Lesson 30

   Who Did It?

         Text A

    Inspector Chester of Scotland Yard soon arrived on the scene of the crime. When the newspapermen saw him getting out of the car they immediately realised that matters were serious. Inspector Chester had a fine reputation. He had solved many difficult and complicated crimes during the last few years. Most of them were robberies. This one concerned the theft of jewels belonging to a famous film actress. She was reputed to be a millionairess. So it was not surprising that the missing jewels were valued at a quarter of a million pounds.

    The newspapermen were eager to question the detective. He stood on the pavement outside the house and smiled at the photographers. "Have you a statement to make?" somebody asked. The detective - tall, thick-set, middle-aged, clean-shaven pushed his way through the crowd, climbed a few steps to the front door, turned round and said in a cool, clear voice: "I have no statement to make.

As soon as there is anything fresh to tell you, I'll let you know. " He beckoned to a policeman, whispered a few words in his ear and went into the house. After a "Move along, please" from the policeman, the crowd gradually dispersed.

    Upstairs , Inspector Chester walked over to the French windows. It was probably through these that the~thieves had come.They had left no clues, no finger-prints. It had apparently not been difficult for them to break into the safe. Just as the detective was about to examine this once again, the telephone rang.

    "Hullo, Inspector", a soft, monotonous voice said. "If you want a clue, why don't you talk to the servant? The one with a small scar on the right cheek. "
    Was this a trick? Would it put the Inspector on the right track?

        Text B

    Inspector Robinson was swearing aloud when he arrived at the fine, old house at the top of the hill. The past few weeks had heen rough for him, and it looked as if there was more trouble ahead. It was raining hard , and Carruthers , his assistant, who was waiting for him at the gate, was wet to the skin. As they walked up the path together, Carruthers explained what had happened.

    The woman, Sylvia Fortagne, a daughter of Lord Arthrington, had been found dead in the sitting-room by one of the servants that evening. The police doctor, who had examined the body, was sure that it was a clear case of poisoning. They had not moved the body; it still lay face upwards, where it had fallen.Underneath her body they had found the photograph of an unknown young man.

There had been no signs of a struggle. The woman's husband had not been seen since lunchtime. According to the cook he had left the house "in anger", as she put it, after a quarrel with his wife, and had gone for a ride on one of his favourite horses.
    Carruthers pushed open the front door, and the two men entered the hall.Inspector Robinson took off his hat and went into the sitting-room.

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