THE GOLDEN BAT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18742, 23 June 1924, Page 3

THE GOLDEN BAT.

' # ; "(■ : ; . BY ■ FRED M. WHITE. :%; ; r: . Author of " The House- on the River," , " The Crimson Blind." " The- Green ,"'"'-" Bungalow," etc., etc. ■-

(Copyright.)

CHAPTER XT.— (Continued.)

Falling in with this course, Barle went his way, and some hour or two later called up Ray on the telephone. . "Here is another development," he said. "Thq flat is shut up. The servants have gone away for a holiday, if the hall porter is to be believed, and they don't expect to be back for two or three days. What do you make of it?" '"'Oh, I don't know," Ray said. "It is certainly disturbing, but perhaps it may be all for the best. My idea is to get into Keen's flat and see if we can find something in the way of a clue. Do you think you can manage that?" "Oh yes, I can manage that easily enough," Barle said. _ "One of our experts could quite easily open the front door as the place is not bolted inside." . "That's the idea," Ray said. "And I think if you don't mind I wiU go with him. But first of all, I must ascertain ;if Keen is really out of town. I can mig up his office and make some excuse to ask him a question with" regard to that Golden .Bat I told you about. If he is away, then I will meet your man outside the flat at, say, seven o'clock this evening.'! , '~ They left it at that,, and when Ray had ascertained that Keen was not supposed to be in London, he killed time as best he could until the hour came for him to keep the appointment made in Silverdale Mansions. If nothing came of this, then it was Ray's intention to go as far as Shopperton and see if he could lay his hands on some clue inside the Thatched House. Xt was just on seven o'clock when he reached; the rendezvous and walked casually up the stairs until he came to the door of Keen's; flat. * few seconds later a man. attired like a respectable servant appeared ■■ apparently out of nowhere and joined him. In less time that it takes to tell, the door gave and the two were inside. # "That was rather, smart," Ray said, as he switched on the lights. "It's out ot my line, of course, but I had, no idea that you could open a lock quite 1 as easily ] as that." ' ' "Oh, a lock is nothing, sir," the man said. "Any expert could do that. . You pet the feel of those things, the rest is a mere matter of touch." • "So it seems," Ray smiled. "I think you had better stand just outside the front door in a waiting' attitude, as if you had rung the bell and awaited a reply. I don't suppose anybody will come along, because they are all at dinner just now. But still, it is just as well to be careful." ;\ ' _, : For the next. half hour or more, Ray searched the flat from end to end without finding anything in the least significant. The servants' bedrooms, of course, were entirely negligible, nor did he expect to find anything of value in Keen's sleeping apartment. This was all in order, and showed no signs of recent disturbance. He turned finally to Angela's room in the faint/hope that.she might have left something behind her. But this was a very faint hope; indeed, still Ray was not going to give up yet, and for quite a long time he was turning things over, until it seemed hopeless to waste any further time there. And then, quite 'by accident, he seemed .to come upon something definite.' He noticed that the looking glass over the big 'dressing chest was tilted at rather an unusual angle, and that there were certain smears on it which were quite out of place in that orderly apartment. It was some minutes before he could make out what appeared to be a letter or two in the greasy smudge, and after manoeuvering to get the light at the correct angle, he could; read the signs. • /.There he, saw plainly enough the word "yacht,!' and following it, just ■ below, four further letters which read "Mela" Hero was 'something to go -on with at any rate,' and, -slight as it -was, that threw a strong ray of light upon the theory - that Ray had been building ;; up. For all day long he had been more less thinking about yachts, and here was a clue distinctly pointing to one. The message had not been ; quite complete, probably because Angela had been disturbed 'before she could \ finish the last word of the message. No doubt she had written .: in the ; very faintyhope;.thai somebody might read it, perhaps Raj himself, but anyway, ■ there it was, anc ' it would not be long before he put th< final letters to the broken word "Mela* Ten minutes with one of Lloyd's % yacht ing registers and he would know to a cer tainty what i particular boat Angela wa:

' alluding to. ''.„'" . Ho was in the street ' a Utile later, wondering what' to do next.- It was imposs- ' ible to get the desired information before morning,': and she was not : disposed to waste his time till then. He would go ; . down to the Thatched j House at Shepperton and have "mi good look round there: , No sooner had he decided to do this than ho was on his way. In due course he i picked ;up his' particular , policeman ~at Shepperton, - and, having ascertained that the house was empty, - crossed the % field in its '-direction. '■"■'• ..'"''" ' There was. riot 'a;: soul \. inside ; the Thatched' House, ' and ' it seemed : to i Bay that he was likely to have, his journey for "[ nothing. ' Th^n,;as he stood thoughtfully in ■•" i.the library with ; the light switched on,; he : remembered 'that ■ queer roll of ; paper'which■ he . had seen ■;" Moon place so carefully; in " its hiding place ' behind a ; set of moveable volumes. Ho was rather curious Vto.«.examine that <map of ■Brazil', which was so valuable that .'; it had :V to have a 'separate,;hiding; place all to itself* It was in his hands at length, and he laid it flat on". the \ table before him. Then, to his surprise, looking down rat it from an obtuse angle, -the^coloured outline of the South American J state .vanished and an entirely.;,new map appeared;£ It was one of those trick pieces of printing that was quite different from what it intended to convey. y'As.ra; matter of fact, : it ; was a large scale map of- the (k Kent! coast with here and there certain aces marked in red ink. i And then suddenly it flashed across Ray that these were the spots where the daring robberies Bad taken place.' Moreover, they \ were numbered in strict rotation, , r >

t CHAPTER XVI. ' ; .;;' ,i ; OXCE ABOARD THE LUGGEE. V ; .r : \ ; The more Bay studied this 'amazing production; the more did its significance strike home to him. Looked at in a cer- i tain light : and with the eye at an oblique angle, it was possible to males out a vast amount of information written in small letters down to a description of the principal owners of cars and the exact position of' the various garages. ; Why the thieves should keep such a damning reCord of their activities passed Ray's comprehension, but here it was, and its use could hardly be exaggerated.. _ . . If a photograph could be obtained and the same subsequently enlarged,, then Barle would have in his hands a piece of evidence absolutely , unique. Ray s first impulse was to get away with the roll of paper, and run the risk of its loss beice discovered by the owners. But it was only for an instant, and he repressed this desire ',' He ? replaced the roll carefully, telling 'himself that it would, be, an easy matter to bring a photographer down during the next day. arid obtain: the necessarv impression. - "On the whole, it was an excellent evening's work, and Ray, was disposed, to be satisfied with it. The next thing was to find out the" name of the yacht. on which Angela had been smuggled, and this was easily accomplished during the following morning. .The' name that Ray put his finder on in the register was that of the "Melchior," a steam yacht of modest dimensions which : was registered with the Royal Netherlands Yacht Club. The name of the owner did not in 1 the least matter, because Ray knew this ; was mere camouflage. The owner of the yacht was doubtless Keen, and probably Ins boat, at that moment, was lying somewhere .down, the Thames. If- Ray was. not mistaken, and | he did not 5 suppose '■-'■■■he, was, the Melchior" had not yet left her moorings, and : ■was ;; probablywaiting just then for the. plunder from that sensational robbery in ■>

the neighbourhood of Rochester. .Some where about there ' the motor-tost ; "* a * snugly hidden awaiting developments, and. Ray was all the more sure of this because / the craft in question had not beeii any- . r where near, the empty,; house at.. Poplar for a day or two. Somewhere, doubtless, - on the mud flats of the Medway, the boat was lying until the hue; and cry had died away, and it would he safe to get in _ contact with the "Mt<lchior''tat her an- ;>..: chorage. Therefore, it seemed to Ray to, ;- be logical to bank upon the fact that he ;:;: had at least twenty-four clear hours at; :• his disposal. - Early, in the afternoon he was: back again at Poplar in his foreign seaman's disguise, intent upon his- double task of bringing these scoundrels to justice and. releasing Angela from her more or. less involuntary confinement. A few discreet . questions, judiciously asked, -afforded him the information that the "Melchior" was... ■ lying somewhere off Sheerness, and that? one or two of her crew wens actually in the neighbourhood of Poplar. It. only needed a little tact and the display; of a handful of silver to get in touch i with one of these men in a waterside public house, and half an hour later he had all the information he required. ■■' The "Melchior" was waiting Tor its owner to go on board, and .Ray had a pretty shrewd idea of what would accom- ' pany that individual when he set foot on his own deck. He might not bring She plunder himself, but Keen would certainly - be there, when it was delivered by hi.4 ..■-■ satellites.. And when this happened Ray was going to he there unless he was greatly mistaken in his calculations. "When do you -sail V ho -asked his

companion. ''Tide after next," the other replied. "There ain't no 'urry. It ain't a bacll job, neither. Good pay, and half our time spent ashore, mate, and we don't go far neither." " "A pleasure yacht?" Ray asked. "Yes, I think* you can say that. Mostly cruising in northern waters and only for a day or two at a time. Rotterdam, and them there Dutch ports. Out of a job, eh?"

- "Well, I am and I'm not," Ray said, in his affected, broken English, "What you call lying low, and not show : £g myself much outside places like this. You see, friend, there's reasons why I like 'to get quietly away without going all over the docks looking. for a stoker's job like your's." ;'■ Ray winked knowingly as he spoke and signified to the potman to fill up tho glasses again. He saw, to his satisfaction, that the other, man was feeling the effect of the liquor he was taking. ; "That's so, is it, mate," the latter chuckled. "Ah, well, I've 'ad my Tittle misfortunes an' I can sympathise with' you. I'm on the straight myself now. I am, because I've got a steady job with a gentleman wot's free with 'is money, and the other game don't pay. But if , I can 'elp you I wi11." ..' ' • "There s only one way you can help me," Raj' sighed. "And that is to smuggle me out of the country in ; that boat of yours. Once I get across to Holland I shall know what to do, and when I set foot in '. my r: native . country again I stay there. Now, do you think you could manage it for me?" ; - ~; As Ray spoke,; he carelessly displayed a handful of treasury notes to pay for the drinks, and he did not fail to notice the gleam that came into the-, other .man's eyes. ■'■ ' >'~,. " ■:.■". Wot; ud it be; worth V" the seaman asked hoarsely. . ; Y ■■'.'"' '.'■-"' : : *';' ; -'■*•Well, say ten pounds," Ray : murmured, If you can get mo taken on as an extra hand- ——"... ..;'.';•*'' .

"I can't do that, mate," the other said regretfully. - " Very well., then,- let me take your place just for this voyage. It'll only he for i a day or two. I can go on board • instead: of -you at the last moment and. - say you 'have met with a bit of an accident, or something of ... that sort, ,and ' that you had sent >me..in ; your V place. _ You can lend me a suit of your clothes, and your work is of the kind that any; body who has .the necessary strength "car: do without making a mess of it." : , "Aye, that's true," the other said, with an eager glance at the notes which Ray had not put back :in his : pocket. " Ten pounds ain't.to be sneezed at these "ard times. ;i Why, it's a whole month's, pay. and a week's fun for tho askin' an you may say." : ;. - . . , r ■' ''Well,: shall we call it a deal? " Ray j asked. ? : ■•" I've only got my own reasons ; | for wishing to : get out of' the country, ■';■'• | and I am prepared to pay for "the accommodation. What's your r name?;'! : ;i; : ; '■' ,- "Atkins," the other. man replied. "Bill - Atkins,; ; > I alius calls myself that, though r . it weren't the name I was born to. AH " right, mate,- I'll do it. I'll give y oil a, ""■]■ v suit of dungarees and pair o' boots, and - you'drop down the river, tide after next, and ask for' the " Melchior." Say as \ I've 'urt meself in; a street accident, -5 and;'■;■ that up ;to the last minute tl~. 'oped I : should be well enough to jine.V Say ; Bill ■- Atkins sent you as a substitoot." .':.,- (To be continued daily.)