“VAMPIRE OF THE SKIES”

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 174, 26 July 1935, Page 9

“VAMPIRE OF THE SKIES”

Instalment 9.

“You certainly will be able to help,” bo admit ted; “but although you have tho ability to fly. Miss Somerton, I shall have to have proof that you possess fact. You see, my enquiries are being pursued over a wide area, with - the Yard, the Air Force, and a lot of other peOple co-operating. I have even got in touch with private flying clubs, and arrangements are also being made to link up privatelyowned machines. I am just wondering If it would be wise to let you move about as a free lance ?” She gave him one contemptuous glance, then rose to her feet. “I had an idea you would prove a mug,” she said boldly. ‘‘But, friend Dacre, whether you think it wise or otherwise, allow me to inform you I am a free agent. I was willing to co-operate to a certain extent, but if •my information is hot useful to you, then the editor of my paper may have olher views. And remember that I have the power to criticise the Yard md ail its membors, and if I put you town as the greatest nincompoop that war merited the name of sleuthtcund, then you will know who to dame. Meanwhile, I am going to ring up Fleet Street, and get this stuff over the line, after which I am going to take a small glass of brandy, and go straight lo bed. Doubtless we shall meet in the pink and early future!” Dacre stretched his legs and yawned. “A wonderful piece of oratorical humbug," he remarked. “But, inci-

dentally, my good girl, do not be too proud of that air license. You see, I happen to possess a ticket myself, only i don't make a song about ill” The girl bit her lip in vexation. The single spot of crimson on each check increased. A dangerous light entered the blue eyes. “So 1 you can handle a joy-stick 1” she breathed. “How clever. Tell me, angel, where did you qualify, and who supplied the smelling sails?” “f wangled my ticket at Northolt Aerodrome!" he said humbly. She gave a little smile and left the room. Dacre went on smoking for twenty minutes. He took up a magazine and tried to read, but it was difficult to concentrate on anything but a girl’s face. lie realised that a disturbing influence had entered his life. No girl had ever fastened on his thoughts, no girl had changed his philosophy of life, but this girl seemed different to all others. Lena Somerton was unique. She affected him in a manner that left him

breathless. She was the modern type in excelsis. There were no flies on her. She knew every corner of a man’s mind, saw through his masculine vagaries, and seemed contemptuous of his whole sex. Into the bargain she had intelligence and resource. She was not afraid to come alone to the “White Hart” Hotel, or lo treat him like an ordinary human. There was no gush about her. She was straight, practical and sophisticated. Like himself she was absolutely sincere, and that was where they touched a common denominator. ■Well, she would have lo be kept in her place. No Fleet Street woman-journalist was going to teach him his business, or poke her nose into it either. Despite her cleverness, and the fact that she represented a loading London newspaper, she would have to be taught discretion. She bad too much of the American temperament. If she imagined she was going to “bust-in” at very interview, or get the latest news about it, she was in for a disillusion. She would only get what news he allowed her to have, and if she sent anything through that was not approved, then he would show her there was such a thing as censorship. Strange he wished to dominate her in this manner. Already there was a struggle for the mastery. How would that struggle end? He was cogitating on that point when the door opened and she reentered. It was a wonderful surprise. He thought she had retired for the evening. “What has happened?” he gasped. “Have they drunk all the brandy?” “Don't be a chump!" she begged. “I have never taken brandy in my life. 1 got. through to Fleet Street and woke the editor up. He seemed at least to be half-asleep. He is delighted to know that I am going to teacli you to catch murderers. By tiie way, you have got my magazine, and I came back specially for it. I have got the most tiresome habit of reading in bed, but that is because I possess a first-class brain i” Dacre passed the magazine across with an apology. “No idea you read rubbish of that kind,” be said cynically. . “What a nuisance you should worry me again I Would you like to know that I have thought' of a plan to got rid of you?" “Oh, yeh!" she retorted, imitating the American twang. "But how Jo you know your plan will succeed?” “Well, there is no harm in trying, at least..’ May 1 a?k if you have got a gun?” “Sure thipg!” she twanged again, and produced an automatic from some pocket of her dross. It appeared in a. flash, and Dacre grinned softly. The girl could take care of herself. He saw it was something more than a toy, and that she knew how to use it. , . In another flash it disappeared. “Well, that-is splendid,".lie- vouchsafed. “You see,; it occurred to me lhat you might act the red herring. If this air-minded villain still patrols the vicinity of Weymouth, Intent upon coaxing girls" for joy-rides in his machine —and I believe that' possibility exists—then -you might take on the job of enchantress. That is, you could spread the'tidings. that you were keen On-flying, that nothing would delight, you more 'than a flip, and you only wished you could meet some airpilot:”- :•; . The girl’s' eyes sparkled. She'advanced a few paces. • “But that, vvould £ive me, the most glorious thrill in my life,” she replied.' ’“I want the chance to run across that brute. I want to do something vital in this case. It will mean a splendid -scoop for the paper, and

(By JAMES CORBETT)

I could lead the fiend into the mcesu trap. Dacre, I believe you reai.j have brains.” "Possibly I have,” he conced-d. “but don’t run away with the idea that I want you to do the whole thing. On no consideration must you enter his machine. Lead him a dance if you like, but when the chance offers get in touch with me by ’phone, and J Will see if you can be rescued.’ Lena looked at him squarely. That dare-devil flash returned to her eyes. , . . “How positively kind you mig.H be!” she sighed. “But look here, my woman-hater, I make no promises. If I sec an opening to capture this brute myself, and with tho aid of tins little automatic, I might find no reason to trouble you by ’phone. She was teasing, of course. “But, that is hardly fair,” he demurred. “Seeing that I am giving you carte blanche in the mattoi, surely you arc going to let me in on the grand climax?" “1 will give the matter my full consideration,” she replied with the air of a Lady Mayoress. "But when do I start this new stunt?" "As soon as you like. Frankly, l don’t think much will be gained in Cottingdale. Tho arrival of Henderson from Weymouth has made matters more interesting in that district. If this fiend incarnate is still hovering round that seaside town we had bettor make tracks there at once.” “Where do 1 find you?" she asked. “In Cl&ridge’s Hotel, Weymouth.

A friend of mine is staying there at present. I refer to M. Gambon, the distinguished member of the French Surcte. He wanted me down this evening, so I. think I will accept Ins offer. When can you start?" She slipped into a chair near the fire. “I will go down there to-morrow, ’ she said quietly. “Dacre, pardon me changing the subject. What made you a, woman-hater?” The expert grinned. “Life,” he said tersely. “Meaning you have been lei down often ?" “On the contrary, I have had litric lo do with your sox, Miss Somerton. But my experience at the Yard has been that of a realist. I have proved your kind to be treacherous in the extreme, to have only the faintest idea of loyally, and to’ he falling over each other in the effort to subjugate men for your own amusement." Lena coloured violently again. She was making a big effort to keep from smiling.

“But how absurd," she exclaimed. “Why, you have got a most distorted view of my sisters, Dacre. We can hardly claim to be angels, you know; but we are not really all treacherous, t believe there arc one or two exceptions. Have you never tried to find out?” Dacre gave that hopeless shrug. • “That is what Life lias taught me,” tie replied. “What has it taught you a bout men?" “That you are all a. pretty rotten lot, and that even the saintliest of your tribe could never be worthy to untie a woman's shoelace. The majority of you are so primitive, Dacre, that, candidly, I prefer dogs I” "Do you speak from personal experience?” “Yes; I’ve had a sample of one or two rotters, and they will do me for a lifetime. Still, they taught me a lesson, and that is tiie big point.” The attendant entered to say that, Dacre was wanted on the telephone. He rose at once. It was the Chief ringing up from the Yard. CHAPTER VI.

A Ohastly Sight ! The Sunday papers were full of .the murder. It was a crime that convulsed England, and there had been nothing like ii for ten yefTrs. Ruth Henderson, a respectable girl working Jn a Weymouth boot factory, had been met by a man and offered a joy-ride in art airplane. Some inducement led the girl to accept, and, without a word to her father or gild friend, she went with the pilot on that ill-fated venture. What happened would always be a mystery. But there was no doubt about the climax. The girl had been stabbed to death, and not content with the crime, the murderer had drunk her life-blood; either the crime had been committed by a madman, or the flend was not fit to live. Then the body was flung from the machine. It hurtled through the air until it fell on a hayrick, where a Cottingdale policeman observed the tragedy, and there was no attempt to hide the murder. There had been Ho such ghastly crime in air history, and every paper contained grim headlines about the outrage. Thousands of newspaper readers shuddered, and all over England flying men 1 commented on I lie crime. In the London Air Force Headquarters, in every provincial aerodrome, in all the flying clubs' of Great Britain, this murder-formed the one topic of conversation. Everyone knew that Malcolm Dacre was engaged on the case, so every move of the famous detective was chronicled, and bis photograph appeared in’ all the papers. Into the bargain, there was widespread desire to give Dacre every help, and this was proved by the countless messages to the Yard. Similar messages "readied Chief Constable Muir, anj when it was known the inquest was, fixed for Monday, a rumour circulated that there would be sensational developments. It was, hinted' that; Malcolm Dacre had found a pointer, that there was every possibility of an arrest, and one went so far as to allege that a prominent' member of the Air Ministry was concerned.- - • - - All these rutoourS were baseless, and after breakfast that Sunday morning, Dacre assured the Press Association that certain journalists were liars, that others suffered from a feverish imagination, and that the remainder should he painlessly ex-