“ALL AT SEA.”

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 2871, 13 May 1932, Page 3

“ALL AT SEA.”

By

CAROLYN WELLS.

(Copyright.)

b CHAPTER 4—Continued.

“And you three,” Dixo.-i took in the trio, “with Mr Folsom were the whole of your party to go io bathing this morning?” “Yes,"’’ Mrs 'Barnaby said, unable io keep out of the conversation. , “And I was so glad I had my new bathing suit; it. just came yesterday. And Mrs Valdon, too —we were the bestdressed crowd on the beach. Oh, I can’t believe he is gone!” “Who stood next to Mr Folsom at the Dixon asked, ignoring the talkative one, “you, Mrs Valdon?” “Yes,” Carmelita began, but Mrs

i Barnaby interrupted. “I was next but one,” she said. “I \ mean I was next to Carmelita and she was next to Mr Folsom. But I can tell you what happened, for I was

looking right at him.” .Clearly, Dixon thought, it was best < to let her tell it, as shMyas far more willing to talk than the others. . , “Why, we were all standing there, taking the 1 waves,” she said, “and laughing, and just after a big breaker passed, Mr Folsom sort of loosened his grip on the rope and then his hands fell away from the rope and he just sank down under the water. That’s all. Then everybody seemed to scream and another wave came and - then I saw the life guards come and get'hold of Mr Folsom and carry him out of the - water up on to the beach. \ That’s all.” . ;

“You were next Mr Folsom, I believe, Mrs Valdon,” Dixon said, turning to < Qarmelita,' “you saw the scene Mrs Barnaby’has just described?” ‘“Why, yes,” was the reply, “that is, I suppose it must have been that way. But I’was not looking at him at all. I had all I could do to keep my feet. The surf was very high and the waves Bounded so I paid no attention to any- • one else. I just clung to the rope to keep from being knocked down myself. If*Mr Folsdmr. had,even a slight cramp - it is jiot surprising he was-drawn under by the waves.” “Not Especially,” she ' said.. “But as I told you, I was . busy looking out for myself. I think I was never so buffeted by the wayes as we were this ' morning. They were ferocious !”- “Who stood on the other side of Mr ' Folsom?” Dixon inquired, and as Neville and Mrs Barnaby shook their heads, he turned to Mrs Valdon for a

rCply - „• r. “T . “It was Mr Barron, she said. 1 J knew because Mr Folsonj asked me who he was and I leaned, over to see. “Jou were off' the rope, Mr Neville?” and Dixon turned to him. “Yes, I ! hate to be hanging to a rope. I take the big waves head on, and if they fling me up- oil the beach, that is the sort of sport I enjoy. Folsom liked it, too, but he felt he must stay with Ahe ladies. He broke away once or twice and then went hback. “Yes, but he was glad to get back/’ Mrs Barnaby told them. “He wasn’t much surf bathing, and he seemed id get winded easily.” ' “You noticed that, too, Mrs Vaidon?” pursued the questioner. That was- just before we decided to come cut of the water. , We couldn’t find Mr Neville, so we said we’d- go out anyway. Then a big wave came, and it was right after that that Mr Folsom went under?’ “Where were you then, Mr Nevillev?” • . ’

“In the water, not' far from our crowd. l' 8 saw Mrs Barnaby’s black and yellow cap* and she waved her hand toward shore, so: I, gathered we were all'to go in and I started toward land. But thpre was a crowd, and before I could get to shore, I saw the men carrying a man in,! and I saw at once' that it was Folsom.” “And you followed them?” “Of coursfe. And stood by untjl 'they started to bring him here, then I went to my bathhouse and dressed as quickly as I could.” “Well,” said Dixon, “I think that’s about all you people can tell me, then. I just wanted' to 'get the details of the drowning. Hello, here cames the valet, Ross.” The man came into the room ahd stood at attention. Though evidently stirred with excitement, he preserved a calm demeanour, and except for a nervous twitching of his fingers, showed no sign of perturbation.

CHAPTER V. “You have been to the bathhouse, Ros's?” asked Dixon, x straightforwardly- ’ > ‘ '■ “Yes, sir.” “You” found Mr Folsom’s clothes 111616?’’ .. “Yes, sir. The key was with the bathing master. He gave it to me, and I brought Mr Folsom's clothes hack here, and put them in his room.” “They were all in order, then —nothing missing?” , "Why, yes, sir. I suppose so. I didn’t look in the pockets, sir, and Mr Folsom never wears any valuable jewellry when he goes to bathe, Just

a collar button and cuff links. And his watch —that was all right, sir.” “Well, of course, I didn’t anticipate any molestation of his belongings. The bathing master wouldn’t give up the key to a stranger. ‘ How did he come to give it to you?” “I don’t know, sir. I. just told him the. circumstances and said I was Mr Folsom’s man.”

v “All right, Ross. 1 Did you put the clothes away?”

“No, sir, I just left them in a pile on the couch in the sitting room. The chambermaid is in the bedroom, doing it up, and, I thought I’d better report to you at bnce, sir.” . “You did just right. Now, Ross,, consider yourself in charge of Mr Folsom’s effects until we can get advices from his sister. We are going to telegraph to her. , Perhaps you would do it?”

“Just as you say, sir. If I 'do it, I will ask her for orders.” <. “Not a bad idea. Go,, then, and send the telegram in your own way.” Ross went . off and Neville said thoughtfully:

“Going some, to leave that man in charge of all Folsom’s beibngings J ” “I know,” returned the detective. “I watched his face for a gleam of satisfaction at the prospect, but he seemed to take it as a matter of course.” “Oh, it’s all right, I know how Folsom trusted him, as a servant and as a general right-hand man. But somehow it seems—”

“It certainly does,” put in Carmelita Valdon. '/‘lt seems wrong to leave a mere valbt in charge of a rich man’s goods.” “His valuables are in the safe,” said Dixon. “I’ve already ascertained that. Late last night he brought two or three sealed envelopes to the desk and took a receipt for them.. As to jewellery or money,,l suppose the valet is honest.” ‘Oh, yes—that,” said Neville. ‘.‘l was thinking more of letters,or ; private papers, not of a value to be put in the safe, but which ought not to be left arouqd loose.” “Indeed_.they ought not!” said Mrs Valdon, with decision. “I should think as Mr Neville is a great friend of Mr Folsom and more or less associated with him in business —” ;

“Were you partners?” asked Dixon directly.

: “No,” Neville returned, “not partners, but we worked together on many cases, and I think I may s,ay I know more of his private affairs than any one else.” . ’

“It would seem then, Mr Neville, that you are the one. to take charge of the whole matter. Will you take the keys then from Ross and consider yourself the responsible one?” “Not quite that,” Neville said, his face a little perplexed. ' “Suppose you let Ross ’keep his key and let me take the room key that Mr Folsom carried. Then either of us can have access to the rooms.”

“Yes, that is a good plan,” and relieved at the settlement of the question, Dixon rose to go. •> “I can’t see that we have anything more to do until Miss Folsom comes or wires,” Neville went oh. “If you want to consult with me when the doctor comes, Til be somewhere around the hotel.”

“Very well, Mr Neville," Dixon said, and bowed out the three guests with a feeling of satisfaction that the interview was over.

“As a matter of fact,” he thought to himself, “I’d trust that honest-look-ing valet fellow before I would the gentlemanly Neville, but it’s all none of my business. If these people are friends of the dead man, it’s up to them' to care for his interests. Hello, there’s Mr Barron. I suppose I ought to ask him a question or.two. So he stepped up ■to the party of five, who had just come into the lobby. “A word or two, if you please, Mr Barron,” he said, in a low tone, and as. 'Ned Barron looked amazed, Dixon went on: i .' “Nothing much, only I want to know if you were acquainted with the gentleman who died in the water this morning—Mr Garrett Folsom?” ’“No, I was not,” said Barron, a little shortly. \ “But I’m told you were talking to him just, before he had his heart attack, or whatever it was?’ “You were misinformed. ■ That is, he was talking to me, but I cannot say- I was talking to him. Except to return short answers to his unaskedfor remarks, I said nothing to him at clli.” “You were annoyed by him?”

“Oh, it’s going too far to call it annoyed. But I never like to have a stranger address me in the ocean, and that is what he did.”

“You were unacquainted with him? “Entirely so. I never saw him beforehand; presuming on the informality of the sea, I suppose, he began to chat. I was decently, polite, but in no way did I encourage his converse; tion.” “None of your party was acquainted with him, then?" “No—that is, I don’t think any of

them were. I’ll inquire.”

Ned Barron turned back toward the. people who had come in with him and who stood waiting while the detective spoke to him. “I say, Sears,”'he beckoned to his friend, “you didn’t knoyv that man Folsom, did you?” “Not socially?’ Croydon Sears replied, stepping closer to them. ,‘Tve had a little business wjth him once or twice, but it was' some time ago—l doubt if he remembered me at all. Why?” ' “Mr Dixon wants to know. How about you, Robin?” and he turned to Sears’ son. “Did you know Folsom?” “No; never heard of him till the commotion on the beach.- Somebody told me his name then.” “And the ladies?” Dixon turned to the two women of the party. But both Madeline Barron and her young friend, Miss Fair, asserted that they had never before heard of Garrett Folsom, and so Dixon concluded the' interview with an apology for the intrusion. * 14> “Rotten business,” he told himself. “Don’t see why I should pester any more people about it. The hotel will get a bad name if we don’t hush the thing up as soon as we can.” Whereupon Dixon saw to it that strict orders were given to all employees to say nothing whatever on the subject of Mr Folsom’s death, which orders were publicly obeyed and privately disregarded. The elevator men refused an information asked of them by curious passengers and the bell-boys told patrons that they knew nothing of the circumstances, but somehow the news flew about and knots of talkative chambermaids gathered in the halls and waiters in the pantries whispered unceasing 1

On the deck, after luncheon -■ many of the guests of the hotel sat about and those who had seen the affair at the; beach m the morning eagerly t told the story to those who had not been present.

Roger Neville, who felt in a way conspicuous as being a friend of Folsom’s, would have preferred to absent himself from the crowded scene. But both Mrs Barnaby and Mrs Valdon insisted on his presence and he couldn’t well desert them. “My heavens!” exclaimed the Duchess. “don’t you dare leave us . alone! 1 Why, we’d be besieged by gossip-mon-gers and what in the world could we say to them?” “What can I say to them, my dear lady?” asked Neville. “Suppose we go for a ride in the wheeled chairs. Don’t you think it would do you both good?” . “No," returned Carmelita. It would not do to go away now. The manager might want to see us, and, too, I want to be here when word comes from Miss Folsom.” “You know her, don’t you?" said Neville. “I’ve met her a few times, and, between you and me I didn’t take to her at all.” • Neville iaughed. '‘Who could take to Jier ? Anastasia is not an attractive person, I’ll admit.” “Anastasia!” exclaimed the Duch?ss, “what an intriguing, name! I’d ove to meet somebody named Anastasia!"

“Yes, he was. Gome, sit down here ahd I will tell you all I know about it.” ‘ With a scared, white face, Carmelita sank down on a divan in the lobby, beside Neville, who began to talk to her in low tones.

(To be Continued).