. family." he went on in a casual

“gin No. 1st nun be handed

vi

. PGE 'l'v'v’\)

' e He described the captain's win- ning of three new novels. Enderby mogul-aged him to talk. He saw a. very good story being made out o1 Evpns. The faithful servant-old sea dog‘ touch. He wondered Just u lit- tle why Mrs. Evans seemd so ner- vous; he put it down to the suspic- ious ignorance of her class. » "You find the skunk what done it," said Evans. "Newspapers can do g lot, they say, in hunting down criminals." "It was a burglar." wld Mrs- lvans. “That's what it was." “ "Of coiuse, it was a burglar. Said ans. "Why, there's no one iii Ex- mpton would want to harm the Gaming." Enderby rose. , “Well,” he said. "I must be going- 1 will run in now and than and have a little chat if I may. lithe captain won three new novels in a lly Wire Competition, the Daily ire ought to make it a personal matter to hunt down his murderer. Wishing them a cheery good day, Charles Euderby took his leave. “I wonder who really did the cap- hln in?" he murmured to himself. “I don't thliik our friend Evans. Perhaps it was a burglar! Very dis- lppflllltlflg, if so. Doesnt seem irbiiy woman in the case, which is a pizy. We've got to have some sensational levelopment soon or the case will fade out. Just my luck. If 50- Fllbl‘ time 1 have ever been on .he spotl in a matter of this kind. I must make good. Charles, my boy, yo i‘ chance in life has come. Make t_ e most of lt. Our military friend Will,‘ I see, soon be eating out of my hand: i! I remember to be sufficiently res- pectful and call him ‘sir; often

enough." v a

u c o a ‘l

It takes about half an hour from 'Exhampton to Exeter by train. At five minutes to twelve Inspector Marracott was ringing the front ,doorbell cf the Laurels.

, The Laurels was a. somewhat dil- l pidated house, badly in need of .a new coat of paint. The garden round iit was unkempt and iveedy nnd the ‘gate hung askew on its hinge-S-

i "Not too much money about here," thought Inspector Narracott. "Evidently hard ull" v He was a very fair-minded man. but inquiries seemed to indicate that there was very little possibility of the captain's having been done to death by an enemy. On the other hand, four people, as far us ‘he could make out. SWOd l0 Ball-l fl considerable s i by the old man's death. The movements of each oi these four people had to be inquir- ed into. The entry in the hotel reg- ister was suggestive, but after all Pearson was quite c, common name. A somewhat slatternly looking maid answered the bell.

"Good afternoon," said Inspector Narracott. "I want to see Mrs- Gardner, please. It is in connec- tion with the death of her brother, Captain Trevelyan, at Exhampton.

He purposely did not hand his of- flcial card to the maid. The mere fact of his being a_ police officer. B5 lhe knew by experience, would ren- der her awkward and tongue-tied. l "She's heard of her brother's ldeath?" asked the inspector casu- "suy as the maid drew back to let 1mm into the hall.

l, “Yes, got a telegram shc did. “from the lawyer, Mr. Kirkwood."

3' The maid ushered him into the lldrawing-room-a room which, like

‘The Murder ct Hazelmoor

By AGATHA CHRISTIE

spec tor

I hadn't heard.”

"He can't walk. He llel in bed I11 day. Got a nurse alwayfl in thel house, we have. It isn't every lllrl what stays on with an ‘capital mime in the house the whole time. Always wanting trays carried up and pots of tea made."

"Must, be very trylnk." said the‘ Inspector soothingly. "Now. will you‘ go and tell your mistress please. that I am here from Mr. Kirkwood: of Exhampwn?"

Beatrice withdrew and a few minutes later the door Opened and a tall, rather commanding woman came into the room. She had an unusual looking face, broad about the brow, and black hair with a iouchof gray at the temlllei. Wlllflh she wore combed straight back from her forehead, She looked at the inspector inquiringly.

CHAPTER 8

"You have come from Mr. Kirk- wood. the lawyer, at Exhampton?”

“Not exactly, Mrs. Gardner, “In- spector Narracott replied. “I put it that way to your maid. Your bro- ther. Captain Trevelyan, was inur- dered yesterday afternoon and I am Divisional Inspector Narracott in charge of the case."

Whatever else Mrs. Gardner might be she was certainly a woman of iron nerve. Her eyes narrowed and she drew in her breath sharply, then inotioning the inspector .'o a chair and sitting down herself, she said: -

"Murdered! How cxtraordinaryl Who in the world would want to murder Joe?"

"That is what I'm anxious to ‘ind out, Mrs. Gardner."

"Oi course, I hope I shall be able to help you in some way, but I rloubt it. My brother and I have seen iery little of each other in the last ten years, I know nothing of his friends or of any ties he has formed."

“You'll excuse me, Mrs. Gardner, but had you and your brother quar- reled?"

“No-not, quarreled. I think cs- tranged would be a better word to describe the position between us. I dc-rrt want to go into damily details. but my brother rather resented my marriage. Brothers, I think, seldom approve of their sisters’ choice, but usually I fancy, they conceal it bet- ter than my brother did. My broth- er, as perhaps you know, had a large fortune left him by an aunt. Both my sister and myself married poor men. When my husband was inval- ided out of the army after the war with shell shock, a little financial assistance would have been a won- derful relief -- would have enabled me to give him an expensive course of treatment which ups otheiwise denied to him. I asked my brother for a loan which he refused. That, of course, he was perfectly entitled to do. But since then we have met at very rare intervals, and hardly corresponded at all.

It was a clear succinct statement.

G, K. Chesterton‘ Subject Of Essay a By Island Student

(A number of essays have been written by students of St, Francis Xaviq University on G, K. Chest- erton, as critic, novelist, poet and historian, in competition for a. prize of fifty dollars offered by Sir Joseph Chisholm, chief Justice of Nova Sootia, The result was pro- ductive of a number. of excellent essays, including the following by Mr, Peter D. McIntyre, of Cardi- gan, this Provincez)

In this day when the world's printing presses are thundering out, at such a stupendous rate. books, magazines, papers, pamphlets, and every other creation which may be classed under the name of liter- ature, the idea of a. survey cf any one writer seems, at first sight, to savor of the proverbial ta; of seek- mg for a grain of sand on the sea- shore, As we contemplate the great galaxy of individuals termed writ- ers. we may sigh in envy of the

felicity of the reviewer of two centuries ago, who could count the great literary figurss of the

time on the fingers of one hand, An effort at classification of mod- ern writers, however, shows us that the majority are in the mediocre class, and, as far as our purpose is concerned, they might now be in the oblivion to which, sooner or later, they will be relegated by pos- terity, Of those remaining. a large proportion, while not great, may be termed popular; and the last few who are both great and popu- lar are designated under the title of literary giants, Chesterton is cer- tainly popular. and the store the world sets by his utterances as well as the volume of his output place; him among the great of our time, The term “literary giant" might be considered especially fitting in his case. for contemplating his vast physical bulk, one mlght apply it in a, literal as well as a lite-nary smse. and add double force to the popular catch-phrase,

The brilliant American columnist. Heywood Broun. in his column, "It teem; to Me," once voiced the

opinion that G. K. Chesterton dress-

ed even more sloppily than llS for that is one cf the foibles for which both are notorious. Chesterton seems to have an absolute disegard for personal appearance. He is of more than average height and exceid- ingly stout. with long and unruly greyisli-brown hair and moustache, His jovia‘, rubicund, eye-glossed visage, lending itself with facility to caricature, is familiar over al- most all the world. The initials G.K.C. are also familiarly known, and. with G.B.S. he shares the dis- tinction of being recognized al-

An intriguing personality. the in- thougnt. Somehow, iie couldn't quite make her out. She seemed unnaturally calm, unnatur- ally ready with her recital of facts. He also noticed that, with all her surprise she asked for no details oi her brother's death. That struck him as extraordinary.

“I don't know if you want to hear what exactly occurred-at Exhamp- ton," he began.

‘jthe outside of the house, was badly 11in need of a little money spent qupon it, but yet, had with all that 'an air of charm which the inspec- Itor felt without being able to pa!‘- lticularize the why and wherefore of

1t.

, “Must have been a shock to your lmlstress," he observed. l The girl seemed a. iabout that, he noticed. I “she didn't see much of him," {was the answer.

_"Shut the door and come here," said Inspector Narracott.

He was anxious to try the effect of a surprise attack.

“Did the telegram say it was inur- der?" he asked.

“Murder? 4

The girl's eyes opened wide. a mixture of horror and intense en- joyment in them. "Murdered, was he?"

“Ahl" said Inspector Narracott,“ I thought you hadn't heard that Mr. Kirkwood didn't want l0 bWB-li the news too abruptly to your mis- tress. but you see, my dean-what is your nnlnc, by the way?“

“Beatrice, sir." ~

"Well, you see, Beatrice, it will be tn the evening papers tonight.‘

"Well, I never," said Beatrice. "Murtlerd. 'orrible, isn't it? Did they bash his head in or shoot him or what?"

The Inspector satisfied her passion for detail, than added casually, “I believe there was some idea. of your mistress going over to Exharnlllofl yesterday afternoon. But I suppose

' the weather was too bad for her.’

"I never heard anything about ill. 1k," said Beatrice. "I think you .must have made a. mistake. The ‘ mistress went out in the afternoon to do some shopping and then she went to the pictures."

"What time did she get in?"

“About six o'clock."

So that lets Mrs. Gardner out.

"1' don't know much about the

little vague

tone. "Is Mrs. Gardner a widow." "Oh, no, sir, there's master." "What. does he do?" "He doesn't do anything," said flfleatrice ital-lug. "He can't, He's an

u

invall . "An invalLd is he? 0h, I'm terry.

Notice ls hereby given that names of those in arrears u‘ ool assessment ln_ the

ey Point School Dia-

for collection to the clerk of, the County Court if not paid on or before October lat,

lly Order of Trustees,

She growned.

"Must I hear it? My brother wns killed, painlessly—I hope."

"Quite painlessly, I should say."

“Then please spare me any re- volting details."

"Unnatural," thought the inspec- tor, “decidedly unnatural.”

As though she had read his mind she used the very word that he had spoken to himself.

"I suppose you think that very unnatural, inspector, but-I have heard a good many horros. My husband has told rne things when he had had one of his bad turns-J’ she shivered. "I think you would understand if you knew my circum- stances better.’

"Oh! quite so, quite s0, Mrs. Gardner. What I really came for was to get a few family details from you, Uo you know how many rel- atives living your brother has be- sides yourself?"

“Of near relations, only the Pear- sons. My sister Mary's children."

"And they are?"

"James, sylvia and Brien."

“James?

“He is the eldest. He works in an insuranqe office."

"What ilflg is he?"

"Twenty-eight."

most everywhere by his initials alone,

Early Career

To turn to a. few biographical observations, Gilbert Keith Chest- erton was born in London in 1874, He was educated at St. Paul's School, and seems, like Pope, to have been one of those who “lisp— ed in numbers," for at a very early age he won the Milton prize for English verse, Notwithstanding this we have his own words that he spent most of his school-days writ- ing POOR, poetry, He left school ln 1891, and, beginning to study art. soon developed a. distinctive talent in craftsmanship, Then. in writing some art criticism he discovered a literary talent, and abandoned art for Journalism, From thattime on he was a regular and frequent contributor to English periodicals. This regularity and frequency is attested by the fact that from i905 until 1930 he contributed an essay a week to the Iiondon Illustrated News, and missed only two editions in that time,

In 1001 he married Miss Frances Blogg. and lived in London for a short time, subxquently moving to Eeaconsfield in Buckinghamshire. There he secured a huge rambling old country house which he named Top ‘Meadows and transformed it into a delightful residence. In this popular retreat Chcstertons numer- ous friends loved to visit him; a ret:eat similar in popularity to Pope's eighteenth century grotto at Twickenham. Chestertonks dom-

“Is he married?"

“No, but he is engaged-to a very nice girl, I believe. I've not yet met her."

"And his address?"

"21 Cromwell Street, S. W. 3.’ The inspector noted it down. “Yes, Mrs. Gardner?”

“Then there's Sylvia. She's mar- ried to Martin Derlngdz-you may have read his books. He's a moder- ately successful author."

“Thank you, and their address?"

"The Nook, Surrey Road, Wim- bledon."

“Yes7" .

"And the youngest is Brian-but he is out in Australia. I dontknow his address, but either his brother or sister would know."

“Thank you, Mrs. Gardner. Just as u. matter of form. do you nilnd my asking you how you spent yes- terday aftemon?" c

She looked surprised.

"Let me see. I did some shopping —yes-t"nen I went to the pictures. I came home about six and lay down on my bed until dinner, as the pictures had given me rather a headache. fathers anything else?"

(To Be Continued.)

Through the good offices of an influential American residing in Paris, an ambitious young girl from New York obtained an audi- ence with Sacha Guitry, the famous actor, who graciously con- unml m hear hci 1cm.

Afkr listening to a classical or two the great actor went tip .0 the aspirant for him-ionic honors and placed his nand on her held, grin benediction.

oaoncu suxw.

b!

wait ha’

“My our elnld.“ raid ‘m. "mar-

- J

ml,

icile may provide for his friends a lesser degree of poetic purity and classical diction. but we may safe- ly say it provides a greater store of convlviality and good-fellow- ahip. Chesterton loves company, partly for the reason, perhaps, that he dominates almost any company and carries hls companions alon; on the crest of his abundant en- ergy and good cheer.

Political Viewa

Chestertons political views are indicative of his attitude towards his fellow men. While not by any means a radical given to declaim- lug against class distinction, his sympathlm have always been on the side of the oppressed. He be- gun life as an orthodox Liberal. but early became disgusted with party politics as cxemplifi°d by the two old parties, and reacting against them and the industrial capitalism of the time. became a

“vWUNUW Phi...

Socialist. Soon, however. he react- ed quite as vigorously against Sa- ctaliam, and, in company with Hil- aire Bclloc and others, prropogaied the Distrl5utlst theories with which his name is still associated.

tributist Society.

ton's political views was his alt- titude towards the social and moral trends of late Victorian and Ed- wardian days. His writings of those times show the vlrile contempt of the normal, logical thinker for the. smug and blase self-sufficiency and morlal decadence of pie-war Eng. land. Europe was inevitably drift- ing towards the turmoil of l9l4-18; despite this men were busily oc- cupied with petty philosophies and vain introspection. The militant Chesterton warred against these in a swashbuckling and pungent gtylg, sometimes affected, perhaps. but always effective. Just as two cen- turies earlier Steele and Addison had attempted by this forge 5nd keenness of their satire to make vice unfashionable. so Chesterton battled against what he considered the evils of his time by the shafts of his ridicule. He made himself most unpopular in places, for, as a modern write-i- has aptly put , 1t, “Chesterton has an uncanny gift for making nonsense appear nonsense.’ Defending conventionality in a most unconventional style he earn- ed the reputation of being the par- adoxical writer. Evidently he en- joyecl the reputation. for he con- tinued and enhanced the style, so that today he Ls known as “the master of paradox." There is no doubt it is. a catching style, and many of his apt titles are cast in this mould, as. for example, “Tre- mendous Trifles." Sometimes "par- adox" is hurled at him as an op- probiious epithet. and he is accus- ed of carrying it further than he needs. Others corrid°r it as a mark of his genius.

Wide Range of Work

Chcstcrton's littrnry work is by no means all controversia‘, for his output ranges from fiction ta fug- itive verse, and from art criticisms to discussions of ethics and re- ligion. His controversial work is im- poriimt however, for no man has greater fondness for argument and but fsw greater success in it. In argumentative vein he wrote “The Defendant" in i901. “Twelve Types’ (1902), and “Heretics" (1908) “Heretics" is perhaps his best con- troversial work. In this he attacks the popular theory that it is im- material what a man believes, and most convincingly proves the con- trary. In it his views are more or less negative, but in "Orthodoxy" (1908), which may be considered a complement to it, he holds a very positive attitude, showing tho de- velopment of his religious views,

The periodical, GKfs Weekly, is, ‘ a. sort cf omclal organ for the Dls- i

Closely connected with Chester-g

l

ehestemir; lchveisity of liter-e?!

is his real logic, m: his e says an nove _ Eiiitfffiitfgllhey dssetract from hi! etry which otherwise would be are greatest of our day. That. of course, is a matter of 01mm)“. and even though we did belle" l‘ W" so. I think we are convinced this}: without his essays and M" Chesterton would nia. be the great literary rlzure W" l“? ‘i _ The same charge of remolelwfi an lack of clarity has We“ brought against Chesterton the novelist and it; truth depends to]! great extent on our method o! looking at and interpreting his nov- efs_ some of them may and should be mgafdlid as lengthy allegories: and unless the reader keeps the! allegorical representation in mind he may turn away with a ieelinif of helplessness, and think that 93g, l3 being fllppymt at his ex-- pense.

talent. poetry

Hi3 Philosophy

It may be said that Chesterton uses themedlum of prose-fiction to set forth his philosophy of life. for "Napoleon of Netting Hill" l5 1161'" haps more B Jhimwllhy than, l‘ novel. 1t is, however, a. most stim- ulatlrlg story as well, in which‘ we find sflnething of the futuristic novel of M2". H. G. Wells. In i-Manalive‘ he gives an example of his psychological novel. but prob- ably never before-or since-were psychological phenomena set forth in such an unusual and provocative style as we find in the exuberances of Innocent Smith. "The Ball and the Cross," hinging on an 818"" ment between an atheist and a be- liever, shows an outcropping of lhP Chesterton controversial urge.

No accusation of literary ab- struseness can be made in the 085° of the Father Brown books. a de- lightful series of detective tales. In these CllCll-Cflofl exhibits his uncanny ability to show, as he himself would say, the importance of the unimportant. for the de- noument often turns on an in- cident so trivial and unexpected that it leaves the reader Kflsping. This same ability contains the sec- ret of his success in the essay, for he can take the most trivial and unimportant thing, and clothe it with a. vesture of orizinal thoughts and fancies wich exhibit it l0 the surprised reader in an entirely new light. This he does to perfection in

which culminated in hisconversion to Catholicism in 1922. of which we shall speak later.

To proceed to a more general su:'_ vey involves a great many differ- ent aspects of literature. “Catholic Thoughts on Einglish Literature." (Shustcr) says that Chesterton is too much alive for anything like a true estimate of his genius. Scan- ning him is like trying to scan the bird: of the air, so diverse is his output. Chesterton as Poet