VAN WYCK MASONS The CASTLE ISLAND CASE With CANDID CAMERA CLUES

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 102, 3 May 1939, Page 23

VAN WYCK MASONS The CASTLE ISLAND CASE With CANDID CAMERA CLUES

CHAI'TKR XXXII. In in mil the same manner a<< a Iri" of c\|»vtHiif fathers pacing the halls nf a maternity hospital, all three men waited for the plate to dry and though I hey smoked valiantly. exchanged reminiscences and laughed at even thu feeblest of jokes, their eyes kept switching over to a battered alarm clock. At the end of half an hour, Allenby knocked the ashes from his pipe and said ijuietly. "Well, the great moment is nearly here. It' the negative Ilfi* dried I'll ha\e a print for you in about the minute*.' , "Do you mind if we watch you work:" inquired 'I'vmhi, ignoring the implied suggestion. It was characteristic that although Allenby would have •_; i\e 11 much to make the discovery by himself, he n-.-pected the \ery natural curiosity of his cum ptinions. "Come along." lie iinited and presently detached the negative from its rack. It was quite dry so. after carefully scrutinizing the lioiigobliu lii Mire on tie , negative be dimmed the lights. r<i<lecied a sheet of medium print paper ami rnise<l the lid of a contact print h<>\. l!r-;pite himself, his linger* (piiv ere-l a little us he placed the negative i:i j u.j tion, then laid tlit" pajter on to|i.

Ctip the Camera Clues.

"Well, gentlemen," lie announced. closing the lid, "here goes!" Roger Allenby counted slowly to three, then, by the safe light's dim' glow removed the print, conscious of tinging heads of perspiration poppin-.' out all over hW» forehead. Deftly, he placed the print in n developing bath. Who? Who? Who? Breathless he peered at the all important rectangle of paper. Ha! Its edges were beginning to darken. Like school boys peering into a forbidden book, Tyson and Turner crowd 1 in to look over his shoulders. In a moment the print was developed — features and details springing out into •swift clarity. "Great Scott! Now who is that?"' Tyeon exploded.

In his cl,e*t Alleuby's heart e.veenfed a uingoM-r. thru priHer-divcd into hi.-. Unit heels when lie recognised the Menlthy ligiire so clearly depicted. Anxioii.-ly he held the dri|i|iiii2 print up to the 1 i '_■ 111. studied the trail li.-ure's garments, facial expression and attitude. lie heaxed a deep sigh and .-hrugged. Surprises he had been prepared for. but thi* was something else again! All at once |.c ■ it ion commenced to draw -tinuiiiL lets down his cheeks. The 1.i.l -cope of the disa.-ter which had overtaken his eoneepiioii of live ia<e did not really come home to linger Vlleuby for some moments, but Suporiniviiileiit T\sun >tnii<l flii-A nilii: at the .-tiiitled. roiuul-eyeil face- staring up from the lixlug solution. "Well. Major, do you a-k me to believe that -ludv Fortier mur<lere<l .Mrs. lira!tolij" , ' His hand- sprend in an attitude of complete b-wil'leinient. Allenl.y could only say. "I ilmi'l km>\\—this i< the but thing I expected to ha\e happen.' , "Turner." .-aid Tyson sharplv. "you're cert *in there were no Imstts other than our* on the i.-lan-l to-night ?" " >-ir. Inspector 15u\d and ! mad" a cmn|i|et e circuit of the inland at niii" o', In' k and again at niidliigjit." "Tl. en." Ty.-iin obs.-r\ed. "we mn-l concliiil" th.it ihe Fortier girl i ■ -til! on this i-I,hhl.'' He ,s« ting, turning a Idea's I'ace on Allenl.y. "|[ you've biol ii:.. to think. Major, perhaps you'll exphiii. to mi- why .linlv Fortier would brenk into tit.' lira ft mi roideM-e to steal a belt Hiiii-h. in nil probability. «a.- not liei-i'.' Or do you think it. was here-':" "I — [ still don't know what to think." Allenby conferred miserably. "How .-non lint il daylight t" ■•About half an hour.' , snapped the Superintendent, "and the minute we can see. were goinir to turn Plunder Island inside out. Incidentally, despite Your in\aluali]e help. Major, from now on. I'm handling this case." "Very well, Mr. Tyson. I don't blame you a bit since I can't tit the moment an.-uer your question about .ludv's wanting the belt." He hesitated, swiftly decided on a step which more than once had thrown light into a hopeless muddle. "If you've no objection. I'm going to lie down till it's light and forget all about the ea*e."" "Help yourself. There's a cot in there. I'm sure I won't be able to sleep."'

Ee>olutely, Roger Allenby sidetracked all thcnirrht concerning his defeat and the maddening implications raised by .liiily l'ortier's unexpected appearance. Thanks to an unimpaired will power, he wan able to drop into a sound eleep from which he was awakened threequarters of an hour later by Inspector JJnyd, official of manner but sympathetic of eye. '■Night, Major, it's getting light now. We're yoing to look for that Fortier girl." Fortunately for Allenby's jangled nerves, the search proved to be short. They came upon the missing girl huddled in a little hollow in the midst of a cedar clump. Wearing dingy male clothinir appropriated no doubt from the lniig-suH'ering Portuguese, Judy Fortier lay as if drugged, her eye eooketfi bluiahlinnvn beneath, and her cheeks hollowed. JteMcle the wanted girl lay a paper bag uf fond, aml a ginger ale bottle or two; but there was no trace of the belt! "All in," Allenby murmured sympathetically and, kneeling, touched the sleeper's shoulder, "Don't be frightened, .Miss Fortipr. I'm Roger Allenby. I ii-eil (i> know your mother. Do you rcini'inlicr '." Apparently the first word to penetrate .Tudy's dawning consciousness was "iimil her."' for «he smiled wanly. Suddenly ,= he sprang up on becoming aware nl' < .instable Turner's uniform. "Uli. plea*e don't iirrest mo," she giifped. liinching. "T—l haven't done anything! Heally. I haven't. Oh, dear. J was going to, but —but—" In gentle firmness Allenby put a rcasMiriiig arm about her when Tyson ia|i|ieil, "Jt w my duty to warn you, Mi>.-i Kurt ier, that anything you say imw may be used against you.' , Tliey took her back to the boat *hed where Allenby insisted that she be given tea an<l some chocolate ere any quest inning wa« begun. "First," he smiled encouragingly, as slie wanned chilled lingers on her teaiiip, 'Vuppose you tell us where you've lieen and vvliat'ri happened since you disappeared from Freebooter's Ilall''" , To liis surprise, a furious flush surged up above t lie line of the too big cotton i-liirt she wore. "I—L'd rather not —"' "l!ut it's important. Judy. t'nnt you -limilil. see. when a girl suddenly drop.-, out of exir-tenei? and someone feels it necc.-saiv to forge a suieiib- note for lier. one ilediicfs something important mu.-t lie back of it all."'

■luily first turned aside her haggard ;Vnliiri>Fi. luit then looked piteously. ilcv-iierately. from one face to the next. At la-t she sank trembling on a chnir and addressed Tynon. "There its no way mil of tlii.-:" "Xii. Mis.s Fortier. You'll have to tell your j*tory sometime. Possibly we are more sympathetic than another audience mijlit be. ,, "Very well." she muttered, and her i-M-s fiouglit the hand* so rigidly clasped mi her lap. "As you probably know, I've been in Darn—er, .Mr. Grafton'e employ for almost two years. At one time v c were in love, I desperately and lie, well, I still believe he meant what lie .-aid. But anyhow, we-—l—we —" '"Jn other words.'' Allenby hurried to spare her dim'cult words, "You—er— were intimate?" She nodded numbly and her sunken check*! flamed. "And then he married Mrs. Grafton?" Again a frozen nod. (To be continued daily.)