THE Deputy Avenger

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6620, 5 August 1931, Page 10

THE Deputy Avenger

CHAPTER XXVI. "Here we are,” announced Bissett as the car drew up in front of Stephen Anwetl’s house. "And now to And Mary.” Mary was waiting for them on the window seat of the room that overlooked the trim garden at the back of the bouse. She jumped up as the two men entered. “Mary I" cried Strange, as she came towards him, smiling. “I hope everything went off all right, Superintendent," she asked. “Perfectly.” he responded, “thanks to Mr Strange!” “Isn’t it possible to let her go?” asked Mary again. “Though I always hated her—she was rather a good sport, wasn’t she, Richard?” But Richard Strange was waiting for Bissett to explain. He had almost forgotten about Nadya Darracq. “I’m afraid that’s impossible,” smiled Bissett, as the old housekeeper brought in the tea. “1 fancy the world will be healthier without her and Mr Lecrning for a time.” “By jove. I’d forgotten that blighter,” chimed in Strange. “Have you got him, too? I forgot to tell you where I. saw him the other night.” “No need to,” Bissett told him. “We’ve got him at his little crib, lie only needs collecting. Would you mind pouring out the tea, Miss Braynton.” Mary assented, and when she had done so Bissett said:— “Now you two young people, I imagine I owe you both an explanation and an apology. In the first place, as I once told you, Strange, I am not the type of police officer who believes in the conventions. During my time as a member of the C.I.D. I have been inordinately successful. Some people have been foolish enough to ascribe my success to wizardry. Nothing of the sort. I have my own ideas on crime detection, and it was for ;hat reason that here, at Hampstead, 1 was always known as Stephen Anwell, an entirely different personality from Superintendent Bissett who lived at Wandsworth and other places when the inood suited him. My chief, I think, is the only person who knew who Stephen Anwell was and he is broadminded enough to give me ample rein in my efforts to lay criminals by the heels.

“As you know,” Bissett went on, after Mary had poured him his second cup of toa, “I have had experience in most of the cities of Europe and also in the United States. Ten years ago a series of jewel robberies—mainly diamonds—began to perplex tho police of two Continents. In each and every case a clever substitution was made. The fake gems were frequently so perfect that it was often a long time before the deception was discovered. This, naturally made detection doubly difficult. I chanced to be in Paris when a particularly daring coup was made. I was also in New York when another affair cropped up, and though I was not officially attached to the police establishment of either city, the cases intrigued me. “When similar affairs began to he notilled oyer here, I instantly detected a certain similarity. For instance it was always diamonds that were taken. Other gems—some of them of greater value—were left untouched. Abroad, I only skirted the fringe of the inquiries, not having any official status, tout I formed my own opinion and that was that the robberies were the work of a very clever woman who was wellknown in social circles everywhere. “Nadya Darracq—she did" not call herself that in those days—was always somewhere around when any theft took place. I had no suspicion of her in those days because she was not the only personality who was, so to speak, duplicated. Naturally when such thefts were discovered and it became abundantly apparent that one of the guests must be suspected, there was a great deal of apprehension. In two cases I can mention there were mysterious deaths. A young woman named Rozenthawl was found dead In the ground of a villa at Cannes, where a few days previously a particulalry daring theft of several diamonds had been carried out. The inference was suioide because a revolver was found close to the body. But there was another point. One of the stolen diamonds was discovered sewn into the hern of the girl’s frock thereby branding her as the thief who, in a moment of conscience, had taken her own life. I have my own views on that. The French police are always ready to take the lino of least resistance in such cases. But I believe that the girl was Innocent, as were other cases that came to my notice. I beiieve she was murdered and that tho evidence was thrust upon her to divert suspicion from the guilty parties.” “How terrible!” cried Mary. “But that is not all,” Bissett went on. “I found myself keeping lists of names or guests who were present at all these robberies —names and descriptions, and after a while I was struck by the fact that the woman we knew as Nadya Darracq and her accomplice Looming, were invariably present.

“Well, lo cut a long story short, when I lieara the pair were in London, I began to grow anxious and I put a man on to watch their movements. When he reported lo me that Nadya had taken a cottage in the country I made it my business to discover which were the most likely places in which she would begin her operations. There was only Carr’s Lodge conveniently adjacent. I looked up a few particulars about your father, Miss Braynton, and when I found he was the owner of the Khandar Diamond, I inew I was on the right track.

“I also appreciated that I was dealing with no ordinary criminal and that If I were to catch her I should have to adopt other methods than the conventional ones. I studied the problem intensely and then I conceived the idea of setting the stage myself. I argued that if I could provide the settings and the situations in and around Carr’s Lodge I should always be one move ahead of my quarry rather than—as is the case in most instances—one move behind.

“I argued that as Leeming was also about, there was again the suggestion of collision. When I found that Nadya 'Darracq was cultivating your father’s acquaintance, I hazarded a guess that Leeming would set himself out to interest you. But that was not to my liking. I wanted someone else to come into the picture and as the average criminal can scent a detective quite a long way off I discarded the idea of setting one of my men to >vjn your heart, Miss Braynton. 1

(BY RALPH TREVOR.)

Instalment 27.

also argued that were I to do that and he was successful, there might be awkward complications. iSo I answered the advertisement which was inserted in the “Times” by Mr Strange. There is no need for me to enter into details now, Mr Strange knows them quite well. I did that, not as Superintendent Bissett, but as Stephen Anwell. I concocted a delightful story for Mr Strange and the plan worked well. That you have both fallen deeply in love with one another is an eventuality I had not altogether overlooked. Therefore, I was very particular in my choice of accomplice. “It would not do, of course, for th young man 1 had chosen to be let into the secret and I am afraid that I have occasioned you, Mr Strange, with many moments of heartburning. I am sure you will appreciate my difficulties. “Then events happened that made It essential that Stephen Anwell must be murdered in his own house on the night that Mr Strange visited him to protest against the conditions of his compact with the old man. It was further essential that Nadya Darracq be informed, anonymously, of Mr Strange’s position. That, I may say, was the most daring episode I have ever attempted. It occasioned mo many hours of anxiety. Some publicity "had to get into the newspapers and though they played up to me very well I am afraid I am not yet out of the wood in that direction. However, when I give them my startling story I am sure that ir.y original methods will be condoned and perhaps applauded. “The plan worked well. Nadya tumbled into the trap. It was obvious that she wanted Mr Strange removed. She could not place him at all and she was growing suspicious. She knew Stephen Anwell by sight and I made it my business that she should and when she came to me to cast suspicion for Anwell's murder on Strange, I knew that my plot was filling out nicely. You sec she was doing precisely what I wanted her to do.

“I knew also, that Nadya Darracq would not work hurriedly. She would entrench herself completely at Carr’s Lodge before launching her attack. How to get myself at Carr's Lodge without arousing suspicion I knew not. Then I had an idea. I arranged it so that Nadya would be the only person in London to know that I had “arrested” Mr Strange on suspicion. I judged that she would go straigiit to Carr’s Lodge with the news. As you know she did. Here, Miss Braynton, you fortunately saved me a great deal of trouble. I had thought of kidnapping you while you were asleep, but your corning out of the house as you did enabled me to continue with my plans. Now, you see, I had some valid reason for appearing at Carr’s Lodge when your father requested me to do so. It also enabled me to dispose of a good many men around the neighbourhood, who ostensibly looking for you, were really keeping watch on Nadya Darracq and Carl Leeming. “As luck would have it I had the assistance of a very astute young lady. Her name is Miss Brent and a friend of yours, Miss Braynton. She was upset at hearing of your disappearance and suspected that Nadya had something to do with it. I had not, I admit, allowed for the possibility of the intervention of a freelance detective, hut Miss Brent discovered something of great importance. She found out that Carl Leeming was growing nervous. Things were not going right and she heard him tell Nadya that it was lime something was happening. Nadya promised him that the .time was now ripe, and when I heard that, I knew that something would happen almost immediately, for Nadya had a habit of relying—though she never would admit it—on the curious instincts of Leeming who had an uncanny way of telling when things were getting dangerous. '“The rest of the story Mr Strange knows. I ‘came back from the dead’ merely as a piece of theatricalism and to convince Mr Strange that Stephen Anwell was an uncommonly good actor. I must confess, Strange, that your sharp wits upset me on occasions and it was for that reason when you were brought to me at Scotland Y'ard that I was smoking a new pipe—an abomination it was, too. I did that because when you first met me as Stephen Anwell I noticed you regarding my badly bitten old briar with curious interest. I knew that, having embarked on the greatest experiment of my career, I could afford to leave nothing to chance. I have succeeded,” he ended, with a satisfied smile, “and now I must apologise for all the trouble and anxiety I !*ave caused you. I am sorry—profoundly sorry—but 1 could see no other way out, and I hope you will feel that I have acted —and that you have acted—in the interest of the community as a whole.” “But what about the money you paid me for what I was to do?” asked Strange. “Had I known I feel I could not have accepted it.”

“My dear boy,” said Bissett, rising. “You have more than earned that cheque, and I—l consider that my success is worth a great deal more. Naturally, of course, I stood.to lose. But even a detective has to chance a gamble at some time or another. And now,” he concluded, “I must be getting back to l tbe Yard. There are a great many things that have yet to be sorted out. My car is at your disposal to return to Carr’s Lodge. You can let me have it whenever you like.”

Richard Strange had supplied many of the blanks in Bissett’s story because Mary wanted him to and also because he felt he ought to be quite frank with her, and she —she felt he was speaking the truth when he told her that he had loved her since the tlrst moment they met. Charles Braynton was radiantly happy again now. The nightmare had passed, and when he left Mary and Richard alone in the lounge after dinner he felt that as Bissett had said, everything happened for the best. The diamond had been recovered, but that hardly mattered beside the look of love and joy he had seen in Mary’s eyes a moment ago.

“Ours has been a rather curious romance,” sighed Richard, as he held the girl close to him. “I don’t think it has been a bit curious,” replied Mary, mischievously, “unless you mean that you’ve only kissed me twice ever since you’ve known me.” , But in. the hours that were theirs, Richard Strange made good that omission. THE END.