THE VENGEANCE OF HOP F1.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 174, 25 July 1928, Page 21

THE VENGEANCE OF HOP Fl.

| By PETER CHEYNEY. I

CHAPTER XX. Jevons whistled quietly. 'Brandon!" be exclaimed. "Why didn't 1 suspect?" "There was no reason for you to do »o," said the. Onlooker. "There was nothing against Brandon over here, except what Jaffray and myself knew. Anyway, that explains the story that Salvatori started to tell you, Reiph, on the night of his murder. Salvatpri and Zweitt were both frightened to death. Zweitt had come to the Conclusion that you were a brave man and that as lie had done you a good turn in getting you a job. you would help him and Salvatori U< get out of- the country." "But what were thev afraid of." I •fked. ''I'll come to that presently," said the Onlooker. '"In the meantime I'll go back once more to the beginning. Directly I obtained this information about these two men I got into touch with the Italian section, who arranged to keep the premises of Moreatte and Co. under observation. Just when things were beginning to move the war came along and spoiled all our plans. "We had to split our headquarters in Paris and return to our respective countries, but as my own country didn't come into the war till fairly late I was able to carry on on my own. "Fortune favoured me. I a mari in New York who had known Von Ki.-on in Milan. This man told me that Von Eison had left for Germany immediately war was declared, as he was on the Reserve of Officers. I made up my niind that somehow I would get to Germany and see thie Von Eison for myself. I did in 1916, when America was still neutral, and I went there on one of the Prisoners of War Committee stunts. W T hcn I got there it didn't take long to find Von Eison, for he was commandant of the first prison camp we vitited. Here an interesting tiling happened. I met Harry Varney ..." "Varney!" I exclaimed. "In prison camp . . but they reported him miesing, believed dead." , "Exactly," said the Onlooker. That was a cute bit of business on Stahlnauben's part. The suggestion was made that Hurry Varney had tried to escape and ha<V-hpen shot by a frontier guara. I was^interestod in Varney because ihodiu

but he remembered all the details of his profession —he was an analytical chemist before the war. Something in Stahlhauben's attitude, when he was talking to Varney (who had, of course, been introduced to me by another name) made me suspect that the Boche had something on his mind -with regard to the young man. Long afterwards," in 1922, when I had come over to England. I thought I would make some inquiries about Varney. and I began to see through Stahlhauben'? little game. This Varney had been one of the cleverest analytical experts extant, and was employed in the pathological department of Scotland Yard. Drugs were his speciality. See? Next thing I heard was from the Italian police, who reported that Von Eison was back in his old haunt? in Milan. In the meantime I had made the acquaintance of Miss Varney, and suggested to her that her brother might still be alive. ' Just about this time two new sorts of drug came on to the market, and we couldn't get the slightest idea where they were coming from, but at the back of my head was the idea that Stahlhauben had got young Varney in his clutches and was forcing him to manufacture the drugs for Stahlhauben'? drug syndicate. In 1924 Jaffray and myself started our old Paris headquarters again, and we felt that in a few months we should have the whole gang well set. Well, directly Kelph here told Jaffray the tale which Salvatori had begun to. tell, and mentioned the name Moreatte and Co.. Jaffray realised that we had stumbled on the same old crowd once more. He got into touch with me immediately, and we agreed to work together, although we knew little of the actual facts of the murder then, or why it had been committed." "But you don't mean that you haven't found out who murdered Salvatori . . said Jevons. "I thought you said Brandon. . - "I know that Brandon was one of the original partner* in Moreatte and Co., but I don't know that he murdered Salvatori or Zweitt," said the Onlooker. "Another thing, supposing that Brandon had murdered Zweitt, who was it took the trouble to send back the body to Brandon's office? Mind you, I'm not saying that Brandon didn't murder these feilows. I'm simply saying that we have no actual facts pointing that way. Salvmtori was stabbed between twenty tm mad Urn •'dock. I'm

absolutely certain of this, because I didn't leave the shop myself till twenty to ten." "So you were in Salvatori's shop on the night of the murder, too?" said the astonished Jevons. "I followed Miss Varney there," said the Onlooker. "She arrived there immediately after Relph left, and it was because Salvatori did not want Relph to meet anyone that he asked him to leave. We bad a conversation concerning Varney, and Salvatori produced Harry Varney's identification bracelet —the bracelet which was stolen from Relph's room that night. Ling had nothing to do with this theft. The bracelet was stolen by one of Stahlhauben's gang, who foolishly enough, left that warning with the steel helmet drawn on it. Stahlhauben wanted" that bracelet back. It was the only thing, which to his mind, would connect Varney with the man he had kidnapped, and who \v s in his power. By the same token one might easily come to the conclusion that Stahlhauben was responsible for the murder of Salvatori. I don't believe this, though. The murder wasn't scientific enough for Stahlhauben." | "1 wonder what the motive was for the Salvatori and Zweitt murders." said .Tevnns. "Another thing, who and what is Ling, and what have these Chinese to do with it all?'' "That's what I'm wondering." said the , Oiilooker. "I'm beginning to got an idea, though. One thing is certain. Hop Fi. for some reason best known to himself. was keen on looking after the safety of Kelph. Miss Varney and myself. From what happened down at I'rimly it is also certain that Stahlhauben was sure that we were, all of us, connected with Brandon, and you will rememlier how amused Ling was at this idea. "it seems to me," said the Onlooker, "that the gang split some time previous to the war. and that Brandon must have transferred his sphere of activities to England, taking his own particular pals with him. We've got enough on them to clean up Stahlhauben and Brandon, and as many of their respective gangs as we can lav our hands on right now. but if we do so, what good do we do? All we know is that Stahlhauben stole an identification bracelet from Kelph's rooms. We believe that Stahlhauben or Brandon had something to do with the Salvatori-Zweitt murders, but we can prove nothing. We know that Brandon is preparing to make a get-away, and thft* he came to this decision about the time that Zweitt's body arrived in the packing case, but why, we don't know. We know that Stahlhauben is out to get Brandon and that Brandon doesn't love Stahlhauben. We don't know anything about Hop Fi and his bunch—who they are or what they are after. But it stands to reason," he continued, "that something is going to happen soon, and that something will give us a lead. Brandon's next move is going to give us the big thing in this job, and I think I know what it will W

I tol.l the Onlooker about my search in Brandon's office and produced the pian which I had taken from the account book. He studied it carefully. "Good work." he said; "although it doesn't tell me a great deal that I have not already guessed. These vaults may have been used in pre-war days by the gang, or, on the other hand, and I think more likely, Brandon may have information about the secret passages in the vaults which is unknown to Stahlhauben. I think . . ." The telephone on the table beside me jangled. The Onlooker reached for the instrument and then stayed his hand. "Take that call, Relph," he said suddenly. "Your voice isn't known. There isn't a soul in London who knows my telephone number except two men, neither of whom would be ringing me at this hour. It may be a wrong number. . . ." 1 took off the receiver. "Hullo!" I said. "Who is it?" Over the wire came the unmistakable voice of Ling, the Chinaman. "Ling speakin,"' he said "softly. "At Blandon's office. You bring your bunch here velly quick. They know about me here. . . 1 think I get bumped off in a minute . . . you come velly quick . . . otherwise they get me . . . you bet!" I hoard the receiver at the other end replaced softly. I told the Onlooker. He listened gravely. "How does that Chink know my 'phone number?" he said quietly. Then he walked quickly to the door. "Get the car out, Waddy," he called, "and hurry! We'll be down in a minute. Brennan's Buildings, Cannon Street, and you'll have to step'on the gas!" He walked slowly back into the room. "I think," he said quietly, "that this is where something happens!" (To be continued daily.)