Show W Ii j A 5 BY FRANK j Late Lale Su Superintendent of oj Criminal Investigation De DePa Department New Nem Scotland Ya Yard d London 1 1 r I. I t 4 Detective Romance by the Only World-Famous World Professional Sleuth Who mho Has was Scored Equally as a Brilliant Writer of I Jimmie a young American r I newspaper man is lost in n a London I fog fog- when a girl running by hy thrusts i a package of papers into his Ills hand A Aman Aman man rushes past in pursuit The pact pack contains age g contains cancelled checks drawn by one ne J. J J E. E Greye Stratton Hallett 1 goes goes to the a address dress given and is r received re re- by a man who says he is the tho j doctor doctors o S tor who knocks hint him senseless When Hallett recovers he finds himself himself himself him him- self alone with the tho body hOlly of f a muri murdered mur mur- i dered man lie Ue Le gets to the phone and i calls calIs up Weir Menzies Chief Detective Detec J tir tive Inspector of Scotland Yard to toi i whom he has Ims a letter of introduction 1 Menzies finds the cancelled checks t 1 have haTe been taken from Jimmies Jimmie's pockets pock pock- ets He finds out also that Greye- Greye Stratton has a daughter who has lived abroad and amI a step-son step James Enrol Errol of shady reputation on whom suspIcion suspicion suspicion sus sus- falls The Tho next day lay the daughter laugh daugh ter Peggy Peggi Stratton Greye calls on r re Hallett also on his way to Scotland Yard is held up tip by a stranger strang strang- er who rno at first he lie mistakes for a ne newspaper man Copyright 1910 1010 by Frank 1 A A. Munsey Co Co 1 r CHAPTER V. V Continued ALLETT shook himself free angrily Look here my man he saidI saidI said I dont don't propose to answer answer answer an an- your questions so you can put that in inyO yO your you r pipe and smoke Now git He Heh h clinched his fists The foreigners foreigner's hand dropped to his pocket He did not remove it but pr pressed sed something hard through the cloth against the young mans man's ribs rib You You are hasty Mr l Hallett he remo re re- mo You dont don't know what it itis itis is you say what say what youre you're up against This a is a pistol you can cann feel feel he he 1 pressed pressed it close close and and unless you listen quietly 9 I shall keel you dead Understand Understand Under Under- stand Well said Hallett quietly for for the I third time You were were at the house You saw wh who killed the old man You would I kni know v him him again The Theman man did not wait I for or an answer You must keep your mouth shut This is for a warn warn- ing J If you you see him again you not tell eh eh There are many of us You will willbe toe he watched And 1 if y you u split split A prod with the pistol finished the sen sen- tence The theory that piS' piS molester was wasa a a. reporter had long ago been abandoned abandoned aban aban- by Jimmie Hallett It was was was' evidently evidently evi evi- evi dent dently y thought that he had seen the face of the nian man at Linstone Terrace Gardens and he was to be terrorized into int sHe silence He had sense enough to reflect that for lor all the audacity of the holdup the threat of surveillance was bluff per bluff per perhaps haps even the concealed pistol was bluff l He e took a qUick quick step backward and sid sideways ways and a bullet that tore its way through ugh the cloth of the others other's pocket told that that part of the story was reU reliable ble Then Then Halletts Hallett's knee was in his back and Halletts Hallett's arms were woven in ina ina a a. st strangle angle hold bold about his throat The Theman Theman Theman man collapsed gurgling The whole business had occurred in barely two seconds of time As they fell there was a a third arrival Hold him down a m minute nute Mr Hal Hal- lett That's all aU right The third man possessed himself of the squirming ing captives captive's wrists a and d twisted d them behind behind be be- hind his back to Hallett Then he I met methodically odi ally and quickly ran his hands through ugh the tho prostrate mans man's clothing possessing himself of a small still sUll I Smoking revolver and a sheath Thank you sir Now this gentleman gentle gentle- i mart man might get up Well We'll run him 0 along to King Street Station and see seeS S what what Mr lr Menzies Menzles has to say about it Then Hallett noted that the man who wb wha had come to his assistance was the liveried functionary who had accepted ac ac- accepted his pound five-pound note to put off offS S the reporters less than an hour ago But But he he no l longer nger wore livery H Ho He surprised Hall Halletts Hallett's tt's look of in in- inquiry quirt and smiled as as' he locked his arm arminto into that of the prisoner Detective Sergeant Sergeant Royal sir sIl- he be explained Ill IT let you iou you know all about It later later What's you name my man He shook shook his i I captive slightly Smeeth Wllliam William Smeeth Smeeth said the theman ma man matt sullenly and Royal winked d a at I Hal Hallett ett hats hat's a good old ld Saxon Anglo-Saxon V name name he said Come along I I It was in the criminal investigation I office offic at King Street while they were t r awaiting Menzies Menzles that Royal gave hi his explanation with a certain apologetic I tone I I It 11 was this way Mr 11 Hallett You Yoi see Mr Menzies asked me to ke keep p pan an ane e eye e on on you when you were sent horn honi home e yesterday Of course he thought yo yoU u i were re all right but it doesn't do to tak take takei e any anyone's ones one's say so in our trade This i is s i murder murder you see and though it seemed d t c all right you might have forged or stolen the introduction you had We c couldn't be sure your name was really I Hallett allett Hallett And sandbagged myself on the back backof of the head head interpolated Hallett with irony Royal gave a shrug Mr Menzies Menzles doesn't take any risks sir It couldn't do you any harm They know me at athe atthe atthe the he hotel and that's bow how it was I was able to get into livery and walk into your room pretty well as I liked A new light broke e upon Hallett I suppose you read my letters ventured Hallett No dont don't worry to soothe me down Id probably have killed half-killed you if Id I'd caught you at it but ut Im I'm quito quite calm now By the way there here was a fiver fiver I A flush mounted to the temples of the he the detective and he shook his head in vehement denial of the implication contained in the broken sentence I had lad to take it or you might have suspected sus sus- something I passed it on to the servants and told em what to do I never saw the reporters myself Some of f em might have known me When you w went nt down to breakfast I II I changed my clothes and slipped a ahone aphone aphone phone hone message through to ers They told me to hang on to you till till ill Mr Menzies had seen you You'd never ever have known a word about it it if it hadn't been for for our bird down below He jerked his head in the direction of the he cells Hallett began to appreciate some of the he realities realities of detective work Before he e could make any comment Menzies came ame in He nodded affably to the oung young man Morning Mr 11 Hallett not much the worse vorse for last night I see Ive I've got gota a little job for you presently Meanwhile Mean Mean- while I want to see your friend down below elow Like to come along William Smith it seemed had already al al- ready eady been searched with care and thoroughness Royal explained to his chief hief that nothing which would serve as a hint to who he was had been found on him nothing him nothing but the pistol nine ine cartridges and some money Preceded by a uniformed inspector they hey went down to the cells Smith looked up sullenly from the bench on which he was and met Menzies Menzie's gaze aze squarely The detective chief was no believer in Lombroso's theories of physiognomy but he studied the face intently In point of fact he was analyzing the features to discover if he be had seen theman the theman theman man before He wanted too to get some ome clue as to the manner he should adopt authoritative adopt authoritative and official or familiarity familiarity familiarity fa fa- and persuasion Well sonny Menzies said gently youve you've tumbled into a mess Attempted Attempt Attempt- ed murder is a s serious rious business 01 OI course ourse we don't dont believe the cock and bull story you told Mr 11 Hallett of there being a gang of you you You dont don't eh exclaimed the prisoner prisoner pris pris- oner wheeling in sudden passion to face ace his visitors Then you are what are what shall I say wooden say wooden blockheads Youve shown you know something about about this murder went on Menzies The judge is pretty sure to take that into nto account one way or the other at atour your jour our trial I of oC course should tell him if f you helped us It would probably make a difference you know The prisoner showed two rows of yellow Bellow teeth in an contemptuous con con- grin Go away wooden wooden- head lead I shall not go to prison but you will die You dont don't know what you call what you are up against Perhaps Ive I've got an idea said Men Men- His voice changed I dont don't know whether youre you're playing the fool my myman myman myman man he said sternly or whether you you really believe that kind of f wild talk Perhaps your friend Errol will be able to enlighten us us Errol said Smith blankly 1 know him not I hear heap you said Menzies You think over what Ive I've said my lad Meanwhile well we'll have a doctor to look at t you CHAPTER TI VI l Peggy egy Stratton Gryc Menzies let an expression ex ex- expression slip from his lips as the cell door clanged b behind hind them It is tantalizing tantalizing tan tan- to h have ve a piece of evidence drop into ones one's lap so to to speak and andI then refuse to be evidence He laid a hand handon on Halletts Hallett's arm as I the jailer inserted a key in the big steel door that led to the charge room Wait a minute There are a dozen people the other side of the door waiting waiting wait walt ing for us I want you to have a good look at them when you go in If you recognize any gny of them I 1 I want you togo to togo togo go up and touch her Her repeated Hallett Menzles Menzies i eyed him keenly You Yo it sald last night that would probably know the woman again who planted the checks on you Im I'm relying on on you jou ou Mr Il Hallett Youre You're a man of I the world Dont Don't run away with the i Idea a pretty face cant can't be mixed up In crime He was a shrewd judge of men and andall andall andall all along he had been doubtful whether Jimmies chivalry would be proof against the test to which he proposed to put It And Jimmie himself was doubtful The door swung back The charge I room lofty and bare was tenanted by bya by bya a little group of women seated in a arow arow arow row at the lower end Apart from them in the centre by the Inspectors Inspector's tall desk were a couple of officers A third was leaning against the dock The chatter of voices ceased Take a good look at these ladles ladies said Menzies's suave voice Jimmie had not needed more than one glance There was a sufficient general genera resemblance among the army of women but she she was unmistakable not identify her He was curious too as to what would have happened if he had picked her out Would she have been arrested arrested on suspicion If it had been Miss Strat Greye-Strat- ton she would hardly have sought you out he remarked No no of course not said Menzies soothingly I never thought for a moment moment moment mo mo- ment that she was wai the woman One likes to save anything in the nature of scandal though The girl nodded I am am quite sure you only meant to save me possible future unpleasantness Is there anything anything anything any any- thing else You have my address There is no other way at the moment moment moment mo mo- ment in which you can help As matI matters matters mat mat- tel'S develop I may call caIl on you It has I been very good of you you I L ei R 10 4 cI i p fI J rj 1 v I r u ud f d t r n nF F f p t a Look at that he said Jimmie read it over twice It was an 1 attested copy of a marriage marriage mar mar- certificate She was the second from the right He had taken one pace toward her when her gaze met his There was nothing in it of appeal It It was in In- different cold impassive Yet Hallett's Halletts Halletts Hallett's Halletts Hallett's Hal Hal- letts lett's resolution wavered He walked past her along the row row and and back again Its no no good Mr Menzies he said quietly I dont don't recognize any anyone one here He had played poker in his time and his face and voice were absolutely absolutely absolutely ab ab- ab- ab expressionless Menzies tapped a forefinger thoughtfully alongside alongside alongside along along- side his nose and smiled ruefully All right he said and Jimmie fancied there was an inner shade of meaning to the words That will do ladies thank you The women women wives wives and daughters of police officials for the most partI part- part I separated Only the girl of the checks S remained behind A Ab As the room oom emptied she he walked toward Menzies over Miss liss Stratton Greye-Stratton he said cheerfully I am ever so much obliged to you I want you to know Mr 11 Hallett the gentleman who first called our attention to the death i if of f your fa father her I Jimmie concealed the surprise that that i tho name gave him Although there was a certain touch of melancholy in inthe inthe the he oval face there was none llone of that grief which might have been expected in a girl gul who had suddenly learned of the murder minder of her father Yes this is very dreadful Mr l Hallett Hallett Hal Hal- lett but not so dreadful to me as it might have been You see I scarcely i knew my father We were almost complete complete com com- strangers s I Miss Stratton Greye called on me meat meat at the Yard as soon as she heard of i the murder interposed Menzies I thought it as well in the circumstances that there should be no ground for misunderstandings You see your I story of the way the checks came Into your possession is If bound to make talk taik when you give evidence at the inquest I J wanted it to be definitely clear that liss l Stratton Stratton was was not the lady ladya a and d she was good enough to consent to this arrangement Hallett wondered how the diplomacy of the detective could have got over be The difficulty if the girl gul had refused That she had consented showed nerve for she had not known that he would She stretched out her slim gloved hand to Hallett But he was not inclined Inclined inclined In in- in- in to let Iet her escape to kb easily She owed him something if only an explanation ex ex- I am going your way heI he I said unblushingly Perhaps if you dont don't mind mind I You are very kind Mr 11 Hallett she said formally Menzies stroked his mustache and said goodby By the way you jOU had better be atthe at atthe th the Police Court at two Mr 11 Hallett We Ye shall charge this man Smith to to- day I dont don't expect you'll be kept long It will be purely formal We shall apply for a remand Hallett and nd the tho girl went down the steps to the street street Not till tilt they were a hundred yards awa away from the police station did either cither of them speak again Then Jimmie ventured on the i ice e. e Perhaps now you will tell me what what's is i's s 's all about Oh she stopped and turned full on him with the wide open innocent blue blueeyes blueeyes blueeyes eyes of a child So you knew all the time I wasn't sure sure that I knew you as the girl in the fog Yes Shall we wo walk wall on We might attract attention standing here Why did you do it Why didn't you denounce denounce denounce de de- me I Hanged if I know he ho confessed I thought thought that that is Is-If Is If you wanted |