“The Grays Manor Mystery ”

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LX, Issue 11202, 26 August 1933, Page 4

“The Grays Manor Mystery ”

■ i-by ■, ' • Aidan de Brune (Author -f “The Dagger and Cord;” The Shadow Crook;” “Find This M»n!” etc, etc).

CHAPTER XlV.—(Continued). | “I want you to get the waiter who attended on that man—and his com-* panion, if he had one. I won’t keep you in the dark../’ The barrister added, as Kedwell gain his feet. "I believe tire mian' who wanted to write a letter was Matthew' Ashcombe.” ; For a moment the ex-boxer stayed, then turned and strode down thei room. A few minutes later he returned, followed by one of the wait-

ers. “Here’s you man, Dening.” Kedwell, obviously excited, spoke with restraint, "’fraid ' you’re ’ mistaken* though,’’ Dening turned to the waiter antji repeated his description of the incident on the night of the raid. “Ye’ sir. T white d “there—remem* ber the gent asking for ‘ the, notepaper. ’bout ten minutes before the police came.” I "Do you know him? Has he been here before?” “Ye’ sir! ’e’s often here. Foreign gent. I’ve ’card 'im called ‘Baron’ . . sumthin’.” “Baron!” Dening showed his surprise. “Baron von Rosenfeld?” "That’s the name!” The man todded. “Knew I’d rekernise It ii* I it. Tol’ Mr Kedwell so.” “Was I he albne?” The barrister asked after a moment’s thought. “’e ’ad another gent wi' ’im. One I knows better. Sir John McNiven, sir.” ‘‘‘Who wrote the letter?” Kedwell interposed, his eyes blazing. “Dunno, sir. I took ’em th’ paper an’ things—an’ left ’em.” Slipping a coin in the man’s hand, Dening dismissed him. He looked up at Black Ked, standing beside the table frowning.

“Well?” "I wasn’t here that'night—I told you that yesterday.” “Nor the night the notes were passed! ” Dening spoke sharply. “You were here. -What’s the good of trying to deny it?” With a shrug the ex-boxer turned bn his heels add strode across the rljom, disappearing into the alcove wlibre Mrs Ashford-Lynne waited.

Dening watched the man, a wry smile on his lips. He knew that Black Ked hated’ telling that lie. Thbn, what motive had influenced him? He remembered that Reuben Gray had stated that he had seen Kedwell with Mrs Ashford-Lynne in one of the alcoves the night the marked banknotes had' appeared at the club. Had the man lied to protect the woman? But, this night they’ had come down the stairs' together, making no effort of concealment.

. “Cheer up, big boy!” A small hand, heavily perfumed, settled lightly on his shoulder. “It makes ’ a girl’s heart ache to see a nice boy sitting sad and lonely. Come and dance, charming!” >

Quickly Dening caught the girl round the. waist, swinging her into the stream' of dancers.

“What did she do to you, beauti-/ ful?” The girl, blonde, pert, yet pret-. ty, looked up into his face, laughing.’ “Say, handsome,.you’re too young to' mope over a girl. There’S 'plerity of daisies unpicked in the Helds.” “Is 1 ‘that 'so—Daisy?”" : He'daughed,. down at her. “But this time ‘Daisy’ 1 plucked me. "Isn’t that so?”

The girl nodded, snuggling into his arms. Suddenly the barrister' stiffened, swinging the girl so that' his back was towards the door. A' few quick steps and he found shelter amid a crowd of dancers.

He watched the progress ’of the man who had just entered the room.. The girl, who' had-noticed his sud-! den movement, looked at him curi-’ ously. 1 “Friend of yours, adore—l don’t think!" She giggled lightly. “Say,' georgeous, who dies, if you two meet?”

“I’m afraid I’ll provide the attraction for the obsequies.” Dening laughed, "But while you're with me we’ll try and avoid accidents.” Keeping under the shelter of the dancers, he followed the man up the. r room. Outside the alcove where' Kedwell and Mrs Ashford-Lynne sat the man paused, straightened his shoulders and entered; c

f The barrister steered his partner, so that they passed close outside the'j 1 alcove. Behind Mrs Ashford-Lynne’s-chair stood Enrico Culadi, bending, forward and speaking rapidly. Some n instinct must have warned him that, he was'belng watched for he striaghtened, looking directly at Dening. For a brief moment the men’s met and held. A puzzled expressioncome on the gunman’s face. He ed intently at the barrister, frowning thoughtfully. Suddenly his face clear-j edi an unholy light coming into his eyes. 4 “What’s the matter?” The girl' ... > ' j.. . .5 caught at Denlng’s arm, frightened. “Boy, did you see that man’s face? He looked as if he’d like to eat you!”* Swinging her out of the throng ol' dancers', Dening led the girl to his' table and poured out for her a glass* of Svine. "YouSvant that.” He laughed carelessly. “Girlie, you’ keep' too many late hburs. ‘Your imagination is work-| ing overtime!" ’‘Yet’while he his eyes* never left the alcove -where the gunman remained. Unconsciously his hand went to his ■ hip-pocket. He 1 was unarmed across the floor gay* with a ' laughing, unthinking; crowd, lurked sudden death!

CHAPTER XV. ,1 'Stidden death! Dening smiled as he watched for any move the gunman might make. The momentary

panic, induced by the knowledge that he was facing an armed killer withouta weapon, had disappeared. He was considering possibilities, his keen brain working at high pressure. Would Culadi bring matters to an issue In that night-club. He believed hot, unless he could take him at disadvahtaige, and alone. Obviously, safety lay in that 'room, amid the

crowd of dancers. Culadi would act with the greatest caution. He would realise that he had no political pull on which to rel/ for iraniuhity-—that he was without his normal support of gang and shyster lawyers. Yet he would not forgo his long boasted revenge. Danger would come when he left the’‘night-club for the empty night streets. He shrugged, and turned to the girl. She' was staring at him with troubled eyes. She met his glahces and smiled. “Imagination, beautiful!” Sho swung sideways on her chair, crossing her silk-clad legs revealingly, “Not- much imagination, charming. What’s that fellow got on you?” For the moment the barrister hesitated. Could he trust this girl. If he could...A plan was forming in his mind.

“You know him?” A kick of her fo'ot indicated the alcove where Culadi feWia'ined Hidden. “It’s no good trying to fend me off. I know. I saw his eyes when he caught sight of you. I was in you arms—l felt your body stiffen. Lord, you don’t think a girl of my kind is entirely innocent? I live by my wits and. . .if I couldn’t read the tale’ that man’s eyes told. . .I’d starve!” Dening nodded. He recognised that' the banter had left her voice—that she was in deadly earnest. Yet —Could he trust her?

“Daisy. ..” She interrupted him impatiently.

"Cut that!-” Her voice was sharp, almost angry. “That line’s all right for the night-club gigolo but. . .but you’re not that. I knew that...directly I felt your arm about me. I don’t often make mistakes but, if you like, I’ll confess I made one when I came to ybu. You looked careless,* indifferent—as if you wanted to be amused—and would pay for it. I came to amuse you—that’s my business, you know.” She paused. “What they call the'age-old battle-between the male and female.. .” She laughed’ suddenly, “...and it ain’t often the’male wins. I’m Emily Dale... though they call me Eunice O'Connor here.”. Again she paused. “You call me Emily—see?” The barrister did not reply. His brain was racing through a riot of thought: accepting, rejecting, and arranging possibilities. "Listen!” The girl continued, speaking earnestly. “When that man comes on the floor again I’m going to him. I’l'keep him busy...” She laughed, a hard note ringing through her merriment. “Oh* I’ll keep him awake, you betl That’s my business! Yours.. .you get to that door—see? Get away from here and. . .and don’t come back.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “You . ...you don’t belong here. You’re too decent to mix with this* trash!”

"No.”’Dening spoke iibruptly. “I cannot allow that.”

“Do you think he can hurt—me?” Self-scorn showed in her voice. “Lord boy! I’m past that. What sorOof ihnofient' .are you, hot to be able to

read the signs on me? I’m. . .I’m one of the world’s toys. . .the playfellows of men like. . .like him.” “8ut...”

"Think I don’t know? Sure! Like calls to'like, all the world over.' Put me down in a town where I don’t know a soul, and in half a day I’ll have a'dozen around'me; not men, like you but men—creatures, like him, that I couldn’t hurt —If I tried.” Her eyes lit with excitement. “Now, beautiful. What’s his name?”

"Culadi, Enrico Culadi.” The barrister spoke reluctantly, under the urge of the girl’s insistence.

.“Sure, and ,is that all? Quite an elegant mouthful! Then En. and I are going to - ’get'together—some!”

"You must hot.” Dening spoke firmly. “Girl... Emily, you can’t play with that fire. He’s dangerous!” “So ani I.” The 1 girl laughed: then sobered. “Gee, it was great to hear you speak that name. a time since I’ve heard it from. . .from honest lips.” She was thoughtful a moment. "Perhaps that’s why we girls take high-sounding names. We’ve still got enough decency to keep something sacred!”

“Listen!” The barrister spoke earnestly. "You’re to do nothing foolish. Culadi is a noted Chicagoan gunman. : Years ' dgo he threatened to shoot me because he overheard me say that the only way to deal with his kind-is to outlaw them and shoot them down at sight. He'd think little of shooting you—if you interferred between him and me.” ,

“Well?” A little smile played in the girl’s eyes. “Well, I'm not a. ..a gun-moll—don't they call them? That’s it—a gun-inoll,: but I’m. . I can be dangerous.”

“What’s the good of playing the spoke angrily. “Emily

. . . ” He hesitated, his hand on his pocket. He knew that if he offered the girl money’ while she was in' her present mood she would feel hurt and insulted, “Emily, do you work?" CTo be Continued).