THE ROCLY'S UPSTAIRS their liking. for a nice Home Secretary, do not hide By Buneut story. A considerable proportion There is a dreadful hush over of the latest novels nowadays Edgecomb Hall, the ancient seat are crime stories, and the of the Rollinshaws at the foot of that a literary club such as the the wolds in the beautiful county Crime Club can flourish and of Beckhamshire. Here in. the Publish hundreds of thousands heart of rural England, with its of copies of books describing the broad agricultural acres, - its latest form of murder is another proof of the new literary attitude Rife-of Hod and his descendants peaceful country folk living the to crime, and its reception in the undisturbed by the mad currents eyes of the public. What psy-of fevered activity to-day, a little chological change has overcome unit centring in the Hall, its Public morals whereby the family and its traditions, foul attitude to such a subject has murder "has appeared." The changed from morbidity to brand of Cain has marred: these genuine interest is a problem rural tranquilities, "Mr. Jasper for the psychoanalyst or the Rollinshaw, second cousin of crime student. It probably Lord Rollinshaw, the holder of arises from "the sense the title, has been killed in cold sneaking revolt against the law Dlood, and not a soul can guess and the police forces which Who could have done it. Here in administer it, but it is quite a the heart of this beautiful serefie healthy revolt, because it always countryside the foulest of all ends in the realisation that the human actions has law always wins and the police mitted, and a life cut off in force is always right. And, prime by the foulest of man's therefore, public morals are Weapons and nobody knows, Mr. maintained at a high Rollinshaw was found stabbed in the drawing room. with a of a without any resort to application pearl-handied knife. Why, it is incredible, "The Roilinshaws are No good crime writer allows one of the oldest English the villain to escape. In order to families, There" was a Rollinsave trouble about the trial and shaw with the Conqueror, Rollinthe execution the author might shaws have served on land and permit the villain to commit Sen, in governments and suicide, but law must take its cabinets for centuries, There course. The police always win, was even a Rollinshaw who but no good writer will allow heard what Gladstone actually this conclusion until the resouraid sayin "89, Whenever Ces of the police have been ex-Britannia beckoned a Rollinshaw plaited to the extreme. Alibis sprang to her aid with his fealty Jare the finest sort of cover be-undoubted." And yet the picture cause in this business of trying ds darkened by this murder. Who to conceive a murder which the Killed Jusper Rollinshaw? police will never solve every sort of false trail and obstacle must be laid otherwise the detective—who is the reader, of course—AD si00 v0 Consternaton me ally "happened and should course, this event never will solve it too easily. bosom of peaceful citizenry, It is merely one of those composite ently inexplicable mystery, Ineils tore no clue to this appar. for," oaked Sir Richard White. situations specially created as as he tugged his thin grey the background in' the game of moustache. Sir Richard revealed "spotting the murderer" which is his anxiety. Never before had the sweeping the literary world, Yard been confronted with such a amazing how a race inhabiting situation of helplessness. planet striving for the ideal of Inspector Walker shook his pewee on earth goodwill to men head. "No, Sir. Cast iron al Should relish a nice, baMing Lord Rollinshaw away in London murder as a form of -literary al the time. His son, the Hon, diversion. Were a visitor from Gerald Rollinshase, ona birdseed Mars to arrive on earth and expedition in the Canary Islands. kins, the secretary, visiting his study present conditions in the ick mother. Lady Mary Rollinight of past history he would shaw away on the Riviera. The depart "convinced thatthe butler, the gardener, the foot earthians are the most paradoxiand the chauffeur in the vi cal v people because even after inn playing darts. The centuries of practise of a ¥ants at the police social, Every-religion which advocates peace, thing in order.
Not a clue humility and human fellowship work on.
In my 22 years of police work I have never come the most peaceful among its Across such a cast-iron sot of adherents do like a nice, clean sort of murder on which to ex Richard looked grave. cise their intellect. But it is a rang the bell. "Call, Becking-fact, Murders nowadays are not ton," he ordered. what they used to be. Once they And so the mystery deepens, were the abhorred crimes of but do you think that it is too humanity and everything con-much for the Yard? Certainly nected with them was to be shunned by all but the morbid. Now they have been turned into not.—Helplessne: mystery, strange side issues, mysterious the police a certain credit by apportioning the honours but}
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