The Room of Secrets

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 16, 24 February 1914, Page 2

The Room of Secrets

CHAPTER XXIII.

•CHE MYSTERY OP THE LOCKED ROOM.

Once again those blue flashes showed. 4 'By Jove!" gasped Deriman, "that is strange! Are you certain it's the liottse, Mr Colefax?" he asked. •. "No," I replied. ''l 7 m unf ortu■natelv not certain. Indeed, I'm very «*abious, and yet—well, there are certain features about its exterior which I distinctly remember." '".But look!" cried the famous detective. "What's that message?" / We both stared at the short and long Jlashes now following one another with great rapidity. .;"■••■ /'Why—-ah! yes," he ejaculated.' "Yes, I can read"—and then he spelt ■»■ out,-letter by letter: "T-H-R-E-E-M-E.N-W-A-T-C-Hrl-N-G."

"Warning somebody!" I gasped. "Yes, but to whom is that message toeing flashed?" asked Crane. "1 don't think it is wireless," said. Denman; "but I believe the message is sent to, some other house in .the immediate vicinity." .'.'Somebody can see us, that's very plain. , 'What's to be done?" Crane .asked. . The tall/ lean man paused for a second, saying:— . "I fear we've bungled. What have you two been doing? Standing right in front of the house, or what?" "We've acted with all discretion," ,I answered him. "We took every precaution. The message says three men are watching." * "Ah! But these people, whoever they are, must be very artful. They've defied us up to the present." "But they won't much longer," I asserted. Denman shrugged his shoulders. Like most men following his profession, he -was always pessimistic. He was debating within himself the. best course to . mrsue in the unusual circumstances. "Let's take the bull by the horns ind knock at the door," I said. "We «ust get inside somehow." "Ah! but how?" asked Crane—

"I agree with Mi- Colefax," Denfcian said. "We must strike at once. If we delay in order to get a searchwarrant, they'll slip through our fingers. I already know the character of this "highly-interesting old gentleman whom we want. No," he added, "we mustn't delay,:,a second. I'll get in—you be ready, act quickly, and follow. "Wait in the Vicinity and keep a very sharp look-out;' Only don't stand in any • position where you can be seen. Get . out of eight qf; that.upper window, but ..■watch that nobody leaves. Whoever . comes out, Cva,^s, .you follow them. I'll have to run ,lj>ack to the Yard, but I won't be mos? than half an hour. So lon^." i >.'*,.-•■• ■••••. "Then turning 1 ' upon his heel lie left 119.and .disappeared., , ~,.. ? Craiie and ,1 separated afterwards, Raiting long aijid patently. I stood in: ft doorway, concealed in the shadow, Jjttt at imminent risk of being disby a constable, who /passed

(By WILLIAM LE QUEUX.) * [COPYRIGHT.]

quite close to me on his beat, but who, fortunately, did not see me. Those moments seemed hours. There were few passers-by along that dreary thoroughfare, rendered the more j dismal by the unpleasant dampness of the winter's night. Only the roar of the London traffic sounded in the main roads around,.accompanied by the constant "honk" of motor horns. Would Denman never come? Prom where! stood'l could distinctly door of the house of mystery, '!ar\d, though I knew that someone within was peering torth, I «felt assured /that they' -could riot distinguish me. At last, after, perhaps, half ah hour, I heard /the loud rat-tat of a postman near "by, and next, mpment the man, carrying his bag across his shoulder, came down some steps to the pavement. He walked quickly in my direction, halted at a second house, and again I heard a double,knock. K , Would he come, to the door where I was hidden? , . I watched him approach. He came straight towards me, then, stopping suddenly, he asked in a low voice:— '.. .•'.'* Where, 's . Crane % ■' ' . I; started. The postman was Denman himself! "Across there.. Over at that white house opposite," I answered. "Right," he said; "follow me along a,nd prepare to rush in when they open the door. Tell Crane." .And he passed along, halting at several doors and giving raps with true .letter-carrier exactitude. Surely it was not .the first time he had used such simple and yet such effectual disguise. I crossed to Crane and. gave him his colleague's message, whereupon we walked separately along the short street —which I now saw was called Langney : Street, —and came up to the postman just as he ascended ..the steps of the corner house and gave a .double rat-tat —the signal to the occupant that there is something too big to go-through the letter-box,,or a receipt to be signed for a registered parcel. ...<•' i The humour of knocking at the doors of i other houses- struck me at that moment, but I saw that he had done so in order that the watcher, v within tie house of mystery would hear that a. postman was actually making his round. -.. .- - : , -, 1 ; * AH three of us stood close.upjto the door awaiting its opening. The hall was unlit, and instantly, after the heavy double-knock, we strained our ears-to'detect any movement within. Again Denman repeated his profej»tjiic«ial sununoiis, and we waited breathlessly, exchanging no word, o.ur eager cars being at the door. .... .; Suddenly thore was a sound—a movement inside. Apparently the inmates had satisfied themselves that the coast was clear.. We'had not been seen for - fully, half an hour —not since that secret,, message, —such caution had we exercised.

Footsteps sounded in the tiled hall. Yes, I recollected that the hall had

been tiled! And next moment there was a sound of a chain being drawn and. the doors lightly opened by a thin, young man-servant— a palefaced young foreigner. Next moment, with our combined efforts, we pushed him roughly aside and burst into the house, e.

"Aeh! What is the meaning of zis?" he shouted' in his broken English. "Who are you? Ah! burglars!" he gasped, as he found himself looking down the very business-like barrel of my Browning. "Hold your tongue," I said firmly, "or it will be the worse for you. Where is Mr Koop?" "Mister Koop!" he replied, with, a blank look of astonishment. "How do I know, sare? I don't know him at all!"

"Come," exclaimed Denman, in a commanding voice, as Crane closed the door and, locking it, took the key. "Who is inside here? Tell me —I'm a police officer.. So just be careful what you say; ' Who are you!" ''l'm butler here—l'm Heinrich Klein, butler to Mr Thorold." "Thorold!" echoed Denman. "Does Mr Thorold live here?"

"Yes, Sar;e. He's gone to the Riviera now, arid the house is shut up. Only myself and Barnes, the chauffeur, are left here." '' Who was the woman who went out some time ago?" "Oh, she/comes every day and does some cleaning. Her name's Mrs Mprris," tie said, speaking with a strong German accent.

"Ah! Haven't. I seen you in the Gambri mis pretty often?" asked Denman, after a brief pause. Whereupon the young man looked much astonished. Now that the postman had explained his. true profession . seemed to be fillec,! with fear. Why?

'"l—l—-rwell, I'm there sometimes,?/ he faltered. "We Germans go there, a, good deal." ... "I know," replied penman, with a grim smile. "But the men you associate with are, hardly an attractive lot, are they? Friends of yours from Germany, I suppose! But I happen to know one or two of them," he added. "Old Wassermann, for instance, and Bruscevitz, the watchmaker —and one or two others—eh f"

The young fellow saw that he had been recognised, and his fears increased.

"Well, now, don't lie to me," Denman said, authoritatively, throwing down his, postman's bag. "Tell me, who else is in this house?"

"Nobody, 'sare. Barnes went out at five o'clock, and he's not back yet." '' This absent master of yours—don't you-think I could find him without going to the Biviera—eh?" asked Denman, with'an amused expression. '' No. He's at the Beau Site at Cannes." "This Mr Thorold hasn't another name—that of Koop, has he—eh?"

"I've never heard so." "When did he leave?" "The last week in November. He always goes'south each year." "And young Miss Moncrieff? Where is she—the little girl Jessie, I mean."

"Mr Thorold's little niece is at school at Eastbourne. But she is away with him now, I think." "Jessie,,.she's called.'? "Np, sar—Bqse.?' "Ah!" ejaculated Penman. "Names, don't make so very much difference in ,the identity of persons. . Well, we're going to search this house thoroughly.

Who's upstairs in that top room sending electric signals?;"

"Electric signals!" echoed the young German, staring at t him. "Nobody is.Jii the house excepij'myself.'' /'Arid you.'}tell ,me that nobody is upstairs in • : th^t-'^6om v , vifMch : ' ; looliS'\Qiit upon the side?-'' asked the detective, incredulously/ J Vt •••.;•"' "I believe, Klein, that you are deceiving me. But jf warn you that if you do it'll. be very much against your interests. So you'd better tell me the whole truth at first, than at last," said the detective.

"I have," he declared. "But you don't tell me why you, officers of police, have forced yourselves in here. Zis ij a private house, and I am left in charge. I ani responsible to Herr Thorold."

"I and my two friends are making inquiries, and certain facts have come to our knowledge which,, have compelled as we have done. After we have ex&mined the : place and are satisfied Jthat:- our suspicions are ungrQunded^e'snail apologise;to your master for "our;'i;»irusion-r-.bui A it;*is in the interests of-justice. " v ;;;: ' 1 I saw that, i% young German v-Tiad gone - The . of his clbse' cbritaei with officers of tihe law had aroused within Mm the most intense and grave apprehensions. I looked around.* Yes. ' Certain things I saw were distinctly familiar! We were actually in the house of mystery!

I remembered the furniture in the hall, a big hat-stand of carved black oak, three handsome high-backed Florentine chairs; and a big antique oaken linen-chest Sight of them, recalled -to me vividly the remembrance of that never-to-be-forgotten night. ■

Yet somehow there were differences, slight differences. The stairs were on the right instead of, as I believed, on the left, 4he hall appeared more square; butrthe: long strip of -red'and blue earpet laid upon the tiles was just the same.

I was undecided. The house seemed larger than the one in which 5 1 had been so cleverly entrapped. 1 remembered Joan's earnest appeal to me* riot to seek further solution of the mystery. I was directly disobeying her.

Denman was questioning the young man-servant —closely questioning him with an air of disbelief.' '

"Well, Mr Colefax," exclaimed the detective, turning to me, "and what do you think of the place, now that we 're inside f Do you recognise itf'' "Some features I recognise," I replied.. "Others I do not." Denman opened a doot on the right and, at his request, the 1 ' man-servant switched on the light. ' ' "Yes!" I cried, theinstant I gazed around. "I've been here before! I've been in this room. It is the house!"

Every feature of that cosy study was familiar to me—the long, oldfashioned bodkease, with its glass set diamond-shaped, the big mahogany writing-table, the padded writingchair, and the 1 "comfortable sofa) with a large cushion** of»Scarlet silk. The very chai¥ Joan had sat when Ibrahim 'tetd'-^brought her the eeffee was -thetfeM In>that brief moment I had a vivid recollection of the horror i arid feir upon heft' face when Koop had [forced her the cup in her hand, and later," that' hard, expressionless countenance, whiibe and rigid, as though in deathi' "You rememTJer this room, then?" asked who had now taken charge J df the Inquiries. * ' .■ ;■■ /*' Yes. 'This IS the den into which the unknown victims have been lured. I was first shown into this place by Koop; and in here I was first introduced to his daughter Joan; in here I witnessed her subjection to his will—her unspeakable" horror.'' The detective slowly turned to the young German inquiringly, "Now," he said, in a. firm voice. "You have me. Tell me the truth. I give you yet another opportunity. Is not this man Thorold and Karl Koop the same?" "I don't know, sare; I really don't know anybody of the name of Koop." "And the Arab, Ibrahim?" I asked. '' You must know him—the Arab who lives here."

'' No black man lives here.'' "You swear thatl" asked Denman. "Yes, I swear it." "He may. not live here," I remarked. ''But does he come here?''

"No, he does not, sare, 5 ' the young fellow assured me. ■"

I- wandered"' around that familiar room which, after all, seemed a trifle larger than I had believed. ■ Yet on that fatal night, with its mystery and tragedy, 'my mind had, I knew, been much confused. Perhaps my sense of proportion had been slightly unbalanced, in which cas.e the room might have appeared smallei than it really had been. '

But it was the upstairs room—the Room of Secrets—into which' I was anxious to penetrate. At last the truth was to be revealed. At last we were to unmask that fiendish criminal, and solve the mystery of his fearful acts!

Following Denman, who had now become intensely active and eager, prying into every hole and corner of the place, I went from room to room" on the ground floor, making close and thorough investigation, but, alas! discovering nothing. In each room we switched on the light and gazed around—the dining room, the morning room, the smoking room, until we came to a door at the rear of' the premises—a locked door. "I have no key, sare,!' replied the young German, in response to Denman's demands.

"Very well," he said, "then we'll break it open," and taking from his pocket a serviceable tool, like a burglar's jemmy, he soon wrenched the lock, and there was revealed a room close and stuffy, with furniture covered with'faded green rep, and an old green carpet, worn and threadbare. =' : ..-, „ The round walnut centre table was* devoid of a cloth, and was also; very dusty, while the whole place ! wbre an air of dirt and neglect, as though it had been long closed. The fire-grate was brown with rust, the glasses over the few water-colours on the walls were clouded with dirt and damp, and the overmantel, in its gilt frame, was blackened and tarnished. We stood in the room and gazed eagerly around. - , '' What is this place used for ? " asked Denman of the servant.

"I don't know. It has always been locked up, ever since I've been here," was his reply. . "Did Mr Thorold ever enter here—at night, in secret, I mean?" I asked. "Not to my knowledge." ''But,'' interposed Crane, ''haven't you ever been curious to know why the place has been ' kept so securely locked!"

"I've' never troubled. My. master's affairs are nothing to do with me." " Why, look!" I said, suddenly bending and examining the old green carpet, where I saw Won it, in tie dull

glow of the electric light, a large, dark patch. "What is that?" Both detectives quickly pushing the table aside, bent to examine what I had indicated. '"*' That, Mr Cqlef ax, " Jie said, in a strained voice, " tells us something, "I believe. If I'm not very much mistaken, that stain is the stain of blood!" ; . "What!'' I gasped) suddenly realising Che truth. "Then this room has been the scene,of yet another tragedy —the place to which yet another victim has been; lured! " "Yes," declared .Denman, touching the dark stain with his fingers, and afterwards closely examining their tips. "The tragedy, whatever it was, is a recent one—perhaps, even only a day or two ago." "Then we have here another mystery! " I gasped, the grim, dusty room, amazed and bewildered. (To be continued to-morrow.)_