WAS IT MONTELLI?

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 62, Issue 6, 18 October 1941, Page 7

WAS IT MONTELLI?

Viy LESLIE CARGILL.

(Copyright).

CHAPTER XV.

AVOIDING ADDITIONALSUSPICION.

Jerry swore as fluently as: he could, feeling that his vocabulary was hardly equal to the occasion. Only it was cfear that so far from establishing hfs innocence the outburst was confirming Mintey’s suspicion. Never before had he heard' such a flowing fluency, which was exactly what was to be expected from a desperate character. Admiration oozed out of him like perspiration. “Lfoo!” he breathed. “Hoo! H’l didn’t know you ’ad h’it h’in you, sir, h’a lone wolf, h’and h’even h’l ’ad no h’idea h’until recently.” The aspirative coruscation left him somewhat breathless.

“You’re a confounded old fool,” Jerry observed. “I ought to send you packing without notice, but in spite of the idiocy I can’t help admiring your odd sense of loyalty. For all that I’m not a lone wolf or a Raffles or anything so spectacular.” "We can work h’up to h’it.” “Oh, we can, can we” “Between h'us there 'are no 'eights h’impossible to scale.”

“Come Off it, Mintey. You’ve dipped too deeply into picaresque literature.” “H’and none h’of it 'as been so good h’as last, night. When you stood h’in front h’of the bobby h’as calm h’as h’a cucumber h’l ’ad h’a glimpse h’of your true 1 character, sir. Ha' h’artist, h'if I may say so.” “You may not. Admittedly there Were reasons why it would have been inconvenient to produce the stolen property at that instant, but not because I was guilty of the theft. What’s the time?”

“Seven-thirty h’exact, sir.” “Rather early after keeping late hours. However you’d better make the young lady a cup o£ tea while I decide how to get the emeralds hack to their rightful owners.” “Back, Mr Clitheroe? Surely you donlt h’intend to return them?” “That’s the idea. Now, perhaps, you’ll understand that they came into my possession by accident.” Mintey’s crestfallen expression showed that the truth was beginning to sink in. No longer did he regard the young man with awed respect. The idol actually did have feet of Clay and was unworthy of being elevated on a pedestal. Methodically he went about preparing more tea, though there was a gleam in his eyes that puzzled Jerry.

His original idea had been to pack the emeralds in a parcel arid send his man up to town to post it. But he was not sure if this would meet the case now that Mintey’s innate craving for high crime had come to the surface. In the circumstances he would have to undertake the commission personally. Naturally they would have to be sent from, one of the larger offices, as far away from the flat as possible, in order to avoid additional suspicion. He was still engrossed in thought when Mintey poddled off, with a. tray tinkling musically. A hoarse cry disturbed his reflections.

“Sir, they’ve gone!” “They—who?” he yelled back, dashing to investigate. “The young lady h’and the h’emeralds.” “Not the lady,” trilled Mrs Montelii’s voice from the bathroom. “What are you doing in there?” “Can’t a dame take a bath without letting loose earhquakes. What’s a bath for in this country. I'd like to know!’ “Somebody’s made off with the emeralds.” “Guess they know that down the other end of the street by the way you’re broadcasting. I saw your safe door sitting open half an hour ago. “Then why didn’ you raise the alarm?” “Why should I?” Jerry cursed with a fluency newly cultivated. The noise of rushing water provided a fitting accompaniment to the flow. “It’s a sure thing Tony came baca in the night to lift the sparklers,” she shouted placing her mouth close to the door. . “Nobody knows how Tony will work. That’s the beauty of his methods. Always a card or two up his 1 sleeve “This will have to be reported to the police.” , ~ “Nope! Can’t be done. You should have spilled it about the shiners when the police came.” .. “Will you come out of that batnroom and discuss the matter properly?” he pleaded. “Oh boy, oh boy! Not until I mop the moisture off my graceful figure.

‘Twouldn’t be proper, as well as liable to lead to a bad cold.” For 20 minutes they listened to her splashing in the hath, followed by another quarter of an hour spent in drying, during which interval Jerry and Mintey stood watching the door like a pair Of cats outside a mousehole. RIVAL ADVENTURERS. Slim Annie’s reading of the nocturnal events seemed to be about right. Evidently Tony Montelli had practised his professional' prowess, the flimsy safe being mere child’s play to one of his peculiar ability. As his wife said, “he’d do it with a hairpin.” It could be taken for granted that he had accepted the risk of Jerry carrying the gems from the guarded house, supposing that after once being searched by the police they would conclude that he could safely be left alone. Mrs Montelli had been left at the flat to confuse tfye issue, a plan that had worked very satisfactorily. Of course Tony could not have foreseen the visit of Superintendent Clewthers, but even if he had it would make no difference. By luck Jerry had not felt in a position to confess that had the’ emeralds in his possession, so all the circumstances played into the hands of the crook. Considered passionately the young man could now see that it would have been advisable to have taken the detective into his confidence, trusting that the explanation would have satisfied that sceptical officer.

But in the flurry he had taken an opposite course, with the vague notion of restoring the valuables in such, a way as to occasion as little trouble as possible to all concerned. “You ain’t got nothing to kick at,” Mrs Montelli observed. “They weren’t your sparklers.” “That isn’t the point. Unwittingly 1 held them and it was my duty to ensure they didn’t get back into the wrong hands.”,

“Say, listen, theyTe as much Tony’s as anybody’s.” “How do you make that out?’

“Well, he won ’em, didn’t he. Worked hard, too. Don’t forget it takes, a lot of time and trouble to bring off a stunt like that.”

As an insight into criminal mentality it was interesting but unhelpful. “I'm going to acquaint the police with the whole facts,” he announced grim iy“Oh yeah!” “Yes, and that’s good plain English which I hope you can understand. They may not believe me, but it will salve my conscience.” “You got one of them things? Say, you got everything, ain’t you?” “Except freedom from you folk, and by herivens, Im going to get that as well before I’m much older. What’s that?” That was a hell, prelude to Elise Dallas, still in riding kit from an early canter in the park.

“Dear me,” she said cooly, “what an odd breakfast party. Am I intruding?” “Only we ain’t ate yet ” Slim Annie exclaimed. “Your boy friend is no great shakes as a host.” “Yet he appears to have provided you with his dressing gown. At least I takel that to be the case. It doesn’t fit very well.” “I ain’t grousing. Guess this looks screwy to you, but I can explain everything—” “Haven’t I heard that phrase before? Never mind, though, I think 1 would prefer to hear what Jerry has to say.” “It was Tony again,’ he said miserably. “Passing himself off as me while we were at the reception. His wife was parked here when I got home.’ “And you looked after her most hospitably. I see!” ( “No, you don’t see. At least I don’t think you do, because I can’t understand it myself. It isn’t what you’re thinking.” “Please refrain from vulgarity, Jerry.’ ' .. ... “There you are. Because tms -this person stayed here overnight you’re ready to expect the worst.’ Elise smiled softly. “As a matter of fact you’re far too ingenuous,” she observed. “Without knowing what it all means I absolve you from blame ; For all that, I suggest Mrs Montelli finds something more suitable to wear in mixed company.” “I only got evening dress. Tony said he’d have my things sent round later. “How inconvenient! What time do you expect the luggage?” “Never. You folks gotter know I’m used to that yellow peril. One time he’s here, the next he’s there, railroading me when it suits his purpose and collecting me when he wants to. Like a blame fool I let him. It’s sure tough being a dame.” “Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren t you in love with your husband?” “I’ll tell the world.” Elise relaxed. Natural suspicions against Jerry faded away and, like a good scout, she wanted to do her good deed. (To be Continued.')