About: The Old Man in the Corner by Baroness Orczy

THE OLD MAN IN THE CORNER

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[Illustration: "The old man in the corner."]

THE OLD MAN IN THE CORNER

BY

BARONESS ORCZY

TO MY DEAR UNCLE AND AUNT

COUNT AND COUNTESS WASS OF CZEGE

IN REMEMBRANCEOF MANY HAPPY DAYS SPENTIN TRANSYLVANIA

_October, 1908_

CONTENTS

Chapter

I. THE FENCHURCH STREET MYSTERY II. A MILLIONAIRE IN THE DOCK III. HIS DEDUCTION IV. THE ROBBERY IN PHILLIMORE TERRACE V. A NIGHT'S ADVENTURE VI. ALL HE KNEW VII. THE YORK MYSTERY VIII. THE CAPITAL CHARGE IX. A BROKEN HEARTED WOMAN X. THE MYSTERIOUS DEATH ON THE UNDERGROUND RAILWAY XI. MR. ERRINGTON XII. THE LIVERPOOL MYSTERY XIII. A CUNNING RASCAL XIV. THE EDINBURGH MYSTERY XV. A TERRIBLE PLIGHT XVI. NON PROVEN XVII. UNDENIABLE FACTS XVIII. THE THEFT AT THE ENGLISH PROVIDENT BANK XIX. CONFLICTING EVIDENCE XX. AN ALIBI XXI. THE DUBLIN MYSTERY XXII. FORGERY XXIII. A MEMORABLE DAY XXIV. AN UNPARALLELED OUTRAGE XXV. THE PRISONER XXVI. A SENSATION XXVII. TWO BLACKGUARDSXXVIII. THE REGENT'S PARK MURDER XXIX. THE MOTIVE XXX. FRIENDS XXXI. THE DE GENNEVILLE PEERAGE XXXII. A HIGH BRED GENTLEMANXXXIII. THE LIVING AND THE DEAD XXXIV. THE MYSTERIOUS DEATH IN PERCY STREET XXXV. SUICIDE OR MURDER?XXXVI. THE END

THE OLD MAN IN THE CORNER

CHAPTER I

THE FENCHURCH STREET MYSTERY

The man in the corner pushed aside his glass, and leant across thetable.

"Mysteries!" he commented. "There is no such thing as a mystery inconnection with any crime, provided intelligence is brought to bear uponits investigation."

Very much astonished Polly Burton looked over the top of her newspaper,and fixed a pair of very severe, coldly inquiring brown eyes upon him.

She had disapproved of the man from the instant when he shuffled acrossthe shop and sat down opposite to her, at the same marble topped tablewhich already held her large coffee (3d.), her roll and butter (2d.),and plate of tongue (6d.).

Now this particular corner, this very same table, that special view ofthe magnificent marble hall known as the Norfolk Street branch of theAerated Bread Company's depots were Polly's own corner, table, andview. Here she had partaken of eleven pennyworth of luncheon and onepennyworth of daily information ever since that gloriousnever to be forgotten day when she was enrolled on the staff of the_Evening Observer_ (we'll call it that, if you please), and became amember of that illustrious and world famed organization known as theBritish Press.

She was a personality, was Miss Burton of the _Evening Observer_. Hercards were printed thus:

[Illustration: MissMARY J. BURTON._Evening Observer_.]

She had interviewed Miss Ellen Terry and the Bishop of Madagascar, Mr.Seymour Hicks and the Chief Commissioner of Police. She had been presentat the last Marlborough House garden party in the cloak room, that isto say, where she caught sight of Lady Thingummy's hat, MissWhat you may call's sunshade, and of various other things modistical orfashionable, all of which were duly described under the heading "Royaltyand Dress" in the early afternoon edition of the _Evening Observer_.

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