“The Grays Manor Mystery”

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LX, Issue 11201, 25 August 1933, Page 4

“The Grays Manor Mystery”

• -• by __ > . Aidan de Brune (Author "f ’'The Dagger and Cord;” live, Shadovr Crook;” “Find This Min!” etc, etc). , t

CHAPTER XlV.—(Continued). "If I remember right your parting words to us yesterday afternoon were;*’ Kedwell turned and faced the barrister. For a moment he hesitated, then quoted, slowly and distinctly: “If you really wish to know, I firmly believe that Matthew Ashcombe is in this room at the present moment.”

Ho swung on his heels and went to the-stairs. On the first step he paused a moment, then turned towards the alcove where .Mrs Ashford-Lynne was. sitting. For some minutes he talked earnestly with her. Again he went to the stairs, mounting them. Much against his inclinations, Dotting remained at his table. He would hlave liked to have crossed the room

> the opposite alcove and questioned le woman. He was certain that she new much not only regarding Byends’ death but concerning the ysterious blackmailer, Matthew shcombe.

What did she know? How much of hat she knew had she confided to fdney Kedwell? Certainly the man new more than he was willing to

iniit. He had shown that he held •rtairi knowledge—facts that he ■mid only have learned from the omatt. But —had she taken him

lly into her confidence?. Dening did

■jt believe that. Hedwell professed he utmost faith in her,\ Could he ive that if she had fully \corifided in i m —if she had revealed only the ttle the barrister knew of her past

Kedwell was onl.y absent a few minutes. He returned carrying a leather siachel, which he placed on the table before Dening. “MC Dening,” the boxer spoke seriously. "I am going to admit that I believe, .with you, that one of the men y'pu met at the Altona Trading Company is the man you went —is Matthew Ashcorabe. I’ve told you I forced them to place the inquiry in ypur hands. I did; and I had to use allot more pressure than you can imagine to force them;!to agree.”

Dening nodded, inquiringly. “I haven’t anything more than a suspicion;”' The man continued, resuming, his chair at fhe table. You may have theories or facts, but I don’t think you've got a definite line yet. But if you are as clever as I’m told you are—if you’ve got the nerve to follow up your suspicions and un.cover that damned .blackmailer —and incidentally'get the .information to tell the police who killed Edward Sy- E mdnds—then I’m behind you for all I’m worth.” He grinned. “You mayn’t think much of that, but I may be.able to get information ypu can’t.” "And that leads t 0...?” Dening suggested. ’ “ You . think you’ve got'-something on some of us.” “You’re suspecting \ Gray, because Ashcombe gave his address at Grays Manors you’re euspecting Sir John because that old sniveiler’lives on that property: you’re suspecting/me because these notes got in among my cash, find I can’t explain how.” He ; hesitated a moment. “Mr Dening, I’-ra tpld that in your university days you Avere something of a boxer?

The nodded. “Then you know that oncC a man’s trod the ring Jjp,neyer quite loses the tang of resin and canvas-dust. You’re not,in bad training, now." The experienced eyes travelled over the barrister’s figure. “I can admit that I wouldn’t like to go in the ring against you as we are now.. an 4 that with all my ringcraft—and it’s that what tells, not boxing, y’know.” “What's this leading to?” Dening -questioned, half-laughing. - “just this,” theex-boxer continued. “You’ve still got \he Instinct to , turn to the boxing page of the newspapers when there’s anything good on. I’d like to bet you’ve read a darned sight .'more of Black Ked’s boxing history than I have. -Well, can you say that Black JPed ever fought a' mean or dishonest fight?”

For a fraction of a second tiening hesitated. He knew’ the man s ringcareer. Impulsively, his hand went across the table.

“Black Ked was a straight fighter,” he'said. “I’ll take his.* word that Sydney Kedwell, nightclub proprietor, has done —will not do—anything to disgrace his record.” For a minute the hands of the men locked. Kedw'ell sat down and opened the sate h tel.

“Here’s all the notes that came into the club that night. Take the lot and examine them. There’s quite a pack!” t * ‘ With a nod the man turned 'and went to where Mrs Ashford-Lynne waited.

For a few moments Dening watched the man, then glanced down at the pile of notes. Methodically he went throjugb obvious of the glances Of the dancers, curiously, watching the man sorting banknotes. | At the. top were a number of notes separated from the others by a folder of paper. He counted them h there were nine. Eight of the notes were for five pounds each, the ninth was for ten pounds.

He scanned the notes very carefully, finding the marks Sir John had stated he had placed on the notes. Under the series ’number had* been drawn a very faint line.with a pencil. Only by holding the banknote against a strong light could the marking be seen/''' * . v;" 1 - Three questions troubled Dening. First, why had the notes been marked? Sir John had stated that the payment had been made for services rendered. Had the marking of the notes been only curiosity? . Thmi came the second question. \tthy had Sydney Kedweh examined

the night-club’s receipts for the marked notes? Kedwell had stated that Sir John had asked him to watch for the marked notes. What reasons had the knight suspicions? He had avoided giving a reason for his request.

The question arose out of Mick Regan’s report on his instructions that morning. He had instructed his man to discover if the banks, generally, had been warned by Sir John, or his bank, to watch for marked banknotes. Mick had. reported that the banks had not been advised.

Again he went through the pile of notes, this time scanning them through a strangely shaped monocle he screwed into_ his eye. Now he separated out a number of other notes, placing them in a separate pile. Replacing the bulk of the banknotes in the satchel, he turned to the notes he had set aside. To the nine marked notes he added two more. They, also were marked. The remaining notes he separated into a number of small piles, placing on the top of each pile one or more of the marked notes.

“Well?" Dening looked up at Kedwell, who had come to the table unobserved by him. "Find anything fresh?” Dotting pointed to'the piles of notes on the table. The ex-boxer sat down and examined them, slowly. He lifted a marked note from a pile and indicated the remainder: “These are not marked?” “No, yet I think they belong to my inquiry.” Thfe ex-boxer lifted his brows, questioningly. ; “They ; run in sequences to the iharked notes,’’ Dening explained;

"ThenKedwell looked puzzled. “T don’t see the connection, Mr Dening?’’

“Look through these.” The barrister pushed the satchel of notes across the table. “You may And one or two sequences of two or three notes—not more than three notes'in' a sequence. 1 ' In one of the sequences —one or three notes—you will And a,note that has, undergone different treatment from the other two. I mean in folding and wear. I take that to indicate that those notes came together by. accident.”

The barrister paused and drank a glass of, wine.

“Now examine the sequences topped by the marked notes. For ray own convenience I have arranged the notes so that the marked notes are on top of each pile. You will notice, however, that, several of the piles are in sequence. There are eleven marked notes. Put the sequences together and you will only have seven piles. ,Now examine the notes where the sequences break, thus .■. .’’ He drew two of, the piles- towards him. "Notice that only a, comparatively few notes are missing to make a further sequence.” Dening paused and looked at his companion, who nodded.

“We know-that a sum of five thousand pounds was sent to Matthew Ashcombe,” the barrister continued. “Through Sir John's action in marking. certain notes we have been' able to reconstruct sequences l of the notes paid to Ashcombe. We have, in fact, sufficient data to theorise that these unmarked notes nyere abstracted from the packets 'of notes Sir John stated he posted.”

"Weil?” Kedwell asked impatiently >when Dening ceased speaking. "I follow you, so far. What then?”

“Gray come here often?’’ The barrister asked, inconsequently.

“Quite frequently.” Dening nodded. He brought out his pocket book and took from it a cheque-form. ...... You’ll take my cheque, Kedwell? I want these notes.” .

For' a moment the ex-boxer hesitated, staring at Dening. “Don’t be a fool, Dening; Take the; notes if they’re evidence. Do you think I can’t \rust .you with a few pounds?” . A

“That is different.” Dening shook Ikis head. He filled in the cheque . .... and pushed it across the table. “These notes have to be my absolute property, Now, I want you to answer a couple of questions— on Black Ked‘s honor?” i ■ “Well?" The* man glanced up, curious. - ‘

“How did you come to look for marked money in the club’s treasury?”

“Sir John asked me to watch for the marked notes. I didn’t think much of the idea, but I did as he requested.” “Why should Sir John believe the notes'might be changed at your club. I may tell you, he did not advise the banks to watch for marked money.”

“He didn’t?” A puzzled frown came on the man’s face. “He told me he was having general inquiries made, blit not through the police.” .. j' "Inquiries in which the banks were ignored! That’s strange; don’t you think so?”

Kedwell did not answer. The frown on his face had deepened. “We'll go on to my second question, Kedwell. You remember the night the police came here? That night a man sat in one of these alcoves. You can identify the one by the big, blue china vase with a square piece out of-the side. One of your waiters should remember him—be asked for writing materials. That’s rather unusual, isn’t it?” “People don’t make a habit of writing their letters at night clubs,” grinned. “Still, sometimes '(To b* l Continued).