The Beard Of The Protobet

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 165, 15 July 1939, Page 15 (Supplement)

The Beard Of The Protobet

Serial Story

synopsis. •l-ncn of an aged archaeologist Roubon WmSMM sholl. No weapon is visible «„ Illlii Mm Turk, Mahmoud Boy; of ' ry, ?.. •..iiinl, mummy-hke wifo M ? Budd :"n r r °od a h b oT i h h r bJt ««•-■» hnpponed. ""poamble had ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ Chapter V. Mr. Budd Meets The Prophet Tl IK body of the dead man was A covered with a sheet, bul otherwise left exactly as it had been found. it could not be moved until after the police photographs had been taken, and this would have to wait un il the morning. The window' was rlos-d and latched and the dooi loi-krd, and when Mr. Budd had put the key in his pocket he wenl clown, accompanied by the divisional inspector, to interview the people of the household, leaving the local sergeant on guard in the corridor. Tho storm wns f.(ill rniriii" wit'i im.il.atiiiji fury. Tin- ,■.,',„ . in ,| •-H'-li'-d ari,l II;,. tlinn,|,M- roared iinii 1 l "°'l- nilinjr the night with a deafen in , .' clamour. Unrley was in Hip lull talking to n stolid looking eon-.dnble when ' 1 h,-_y reached Hi., foot of the stairs, iind In r.diir over as soon na Ik; saw tho hi;. inn n. "Tlio servant* nro all up, sir," ho *-~], in n low voice. •They're in the. kitchen ii vmi want to pc.i t hiMii." "'l'll *<'<• 'nil 1.1 (•-.■ Till \." h ;\u\ M r (Sudd and u<.mi mil- in ' lliu iloor ol tlii , drawing room. Thrro WiM no sound from within, mi; tinning the, linudlo lip entered. Tim m> upantfl wore grouped in ur.ea*\ nli'iwi' niiiml t lie lin-phiee, and Leek v, ho was sitting uncomfortably on th .

edjje of a ehnir near the door, looked up with relief when they came in. -Mr. I> ii 11< L paused fur ft moment on the threshliold, sloppily eyeing tho sketchilyattircd ni*fpm!ilnJ.M , , lipforo ho shut thedoor behind him and advanced further into tho room. It was fJpnfTrey Dinwater who was Ihe fir*»t to speak. "I« it (rue—about Uncle 'Reuben?" he demanded, blinking nervously. "I'm afraid it is, sir,' , answered the ptout superintendent. "Mr. Hayles is dead! ,, A variety of expressions crossed the flaring fnceK before him, a whole •• int. of emotions ranging from ' .r to iricrednlity. "How " The secretary began to question and stopped. "He •wne murdered," said Mr. Budd bluntly. Kathleen Traver* caucrht her breath with a queer, gasping sound, nnd her face went white to the lips. Miihmoud Hey remained silent, but his eyes fastened themselves on Mr. Budd in an unwavering and rather disconcerting stare. Glibber clicked hie teeth, and his habitually astonished face waa so ludicrous that the big man felt an iilmowt uncontrollable desire to laugh. Mrs. Glibber stared at the empty grate, her face devoid of any emotion whatever. The girl cleared her throat huskily. >•[—l can't beliere it." she muttered unsteadily. "How did it happen? Who kill o<l him?" "That's what I'd like to know, misg, said tho fat detective. "I'd ver" much like to know who killed him —and howl" "How?" Glibber repeated the word in a questioning tone. "D'you mean that

you ilon't know the caueo ot ueaui; "No, sir," answered Mr. Rudd. "I don't mean that at all. I know the ciiu«n of death all right—there's nothin iiivhlovUmas abr»ut tliut." "Then what d<> you mean, superintendi'iitV" The soft vok'c of Mahmoud Ui-y n«koil tho question. "I'll tell you what I mean, sir," said Mr. Iliiild. and proceeded to do so. They listened to what ho had to say in nrniizernent. "Hut — hut —" protested fieofirey Dinw.itcr. when he had finished. "It's not [H-r-i1.1r." I lx> hi-' man sighed wearily. ••UVw Jill said that," lie murmured. •And thi> answer it>, it happened!" -There are more, things in heaven and eiirth than thn mind of man dreame of. mUipiotrd Mrs. Glibber suddenly 'and i-urnrisinjfly. "Mcaniii", Ma'am," snid the nuperui-li-ndcnt, turning towards her, "that Mr. ll.ivl.'ri was killed by somethin' supernatural?" , ~ "There is no other explanation, decl.ired tho woman with conviction. ■Nonsense. Annabel!" said her husband .severely. "To the scientific mind there is no such thing as the mi penmt mill.' " Sin- shot him nn angry glance and pli nigged her thin shoulders. "I'frliHps ymi enn offer a better explanation,"" she sneered —and there «.is a moaning in her voice that made iiin detective open his eyes sharply. ■Wrll," remarked the stout man, "I < i:u -,iy I know enough about the

J supernatural to argue, ma'am. But a -pook in a lal«e heard doesn't sound <•niiviiii-injj to me." '•Tlip idea," nqueaked filihher, "Is preI ■'-(••I-μ us! '' I!,, waved it mil of '■μ-i.•IK-β with a gesture. '-There must ''<' funic practical explanation." "If vuu .-an think of one I'd very mil. fi like, to hear it." inurmiirod Mr liu,|,| ; ■■■» 1 ln> meanwhile, I should liko lo n-k one or two questionp. if vuu don't mind." "What kind of questions?" murmured Miihninud |;,. s Mittly. "All .-0n..." iuwviwil t)n» flout superintendent. ■l"iiti.-«:ime. ,;id ~,,y ~f von hear an,\ 1 liin" unusual Lk-luimmi half pa>(. twelve Mild one , .'' , "How could we?" MLipiM.,l Mr,. (Mil,. '"■••■ "We were :il| i,, 1,,.<| , ln j "I wasn't a.sleep," «,nid Dinwaler. •Plio thunder woke. inc. Hut 1 heard nothing —nothing iiuiif-iiml." '•Nor J,"' -aid Washington Brown. ''Ami you. Miss Travels , :" asked .Mr. ; Budd, mid ill.- ui 1 1 sli.u.k her lioad. "Nor m. , ," put in Mahnioud Hey softly. s It was lui'ivly 11 runt ill'. , question, and . this big man ha,l expected il negative . result. If he hiniself and the watuh- * ful Leek had heard 11,.thin- it was e unlikely that any ..£ these people would e Hγ cleared hit "throat. j "Now, regardin' the-e I'lophet letters," 3 he went on. "Mr. Ha vies took them e 1 ■>■ M'l'ioiwly than they seemed lo s Wiiriant, ami i am under the imprcss-iun that lie had a rea.-nii fur that which J ho didn't di.-dose. (an anybody tell i me what that reason wa-*V' t There «;h a sileni-c he h...ked from . "tie to the other, ami then Washili-ton Illowii moved n-t le.H^ly. c 'Nes." haul Mr. JJu,ld iiHiiiirinyly, g ''what is it?" e "I don't know whether I oujiht to tell you"- tin: sL.iilaiy was hoitaiit - •■.Mr. ilayles e.xprenaly asked me not to '1 mention it In ease it should prejudice d you. lie. had a strong suspicion wlnj d sent tho-i; letter-." 1- "Oh, he did, eli?" .Mr. P.udd was interested. "And who did he think sent ;l them '('' y "A ne'iLrhbonr —a man who lives in ~ Liddeiihuist,' , answered the nejim. "He and Mr. Ila vies have had several quarrels. He's n religious fanatic nud hi , thought ( j that, Mr. Jlayles' profession was s.ini"Do you mean the queer man'. , ' , broke in ln.~pect.or Jladlow. ''■. Washington Brown nodded. '' "Ves. that'.- the. fellow." Mr. Budd turned quickly. :! "Who is this queer man you're, talkin' k iilioul v" ho demanded. y "lip's 11 |ie,uliar cliHp." said the diviv, s'uiiial "J|,. lives in a cottage I'jl'j 011 tho outskirts ol" the village. J I is

nnn'c's Daniel Thane. But everybody calls him the 'Queer Alan' in the district. He's a little bit touched, 1 think." "}l'm!" commented (he stout superintendent. "And Mr. Ilnvlcs wns under the impression that these anonymous letters came from him, eh?' , Jle addressed the secret ;i rv, and the nes;ro nodded. "Why didn't lie say so':' , demanded Mr. 'I'.udd. "Well. In; wasn't sure," replied Washington Brown. "It was only because he'd had 1 rouble with Thane before that he thought they might have come from him. Hut if his suspicions were wrong ho didn't want to get the chap into trouble." "I've seen the man you're talking about." put in Geoffrey Dinwater —"tall, lean fellow. Goes about in sandals and a robe." "That's the man, sir," said Inspector Hadlow. "Eccentric--, but I've always thouprht he was harmless." "Maybe he is," remarked Mr. Budd. "On the other hand, maybe lie isn't. Though I don't see how anyone, harmless or otherwise, got in and out of that ■ room. Still, we ouplit to see him. How . far away is this cottage?" i "About a couple of miles," said . Hadlow. The superintendent looked at his , watch. "Gettin" on for three," he murmured. , "I'd like to find out whether this feller's slcepin' or what he's doing." He came [ to a sudden decision. "We'll go along > there. You can stay here, Leek. The rest of you can <ro back to your rooms. ' I'll sec you in the mornin'. Nobody to L leave the house —understand that!" I He went out into the hall, followed by Hadlow, and beckoned to Murley, t who was still lurking uneasily about. fc ' <s>—— ■

1 "You can send the servants to bed," ho said. "I haven't time to see 'em now, an, , , they'd hotter try and pet some sleep." "Don't you think," ventured Hadlow, '■we nu-rlit to leave seeing Thane until the morninpr?" '•Xo. I don't," said Mr. Bu.ld. "1 want to see him now. I want to know what he was (loiif at the time Ha vies was killed." He pulled open the massive front door and stared out into the raindlenelied niirht. The thunder was si ill mutteriii- ami tunil>li 11'_', and the li"htninj- played lit fully over the neglected grounds. With a resijrned nhnip of hi* shoulder*, the (livi-ioiuil inspector followed him to the waitili},' ear and climlicil up In-hind the wheel. Mr. Budd took his place beside him, and tliev drove on" through the raill. The ear hissed and splashed and bumped iilonjjr the narrow road, the windscreen wiper working furiously, and the Jioadliyhts jrlitteriilß on tho downpour, so that the falling drops, as they came within their lavs, looked like little -loliules of molten lire. They sped through the sleeping vil- !•■'«<•. M-eemlcd a -leep hill, the wheels skidding and slidiii" and came to a halt at the eiiliam-e to a footbath between a tangle of briars. -We'll hay, , to walk from here," .-'"lileil Ihe inspector. "Jl's too uari'OW ti take the I'll I up." Mr. Itndd pot silently down and waited for I la.How to join him. The inspector led the way the narrow, winding trn-k, whi.li pa->.i'il through a dark coppice and pre-eiitly en,led alto-ether in front of a tiny which was set in an ohhinj; of garden, It was very "inall. and Lhe hi" man drew in his lircath ■ 1 mi.-kl\- as he saw a irlinimer of liL'in. shiiiin;: dimly from behind a latticed window. llatllow led the way to a .uatc, opened it. and walked up a'cinder path to the erccpci-covered poivh. A vivid Mash of livhtiiiiiLr illuminated Ihe scene, and Mr. MIIIIII saw that the pirdcii was full of old-world llovvers that in daylight must have been a Maze of colour. Hadlow reached the porch and, raising hi- li-.t, hammered 011 t h<; door. There was a movement within, a shuffling step on lime boards became audible, and then the door uus jerked open and the tall liuure of a man, holding a lamp, peered out .11 them. "Who eomr< at this hour?" said a deep voie. "What <h' you want'.'" "VW'd like to have ti word with you, Mr. Thane." said Mr. Budd before Hadlow had time to reply. "Mr. Reuben Hav 1..- ha- been murdered!" A pair of dark, hollow eves turned on him. "When did it happen I' , asked a deep Voice. '■.■shortly before half-past one this morniiiLT." answered the. superintendent. "Then tin- prophecy has been fulfilled." raid the stidiitre man. "Mohammed lias struck down the dosccratiii- of hi< grave! The venpeanco of tho prophet has fallen upon him!" Never in his life het'ore had the stout HUperintendeiit/ had such an extraordinary experience. There was something unreal, unnatural, about tho whole sittuition. The thin, wild-looking li»urc of the man with the lamp, framed in the cottajro doorway, the rumblinjr of the tliunder, and the incessant Hickeritig of the liplitninj;, the inouotonoiM hissing aplash of the rain and the deep voice ■were like the component parts* of some nightmare. Hadlow must liave felt something of tho eame sensation, for he seemed at a loss. It was Daniel Thane who broke the silence which followed on hie last speech. "Aro you friends of Reuben Hayles?" lie demanded, and Mr. Budd jerked himself out of the spell which had fallen over him. '"Xo." he answered. "We represent the police." '■The police?' , repeated the queer man, and there was no eijrn of apprehension cither in his voice or face. "Why, then, have you come to me?" "Mr. Hayles," said the fat detective, "received several letters threatenin' him. from information received, we're under the impression that you wrote them." "Supposinpr that to be true, what then'.'" asked Daniel Thnne. "Then," said Mr. Budd shortly, "I should like an account of your movements between half-pa«t twelve and half-past one this mornin". "Arc you labouring under the delusion," said the queer man, "that I am responsible for the death of this men, Hayles?" '"I don't know what I'm labourin' under," said the stout superintendent irritably, "but I want to know what you were doin', all the same." "I had no hand in Hayles' death," «aid . Daniel Thane, "but I read it in the stars ; and in the music of the breeze. He died • because he had violated the tomb of the prophet." ; "That may be," said Mr. Budd, "but somebody killed him." j "The hand of Mohammed killed him," declared the queer man. 'it. wa« written that Keirben Ifa vies should die, and i he died." Ho drew himself up, his sauiit > figure in its curious monkish robe lookr inj; stransrely dignified in the flickering ; light of the lamp. "'For the sake of knowledge, for tho sake of worldly, j power and prestige he violated sacred things. Von tell me he is dead, and I 1 am not surprised. Jx-t others take heed , and walk in the path of righteousness and humility." ; <$>