MAN FROM THE AIRPORT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22982, 9 March 1938, Page 24

MAN FROM THE AIRPORT

( Copyright)

By LESLIE BERESFORD Author of " Mr. Appleton Awakes," " The Other Mr. rNortn, etc.

A ROMANCE OF THE AIR. ADVENTURE, UNWANTED WEALTH AND " THE SWEETEST STORY EVER TOLD."

CHAPTER lll.—(Continued) It looked as though the little man was about to collapse in a fit. His face was ashen in line, and liis twisted mouth lolled open, while his staring eyes had a horrible expression. Do Brissac forced him down into a chair, poured out some neat whisky, and forced some between the man's lips. He gradually recovered himself, and then sat staring at Peters, till he was sufficiently himself again to speak. "Are you really telling me that you actually refuse to claim your rights?" he asked under his breath. "If you knew as much about .John Peters as we do, m'sieur," de Brissac answered for the other, "you'd not ask that question. When he says he won't do a thing, nothing and no one will alter his mind." "Throwing away a heap of money just as if it didn't matter!" murmured the other, eyeing Peters in a dazed fashion, as if even now he could not understand him. Then, for a while, he seemed deep in thought, before suddenly coming to a decision. "Very well," he said, rising again and looking down at Peters. "And you won't do anything for me, either, after all the trouble to which I've put myself? Anyhow, somebody's got to pay for that, and I'll see to it. However—" "I appear to be wasting time here," he went on, turning to go. "All tho same, just in ease you may think better of it and change your mind, I'll be at the airport hotel, Air. Peters. If you're not really as mad as you seem, you'll look in there before the air-liner leaves in the morning." He walked unsteadily down the dining-room and passed out into the night. "If ever I've seen a filthy piece of work, that was one!" O'Gorrigan said, with a grin. "A sadly disappointed man," Peters laughed. "He'd got it all so neatly weighed up. I'm sorry I didn't ask him just how much he wanted for himself out of the estate —" "Listen," interrupted do Brissac. "Aren't you being a bit silly over those millions, brother? If they're yours by right, why not claim them? You're a queer fish. How is it you never told us anything about all this?" "Because, Pierre, I've done my best to forget it, myself," answered tho other. "There have been many times, when things were going badly, I've been sore tempted to get the law working on what proofs my father left with me when he died. He didn't want me to claim, anyhow; said it was tainted money and wouldn't do me any good," "Sure, and I wouldn't care for good or bad, if there was a few millions round a corner waiting for me!" chuckled O'Gorrigan, and then leaned toward Peters. "Which reminds me, boy," he said. " 'Tis a mighty queer thing you're doing, turning down that fellow, even though he may be a filthy piece of work. Have you forgotten that you've only just chucked yourself out of a job?" "Ay!" intervened de Brissac. "I'd come near to forgetting about that, with all this other excitement turning up. What's happened between you and Hughson then to cause the smash-up?" "Let's get away to my quarters, boys, and I'll tell you," Peters replied leading the way. As they moved through the soft, warm night, and were passing the brilliantly lit portal of the hotel, two figures approached them, making for the hotel. A small weekly dance was being held there, and the strain of a dance-band drifted out through the open windows. The light from these showed Peters that the two people approaching were Rose Hughson and her father. The girl pretended not to see Peters, while her father clearly did not do so. His face had a curiously haggard expression, and his staring eyes had a worried look, as he turned into the hotel. "A queer bit of news came my way about Hughson, I must tell you two," de Brissac said suddenly, as though sight of the man brought the matter to his mind. "I brought a little Jew fellow here from Toronto three days gone, and he was with Hughson in that hotel having drinks quite a while. I was needing a word with Hughson myself, and so was hanging around to catch him when the little Jew fellow had done with him. "Well, I got fed up in the end, and went to the mess for a bit,' he went on. "In about half an hour I thought I'd see if they were still there, and 1 came on them in the dark just near the hotel. They were quarrelling like the devil, and I couldn't help hear the little Jew telling Hughson he knew what was coming to him if he didn t find the money soon. Hughson sounded as if he were in a dead funk, saying he d a plan to get it." , "And tnat, Pierre, may be behind what's been going on between Hughson and me," Peters said. "He confessed to ine to-night that he was desperately in need of money." "The devil he did!" laughed O'Gorrigan. "You're not after telling me that he was wanting you to find it for him? He'd some hopes!" "False ones, certainly," Peters responded as they passed into his quarters. Here, in as few words as possible, he recounted the facts behind that night's interview with Hughson, and his renewed attempt to join partnership with Peters over the invention. "How he got to know about it is more than I can understand," Peters said in conclusion. "I'm sure, apart from talking to you two about it, I've kept it dark enough. The only other person who had any idea about it from me is that German mechanic in the repair shops, Kraus. I had to get him to make a little model of one of the parts for me." "And Kraus is a regular yes-man, where Hughson is concerned," de Brissac nodded. "That will bo it, sure enough, nion ami. You must have let Kraus know sufficient for him to have been impressed, and no doubt lie curried favour with Hughson by giving him a hint about it. And Hughson, pushed for money " O'Corrigan rocked with laughter. "That's two fellows you've done out of money this very night, and good luck to you! All the same, since you've sacked yourself from this outfit, John, it looks as if you're going to bo pushed for money as well." "Gnn't'help that!" Peters shrugged. "Fortunately, I've enough laid by in the bank to hang on for a while. About —well, let me just have a look at my pass-book " As he crossed to the desk at one side of the room, lie uttered a sudden little exclamation of surprise, then turned to the others: "Say. it looks as if someone's been having a good rake round here, boys. Just come and cast your eyes over this." It was quite obvious that the officedesk had been ransacked. It looked as if the person who had done it must have feared interruption, had hurried away before he was able to tidy things up and so conceal hiß visit. One of the

drawers had even been left open, with its contents all over tho place, and even on the floor. "Funny that 1 didn't notice this when 1 came back from to-day's trip," Peters pondered, then added: "Unless, of course, it was done since, while the three of us were talking to that little blighter from London. Anyhow, whoever's been here must have wanted to find something. It couldn't be money " "Those blue-prints " do Brissno suggested, and Peters nodded, then laughed. "If so, they've been disappointed," he said. "That's the very last place where I'd he likely to leave anything so valuable." He moved toward the bathroom, the others following him, and stood for a moment fingering the mirror in his shaving cabinet. The glass came away, and from behind this he brought out some papers, which lie showed the others with another little laugh. "My blue-print designs are safe enough, anyhow," he said. "And they're the only things likely to bring anyone in here raking through my belongings." They began now to examine his quarters thoroughly, and everywhere they found signs that the place had been tinder rigorous search. "The hand may be anybody's," said Peters grimly. "Possibly that of Kraus. But I'll bet my boots the voice is the voice of Hughson." "The sooner you and those blueprints get well out of Hughson's hands, mon cher, the better," de Brissac observed. "This very night," said Peters. "I'm going to pack right away." "And where will ye be after going, Mr. Streak-of-greased-lightning?" asked O'Corrigan. "New York, I guess. That's as much as my money will run to, if it's to keep me going any while. I'm not keen on selling that idea of mine to the Yanks, but it's the only thing to be done. I'll be no time finding a market thero, that's a certainty." "Says he, having just turned down several million pounds!" laughed O'Corrigan, and then was serious. "Listen here, John. Why not let me go over to the hotel and tell that nasty piece of work that you'll stretch a point, after all, seeing that there's so much lucre waiting for you in England, and it does seem a pity to waste it?" "Never in 3'our life, Dan!" he refused point-blank. "What do 1 want with millions, and millions I haven't oarned ? No. Let their present owners keep them. I make my own money, or go without it. I'll get it all right out of this idea of mine." "My only regret is leaving you two fellow's," he added, a little emotionally, somehow only now for the first time having realised that this was one price he must pay because of the decision he had made. "Forget it." de Brissac surprised him by laughing. "You simply can't do that on me, anyhow. Because, wherever you go —well, I'm going there too." "And that counts for me too," the Irishman chuckled. "Do ye think Dan O'Corrigan would be staying here, after what Hughson's tried to do on you to-night? Not while there's a drop of Irish blood in him! Like Pierre, I'm with you when you walk out of here, or fly, or whatever it may be in the way of transportation." Peters, deeply moved and surprised, was unable for a moment to speak. Then lie could only protest. "I can't have you two doing that, just because of me," he told them. "You, O'Corrigan, especially. You're senior pilot here —" "All the better for the man who takes my place." "As for me," de Brissac turned to Peters. "It is no good trying to persuade me to stay. On the contrary, if it hadn't been for you two, L should have chucked this job long since. I could easily afford to do it. I have money. Besides—"lf* I've any say in the matter, it won't be to New York we'll go, either," he added. "That's not the place to plant that idea of yours. What's wrong with London?" "Can't afford the risks of going so far," Peters answered. "Let me find that pass-book of mine, and show you—"Show me nothing!" de Brissac interrupted, laving a detaining hand on his arm as ho was moving; again toward the office desk. "Now, listen," he said. "I've told you that I've plenty of money. What's more, I've long had it in mind to trip over to Europe. I want to look up some relatives of mine in France. It wouldn't do O'Corrigan any harm either to have a look at Ireland —" "And maybe it might!" O'Corrigan chuckled. "There's people in old Ireland that would be after shooting me soon as they caught sight of my face. No. I bar Ireland. All the same, the idea of going to Europe is good. It pleases me." "Then that settles it," said de Brissac, and turned to Peters, who still looked doubtful. "What's the matter with you, mon ami? You can chuck away a fortune that rightly belongs to you, yet you don't seem to fancy having a friend offer to help yon out of a tight corner?" "You know it's not that, Pierre." Peters retorted emotiojially. "I'm just staggered a bit over you two good fellows turning in safe jobs for the sake of going along with me. It's so fine that 1 — "It would be a deal still, boy, if you remembered that we've all got thirsts," O'Corrigan said. "We're not leaving any of that good liquor of yours behind, so let's get busy drinking to this trip to Europe we're taking at five minutes' notice." In the early hours of the morning, the three of them entrained at Otterbridge station. It had been decided that the crossing should be made by sea as a pleasant contrast to their usual mode of travel. Besides, they were anxious to get out of Otterbridge so soon as possible. A hint as to the reason was given presently, tis tho train carried them away, by O'Corrigan, shaking with laughter in his seat. "I'd give a good deal to be able to see that divil, Hughson's, face," he said, "when ho finds to-morrow that three of his pilots have hopped it in the night, and left no address behind them. Anyhow—here's to London and a bit of good luck!" CHAPTER IV. fohtune's daughter At tho road-house, known as "The One-eyed Moon," nobody was at all interested in the fact that the moon had travelled most of its course. The night might have been very young. The road-house was not only the very last word in elegance and extravagance, but it had also acnuired a reputation which bordered on the scandalous. On cross-roads in a delightfully wooded part of Hampshire, the slender buildings of this fashionable pleasureresort gleamed white against the dark green of the countryside. In the sheen of the late summer moon, its gaily-lit terraces and gardens and shining swim-ming-pool were sheer artistry in design. They were alive and noisy with those members of the Mnyfair set to whom money was of small account, and with whom night was of greater importance than the day. At the swimming-pool lithe white shapes of women were clad in gay swimming suits, flashing provocatively in and out of the water like porpoises, or lounged with their companions on the cool white marble bankings. (To be continued daily)