That Man at Claverton Mansions

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 70, 24 March 1933, Page 13

That Man at Claverton Mansions

II by HOLLOWAY HORN If '(-Author of "George"The Intruders," eto/j fl § I giiiiinwiiimwuro»iw»|«jtwiwniii«ro»»w'»»™ww''^ ftttttffW n|M|IIIIBHIJI | UURD MiiuitiitmniiniiMiiiiuuiuiiiiuiitiiiiitiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiimtiiiiiiiriiiiuiirujiiimiHiHiiiiMniii(tmiiiV't

CHAPTER XII. —(Continued.) Malakoff came in with an ingratiating smile. He ehook hands effusively and deposited himself in the chair she placed for him. His light grey suit had been made by an expensive tailor, but it was too tight for him and made him appear even more unwholesomely eallow than he was. He had evidently just shaved, but his heavy jaw was very dark in spite of it. He looked what he was— one of those vague cosmopolitans who have no nation and no faith. "I'm afraid I'm here on a rather unpleasant matter, Miss Luttrell," he began in his thick voice. "I didn't quite catch what yo» said? I'm afraid I've got rather a cold. Thence a buzzing in my ears this morning; it's most irritating." "I said I was here on rather an unpleasant matter," he said in a louder v,one. Suddenly he looked round the room. "We're alone, I take it?" She emiled: "You seem very mysteriour, Mr. Malakoff, and very nervous. Whom should there be here?" "Good. As I told you last night I come here as your friend." "Of course," she agreed, and waited. "There's been a fellow hanging around the club for the last day or so. A very dangerous fellow. I've already told Inspector Murchison about him." "Oh? I don't see how this affects me." "Well, I'll put you wise. The man is a South American—from Rio. I knew him there as Jose—l mean I knew of him He was one of the most desperate characters in Rio I can aesure you, is saying a lot." "I don't know the place. They arc, apparently, very desperate there." "They are. Poor Lynn Dorell knew him out there better than I did. There was a quarrel between them. And you know what has happened." "Even so, Mr. Malakoff, I fail to see what it has to do with me. Or why you should want to see me so urgently." "It has quite a lot to do with you, I'm afraid, as you will see. You know, as I say, what happened to Dorell?" "I do. He wae shot. As the coroner's jury put it, 'By some person or persons

unknown.'" "Precisely. I can't prove anything, but I fancy I know who that unknown person was." "Do you?" "Yes. Jose. He said he would do Dorell in and it looks as if he has carried out his threat." "But surely you should tell all this to Inspector Murchison —not to me?' "No " he said and looked at her searchingly. She met his glance evenly. _ "No. That is where you are wrong. It is not a matter for the police. It is a matter which concerns you alone. By some means this fellow came into possession of certain letters which, according to his story, you eent to Dorell." "He seems a pretty low down sort of cad in many ways," she commented. "There are few crimes, I suspect, of which Jose has not been guilty and ot which he is not capable of being guilty Miss Luttrell. He is about the la°st man in London who should be in possession of your letters. He quoted from one of them to me. They were, tc put it mildly, of a very private nature. "They were." . "And in view of your position on the stage, and of your approaching marriage to Sir Basil Rearston, it would _be exceedingly awkward if they came into the wrong hands, particulary aftei Dorell's dlath-into Sir Basil's hande, for example." . "Exceedingly awkward," she agreed. "Well that is how the position stands," he concluded blandly. "But even now I don't understand, Mr. Malakoff. What am I to do in the matter?" «rrt,<,f i a He shrugged his shoulders. That s a matter for you to decide. I acted as a friend in warning you. The fellow, of course, wants money. iie offered to sell the letters to me-I rebetter- He is exceedingly cunning, as well as dangerous." "What did he want for them? she aS «H d e mSned the figure of five hundred pounds." "And if I refuse?" "Then the matter is out of my hands. Jose has the letters and is in a very ugly mood. He will probably send them to Sir Basil, I'm afraid." ■ "What good will that do him ? "He is a queer fellow, is Jose! You can never tell what satisfaction )S uch people obtain from their actions. "What/made him pome to you/ "In the first place, he wanted to get into touch with poor Dorell. In the second, he probably knew you occasionally visit the Blue Rose. "From what you say, he got into touch with Dorell!" "And now—you can easily imagine why—he wants to get out of this country at the earliest possible momei*. inspector Murchison is not a nice man to be up against, and Jose knows it. "And that is why he wants the five hundred pounds?" "It certainly looks like it. I'm afraid he will make himself awkward'if he doesn't get it. Most awkward! "Do I get my letters back if I pay this .... money?" "That is entirely a matter for you to arrange .... with Jose. I ani taking no part in the affair at all. J am acting merely as yoμr good friend. "But five hundred is a lot of money:

"I agree. Fortunately you are a wealthy lady. I imagine that Sir Basil, as a husband, has a very much greaterpotential value." "You are making nothing out ot the deal?" "Nothing!" he echoed. I am acting merely in°friendship for yo u -" "Where can I see this Jose?" "That is one of the difficulties. He has no address, I'm afraid."

"Oh!" .. T "I see him • from time to time. J. never know where. I may be walking alouo- in Soho, for example, and suddenly .. . there is Jose. I myself had a little misunderstanding and found it expedient to give him a small sum. He is a most awkward fellow." "But how can I pay him this money? "I'm afraid the only way is for me to do it for you." "So I give you the money 1' "That would save you trouble." "And I have no guarantee that even tif X-do I shaU.getthj» letter§-back,' ?

"Oh yes! I feel sure that Jose would be reasonable. Indeed. I should refuse to part with the money unless the letters were handed to me. In any case, Jose will, I feel certain, be out of the country the moment he gets the money." "Well .... I'll think it over." "If I may suggest, Miss Luttrell, there is not a great deal of time to spare. He is anxious to get away before tie place becomes too Lot for him." "But surely," she protested. "it is not a matter that one must decide at a moment's notice!" "I think you will be well advised to, here and now. Jose is desperate—as I see it, he must get out of the country at the earliest moment." "Why?" Again Malakoff shrugged his shoulders. "I've no.doubt he has very good reasons. To be quite frank, I think it is because Inspector Murchison is so interested in him. Jose doesn't know it, thank goodness, but I suppose I am responsible for the inspector's interest in him. For my part, I shall be heartily glad and relieved to see the last of him. "No," she said, hesitatingly. "I shan't decide right off —for one thing I don't carry five hundred pounds about with mei' "It is not a large sum, surely?" lie said with his oily smile. "It's five hundred pounds, neither more nor less." "There is your bank. Your cheque would be honoured." "I know. But I haven't made up my mind. I will let you know to-night. If all goes well, I will look in at the Blue Rose just before midnight. That is as definite as I can be." "You should have the money in notes. If I could tell Jose that it would be here, he might hold his hand." "Tell him anything you like," she eaid, rising. "He doesn't get the money without handing over the letters. That is final." " Malakoff, too, rose, reluctantly: "I think you are acting very unwisely," he said. "You know aswell as I do what wae in those letters. And what Sir Basil would think of them."

"That's another point; you see, I don't know. The letters were stupid, but I ancy my fiance would understand." "My dear lady!" he protested. "I am a man of the world. So ia Sir Basil. I know the interpretation I placed on your letters." "To-night, at midnight," she said. If by any chance I'm not there, you may assume that no live hundred -will be forthcoming." "I fancy when you have thought it over, you will ... be there." "Possibly." She had touched a bell and almost at once Sarah was in the room. "Show Mr. Malakoff out, Sarah." "Then—au 'voirl"- he said, doubtfully. "Till to-night . . . possibly," she replied. He held out his hand, but she did not seem to notice it. With a shrug he turned away, but at the door he paused: "I shall expect you—otherwise . . . the fat will be in the fire," he said. She smiled at him and a moment later Sarah had shut the door. The sound of the outer door closing reached her as the door leading from her dining-room opened to admit Murchison and Jolly. "You did splendidly, Miss Luttrell, the Inspector said. "The way you made him raise his voice wae perfect." "Who is this Jose?" she asked. "Have you heard about him ?" "I don't know. I have an idea, but I don't know." "He seemed to think that Jose was the murderer." "So do I," said Murchison. "And that he's leaving the country/' "That's another matter," the detective smiled. " You said that you were going to the Blue Rose to-night?" "I eaid I might." "I think you should." "What . . . pay him that money? she asked incredulously. "Not on your life," said Murchison. "But I rather fancy that there may be fun at the Blue Rose to-night." "Fun ?" He nodded. "We may bag Jose. "It sounds exciting." "It will be. Are you nervous of Sir Basil seeinjr those letters, by the way?" "Not in the least. He already knows about them," she said with a smile. "There is one point which is rather important, though," she went on. "You mean, how did he get the letters? the inspector asked. "Yes. They were in Lynn Dorell's flat. They most probably have been stolen from there." "I feel certain they were. The man who murdered Dorell probably wanted to find out whether there were any letters from a certain lady there. He was lookin"- for them when he found yours, and recognised that they might possess a monetary value." "I shall certainly be at the Blue Rose to-night," said Mary, thoughtfully. "Then . . . good-bye, Miss Luttrell. And my thanks." "Good-bye!" she said, and for a moment lier eyes held the calm, grey ones of the detective. (To be continued daily.)