THE Murder on the Downs

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 171, 22 July 1930, Page 18

THE Murder on the Downs

CHAPTER IX.—Continued. In the library of The Cliine, meanwhile, Meldruin and Wade discussed the turn which their affairs had taken. "One thing's sure," said Wade, at last, "I guess we've no need now to push the ' sale. The coasts clear for us, and Ave can take our time." "But you'll go up to • Sturt's at noon to-day, as arranged?" queried Meldrum. "I think not. No, sir! Sturt's deaa keen to clinch it—if not, why should he have rung twice last night, telling me to go on hoping? We'll let the next move come from him. No good showing too eager." Old Meldrum was pacing up ana down restlessly. "I wish I knew where Tommy was," he complained, not for the first time. "Someone rang up for him just now." "Tommy can watch out for himself, whatever fool game he's after. But I'd give something to know why he's cleared off like this—and Fay too, damn it!" Wade returned to the study of the brief message which Fay had sent; but soon he tossed it aside. "I've something on my chest .more important than Fay or Tommy," he began awkwardly. "If this inspector guy turns up —" "He will," said Meldrum gloomily. "I could see it in : his eye, on the 'phone." "We both know Jake Knottman called last night?" - "We do. I—l had hoped to have forgotten it bv now; but it seemed imprudent not to admit it. . . And this policeman had got wind of the sale, remember." "Yes. That's something I am remembering, air the time! He'll have seen Sturt, I guess?" "He'll have seen everyone. They always do." And played off .us against liim?" Meldrum opened his blue eyes rather wide. "I —I don't quite follow' you—" "Then I'll talk straight, since we're— in a manner of speaking —partners. . . If this policeman knows about the sale —and about Knottman queering itwhy, he don't need to be a super-sleuth to see how Jake's sort o' done me a good turn, getting himself tipped off—" "Ye-es. That's deucedly. obvious. Not even a stage-policeman could miss it." "And that's not all," pursued Wade. "Last night you honoured me with your confidence, so far as to tell me that Jake Knottman came here blackmailing you, And that you parted with a cheque—a dud cheque?" ■ "But that danger's past," pointed out old Meldrum with a happy smile. "He can't cash it, now!" "He can't," agreed Wade patiently. "But they've found Knottman's body —and the cheque's there, ain't it?" Meldrum's face fell. "Bless my soul! I hadn't thought of that." "It's a good job," Wade resumed, "that we admitted to knowing Knottman when the policeman rang; and that we said he'd called here. . . but it 'means explanations, get me ?" "I shall just tell the truth," the old gentleman protested. "That's the simplest -way." "Is it? Well, I guess you're best judge of that . . I'm just by way oi pointing out to you that to some eyes— to the law's eyes, we'll say for the sake of argument —you and he has done not too badly out of Jake's going westWade paused, and for a moment then was silence between them. "You are suggesting, Mr. Wade," sair Meldrum, "that if I happened to b< homicidally minded—" "That's so. . . I've been kind o' cogi tating whether I ought to mention i 1 to you. A very delicate subject, as be tween friends. . . And I'm in it, too If I'd been homicidally minded in tht garden last night, when I knew Jak< wes here .... People have bust up better men than Jake before now, foi a matter of fifty—dollars, say?" The stress which Wade put On the last words was full of significance. Meldrum sighed. * "Quite! jCJuite! This is becoming extremely interesting As you point out, someone has burst uj Mr. Knottman, to our joint advantage We—we shall have to take thought—" "Where was the body found?" Wade asked. "The police didn't say. Not here, at any rate. The—the burster-up has shown us that much consideration. 1 must send Coverdale into Leatherhead after lunch, for an evening paper." "If the'~police didn't say, the papei won't." "Perhaps/* said' Meldrum pensively "we have already enough to'occupy oui minds, don't you think? So many com' plications—" "The-less complication the better Wade agreed; and after a moment's hesitation, added diffidently; "I've pji idea —just to cut ■ retails down, d'ye see?"—that we say nix about our little trip in the car last night." . Melrum's. mild eyes looked at him steadily. "You think not?" "We haven't yet heard where Knottman died," Wade "pursued. "For all we know, we might have passed near the spot; and we've a kind o' mouthful of explaining to do, as it is ..... That little private trip." - i "I have already forgotten it," Meldrum blandly agreed. He rose then, and poured out a stiffish drink for his guest and "Suppose," he said, "that we take this—er— unfortunate affair as we find it? We are both too old, Mr. Wade; to indulge in sentiment. The fellow is dead —and although it may sound a callous thing to say, I fancy that precious few of his acquaintances would wish him alive again. Meanwhile, your sale holds good. So does my reputation. "De mortuis," but I'll give it you .in blunt English. 'Least said, soonest mended.' You are [with me, I think?" i • Geofferson Wade sprang ' up. "I'm ahead of you! I allow the man that trimmed Jake Knottman did the world a good turn; and I'll ask you to drink his everlasting health, whoever he is!" quietly, and raised his glass. The" servant 1 entered the library. "Chief Inspector Buck to speak to you, my lord," he announced. . . ' CHAPTER X Run to Earth. The tram took Tommy and Fay a mile or more through the suburbs ot Southampton before they sighted a taxi rank and jumped off. Thence to Canute Road, was a matter of minutes only. Tommy reclaimed his motor-bike, strapped his rolled coat to .the carrier, and motioned to Fay to climb on. ."Jeb'll go the. road that he was told before," he guessed. "He doesn't know the country,'and. he Won't want to waste time inquiring for alternative 1 routes. Say he's had twenty minutes' start of us . .

By ANTONY MAR3DEN. '

Tliey were soon clear of the- last houses, making; for Winchester by the: same road which they had • followed in the small hours" of the previous night,Toriimy increased his speed, and the girl hung on precariously. What Jiope Tommy now had of detaining Jeb was not very clear to her. "If we do catch him," she shouted. against the wind, "broad daylight. . . . wliat'll we do?" But the boy yelled back confidently, They passed Winchester, and were soon roaring up the long slope of the Hog's Back. Tommy said no more, but he grew, anxious as "they consumed the miles towards Guildford and still had 110 sight,of the Rolls.• Guildford appeared; and as. they crawled through its narrow streets Fay gave a sudden cry.. "Tommy! Stop! The car—" Tommy's eyes ,had been fixed upon the moving traffc ahead; he had shot past the big car standing by the kerb without recognising her. He pulled in, and they botlj stared back. It was the Bolls, sure enough, thai stood empty and untended in the main street of the town; Tommy pointed suddenly to the blue lantern, fixed to a building opposite her. '"'The police station!" he cried. *.* * * They got down, uncertain what to do. A policeman on duty at the station door looked', at them curiously as they approached. "How long has that car been here ?" Tommy asked.. "Not many minutes, sir. Anything 1 can .do for you?" He drew aside as though inviting ihe two travellers to enter. "Yes. Let me see the sergeant." "This way, sir." He opened the glazed door that led to the charge-room. Fay and Tommy entered. The door closed behind them immediately, and they, stood watchful, taking in what they saw. On the far side of the big room a bareheaded inspector stood facing them, with a sergeant at his elbow. They seemed' to be listening patiently to a torrent of words from the'third occupant of the room—Jeb Kennedy, with his' back to Tommy and Fay, waving his arms. "I've told you a dozen times how j came by. the darn thing!" he shouted. "Isn't it enough that I've been roughhoused ever since. the small hours ot this morning, without you folks stepping in, half a day too late, and stopping my get-away! The feller that put you 011 to this fool game is the same feller that treated me the way. I've been telling you! When the time comes I'll ask your help against him —not to stand in with him and play his damned hand for him making things worse! Call yourself police, huh? Where were you last night, when you was wanted? Sitting at liome not giving a damn, I guess, so long as it was only an American citizen getting the rough stuff handed him by. some o' your own crowd! Gee! The crookedest sherriff that ever sold himself looks like an archangel to you." "You won't help yourself, getting violent," the inspector put in when Jeb paused for breath. "I've orders to stop the car you're in—and they weren't sent me by the car's owners, either." "Then who the —" "Now you admit yourself that you took the car without proper authority. Seems to me that you're liable to a second charge over that, later 011. But that's not my business, yet. My orders are plain; and here you stop, my lad!" Tommy nudged Fay suddenly, "Jeb's in it with both feet," he whispered. "The Lord knows how! But this leaves us free-handed. Let's cut off and warn Geoff—" * * » * She nodded .... Jeb had launched forth on further angry protest, and under cover of the uproar the two listeners were edging towards the glazed door when the sergeant called out sharply: "Hold on a minute, sir, please!" They glanced through the door, and saw the constable on duty outside stand' square with his back to it, barring their way. "It's all right, sergeant," Tommy began too late. "My business will wait—" Jeb Kennedy sprang round at the sound of his voice. "Why, by God! That's your man! ... So you've come here to follow up your job, have you, you—" A quick glance had passed between the inspector and sergeant, and the latter picked up a written sheet which lay on the latter's desk. The inspector came forward. "Well, sir? P'raps you'll he good enough to tell us your business here?" "It's — it's nothing immediate," Tommy began. "A sort of misunderstanding. I—" "Is your name Braile, sir, please?" "Of course it is!" Jeb shouted; but the sergeant silenced him and the inspector went on: "Your car lias been—commandeered by this gentleman, it seems?" Jeb burst out again; "That's right. That's what he told you over the phone, I guess! That's why I'm here now, huh? But he didn't trouble to tell you what he did on me, officer? This is his work —and this!" He pointed first to his bruised eye and then,; lowering his head, showed where the dried blood was still clotted on his hair from fhe cut which his fall against the Mercury had given him. "Keep quiet!" the inspector ordered sharply. And turning to Tommy again: "Is your name Braile?" Tommy admitted it. "I don't know how you knew, I've brought no charge —so far. Here's my card, inspector—" The inspector nodded; but as he scanned the card a look of some surprise passed over his face; and his next words were noticeably more respectful. "I'll have to ask you, sir—" "Look here, inspector," Tommy broke in. "There's some sort of complication here that i can't make out. I'll answer anything you like when I've got to London, but just now —" "Just now he can't stop!" , Jeb cried ironically. "He can put up his darned accusations from a distance —a safe distance. He can get ttte stopped. But when he finds there's awkward questions owing him —when he's got me to face —why, he's all urgent business and be damn)d to you!" (To v be continued daily.) — i. : •