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Speaker 1: The Riddle of the five twenty eight by Thomas W. Henshewe.

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It was exactly thirty two minutes past five o'clock on

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the evening of Friday, December ninth, with the station master

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at Annerley received the following communication by wire from the

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signal box at forest Hill, five twenty eight down from

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London Bridge, just passed one first class compartment in total darkness.

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Investigate as two stations Sydenham and Pinge, lie between forest

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Hill and Annerley. In the ordinary course of events, this

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signal box message would have been dispatched to one or

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the other of these, but it so happens that the

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five twenty eight from London Bridge to Croydon is a

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special train which makes no stop short of Annerley station

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on the way down. Consequently, the signalman had no chance

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but to act as he did. Wire fused, I reckon

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or filament burned out. That's the worst of electric light.

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Come into the station master when he received the communication.

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Get a light of some sort from the lamp room. Webb.

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They'll have to put up with that. As far as

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Croydon moose sharp, she'll be along presently. Then he took

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up a lantern, for in addition to fog, a slight

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sifting snow had come on about an hour previously, rendering

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the evening one of darkness and extreme discomfort, and crossed

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by way of the tunnel over to the down platform

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to be ready for the train's arrival, having some little

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difficulty in progressing easily, for it happened that a local

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celebrity had been entertaining the newly elected Lord Mayor that day,

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and in consequence both the up and down platforms were

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unusually crowded for the season, and the hour promptly at

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five forty two, the scheduled time for its arrival, the

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train came pelting up the snow covered metals from Pinge

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and made its first stops. In starting it was packed

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to the point of suffocation, as it always is, and

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in an instant the station was in a state of congestion.

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Far down, the uncovered portion of the platform webbed. The porter,

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who had now joined the station master, spied a gap

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in the long line of brightly lighted windows, and the

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pair bore down upon it forthwith each with a glowing

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lantern in his hand. Here she is now, then, let's

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see what's the difficulty said the station master as they

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came abreast of the lighted compartment, where, much to his surprise,

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he found nobody leaning out and making it to do over.

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The matter looks as if the blessed thing was empty,

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though that's by no means likely in a packed train

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like the five twenty eight. Hello, door's locked, and here's

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an engaged label on the window. What the dickens did

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I do with my key? Oh? Here it is now, then,

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let's see what's amiss. A great deal was a miss

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as he saw the instant he unlocked the door and

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pulled it open for the first lifting of the lantern

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made the cause of the darkness startlingly. The shallow glass globe,

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which should have been in the center of the ceiling

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had been smashed, ragged fragments of it still clinging to

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their fastenings, and the three electric bulbs had been removed bodily.

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A downward glance showed him that both these and the

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fragments of the broken globe lay on one seat, partly

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wrapped in a wet cloth, and on the other. He

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gave a jump and a howl, and retreated a step

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or two in a state of absolute panic, for there

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in a corner, with his face toward the engine, half sat,

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half leaned the figure of a dead man, with a

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bullet hole between his eyes and a small nickel plated

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revolver loosely clasped in the bent fingers of one limp

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and lifeless hand. The body was that of a man

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whose age could not, at the most have exceeded eight

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and thirty, a man who must, in life have been

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more than ordinarily handsome. His hair and mustache were fare,

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his clothing was of extreme elegance in both material and fashioning.

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He wore no jewelry of any description, unless one accepts

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a plain gold ring on the fourth finger of his

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left hand. His feet were shod in patent leather boots,

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and the rack overhead rested a shining silk hat of

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the newest fashion, an orange wood walking stick, and a

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pair of gray suede gloves. An evening paper lay between

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his feet, open as though it had been read, and

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in his buttonhole there was a single mauve orchid of

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exquisite beauty and delicacy. The body was quite alone in

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the compartment, and there was not a scrap of luggage

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of any description. Suicide gulped the startled station master as

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soon as he could find strength to say anything. Then

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he hastily slammed and re locked the door, set web

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on guard before it, and flew to notify the engine

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driver and to send word to the local police. The

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news of the tragedy spread like wildfire, but the station master,

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who had his wits about him, would allow nobody to

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leave the station until the authorities had arrived, and suffered

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no man or woman to come within a yard of

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the compartment where the dead man lay. Someone has said

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that nothing comes by chance. But whether that is true

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or not, it happened that mister Maverick Narkom was among

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those who had attended the lunch in honor of the

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Lord Mayor that day, and that at the very moment

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when this ghastly discovery was made on the down platform

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at Annerley station, he was standing with the crowd on

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the up one, waiting for the train to Victoria. This

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train was to convey Cleek, whom he had promised to

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join an Annerley, returning from a day spent with Captain

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Morrison and his daughter in the beautiful home they had bought.

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When the law decided that the Captain was the legitimate

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heir of George Carboys and lawful successor to Abdul bin

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Meerza's money. As soon as the news of the tragedy

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reached him, mister Narkom crossed to the scene of action

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and made known his identity, and by the time the

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local police reached the theater of events, he was in

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full possession of the case and had already taken certain

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steps with regard to the matter. It was he who

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first thought of looking to see if any name was attached,

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as is often the case, to the engaged label secured

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to the window of the compartment occupied by the dead man.

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There was written in pencil under the blue printed engaged

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were the three words for Lord Stavernel by George. He

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exclaimed as he read the name, which was one that

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half England had heard of at one time or another,

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and knew to belong to a man whose wild, dissipated

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life and violent temper had passed into proverb. Come to

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the end at last? Has he give me your lantern,

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porter and open the door. Let's have a look and

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see if there is any mistake. Or The whistle of

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the arriving train for Victoria cut in upon his words,

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and putting a local police in charge, He ran for

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the tunnel made of the up platform and caught Cleik.

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He remained in conversation with him for two or three

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minutes after the Victoria train had gone on its way,

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and was still talking with him in undertones, when a

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brief time later they appeared from the tunnel and bore

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down on the spot where the local police were on

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guard over the dark compartment. Mister George Headland one of

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my best men, he explained to the local inspector, who

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had just arrived. Let us have all the light you can, please.

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Mister Headland wishes to view the body. Crowd round the

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rest of you and keep the passengers back. Pull down

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the blinds of the compartment before you turn on your

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bull's eyes. All right, Porter, tell the engine drivers he'll

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get his orders in a minute now. Then click Headland,

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decide it rests with you. Clik opened the door of

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the compartment, stepped in, gave one glance at the dead man,

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and then spoke murder. He said, look how the pistol

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lies in his hand. Wait a moment, however, and let

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me make sure. Then he took the revolver from the

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yielding fingers, smelt it, smiled, then broke it and looked

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at the cylinder. Just as I supposed, he added, turning

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to Narkom, one chamber has been fouled by a shot,

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and one cartridge has been exploded. But not today, not

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even yesterday. That sour smell tells its own story, mister Narkom.

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This revolver was discharged two or three days ago. The

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assassin had everything prepared for this little event. But he

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was a fool for all his cleverness. For you will

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observe that in his haste when he put the revolver

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in the dead hand, to make it appear a case

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of suicide, he laid it down just as he himself

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took it from his pocket, with the butt towards the

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victim's body, and the muzzle pointed outward between the thumb

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and forefinger, and with the bottom of the cylinder instead

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of the top of the trigger touching the ball of

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the thumb. It is a clear case of murder, mister Narkham.

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But Sir interposed a station master over he hearing this assertion,

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and looking at Clik with eyes of blank bewilderment. If

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somebody killed him, where has that somebody gone. This train

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has made no stop until now since it started from

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London Bridge, So even if the party was in it

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at the start, how in the world could he get out?

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Maybe he chucked hisself out the window, Governor, suggested Webb.

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Or maybe he slipped out and hung onto the footboard

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until the train slowed down and then dropped off just

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before it come into the station. Here. Don't talk rubbish, web.

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Both doors were locked and both windows closed when we

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discovered the body. You saw that as plainly as eye, lummy,

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sir so I did. Then where could he went to?

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And how station master struck in clik. Turning from examining

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the body, get your men to examine all tickets, both

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in the train and out of it, and if there's

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one that's not clipped as it passed the barrier at

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London Bridge, look out for it and detained holder. I'll

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take the gate here and examine all local tickets. Meantime,

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wire all up the road to every station from here

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to London Bridge and find out if any other signalman

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than the one at Forest Hill noticed this dark compartment

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when the train went past. Both suggestions were acted upon immediately,

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but every ticket, save of course the season ones, and

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the holders of these were in every case identified was

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found to be properly clipped, and in the end every

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signal box from New Cross on wired back, all compartments

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lighted when train passed here. That narrows the search. Mister

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Narkham said, cleek when he heard this. The lights are

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put out somewhere between Honor Oak Park and Forest Hill,

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and it was between Honor Oak Park and Annerley the

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murderer made his escape. Inspector, he turned to the officer

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in commanded the local police, do me a favor, Put

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your men in charge of this carriage and let the

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train proceed. Norwood Junction is the next station, I believe,

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and there's a sidetrack there. Have the carriage shunted and

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keep close guard over it until mister Narkham and I arrive.

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Right you are, sir, anything else, yes, have the station

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master at the junction equip a hand car with a

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searchlight and send it here as expeditiously as possible. If

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anybody or anything has left this train between this point

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and Honor Oak Park, Mister Narkham, this thin coating of

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snow will betray the fact beyond the question of a doubt.

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Twenty minutes later, the hand car put in an appearance,

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manned by a couple of linesmen from the junction, and

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word having been wired up the line to hold back

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all trains for a period of half an hour in

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the interest of Scotland. Yard Cleek and Narkham boarded the

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vehicle and went whizzing up the metals in the direction

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of Honeroak Park, the shifting searchlight sweeping the path from

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left to right and glaring brilliantly on the surface of

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the fallen snow. Four lines of tracks gleamed steel bright

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against its spotless level, the two outer ones being those

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employed by the local trains going to and fro between

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London and the suburbs, the two inner ones belonging to

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the main line. But not one footstep indented the thin

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surface of that broad expanse of snow from one end

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of the journey to the other. The murderer, whoever he is,

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or wherever he went, never set foot upon so much

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as one inch of this ground. That's certain, said Narkham,

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as he gave the order to reverse the car. In return,

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you feel satisfied of that, do you not, my dear

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fellow thoroughly, mister Narkham. There can't be two opinions upon

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that point. But at the same time he did leave

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the train, otherwise we should have found him in it, granted,

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But the question is when did he get in and

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how did he get out? We know from the evidence

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of the passengers that the train never stopped for one

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inch between London Bridge Station and Annerley, that all compartments

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were alight up to the time it passed Honor Oak Park,

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that nobody abroad of it heard a sound of a

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pistol shot. That the assassin could not have crept along

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the footboard and got into some other compartment, for all

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were so densely crowded that half a dozen people were

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standing in each So he could not have entered without

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somebody making room for him to open the door and

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get in. No such thing happened. No such thing could

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happen without a dozen or more people being aware of it.

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So the idea of a confederate may be dismissed without

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a thought. The unmarked surface of the snow shows that

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nobody alighted was thrown out or fell out between the

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two points where the tragedy must have occurred. Both windows

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were shut and both doors of the compartment locked when

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the train made its first stop, Yet the fellow was gone.

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My dear Chap, are you sure, are you really sure

240
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that it isn't a case of suicie? After all? Cleek

241
00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:06,919
gave his shoulders a lurch and smiled indulgently. My dear

242
00:14:06,960 --> 00:14:10,240
mister Markham, he said, the position of the revolver in

243
00:14:10,279 --> 00:14:12,879
the dead man's hand ought, as I pointed out to you,

244
00:14:13,480 --> 00:14:16,240
to settle that question, even if there were no other

245
00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:20,360
discrepancies in the natural order of things, a man who

246
00:14:20,399 --> 00:14:22,840
has just put a bullet into his own brain would

247
00:14:23,200 --> 00:14:26,919
if he were sitting erect, as Lord Stavnault was, dropped

248
00:14:26,919 --> 00:14:29,639
the revolver in the spasmodic opening and shutting of the

249
00:14:29,679 --> 00:14:33,440
hands in the final convulsion. But if he retained any

250
00:14:33,480 --> 00:14:36,320
sort of hold upon it, be sure his forefinger would

251
00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:38,759
be in the loop of the trigger. He wouldn't be

252
00:14:38,759 --> 00:14:41,879
holding the weapon backward, so to speak, with the cylinder

253
00:14:41,919 --> 00:14:44,559
against the ball of his thumb and the hammer against

254
00:14:44,559 --> 00:14:47,360
the base of the middle finger. If he had held

255
00:14:47,399 --> 00:14:50,240
it that way, he simply couldn't have shot himself if

256
00:14:50,279 --> 00:14:53,960
he had tried. Then, if you didn't remark it. There

257
00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:56,720
was no scorch of powder upon the face, for another thing,

258
00:14:57,360 --> 00:15:00,600
and for a third the bullet hole was between the eyes,

259
00:15:00,960 --> 00:15:03,759
a most unlikely target for a man bent upon blowing

260
00:15:03,759 --> 00:15:07,039
out his own brains. The temple or the roof of

261
00:15:07,039 --> 00:15:10,320
the mouth are the points to which natural impulse. He

262
00:15:10,399 --> 00:15:13,519
stopped and laid a sharp, quick shutting hand on the

263
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shoulder of one of the two men who were operating

264
00:15:15,519 --> 00:15:19,559
the car. Turn back, he exclaimed, Reverse the action and

265
00:15:19,600 --> 00:15:23,639
go back a dozen yards or so. The impetus of

266
00:15:23,639 --> 00:15:26,320
the car would not permit this at once, but after

267
00:15:26,399 --> 00:15:28,960
running on for a little time longer, it answered to

268
00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:32,919
the brake, slowed down, stopped, and then began to back

269
00:15:33,080 --> 00:15:36,159
scudding along the rail until Cleek again called it to

270
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a halt. They were within gunshot of the station at

271
00:15:39,799 --> 00:15:43,840
Sydenham when this occurred. The glaring searchlight was still playing

272
00:15:43,879 --> 00:15:46,480
on the metals, and the thin layer of snow between

273
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and Cleik's face seemed all eyes as he bent over

274
00:15:50,480 --> 00:15:53,559
and studied the ground over which they were gliding. Of

275
00:15:53,639 --> 00:15:57,600
a sudden, however, he gave a little satisfied drunt, jumped

276
00:15:57,639 --> 00:16:00,840
down and picked up a shining metal object about two

277
00:16:00,879 --> 00:16:03,279
and a half inches long, which lay in the space

278
00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:05,840
between the tracks of the main and the local lines.

279
00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:09,919
It was a guard's key for the locking and unlocking

280
00:16:09,960 --> 00:16:13,240
of compartment doors, one of the small T shaped kind

281
00:16:13,679 --> 00:16:16,799
that you can buy of almost any ironmonger for sixpence

282
00:16:17,039 --> 00:16:20,320
or a shilling any day. It was wet from contact

283
00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:23,559
with the snow, but quite unrusted, showing that it had

284
00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:26,120
not been lying there long, and it needed but a

285
00:16:26,159 --> 00:16:29,039
glance to reveal the fact that it was brand new

286
00:16:29,159 --> 00:16:33,120
and of recent purchase. Cleek held it out on his

287
00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:37,240
palm as he climbed back upon the car and rejoined Narkham.

288
00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:40,559
Wherever he got on, mister Narkham, this is where the

289
00:16:40,639 --> 00:16:43,759
murderer got off, you see, and either dropped or flung

290
00:16:43,799 --> 00:16:47,240
away this key when he had relocked the compartment after him,

291
00:16:47,279 --> 00:16:50,480
he said, And yet, as you see, there is not

292
00:16:50,559 --> 00:16:54,200
a footstep beyond those I have myself just made to

293
00:16:54,240 --> 00:16:57,960
be discovered anywhere from the position in which this key

294
00:16:58,039 --> 00:17:01,360
was lying. One thing is certain. However, our man got

295
00:17:01,399 --> 00:17:04,559
out on the opposite side from the platform towards which

296
00:17:04,599 --> 00:17:06,880
the train was hastening, and in the middle of the

297
00:17:06,960 --> 00:17:10,519
right of way. What a mad idea. If there had

298
00:17:10,559 --> 00:17:12,960
been a main line express passing at the time, the

299
00:17:13,000 --> 00:17:16,119
fellow ran the risk of being cut to pieces. None

300
00:17:16,160 --> 00:17:18,240
of them slowed down before they prepared to make their

301
00:17:18,240 --> 00:17:21,839
first stop aties Croydon, and about this spot they would

302
00:17:21,839 --> 00:17:26,359
be going like the wind, yes, said Cleek, looking fixedly

303
00:17:26,400 --> 00:17:29,279
at the shiny bit of metal on his palm, going

304
00:17:29,480 --> 00:17:32,559
like the wind, and the suction would be enormous between

305
00:17:32,599 --> 00:17:36,079
two trains. A step outside and he'd have been under

306
00:17:36,079 --> 00:17:38,720
the wheels in a wink. Yes, it would have been

307
00:17:38,799 --> 00:17:41,559
certain death, instant death, if there had been a main

308
00:17:41,640 --> 00:17:44,319
line train passing at the time, and that he was

309
00:17:44,359 --> 00:17:47,160
not sucked down and ground under the wheels proved that

310
00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:50,759
there wasn't. Then he puckered up his brows in that

311
00:17:50,839 --> 00:17:54,319
manner which Narkam had come to understand meant a thoughtfulness,

312
00:17:54,359 --> 00:17:57,640
it was impolitic to disturb, and stood silent for a

313
00:17:57,680 --> 00:18:02,759
long long time. Narkham he said, suddenly, I think we

314
00:18:02,799 --> 00:18:05,200
have discovered all that there is to be discovered in

315
00:18:05,200 --> 00:18:08,359
this direction. Let us get on to Norwood Junction as

316
00:18:08,400 --> 00:18:11,880
speedily as possible. I want to examine that compartment and

317
00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:15,839
that dead body a little more closely. Besides Our half

318
00:18:15,880 --> 00:18:18,440
hour is up, and the trains will be running again shortly,

319
00:18:18,559 --> 00:18:21,799
so we'd better get out of the way. Any ideas,

320
00:18:21,839 --> 00:18:25,440
old chap, Yes, bushels of them, but they all may

321
00:18:25,440 --> 00:18:29,039
be exploded in another half hour. Still, these are the

322
00:18:29,119 --> 00:18:32,920
days of scientific marvels. Water does run uphill and men

323
00:18:33,039 --> 00:18:35,799
do fly, and both are in defiance of the laws

324
00:18:35,799 --> 00:18:39,799
of gravitation, which means that I shall leave the hand

325
00:18:39,799 --> 00:18:42,839
car at Sydenham, mister Narkham, and phone up to London

326
00:18:42,880 --> 00:18:45,640
Bridge station. There are one or two points I wish

327
00:18:45,720 --> 00:18:49,640
to ask some questions about. Afterward, I'll hire a motor

328
00:18:49,680 --> 00:18:52,720
from some local garage and join you at Norwood Junction

329
00:18:52,839 --> 00:18:55,839
in an hour's time. Let no one see the body

330
00:18:55,920 --> 00:18:58,359
or enter the compartment where it lies until I come.

331
00:18:59,160 --> 00:19:03,200
One question, however, is my memory at fault or was

332
00:19:03,240 --> 00:19:05,680
it not Lord Stavarnail, who was mixed up in that

333
00:19:05,759 --> 00:19:10,759
little affair with the French dancer Mademoiselle Fifi de Lesparre,

334
00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:14,680
who has such a rage in town about a year ago. Yes,

335
00:19:14,799 --> 00:19:18,160
that's the chap, said Narkom in reply. And a rare

336
00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:20,319
bad lot he has been all his life, I can

337
00:19:20,359 --> 00:19:23,640
tell you. I dare say that Fifi herself was no

338
00:19:23,720 --> 00:19:26,480
better than she ought to have been, chucking over her

339
00:19:26,519 --> 00:19:29,880
county bred husband as soon as she came into popularity

340
00:19:30,359 --> 00:19:33,160
and having men of the Stavnail class tagging after her.

341
00:19:33,759 --> 00:19:37,279
But whether she was or was not, Stavnail broke up

342
00:19:37,319 --> 00:19:40,079
that home. And if that French husband had done the

343
00:19:40,119 --> 00:19:42,680
right thing, he would have thrashed him within an inch

344
00:19:42,720 --> 00:19:45,279
of his life. Instead of acting like a fool in

345
00:19:45,319 --> 00:19:49,200
a play and challenging him, Stavarnil laughed at the challenge,

346
00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:51,480
of course, And if all that is said of him

347
00:19:51,519 --> 00:19:54,000
is true, he was at the bottom of the shabby

348
00:19:54,039 --> 00:19:56,680
trick which finally forced the poor devil to get out

349
00:19:56,720 --> 00:20:00,400
of the country. When his wife Fifi left him, the

350
00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:03,559
poor wretch nearly went off his head, and as he

351
00:20:03,599 --> 00:20:06,079
hadn't fifty shillings in the world, he was in a

352
00:20:06,200 --> 00:20:09,359
dickens of a pickle when somebody induced a lot of

353
00:20:09,400 --> 00:20:12,640
Milliner's dressmakers and the like, to whom it was said

354
00:20:12,640 --> 00:20:15,799
that Fifi owed bills, to put their accounts into the

355
00:20:15,839 --> 00:20:19,200
hands of a collecting agency and to proceed against him

356
00:20:19,240 --> 00:20:22,440
for settlement of his wife's accounts. That was why he

357
00:20:22,480 --> 00:20:25,519
got out of the country. Posthaste. The case made a

358
00:20:25,559 --> 00:20:28,000
great stir at the time, and the scandal of it

359
00:20:28,079 --> 00:20:30,839
was so great that, although the fact never got into

360
00:20:30,839 --> 00:20:34,839
the papers, Stavardell's wife left him, refusing to live another

361
00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:39,200
hour with such a man. Oh he had a wife then, yes,

362
00:20:39,839 --> 00:20:42,440
one of the most beautiful women in the kingdom. They

363
00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:44,640
had been married only a year when the scandal of

364
00:20:44,640 --> 00:20:48,599
the Fifi affair arose. That was another of his dirty tricks,

365
00:20:48,640 --> 00:20:52,200
forcing that poor creature to marry him. She did so

366
00:20:52,319 --> 00:20:56,640
against her will. Yes, she was engaged to another fellow

367
00:20:56,640 --> 00:20:59,720
at the time, an army chap who was out in India.

368
00:21:00,039 --> 00:21:02,920
Her father, too was an army man, a Colonel something

369
00:21:03,000 --> 00:21:06,759
or other. Poor as the proverbial church mouse, addicted to

370
00:21:06,839 --> 00:21:10,799
hard drinking, card playing, horse racing, and about as selfish

371
00:21:10,839 --> 00:21:13,599
an old brute as they make him. The girl took

372
00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:16,640
a deep dislike to Lord Stavarnail the minute she saw him,

373
00:21:17,279 --> 00:21:20,920
knew his reputation, and refused to receive him. That's the

374
00:21:21,039 --> 00:21:24,119
very reason he determined to marry her, humble her pride

375
00:21:24,119 --> 00:21:26,839
as it were, and repay her for her scorn of him.

376
00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:30,920
He got her father into his clutches deliberately, of course,

377
00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:34,480
lent him money, took his io us for card debts,

378
00:21:34,519 --> 00:21:37,119
and all that sort of thing, until the old brute

379
00:21:37,160 --> 00:21:39,240
was up to his ears in debt and with no

380
00:21:39,279 --> 00:21:42,519
prospect of paying it off. Of course, when he'd got

381
00:21:42,559 --> 00:21:46,319
him to that point, Stavarnail demanded the money, but finally

382
00:21:46,359 --> 00:21:49,039
agreed to wipe the debt out entirely if a daughter

383
00:21:49,119 --> 00:21:53,039
married him. They went at her, poor creature, those two

384
00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:56,519
with all the mercilessness of a couple of wolves. Her

385
00:21:56,559 --> 00:21:59,960
father would be disgraced, kicked out of the army, barred

386
00:22:00,039 --> 00:22:02,920
from all the clubs, reduced to beggary and all that

387
00:22:03,160 --> 00:22:05,480
if she did not yield. And in the end they

388
00:22:05,519 --> 00:22:08,359
so played upon her feelings that to save him she

389
00:22:08,440 --> 00:22:11,759
gave in. Stavarnil took out a special license and they

390
00:22:11,759 --> 00:22:16,160
were married. Of course, the man never cared for her.

391
00:22:16,519 --> 00:22:19,240
He only wanted his revenge on her, and they say

392
00:22:19,279 --> 00:22:21,319
he led her a dog's life from the hour they

393
00:22:21,319 --> 00:22:25,319
came back to England from their honeymoon. Poor creature, said

394
00:22:25,319 --> 00:22:29,000
Cleek sympathetically. And what became of the other chap, the

395
00:22:29,079 --> 00:22:31,359
lover she wanted to marry, and who was out in

396
00:22:31,359 --> 00:22:34,599
India at the time. All this happened. Oh they say

397
00:22:34,640 --> 00:22:36,559
he went on like a madman when he heard it,

398
00:22:37,039 --> 00:22:40,599
swore he'd kill Stavarnail and all that, but quieted down

399
00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:43,599
after a time and accepted the inevitable with the best

400
00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:47,599
grace possible. Crawford is his name. He was a lieutenant

401
00:22:47,640 --> 00:22:50,799
at the time, but he's got his captaincy since, and

402
00:22:50,839 --> 00:22:53,400
I believe he is on leave and in England at present,

403
00:22:53,960 --> 00:22:56,319
as madly and as hopelessly in love with the girl

404
00:22:56,359 --> 00:23:01,000
of his heart as ever. Why hopelessly, mister Mark, such

405
00:23:01,039 --> 00:23:03,519
a man as Stavnil must have given his wife grounds

406
00:23:03,519 --> 00:23:06,880
for divorce a dozen times over, not a doubt of it.

407
00:23:07,599 --> 00:23:09,680
There isn't a judge in England who wouldn't have set

408
00:23:09,680 --> 00:23:12,359
her free from the scoundrel long ago if she had

409
00:23:12,400 --> 00:23:15,160
cared to bring the case into the courts. But Lady

410
00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:18,720
Stavnail is a strong churchwoman, my dear fellow. She doesn't

411
00:23:18,759 --> 00:23:21,880
believe in divorce, and nothing on earth could persuade her

412
00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:25,119
to marry Captain Crawford so long as her first husband

413
00:23:25,119 --> 00:23:30,039
still remained alive. Oh ho, said Cleek. Then Fefe's husband

414
00:23:30,119 --> 00:23:32,319
isn't the only man with a grievance and a cause

415
00:23:32,799 --> 00:23:37,440
there's another, eh, another. I expect there must be a dozen,

416
00:23:37,480 --> 00:23:40,319
if truth were known. There's only one creature in the

417
00:23:40,359 --> 00:23:43,039
world I ever heard of as having a good word

418
00:23:43,079 --> 00:23:45,720
to say for the man. And who might that be?

419
00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:51,279
The honorable missus Brinkworth, widow of his younger brother. You'd

420
00:23:51,279 --> 00:23:53,400
think the man was an angel to hear her sing

421
00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:57,240
his praises. Her husband, too, was a wild sort, left

422
00:23:57,240 --> 00:23:59,160
her up to her ears in debt, without a penny

423
00:23:59,160 --> 00:24:01,920
to bless herself, with a boy of five to rear

424
00:24:01,920 --> 00:24:06,039
and educate. Stavnell seems always to have liked her at

425
00:24:06,079 --> 00:24:08,960
any rate. He came to the rescue, paid off the debts,

426
00:24:09,279 --> 00:24:12,279
settled an annuity upon her, and arranged to have the

427
00:24:12,279 --> 00:24:14,519
boy sent to Eton as soon as he was old enough.

428
00:24:15,240 --> 00:24:17,279
I expect the boy is at the bottom of his

429
00:24:17,319 --> 00:24:21,319
good streak in him, if all is told, for having

430
00:24:21,319 --> 00:24:25,000
no children of his own, I say, by George old Chap,

431
00:24:25,359 --> 00:24:28,319
why that nipper, being the heir in the direct line,

432
00:24:28,880 --> 00:24:31,559
is Lord Stavnil Now if the uncle is dead, a

433
00:24:31,680 --> 00:24:37,039
lucky stroke for him by Jupiter, Yes, agreed, Cleik. Lucky

434
00:24:37,079 --> 00:24:41,480
for him, lucky for Lady Stavnail, lucky for Captain Crawford

435
00:24:41,880 --> 00:24:46,640
and unlucky for the honorable Missus Brinkworth and Mademoiselle Fifi

436
00:24:46,759 --> 00:24:50,839
de L's farre, so, of course ah sitting him at last.

437
00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:54,000
Good Bye for a little time, mister Narkham, join you

438
00:24:54,039 --> 00:24:58,720
at Norwood Junction as soon as possible, and I say, yes,

439
00:24:58,759 --> 00:25:02,440
old chap wire through to the low level station at

440
00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:06,079
Crystal Palace, would you and inquire if anybody has mislaid

441
00:25:06,079 --> 00:25:09,839
an ironing board or lost an Indian canoe. See you later.

442
00:25:09,960 --> 00:25:13,640
So long? Then he stepped up onto the station platform

443
00:25:13,960 --> 00:25:17,920
and went in quest of a telephone booth. Part two.

444
00:25:19,039 --> 00:25:21,079
It was after nine o'clock when he turned up at

445
00:25:21,079 --> 00:25:25,599
Norwood Junction, as calm, serene and imperturbable as ever, and

446
00:25:25,680 --> 00:25:29,039
found Narkham awaiting him in a small private room which

447
00:25:29,079 --> 00:25:33,559
the station clerk had placed at his disposal. My dear fellow,

448
00:25:33,599 --> 00:25:37,279
I never was so glad, exclaimed the Superintendent, jumping up

449
00:25:37,279 --> 00:25:40,759
excitedly as Cleik entered, what kept you so long? I've

450
00:25:40,839 --> 00:25:44,799
been on thorns god bushels to tell you. First off,

451
00:25:45,240 --> 00:25:49,240
as Stavarnail's identity is established beyond doubt, and no time

452
00:25:49,240 --> 00:25:51,400
has been lost in wiring the news of his murder

453
00:25:51,400 --> 00:25:55,799
to his relatives. Both Lady Stavarnil and Missus Brinkworth have

454
00:25:55,920 --> 00:25:58,839
wired back that they are coming on. I expect them

455
00:25:58,839 --> 00:26:01,559
at any minute now. And here's a piece of news

456
00:26:01,599 --> 00:26:05,799
for you. Fefe's husband is in England. The honorable Missus

457
00:26:05,799 --> 00:26:09,039
Brinkworth has wired me to that effect. Says she has

458
00:26:09,160 --> 00:26:11,319
means of knowing that he came over from France the

459
00:26:11,359 --> 00:26:14,240
other day, and that she herself saw him in London

460
00:26:14,279 --> 00:26:18,839
this morning when she was up there shopping. Oh, commented

461
00:26:18,839 --> 00:26:22,799
Cleik got her wits about her. That lady evidently find

462
00:26:22,839 --> 00:26:26,519
anything at the Crystal Palace low level, mister Narkham, Yes,

463
00:26:26,599 --> 00:26:29,039
my dear Cleik. I don't know whether you are a

464
00:26:29,039 --> 00:26:32,000
wizard or what. And I can't conceive what reason you

465
00:26:32,039 --> 00:26:35,799
can have for making such an inquiry. But which was it?

466
00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:40,440
Canoe or ironing board? Neither as it happens, But they've

467
00:26:40,440 --> 00:26:43,400
got a lady's folding cutting table, you know, the sort,

468
00:26:43,759 --> 00:26:47,119
one of those that women use for dressmaking operations, and

469
00:26:47,240 --> 00:26:49,720
possible to be folded up flat so they can be

470
00:26:49,759 --> 00:26:53,400
tucked away. Nobody knows who left it, but it's there

471
00:26:53,440 --> 00:26:56,960
awaiting an owner, and it was found. Oh, I can

472
00:26:57,000 --> 00:27:02,000
guess that interposed cleek nonchalantly. It was in a first

473
00:27:02,039 --> 00:27:05,920
class compartment of the five eighteen from London Bridge, which

474
00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:09,440
reached a low level at five forty three. No, never

475
00:27:09,480 --> 00:27:12,559
mind questions for a few minutes. Please let's go and

476
00:27:12,599 --> 00:27:15,319
have a look at the body. I want to satisfy

477
00:27:15,359 --> 00:27:18,599
myself regarding the point of what in the world Stavnel

478
00:27:18,680 --> 00:27:21,480
was doing on a suburban train and a time when

479
00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:24,200
he ought properly to be on his way home to

480
00:27:24,279 --> 00:27:27,200
his rooms at the Ritz, preparing to dress for dinner.

481
00:27:27,559 --> 00:27:30,839
And I want to find out, if possible, what means

482
00:27:30,880 --> 00:27:33,519
that chap with a little dark mustache used to get

483
00:27:33,559 --> 00:27:36,680
him to go out of town in his ordinary afternoon

484
00:27:36,759 --> 00:27:41,559
dress and buy that particular train. Chap with a small

485
00:27:41,640 --> 00:27:45,680
dark mustache, Who do you mean by that party that

486
00:27:45,799 --> 00:27:49,079
killed him? My phone to London Bridge station has cleared

487
00:27:49,079 --> 00:27:53,000
the way a bit. It seems that Lord Stavarnel engaged

488
00:27:53,079 --> 00:27:56,720
that compartment in that particular train by telephone at three

489
00:27:56,759 --> 00:28:00,799
o'clock this afternoon. He arrived all alone and was in

490
00:28:00,920 --> 00:28:03,279
no end of a temper because the carriage was dirty,

491
00:28:03,920 --> 00:28:06,480
had it swept out, and stood waiting while it was

492
00:28:06,519 --> 00:28:09,720
being done. After that the porter says he found him

493
00:28:09,759 --> 00:28:13,839
laughing and talking with a dark mustache little man apparently

494
00:28:13,880 --> 00:28:17,920
of continental origin, dressed in a Norfolk suit and carrying

495
00:28:17,920 --> 00:28:23,119
a brown leather portmanteau. Of course, as the platform was crowded,

496
00:28:23,440 --> 00:28:25,759
nobody seems to have taken any notice of the dark

497
00:28:25,839 --> 00:28:28,960
mustache little man. And the porter doesn't know where he

498
00:28:29,039 --> 00:28:32,160
went nor when, only that he never saw him again.

499
00:28:32,960 --> 00:28:35,519
But I know where he went, mister Narkham. And I

500
00:28:35,599 --> 00:28:39,039
know too what was in that portmanteau. An air pistol

501
00:28:39,119 --> 00:28:42,640
for one thing, also a mallet or hammer, and that

502
00:28:42,680 --> 00:28:45,400
wet cloth we found, both of which were for the

503
00:28:45,440 --> 00:28:49,200
purpose of smashing the electric light globe without sound. And

504
00:28:49,279 --> 00:28:53,119
he went into that compartment with his victim, yes, but

505
00:28:53,480 --> 00:28:56,359
man alive. How did he get out? Where did he

506
00:28:56,440 --> 00:28:59,599
go after that? And what became of the brown leather portmanteau.

507
00:29:01,039 --> 00:29:03,319
I hope to be able to answer both questions before

508
00:29:03,359 --> 00:29:06,960
this night is over, mister Narkham. Meantime, let us go

509
00:29:07,039 --> 00:29:09,200
and have a look at the body and settle one

510
00:29:09,200 --> 00:29:13,240
of the little points to bother me. The superintendent led

511
00:29:13,279 --> 00:29:16,160
the way to the siding, where the shunted carriage stood

512
00:29:16,319 --> 00:29:20,079
closely guarded by the police in lanterns having been produced

513
00:29:20,079 --> 00:29:22,720
from the lamp room, Cleek was soon deep in the

514
00:29:22,759 --> 00:29:28,079
business of examining the compartment and its silent occupant. Aided

515
00:29:28,119 --> 00:29:31,480
by the better light, he now perceived something which in

516
00:29:31,519 --> 00:29:35,160
the first hurried examination had escaped him, or if it

517
00:29:35,200 --> 00:29:38,440
had not, which is perhaps open to question, he had

518
00:29:38,480 --> 00:29:42,079
made no comment upon. It was a spot about the

519
00:29:42,119 --> 00:29:44,839
size of an ordinary dinner plate on the crimson carpet

520
00:29:44,880 --> 00:29:48,200
which covered the floor of the compartment. It was slightly

521
00:29:48,279 --> 00:29:50,559
darker than the rest of the surface, and was at

522
00:29:50,599 --> 00:29:53,599
the foot of the corner seat, directly facing the dead man.

523
00:29:54,880 --> 00:29:57,400
I think we can fairly decide, mister Narkham, on the

524
00:29:57,400 --> 00:30:01,200
evidence of that, said Cleek, pointing to it, that Lord

525
00:30:01,240 --> 00:30:04,720
Stavnil did have a companion in this compartment, and that

526
00:30:04,839 --> 00:30:07,359
it was the little dark man with a small mustache.

527
00:30:08,079 --> 00:30:11,359
Put your hand on that spot damp. You see the

528
00:30:11,400 --> 00:30:14,519
effect of someone who had walked through the snows sitting

529
00:30:14,559 --> 00:30:18,359
down with his feet on this particular seat. Now look here.

530
00:30:19,200 --> 00:30:22,000
He passed his handkerchief over the stain and held it

531
00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:25,880
out for Narkham's inspection. It was slightly browned by the operation.

532
00:30:27,039 --> 00:30:29,400
Just the amount of dirt the soles of one's boots

533
00:30:29,599 --> 00:30:32,079
would be likely to collect if one came with wet

534
00:30:32,119 --> 00:30:36,440
feet along the muddy platform of the station. Yes, but

535
00:30:36,640 --> 00:30:40,240
my dear Chap, that might easily have happened, particularly on

536
00:30:40,279 --> 00:30:43,680
such a day as this has been before Lord Stavnel's arrival.

537
00:30:44,160 --> 00:30:46,319
He can't have been the only person to enter this

538
00:30:46,359 --> 00:30:50,799
compartment since morning, granted, but he is supposed to have

539
00:30:50,839 --> 00:30:53,279
been the only person who entered it after it was

540
00:30:53,319 --> 00:30:56,880
swept mister Narkham, And that, as I told you, was

541
00:30:56,960 --> 00:31:01,240
done by his orders immediately before the train started. We've

542
00:31:01,279 --> 00:31:04,480
got past the point of guesswork. Now we've established a

543
00:31:04,559 --> 00:31:08,240
presence of the second party beyond all question. We also

544
00:31:08,440 --> 00:31:11,200
know that he was a person with whom Stavarnil felt

545
00:31:11,200 --> 00:31:14,400
at ease and was intimate enough with to feel no

546
00:31:14,519 --> 00:31:18,119
necessity for putting himself out by entertaining with those little

547
00:31:18,160 --> 00:31:22,599
courtesies one is naturally obliged to show a guest. How

548
00:31:22,599 --> 00:31:26,720
do you make that out? This newspaper he was reading

549
00:31:26,759 --> 00:31:29,119
at the time he was shot. You can see for

550
00:31:29,160 --> 00:31:32,359
yourself where the bullet went through this hole here close

551
00:31:32,440 --> 00:31:35,240
to the top of the paper. When a man invites

552
00:31:35,279 --> 00:31:38,279
another man to occupy with him a compartment which he

553
00:31:38,319 --> 00:31:41,920
has engaged for his own exclusive use. And this Stavnil

554
00:31:42,000 --> 00:31:45,000
must have done. Otherwise the man couldn't have been traveling

555
00:31:45,039 --> 00:31:48,240
with him and then proceeds to read the news instead

556
00:31:48,240 --> 00:31:51,160
of troubling himself to treat his companion as a guest.

557
00:31:51,839 --> 00:31:54,279
It is pretty safe to say that they are acquaintances

558
00:31:54,319 --> 00:31:57,839
of long standing and upon such terms of intimacy that

559
00:31:57,960 --> 00:32:02,279
the social amenities may be disposed with inoffensively. Now look

560
00:32:02,279 --> 00:32:05,319
at the position of this newspaper, lying between the dead

561
00:32:05,319 --> 00:32:08,519
man's feet, curved round the ankle and the lower part

562
00:32:08,519 --> 00:32:11,200
of the calf of the left leg. If we hadn't

563
00:32:11,240 --> 00:32:13,519
found the key, we should still have known that the

564
00:32:13,599 --> 00:32:16,920
murderer got out of that side of the carriage. How

565
00:32:16,960 --> 00:32:20,839
should we have known, because a paper which has simply

566
00:32:20,880 --> 00:32:24,200
been dropped could not have assumed that position without the

567
00:32:24,240 --> 00:32:27,200
aid of a strong current of air. The opening of

568
00:32:27,240 --> 00:32:29,200
that door on the right hand side of the body

569
00:32:29,240 --> 00:32:32,359
supplied that current, and supplied it with such strength and

570
00:32:32,440 --> 00:32:36,640
violence that the paper was, as one might say, absolutely

571
00:32:36,680 --> 00:32:40,119
sucked around the man's leg. That is a positive proof

572
00:32:40,400 --> 00:32:42,519
that the train was moving at the time it happened.

573
00:32:42,960 --> 00:32:46,400
For the day, as you know, has been windless. Now look,

574
00:32:47,000 --> 00:32:49,759
no powder on the face, no smell of it in

575
00:32:49,799 --> 00:32:52,640
the compartment, and yet the pistol found in his hand

576
00:32:53,119 --> 00:32:57,799
is an ordinary American made thirty eight caliber revolver. We

577
00:32:57,920 --> 00:33:00,599
have an amateur assassin to deal with, mister Ti Kham,

578
00:33:00,720 --> 00:33:03,839
not a hardened criminal. And the witlessness of the fellow

579
00:33:03,920 --> 00:33:05,839
is enough to bring the case to an end before

580
00:33:05,880 --> 00:33:09,359
this night is over. Why didn't he discharge that revolver

581
00:33:09,440 --> 00:33:12,480
today and have enough sense to bring a thimbleful of

582
00:33:12,519 --> 00:33:16,039
powder to burn in this compartment? After the work was done,

583
00:33:16,240 --> 00:33:18,799
one knows in an instant that the weapon used was

584
00:33:18,839 --> 00:33:21,480
an air pistol, and that the fellow's only thought was

585
00:33:21,519 --> 00:33:24,359
how to do the thing without sound, not how to

586
00:33:24,359 --> 00:33:26,960
do it with since And I don't suppose there are

587
00:33:27,000 --> 00:33:30,160
three places in all London that stock air pistols, and

588
00:33:30,200 --> 00:33:32,440
I don't suppose that they sell so many as too,

589
00:33:32,519 --> 00:33:35,359
in a whole year's time. But if one has been

590
00:33:35,400 --> 00:33:37,400
sold or repaired at any of the shops in the

591
00:33:37,440 --> 00:33:41,119
past six months, well Dobbs will know that. In less

592
00:33:41,119 --> 00:33:44,599
than no time I phoned him to make inquiries. His

593
00:33:44,759 --> 00:33:47,240
task's an easy one, and I've no doubt he will

594
00:33:47,240 --> 00:33:50,279
bring back the word I want in short order. And now,

595
00:33:50,319 --> 00:33:53,599
mister Narkham, as our friendly assassin, is such a blundering,

596
00:33:53,920 --> 00:33:58,039
short sighted individual, it's just possible that for getting so

597
00:33:58,119 --> 00:34:00,920
many other important things he he may have neglected to

598
00:34:00,960 --> 00:34:03,559
search the body of his victim. Let us do that

599
00:34:03,680 --> 00:34:07,559
for him. As he spoke, he bent over the dead

600
00:34:07,599 --> 00:34:11,159
man and commenced to search the clothing. He slid his

601
00:34:11,239 --> 00:34:14,159
hand into the inner pocket of the creaseless morning coat

602
00:34:14,320 --> 00:34:16,840
and drew out a notebook and two or three letters.

603
00:34:17,280 --> 00:34:20,079
All were addressed in the handwriting of women, but only

604
00:34:20,119 --> 00:34:23,440
one seemed to possess any interest for Cleek. It was

605
00:34:23,480 --> 00:34:27,000
written on pink note paper, enclosed in a pink envelope,

606
00:34:27,360 --> 00:34:31,800
and was postmarked Croydon, December ninth, two thirty p m.

607
00:34:32,599 --> 00:34:35,360
And bore those outward marks which we tookened his delivery

608
00:34:35,800 --> 00:34:38,800
not in course of post, but by an express messenger.

609
00:34:40,000 --> 00:34:42,559
One instant after Cleik had looked at it, he knew

610
00:34:42,559 --> 00:34:45,480
he need seek no further for the information he desired.

611
00:34:46,119 --> 00:34:50,559
It read, Piggy, stupid boy. The ball of the dress

612
00:34:50,599 --> 00:34:53,760
fancy is not for tomorrow, but tonight. I have made

613
00:34:53,800 --> 00:34:57,079
sudden discoverment. Come quick by the train that shall leave

614
00:34:57,159 --> 00:34:59,639
London Bridge at the time of twenty eight minute after

615
00:34:59,639 --> 00:35:02,840
the hour. You shall not fail of this, or it

616
00:35:02,880 --> 00:35:05,800
shall make much difficulties for me as I come to

617
00:35:05,840 --> 00:35:08,800
meet it on arrival. Do not bother of the costume.

618
00:35:09,119 --> 00:35:11,639
I will have one ready for you. I have one

619
00:35:11,719 --> 00:35:14,440
large joke of the somebody else that is coming, which

620
00:35:14,480 --> 00:35:18,880
will make you scream of the laughter. Burn this Fifi

621
00:35:19,159 --> 00:35:22,239
at the bottom of the sheet. Do burn this. I

622
00:35:22,280 --> 00:35:24,719
have hurt the hand and must use the writing of

623
00:35:24,719 --> 00:35:27,119
my maid, and I do not want you to treasure that.

624
00:35:28,719 --> 00:35:32,000
There's the explanation, mister Narkham, said Cleek, as he held

625
00:35:32,000 --> 00:35:35,639
the letter out. That's why he came by this particular train.

626
00:35:36,280 --> 00:35:40,440
There's the snare. That's how he was lured by Fifi,

627
00:35:40,480 --> 00:35:44,119
said Narkham by jove. I rather fancied from the first

628
00:35:44,400 --> 00:35:46,719
that we should find that she or her husband had

629
00:35:46,760 --> 00:35:49,920
something to do with it, did you, said Cleek with

630
00:35:49,960 --> 00:35:54,599
a smile. I didn't then, and I don't even yet.

631
00:35:55,320 --> 00:35:58,039
Narkom opened his lips to make some comment upon this,

632
00:35:58,719 --> 00:36:02,280
but closed him suddenly said nothing, For at that moment

633
00:36:02,400 --> 00:36:05,000
one of the constables put in an appearance with news

634
00:36:05,039 --> 00:36:08,639
that two ladies and one gentleman of arrived, Sir, and

635
00:36:08,679 --> 00:36:11,920
are asking permission to view the body for purposes of identification.

636
00:36:12,639 --> 00:36:14,639
Here are the names, Sir, on this slip of paper,

637
00:36:16,440 --> 00:36:23,719
Lady Stavnel, Colonel Murchison, Honorable Missus Brinkworth, Captain James Crawford.

638
00:36:24,119 --> 00:36:28,760
Narkham read aloud, then looked up inquiringly at Cleek. Yes,

639
00:36:28,840 --> 00:36:33,360
he said, let them come, And mister Narkham, yes, do

640
00:36:33,400 --> 00:36:37,239
you happen to know where they come from? Yes? I

641
00:36:37,400 --> 00:36:39,880
learned that when I sent word of Stavarnell's death to

642
00:36:39,920 --> 00:36:43,800
them this evening. Lady Stavnel and her father have for

643
00:36:43,840 --> 00:36:47,480
the last week been stopping at Cleethorpe Hydro, to which

644
00:36:47,519 --> 00:36:50,400
they went for the purpose of remaining over the Christmas holidays.

645
00:36:50,960 --> 00:36:55,400
And oddly enough, both Missus Brinkworth and Captain Crawford turned

646
00:36:55,480 --> 00:36:57,719
up at the same place for the same purpose the

647
00:36:57,800 --> 00:37:01,039
day before yesterday. It can't be very pleasant for them,

648
00:37:01,119 --> 00:37:03,960
I should imagine, for I believe the two ladies are

649
00:37:04,039 --> 00:37:10,079
not very friendly, naturally, not, said Cleek half abstractedly, the

650
00:37:10,079 --> 00:37:13,119
one loathing the man, the other loving him. I want

651
00:37:13,159 --> 00:37:15,920
to see those two ladies, and I particularly want to

652
00:37:15,920 --> 00:37:20,599
see those two men after that. Here his voice dropped off.

653
00:37:21,320 --> 00:37:23,880
Then he stood, looking up at the shattered globe and

654
00:37:23,960 --> 00:37:27,480
rubbing his chin between his thumb and forefinger, and wrinkling

655
00:37:27,519 --> 00:37:29,960
up his brows, after the manner of a man who

656
00:37:30,000 --> 00:37:33,480
was trying to solve a problem in mental arithmetic, and

657
00:37:33,639 --> 00:37:37,480
Narkham unwise in that direction, for once chose to interrupt

658
00:37:37,480 --> 00:37:40,440
his thoughts for no greater reason than he had thrice

659
00:37:40,519 --> 00:37:47,199
heard him mutter suction, displacement resistance working out a problem,

660
00:37:47,239 --> 00:37:50,480
old chap, He ventured, can I help you? I used

661
00:37:50,480 --> 00:37:53,679
to be rather good at that sort of thing, were you?

662
00:37:53,760 --> 00:37:58,280
Said cleek a trifle testily. Then tell me something. Combating

663
00:37:58,280 --> 00:38:00,880
a suction power of about two pounds into a square inch,

664
00:38:01,440 --> 00:38:03,760
how much wind does it take to make a cutting

665
00:38:03,760 --> 00:38:06,840
table fly with an unknown weight upon it from the

666
00:38:06,880 --> 00:38:10,440
Sydenham switch to the low level station. When you've worked

667
00:38:10,440 --> 00:38:13,039
that out, you've got the murderer. And when you do

668
00:38:13,159 --> 00:38:15,400
get him, he won't be any man you ever saw

669
00:38:15,719 --> 00:38:17,880
or ever heard of in all the days of your life.

670
00:38:18,559 --> 00:38:20,599
But he would be light enough to hop like a bird,

671
00:38:21,199 --> 00:38:23,679
heavy enough to pull up a wire rope with about

672
00:38:23,719 --> 00:38:26,039
three hundred pounds on the end of it, and there'll

673
00:38:26,079 --> 00:38:28,960
be two holes of about an inch in diameter and

674
00:38:29,039 --> 00:38:31,119
a foot apart in one end of the table. That

675
00:38:31,199 --> 00:38:37,559
flew My dear chap began narkham in tones of blank bewilderment.

676
00:38:38,000 --> 00:38:41,719
Then stop suddenly and screwed round on his heel, for

677
00:38:41,760 --> 00:38:44,079
a familiar voice had sung out suddenly a yard or

678
00:38:44,119 --> 00:38:48,000
two distant. I'll keep your air on. Don't get to

679
00:38:48,039 --> 00:38:50,519
think in your niagara falls just because you got water

680
00:38:50,599 --> 00:38:53,920
on the brain. And there, struggling in the grip of

681
00:38:53,920 --> 00:38:57,280
a constable who had laid strong hands upon him, stood

682
00:38:57,360 --> 00:39:00,239
Dollops with a kit bag in one hand and a

683
00:39:00,280 --> 00:39:04,400
half devoured bath bun in the other. All right, there, Constable,

684
00:39:04,480 --> 00:39:07,800
let the boy pass. He's one of us. Wrapped out, cleek,

685
00:39:08,239 --> 00:39:11,400
and in an instant the detaining hand fell, and Dolup's

686
00:39:11,519 --> 00:39:14,679
chest went out like a powder pigeon's catch On to

687
00:39:14,800 --> 00:39:17,960
that suburb, said he, giving the constable a look of

688
00:39:18,079 --> 00:39:22,719
blighting scorn, and swaggering by like a mighty conqueror. Joined

689
00:39:22,719 --> 00:39:26,679
cleek at the compartment door. Nailed it at the second rap. Guv'nor,

690
00:39:27,039 --> 00:39:30,760
he said, in an undertone, fell down on gamages picked

691
00:39:30,800 --> 00:39:34,480
myself up on loader Tottenham Court Road A fourteen one

692
00:39:34,599 --> 00:39:40,239
twenty seven, a manufactured Stockholm valve tightened old customer day

693
00:39:40,239 --> 00:39:44,719
before yesterday in the afternoon. Good boy, good boy, said Cleek,

694
00:39:45,280 --> 00:39:49,480
patting him approvingly. Keep your tongue between your teeth. Scuttle

695
00:39:49,519 --> 00:39:51,840
off and find out where there's a garage, and then

696
00:39:51,880 --> 00:39:55,280
wait outside the station till I come right you are, sir,

697
00:39:56,000 --> 00:39:59,400
responded Dollops, bolting the remainder of the bun. Then he

698
00:39:59,519 --> 00:40:03,360
ducked down and slipped away, and Cleek, stepping back into

699
00:40:03,400 --> 00:40:06,280
the shadow where his features might not be too clearly

700
00:40:06,320 --> 00:40:09,360
seen until he was ready that they should be, stood

701
00:40:09,360 --> 00:40:12,880
and narrowly watched the small procession which was being piloted

702
00:40:12,880 --> 00:40:16,159
to the scene of the tragedy. A moment later, the

703
00:40:16,199 --> 00:40:20,559
four persons, already announced, passed under Cleek's watchful eye, and

704
00:40:20,679 --> 00:40:25,719
stood in the dead man's presence. Lady Stavnel, tall, graceful,

705
00:40:25,920 --> 00:40:29,599
beautiful looking as one might look, whose lifelong martyrred him,

706
00:40:29,599 --> 00:40:33,400
has come at last to a glorious end. Captain Crawford

707
00:40:33,840 --> 00:40:38,920
bronzed agitated, a trifle nervous, short of stature, slight of build,

708
00:40:39,360 --> 00:40:43,199
with a rather cynical mouth and a small dark mustache.

709
00:40:43,320 --> 00:40:47,480
The honorable Missus Brinkworth, a timid, dove eyed little wisp

710
00:40:47,519 --> 00:40:51,159
of a woman with a clinging, pathetic, almost childish manner,

711
00:40:51,760 --> 00:40:54,599
her soft eyes red with grief, her mobile mouth of

712
00:40:54,719 --> 00:40:57,840
quiver with pain, the marks of tears on her lovely

713
00:40:57,920 --> 00:41:03,039
little face. And last of Colonel Murchison, heavy bull necked,

714
00:41:03,079 --> 00:41:07,039
ponderous of body and purple of visage, a living, breathing

715
00:41:07,159 --> 00:41:12,239
monument of self. Huhum muttered clik to himself, as this

716
00:41:12,360 --> 00:41:16,880
unattractive person passed by. Not he not by his hand.

717
00:41:17,519 --> 00:41:21,880
He never struck the blow, too cowardly, too careful, And

718
00:41:22,000 --> 00:41:26,960
yet poor little woman, poor little woman, and his sympathetic

719
00:41:27,000 --> 00:41:31,159
eyes went past the others, past Missus Brinkworth, sobbing and

720
00:41:31,199 --> 00:41:34,519
wringing her hands and calling piteously on the dead to speak,

721
00:41:35,239 --> 00:41:40,679
and dwelt long and tenderly upon Lady Stavernel. A moment

722
00:41:40,719 --> 00:41:46,079
he stood there, silent, watching, listening, making neither movement nor sound.

723
00:41:46,719 --> 00:41:49,039
Then of a sudden he put forth his hand and

724
00:41:49,159 --> 00:41:53,800
tapped Narkom's arm. Detain this party, every member of it,

725
00:41:54,119 --> 00:41:57,320
by any means, on any pretext, for another forty five

726
00:41:57,360 --> 00:42:01,159
minutes he whispered. I said the assassin was a I said,

727
00:42:01,199 --> 00:42:03,400
the blunders made it possible for the case to be

728
00:42:03,440 --> 00:42:07,079
concluded tonight. Did I not wait for me? In three

729
00:42:07,119 --> 00:42:09,599
quarters of an hour, the murderer will be here on

730
00:42:09,679 --> 00:42:13,119
this spot with me. Then he screwed round on his heel,

731
00:42:13,519 --> 00:42:16,760
and before Narkham could speak, he was gone, soundlessly and

732
00:42:16,800 --> 00:42:19,519
completely gone, just as he used to go in his

733
00:42:19,639 --> 00:42:26,199
vanishing cracksman's days, leaving just that promise behind him. Part three.

734
00:42:28,400 --> 00:42:31,320
It wanted but thirteen minutes of being midnight, when the

735
00:42:31,360 --> 00:42:34,320
gathering about the sighting where the shunted carriage containing the

736
00:42:34,360 --> 00:42:38,079
body of the murdered man still stood, received something in

737
00:42:38,119 --> 00:42:40,719
the nature of a shock. On glancing round as a

738
00:42:40,760 --> 00:42:43,880
sharp whistle showed a warning note, they saw an engine

739
00:42:44,239 --> 00:42:48,000
attached to one solitary carriage, backing along the metals and

740
00:42:48,039 --> 00:42:52,840
bearing down upon them. I say, mister Knockham or Narchim,

741
00:42:53,079 --> 00:42:56,840
or whatever your name is, blurted out Colonel Murchison, as

742
00:42:56,840 --> 00:42:59,880
he hastily caught the Honorable Missus Brinkworth by the arm

743
00:43:00,400 --> 00:43:03,320
and whisked her back from the metals, leaving his daughter

744
00:43:03,360 --> 00:43:06,840
to be looked after by Captain Crawford, look out for

745
00:43:06,920 --> 00:43:10,320
your blessed bobbies. Somebody shunning another coach in on top

746
00:43:10,360 --> 00:43:12,559
of us. And if the ass doesn't look where he's

747
00:43:12,639 --> 00:43:16,519
gone there, I've told you so. As the coach in

748
00:43:16,639 --> 00:43:20,199
question settled with a slight jar against that containing the

749
00:43:20,239 --> 00:43:24,039
body of Lord Stavnail of all the blundering, pig headed

750
00:43:24,079 --> 00:43:27,599
fools might have killed some of us, What next? I wonder?

751
00:43:29,039 --> 00:43:31,800
What next? As a matter of fact, gave him cause

752
00:43:31,840 --> 00:43:35,079
for even greater wonder, For as the two carriages met,

753
00:43:35,559 --> 00:43:37,840
the door of the last compartment in the one which

754
00:43:37,880 --> 00:43:41,320
had just arrived opened briskly, and out of its stepped

755
00:43:41,480 --> 00:43:45,360
first a couple of uniformed policemen, next a ginger haired

756
00:43:45,400 --> 00:43:47,760
youth with a kit bag in one hand and a

757
00:43:47,840 --> 00:43:51,119
savooy in the other, Then the trim figure of the

758
00:43:51,199 --> 00:43:53,960
lady who had so long and popularly been known in

759
00:43:53,960 --> 00:43:58,880
the musical world as Mademoiselle Fifi de l'asparre. And last

760
00:43:58,920 --> 00:44:04,320
of all, Cleek blurted out. Narkham, overcome with amazement as

761
00:44:04,320 --> 00:44:08,760
he saw the serenely alighting figure, and Cleek went in

762
00:44:08,800 --> 00:44:12,480
a little rippling murmur throughout the entire gathering civilians and

763
00:44:12,559 --> 00:44:17,000
local police alike. All right, mister Narkham, said Cleek himself,

764
00:44:17,360 --> 00:44:20,159
with a slight shrug of the shoulders. Even the best

765
00:44:20,159 --> 00:44:23,400
of us slip up sometimes, and since everybody knows now,

766
00:44:23,599 --> 00:44:26,800
will have to make the best of it. Gentlemen, ladies,

767
00:44:26,920 --> 00:44:31,719
you too, my colleagues. My best respects now to business.

768
00:44:32,760 --> 00:44:34,440
Then he stepped out of the shadow in which he

769
00:44:34,440 --> 00:44:37,440
had alighted, into the full glow of the lanterns and

770
00:44:37,480 --> 00:44:39,519
the flare which had been lit close to the door

771
00:44:39,559 --> 00:44:42,880
of the dead man's carriage, conscious that every eye was

772
00:44:42,960 --> 00:44:45,639
fixed upon his face, and that the members of the

773
00:44:45,639 --> 00:44:50,400
local force were silently and breathlessly spotting him. But in

774
00:44:50,480 --> 00:44:53,760
that moment the weird birth gift had been put into practice,

775
00:44:54,239 --> 00:44:57,039
and Narkham fetched a sort of sigh of relief as

776
00:44:57,079 --> 00:45:01,199
he saw that a sagging eyelid, a twisted, a queer

777
00:45:01,239 --> 00:45:05,599
blurred something about all the features had set upon that face,

778
00:45:05,679 --> 00:45:08,840
a living mask that hid effectually the face he knew

779
00:45:08,840 --> 00:45:13,199
so well. To business, he repeated, Ah, yes, quite so,

780
00:45:13,360 --> 00:45:16,320
my dear cleik. Shall I tell the ladies and gentlemen

781
00:45:16,360 --> 00:45:20,280
of your promise? Well, listen, mister Cleek, is more than

782
00:45:20,280 --> 00:45:22,559
a quarter of an hour beyond the time he set.

783
00:45:22,880 --> 00:45:24,800
But he gave me his word that this riddle would

784
00:45:24,800 --> 00:45:28,320
be solved tonight, tonight, ladies and gentlemen, and that when

785
00:45:28,360 --> 00:45:32,199
I saw him here, the murderer would be with him. Oh,

786
00:45:32,239 --> 00:45:36,719
bless him, bless him. Burst forth, Missus Brinkworth impulsively, and

787
00:45:36,840 --> 00:45:40,239
he brings her that wicked woman. Oh I knew she

788
00:45:40,320 --> 00:45:44,079
had something to do with it. Your pardon, Missus Brinkworth.

789
00:45:44,480 --> 00:45:46,920
But for once, your woman's intuition is at fault, said

790
00:45:46,920 --> 00:45:51,000
Cleek quietly. Mademoiselle Fifi is not here as a prisoner,

791
00:45:51,440 --> 00:45:54,679
but as a witness for the Crown. She has had nothing,

792
00:45:54,719 --> 00:45:57,280
even in the remotest to do with the crime. Her

793
00:45:57,400 --> 00:46:00,000
name was used to trap Lord Stavnel to his death.

794
00:46:00,679 --> 00:46:02,800
But the lady is here to prove that she never

795
00:46:02,880 --> 00:46:06,000
heard of the note which was found on Lord Stavarnel's body.

796
00:46:06,800 --> 00:46:09,599
To prove also that although it is true she did

797
00:46:09,639 --> 00:46:12,440
expect to go to a fancy dress ball with his lordship,

798
00:46:13,079 --> 00:46:16,000
that fancy dress ball does not occur until next Friday,

799
00:46:16,440 --> 00:46:19,719
the sixteenth instant, not the ninth, and that she never

800
00:46:19,800 --> 00:46:23,880
even heard of any alteration in the date. Ah, no, no, no,

801
00:46:24,159 --> 00:46:29,320
nevere I do swear chimed in Fifi, herself, almost hysterical

802
00:46:29,360 --> 00:46:34,719
with fright. I know nothing, nothing that is true, said

803
00:46:34,719 --> 00:46:38,599
Cleek quietly. There is not any question of Mademoiselle Fify's

804
00:46:38,599 --> 00:46:42,960
complete innocence of any connection with this murder. Then her

805
00:46:43,039 --> 00:46:47,000
husband ventured Captain Crawford agitatedly. Surely you have heard what

806
00:46:47,079 --> 00:46:51,639
missus Brinkworth has said about seeing him in town to day. Yes,

807
00:46:51,719 --> 00:46:54,840
I have heard, Captain. But it so happens that I

808
00:46:54,880 --> 00:46:58,199
know for a certainty Monsieur Philippe de L'sparre had no

809
00:46:58,280 --> 00:47:01,840
more to do with it than had his wife. But

810
00:47:01,880 --> 00:47:06,320
my dear Sir imposed the colonel, the foreign person at

811
00:47:06,320 --> 00:47:09,119
the station, the little slim man in the Norfolk suit,

812
00:47:09,440 --> 00:47:11,760
the fellow with a little dark mustache, What of him?

813
00:47:12,960 --> 00:47:15,679
A great deal of him. But there are other men

814
00:47:15,719 --> 00:47:18,800
who are slight, other men who have little dark mustache,

815
00:47:18,840 --> 00:47:22,440
as colonel. That description would answer for Captain Crawford here,

816
00:47:22,960 --> 00:47:26,159
and if he too were in town today, I was

817
00:47:26,239 --> 00:47:29,239
in town, blurted out the Captain. A sudden trimmer in

818
00:47:29,239 --> 00:47:33,039
his voice, a sudden pallor showing through his tnd. But

819
00:47:33,360 --> 00:47:38,320
good god man, you can't possibly insinuate, No I do

820
00:47:38,440 --> 00:47:42,840
not interposed, Cleek, set your mind at rest upon that point, Captain,

821
00:47:43,639 --> 00:47:46,360
for the simple reason that the little dark Man is

822
00:47:46,400 --> 00:47:49,599
a little dark fiction. In other words, he does not

823
00:47:49,920 --> 00:47:56,079
and never did exist. What's that, fairly, gas Narkham never existed?

824
00:47:56,440 --> 00:47:58,880
But my dear Cleek, you told me that the porter

825
00:47:58,960 --> 00:48:02,599
at Lundonbridge saw him. And I told you what the

826
00:48:02,639 --> 00:48:06,199
porter told me, what the porter thought he saw, and

827
00:48:06,239 --> 00:48:09,199
what we shall no doubt find out in time at

828
00:48:09,280 --> 00:48:12,360
least fifty other people thought they saw, and what was

829
00:48:12,440 --> 00:48:16,400
doubtless the good joke alluded to in the forged note.

830
00:48:16,519 --> 00:48:19,159
The only man against whom we need direct our attention,

831
00:48:19,880 --> 00:48:22,360
the only man who had any hand in this murder

832
00:48:22,800 --> 00:48:26,480
is a big, burly, strong armed one like Colonel Murchison. Here.

833
00:48:27,119 --> 00:48:31,639
What's that? Roared out the colonel furiously by the Lord Harry.

834
00:48:31,920 --> 00:48:35,239
Do you dare to assert that I, I, Sir, killed

835
00:48:35,239 --> 00:48:38,880
the man? No? I do not, And for the best

836
00:48:38,920 --> 00:48:42,199
of reasons. The assassin was shut up in that compartment

837
00:48:42,239 --> 00:48:45,840
with Lord Stavnel from the moment he left London Bridge.

838
00:48:45,920 --> 00:48:48,639
And I happen to know, Colonel that although you were

839
00:48:48,639 --> 00:48:50,880
in town today, you never put foot of board The

840
00:48:50,920 --> 00:48:53,880
five twenty eight from the moment it started to the

841
00:48:53,880 --> 00:48:56,639
one in which it stopped. And at the final moment,

842
00:48:56,679 --> 00:49:01,039
Colonel he reached around, took something from his and then

843
00:49:01,079 --> 00:49:03,719
held it out on the palm of his hand. At

844
00:49:03,719 --> 00:49:06,800
that final moment, Colonel, you were passing the barrier at

845
00:49:06,840 --> 00:49:10,039
the Crystal Palace, Low Level with a lady whose ticket

846
00:49:10,079 --> 00:49:13,039
from London Bridge has never been clipped, and with this

847
00:49:13,199 --> 00:49:16,320
air pistol, which she restored to you in your coat pocket.

848
00:49:17,360 --> 00:49:20,599
What crazy nonsense is this, sir? I never saw the

849
00:49:20,639 --> 00:49:25,119
blessed thing in all my life. Oh yes, Colonel Loader

850
00:49:25,440 --> 00:49:28,239
of Tottenham Court Road prepared the vow for you the

851
00:49:28,360 --> 00:49:31,159
day before yesterday, and I found it in your room.

852
00:49:31,400 --> 00:49:35,840
Just quick nab him. Petrie well played after the King,

853
00:49:35,920 --> 00:49:40,760
the trump, after the Confederate, the assassin, and so he

854
00:49:40,880 --> 00:49:43,679
sprang suddenly like a jumping cat, And there was a

855
00:49:43,719 --> 00:49:47,280
click of steel, a shrill, despairing cry, and the rustle

856
00:49:47,320 --> 00:49:51,440
of something fallen. When Captain Crawford and Lady Stavnel turned

857
00:49:51,440 --> 00:49:54,440
and looked, he was standing with both hands on his hips,

858
00:49:55,000 --> 00:49:58,159
looking frowningly down on the spot where the Honorable Missus

859
00:49:58,239 --> 00:50:02,039
Brinkworth lay curled up in limp, unconscious. Heap with a

860
00:50:02,039 --> 00:50:06,199
pair of handcuffs locked on her folded wrists. I said

861
00:50:06,199 --> 00:50:09,000
that when the murder was found, mister Narkham, he said,

862
00:50:09,039 --> 00:50:12,280
as the Superintendent moved toward him, that it would be

863
00:50:12,320 --> 00:50:14,519
no man you ever saw or ever heard of in

864
00:50:14,599 --> 00:50:17,440
all your life. I knew it was a woman from

865
00:50:17,480 --> 00:50:20,480
the bungling, unmanlike way the pistol was laid in the

866
00:50:20,519 --> 00:50:23,679
dead hand. The only question I had to ask was

867
00:50:23,840 --> 00:50:29,119
which woman Fifi, Lady Stavarnail, or this wretched little hypocrite.

868
00:50:29,800 --> 00:50:34,119
Here's your little dark man, here's the assassin. The Norfolk

869
00:50:34,159 --> 00:50:36,880
suit and the false mustache are in her room at

870
00:50:36,880 --> 00:50:40,480
the Hydro. She made Stavarnail think that she too was

871
00:50:40,559 --> 00:50:43,639
going to the fancy ball, and that the surprised Fifi

872
00:50:43,679 --> 00:50:46,599
had planned was for her to meet him as she

873
00:50:46,719 --> 00:50:50,119
did and travel with him. When the train was under way,

874
00:50:50,199 --> 00:50:54,920
she shot him. Why, easily, explained, my dear chap. Her

875
00:50:55,000 --> 00:50:58,480
death made her little son heir to the Estates during

876
00:50:58,519 --> 00:51:00,920
his minority, she would we have the handling of the

877
00:51:00,960 --> 00:51:04,679
funds with them. She and her precious husband would have

878
00:51:04,760 --> 00:51:08,719
a gay life of it in their own selfish little way. Her,

879
00:51:08,840 --> 00:51:12,079
what Lord man, do you mean to say that she

880
00:51:12,199 --> 00:51:16,519
and the Colonel were privately married seven weeks ago, mister Narkham.

881
00:51:17,159 --> 00:51:20,239
The certificate of their union was tucked away in Colonel

882
00:51:20,320 --> 00:51:24,360
Murchison's private effects, where it was found this evening. How

883
00:51:24,440 --> 00:51:27,199
was the escape from the compartment managed after the murder

884
00:51:27,239 --> 00:51:31,840
was accomplished? Said Cleek, answering Narkom's query, as they whizzed

885
00:51:31,880 --> 00:51:34,840
home through the darkness together by the last up train

886
00:51:34,960 --> 00:51:39,000
that night. Simplest thing in the world, as you know.

887
00:51:39,480 --> 00:51:42,320
The five twenty eight from London Bridge runs without stop

888
00:51:42,360 --> 00:51:46,280
to Annerley Well. The five eighteen from the same starting

889
00:51:46,320 --> 00:51:50,599
point runs through the Crystal Palace low level, taking the mainline,

890
00:51:50,639 --> 00:51:53,599
tracks as far as Syddam, where it branches off at

891
00:51:53,599 --> 00:51:57,400
the switch and curves away in an opposite direction. That

892
00:51:57,599 --> 00:52:00,760
is to say, for a considerable distance. They run parallel,

893
00:52:00,920 --> 00:52:05,360
but eventually diverge. Now as the five eighteen as a

894
00:52:05,400 --> 00:52:08,519
train with several stops, the five twenty eight being a

895
00:52:08,559 --> 00:52:12,519
through one overtakes her, and several times between Broccoli and

896
00:52:12,599 --> 00:52:16,079
Sydenham they run side by side at so steady a

897
00:52:16,119 --> 00:52:19,360
pace and on such narrow gauge that the footboard running

898
00:52:19,400 --> 00:52:22,119
along the side of one train is not more than

899
00:52:22,159 --> 00:52:25,360
two and a half feet separated from the other. Their

900
00:52:25,400 --> 00:52:29,199
pace is so regular, their progress so even that one

901
00:52:29,199 --> 00:52:31,440
could with ease step from the footboard of the one

902
00:52:31,800 --> 00:52:34,320
to the footboard of the other. But for the horrible suction,

903
00:52:34,679 --> 00:52:37,800
which would inevitably draw the person attempting it down under

904
00:52:37,800 --> 00:52:42,159
the wheels, well, something had to be devised to overcome

905
00:52:42,199 --> 00:52:46,360
the danger of that suction. But what I asked myself

906
00:52:46,760 --> 00:52:49,159
for I guess from the first how the escape had occurred,

907
00:52:49,599 --> 00:52:52,280
and I knew that such a thing absolutely required the

908
00:52:52,320 --> 00:52:56,599
assistance of a confederate. That meant the confederate would have

909
00:52:56,679 --> 00:53:00,320
to do on the five eighteen exactly what they had

910
00:53:00,320 --> 00:53:03,639
trapped Stabernel into doing on the other train. That is,

911
00:53:04,119 --> 00:53:07,400
secure private compartment, so that when the time came for

912
00:53:07,480 --> 00:53:10,679
the escape to be accomplished, he could remove the electric

913
00:53:10,719 --> 00:53:13,880
bulbs and the roof of his compartment, opened the door,

914
00:53:14,039 --> 00:53:17,440
and when the two came abreast, the assassin could do

915
00:53:17,480 --> 00:53:20,760
the same on the other train, and presto, the dead

916
00:53:20,800 --> 00:53:24,320
man would be alone. But what to use to overcome

917
00:53:24,360 --> 00:53:28,000
the danger of that horrible suction? Ah, Now I see

918
00:53:28,039 --> 00:53:30,400
what you were driving at when you inquired about the

919
00:53:30,400 --> 00:53:34,599
ironing board or the Indian canoe. The necessary sections to

920
00:53:34,679 --> 00:53:39,280
construct a sort of bridge could be packed in either yes,

921
00:53:39,679 --> 00:53:42,559
but they chose a simple plan. The cutting table a

922
00:53:42,559 --> 00:53:47,119
good move that its breadth minimized the peril of the suction. Only,

923
00:53:47,159 --> 00:53:49,599
of course, it would have to be pulled up afterward

924
00:53:49,679 --> 00:53:52,519
to leave no clue, and the added space would call

925
00:53:52,559 --> 00:53:55,719
for enormous strength to overcome the power of that suction.

926
00:53:56,480 --> 00:54:00,599
And enormous strength meant a powerful man you can put

927
00:54:00,599 --> 00:54:04,159
together without being told, mister Narkham. When that little vixen

928
00:54:04,239 --> 00:54:07,840
finished her man, she put out the lights, opened the door,

929
00:54:08,320 --> 00:54:11,320
deliberately locking it after her to make the thing more baffling.

930
00:54:12,119 --> 00:54:15,079
Crossed over on that table, was helped into the other

931
00:54:15,119 --> 00:54:20,079
compartment by Murchison, and then as expeditiously as possible, slipped

932
00:54:20,119 --> 00:54:22,599
on the loose feminine outer garment she carried with her

933
00:54:22,639 --> 00:54:25,760
In the brown portmanteau, the table was hauled up and

934
00:54:25,800 --> 00:54:28,840
taken in nothing but wire rope for that, sir, and

935
00:54:28,880 --> 00:54:33,039
the thing was done. Murchison, of course purchased two tickets

936
00:54:33,599 --> 00:54:35,840
so they might pass the barrier at the lower level,

937
00:54:35,840 --> 00:54:38,679
and questioned what they left, but he wasn't able to

938
00:54:38,679 --> 00:54:41,679
get the extra ticket clipped at London Bridge because there

939
00:54:41,719 --> 00:54:44,559
was no passenger for it. That's how I got onto

940
00:54:44,599 --> 00:54:48,320
the little game. For the rest they planned well, those

941
00:54:48,360 --> 00:54:51,800
two trains being always packed. Nobody could see the escape

942
00:54:51,840 --> 00:54:54,239
from the one to the other because people would be

943
00:54:54,280 --> 00:54:57,719
standing up at every compartment and the windows completely blocked.

944
00:54:58,440 --> 00:55:02,920
But if hullou Victoria at last, thank goodness, and so

945
00:55:03,079 --> 00:55:06,519
to bed, as Peppa said, the riddle saw mister Narkham

946
00:55:06,880 --> 00:55:11,239
good night. End of the Riddle of the Five twenty

947
00:55:11,280 --> 00:55:11,480
eight