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{ PAGE. TWELVE Taal died (By Agatha Christie) | The Murder of Roger Ackroyd CHAPTER XVI , Evening at Jong That night we had a little Mah Jong party. This kind of simple entertain- nent is very popular in King's Abbot. The guests arrive in goloshes . and waterproofs after dinner. They par- take of coffee and later of cake, sand- wiches and tea. On this particular night our guests were Miss Ganett and Colonel Carter, who lives near the church. A good deal of gossip is handed round at these evenitlgs, . sometimes seriously interfering with 'the game in progress. We used to play bridge--chatty bridge of the worst description. We find Mah Jong much more peaceful, The irritated demand as to why on earth your partner did not lead a certam card is entirely done away with, and though we still express criticisms irankly, there is not the same acri- onious spirit. "Very cold evening, said Colonel Carter, standing with his back to the fire. Caroline had taken 15s Ganett to her own room, and was 'there assisting her to disentangle herself from her many wraps. "Re- minds me of the Afghan passes." "Indeed?" 1 said trl iy "Very mysterious business this about poor Ackroyd, continued the colonel, accepting a cup of coffee. "A deuce ofva lot behind it--that's what 1 say. Between you and me, Sheppard, I've heard the word blackmail mentioned" The colonel gave me the look which might be tabulated "one man oi the world to another," " "A woman m it, no doubt," he said. Depend upon it, a woman in it." Caroline and Miss Ganett joined us at this minute, Miss Ganett drank coffee whilst Caroline got out the Mah Jong box and poured out the tiles up- on the table, _ "Washing the tiles," said the colonel Tacctiously. "That's right--washing the tiles, as we used to say in the Shanghai Club," It is the private opinion of both Caroline and myself that Colonel Car- ter has never been in the Shanghai Club in his life. More, that he has never been farther east than: Indian, where he juggled with tins of bully beer and plum and apple jam durmg the Great War, But the colonel is determinedly military, and in King's Abbot we permit people to indulge their little idiosyncrasies freely, "Shall we begin?" said Caroline, We sat round the table. For some five minutes there was complete sil- ence, owing to the fact that there is tremendous secret competition amongst us as to who ean build their wall quickest. "Go on, James," said Caroline last, "Youre last Wind," I discarded a tile. * A round or two proceeded, broken by the monotonous 1 marks of "Three Bamboos, "Two Circles," "Pung," and frequently from Miss Ganett "Unpung," owing to that lady's habit of too hastily claiming tiles to which she had no right. "Ll saw Flora Ackroyd this morning," Mah eh, Sheppard?" at said Miss Ganett. "Pung--no--Lu- pung. I made a mistake." rour Circles," said Caroline. "Where did you see her?' "She didn't see me," said Miss Gan- ett, with that tremendous significance only to be met with in small villages. 'Ah!" said Caroline interestedly, "Chow." "I believe," said Miss Ganett, tem- porarily diverted, "that it's the rignt thing nowadays to say 'Chee' 10t 'Chow. " "Nonsense," said Caroline. "I have always said 'Chow."" "In the Shanghai Club," said Colonel Carter, "they say 'Chow." Miss Ganett retired, crushed, "What were you saying about Flora Ackroyd?" asked Caroline, after a mo- ment or two devoted to the game. "Was she with any one?" "Very much so," said Miss Ganert, The eyes of the two ladies met, and scemed to exchange information. "Really," said Caroline interestedly. "Is that it? Well, it doesn't surprise me in the least." "We're waiting for you to discard, Miss Caroline," said the colonel. le sometimes affects the pose of the bluff male, intent on the game and indiffer- ent to gossip. But nobody is deceived. "If you ask me," said Miss Ganett. ("Was that a Bamboo you discarded, dear? Oh! no, I see now--it was a Circle) As 1 was saying, if you ask me, Flora's been exceedingly lucky. Exeedingly lucky she's been." "How'y that, Miss Ganett?" askd the Colonel. "I'll Pung that Green Drag- on. How do you make out that Miss Flora's been lucky? Very charmmg girl and all that, I know." "I mayn't know very much about crime," said Miss! Ganett, with the air of one who knows everything there is to know, "but 1 can tell you one thing. The first question that's always asked is 'Who last saw the deceased alive?' And the person who did is regarded with suspicion. Now, Flora Ackroyd last saw her uncle alive. It might have looked very nasty for her--very nasty indeed. It's my opinion--and 1 give it for what it's worth, that Ralph Paton is staying away on her account, to draw suspicion away from her." "Come, now," 1 protested mildly, "you surely can't suggest that a young girl like Flora Ackroyd is capable of stabbing her uncle in cold blood?" "Well, 1 don't know," said Miss Gan- ett. "I've just been reading a book from the library about the under- world of Paris, and it says that some of the worst women criminals are young girls with the faces of angels." "That's in France," said Caroline in- stantly, "Just so," said the colonel. "Now, TH tell you a very curious thing -- a story that was going round the bazaars m India..." Tha colonel's story was one of inter- minable length, and of curiously hitle interest. A thing that happened in India many years ago cannot compare for a moment with an event that took place in King's Abbot the day before yesterday, It was Caroline who brought the colonels story to a close by fortun- ately going Mah Jong. After the slight unpleasantness always occasion- ed by my corrections of Caroline's somewhat faulty arithmetic, we started a new hand. "rast Wind passes," said Caroline. I've got an idea of my own about Ralph Paton. Three Characters. lsut Im keeping it to myself for the pre: present." "Are you, dear?" said Miss Ganett "Chow--I mean Pung." "Yes," said Caroline firmly. "Was it all right about the boots:" asked Miss Ganett. "Their being black, I mean?" "Quite all right," said Caroline, "What was the point, do you think?" asked Miss Ganett, Caroline pursed up her lips, and shook her head with an air of know- ing all about it. "Pung," said Miss Ganett. "No--Un- pung. 1 suppose that now the doctor's m with M, Poirot he knows all the secrets?" 'var trom it," 1 said, "James is so modest," said Caroline, "Ah! a concealed Kong." ine colonel gave vent to a whistle, For the moment gossip was 1orgottci, "Your own wind, too," he said, "And you've got two Pungs of Dragons, We must be careful, Miss Caroline's oul for a big hand." We played for some minutes with no irrelevant conversation, "This M. Poirot now," said Colonel Carter, "is he really such a great de- tective 7" "The greatest the world has ever known," said Caroline solmenly. "He had to come here mcognto to avoid publicity." : "Chow," said Miss Ganett. "Quite wonderful for our little village, Ln sure. By the way, Clara--my maid, you know--is great friends with Elsie, the housemaid at Fernly, and what do you think Elsie told her? 'Lhat theres been a lot ol moncy stolen, and it's her opinion--LWlse s--I mean, that the parlourmaid had something to do with it. Shes leaving at the month, and she's crying a good deal at might. lt you ask me, the girl is very lhkely m jeague with a gang. She's always beca a queer girl--she's not iriends with any of the girls around here. She goes cff by herself on her days out--very un- natural, I call it, and most suspicious, J I asked her once to come to our Friendly Girls' Evenings, but she re- fused, and then I asked her a few questions about her home and her family--all that sort of thing, and I'm bound to say I comsidered her man- ner most impertinent. Outwardly very respectiul--but she shut me up in the most barefaced way." Miss Ganett stopped for breath, and the colonel, who was totally uninter- ested in the servant question, remarss- ed that in the Shanghai Club brisk play was the invariable rule. We had a round of brisk play. "That Miss Kussell," said Caroline "She came here pretending to consult James on Friday morning. It's my opinion she wanted to see where the poisons were kept. Five Characters." "Chow," said Miss Ganett. - "What an extraordinary idea? 1 wonder if you can be right?" 4 "Talking of poisons," said the colonel. "Eh--what? Haven't 1 dis- carded? Oh! Eight Bamboos." "Mah Jong!" said Miss Ganett. Caroline was very much annoyed. "One Red Dragon," she said regret- fully, "and I should have had a hand oi three doubles." "I've had two Red Dragons all the time," 1 mentioned. "So exactly like you, James," said Caroline reproachfully. "You've no conception of the spirit of the game." 1 myself thought I had played rather cleverly. 1 should have had to pay Caroline an enormous amount if she had gone Mah Jong. Miss Ganett's Mah Jong was of the poorest variety possible, as Caroline did not fail to point out to her. i East Wind passed, and we started a new hand in silence. "What 1 was going to tell you just now was this," said Caroline. "Yest" said Miss Ganett encourag- ingly. "My mean." "Yes, dear," said' Miss Ganett, still more encouragingly. "Chow!" "It's a sign of weakness to Chow so idea about Ralph Paton, I early," said Caroline severely, "You should go for a big hand." "1 know," said Miss Ganett. "You were saying--about Ralph Paton, you know" "Yes. Well, I've a pretty shrewd idea where he is." We all stopped to stare at her, "This is very interesting, Miss Caro- ling," said Colonel Carter. "All your own idea, eh?" "Well, not exactly. I'll tell you about it. You know that big map of the county we have in the hall?" We all said Yes. "As M. Poirot was going out the other day, he stopped and looked ai it, and he made some remark--l1 can't remember exactly what it was, Some= thing about Cranchester being the only big town anywhere near us--which 1s true, of course. But after he had gone --it came to me suddenly." "What came to you?" "His meaning. in Cranchester." It was at that moment that I knock- ed down the rack that held my pieces. My sister immediately reproved me for clumsiness, but hali-heartedly. She W 1 SPEARMINT has a tang YU and zest to brighten your Y% whole day! » It keeps teeth white, w soothes the throat, and Wi V/] Solv We are Jeddo Premium Coal The Best Produced in America ny Soke Telephone~-- 262 Four direct lines to Central | | O1 course Ralph is | was annoyance at Miss Ganerd's | going Mah Jong for the third time running which prompted Caroline to | know anything. Poirot keeps his owa | hand face upwards on the table. were evolved :-- [THE OSHAWA DAILY TIMES, MONDAY, NOVEMEER 21, 1927 was 'intent on her theory. "Cranchester, Miss Caroline?" sa:d Colonel Carter. "Surely not Cran- chester! It's so near." "That's exactly it," cried Caroline triumphantly: "It seems quite clear by now that he didn't get away from here by train. He must si have walked into Cranchester. And I believe he's there still. No one would dream of his being so near at hand. I pointed out several obections to the theory, but when once Caroline has got something firmly into her head, nothing dislodges it. "And you think M. Poirot has the same idea," said Miss Ganett thought- fully. "It's a curious coincidence, but 1 was out tor a walk this afternoon on the Crauchester road, and he passed me In a car coming from that direc- tion." We all 1ooked at each other. "Why, dear me," said Miss Ganett suddenly. "I'm Mah Jong all the time, and I never noticed it." Caroline's attention was distracted from her own inventive exercises. She pointed out to Miss Ganett that a hand® consisting of mixed suits and too many Chows are hardly worth going Mah Jong on. Miss Ganett listened imper- turbably and collected her counters. "Yes, dear, I know what you mean," she said. "But it rather depends on what kind of a hand you have to start with, doesn't it?" "You'll never get the big hands if Jon don't ko for them," urged Caro- ine, - "Well, we must all play our own way, mustn't we?" said Miss Ganert. She looked down at her counters. "Aften all, I'm up, so far." Caroline, who was down, said nothing. East Wind passed, and we set to once more, Annie brought in the tea things. Caroline and Miss Ganett were both slightly 'ruffled as is often the case during one of these festive evenings. "If you would only play a leetle quicker, dear," said Caroline, as Miss Ganett hesitated over her discard. "The Chinese put down the tiles so quickly it sounds like little birds pat- tering." considerably For some few minutes we played like Chinese. "You haven't contributed much to the sum of information, Sheppard," said Colonel Carter genially: "You're a sly dog. Hand in glove with the great detective, and not a hint as to the way things are going." "James is an extraordinary creats ure," said Caroline, "He can not bring himself to part with information." She looked at me with some dis- favour, "I assure you," Li said, "that I don't counsel." "Wise man," said the colonel with a chuckle. © "He doesn't give himseli away. But they're wonderful fellows, these foreign detectives, Up to all sorts of dodges, | believe." "Pung," said Miss Ganett, in a tone of quet triumph. "And Mah Jong" The situation became more strained, It | say to me as we built up a iresh wail: ! "You are too tiresome, James. You sit there like a deadhead, and say nothimg at all!" "But, my dear," I protested, "I have really nothing to say--that 1s, of the kind you mean." "Nonsense," said Caroline, as she sorted her hand. "You must know something interesting." I did not answer for a moment. [ was overwheimed and intoxicated. | had heard of there being such a thing as The Perfect Winning--going Mah Jong on one's original hand. I had never hoped to hold the hand myself, With suppressed triumph [ laid my "As they say in the Shanghai Club," I remarked, "Tin-ho -- the Perfect Winning!" The colonel's eyes nearly bulged out of his head. "Upon my soul," he said." "What. an i one's lip. Crowds York ch Plain Mr. York picks a winner! Says Plain Mr, York--""T'll give youati ra winner whose name you a R have on your ahp it's setting the hd Erin) Ak nd Plain York is the first cholce on every h enjoying Plain Sverywhate an Gertul Dar that i Hh hill Al mI | | i, v y, trul has become such a favorite, This delicious plain Rowntree chocolate, not too bitter, not too sweet, has a smooth, taste that is a masterpiece. chocolate makin | 2 Y, Trium, delight to lovers ho JRA chocolate, Your fr trial will prove ita Ba a NW NAW A NN owN TT Also in larger sizes INAUGURATES NEW FORM OF SERVILE (Continued from page 7) goodness of God daily, grow into his likeness. This Sunday School build- ing, he said, was built and set apart that all who come within its walls may see Jesus, and love Him and grow more like Him. If this is done, the cost, effort and sacrifice expend- ed will be repaid ten thousand fold. Prayer by Rev. Dr. Dougall, a solo "The Garden', very pleasingly ren- dered hy Miss L. Garrow, and the hymn "Take My Life and Let It Be" | brought the service to a close. Seeing a vision of the whole of the | northern nart of the city without any Sunday School accommodation, and yet with a population that was increasing very rapidly as the city | moved northward, the Oshawa City | extraordinary thing. nappen before!" It was then that I went on, goaded by Caroline's gibes, and rendered reck- less by my triumph. "And as to anything interesting," | said. "What about a gold wedding ring with a date and 'From R. in- side." I pass over the scene that followed. I was made to say exactly where the treasure was found. I was made to re- veal the date. "March 13th," said Caroline. "Just six months ago. Ah!" Out of the babel of excited sugges- tions and suppositions three theories I never saw that 1. That of Colonel Carter: that Ralph was secretly married to Flora. The first or most simple solution. 2. That of Miss Ganett: that Roger Ackroyd had been secretly married to Mrs. Ferrars. 3. That of my sister: that Roger Ackroyd had married his housekeeper, Miss Russell. A fourth or super-theory was pro- pounded by Caroline later as we went up to bed. "Mark my words," she said sudder- ly, "I shouldn't be at all surprised if Geoffrey Raymond and Flora werea't married." "Surely it would be 'From G, not 'From R' then," I suggested. "You never know. Some girls call men by their surnames. And you heard what Miss Ganett said this evening--about Flora's carryings on." Strictly speaking, I had not heard Miss Ganett say anything of the kind, but I respected Caroline's knowledge of innuendoes. "How about Hector Blunt," I hinted. "If it's anybody----" "Nonsense," said Caroline. "I dare say he admires her--may even be in love with her. But depend upon it a girl isn't going to fall in love with a man old enough to be her father when there's a good looking young secretary about. She may encourage Major Blunt just as a blind. Girls are very artful. But there's one thing I do tell you, James Sheppard. Flora Ackroyd does not care a penny piece for Ralph Paton, and never has. You can take that from me." I took it from her meekly. (To be continued) Mission Board some months ago ac- | cepted the task of erecting a Sun- | day School in this district. The site | chosen was on the north--west eor- | per of Simcoe street north and Ar- | |lington avenue, and: on this lot con- | struction was begun on the most | northerly religions building in the | city. The Board planned it to ~on- tain about 220 people, and yet on the opening day the building was filled to capacity, illustrating the in- terest that has been taken in its erection. Pleasing Appearance Of frame construction, the hall is | finished in pleasing color tones both inside and outside, and situated well back from the street, is in a loca- tion that will fit remarkably well the intended purpose of its erection. The building is one story in height and is well ventilated and heated in an approved manper. An electric lighting systers has been installed for evening meetings or whenever necessary. A piano meets effectively the musical needs of the Sundav School. The hall is also provided with a full complement of pews and plat- form furniture. The dedication service which was used on this occasion, and an out- line of which has been given above, was one which was arranged by Rev. Dr. Duncan, editor of many of thre United Church publications, for 'his service. In searching through all .of the records available, no dedicatory service for use in the setting apart of a Sunday School building could be found, so the only course lef: was to arrange one especially for the occasion. The order of service thus arranged by Rey. Dr. Duncan, vsed for the first time in the dedication of the North Simcoe Sunday School, may thus become the basis for all. similar services in the United Church of Canada. Considerable thought and work was necessar' to evolve the pleasing service that was oresented yesterday afternoon and it is worthy of a place among the regular orders of service used from time to time in church work. T v Officers Temporay officers for the new Sunday School, who will carry on their duties until the new wear, were elected at the meeting Wed- Inesday evening, and it is expected ! that everything will be in readiness | ym to cor ien at > study The splendid attendance of the child- encouraging to the officers behind the work, and a full attendance for the organization into classes is ex- pected at 2.30 next Sunday. regular meetings for next Sunday afternoon. nmence | vesterday's service was very OSHAWA, LIMITED SUCCESSORS. 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