THE LAW OF THE KNIFE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22004, 10 January 1935, Page 15

THE LAW OF THE KNIFE

CHAPTER XL—(Continued)

It was hidden away in a side street, and appeared to have nothing royal about it but its name. As I passed through the swing door and entered the saloon bar, I saw him lounging over the counter talking earnestly to the nymph of the beer-taps. Though he probably heard me enter lie did not trouble to look round, and it was not until the nymph came for in}' order that our eyes met. Of course, there was no sign of recognition, it being understood that we always met abroad as strangers.. \et I clearly distinguished the ghost of a smile playing round his mouth. Nonchalantly he lit a fresh cigarette. I observed that lie had donned his best grey tweed suit for the occasion and sported a smart tie. A man in his shirtsleeves was pulling his beer in the. public bar.

Supplying my order, a whisky and splash, the nymph returned to him and resumed her interrupted conversation, but in a low voice. She was a thin black-browed wench with a thin mouth and questing eyes; and questing ears too, 1 did not doubt, judging by the way she cocked them at every sound. Attractive, though, in a bold, hard way; very white of neck and teeth, and very much made-up. Albert seemed to devour her, the dog. Was he a hypocrite after all, and his decrying of women no more than a pose? Or was he playing a game? Having finished my drink 1 departed, and did not see the lady-killer again until the following morning, when he brought me my early cup of tea. "Anything happen last night?" I began. Xo, sir, nothing worth speaking of." " Stay long after I left?"

" No, not very long." He seemed strangely uncommunicative. Could ho have been feeling resentful ? 1 looked at him and began to smile. " A smart bit of goods, Albert." " Yes, sir, 1 think she is."

What did t his mean, this strange reserve? Never had 1 known him less inclined to talk.

" Was that man in his shirt-sleeves the landlord?" " Yes, sir."

" An unpleasant piece of work," I observed.

" Marie hates him," he said. So that was her name! He'd got it pat.

"Does she? Why?"

" Seems afraid to say. You ought to ha%-e heard the wwar3 r he spoke to her after you left. I could scarcely keep my hands off him. Take it all round, women have a rotten time. She's giving in her notice to-night and expects a, flare-up." " Are you standing by?" " She wants me to." " Well, don't get into trouble," I advised.

" He will, though, if he starts throwing his weight about." So it was like that! Evidently he was serious. Beauty in distress; Sir Galahad to the rescue. I would not have believed it of him. The landlord was a thick-set powerful fellow with large hairy arms and a forbidding jowl. Albert's jowl could also look forbidding upon occasion and I could imagine it really formidable in defence of persecuted beauty. Not that Marie's beauty was of the bewildering older, or that she appeared to be unduly persecuted. Personally I should have shied at that thin mouth and those black brows. Still, a man must indulge his fancy. All philosophers agree that knowledge is power. Meeting George Mayford in the club, I asked him if he knew anything about the Royal Regent in Fendell Street, King's Cross. " Sounds like a pub," he said. " That's why I thought you might know it. Marie's the barmaid there." "Another of your conquests?" he grinned. "No, Albert's." " Albert's!" he echoed, and then began to roar, much to the disgust of the more decorous members present. " Fallen like Lucifer, for a thin mouth and black brows." " Albert fallen," he gurgled gorgeously; "the heavens, perhaps, but not Albert." " Unaccountable, but apparently true. If I should lose him, George, I shall have to rely on you for protection. That's why I should like you to detail a couple of your smart young men to see that Marie doesn't spirit him away." "Oh," he said, contracting his brows and lowering his voice, "bad as that, is it; taking a leaf out of his master's book and fooling about with women ? Dangerous work, my dear. I've warned you times out of number. One day you'll come a terrible cropper." " But listen, Solomon; he's fallen for beauty in distress; a cruel master with a thick skull like yours, hairy arms and a prognathous jaw." " H'm," he muttered; "sounds something like you. Any of your other criminal acquaintances seen in the neighbourhood?" . . " Apparently not. But this is love, George, not politics; ever bo much more dangerouß." "But it might develop?" he suggested. . ... . T V 1 >A "There are possibilities. 1 didn t like the cut of Marie's jib, and the landlord is a decidedly sticky fellow. " While Albert is a puling infant in arms," he gurgled. . " We are all puling infants in the arms of a woman, and like it, so why expect the exceptional in Albert. "Would you deny him a close-up of the light that is to be found only in a woman s

eyes?" , " Well, I'll do the best I can for about nine to closing time." . " But I warn you," lie continued in bis best heavy-father vein, "that ono of these days—" " I shall be blinded by the lovelight. George, I'm living for it." " H'm!" he grunted, and was about to turn away; but suddenly remembering asked mo when I had last heard from that " dollar-bound blighter Wellington." This reference to our old friend Wally was not meant disrespectfully; it was just George's delicate way of putting a qiiestion. As a matter of fact, he, Wally and I, not excluding Albert, composed a quartette that never sang out of tune. "Ages ago," I told him. Wally •would sooner cross the world than write a letter. He'll turn ud at Cork Street one day and casually inform me that he has just returned from the mountains of the moon." " Well, let us hope he found no Crumpled Lilies there," he laughed. " He's through with women, George, as you know, and would not love you for that reference to a former misfortune." , ~ " When a man plays the fool—- " He doesn't like to be reminded of it. Albert's seauce lasts from nine till closing time. Two of your nimble, quickwitted, clear-eyed luds, George; Gregory and Martin for choice. There's a back entrance to the Royal Recent, useful for the removal ot garbage.' He rolled off with a comprehending nod and left me to the perusal of an erudite article on the blessings of internationalism and the brotherhood of man. The writer, a prominent leader of political thought, visualised a future world state, under the aegis of the League of Nations, which made a man of peace like myself sigh for the quick fulfilment of pleasant dreams. Returning to my rooms about seven o'clock I was riot surprised to find Albert absent. Evidently he had set

By CARLTON DAWE Author of " Leathermouth," "Lawless," "The Amazing Woman. 1

(COPYRIGHT)

AN AMAZING STORY OF THRILLING ADVENTURE

out on his groat adventure. I wished him luck and turned to dress when my telephone bell started ringing. " Yes?" I asked.

" Is that Colonel Gantian speaking?" " Yes."

" Please hold the line a moment." And then came a voice I -would have recognised in a thousand. " That you, old-timer?" " Walk!" " Sure.' " You ruffian!"

"J. sure am. an' just achin' for a glimpse of you." " That accent sure sounds good to mo," I said, imitating; him as best I could.

" It's improving, pard, like a rattlesnake's bite. But if you're doing nothi?ig better hop round. A sight of that mug of yours will be as good as a dose of physic." " Where arc you?"

" Dorchester. Just arrived five minutes ago. Coining?" , " Sure."

Wally in London again! Where had he sprung from this time? Arrived five minutes ago. Wasn't that like him! Albert would also be delighted, and George, although he had called him a "dollar-hound blighter," which in his case was a term of affection. George was always careful in his choice of epithets.

1 was greeted with outstretched hands and a beaming face. " Old Leathermouth," he said; "it's real good to see that mug of yours again."

" Well, it's not bad to see yours; Wally. Been good?" " A saint, thanks to sister's care. She's looked after me like a woman with a pet dog and no kids." " The dog seems to have slipped his collar." " And got clean away. I guess he was fed up with petting, and thought a little rough-stuff with his old pard Leathermouth would come as a mighty nice change. Anvthing doing?" " No."

" Well, I guess we'll have to look up George; he's generally got something moving. By the way, how is that redfaced blighter?" " .Tust as red-faced as ever, and just as blighting " " That sounds good. And Albert? I looked grave. " Say, what's the matter with him? He's not —" He looked positively scared. " Yes," I answered solemnly. "Dead?" he gasped. " Worse; in love." At this he began to laugh immoderately. " Albert in love; that's the best joke I've heard in years." " But it's not a joke," 1 insisted; "it's mighty serious. Her name's Marie, and she's barmaid at the Royal Regent, King's Cross way." " And you said there was nothing doing." " But there is, quite a lot."

" Then l'v<§ just come in time. What's she like, this charmer?" " Beetle-browed, thin-lipped, boldeyed ." " Sounds good to me," he gurgled. " Nothing like old London for fun after all. But, say, have you grubbed?" " No."

" Then as I am too darned lazy to dress wti'll have a bit up here and talk, and you can tell me all about it." He rang the bell, ordered dinner for two, and shook up a drink. " I'm keen on this Albert stuff." he said, " and the beetle-browed Marie. Think she's on the level with him?"

" Doubtful if she was ever on the level with anything or anybody." " Then I guess it's up to us that she don't harm the boy." " A man in love, who thinks he's protecting beauty in distress, is not easy to deal with," I reminded him. " So that's the line, beauty in distress; old as life and always new. Ah, here's the grub." # During the progress of the meal little of an intimate nature was said, but over the coffee and smokes I briefly related the story of Rufus and Lenate, and from that gave him an outline < of my adventure with the Amazing Woman, otherwise the Countess Marina Rostov. His eyes widened. " Gosh," he said, " and to think I wasn't in on it. Comes of leaving you for a moment; never know what's going to happen. Looks to me as though we're going to be kept busy. This guy Poliski seeing tho goods."

" He is." " And so they're after Leathermouth once more," he mused. " And ypu too, if you come in on it."

" Search me," he said. Shortly after nine o'clock I rose to go. To tell the truth I was a little ill at ease about Albert, and not overwhelmingly confident of Marie's honesty or that of her employer. Presumably there was nothing to fear beyond an outburst of righteous indignation on the part of Albert, and the danger which might accrue to the landlord through it. But what if there were other influences at work p He had said the public-house was patronised by foreigners and other nondescripts, enough in itself to arouse suspicion. Wally strolled round with me to Cork Street. " Like coming home," he said as he threw himself on the sofa. " Something in the atmosphere of this room that makes a man feel glad he's alive. But what about that guy Albert? See here, Peter, I'm getting worried." So was I, especially as the clock on the mantelpiece had struck eleven and he had not returned. " Like to come as far as King's Cross, Wally?" He was on his feet like a flash. " Then wait till I change these togs." Ten minutes later we were on our way in a taxi. At the corner of Fendell Street a. man slowly approached us, hands in pockets, cigarette in mouth, hat snapped over his eyes. The recognition was mutual. Anything doing, Gregory?"

"No, sir." " Martin with you?" " Yos, sir." " Within hail?" " Yes, sir; whistle." " When did you come on?" " About seven —two or three minutes past." " See Floyd go in?" " Yes, sir." " Seen him .gome out?" " No, sir." " He could not possibly have come out without your seeing him?" " Impossible, sir." " This is my friend, Mr. Wallington." " Glad to meet you, Mr. Gregory," said Wally. " Looks as though we'll have to knock up the landlord." Gregory looked at me; I nodded. At that moment a uniformed constable appeared coining slowly along the street. As we moved toward him Gregory whispered. " It's Warnton; smart young fellow." Then he introduced me: "Colonel Gantian; head office." Constable Warnton saluted. " Been on this beat long?" I asked him. " Three months, sir." " What about the Royal Regent?" " Pretty quiet on the whole, sir." " Just going to pay the landlord a visit. Gregory, you run round and join Martin —and don't let anyone pass." " I understand, sir; very good." " Three sharp whistles and you'll know you're wanted." " Yes, sir." " What's the landlord's name, Warnton?" (To be continued dally).