HONEYMOON MURDER

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 48, Issue 2863, 15 November 1939, Page 3

HONEYMOON MURDER

(BY

CAROLYN WELLS.)

[Copyright.]

“They can do that, unless ” “Unless what?” “Unless we find the real murderer.” “You never spoke a truer word. And, mind you, Stone, I have every confidence and faith in your powers, but I do wish we could hasten matters a bit. Now, don’t think for a minute I’m impatient: I only want to see Perilla more at ease.* The girl is worried to death, and it isn’t surprising. Is it now?” “Indeed it isn’t; and nobody longs for progress more than I do. But it’s coming. Gaskell; it's on the way.” “Really? Have you a glimmer of an idea of the criminal’s identity?” “Yes. I'm sure I can say yes to that. Now to pin it on him.” “You’re not telling?” “I am telling as soon as I’m a little more certain on one point.” “Wish I could help!”

“You have helped, old man. Mrs Coles tells me you were fine to Bob, and did ever so much for him when he was anxious to get into the laboratory. Later, it seems, he changed his mind and wanted to be a detective. Those kids never know what they want. But Mrs Coles spoke most highly of your kindly interest.” “She's a dear little woman, and Bob was a fine chap. What about his death, now?’’

“If you don’t mind, we won’t take that up tonight. I'm all in—me for bed. Plum, you want to set up some drinks ?”

“Dying to. Mr Stone, said his secretary. He rang for ice and glasses, and drew toward him a compact yet roomy cellaret, which he opened. “What’s yours, Mr Gaskell?” he inquired. “Just a Scotch highball, not too stiff.” . “And yours as usual. Mi\Stone?” “Yep,” answered the detective ab-sent-mindedly. “I say, Tony, do you know Simpson, the great toxicologist?” “Never heard of him; who is he?” Gaskell was walking idly about the room, but paused to hear Stone’s ply“He’s not well known. An old man, but famous in his line.” “Poisons, gather, from what you dubbed him.” “Yes. Famous among chemical experts. Wonder if he’d look into this affair.” “You know him? Why not sound him out?”' “I believe I will. Think I’ll see him tomorrow.” “Do. Here’s your drink, Stone.” Gaskell handed over the glass he had taken from Plum and took the next one himself.

“Oh, that second one is mine,” Stone , said. ‘Plum fixes it just right.” “Pshaw,” said Tony, “they’re exactly alike, aren’t they, Plum?”

“Just about, sir. But we’ll humour Mr Stone, he’s so tired tonight.” Plum passecT another to Gaskell, who handed it across to Stone, the detective saying, “Set it down, Plum, 1 think—l’m —going to —atchoo ! atchoo! sneeze, atchoo! there!” “Yes, I think you are.” said Plum, solemnly, “again, I mean. Go ahead, sir, get it off your chest!”

Stone went ahead, sneezed once more and then sat down, laughing through his tears. “Take it awsy, Plum. I. don’t want any more.’' “Did you get any?’’ asked Tony, still laughing. “Yes, a glassful, I should say. Now I’m going upstairs. Stay down a while, if you like, Tony.” “No, I’m ready to turn in. Give us a couple of nightcaps. Plum, I’ll carry them up for the two of us.” The secretary obeyed, and the two men went upstairs, still laughing at Stone’s antics.

But once in his own room, his sneezes left him. and he swallowed his Scotch and soda with relish. And leisurely undressing, was soon in his first light sleep.

A faint noise brought him to his senses and, sitting up in bed, he watched the knob of his door slowly turning. “Not Tony,” he said to himself, “not Plum, then ’’ But before he finished his murmured sentence he was back on his pillow and sound asleep. It was Tony who turned'the knob of Fleming Stone’s door. He said so next morning at the breakfast table. “Do you always lock your bedroom door?” he asked of Stone. “What are you afraid of?”

“I don’t know that I’m definitely afraid of anything, but I don’t like to think of being kidnapped when I’m asleep. Why? How did you know if was locked? Were you wanting to get in?” “Just exactly that. I was wakeful. and I thought I’d like to read that philosophy you were talking about.” “Schopenhauer? Yes. it is in my bedroom. I dip into it often when I can’t sleep. Too bad. Why didn't you knock louder—or didn’t you knock?"

“No, I didn't want to wake you. I tried the door and it wouldn’t open, so I just gave it up.” “I’ll have it put in your room for you tonight. You’re staying over, aren’t you?” “I didn’t intend to. but that busi-

ness I’m bothered by will last one more day. So—” x “Not another word. * Stay just as long as you find it convenient.” “You’re a brick, Stone. I’m proud to know you.” “Thank you for pretty compliments. Now I must scoot. I’ve a lot on for today. Be here for dinner ; we’re having wild duck.” “Good! Trust me to be on hand.” Stone went off in search of Plum, and they made short work of the morning’s mail. “I want you to meet me here at eleven-thirty, Plum,” the detective said. “Routine work till then, and we must be at old man Simpson’s at

noon.” “The beginning of the end?” guessed Plum, shrewdly. “It may be; I sincerely hope so.” Simpson had telephoned Stone early that morning to come round at noon. By good luck he had put the autopsies through sooner? than he had hoped, but the results were far from being what he had looked for. And so, when Fleming Stone and Plum arrived at the offices of the old doctor, they were met by a disappointed man. “I can’t get it, Stone,” he said. “It is too elusive. It doesn’t look like what it must be, and it looks like what it can’t be.” “Rather cryptic, aren’t you?” Stone said, with a somewhat rueful smile. “Well, since you can’t make the grade, suppose you give me the satisfaction of telling me what you were trying to do.” “Trying to find the reason for a natural coronary necrosis, and all I get is a lot of contrary evidence.” “Just what sort of evidence are you getting?” It had suddenly dawned on Stone that Doctor Simpson was beginning to show the effects of his age. He felt he must tread warily. “Tell me more,” he urged, gently. “About this contrary evidence. 1

mean.” “Well, just fake a look at this heart. This one is Maiden’s, the other is young Coles’.” “Right: I’m looking at them.” “You don’t see any foreign matter, do you? Anything extraneous?” Fleming Stone looked carefully, and then said: “No, nothing at all. Oh, wait a minute! Just then, I saw a tiny flash as of metal or glass ” “Oh, man? Did you really? Look again.” “It’s gone, I don’t see it now. But it was infinitesimal. The merest speck, I hardly saw it at all.” “But glass! If it was glass, it must be there yet. You must find it, look again. Here’s a lens ” Slone took the magnifying glass and scrutinised' the place where he had seen or thought he had seen the

glass. “Yes, there it is!” he exclaimed, himself excited now. “But such a tiny speck—it can’t mean anything.” “It means everything? Don’t lose sight of it again. Here, let me get at it!”

Plum drew near, and all three men were quivering with interest as Dr. Simpson lifted, with the tiniest of calipers,.a speck of glass, and laid the precious morsel on a small slab. “Oh,” he exclaimed in deepest admiration. “Clever, clever! The perfect method, Jie complete alibi. Oh, What a mind !” INSTALMENT 29 “I wish you’d let up on your rhapsodies and tell me what it’s all about,” Stone said to Dr. Simpson. “I only know you have a microscopic bit of glass, and you seem to forget that I gave it to you, at that! What does it mean?”

“Go away, oh, go away!” The old doctor was fairly dancing round in his excitement. “Mr Plum take the man away or I’ll lose .all I’ve gained. Take him away for his own good! I beg of you, obey me ! I cannot control myself unless lam let alone. Listen, Fleming Stone! You have done this, you have found the clue to the mystery, but I vow, if you don’t take yourself off. I’ll destroy this bit of glass and leave you where you were when you came here. Listen! Go off now, and come back at five this afternoon, and I’ll tell you everything—everything, I say. Stay another moment now—and I*ll tell you nothing, now or at any time.”

Even after that peroration, Fleming Stone had to be dragged away by his secretary, who saw the old man was in dead earnest, and feared Stone would be foolish enough to jeopardise his own good fortune. Plum fairly pushed his employer through the dope.

“Good for you, Plum,” the detective said, laughing. “I confess I was a bit too much imbued with the old man’s enthusiasm. But I’m crazy to know what he has discovered. Well, I’ve enough to do until five o’clock. And so tonight sees the wind-up of the Malden case. Do you know who is the criminal, old man?” “Indeed I don’t. Do tell me, Mr Stone; I won’t tell.” “Nonsense, control your impatience. You’ll know all at five o’clock this afternoon. Until then, you must have patience—as I must.” They parted company, and Stone made for the nearest telephone. He

called up Perilla. “You’re to have a small party tonight,” he told her. “Just invite fiJie list I’ll give you now. Pencil handy?” “Oh, yes,” she replied. “Go ahead.” The list Stone gave her was almost the same as the wedding party. He added Madame Malden and Farman, Garth, himself and Plum. “You see,” he went on, “the case is concluded.”