THE MARBLE KEY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2728, 27 June 1906, Page 89

THE MARBLE KEY.

By John Robinsox. (For the Witmss.) , Some years ago I comi .enced business as a private detective. My name. John Bricknell, has been erased from the window of the premises I have long ceased to occupy. It was only after the expenditure of much time and money that the fact was brought home to me in all its force that I was a failure. I was described by my enemies as the "detective who directs nothing," and, in truth,

they were not far from the mark. In all the cases I had ever handled, £.1 bungled, I had done little more than acquire a reputation for gross stupidity. Yet it was not from want of desire that I was a failure in the profession I had chosen, as it was one of my greatest ambitions to obtain in real life the results which Sherlock Holmes obtained in fiction. During the last years in which I carried on business I had reason to congratulate myself on having a private income, as I do not think I could have subsisted on the fees accruing from cases which never came. One morning, after having commenced the business of the day — which constituted the sweeping of the office and sitting down to wait for clients, — a knock came to the door, and following the knock came a middle-aged gentleman, who Handed me his card, upon which was inscribed "Joseph P. Dolmann." Mr Dolmann's name was well enough known to. me as belonging to a prominent member of the Stock Exchange. At my request he seated himself and at once commenced to communicate the business which had brought him to me. " I have been very much upset," he said, " by numerous annoyances of which I have been, the object, and, l had made up my mir.d to consult the police at once. My servant, however, strongly urged me to come to you." I confess I was both bewildered and pleased at the idea of anyone recommending me. So pleased was I that'l almost began to believe myself a really sharp man. However, I merely bowed and requested my client to continue. " Some twelve months ago,"' he went on, "my brother, who had spent the greater part of his life travelling in Europe and Asia, died in Naples, arc], as I am his nearest living relative, his property naturally came to me. Among the articles -which came was a marble key, which was supposed to belong to one of the secret chamber's of the Catacombs. In a* communication apart from his will he made special mention of this ancient relic. He had found it, he said, whilst exploring the Catacombs, and since it had come into his possession no effort had been ■ spared to deprive him of it. Among the* most persistent of his persecutors he warned me particularly, against one Vandular, who, he sdd, would move heaven and earth to possess himself of this key. I paid no further attention to the warning, thinking l'>at whatever may happen on the Continent I was 'safe' enough in England. Think ing thus, I placed the key among some other relics which came in the same manner on a settee in the drawing room. I was soon compelled to remove it, however, as one evening, when there was a party at my house,' I caught red-handed a guest, with -whom I became acquainted a short time before, in the act of purloining it. He made the excuse that he was a collector and his love of such things made him forget himself. With this I was perfectly satisfied, but I removed it to my bedroom. One day, returning home unexpectedly, and having occasion to go into the bedroom, I found a man who had been engaged to do some paperhanging in some of tlxe rooms with the key in his hand. The man was so utterly confounded by my sudden appearance that he dropped the key and fled from' the house. Since then my house has been burgled three times, and from the fact that in each case nothing of value was taken, I came to the conclusion thai the .key alone was sought. To prove this I gave it out that I intended to carry it on my person, and one night, while returning from a. function in the city, I was attacked by two footpads, who searched me thoroughly, taking only some loose coin from my trousers pocket. 1 communicated with the police, But with no result. Finding all attempts unsuccessful, Vandular, for I surmised it was from him all these annoyances emanated, came in person to interview me. When the maid told me he wished to see me, I could not resist the temptation of having a look »t my hitherto secret persecutor, and granted his request accordingly. I expected to see a foreign-lookiug man, an elderly man, or at least someone altogether different from the man who entered. He did not appear to be more than 20 years of age, though, of course, I knew he must have been much older, while the care he bestowed upon his dress marked him down as the veriest fop. His hair was dark and clustering, his face pale, smooth-shaven, and oval, with something suggestive of the student about it. The innocence of his appearance was dispelled by two great, piercing eyes, which you could hardly credit belonging to a human being. They seemed to give everything else connected with him 6iich a ■wolf-in-sheep's-clothing appearance _£hat I don't mind confessing to you that I was more than a little afraid of him. He commenced to speak of his business almost as soon as he entered, with the air of a man who does not believe in beating about the bush. "My business can be explained in twelve words," he said. '"It is simply this : You have a marble key. I want it. Can I get it?" "Why do you want it?"' I asked. "That is strictly my affair," he answered. "Can I get it?" "No," I answered in, turn ; "you can't." ' "I am willing to pay you more for it , than you will ever gain by keeping it. F<> you it is nothing more than au ancient relic, a curiosity. To me it is the means which will bring the work of a life- , ;ime to a successful issue. I will give you ive inmdred pounds for it.' j "Do you call five 4jundied pounds the nice of a life-fime's work?" I a&ked dryly. . "No," lie replied. "But as you have 10 knowledge of -its value, and as you . lave no means of putting its value to the est if you had that knowledge, and. again, j is I have all these things, I think I have ( nade you a fair offer.'' 1 "If I were in need of monex," I re- 1

i marked, "I would undoubtedly consider r your proposal ; but as I am fairly weili to-do, I prefer to keep the key." He looked at me fixedly for a- moment, ' and then said : "You are a very foolish man. I have ' made- this offer out of respect for you as the man in possession, and you have declined my offer. When you come .to' con- | eider that I have spent years searching for this key, having followed it practically throughout the Continent, and as the possession of it means, as 1 6aid before, the successful result of much laborious research, you will understand that I am not likely to be baulked by your refusal." "When you found you could not obtain it by employing burglars and footpads," I replied, with some heat, "you come, as a last resource, to get it honestly." He merely brushed an imaginary speck of dust from his immaculate cuff, and replied. , _ "Those men were fools. They were tempted by the careless manner in which you left the thing lying about. As a matter of fact, I did not know of the occurrences till this morning, having only arrived in London last night. You can count, however, on the duel commencing between us frorn^ the present ; and, moreover, you can count on it being a short one, for I will spare neither pains, money , nor life itself to attain my end." ' Before I could reply he was gone. This was three days ago, and last night , my office m the city was broken into, though as before, nothing was taken. You ese • he did not waste much time commencing operations, so I took my man's advice to come to you. And here I am. My client threw himself back in his chan- with the air of a man who has discharged an unpleasant duty. "I suppose you have no objection to answering a few questions?" I asked. "On the contrary," he replied, "I wish to give you every information which you think will assist you.*' "Of what nationality is Vandular." "In his warning letter, my brother says he is known as the "' man from nowhere. 1 He appears to be .wealthy, but his wealth is like everything else connected with him— a mystery. The - people who are intimate with him appear to %c in deadly fear of him, and consequently they would not give much information, if they could." "Have you told anyone where you keep the key at present?" "Only my wife. After- the first persecutions, I have hidden it behind a loose 6tone, halfway down - a disused weH, at the rear of the house." I could clict no further information that was likely to be of service to me, so ■ 1 contented myself with journeying with Mr Dolmann to his office, arid examining it for myself. Needless to say, the only thing I learned was that tho place had been broken into — a fact I was aware of before I went at all. I spent the afternoon fruitlessly trying to gain some information concerning Vandular. and in tho evening returned' to my office to try and think out some plan of action. I had not been thero long when, for the second time in that day, a knock came to the door. Two knocks in one day. Business was surely jking up. My second visitor proved to be a respecta.Je serving man, who told me I was wanted to investigate a murder case in the West End. His master, Captain Fitzmaurice, had sent for me, and a coach was waiting outside to convey me to the scene. Would I go with him? Of course I would, and glad of the opportunity, though I did not tell him of- my gladness. We Mt the office, and entered a closed coach, in which we were soon whirling through a maze of streets. It was quite dark, and a great fo<» was beginning to fall over London. I would have opened the window in order to see in what direction we were goin<», but the damp chill of the night air _pre-vc-nted me. In due time we drew up, and my companion requested me to alight. On my complying, he at -nee led the way into the house. Passing along a corridor, he showed me into a handsomely furnished drawing room, telling me at the same time to make myself comfortable, and that his master would be with me in a moment. I availed myself of. his invitation, and seated myself in front 'of the firc x glad of the chance of warming, myself /after coming out of the cold night' air in the' streets. I had not been seated thus long : when, turning my head to one side,- I ! observed the shadow of a man on the j wall. Quickly rising and turning my I whole body, I saw a man standing in ' the centre of the room quietly reg-uvj-ng me. He was very young, little more than a youth in fact— at least, co I judged from my first glance. He was tall, slender, and dressed in the height of fashion. These things I barely noticed, as my whole attention was givrii to his eyes, which were very large, and which glowed like ;i rat's in the darkness. He seemed well pleased with the impression he made upon me, for in a soft, good-natured voice ho bade me resume my seat, seating himself also in • a chair, which he drew tip opposite to mine. "I must Under you my sincere apologies,"' hf> said, after he had ensconced himself in his chair. " for entering the room so unceremoniously ; but, you know, the bard has it that all men aie actors, and 1 wauled an undisturbed view* of the man I am soing to deal with before ho steps upon the sta^e." j "You are Captain Fitzniaui ite, then'. 7 ' I said interrogatively. "To be more explicit.' 1 he answered. " 1 was Captain Fitzmaurice. At piesent 1 am Vandular." Had a thunderbolt, fallen at my feel [ could not have been moie astonished, md yet. as I looked at him. 1 «-aw he tallied in eveiy feature with the description Dolmann had given me. "Why have you brought me here by false pretences when 1 never heard nther of your names before?"' I a&ked :iim. " Tut, tut ! Now we are commencing

to act," he returned. "I brought you to Captain Fitzmaurice, because- 1 did not think you would come' to Vaudular, and now that you are here I waht you to tell me all that passed betwesn^ou and Mr Dolmann. this moinirig:" : jf:<n ' Tr "I shall tell you nothing of' the sort," I answered hotly. " What" must ' you think of me if you fancy I would betray the trust of a client?" .;. • <-. "Frankly,", M returned^ dontt think 'much of^ou. I had\b.een Mif Dolmann I woiild "nob. have called uponi you this morning. See here, you.* fool,"he went on, '• do you think, if^ou wjerenot the -^greatest ass. 'ln. L'ondon j:J ~Dolmann's servant (who is ' alsa my ."agent) would have recommended hi? master to . go to you? I knew it was useless,? after my first attempt, to continue trying- todeal with him, for he is a stubborn-Tool. I knew he would go to you if he were recommended because you are a -private detective, and X knew he would tell you where he has hidden the key. That done, I . knew I had only to deal with you, and, as .1 have successfully dealt; with fools all my life I predict a successfulending to this affair." ' „ _.<■' ;-•«, ? - I rose- from my chair with the intention , of leaving the house, saying at the-.sJttne time; "J shall no longer stay here..to^ be , insulted.". • ' .-, *,„ ■ * : Keep your seat," he commanded," "or I - will 'shoot you. where you stand." .. _- As if to emphasise his words, he drew a revolver from his pocket sapd pointed it'atme. I again resumed" my seat, at which he remarked, "I see yotf s^e not such a fool after all, as you evidently believe in a whole skin." Then he continued in -a kinder tone, "I ' am not bloodthirsty, but" your life would be of little moment to mo if you persisted * in impeding me, and I warn you, you shall not go from this house till you "give md " the information I asked for. . In return, I will pay you- five hundred pounds (the sum Dolmann was stubborn enough to refuse). If you refuse, I will shoot you in'youv chair. I would- rather not do that, but- I impose it as a penalty fpr disobedience.". A great idea took hold of me. I would tell him a falsehood concerning Ahe hidingplace of the key, and then I would be able to warn my client. His next words, however, dispelled the idea. "You will be detained here till I can investigate; and woe betide you if I" find you have humbugged me. Now, the^biding place, where is it? Tell me." Seeing that resistance was useless, I told ' him. . , - ■ • . "When. I have satisfied myself of- -the truth of your information, I will pay nr<r hundred pounds, as promised, and I can assure you that you will never regret" what you liave' done to-night. You have done the world', as well as myself, a groat ser- ' vice. The deceased Dolmann - knew v the •" key belonged to a chamber in the .Cate • combs, ' but only I. have the manuscript* which could guide the searcher to ' the place. The Iq6t 20 years of my life' bare been spent searching" for, those .guides; and the only thing remaining V> make my discoveries complete is the inarblo key. Onca that key is in my possession, I will show the world works of ancient sculpture and ' art such as has not been seen since ancient tinres. I must now request you to follow me to the- place, where -I will detain -you til) I can test the truth of what you have' tcftd me." I arose and followed him to the door. I had hardly crossed the threshold when I found myself in the graap of powerful arms, a cloth saturated with chloroform was pressed against my mouth and nos- s trils, and I felt a choking, suffocating sensation, after which I lo3t consciousness. When I returned again to the things of the -world 1 , I found myself lying on the little lounge in my own office. Beside me on a chair lay a. scaled envelope. More dead than alive I. brought myself to a sitting posture, ami, taking the envelope, broke the seal. It contained £500, 'he 6iim promised me by Vandal ar. Gradually the events of the former night — for ifc was now broad day — came back to' me*; and ' as I glanced at the notes in front ' of me I knew that, Vandular had been successful". My surmise' was soon proved correct be- , yond question. Almost at tbo'santc mqjpent •• there came a-: knock at ths' door. Hastily • putting the ;not«s out- of sight, I >pene«J :t: t to admit no lees a person Iha.i M*. 801-. mamv "He has got ifc in spite of all,'* li£' eaid as soon a3 he entered. "Who has got what?" I aik»d, dissembling as wril as I could. "Vandulnr has got the. key," he _'cplied '"I went down the well this nurm-jg <•' assure myself that it was all right, and when I removed the stone this is what I found instead of the koy." He handed me a piece of jWp-or, uri n which was written: "You have meavsured sworJs with me and 10.l. — Vaniiular." "How lie found out where ifc was is more than I can tell,' he resumed. "I" half believe there is 6ome truth in tie ltimour on the Continent that !u is in league with the devil." ' I exures&xl my jcjiefc to Mr J7.)imann *o: his loss as best I rould. f aid nni, Ml him by what means the hidin; tl.iee : f his key had been discovered. I don't think it would have made biai any happier. MOTHER NATURE, M.D. Wlieu sufferinp from a. cough or oold yotT want to take Chamberlain's Cough Remedy. It acts on Nature's plan by loosening 1 th© cold, relieving the lungs, ami making expectoration easy. Pleasant to take, safe, anil always euros. For sale by all chemists and storekeeper^ — Bread and bull •:■ I. '.!<<* food for mufrular work, according,- to Dv E. F. Willoughby. Tho perfect diet for tboso who are neither faddists nor teetotalers is Boz ■>f cookrd meat, 240z of bread, Boz of potatoes, 2oz of checso. 2oz of bacon, 'loz of bul t<jr f half a pint of milk, and one pint of beer per d^cin. Green foods arc desifr able additions to any diet.