| Show I rI r ry rr ji y r 4 t is yI x wu r t tr r gr Ax j R COPYRIGHT Dy SAX ROHMER SERVICE CHAPTER I 1 tt nr lOOD-nr then tilen EIleen And Andr GOODni take great Ireat care of or yourself Ive I've probably missed the train and everythIng but but I dont don't give o n a hoot hool De Be sure to write from rom Marseilles g and cable when you pet Jet In And out In dont don't forget Im I'm coming March The girl clung dun clun desperately to her brother her soft arms locked about hIm Matt could feel that she was trembling and the matter with Kid Sis SIs- SIster Sister ter he be asked squeezing her ber Kid Sisters Sister's miserable I Because you dont don't want to goback go back No Xo nut Hut because somehow Matt Iatt dear she whispered very close to hIs ear car I feel frightened about this Journey Dont Don't be mad with me I know Its It's silly and I oo ought ht to be used to traveling tra by now nut But Ive I've got n a wobbly funny feel reel feeling reelIng feeling ing Kearney looked down at the tan tan- tangled tangled curls nestling upon his shoulder shoulder der del and In the lI light ht shIn shining In out from the cozy stateroom the they gleamed and shimmered like bur lJur burnished bronze lie hug hugged ed her af- af affectionately af at affectionately and told himself that If d chill suddenly experienced and resembling cold water trickling down his bis spine was due physIcally to the clammy quality of oC the night and mentally to the girls girl's over over- overwrought overwrought wrought ht condition Kid dear he said and stroked her Iler hair hall play fair Seeing little girls off of Is bad enough h anyway without giving a n fellow the breeze up Im sorry Matt Malt It was utterly mg Big Pig Ilg of ot me only Xo No only Little Pig PIA he saId playfully I only wish I were coming with willi you It wasn't fair and I shouldn't have ha said sald It Its It's just tills this beast beastly ly fug fog and having to let you go ashore In it It Give me a kiss Matt Matt and well we'll clI go and hunt Jack Rattray although I really dont don't know how yourt youre going to get et home borne of ot mist floated under the tights lights Not ot another soul was In sight on that deck aleek but there was activity on the deck below and ond a tremendous tremendous tremendous dous 11 imor cl-imor mol on the docksIde The Thea TheR R a DL M S Wallaroo was going out In inthe Inthe th the ni nl sixteen sixteen hours late thanks to one of oC those Co fogs s London Special which sometimes hold up Thames traffic radio t for whole days daS One List t lingering glance Kear- Kear Kearney Kearney ney cast Into the cozy stateroom which Eileen Elleen was to occupy to Colombo Ue lie would cheerfully have haTe resl resigned ned six months pay to tobe tobe tobe be going too The wardrobe trunk which he had labelled himself n a agreen agreen green hat on the rack above the bed a camera hung bung on the back of ofa ofa ofa a chair a dressing case open on the table The Tho box of or a hundred ciga ciga- cigarettes ciga- ciga cigarettes cigarettes which Dawson Haig had brought down to the steamer that morning lay on the turned back turned coverlet and a pile of ot magazines on top of or an unopened cabin trunk three novels which Matt Iatt had brought for or Eileen In the rack be- be beside be beside side the green grcen lint hat Ah Ail well l he sighed be beo bea bea o a comfortable Little PI Pig Winter the purser Is a n star turn Youre You're at his table and ond hell he'll see that everything's right t Jack Ita Rattray Uray Is Isan isan isan an old pal so that you wont won't lack company compan I shant lack company said Eileen archly Her mood changed and ond she smIled mischievously But nut Near Kear Kearney Kearney ney welcomed the change and You little devil deill 1 I he said and ond squeezed her ber hard Dont forget theres there's a spy aboard I might buy him over overt I saId Eileen Ill tell Billy Haig I Oh dont don't please do that I Eileen exclaImed it lh mock horror lIe might never run ron out to Colombo to have bave a cup of oC tea with me as us he be promised 1 But really ea IY her h heart was s ver very line i expect ever to see Dawson Hal again She made a charming figure In Inthe Inthe Inthe the light streaming from the tile cabin door simply dressed though she was In a jumper and tweed skirt And Matt Iatt Kearney felt affectionate affectionate- affectionately ly proud of or his dainty sister Come on said Bald he be Lets go and ond dig old Rattray out I must positively beat It if Ive I've got at least lenet leasta n a quarter of or an hours hour's walk and falling oiling divine luck lucka a long voyage by motor bus jack Rattray chief officer of the Walla Wallaroo roo was exchanging a afew afew afew few pleasantries with the tho boss stevedore dore by the hatch batch of or Number Three bold but he be broke off ofT this not too parliamentary debate when the charming passenger appeared de beside him with Kearney What about n a final asked Rat nat Rattray tray No Xo final for me Kearney Kearny re- re replied re- re replied re replied plied lie He grasped Rattray's hand night Good night Good night and all the best I 1 know you'll look after aCter her Rattray tall leisurely smiled his slim smile Sure thing Rol BoI oI said he be Youre mocking me met mel I Eileen i cried and arid punched the speaker forc forc- forcibly forcibly Ibl In the ribs I dont don't ha have ve an accent like that I speak spank better Eng Eng- English lish than you do anyway You speak more In English lIsh Rattray Rat Rattray tray drawled provokingly pro Very cry I Big PI Pig said Eileen But ut Kearney left the ship In a happier mood and experienced no return of or that unpleasant chill chili Ei- Ei Eileen El EI leen was In good company and the theo voyage o age would pass like three days dayt lie Ile picked his Ills way through utter litter on the dockside Just under an nn arc I I C fy 1 9 rt tt 1 1 li liti ti 1 T l ll i l Had Some One Passed Him Or Him Had He Imagined It he paused turned and looked back Jack Rattrap Rattray and Eileen were standing on the deck by the gang gang- san gangway gangway way He waved wa his hat and shouted Good by until March and good goodluck goodluck luck 1 Good by Matt Iatt came the girls girl's voice olce and ho Cheers old boy That was R Rattray The fascinating activity of oC those docks claimed Kearney Here lIere East meets West produce of or the Spice Islands tea of ot Ceylon the timbers ot of Burma nurma jostle Ironmongery from Birmingham ham lie cheek check and Jowl with chemical products of Sliver Sliver- town Silver town At night especially under floodlights amid river noises and the hoarse voices of workers the mystery of the port of London type of ot a vast ast and ever ever- turning ever turning wheel of or empire touched the poetry which was part of him lie gave glie up his card to the po- po po policeman hiceman on duty and ten paces be be- beyond beyond beyond yond looking back could see ste mere merely ly Iy a dim blur marking the site of the box which that official occupied JC If It this n d-n d n fog tog continues he reflected my prospects are indifferent Indifferent ferent He lIe stood there for a moment look look- looking looking In ing about him and ond falling to notice n a aman aman man who ten paces away Dr seemed to be he watching the dock a gates gates tallish man wearing a white rain rain- raincoat raincoat coat coat collar turned up and a n sort soft brown hat with the brim pulled down But the other man had seen Kearney and and the sight of ot Kear Near Kearney ney had set him dreaming Colombo a year before A year yearl I It seemed only like a week I 1 The ml mist t dis dis- dis dispersed dispersed persed persell before the eyes of or the dream dreamer er by the gates lie Ile saw Mount La vinia La-vinia hotel and a Ii petite slender girl sirl In to a blue frock cro crossing the deserted mahogany dance floor She had been a sort of revelation open open opening In lag ing his eyes yes to all that had been lacking He was among the stars again could see the winking lighthouse callously stabbing the tropical night nl ht hear bear the plaintive tremolo of a love lo chant floating bating up from the village From these haunting memorIes he was abruptly jerked back to reality Ue lIe withdrew Into shadow A man was coming out of ot the gates so so muffled up In n a heavy beavy collared fur fur- fur collared coat cont that his features were Indistinguishable This man turned sharply left passed Kear Kear- Kearney Kearney ney and was swallowed up In the fog og And as he vanished something something- an an Instinct perhaps or was It a faint odor suggestive ot or musk suddenly brou brought ht Kearney an on- on un unaccountable accountable return of ot that sensa sensation tion as thought though cold water trickled down his spine He lie stared Into the theCo Co fog Had find some one pas passed hum hum- humor him himor or had hall he Imagined It He lIe hated thIs tills as sensation sensation as of ot an indefinable dread which twice now no had oppressed him A band rested on his bis shoulder Ke Kearney twisted about with a acry acry acry cry The man In the white raincoat stood Just behind him And stock still peering Into the others other's face tace exclaimed Good Good Lord ord 1 l Kearney joyfully Its Us Dawson Un Haig I I Eileen watched from the rail mil un until ill til fog tog hanging over oyer the docksIde swallowed up Malls Matts figure She turned and looked at Jack Rattray Seeing her expression the tho matter Eileen 1 said he Oh Ob I dont don't know Jack Jacl she re- re replied re- re replied re replied plied She was angry with herself Im behaving like a perfect little Idiot tonight And If you ask asic me why I cant can't tell you yell Its It's just jim jim- jimjams Jim Jams jams Except that I think It began with n a horrible looking man wear wear- wearing wearing In ing a n fur-collared fur overcoat 1 l Oh Ohi Ohl I said salil Rattray conscIous that duty called him but held beld n against his will by the lie girls girl's urine urine- unac I countable mood When did you see this tills furry Curry bird And was It his collar or his overcoat o you didn't like 1 Ills face lie He looked Into the open door of ot my stateroom while Matt was up In your cabin I saw his reflection In my hand mirror When I turned he lie wasn't there Do you mean menn he was actually In Inthe inthe Inthe the room fur room fur collar and all foolish No No foolish Idiot I 1 He lie was stand standing ing Just In the doorway and he was smiting smiling the most horrible smile imaginable An Englishman 1 Oh no he wasn't I A China Chinn Chinaman man A Chinaman I In a fur coat I No 1 wonder you ou were shaken up l I There was a n queer musky smell too too- nave Have you seen sen him sInce since since- Yes I saw him afterwards on the dockside looking up at me I think that settles It saId Jack Rattray reassuringly There was a n bunch of oC stuff shipped by a Chinese a agency ency down LImehouse way Tny for a n firm In Sydney Some n d-n n silly mistake hauling It out now now-a now a l h h 1 of a n job from job Number Three hold This Tills oriental bird was probably the wit half-wit re- re responsible re responsible Its It's given Iven me more trou trou- trouble trou- trou trouble trouble ble than the specie The specie Yes Were We're a Spanish galleon tills this trip Eilt Eileen n I Rattray smiled his slow smile Minted gold from the Bank of England consigned to the Commonwealth Bank nank of oC Australla Aus Aus- Australia Look 1 1 I Its It's just comIng aboard Two T-o millions 1 I Well I must slip off now They've They rushed thIs little lot hot aboard us at the last moment and Ive I've got to find a safe home for it It tt Take my tip Turn In with a book and If It you like Ill I'll have ha a nl nightcap sent along In about halt half an nn hour Leave Lea It to me mo Youre a Kind Pig said Eileen and squeezed his arm affection affection- affectionately affectionately n tely She had known Jack Rattray for three years Ue He had Introduced her ber berto herto herto to Dawson In only Colombo Colombo n a year ago As he went off otT with his slow long strIdes she turned and entered her cahIll cabin Looking at tae books on the rack and pulling a wry race face ce she con con- contemplated contemplated contemplated unpacking yet to be bedone bedone bedone done She had hod been on board since noon and knew she was desperate desperately ly Iy lazy nut But But then Dawson had stayed to lunch when It was announced that the ship couldn't sail and and Matt Iatt the good nn angel el had clung on to the last possible min min- minute minute ute Oh bother I 1 she said She was waa tired but excited leer lIer mental condition puzzled her ThI This WitS was not the first time she he had tray trat cled cled alone DIone She was used to the sea a and ond had taken her Iler maiden voy oy voy- voy voyage voyage age at the age oe of ot twelve t The memory of that strange yellow yellow lemon face glimpsed tJ be between tween upraised flaps of or an nn astrakhan astrakhan han bon collar and the pulled down brim of a soft sort black lint haunted her ridiculously Of ot course the theman theman theman man was some same Chinese shipping o agent ent The apparent evil of his smile might have c been no more than a distorted reflection In the mirror She wondered It Ir Dawson Hal would write Queer that odor like musk It seemed to han hang about l lYes Yes she would turn In and read re I 0 You see Kearney said Detec Detec- Detective tire tive Inspector Dawson Halg star star- staring ing log up at nt an nn old print which dec deo decorated orated the bar officially my hands are tied Its It's bec because use Ive I've always alwn's made n a point of ot finding the loop loop- loopholes loopholes holes In official re regulations that Ive I've ve got as far ar as ns I have ha The bar was sparsely populated Two firemen amiably drunk lolled In a n corner Orner A solitary seedy look In ing drinker sat a against the wall smoking his pipe and taking sips from a 0 tankard A sleeved shirt shirt barman made up the company Kearney smiled at the speaker lie He regarded William Dawson as one of the most remarkable men In London n London a man destined to wIn wInan winan winan an International reputation had been at with Kear Kear- Kearney Kearney Michael ney-Michael ney- ney ney Michael Kearney r now United States consul at Colombo at nt that time having hn been stationed In Liv Lly Liverpool Catastrophe came Just as I Haig went up to Oxford Oxford- Endowed by his father with a n load lond of debts and n posthumous V C he had en- en enlisted en enlisted listed In iii the Metropolitan police force lie was today the young young- youngest youngest youngest est Inspector detective In the crim crim- criminal criminal inal Investigation department with witha n a great reat future assured lie lle had pleasantly Irre Irregular ular tea fea features tures and his smile was a n grIn whIch wrinkled up the corners ot of othIs hIs eyes ees Irresistibly When Halg Haig grinned everybody e grinned Regulations weren't made malic for tor you said Kearney laughing nut But Im I'm still In the dark You leave len the Wallaroo after lunch with dramatic farewells and ond then ban bang me on the back at the dock gates at nt ten o'clock at night nights 1 Haig raised his tankard contemplating contemplating plating It with n-Ith Interest and I gave you a lift as far as LIme Lime- Limehouse Lime house house he reminded Kearney You ought to be thankful for that And the beer Is good Kearney banged the counter The barman replenished the tankards And when he had retired afoot asked In Ina Ina n na a low voice olce I dont don't know knowl I 1 was Halg's Haig s sur sur- surprisIng sur- sur surprising surprising answer I can cnn only think theres there's been a bad leakage of news Some time ago ngo he went on a con con- consignment consignment of or |
