THE GREAT LAROCHE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22820, 30 August 1937, Page 17

THE GREAT LAROCHE

THRILLING DRAMA OF SECRET SERVICE

CHAPTER IX.—(Continued) "It seems that I am under the painful necessity of losing you, my dear people," announced Larocho in his most oily tone. "This gentleman," glancing at Von Staltlieim who was standing a little behind him, "has come here tonight to take you off my hands. Aren't you curious to know your next destination, Mr. Kenton?" the speaker went on goadingly. But Renton was not to be drawn. He continued to stare not at Laroche but at the stranger. This man whom tho ox-priest was introducing was a typical specimen of tho Ronstadtian military caste; no mercy to be expected from that quarter. Larocho went on with his talk. "Since you are not interested, Ronton, I will pass on tho information to your companions, I am suro, Monsieur. Marve, that you will be delighted to know that before twentyfour hours have passed you will be in the presence of the Dictator of the groat country I serve. You are, in short, to be taken to Pe where His Excellency, Herr Kuhnreich, is awaiting you with some impatience. I had hoped—alas for Human aspirations—to have extracted the necessary information concerning your formula myself, but it was not to be. However, 1 pass you over to Major Oscar von Staltlieim—" "You fool," blazed the man standing at his back; "no names, please!" "But why," returned tho other sweetly; "you must have mado your arrangements so admirably that no hitch can possibly occur. And a good many people in England besides these three poor unfortunates are aware that you are Major Oscar von Staltheim, military attache for tho Ronstadtian Government at the Court of St. James." His listener showed increasing impatience. "Enough of this," he growled—"please send that man," pointing to the gigantic negro who had been eyeing Peter Renton with close attention, "outside to see that the coast is clear." Somewhat surprisingly, Laroche stopped his conversational flow. "I will go myself," he stated. Directly the door had closed behind tho two, the military attache held up his hand. If Peter Renton had not stepped heavily on her foot the girl would have given a shriek denoting excitement; as it was, she stared at the stranger as though, instead of being very solid flesh and blood, he had taken on tho trappings of a ghost. Renton did not speak; but his next action was eloquent enough; ho turned round and so displayed his manacled wrists.

The mystery-man nodded as though he appreciated the position, but before ho could do anything Laroche had returned. Tho ex-priest was smiling evilly. "The car is waiting," ho stated, "there is no moon and silence and solitudo abound. In short, tho conditions would appear to be propitious for your leave-taking. But, my dear von Staltheim," coming closer and staring into the other's face, "I have had a change of heart as well as a change of mind."

"What in the devil's name are you talking about now?" roared the other. Instead of replying immediately, Laroche made a sign to Kuhn, who took up a position by the door. It was not until the negro had thus constituted himself a formidable barrier to the outside world that Laroche made any attempt to explain himself. And when he did so he dwelt so lovingly on every word that he might have been said to caress the very syllables. "I said ft minute ago that I had had a change of heart as well as a change of mind. It is true; when I stood on the rn T er bank just now and saw once again how beautiful nature was, how magnificent, how elevating, how inspiring—l felt, my dear von Staltheim, that 1 must make some attempt to reform my methods and to change my life. It was a solemn moment, I can assure yon." "Come to the point," was the impatient rejoinder . "And undergoing this change of heart, I experienced also a change of mind—but I believe I have said that before. In any case, I felt how wrong it would be for me to deliver up these three defenceless creatures —who aro human beings like ourselves, my dear von Staltheim — so that they could be maltreated at the hands of tho Bonstadt Secret Police." "A traitor, eh?" "No, not a traitor, my dear von Staltheim. Call mo instead a reformed character. The brief communion I had with nature jusl now convinced me that [ had dwelt in the ways of sin too long ..." He shot a question over his shoulder. "You felt that way, too, Kuhn, didn't you ?" The hideous negro grinned from ear to ear. "Sure, boss " Laroche smiled —and to tho keenly watching Ilenton it. seemed the most treacherous distortion of tho human face that he had ever known. "In short?"' snapped von Staltheim. "In short, my dear von Staltheim, I am not going to give these three persons up to you. On the other hand 1 intend to communicate immediately with the British Government, to malto complete confession of rny previous misdoings and to throw myself on to His Britannic Majesty's mercy. I am sure—especially in view of the information I can give the British Intelligence Department, at the head of which is my old friend Sir Harkor Bellamy—that J shall be treated leniently." If he expected the other to burst into a tornado of rage ho was disappointed. On the contrary, von Staltheim became almost conciliatory. "I am afraid your change of heart has come a little late in tho day, Laroche," ho stated. "I would point out to you tho following facts. One. that you have recently committed a most serious crime on British soil —I am speaking, of course, from tho English standpoint—two, that you have a lone: record of what you call 'misdoings' against you and three, that you have in your possession a cheque signed by mo valued at over twenty thousand pounds. Moreover —and you appoar to have forgotten this point—tho arm ol Kuhnreich is long; it can reach you in any part of tho world. Have you ignored that?" , "I have ignored nothing," was the answer. "Then you still porsist?" "I still porsist." "Very well. Then, because I have to cover myself, 1 will ask you to do just one thing." "And that?" "I want you to sign a paper testifying that, although I came down hero as arranged, you refused to hand mo over tho prisoners." By this time, tho speaker had taken from a waistcoat pocket a bulky-look-ing fountain pen. "My dear von Staltheim —" Laroche got no further. A scream of agony broke from his lips. For tho fountain pen held by the supposed Major von Staltheim had turned itself

By SYDNEY HORLER (COPYRIGHT) Author of "Tiger Standlsh," "The Evil Chateau,' ** etc., eto.

into a tiny revolver loaded with an invisible but deadly gas. Tho next moment pandemonium reigned. CHAPTER X THK ESCAJPB From the moment that Peter Renton, watching the man closely, had seen the supposed military attache give him a wink, ho had been on the alert. Consequently, ho was not altogether surprised at tho dramatic turn of events. His experience as a Secret Service Agent had told him that it was generally tho totally unexpected that happened. And here, with sensation piling itself upon sensation, was yet another vivid verification of the fact. Being on the alert, ho had prepared himself for any emergency. With this result: when Kuhn, his hideous fac«» distorted by rage and astonishment, rushed forward with the obvious intention of avenging the insult that had been paid to his employer, Peter had thrust himself in the way of tho gigantic negro and. in tho absence of any other means of offence, had rammed his right knee violently into the . coloured man's stomach. Then, swerving aside, he had avoided the murderous knife-thrust that the negro had made. Kulin overbalanced, and before he could recover his footing, the bogus von Staltheim had discharged another "shot" of deadly ammonia gas into his face. With a moan, the negro collapsed. "Handy little thing this—people think it's a fountain pen." commented the man who had laid him low; "and now I have to give you my best thanks, Monsieur Renton." The speaker had changed not only vocally but mentally and physically as he said the .words. Here was a mastermasquerader. From a hard-boiled, typical Ronstadtian he had turned himself into a Parisian of the boulevards

"You must permit me now to introduce myself," ho went on. "I am Rene Jacquard of the French counter-es-pionage. You look surprised 1 I do not wonder—but there is no time to tell my story now. Later . . ." Then Jacquard turned to address the other two.

"There is still much danger, I am afraid—so wo must bo cautious," he said in a low tone; "I do not know what is awaiting us above—but you must all, if you please, look as dejected as possible. Remember, you are supposed to be my prisoners; I am taking j-ou back to Ronstadt, where you are to receive very rough treatment. Is it understood?"

"Oh, monsieur!" breathed the girl. M. Jacquard frowned. 51 "You are looking like a saint who has been saved from damnation—no, it will not do; put on a look of complete dejection, please!" "I will try.".

"And now ." He pointed to the door.

Moving cautiously, they found themselves at tho bottom of the steps leading to the deck of tho boat-house. The door of their former prison had been locked . behind them. At the last moment a hand had reached —it seemed from Heaven itself—to rescue them from their peril. Was it to be wondered at that tho hearts of the three captives were thudding as they started to cross the last barrier that lay between them and freedom. As the supposed von Staltheim —poing first —reached tho deck of the houseboat a voice rang out: "Who is that?"

"Silence, you fool!" thundered the masquerading military attache. "Hasn't your master told you who I am?"

The other hesitated. "Those three are not supposed to leave the boat," he expostulated. "Since you appear to have some doubt on the subject, go and ask Herr Laroche —he is down there."

As the man turned to go, the speaker put up his hand and seized the fellow's throat. A few seconds later the man collapsed on the deck. "I was taught that trick by n Japanese Communist," remarked Jacquard—"but now we must hurry." With the Frenchman guarding the rear, the little party safely reached the river bank. Evidently Laroclie had had so much confidence in his ability to deal with the situation single-handed that he had contented himself with taking only Kuhn into the prison room. The rest of his gang—with tho exception of the man on watcli—had been allowed to enjoy their sleep. "What about your car?" inquired Peter, remembering what Larocho had said. "I brought two cars—the first to act as a 'blind.' for the second," was the chuckling reply. Jacquard smiled more expansively: "You see, monsieur, thero will bo no waiting." As he spoke, a huge car drove up out of the darkness, and the driver got down from his seat. "It all worked out very well, Monsieur Jacquard," lie said. "Directiy the canaille from the house-boat showed up, Pierre in the first car drove off as though the devil himself were behind. I myself waited as was arranged." "Behold, the admirable Boncet," exclaimed Jacquard, introducing the speaker to his threo companions. "But now " . A minute later the high-powered car was eating up the miles between that lonely stretch of Hampshire and the Metropolis. « « ♦ • * During the first part of the journey Peter listened in an absorbed manner to the story that the French counterespoinage agent had to tell him. Apparent! v, Jacquard and the British agent Q. 23 were not only closo personal friends, but had been working together on the Marve case. Acting on the instructions of his superiors, Jacquard had been keeping an eye on the inventor and, disguised, had actually accompanied Marve to England. When news of the amazing incident at Headford Cutting had drifted through to the rest of the passengers on the train, Jacquard had instantly realised what had happened. . . , At this most interesting point, the Frenchman had broken off with a " Go on," encouraged Ronton, but the other shook his head. "I cannot tell you all my secrets, mon vieux," ho returned; and so Benton was left to conjecture exactly what had happened between the time that Jacquard had arrived in London and —so marvellously disguised as the Ronstadtian military attache—bad turned up in tho nick of tinio lit thsit lonely houseboat on tho river Hamble. Disappointed at not having all his questions answerod, Benton nevertheles derived some satisfaction from another source. This came from Elsie Norris. Tho girl had been sitting by his side during tho talk between the French secret agent and himself, and before Jacquard had concluded his tale, Peter had felt a soft warm hand supping into his. Ho turned to look at her; she had tho innocent expression of a child. " liow can I ever thank you?" were tho words that he heard. The touch of the girl's fingers on his evoked a medloy of confused emotions. Ho know now what he had been endeavouring to shut out of his mind for some time; ho stood in considerable danger of falling in lovo with this girl whoso presence in England had complicated so annoyingly the already complex situation. (To be contiaued dally) ,