THE DEATH FLIGHT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22225, 27 September 1935, Page 18

THE DEATH FLIGHT

CHAPTER XXVII EXPOSUIIM

Charles looked curiously round the long table. The council consisted of five other men in addition to Chaplin and Harris, in his character as Paul Vermand, ho had been introduced to each in turn. The irony of tho chance by which ho was extending a friendly greeting to tho men who ttero responsibly for his uncle's ruin struck him forcibly. Wing-Commander Chaplin tapped on the table for silence and cleared his throat.

" My friends,, We are all present except Bartoni and Lebcut. Bartoni should be here but we can't wait for him any longer. Lebeuf has gone down to Farnhaven to put into effect the instrucfions we gave him at our last meeting." He glanced at his watch. " By now the 1 Queen of tho Commonwealth ' will be incapable of making her flight to Australia." There was a' ripple of satisfaction among his audience. Men moved in their seats and took up fresh attitudes. Charles felt his heart sink. Ho was too late then. Whatever he discovered would be useless to prevent the tragedy. Chaplin looked round the table. " Some of you will wonder why we called this meeting to-night when everything was already arranged. I did myself. But when you know the reason you'll be glad." He felt in hia pocket and produced a heavily sealed envelope. " This is a letter from M'mselle Adrienne Dulanay who has hitherto acted as liaison between us and our ohief," he proclaimed. " I was hoping she would be hore in person, but she is a very busy woman and I've learnt never to expect her till I see her." That accounts for why he's made no inquiries about her disappearance, thought Charles. He wondered idly what had become of hef and whether as Paul Vermand he would be expected to know. Chaplin's next words brought him back to the present with a jerk. " The letter tells us who our chief really is," he went on. " I'm happy to tell you that his name's Paul Vermand and he's with us now."

He pointed a dramatic finger straight at Charles' face. Simultaneously everyone turned toward him. There was an outburst of applause. Charles felt the colour rise in his cheeks. This was more than he had bargained for. It was one thing to sit and listen unobtrusively while they explained their plans for his benefit. It was quite another to find himself lauded as the originator of those plans and the ruthless head of an International organisation of swindlers. There was a dead silence. Everyone was waiting for him to speak. He must say something. What the deuce could he say? A sudden inspiration came to him. He might use his newly acquired power to make them tell him what he wanted to know. He rose slowly to his feet.

" My frens!" he began. " This ees a great honour you do me. You overwhelm me wid your kindness. I 'ad intend to remain, what you say, be'ind the scenes. I did not know Adrienne 'ad been so foolish as to reveal me. Please I beg of you, carry on as eef I were no't 'ere, Wing-Commander Chaplin. Please outline the plans right from the beginning. Although the main idea is mine, I like to 'ear the details." He sat down again amid renewed applause. His modesty appealed to them. He might have been blatant and self-assertive. Here was truly a leader to whom thoy could look up. Chaplin readily resumed control. He liked being in the limelight. Besides, wasn't it his brain which had evolved the subtle method by which their plan was executed? " You hear what the chief says?" he remarked. " You remember his instructions to us were that the ' Queen ' should not start on her flight on the appointed day. I thought out a scheme by which that could be modified to prevent any suspicion resting on us at all. This afternoon I saw the final trial flight. The machine was in the air for nearly an hour and behaved perfectly. After she lajided, she was inspected and pronounced absolutely airworthy. Then in accordance with service custom, her tanks were filled with petrol and oil and she was wheeled into her hangar ready for to-morrow's flight." He paused and smiled with self-com-placency. " To-morrow morning she will present entirely the same outward appearance as before. A as is likely, her tanks are examined, they'll be found to be full. When her engines are run up on test, they'll function perfectly. But—" •

He laid a great emphasis on the word

" After she's flown for an hour, or perhaps an hour and a half, her engines will cut out and she'll have to land. Forced landing -with such a weight as ehe'll have on board will inevitably Snean a crash. **

How was it to be done? Charles longed to put the question, but daren't. He looked round. His companions were chuckling as though it were a huge jest. Fools! Knaves! Swine! He'd like to draw his gun and capture or shoot tho lot. Tho moment he knew the secret which Chaplin was within an ace of disclosing, he. would draw his gun! Under the table he clenched his fists. Go on, man! Go on!

" Lebeuf will have fixed it b,v this," Chaplin went on at last. "He can't possibly fail. I got him a key of the hangar door. It's a pitch black night. All he's got to do is to avoid tho sentry and slip inside. Can't you see him ? He'll climb up into tho cockpit. Then he'll. ..."

A rush of hurrying feet along tho corridor. The door opened quickly and a man burst into the room. He was short and squat with a low forehead. " We've done it!" ho announced excitedly. " But we were only just in time. Someone caught hold of me as we were leaving. I had to shoot him!" His news brought everyone to their feet. They left the table and crowded round him. Chaplin patted him on the shoulder.

" Well done, Lebeuf!" he commended.

Charles, sheltered behind tho others, glanced anxiously at the door. If this was Lebeuf returned earlier than was expected, he must get away. But the door was tho other side of the room. To reach it he must encircle the whole group. He began to edge toward it. " I'm glad you came straight here." approved Chaplin. " There's someone who wants to meet you. You remember Monsieur Paul Vermand?" He swung round toward Charles. Lebeuf took one look and tho smile froze on his face.

" That man isn't Paul Vermand!" lie denounced and his voice carried conviction.

For a moment, nobody .moved or spoke. The suddenness of the denunciation had stunned them. Charles was the first to regain his composure. Taking a step backward, he thrust a hand i»i his pocket for his gun. Before ho could reach it, his arms were seized on either side. In an instant he was the centre of a struggling, swaying mob. Mo fought with all tho vigour of his muscular frame, but sheer weight of numbers horo him down. Presently ho was on the ground, his arms and legs securely lashed.

The circle of his captors glared viciously down nt him Several were breathing heavily,' while two bore unmistakable marks of tho recent encounter.

Wing-Commander Chaplin turned to Lebeuf.

By CAPTAIN A. O. POLLaRD, V.C., M.C., D.C.M. Author of " Plrdala Island," "Rum Allay," "Murder Hlde-and-Seek." etc.. etc.

(COPYMGHT)

A THRILLING STORY OF MYSTERY, LOVE AND ADVENTURE

" You were in the nick of time," he declared. " Another half an hour and this man would have got away with every detail of' our plans. And ho had the audacity to pass himself olf as our Chief. It's a good thing for us that you knew Vermand personally." I Lebeuf smiled grimly. " You can't sec a man in the small area of a prison, daily, for a number of yenrs, without knowing him pretty well. This fellow's not at all unlike Vermand in some ways."

" Who in thunder is he?" interposed Harris. " The photograph on his passport's all right because I've seen it. I certainly thought he was Vermand." Harris was thoroughly perplexed. Charles had so satisfied liini that he was the Frenchman he represented himself to be that he had some difficulty in grasping the truth. " Who is he?" echoed Chaplin slowly. He bent down and stared closely into the prostrate man's face. "This is my old friend Cliarlos MacCallum." He stooped and picked up the spectacles which had fallen off in the struggle. "These and the beard completely altered his appearance. I must confess T never suspected him for a moment." Ho kicked Charles brutally. "You've been a bit too clever this time, my frifjnd," he declared uciouslv. "Don't forget I've already an account to settle with you."

Harris broko into a torrent of blasphemous cursing. . " Then this is the darned swine who shopped us at .Tason House," he cried furiously. In his turn he moved forward and kicked Charles heavily in the ribs. " I'll give you Mounseer Vermand, you smooth bleeder 1 You lost me my wireless. Pretending to rescue me and all the while it was a plant!" He turned eagerly to Chaplin. " What are you going to do with him, Boss? I'd like to bo the one who attends to him I" Chaplin smiled —an inexpressibly evil smile.

" When I've finished with him, Harris, there'll be nothing left for you. I quite understand your feelings, but I happen to have the prior claim." Chaplin thoughtfully stroked his chin.

"Lend me a knife somebody?" he requested, Lebeuf quickly obliged. " What are you going to do?" he 1 •''! Iv Chaplin made a gesture significant of slitting a throat. " That's what you suggested, isn't itP" he asked Charles.

He bent over his victim. Charles clenched his teeth and tried to pretend he wasn't afraid. This was the end. He had failedi His mind flew to Olive. How miserable she would be.

Chaplin seized him by the throat—then paused. "It seems almost too quick," he regretted. "Go on, Boss!" urged Harris. "Get it over with." "Stop!" A soft but imperative voice spoke from the doorway. Adrienne Dulanay had entered the room unheard. All heads turned in her direction. She siAiled disdainfully and moved slowly toward them.

Chaplin straightened his back. "Ah, Adrienne! Your arrival is, as usual, most opportune. We're about to dispose of your greatest enemy. He's dared to worm himself in here as Monsieur Paul Vermand."

She stood and gazed intently at the powerless captive. There was an inscrutable smile 011 her face. What was she thinking, wondered Charles ? Last time thej had met their roles had been reversed. He had left her, bound and gagged, to her fate. Had he not already abandoned hope of his life, he must do now. How could he expect mercy from such a woman ns she? "So they've found you out?" she sneered at the unfortunate Charles. "Monsieur Paul Vermand! And now they are going to kill you 9 '' She turned to Chaplin with rin interrogative lift of her eyebrows. " But no," she shook her head. " You mustn't do that, Eustace. No, 110, no! That pleasure must await the real Paul Vermand. It is his right!" * Her voice rose shrilly on the last syllable. The circle looked at one another uncomfortably. Chaplin shook his head. " No, no, Adrienne dear. You don't understand. We must get rid of him now. Besides the real Paul Vermand won't mind He's never seen him." Adrienne flared into a furious temper. "No, no?" she echoed petulantly. "I don't understand? It's you who doesn't understand, Eustace." She pointed a dramatic finger. "That man was responsible for Paul's arrest," she accused. "Twelve long years of hell!" She appealed to Lebeuf. "You know what that means I" Lebeuf bared savage teeth. "Bv God I do! She's right, Boss. It's Vermand's due. He must be the one to deal with the skunk." Chaplin would have protested ther, but Adrienno led him on one sic»e. There was a brief one-sided argument. Then Chaplin returned to the group. " I've decided to postpone the execution until after our plans have matured,'' he announced. "It's only a matter of two days We'll deal with him afterwards." Harris looked dismayed. "But wherever will you keep him all that time?" he objected. "It's much better to do it now and get it over with, Chief!" _ Chaplin rounded on him savagely. Hfc would vent some of his own annoyance 011 his subordinate. " When 1 give instructions I expect; them to be obeyed," he shouted. He must go down into the country wlieie the wirless is. You shall look him, Harris. And understand, vou II answer for bis life with your own. (To be continued daily)