The Wicksteed Murder

           TheInvisibleManseemstohaverushedoutofKemp'shouseinastateofblindfury. AlittlechildplayingnearKemp'sgatewaywasviolentlycaughtupandthrownaside,sothatitsanklewasbroken,andthereafterforsomehourstheInvisibleManpassedoutofhumanperceptions. Nooneknowswherehewentnorwhathedid.ButonecanimaginehimhurryingthroughthehotJuneforenoon,upthehillandontotheopendownlandbehindPortBurdock,raginganddespairingathisintolerablefate,andshelteringatlast,heatedandweary,amidthethicketsofHintondean,topiecetogetheragainhisshatteredschemesagainsthisspecies. Thatseemsthemostprobablerefugeforhim,forthereitwashere-assertedhimselfinagrimlytragicalmannerabouttwointheafternoon. 

           Onewonderswhathisstateofmindmayhavebeenduringthattime,andwhatplanshedevised. NodoubthewasalmostecstaticallyexasperatedbyKemp'streachery,andthoughwemaybeabletounderstandthemotivesthatledtothatdeceit,wemaystillimagineandevensympathisealittlewiththefurytheattemptedsurprisemusthaveoccasioned. PerhapssomethingofthestunnedastonishmentofhisOxfordStreetexperiencesmayhavereturnedtohim,forhehadevidentlycountedonKemp'sco-operationinhisbrutaldreamofaterrorisedworld. Atanyratehevanishedfromhumankenaboutmidday,andnolivingwitnesscantellwhathediduntilabouthalf-pasttwo. Itwasafortunatething,perhaps,forhumanity,butforhimitwasafatalinaction.