THE PARACHUTE MAIL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23384, 28 June 1939, Page 23

THE PARACHUTE MAIL

GHAPTKE X.—(Continned) She began to play, without music, and in a thoughtful fashion which suggested that the music came out of her mood without any ell'ort on her part. She played like a virtuoso, as far as Peggy's littlo experience gave lier any standard bv which to measure. She was halt afraid that at the end of it the expression of her appreciation might fall into the wrong terms, and offend the picture she had painted of her musical knowledge. But it was easy to remember that she had staked her claim to be an individualist, and could therefore say what she liked, provided it was sufficiently out of the ordinary. Appealed to, directly and publicly — and for some reason she had expected no less she looked into the old woman's challenging eyes, and said: "Well, that's as good a way as any I know of getting a mood off your chest. Some write verse, some get drunk, some go to see morbid plays; the very few play mood music; the very, very few play mood music as well as that. But what happens when you want your mood back again? Can you get it?" Lady Cowle, pleased appreciative, said she believed she could. Peggy had said a Peggyisli thing with her tonguo in her cheek, and Eleanor had got away with it as a proper part of her personality, as usual. At any rate, it was a success. She still had not betrayed the fact that music, no matter how doarly loved, was a closed book to her. And she had found out, at least, if that was useful information, that the old woman was an artist of the first water. The party began to break up, and with the flotsam went Miss Vandeleur and lier escort, with the wannest expressions of affection on both sides, and hopes for an early meeting voiced with various shades of meaning, also upon both sides. ~ "Let's walk for a bit," said Peggy, as they went down the steps from the front "door of the Queen Anne house. "Let's go and contemplate Peter Pan, shall we? I want fresh air and fairies. Peter felt the same, though he did not know why. He said, as they strolled with linked arms down ono of tlio paths of Kensington Gardens: ' 4 Well, looks as if you were right. They were both 111 "And that makes three," said Peggy with deep satisfaction. "You know, Peter, our bag is mounting rapidly. Wo've got a bead 011 practically ) everything in sight—only wo daren't, fire. Still—we progress. Did you, may I ask, pay any particular attention to the fiance—Leslie Graham?" "L did." said Peter, grimly. "You don't like him. It wasn t to be expected. What offended you about him, Peter?" "His voice most, I think, and then his* swagger. And both of 'em run pretty close to his beautiful, round, fair cheeks." "Not nice—no," agreed Peggy sympathetically. "It's his beastly little plump, hard mouth I detest. But the important thing is that we know now who he is. That, my dear Holmes, is the voung man with the grey car. J hat is the surveyor of marijuana 111 the Green Scorpion —Mr. Leslie Graham, and no other."

CHAPTER XI. MYSTERIOUS MERE COLIBRI Peter stared, and snapped his fingers. "So that's it! You had so many things oil your mind this morning that I didn't bother to mention last night s doings. But J. don't mind telling you now that Bentlev, who dogged you at the Green Scorpion, reported late last night that he had failed to identify the fellow who came to your table. If Bentlev doesn't know a ciiap, he isn't in criminal knowledge." "Not vet." said Peggy, "but he vil! be. That's been the beauty of this racket. None of the big numbers in it has been known to the police at all. That's how they've kept it quiet and safe so long. But that's our man. 1 told you I'd got him, and L have. What do you suppose he is? I mean, what ostensibly does he do for "From certain remarks which he let slip," said Peter. "I gathered that he wrote —also that he had certain inherited sources of money which made it unnecessary for him to write unless he felt like it. The ordinary well-to-do dilettante, I suppose; socially popular in his small way, but nobody likely to call the attention of Bentlev and such to himself. Well, that's one step further on the way. We have his number." "Wo have more than that, haven't we?" said Peggy pensively. "Yes, I said you were right. The old woman's in it. She must be. Wby else should she take you 011 one side, and spend the best part of an hour pumping you about your background, while her granddaughter did as much with me? The idea, of course, being to reassure themselves that you really arc what you seem, and no catch in it. They can't take any chances. Well, I hope they're satisfied. We both told them the same talc, word for word." ' "I hope not word for word," said Peggy. "They'd be sure to suspect our good faith if wc did. 1 ventured to add several details as I thought of 'em. Let's hope you didn't." She looked at him with a queer little flashing smile. "Not me, 110. I stood to the agreed tale. But that's nil to the good, because you'd naturally know more about your own childhood than I should, and be able to embroider it better. Weren't We beautifully communicative?" They sat down upon the nearest seat to Peter Pan, and contemplated him with some satisfaction, and more relief. He looked completely unsinister. "But for your forethought wc should have been in a mess. What made you inspect the old woman's kind invitation?"

"It was the telephone," said Peggy, not very clearly. "I was asleep when she rang up, and I awoke quito suddenly at the noise, and my mind was —you know the feeling—brilliantly clear but not prejudiced, as it generally is in the nature of things, by any sort of knowledge or expectation. And so when she screamed over the wire, and sounded exactly like a parrot, the very first thing I thought was: 'There's a parrot ringing me up.' Silly 1 know; but afterwards, when I realised who it was, the connection stayed in my mind. "And then I thought of other things about her that are like a parrot; the bright colours she loves, and her sort of gaudy self-assertive showmanship, and even her face —the beak, and those frightfully knowing eyes of hers. And it struck me—do you remember the pleasant isle of Aves?— "The colibris and parrots they were gorgeous to behold.' "

I She said it a little shyly, for you cannot convict ancient and distinguished women of being involved in drug rackets simply because they look and sound like parrots. But its effect upon Peter was as deep and instant as she could have Wished. "I mean, a colibri is a kind of parrot, isn't it? I think Lady Cowle is Mere Colibri herself. She's clever enough, and unscrupulous enough, and masterful enough. At least, I think she's unscrupulous enough. You called her tho universal woman, as opposed to the Renaissance universal man. Well, I think you're right about her morals, too; 1 believe she's an absolute law to herself. There's something about these strong and clever natures that runs

By PETER BENEDICT 0 Author of " Day Star." "Rents Low In Eden," etc. A battle of wits where suspicion is in the air. but romance is in the background.

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both ways, and doesn't always refer itself to rules other people have made. And can yon think of anyone more likely to be deadly efficient and wonderfully secret about it, if onco she did take it up?" "1 wonder," said Peter dazedly, I wonder if you're right." s "It's only a hunch, but —well, it looks like a family affair, doesn't it? You agree she must be ill it, because of this attempt to catch us out on details. Do you suppose I'vo done anything sillv, * and made them doubtful, and that's why they wanted to test us?" . fS "No, I shouldn't think so. I imagine that a precaution like that comes quits naturally to them. They've been £0 careful about everything." f; "Then we've satisfied them?" "1 hope so. 1 think so. Thanks to you, of course. Your hunches are liablo to work out rather like second sight, Peggy." . "Jt didn't take much guessing," ssW Peggy grimly, "onco I'd grasped her identity. I thought she wanted ? to satisfy herself, I mean about my credentials; so I had tc learn up my own part; and it seemed such an obvious move for us both to get the same talc ready, just in case. But where do stand now? What do we do next.-'" ) "I've been thinking about that. Lets go back to the Malbro, shall we, 2nd think it out. Wo may want to,use the telephone." "I shan't," said Peggy promptly. 1 hate the telephone. No, iet's stay here. We're not wasting so very much time, are we? If you want to consult Scotland Yard, you can do it later to-night. Will it matter? 1 would like to stay outside for a little while. To tell the truth, that last hour has given me the creeps." ; "Of course," said Peter promptly in his turn, "we'll stay." Ho looked thoughtfully into tin; cup made by his linked hands, and began with carelid accuracy: "We worked out the probability, if you remember, that the note pinned to the parachute meant therp was to be a run on September the fifth, at location number four; always supposing, of course, that nothing went wrong at the other end to interfero with the arrangements. In which case, the continental end was to ask for fresh instructions, explaining their difficulty, of course, through one No. 4. "Now, suppose the difficulty occurred at this end, it's obvious that the same No. 4 would bo go-between for anv change of plan. Well, who makes these plans? Not one person. They have to suit the convenience of Graham, obviously, since lie's the collector; and of Corrie, who seems to hang around waiting to deal with little emergencies like you; and naturally, if we're right, of Lady Cowle, or .Mere C'olibri. "That means that if there should be a scare here, the gang would have to go into conference, and evolve a plan to suit the changed circumstances. I imagine there'd be more than the three of them present. No. 4 evidently lias an executive part, and must know the instructions if he's to transmit them. Then I think it likely there would be helpers for Graham; the responsibility for receiving a cargo only they know how big is too much for one man and one car, especially since that near shave on the moor, when lie had to abandon a part of the cargo because lie was hard pressed. "Now, of course, the head could consult only her own convenience, and issue orders on her own responsibility, but does that look like the careful soul that's kept the business flourishing for 18 months without giving away one scrap of information until now? 1 think not. No, if they get wind that location number 4 is unsafe, there'll be a solemn conclave to decido what to do about it."

"And like sensible people," said Peggy triumphantly, "they'll vote to postpone the run. Anyone would! Change the date —have it a few weeks later."

"Dear woman, for two reasons—they wouldn't. For three reasons, if you take into account their insolent pride in doing a job well against the ockls. But the two reasons are —first, that they want the stuff. This isn't the sort ol racket where you can just run out of stock, and say to your customers: 'Sorry, 110 more coke, no more opium, 110 more morphia for another month.' They can't do it; they daren't. They'd have raging fiends moaning 011 the doorsteps, and policemen coming to sec what the row was about. The lid, as I think we remarked once before, would blow off London.

"And the second reason is, that whoever is bringing this stuff to the supply depot—L should think French —from which it's flown over here, is running a terrific risk, and will certainly cut up rough if the arrangements don't run to schedule. So what? They run it on September the fifth, wet or fine, polico or 110 police. What will be changed is the place; that's what the list of locations is lor. All No. 4 will have to transmit across the channel is a new number. Agreed?" "Very well, 1 givo in. That's ftie probability, as you say. Then what?" "Then all wo have to do is find out when the conference is to bo held, and arrange to be present." "Simple isn't the word for it," said Peggy to the sky. "I should think wo could easily arrange to get an invitation, if we ask Mere Colibri about it."

Peter laughed. "1 know it sounds a tall order. But we can narrow it down a little, you know. So far guesswork seems to have got us along very neatly. Now guess 011 this. September the fifth is on a Tuesday. Now they have to transmit the new location so as to leave at least one full day's grace aftor its reception, in case there is an objection at the French end; but not too far ahead, in case there arises an objection again here at the English end. That means that the supply depot must receive their orders at latest by next Saturday. I think Friday is more likely because of posting—l can think how they would dispense with the post. That makes next Thursday, to my mind, the most probable day for the. meeting. Any amendment, partner?" Peggy said: "Supposing they meet in the evening, alter the last safe post, Or too late to get the news across by next day? Wouldn't that put them forward to Wednesday?" "It's a possibility; but, 011 the other hand, that makes it almost a week beforo the day of tlio performance, and too much can happen in a week to make them risk it if they could help taking the risk. There's ";ot to bo a scare to make them alter their plans at all; but a scare would make a new scare possible in six days. You take the point?" "It ran well in," said Peggy, gravely. "In any case, say they met at midnight, even (which isn't likely) 011 Thursday—well, thoy could got the results through comfortably for Saturday. Very well, we agree on Thursday as the most likely day. How do we raise the wind?" "Through tlio inevitable course —the newspapers Oh. no facts —only a discreet suggestion that the authorities have heard talk of a big run —110 lie, their runs are all big—to be made early in September. No exact date available, hut it is said that the place chosen for running tlio cargo is known to the police, who are now busy making arrangements for their reception. Great scoop, and all that. The papers will faithfully put over just as much as we ask them to and 110 more. And if that doesn't raise a distinct breeze, there must be something wrong with our friends' noses — which is absurd, as you and 1 know." (To bo continued daily.)