just nowâ€"someone‘s pinched his boat, he says." With the doctor, he went in to view the body. A glance told him that it was no one with whom he was acquainted, but he stared at the palid features long and fixedly as if to imprint them on his memory. "Shot throught the heart at close quarters," the doctor said, when the jeint examination was finished. "Might have been suicide, of course, if a weaâ€" pon had been found. There being no weapon, apparently, I should sayâ€"murâ€" der. Worder if anyone heard the shot?" done." there‘s much harm Phyllis shivered slight an alluring prospect, b help matters she did shirk it, and she express Mearcroft, whoe nodded living and Mr. Wake got me this jobâ€" companion to Mrs. Cartwright." Mearcroft stroksd his chin. "I see," he said, and somewhat to the girl‘s surprise, for she had been wonâ€" dering why he had asked to see her alone, he made no further comment. "I‘m afraid," he concluded, "there‘s one disagreeable duty I must ask you to perform. I‘ve requested Mr. Cartâ€" wright to view this poor fellow‘s body in case, by an unlikely chance, he can identify it., Will you do the same? Just a glance at the face will be sufficientâ€" it is not disfigured." "You live in this neighbourhood, Miss Laleham?" "No," she smiled, "I live in London, or have don»e up to the present, with my guardian, Mr. Terrivale Wake. You see, my mother died when I was born, and this turned my father, who was devoteq to her, against meâ€"he s2semed to consider me the cause of her death. Aryway, he went abroad, leaving me in Mr. Wake‘s care, and we haven‘t seen him from that day to this. Lately, I considered it was time I earned my own Cartwright very pleased, anything but Mearcroft tu "TIT‘d now like a Miss Laleham alond latter. He went cut, angq in five minutes‘ vime came back with Phyllis, and this time when the girl entired the room it was Mearcroft‘s turn to suppress someâ€" thing as nsar a start as he ever permitâ€" ted himself, As usual, his first keen glance took in a great deal. Frank, he decidtd, a little paleâ€"not to be wonâ€" dered at, considering her experienc> that morningâ€"but with nothing to conâ€" ceal. He was also aware ofâ€"something else. Once again PIF telling her story, some â€" unobtrusiv Mearcroft to brir she was by now some unobtrusive questioning from Mearcroft to brirg it out in full, for she was by now heartily tired of the whole affair. When she had finished he turned to Cartwright. Cartwright paused, his distastso at the prospect very obvious. ‘"Can‘t see what good that‘ll do," he grunted. "Don‘t suppose T‘ll know him from Adam. However, if you wishâ€"" i0rmation than i have," Jimmy told him,. "She‘s as much in the dark as ’any of us." i "Scmetimes," Mrcareroit rejoined, "people give one information without realizing it." Half an hour later he was at the Manor Hous:, having first cbtained scme details of that menage from Dodâ€" gon. He sent in his official card to Cartwright deliberately. None knew better than he the gossiping powers of servants, and more than once amongst the chaff of such gossip he had picked up a valuable grain of truth.â€"<â€"The unâ€" known criminal he was after was alâ€" ready most certainly on his guard, so no harm was being donss in that way. When Cartwright entered the room the two men regarded one another with interest., Cartwright‘s impression was of a slight, darkâ€"haireqg man in the forâ€" ties, with regular features, and keen, very keen greyishâ€"blue eyes, a man, he told himself, not easy to hoodwink. The inspector, on his part, summed up the other in a single glancs, taking in the round, fleshy face, the small deepâ€"set eyes, the almost brutal mouth and jaw. "Bully," he thought involuntarily. "Not quite at ease either although he is trying to appear so. I wonder what exactly‘s at the back of his mind?" "Good afternoon, sir,‘" he said quietly, "I‘m sorry to troubel you, but you may or may not know that a man‘s body has been found up the shorse." "I know, inspector; I‘ve just been told. But what‘s it got to do with me?" "Well, sir, primarily I‘ve not come to see you." Hhe paused. Was he right in detecting something like relief in Cartâ€" wright‘s tiny eyes? Ssionâ€" "One moment," the inspector interâ€" rupted as he moved towards the door, "T‘a like you, later on, to take a glance at the bedy if you will." "I‘ll fetch h said. tious reply. bettir have a "But she c was nCl relevaln One thing tha to conceal, how? Phyllis on the Mearcroft listen "Do you think between that ar my asked. events â€"â€"~ not, however, in( aforesaid fracas which they was nct relevant to the m One thing that Jimmy sav May or ma ain Phyllis found herself story, and this time it took can | than looked surprised and not but he could not well do retire. When he had gone ned again to Phyllis. this neighbourhood, Miss Y OT ver, was the attack on wreck, and to this, d intently. , there‘s any connection d the shooting?" Jimâ€" it once,"_ Cartwright y l 10 with Miss Laleham." ve you any more inâ€" have," Jimmy told itch in the dark as rd ly., It was not ut if it could not mean to <d as much to in approval. or two with informeq the was the cauâ€" * â€"I. think I‘d THE PORCUPINE ADVANCE, TTMMITNS, ONTARIO In the House of Commons last week one â€" itemâ€"‘"Hudsonâ€"construction _ of scow for aeroplane landing, $710,"â€"was passed in committee. And, watching him, Mearecroft formed the opinion that though he could proâ€" bably lie glibly enough upon cccasion, this time he was speaking the truth. Phyllis too shook her head. * "No," she said, "I do not know him." "You‘re sure?" Mearcroft persisted, "@Quite," she rejoined, puzzled that he should query her statement. The inspector made a vague motion with his hand that might have expressâ€" ed either disappointment or resignation. "That then is that," was all he said. (TO BE CONTINUED) Scow for Aeroplane Landing to be Provided by Dominion "Told ycou it would be a waste of time," he grum‘bsled. "Never seen him in my life before." It was Cartwright he conducted first to where the dead man lay, his face calm and peaceful as if he slept. Cartâ€" wright stared down at him, and then turned away. would 17 Pine St. N. Thank you," he said, "I thought you C. A. Remus JEWELLER Sold by The George Taylor Hardware Limited Branches at Cobalt, New Liskeard, Swastika, Kirkland Lake, Cochrane, Timmins, . Ont., Noranda, Que Phones : 300 and 301 Phone 190 Huntingdon Gleaner:â€"The claim of Big Prairie, O., having a popuation beâ€" tween 200 and 300, that it has only one person on relief and he tco lazy to work, is met by Kenedy county, Tex., with a better record still. This Texa‘s county, having a population of 701, has never had anyone on relief. peculilar to even the I. N. Q,. region of Northern Ontasrio would require longer than that, and then there are the vast areas to the west, each disâ€" trict with its own peculiar needs and problems. Beyond a doubt Mr. Mcâ€" Questen is undertaking his new duties fwith utmost sincerity, and will give them the best of his knowledge and exâ€" perience.. But Mr. McQuesten is a man used to the ways and problems of Souâ€" thern Ontario, and these are distinctly different from those of Northern Onâ€" tario. Things are bigger up here, disâ€" tances are greater, weather conditions are more severe, the country is more rugged, and to top it all the spirit and outlook of the North is entirely difâ€" ferent from that of the South. There were many capaole men in the Dipartâ€" ment of Northern Development under Hon. Teter Heenan and his predecesâ€" sors in that office. They were Northâ€" erners in spirit, if not in fact, and had an appreciation of the North which alded them imineasurably in their work. It would be an ill thing for the North were Mr. McQuesten to decide to disâ€" perse with the services of these men. He needs men who know the North as his advisors, and he has those men right at his fingertips. It has been reéliably reported that Mr. McQuesten intends to reduce Northern Developâ€" ment staffts in many places. No doubt it can ibe done, but if buried too deep 4n the ranks.of public servants the axe of economy kills efficienry. Northern Ontario cannot be without the effiâ€" ciency and services of the Department 6of Northern Developiment, whether it be known by that namâ€"~ or as the Dsâ€" partment of Public Highways." it humanly possible <to cover within that short space of time? To thoroughâ€" ly acquaint oneself with conditions peculiar to even the T. N. 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This and a wide range of other questions is answereq in the handbook, "Beautifying. the Home Grounds of Canada®" issued by the Horâ€" ticulitural Council of Canada, 114 Vitâ€" toria Strest, Ottawa. The opening chapâ€" ter is on Landscape Architectureâ€"Arâ€" rarging â€" and Planting the Home Grcunds, written so that the most junâ€" ior tyro in gardening can readily unâ€" derstand. There are plans to illustrate the arrangzements of lawns, gardens and plantings for the average small house with pictures of what engaging results can be attained. There is also a special chapter dealing with Planting the Farm Home Ground. How to Establish and Maintain a Rock Garden is also fully described and plans are given to indicate how to get the most <ffective layout. 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