SHORT STORY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18888, 22 December 1924, Page 5

SHORT STORY.

A CUNNING PLOT.

BY -CLATIDF,."

(Copyright.)

On a moonless night, the grimed windows of The Wanderers beerhouse showed their faint lights as a beacon over the flat, black fields surrounding. An aerial view would have suggested a glowworm ostracised by its companions, the same being represented by the town of Granchester, eight furlongs distant. The bar customers were a couple of farm hands laboriously arguing as only farm hands can, and ignoring their beer. It was quite plain that Jakes wanted to get rid of them and shut up, tbourh legal closing time was a coupl© of hours off. The old tin swinging lamp, which usually belched out its stinking smoke up to the rafters in the centre of the rooom, was, to-night, placed on the window ledge facing Granchester. Jakes stamped about the bar, and per- ' sisted in demanding whether his customers wanteds any more beer. Now and again he opened the door and looked out, but icy winds rushed in, chilling the blood in his heart; he slammed the door and cursed. Presently the door opened from the outside, and in walked the professor, muffled to the chin, but blue to the lips, his white beard frozen. Jake's eyes seemed to enlarge.

"Something hot, landlord. I wonder if hell is hot or cold?"

The yokels guffawed, rolled, and stamped tho floor. Jakes poured out what looked like a double brandy. "You'll know some day," h e growled.

Tho professor shot a coin across the counter. "Got any change ?'" Jakes juggled at the till, and returned the coi Pi> together with others, into the professor's palm. The professor swallowed the drink, and went out.

By the'light of the lamp on the window ledge he looked at the coins Jako had given him—pennies. And these were his thoughts as he read the numbers that obliterated the form of Britannia: "No. oVthc chauffeur, that means a long drive. No. I—that means cabinet work, or perhaps he's got tho information. No. s—ves, of course, ho wants me. That's tho third job in succession I've been on. No. 7—there's jewellery in it, evidently. No 2—to "hreak in, no doubt." He chinked the coins in a pocket, and sighed. "Oh, well, I'd better hunt them up Pity I saw tho light. Still, I had a drink." As he turned away in the direction of the town, Jakes moved the lamp, and hooked it in its usual place beneath the beams. *■* ♦ » Five men and a vacant chair round the table in the back room of The Wanderers. Entered Jakes with a trayful of glasses and a largo jug, all steaming. "Beer's beer," No. One used to say in the old and respectable when he was foreman if a large joinery shop, ''and you can't do without it." "Brandy's brandy—the spirit of life," No. Five used to toast in his undergrad. days, "may you never be without it, and may it always be within you." But a't these times they had not sampled Jake's brew—a secret and wonderful brew; one that took a hold on your very soul so that you were bound, bound for life to Jakes. The company of Burglars Ltd. were undoubtedly urider the thumb—under the heel of their solo director, Jak«=, and in their ' more honest moments blessed their unlucky stars that ho did not require of thein murder. A drink ail round—a drink meant an empty glass. Jakes teok his place at one end of tho table, glanced at his watch and spoke to the company thus: — "It's 11.30, boys. This job's got to be done before the morning. It's No. One's lay, so he gets the extra tenth.

"Van Sh'uster's got no ono with him tonight. You'yo all hoard of Van Shuster. He's a dealer in diamonds, got a safe-full at Wonborough. He's been watched all through tho winter, and it's only by luck that we've got the chance. No. One had better give you information first, then I'll talk arrangements." Jakes sat down, or, rather,' sat up. Ho was such a little man—a villainous-look-ing beast, too—that more of him showed above the table sitting than standing. No. One— the carpenter—who was sitting on Jakes' right, looked at his glass and then the jug, (he only steaming vessel on this tabic He tried to look at Jakes, but even his craving for another drink could not mako him do that. No one looked Jakes straight in the face wilhngly. If his brew drowned your soul his eyes, like the positive and n'egativo ends of a> magnet, drew vour heart from your chcet and made it rock. Therefore, with an empty glass in front of him, No. One commenced: "Old Jos, the milkman, sent word last night that Van Shuster had fallen out with his man, Shaw. Shuster's son was leaving about 10 a.m. for Amsterdam, returning tomorow night ; and Shaw intended doin' a guy immediately the young 'un had left, to spite (he old' man. Popped over to Wonborough with No. Nine before breakfast, and wo set a watch. Shuster Junior left as wc expected. Shaw came out of tho house with Van Shuster, cursing and carrying on awful. He's nigh on seventy "by the looks of 'im. Shaw just put 'is 'lingers to 'is noso and walks off. Jos, the milkman, swears the safe's in the old man's bedroom: and that young Shuster has crossed over to bring some more stuff back, 'and not take any away. 'E couldn't give me anv 'elp about getting in, so T 'ad to settle 'that meself. No. Nine look on the watch about lunch time, and as I left 'im, I shoved a stone through a downstairs window. No. Nine's there now; we thought it best, though we don't expect Shuster to get anybody in for one night. It sounds easy, but, of course, the safe ain't open yet." "What about a drink, Jakes ?" Jakes filled the glasses. "That's the last, to-night, you scoundrels. We've got to be up and doin", shortly," "No. Eight , drink up, and go and fetch the car. It's in the barn at ricks. They'll be expecting you." The chauffeur—the man, who, blindfolded, could drive a car backwards on a six-foot roadway without side-track-ing—emptied bis glass, and reluctantly went out into the icy night, .lakes continued: "We,take the blowing plant, in case a jemmy's no use. No. Two will make, the entry, scout the dining-room and hall, .and open up for No. Five ami me. 'No. Seven will wait for a signal, either to come in or fetch the plant. No. Nine, when we get on the job, will drop l>;uk to No. Eight and the car, and help Seven to carry the plant, if 'wanted." Ten minutes was then spent in carrying tho oxy-acetylene plant from beneath Jakes' bed downstairs, and discovering jemmies, and sundry other tools and gloves in the lick of the mattress. ; The car was stopped a couple of hundred yards away in another road, or farm ' track, and the plant, etc., was humped across a ploughed field, and' carefully loaded up. It was a W/e ear, of quite conventional outline, and uie engine was turning over gently—ever so gently,' and quietly.

The party got in, and the car crept slowly along, with barely a sound, till they reached Granchestor, through which they passed at moderate speed; and on the high road beyond. No. Eight opened out. Wonborough, some 1U miles distant, was reached by 12.30 a.m. On the fringe of the town, the car slowed down, and a plan of approach put into pper&tfcn. No. Seven—the one-time jeweller's assistant—dropped 1 from the slow-moving car. He would not be required till an entry was "effected. About a hundred yards on, so that Seven could keep him in sight. No. Five was dropped. For this, the car almost stopped. Although this bearded old man of 60-odd years was wonderfully physically fit, he could not afford to take unnecessary risks of an accident. The car drew" away another 100 yards, and dropped .Jakes"; ' then again, and dropped No. Two—that slippery, little follow, who could tread across a floor of loose marbles as silently as if he were walking on rubber. Then the car disappeared and the procession wended its wav through Wonborough. to the other end, where the houses stood further apart, with here and there an unbuilt on plot between. Hugging the fences, No. Two was pulled up by No. Nine, who was comfortably settled in a front garden between the high privet hedge and ths wooden fence.

" I'm. not sorry'(o see yer," said Nine, " It's -perishing cold, I dunrio 'ow I've stuck it. There it is all waiting. Old man's been in bed a couple of hours." He nodded at the house across the road. " You've got to go back. Jakes is just behind. Which is the window?" / " Bottom right pane. They put a new one in before dark. It's nice and wet, though. I 'ad a look 'alf-hour ago." No. Nine disengaged himself and walked back with difficulty, his limbs number, his teeth chattering. No. Two slipped. across the road noiselessly opened the wooden gate a very few inches, and crept through. From the moment the house was pointed but, he had been appraising it. Double.fronted, detached, modern, no basement," wide front door and porch, crazy paving, lawns on either side, bay windows to > each wing. He made for the bay on the right and ran his fingers round the bottom pane. Then with a pocket-knife peeled off the putty like butter, and removed the glass. As his form disappeared, Jakes came up and was quickly lost in the shadows of the porch, being joined in a minute by the professor. The door opened silently. No. Two completed a search of the ground floor, then waited in the hall while Jakes and the professor crept upstairs. They judged one of the front rooms would be occupied by Van Sinister, and tried the one on their left. Locked and no key, either inside or out—this was discovered with a piece of wire. They tried the door opposite, and it yielded. Jakes was ai the handle, holding in his free hand a cotton wool pad. No. Five was close to him with a massive-looking bluff revolver and a small electric torch. Slowly, Jake* pushed the door open. Then the professor flushed on his torch, immediately to the front. At first tense and alert, thev were surprised to see an empty bed with the . bedclothes pulled down. The torch flashed quickly round the room to a corner by the , , window. For a space theso two—the diminutive beast who-would have stifled Van Shustcr for his IRamends; the elderly, man fallen from a higher caste, who preferred cleaner work —these two stood rigid,frozen in horror. The light shone on a large and tall safe. Lying oh tha floor with its head propped against the closed safe door, was an object which undoubt-' edly had been Van Shustcr. The bald head showed horrible weals and much . blood, which also covered tho face and stained the long grey beard resting. on the clothing. One hand appeared to bo missing, iand 'a ghastly-lookirg object." resembling it was fixed to the safe door handle. The legs Were bent under the , body, and a deep red pool lay on the lino.leum. ( The professor switched off the light, sick and afraid. " Someone's been here already," Jakes said in a hoarse whisper. " Best to get away," said the professor. The idea put movement into their "'■ bodies, and thev quickly and softly crept' * downstairs. They forgot No. Two. and did not notice him in the hall,. but he felt. . •instinctively something was wrong and followed them out quickly. No one asked questions. They simplv made for the car, and then Jakes said, addressing No.TSight, " Drive like fury!" **» ' * ♦

In the morning the door of the room which Jakes had found locked was opened. Van Shuster, in a dressing-gown,' crossed i the passage to the other room, and made toward the safe. He bont down, picked up his " double," and hung it in a cupboard. With a paper knife, he lifted up tho blood-red sealing wa;c from off the leum and breaking it in pieces, threw it into a waste-paper basket. He detached ' the ghastly-looking hand from the'safe door handle. After that, he haile'd a passing policeman and then got dressed. ...