JUNE'S BROTHER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21223, 1 July 1932, Page 19

JUNE'S BROTHER.

By FABIAN GEORGE. '

CHAPTER XVni.—(Continued.)

Mr. Neil rose to cross-examine Doyle. He made no attempt, however, to show that # Doylo was mistaken in thinking Kevin had left the hotel with Edwards attache case. Ho contented himself with a few more or less formal questions to test Doyle's memory. Then he asked him: " Who were Barton Edwards' two companions on thfct afternoon ? "

" I cannot say," replied Doyle, adding however, " One was a short dark man in seafaring clothes, whom he called Brand; the other was a tall man with a beard, who wore the collar of his coat turned up and his hat pulled down over his eyes." " And his name ? " inquired Mr. Neil. " I never heard it, sir. It was the first time I had ever seen him."

June, - sitting in the court, heard a more detailed description of the tall man with amazement. It verified the description of the man who had made himself known to her as her father. She had, of course, told Neil all about her experiences during the tragic week-end. EnSuiries had been made at Starport and aunt, but no trace of the bearded man had been discovered since that Sunday morning when he had left June in- the porch of the church at Starport. "Do you know anyone of the namo of Arden ?" Neil put the question to the witness, adding: "Just think!" " No, sir, I don t recall the name." "Do you know Emile Jabba?" was Neil's next question. That, too, brought forth a negative answer.

There was a flutter in court when the name of Dolette Delmore was called. She admitted she had known Barton Edwards for " some months," She knew him as a man who had lived abroad. Of his •business and private affairs she knew nothing. She had heard, however, that Barton Edwards had been threatened by the prisoner. " From whom have you heard of these threats ? " enquired Lawson, the prosecuting solicitor. " From the dead man himself and from Mr. Lester Oldroyd." When Neil rose to cross-examine her, he found that she could not be shaken, and here again he was unable to obtain any admission of knowledge of Arden or Jabba. ,

Lester's face was flushed as he took the oath. He did not even look at Kevin, whose eyes he could feel were turned upon him. He gave evidence clearly, but every answer seemed to bo more and more to tne detriment accused, and then came the story of Kevin Templeton'S call at the " Lepanto," and his threat to seek out Barton Edwards and wring from him the truth of June's whereabouts.

" Why should the prisoner threaten Barton Edwards, and why did he show animosity toward him ? " Because he knew that my friend Edwards had fallen in love with my sister, and that I favoured Edwards as a more desirable partner for my sister." The words fell on June's ears like the hissing of an adder. She buried her face in her hands, and gave way to grief. Gently Kevin's mother took her by the arm and led her from the court.

The magistrates formally committed Kevin Templeton to stand his trial at the next assizes,. Mr. Neil applied for permission" for Canon Templeton, Kevin's mother and June to see the prisoner. With them he hurried below. Kevin haying greeted them all tenderly, shook Neil by the hand and expressed his gratitude. " I can seo we are in for a stiff fight," he remarked to his solicitor. Neil, with a smile of happy confidence, exclaimed: "We are, but believe me the prosecution is nearer a cojlapse than perhaps the police realisa I deliberately refrained from putting you in the witness box to-day. The documents in Barton Edwards' attache case, which, of course, the police were compelled to let me examine, have given me new hope. All I want is time, and a little luck. If I am sure of one thing it is this, 'that the mysterioifs Mr. Arden is not your father, Miss Oldroyd." CHAPTER XIX. THE TRUTH AT LAST. However confident he might have been, Mr. Neil could scarcely have imagined that within three days of Kevin being committed for trial, one of the men for whom he was looking should walk into his office. . ' " There's a man here who wishes to see you urgently in connection with the Edwards murder case.'' The clerk rapped j .the words out quickly. I " Show him in." A short man of swarthy complexion entered. He was obviously a man of alien birth or extraction; which was confirmed when he opened his mouth. " I can give you facts about tho Edwards murder," he exclaimed. " But I am a poor man and I shall want paying for it." "If your information is worth a reward for your trouble and expense you shall have it," replied Nedl, " but please understand, I am not hero to buy justice, Mr. Brand." The man started with obvious surprise. " Who told you me name is Brand anyway! Don't try to bluff me, or your client will be a dead man before I opens me mouth." . " Leave bluff out of it, Mr. Brand. You

are in trouble yourself, you are here to tell me something, which is going to prevent sou from being charged yourself with a serious crime, t am willing to help you and treat you as generously 'as you deserve. But take my advice and don't bargain." Neil knew his business sufficiently well to bluff without bouncing. " God help me, sir, but I'm as innocent of it all as a new-born baby. It's like this, guv'nor. Mr. Edwards was always kind to mo. I first met him when I was donkeyman on a steamer 'tween the Philippines and Java. He sort of got me to do one or two jobs for him as I've no need to mention now. A little over a year ago he tells mo he was going to England and had a job of work for me as would pay well. I got a boat on the homo iourney, hot wanting to waste the money he'd given me for me passage. I stays down in apartments near the quayside and hears from Mr. Edwards occasionally. | He chartered a motor yatcht and had her moored up at Starport ready for the job, which I understands was to take a young lady on a voyage." " Miss Oldroyd," interrupted Neil. " I believe that was tho very one., however, it were none of my business to ask questions. We were to sail on the Monday, and on the Friday, Jabba comes over from Paris. I took him over with me to Carport, and he sees the yacht and then fixes up some rooms in Durban Street for himself and his daughter. I returns to Gaunt, and had an appointment with Mr. Edwards." Brand paused, and then continued: •' Sunday morning, Mr. Edwards and me meets Jabba and wo gees to the' Three Admirals. They leaves me in the bar while they goes away and discusses their business. When they returned we "'1 goes up to the Central Harbour Hotel, before Jabba and me goes on to Starport." Brand toughed into his hand, and shook his head as if preparing himself for i final effort. " It was then all this business happened," he said quietly, " for Edwards takes us up to his room—tie was going to give Jabba some papers when he suddenly get 3 excited and shouts " My attache case has gone " ! " As you know, sir, and what the papers says is true, we went and complained, and then Mr. Edwards takes us round to a priest's house where I'd been once before to give—." He stopped. Neil noticed signs of embarrassment. ' Go on," be remarked, " You were sent by Edwards."

" That's right, sir., I had to give that young fellow something to keep 'im quiet, but when I saw him I decided to leavo him alone. Mr. Edwards wasn't pleased and said ho'd have to fix him 'imsclf with some dope. " However, as I was saying, on this Sunday afternoon, when we got to the house, Mr. Edwards lie tells us ..to wait

A STORY OF LOVE AND MYSTERY.

(COPYRIGHT.}

outside and watch for this young feller. If he comes along we had to get that bag from him, whatever the cost. Mr. Edwards says ho would go in and find if the young chap had arrived. You know there are two doors and a porch, and that one door opens into the room, on the front. Well, Mr. Edwards first goes to this door, and was going to knock when the telephone bell rings. Mr. Edwards sort of just opened the door and put his ear there. Then like someone mad he .comes down the steps and throws himself on Jabba, calling him terrible names. " The girl has blurted out that she's at Starport. 4 You're a damned traitor,' says Mr. Edwards, and draws a knife. Afore I could move a finger, Jabba had twisted Mr. Edwards round and thrown him to the ground. " He didn't rise, so we turned him over and there was the knife in his chest. Jabba drew it out, and wo didn't argue but realising we were in a mess hurried away. Help "me God, sir, that's the truth." " And where's Jabba?"

" Well, sir, Jabba is lying in a lodging house in West Bailey Street. He's been drinking hard ever since that Sunday night., Yesterday he let himself go proper. He's lying in his bunk a-talking to himself and raving, lam afra,id he'll blow the gaff himself if he gets any worse."

" You were helping yourself when you came to me," commented Neil. " Now look here, you arc going to be a wiso man, and come along with mo to see Inspector Welder."

Brand jumped up quickly. " No, you don't, guv'nor. You want to trick me—that's your game." " Well, if you don't wish to, there's the door, you may go. I shall get my information from Jabba and what may happen after that may not be to your advantage. On the other hand, you come along and help me, and my promise to help you stands good. I'll not only see to it that you are protected, but you shall have a present to enable you to get out of the country and settle abroad." " Right, sir, give me your hand on that and I am your man." Two days later, Gaunt was thrilled by the news that by order of the Home Secretary, Kevin Templeton had been released from custody and that the Crown had withdrawn all charges against him. Events had moved rapidly. Neil had taken Brand along with him to interview Welder. Very quickly Jabba had .been arrested and taken to the Gaunt Police Court. Next day, Welder, with Neil and Lawson, the prosecuting solicitor, made a journey to London, and called at the Home Office. That night the order was issued for Kevin's release.

When Jabba had sufficiently recovered to make a coherent statement, both he and Brand were present at the adjourned inquest. The story of how Barton Edwards had met his death was told and supported by evidence. The jury returned a verdict of accidental death. Both Brand and Jabba left the court as free men.

" I have settled matters to the satisfaction of both Jabba and Brand," remarked Mr. Neil to the little company assembled in his office a few days later There were present Kevin, June and Lester, Canon Templeton and Keviii'a mother " The papers which Barton Edwards had in his attache case corroborate Jabba's story." There is little doubt that Mr. and Miss Oldroyd are the sole heirs to a fortune of nearly half-a-million, left to them by their father, and I congratulate them. " Briefly, as my friend Canon Templeton now knows—without his assistance.my task would have been more difficult— Henry Oldroyd, many years ago, was induced to engage in a series of frauds. He was a bank clerk and the money he obtained was all taken from one account —a sum of over £50,000. It is the usual story of a young man under the influence of astute swindlers. Henry Oldroyd did not benefit at all—the money went into the pockets of the gambling swindlers. To avoid the day of reckoning he left the country, and in the namo of John Reason began to earn a living in the Far East. First as an assistant, then as a trader, and; finally a controller of rubber plantations; he became a wealthy man. " Working for him, as a private servant, in later years, was tho man Jabba—a hypocrite and a dipsomaniac in spite of all his employer's efforts to help him. Two years ago Oldroyd was taken suddenly ill I whilst travelling and thought then, as sick men do, oMiis affairs. On the boat was Barton Edwards, a man" of infinite cunning. He represented himself as a solicitor. Ho induced Jabba to introduce him to Oldroyd as. such. The will was drawn up and handed to the keeping of Jabba. In it Oldroyd expressed a wish that complete reparation should be made to the bank, and that the rest of his estate should be divided between his son

and daughter, or, in the event of the

death of one of them, the other half-share should be the property of the survivor. " There is no need for me to explain that

tho temptation of acquiring a fortune was too much for two knaves, or shall I say one knave, and one fool, for from my investigations it would appear as if Edwards -had made up his mind that Jabba would receive a mere bagatelle for his trouble. Edwards's scheme was a dar-

ing one, and had been more or less altered and developed as he moved among you. He had decided very early—a compliment to you, Miss Oldroyd—that his chances of marrying you, an heiress, were hopeless. You,, therefore, were to be shipped out of the country, and, I suppose, disposed of quietly. I have already told you that Arden and Jabba were one and the same person. Having worked for your father, Jabba knew something of his history^

" Of Mr, Lester Olroyd, I am sorry to say, Edwards,' Neil looked at Lester, " had a very poor opinion of your intelligence." Lester flushed and looked on tho ground. " I don't wish to embarrass you," continued Neil. " Mile. Delmore's conduct toward you has, I know, been a terrible blow to you. But as you see now, ehe had to leave you suddenly, as soon as she feared that Jabba and Brand had opened -their mouths. She would most certainly have been your wife* by now, but' not for long She bad done her best to expedite matters, and I believe, you had even drawn up those reciprocal wills which modern brides and bridegrooms sometimes present to each other." Lester nodded, then raising his head ho exclaimed, " I deserve your censure. I have been a confounded fool and I know. I ask you all to forgive me. But tell mo, how did Edwards get hold of my photograph in tho first place ? I often wondered, but he would never tell me." " Very simple," replied Neil. "It was taken at Cotter Beach' during the carnival there ? " ■.** Lesler exclaimed quickly, " Quite right." " You won a minor dancing competition. The photographer who took you and Miss Kilburn together was a usual seaside photographer. Mile. Delmore secured a copy of that photograph later, and she it "was who supplied it £o Edwards." ' One Saturday morning, a month later, the bells of St. Alban's rang out a merry peal. Thousands of happy faces were lining the approaches to tne church. They were spectators of the greatest match in Kevin's life. He, had won the most popular bride Gaunt had known in its 16ng history. Equally happy were the amiable canon, who assisted at the nuptials, the principal bridesmaid, Nina Kilburn, and Lester, the groomsman. " Our turn next," whispered Lester to Nina as they followed Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Templeton from the church. THE END.. . % ■ ;