THE MYSTERY-MAKER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20130, 15 December 1928, Page 18 (Supplement)

THE MYSTERY-MAKER.

BY SEAMARK

CHAPTER L As an individual, Colonel John Stayno wap unique in quito a number of ways. Even the highly-coloured records at Scotland Yard admitted him,as one of their Mar artists—and a particularly irritating artist, at that. Ho was ono who refused to be snared, no matter how perfectly the trap was laid for him, 110 matter how many brains took a hand in perfecting the yap. He seemed to have been mixed up 111 something more than half the biggest swindles and criminal jobs of tho postwar years, and his name and history were definitely involved in tho dossier of every international crook in tho Yard achives. ' And yet. . . Even the higher nuthoritios at headquarters had to admit that thero was an embarrassingly noticoSiblo " And yet" about the John Stayno situation. Ho scorned to have an " And .jet" complex. To begin with, lie was only thirty-one nnd yot uis rank of colonel was genuine, jilihough ho had been out of tho army somo years. Ho had gained his colonelcy sit, twenty-two, and yet ho had never •heard a singlo shot fired iu action. Ho Jiad dono remarkably work in tho Anti.Espionage Corps, and yet ha had resigned without offering a singlo reason. Twenty-four hours later tho famous Cot triiigton caso broke in seven-column banner lines in tho newspapers. Colonel •John Stayne's name was mentioned by every siuglo' witness in that remarkable jiffair, and yet not a single ono of them could recognise him at an identity parade; Lord Cottrington repudiated ail knowledge of him when ho steppod into the witness<box. He was so good-looking in a quiet, aristocratic way that pretty well, every eligible debutante's mother had tdken a shamelessly complete fall in his direction; and yet lie was a bachelor still, without a singlo whisper of scandal against his moral reputation. There was no oarthly reason why ho should exhibit a criminal tendency, for ho was an exceptionally wealthy man in his own right, and yet—thero were those ineradicable dossiers in pretty well every important pigeon-hole f at Scotland Yard 110 seemed to swim around right out ,on the vergo of things, sometimes heading strajght into the very heart of tho seething whirlpool, with every other subsidiary revolving madly about him, and then, when tho crash camo, thero wero all the majors and minors safely under lock and key—and thero was John Stayne. a nebulous, unaccusahle boine, right out beyond tho net again with not a tittle of evidenco against liim Indeed, such evidence against as thero was tended to prove that John Stayno had had nothing whatever to do with tho unpleasant affair. The Yard, being" human and as wise as they make 'em, had long sinco ceased 10 harbour any resentmont- against him. 11c was far too useful. As an unfailing guide-line, pointing always to where big trouble was brewing, ho was infallible. Where John Stayno was thero big-time trouble was surely coming to tho boil in the stew-pot of the underworld . . So they gave him his rein, stepped along invisibly four yards astern of his coattails, and let him ride. And because of his remarkable propensity for unearthing the big stuff while keeping out of it himself, they dubbed him the " MysteryMaker," raised their mental hats to him, and breathed a littlo prayer for, his con- ' tinned Well-being. He lived in a largo house in Curzon Square, ono of thoso large, fashionable houses in one'of thoso small, fashionable ' squares that still carry, on their startlingly uglv facades, something of the unutterably quiet and proper atmosphere of the early-Victorian era. John .Stayno was a tall, military-look-ing figure, dark-haired, bronzed with the tan of a good many travels under /southern suns, and all over him he carried tho indefinable stamp of tho soldier. His actions were orderly and precise, as wero his utterances. So orderly and preciso that they inferred an orderly and preciso brain. His thoughts wore co-ordinated and definitely formed beforo he vocalised them into words. Aloi.o Mathers, his secretary, dcclarod emphatically that sho had never taken dictation from a moro clear-minded, less annoying employer. 'And that, knowing the general mudhcadedness of a .man trying to dictate a letter to a girl with fair hair and speedwell blue eyes, is a knowledgeable commendation. Yal Tcinbridgc, a sharp-tongued young gentleman whom he clioso to call his assistant, had thumped tho noses of half-a-dozen individuals who had been incautious enough to scandalise Stayne's general behaviour in his hearing." Scotland Yard had never been able to " Tembridgo to its satisfaction or to discover 111 exactly, what way he assisted. Except that he had a genuine American accent—- , one which the disconcerting young pup could switch «3ff at will—and a bewildering knack of bobbing up right in that orio spot where they had already conclusively proved it was impossible for him to be, they knew very little about him. One of the first bright suns of early spring was shiuing sharply through tlitf windows of Bb, Curzon Square.; In the big main room ona of tho last \vood fires of -winter burned ; cheerily in the. open grate. John Stayne reached out from the <leplhs of a groat leather armchair and thumbed a bell under -the edge of the tab'.e. It was ft hugo room, The curved mahogany table, eight foot by twelve, looked small. Eight cut-crystal candelabra swung high from thp gilded ceiling and the witllpapor was of stained, chased leather. Stayno relaxed again and reread a letter in his lap. Tembridgo carna in, a sheaf of papers under his arm, and a fat, red fountain pen behind his ear. " Tembridgo," said Stayno, " I want some information about tho Demorval affair. The probability is that there is a case in it for us. t)o you happen to know any inside details about it, offhand?" "Lady Demorval?" 44 Yes, recently widowed, I believe. 1 was in Chicago on'that Itutledgo business when the case came on." Tembridgo nodded. " Sure," ho said. " I haven't all tho details, but it's all in the files. Lady Demorval had just left her chateau in Meutone to come back here for tho London scasc*i. Before she reached London sho received news t hat the chateau had been broken into. Must have done it the same night sho left. Thieves went for tho jewels. Said jewels wero to have followed her to town a fow days later under spociul guard. 44 Stones to the value of over £IOO,OOO were taken. .Two ropes of diamonds—tho Demorval ropes. Kino tiara of rubies And tho wholo collection of emeralds. Emeralds not too good. Some Rood ones among them, of course, but, 011 tho wholo, imperfect. Some pretty fine opals went, too, but Lady Demorval ranks opals along with coral, cat's-cycs and coke. Tho assessors stuck out a reward right away—£6ooo for their recovery. Increased it later to £20,000. Must have been badly -stung on the insurance. Plums of the picking .were the topes. A week Inter Lady" Demorval went to Mentono herself 10 try to hammer u bit of nous into the heads of the French police. She had put up at an hotel in London for a few days, while tho town house was being prepared. All her . luggage was stored there pending instructions from her. 4< Oua evening there was a sound of banging coming from the room whore tlie luggage was stored. Hotel manager tMew a fright and 'phoned the police. f .nicy got there in timo to arrest Varris •in .the foyer. He was heading for the street with. lvis hat on his head arid the diamonds ill his hip pocket—done up in tissue paper. The. head bell-hop had r out- oMho _ stow room.

. A ROMANCE OF THE SECRET SERVICE.

(COPVMGIIT.)

. I Lady Demorval's return. Up in the storeroom they found .half her ladyship's baggage busted open." Stayno held up his hand. "Just a moment." ho said, " Tompler Varris. Have you anything about him ?", " Yes. Unhappy relic of the war. Very good family from one of tho .shires. A bit county. Joined up ns soon as his years let him. Left tho army at twentytwo. No moro training for iv decent job in civilian lifo than you can derive from four years of loosing off rifles, slinging hand grenades, and jahbitig holes in a lot of Jerries with a bayonet. Had two or threo years trying to keqp up appearances on a couple of pounds a week and then fell fairly lucky. The Demorvals wanted a private secretary and Varris got the job. He'd been with them about three years when it happened. Previous rocord with them good. No complaint of any sort. Case came up for hearing two weeks ago—just beforo you got back. Varris got five years." " Pretty clear caso, you think?" "As itrreard r Varrio had as many legs to stand 011 as a puff-adder—and about as evenly distributed. Ho said ho was breaking tho cases open because I10"had lost •tho keys. Lady Demorval had wired for some papers to bo sent on to her out of ono of tho trunks. 110 proved that piece all right; then he said that while rummaging through tho grips lie came across tho ropes wrapped up in tissue just as they wero found 011 him. He couldn't get away from tho fact that the bulls collarod him for streaking for tho broad highway; with tho goods as part cargo. Ho said ho was taking them to tho assessors for safo custody. Ho seemed to ignore tho fact that lhoro was perfectly safe custody in the hotel strong-room and that tho clocks wore just booming 7 p.m. when they stopped him at the door, The assessors close at five." Stayno was silent for a while and then said, almost to himself, " A great pity about thoso times. I supposo Varris was aware of the timo city offices close ?" Ho said he knew all right, but had forgotten to remember. Said 110 was so astonished and upset ho forgot all übout everything. Net results —five years _ for not romemboritig not to forget. Those ropes were worth £25,000 each." "Anything elso? Did ho try to implicate'anyone else or hint at'other complications?" " Not directly. Ho told tho judge that thero was considerably moro than a mere diamond stealing charge at tho back of tho business, and asked to_ be allowed to make a statemont to tho judge privately in Ins room. Tho judge told him that except in cases concerning tho Crown, blackmail or obscenity, all statements must bo mado in open court. Any remarks ho bad to make would bo mado from tho dock or not at all. Varris thought it oyer for a bit and decided to stay dumb." " H l m. Very interesting. Very, very interesting. So interesting that, I think, before many hours have passed, wo shall re-embark on our criminal career. Quito a lot of laws will bo broken beforo wo sort out our particular end of this lively problem." "Varris is innocent, eli?" " Of any connection with this diamond business —yes. But tho diamond affair is only tho rash on tho surface. Tho real disease goes a groat doal deeper, I think, There should be somo quite bright times ahead. I think we have dug. our fingers into what you call a real ono this time." A great jado clock began chiming softly 011 a mantelpioco that was built of solid slabs of alabaster. Stayno had slumped back in his chair again, and was staring hard into tho glowing heart of tho blazing pino logs. Behind him, 011 n bracket set in the corner of tho room, was- a golden idol of incredible ugliness. Gripped in its distorted hands was a tiny silver bell, and from its mouth protruded what appeared to bo an ivory cornucopea. Suddenly and without any apparent volition the bell tinkled twice on a high musical noto. Stayne turned a knob under the arm of his chair, and said, to nobody in particular, ''Yes—what is it?" A miuor miracle happened. From tho little ivory trumpet in the idol's mouth camo a voice of astonishing clarity. It was a male voice, pitched in the natural key, and its volumo was as perfectly modulated as though the speaker was. present. thero in tho corner of the room. "Front hall speaking," it said; ''a visitor <0 see you, sir." Without turning round, Stayno said, 44 Thank you. What name, please?" " Miss Marienne Varris, sir. Sho says that she wrote you and suggested in her letter that she would like to seo you at nine o'clock this morning. If it is inconvenient for you to see her no\y, would you pleaso make an appointment at as early u moment as possible. She states that her business is of extreme urgency." " Thank you, Bolham; send Miss Varris up to me iiore. I will soo her imniodi. ately." Stayno pushed tho knob back and turned to Tembridao. "That's Templer Varris* sister," ho said. " She's in terrible distress about her brother—to judge from this letter hero —and says she will do anything on earth if I will help him. Tho letter of an educated woman going into hysterics through sheer helplessness and despair." 110 rolled tho letter into a "ball and pitched it into tho fire, watching it slowly uncoil and burn away to black ash. With an easy movement he heaved himself out of tho deep chair and glanced at the clock. "At least she is dead on time," he said. 44 1 rather liko women who respect t lie hands of the clock. Get mo all the data wo have about this Demorval affair, will yon, and bring it to me here. I want you to bo present when wo get down t,o business because the first thing I want to know from this young lady is how she camo to know my name, my address, and tho exact manner in which sho discovered that there was a, possibility of getting assistance from mo. I don't liko tt, Tembridgo, I don't like it. Somebody is doing a little private talking behind our backs—and Miss Varris is going to tell us who, or my uatno is not John Stavno." There was a hard, bitter look in Ills eyes as he spoke, a look that Tembridgo know better than any mun on earth. And for her own sake ho hoped that Marienne Varris would not bo too obstinate. "Will you want tho secretary?" he asked. " No. you and I will soe this matter through alone." Tembridgo wont out through tho communicating door to his own 100111 us Miss Varris was ushered in. Stavno bowed and motjoned her to a seat near the flro. " Won't you pleaso sit down!" ho said in his soft, rather deep voieo. " The air is quite chilly outsido hi spito of the sun. Sit down nnd warm yourself before you begin talk* ing." r Tho girl stayed at the top end of tho table, staring a little wildly at StayilO, os though she couldn't quito realise that tiiis suavely-spoken man with the courtly manners and tho grace of a knight was the Mystery-Maker, the man about whom nothing but hinted stories of unimaginablo knavery wero whiskered. Sho was staring straight at him, diffidently twisting her gloves about, in her fingers as though she had not heard a single word of his invitation.

Jnhu Stayno regarded her wth a half, smile, a smile which could not quite hide a slight reddening of the face—for John Stayno was iu process of admitting to his own inner conscience that Marienne Varris was just about the nicest girl he had ever looked at from a distance of less than ten feet. Sho was one of thoso gorgeous yoijng creatures one never expects to seo in r<jal life. On tho covers of the magazines, yes; but never in real life. Her complexion was much too perfect to be all complexion and nothing added; but on that point tho coloned hod a properly open mind, ho holding that it was far easier to look at a fuco that was nicely assisted -with a spot of colouring than 0110 that resembled a slab of dough with a get, of features let into it. Her eyes wera average as regards size, buL tho Demorval diamonds themselves

were never brighter or- fuller 'of ' more varying shades. Her nose wns small and very straight, and her mouth was a bewildering series of little curves.that somehow molted into lips from her cheeks and chin. What small curls of hair peeped from under her tiny hut were of a sbado that was neither black, brown,, nor fair —but just that bright, happy tint in between. Joiin Stayno continued to &inilo —and redden. "Are you—are you Mr.—-Colonel— Stayno ?" she managed to stammer out at last. " I am. And you are Miss Marienne Yarn's? Won't you pleaso sit down? You look so unhappy standing there. I've read vonr letter, and 1 am most auxious to talk to you—to help you—to help yon." v

" Are vou ? Arc you—really J" There was almost a note of entreaty in her voice, and her glpvCs were rapidly becoming a shapeless ball of horribly twisted kid. ,i •' ;

Stayne went round to her, took her by the aim, and lod her to tho chair. .He sat himself down opposite her where* the light fell full on that face that was much too beautiful to be true. There, with tho sunlight flooding in full from the high-lighted Windows, ho saw the tiny worry lines that wero crawling, all too wickedly early, into the*corners of thoso bViglit eyes, saw the slight trembling of the under lip. noted tho almost ceaseless twittering of tho fingers that indicated a nervo stress of such old standing that it was working up to a breakdown And lie know then, if he hadn't- 1 been definitely certain before, that there was something pretty terrible behind tho burgling of the Chateau Demorval. in Mentono and (ho theft of I lie Demorval diamonds ill London. Tho communicating door opened and Miss Varris looked up with positivo fright in her eyes at the sudden sound. " It's quite all right, Miss Varris." said Stayno gently. " This is Mr. Valdon Tembridgo, my assistant. Impolite folk refer to him as mv accomplice. Mr. Tembridgo, this is Miss Marienne Varris, who has come to see us about a very private affair." Tembridgo bowed slightly from the hips and stuck thero. Ho was gazing at Marienne in sheer unbelief, and it seemed oge-long minutes before ho prised hin> self upright again. " I'm delighted to seo you. Miss Varris," lie said, and mentally informed himself that he had never spoken a more touchingly true sentenco in his life. Stavno took the portfolio from Ternbridge's limply extended hand and briefly glanced through the contents. Ihoro wero printed cuttings of every phase of the story, taken from the various papers, verbatim reports of the magisterial proceedings and tho full agency reports of i tlm trial. Here and thero wero such notices, proclamations, and private statements as Tembridgo had been able to get possession of by means best known to himself. Stayno looked up to see Marienne eyeing tho accumulation in wild alarm. " Miss Varris," ho said quietly, " I trust that in explaining tho reason for youi visit to us you will deal with the matter as frankly us possible. You will notice that we have hero quite a full rosumo of tho whole matter insofar as it lias yet become public property —and not a few other documents that not even j tho judge has been privileged to sec. ; You have hinted in your letter at a I good many other matters of far greater j consequence than the theft of u couplo of ropes of diamonds and —if I may put it brutally—five years' penal servitude." The old frightened look, a limited look, came back into her eyes and slio plucked norvouslv at the torn fingers of a glove. Then, after a little silence, she seemed to screw all 'her courage up into a single sentence. Looking him straight in the eyes, but with lips that nil the courage in the world could not, keep from twitching, she asked: " Mr. Stayne, if I promise to tell you something of what I know—enough for. j you to discover the rest yourself—will you promise to g;ot Tcmpler out of prison, •to get him out in such a way that nothing of this tcrriblo business will become public?" Tho words camo tumbling out of her mouth in an uncontrollablo stream —as fast as though it were part of a set speccli sbo had already prepared and rehearsed and was determined to make before sho gave away a singlo line of her own story. J " Will you ? Will you ?" she rushed on, a light of feverish intensity burning in' her eyes. " I know Tcmpler has been indiscreet —bus been a perfect fool in somo respects —but it hns '■ en the foolishness of loyalty. He is absolutely innocent —ho no moro intended to steal thoso diamonds than I did—and I wouldn't wear the beastly tilings if I wero paid a thousand a week to do just* that and nothing else. Those diamonds should never have been in London at ail. It was a terrible blunder on Tompier's part. Tcmpler didn't want them —ho was only getting rid of Ihern so that lie could savo a brace of Demorval skins. Yes I You can look. I said a buaco and I mean a brace. If I could tell the full story that lies bidden behind those two footling ropes of diamonds suddenly appearing in London thero would be more trouble on the Continent than all the European Chancelleries put together could put right. But I can't! I can't until Tcmpler is out of prison. Tcmpler himself could be free inside an hour if ho chose to put what he knows on paper —but lie can't do that any more than I can. Oh, what am Ito do? What am Ito do?" In an access of helplessness sho wrung her hands together and her head full forward in a lit of half-stifled sobbing. "There's been murder done already over this tcrriblo businoss," sho said in a strangled voice, " and there will be murder dono again unless somebody with a cool head gets at tho head of things to stop it." Stayne leaned forward and gently touched her arm. " Miss Varris," ho said, with quiet incisiveness, " you (ire already saying a great deal moro than you intended. You mado mo a condition just now, a condition which stated that, beforo you would tell mo anything, I would promise to offect tho- release of Mr. Varris without further publicly compromising him in this business. Beforo you go any further I wish to tell you -that, I, too, have o condition to make."

The girl looked up quickly, her face draining a shade whiter under its nervous pnllor mid her hands gripped together til! thci knuckles shono. " A—a condition ? " sho whispered, and looked timidly from Stay no to Tcmbridgo and back again. Stayno did not givo her a chaneo to think. " Yes, a condition—but a very simple one indeed," ho went on smoothly. " 1 only wish that yours to me had been olio-thousandth part ns simple. It is this. What is the name of the person who sent you to nie ? " Marrienuo looked down into her lap and covered her eyes with her hands. Stayno noted that thoso hands were trembling badly. " No—nobody sent nio—l just came," she. muttered, _ I

" That in the fust lie you've told for many a long day—and you told it badly," said Stay no. The bard glitter was back in his eyes. lie had risen and was standing over her. " Who sent yon ?" ho , demanded. " Listen, girl j tfioro is not a soul in lingland who knows that I am capable of catling a man out of gaol, not a soul in England who knows that Stayno, the Mvstcry-Maker. makes mysteries for others to fall into and get themselves entangled in webs of their own weaving. Only Tpmbridge there knows the extent to which wo have broken laws—knows the extent to which wo arc able to break them further You havo boen to someone. That someone, at his wits end. tius sent joii to me Now, who was it ?" (To bo continued daily.)