FILM CITY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 299, 18 December 1922, Page 12

FILM CITY.

(All Kisbts Reserved.)

(By GUY THORNE.) (Author of 'When il was Dark," eU , .) CHAPTER XXXIII The detective Tyler un<! Ir-aaesuu sat talking in the smoking room. "Mr. Blo\lmniH i< m a bad way," said the producer. "Sα I should expect, i-ir. I haven't seen him since he returned. Jlc has mi further news:"' ■Nun,, whatever." "Mr. I-aarmm. 1 haven't said anythi.. c about ii yet. .but I have been working on a new theory altogether diir'ui;; the last day or two. I ha\e the merest glimmering of an idea. but. . . ." Ih- Mopped short for the door of tlie room was flung optn without ceremony, and Chief Inspector Williams. In :i long Holland motoring coat covered with dust, 'burst into the room. "'You!" cried Isaacson, starting to hi* feet. Williams flowed tin , door. "Not an lour after Mr. Bloxhame had left mc," le said. "I received >ome mo-i extraOrdinary, 6ome important information. I thought it "best to take one of t he Yard ears and come down at on. c Where is ,Mr. Bloxhame':" "I made him have a cold iiath and fro out for a stroll," said Ji-aacson. ' His nerves are all to pieces. Hc"ll be bask soon. Meanwhile . . .?" Tyler assisted his chief to take off his coat. He eat down in a chair and began. "1 have received a cable from Australia." he said. "'The man v-'ho \v«.s presented going on board the 'boat when Colonel Moore was starting for Xew Guinea, and who was obviously after him, was none other than Oscar Midwinter!"" His voice dropped as lie said tlie name. A smothered exclamation came from Tyler, but Isaacson was unmoved. '"That name conveys nothing to me,' , lie said. "Oscar Midwinter." said Williams -with intense gravity, "is probably the most danperous criminal in the whole world! He is known to the Higher Police of every continent, and even the police fear him. That man, Mr. Isaacson, has never seen the inside of a prison yet. His cunning is >--atanic. There are half a dozen murders to his credit. He is often . felt to be at the back of some care- | fully engineered scheme which has ramifications all over Europe and America, 'but nothing is ever brought home to him. Vie do not even know where he ; ■Ikes. He is reputed to have hiding i places all over the earth. Few people j have ever seen him."' I

He paused, his voice shaking with excitement. Both the others stared at him. Was this the calm detective of crime that they both knew so well?—He eeemed moved to the very soul. "A super-villian indeed," Isaacson murmured, hardly knowing what to say. "Yes, Mr. Isaacson, and he stands out even from his own vile associates in a pre-eminence of evil. Sir. T havp had to do with criminals all my life, and I have never even heard of one so dangerous as this man. Deep down in the soul of everyone—at least it is my theory— there is come foul primal thing, some troglodyte that, by the mercy of (Jod, never awakes in the majority of mankind, but when it does in some, and dominates them, then a man Ibecomes a Bend, lost, hopeless, irremediable. That man Midwinter is one of them. He is a human panther, and the high imagination, the artistic power in him makes him trebly dangerous. I could tell you details of his career which would make your blood run cold—if it were worth while." "Then you believe?" "I feel certain that Midwinter has got Colonel Moore, if that poor gentleman is still alive, and that Miss Moore is also in his grip." The detective put his hand in hie pocket and pulled? out a London evening paper of Chat day's date. "Just read this, Mr. Isaacson," he •aid. Isaacson Tead aloud the following paragraph: — "It will be remembered that towards the end of the Great War that gallant Boldier, Major Maston-Gore was reported as missing in Genrnan Eaet Africa. There was a rumour that he had been captured by natives while in an almost dying condition, and partially restored to health by them. It was curTent for a time that he had escaped. This rumour unfortunately proves to be unfounded. The new British Commissioner at L 7 jiji reports that the mummified body of the gallant major has been delivered to him by a. tribe of natives on the ahorea of L<ake Tanganyika. Papers in their possession leave no doubt as to the identity of the body. Thus another minor mystery of the war is cleared up. We 'understand that Mstjor Maeton-Gore had no near relatives of any 6ort, so his body has been buried in the land which he helped to free from the German dominion."

The paper fell unheeded to the floor. '"Dear God!" leaacson cried. "Then all this time . . ."

He could say no more for a moment. Tlie shock seemed to constrict his throat and he swallowed impotently. Williams nodded. "I have a dozen other contributory proofs.' , he said. •■J*ie final solution of the mystery is no more than three milee away. God grant that w may be in time!"

His voice, Isaacson thought, toned like a bell, and Uiere was a note or doom in it. There was a terrible force of power about this usually quiet and matter-of-fact man. A red light seemed to glow in his eyes for a moment —a light such as one can see in the eyes of • bloodhounds when the hunt is up and tho scent is strong ''Good God, what's that!" said Tyler quickly. Outside in the passage, Oiere was a strange sound like a man running—a man running. Then came a thud against the door irhirn Williams had open in a moment. '•Algy Bloxhaunc staggered in. sum-ise," he said in a cracked voice, "Before sunrise!"

CHAPTER XXXIV. Algy Bloxhamc. Detective-Inspector Williams and Mr. Isaacson lay down that I upon the short aromatic turf of the high down. It was pitcli dark and hot as an oven. All round, in that high, solitary place". ' the thunder growled like prowling beasts i and every now and again a livid Hash of ' lightning illuminated a vast and lonely landscape. ! '•I shall come back and guide you to the. house," said Tyler. Then he vanished. "What's lie gone on for. tn recon- I Boitre?" Algy whispered to Williams I "For the dog, Mr. Bloxhame. Tvlcr I has been nosing round the house some ilajrs now and he's made friends with the

; fierce < übail mastlfT that they have l.een ..- their watch ■[■<-. 'lie is {joinp ito kill it now.'' "IS'ii uiiii'i there lv any no;-ev" Willienw chuckled. "He'lias been feed- . tie .loL' with liver and ani.-eed for ! -.ML' tillie." he said. To-lil-.:!.! there'll all." ... Ii whs nearly midnight. A scan-li •warrant had been obiaiued Mom „ \\>yni..u: Ii mauii<lriitr. I'-n- body of ( i.-ilv lay iijiun tiie .-tiiue ol the locked studio. No information of uh.ir had happ-'iie ! had been yivi'ii io the m\~teri«u.- ininateof the .M.lie ilollse. The linal hour was ~, l, a nd. Tonijrhi i hi' dark niv-iei-, f i olon.d \:,»,re and hi- "o'lild he .-.dyed. for wi.il or ill T.i-ni-!n il luiinan p .wer and ritrhleoiis ven-.-anee could :i,-e..ni-pli-ii ii. (•-. iir Miilwintei w.ii! 1 have laid his la>t snare and found his ~»,, feet, taken in it. Kveryiliinu was arrausred down to the minutest detail, as At whatever ro-t. :i! whatever sacrilk'P to personal feelintr. Alrry Hloxbame knew that tin- i-r'.lliinalM must be taken redliillided. Hi- him-elf. ihoiiiih he had more to lose than any of the others, was sim: l> :i mill in a little army who ninot obey order.-:. They waited for live minutes, and then iwrinjr• tun of liie darkness iminedintclv in front ol them they saw ilie dark ligiire of Tyler. lie had not made „ sound in his iipproach, "It's all riflht." lie sai.l. -The ,1,,: L is done for. The uld woman vvliu looks after the Major i- sitting in the kit. hen aloiip. Sbe is drinkim: yin out of a bottle. Shall we jrpt on', sir:'" "At once , ' said Williams. -You two jrcntl. -snan renieniln-r m kei-i' in tise baokuround unless \,,\\ are wanted. Kverythint; depend, upon our into the house ,iuie-.lv. and T.xl.-r and myself know exactly what to do." They rose to their feet and. led by the younger detective, moved slowly towards where a black mas- ol iiiiildinj; show d a little darker than the stirroiiiidini: dark. As they came quite elrup, tiiev saw as if between the folds ol eiirtiiins two or three inrrow strips of orange liyht. and Aljry realised that this was the front nt the hutwe. In a second more iiis hand touched a stone wall and he jolted down a foot or two into a little ditch at its base, full of nettles which stung his baud. Henceforth they walked in single tile, crouching down until the circuit of the house had been made. Aljry realise.! ibai it was surrounded by a garden "f some size, and the whole em-lused by a liish wall. At length, they came to a stop. The flash of an electric torch rev. a led a stout door in the wall, studded with nails. ISy the side of it. level with the ground, was a square openinjr in the wall itself, not much bigfrer than a drain. Tyler, w lio held n torch while Mr. Williams bent over the kevliole in the door, pointed to this. ''For the do?.' , he said, "so that lie could set in and out of tiic garden at any time. !Xot (big enough for a human being you'll notie?, sir."' . . . There was a slight creak and the door moved an inch inward*. Immediately the torch went out.

I ■■Hγ'.- iI.-ii" i:!' , whispered Tyler with i |.ij.i,. mi hi- voi.- . "Mr. Williams would I i,|ie:i til,- Hank nf Kiijiland with a hah ! |~i,. :,■ ttuiil i: Sow, -ii. you and Mr I l--aiia.--.-n keep behind us. It'- ii ..iraiulil. ■ 1 iled path ii|i lo the iia.-k door. i un I rti.n'i in.iki" aii\ it ■ i-.- in \oiir nililier j-iim'", hut don't crowd H-. and don't riiHi i In ,i nioii'cm ipi.re. Alu'.v f'-U his arm !,\ l-a:i.-..n a- ' Ihey pas,e-l : liirnimj t»i.- d.i-ir in the wall. It was -;T: |.i:.-h d.u-k. li:i! liu-v ■-..iil.l rti*Un-ilii.-j tin- liiin-e before tiieiii. no great .-i-;;:ti.-i- away. Morrov* r. a Hood ot i\i!!n.v rtii:i. from one -mall (incurI'; iii:-d ,-.in !.i,\ on the aruunil 1i0,.r. ! Ah.-..d of lln-ill ihey could -cc t!u> croucliir>.- lijMi'cs i.i tin- :«'i policemen .is they ' !|ow d.> \.-!i :'i-:-i.'" t!ie .Te.v whispered. "Terrii.:.\ e\,-it.-d but not the least fri-'ht.T.,. ' \v;\, - ,|,ii;e steady." "About tin' same here." v.is the reply, ■■hill we -ii i I liave ; . hold ourselves in, old man. and I hope y.i are prepared to :ui- t « iti>— tii\ iliiiiL-:" "I ,!o.i"i tiling 1 -'. ill rail. Lilt Prod !iel]i I km man if I yet hold nf him — l! ; s wiii-jier died tinay in ustnnisiiHii- I. for iii the dailiiio-'- close l, v the li.-iNf they -iciird it etirioit- "littl" whimper, a low -r.i.il. and I hen .i -: Pill.-iiinjr at i',n> dooi of the house. M-jy, feeliim ins:in.-tive!\ for the anto"\iv, it's a -lent ii hoiiiii!" F-:i.k-oii n-!iis|..-red in reply. "That , * our friend \\ ill- ii"-. A fello'.v of iiiduite resource. Ihey had been nin\insj onwards as they s-ioke. ;ii; 1 were mm not more than ilityi > iv.l- fri.iii t:i - hoii-e. Stepping a-nl l nn io a .irrass i-trip whi.-li bordere.l t'le tile I ii.il". they .oui.l si"<' ri.uiit into the kileV, ii. t ; ioni-e!v-s ju>t outride the i-irele o; li/it thrown from the window. \ tall, jiiii'i: old woman. lier eyes liliM'.'d ivilli sleep and alcdud. raided h--r -le.id - - aii'it'ier jrr.r»v! and persist- .■■:; -■! ii hni- reached her ear-. They -iv hi-r iiioiitli move in a eiir-e. She rr*. to i|,. r fc-i and lurched from their view. Tw. .i'-oiid* after, came the noise nf I'm- lia ;. door hem;: unbolted. ■ ■ . Therp u.i- a smothered yi-p. a 'i:i: k «-iirr\lii« moveniPiif, and then -ih in-... They waked in a fever of ex-pc.-iation for -liiit semed un infinity of ti'-ie. Ii ii- ;ir length t"i-- faintest jjhnst of n v ii--l,- I'ie very -mm r-ilk of sound— (•ame to ihem, and they crept up to the door. )n- : <le ill- kitchen, nn.l r the table, was a lonjj figure secnrelv tied -by liand.s and feet. A broad uehbim; eovere 1 the mout)i. and nnlv the red-rimmed. furioiiß indieatcJ life. William.i w:is puttins vnriiiis objects l.aek into his pocket. Then he wliNpered to Tyler. "\Vi> know t)'.M'e lire two of them here." j>e -:iid. when hi- confi-rence with his :i>-i-t nit «;is over. 'il.iw many more, we don't know. We are <roin<* through the house now. jrent'pmcn. room ny room. I'm quite certain our presonee is unsusperted. Yon both have pi.-toK hut yon are not to uso (hem under any ciivin-istnncrs, unless it is

i absolutely to preserve your lives. Tf you' 1 ii". you may l»e more iliirißerous to 11' r than lo the men we are sifter. T -.hall ■■ go iir-t. Mr. Tyler will follow mp—he'll > .I.i any shooting that's m-eps-ary. As f.ir ' yon two fjeiitl.-inen. it will pririmliU- he r liniiil lo hand we .sliail want'you i fur. Now. silence." 'In their surprise, after what, lie had i just sai.l, Williams Uiok a pistol trom his 1 |"r.-ket a.- he moved towards tile inner ■J ,I'M.r. He must Imv.- caii-l.t sipht of the look i on Ally's face for lie griniipil and 1i.1.l it f «P----"Strontr ammonia," he said, "nnd a six yard (line a elm]) srts a squirt of that in hia face, lie won't lie able to shoot or liyht until we are on him. j Then there was no more than a slight creak. The door opened and Ik- passed . through, followed by Tyler. . . . They found 'themselves in a stone-paved passage lit l.y it paniliin lamp on the wall. At the other end >.as ' a itrt'i-n Imize door. William-' in .\e:i enl , were p.-rfwtly noiseless, but extr<'tnelv i|iiick. lie was in the hall of the house,! and the others with him before any of! tliem had time to think. To I.c i-imtiniiiil (iiiiiy.) I