THE NOVELIST.

Otago Witness, Issue 3467, 24 August 1920, Page 46

THE NOVELIST.

[Published by Special Abrakcembhi.]

THE HOUSE ON THE RiVEi.

BY FRED M. WHITE. Author of "The Cardinal Moth," "The Crimson Blind," "The Man Called Gilray," etc., etc.

[COPXBIGHT.]

CHAPTER XV.—WRITTEN EVIDENCE.

The fine afternoon had turned to wind and storm, and the volleying rain on the window-pane rendered the dining-room of the house on the river a haven of rest not to be despised by fugitives from justice who might easily be in a far worse case. A cheerful fire bunrt on the hearth, the dinner things had been washed and put away, and the two friends were seated "on either side of a blazing fire talking over the events of the afternoon. But Quint was giving signs of being uneasy and dissatisfied. Sooth to say, the confinement of the last week or two was getting on the nerves of a man who had been accustomed all his life to all sorts of vigorous outdoor exercise. True, a certain amount of progress had been made.. They were evidently on the edge of moving events, but all this underhand diplomacy was repugnant to a man of action like Michel Quint. He sat there smoking for quite a long time whilst Somerset had been looking after the old gentleman upstairs, The latter had come back at length with the usual good report. "Do you know he is rather a wonderful patient," Somerset said. "He never seems to want anything besides his food and sleep. I never saw a man sleep like it in my life." "And a very good thing for us, too," Quint,said. "I am beginning to think he will never get any better. He may go on for months like he is now, and fade out gradually. On the whole, it's a lucky thing for the poor old chap that we turned up here. At any rate, he could never be better looked after. But never mind about him for the present. lam getting tired of all this sort of thing, Ted. Here we go on day after day with nothing happening, and I am getting as soft as putty." "Well, you get out a good deal," Somerset said.

"Oh, I know all about that. But I want to be up and doing. lam weary of these four walls."

"For heaven's sake don't do anything rash," Somerset suggested. "Just try and realise how much worse things might have been. And we haven't been wasting our time either. We know all about Enderby and Claw, and what the understanding is between them and Kent. Surely that is so much to the good?"

"That is as it may be," Quint said. "But don't forget that Kent knows where we are, and that he is in a position to give us away at any moment. He would betray anybody for a five-pound note. And you can bet your life that those two rascals are looking for him. everywhere. I grant you that he may be hiding from them, but if they can find him, they will pay his price twice over before they let him speak. You may argue that he is not likely to speak. Yon may say that it would pay Kent best to come to an understanding with us. In that case he would bs called as a witness, and not stand in the dock with, the rest. Do you see what I mean ? He will appear on our side for a consideration, and escape scot free with almost as much money as Enderby had promised him." "Oh, 1 see all that," Somerset said. "I believe that Kent wandered off. I believe that he* is still' suffering from that blow on the head, and that his memory is gone. He might have wandered away to his hiding place, but you may depend upon it that we should have heard something before now if he had made up his mind to stick to the old gang. And you must be careful. I forgot to tell you that only this morning when I was out buying provisions a well-dressed man accosted me and asked how Everard Geere was. I was alert enough to pull myself together, and reply that Mr Geere was fairly well, and fortunately with that the stranger went on. I ascertained afterwards that he was the manager of the United Bank here, where Geere keeps his account. Now don't forget that within a week or so the time comes when Geere is in the habit of calling at his bank and collecting his monthly cheque. If he doesn't do it suspicion is sure to be aroused and something unpleasant might happen. You see what I mean?"

Quint saw it plainly enough, and evidently the news was disturbing to him. He glanced at the mantelpiece where the envelope that had arrived from Claw -was standing. "YeSj I hadn't thought of that," he said.

"Now look here, Ted, desperate diseases require desperate remedies. In the circumstances I nropose to see -what's inside that letter. Get a kettle of hot water and we'll steam it open. It's any odds that we find some useful information inside."

The kettle was procured, and a minute or two later the flap of the envelope yielded to the moisture. Inside were half a dozen sheets of long foolscap paper which contained a mass of figures and which was clearly a balance sheet. From the dates it was plainly evident that the transactions related extended over a period of at least twelve months. They were complicated figures and more or less un-

intelligible to the men who were studying them.

"I can't get much out of them," Quint said. "As far as I can judge Claw is acting as agent for the poor old chap upstairs, ft?* must be so, because here,;, are dividends credited to one side of the account and payments out on the other. But ao far as my limited knowledge tells me there is no balance to come to the owner of the shares." . . . "~ "But isn't there a letter with it?" Somerset asked.

"Oh, there's a letter all right," Quint said. "A letter-•■signed by John Claw himself. I'll read it."

It was not a long letter, brief and to the point, and couched in the jargon of the city. From what the two men bending over the letter could gather the figures related entirely to American securities, mines, and trusts, and all that sort of thing. The communication went on to say that Claw and Co. regretted in the face of American labour troubles and a big fire in connection with some oil wells, that the balance on the year's trading due to_ Mr Geere only amounted to a few shillings. The letter concluded with congratulations to the effect that Mr Geere was in a position to make light of this loss, and that the firm of Claw and Co. hoped to have' a better report to make at the end of six months.

"Well, there isn't much in that," Somer set said.

"Perhaps not," Quint replied, "but I shouldn't be surprised to find that John Claw is robbing his eccentric client wholesale. It's just the sort of thing they would do with a man who shuts himself up from the world and refuses to see anybody. There is a suggestion in the letter that Claw and Co. would be more satisfied if Mr Geere would call upon them in the city, failing which Mr Claw himself would come down to the house on the river."

"Ah, that's merely a suggestion," Somerset said. "They know perfectly -well that poor old Geere is not in the least likely to drop in at Fenchurch street. "By Jove," he cried, "wouldn't it be a joke to forge the old gentleman's signature and get Claw down here? We could easily do it by copying the signature on one of the returned cheques." An"eager light leapt into Quint's eyes. "Now, that's not at all a bad idea of yours," he said. "It wants thinking out, and it may be useful. It's rather a strange thing, isn't it, that all the old gentleman's money should be in America? Hang me if I don't make a list of all those securities and ask Ennie about them. When her father-comes over here we can take him into our confidence, and if.there is anything really wrong in Fenchurch street then we've got Claw at our mercy. And if we can lay him by the heels, then Enderby goes'down as a matter of course. I'll write a note to. Ennie and ask her to meet me behind the Common to-morrow afternoon. You can wheel me up theie and leave us together for an hour or so. Even if we are watched there will be nothing unusual in the fact that Miss Barr has stopped to pass a word or two with Ker own ivncle. Here, give me a sheet of paper and a pen and ink, and I'll make a list of those securities. Anything to be doing something, old chap." Quint placed the copy carefully away in his pocket, and the conversation drifted to less personal things. It was a little later when Somerset was going round the house pirior to retiring for the night when Quint picked up a copy of the Times and began to. turn the -pages over idly. He had gone through the news earlier in the day, and was now killing a moment or two with the advertisements on the first page. He ran his eye idly down the column devoted to births and deaths, with the off chance of seeing some familiar name there, and then he proceeded to scan the agony column. Half-way down it was a brief advertisement that brought him to his feet and caused him to call out eagerly for Somerset. "What's up now," the latter asked as he came into the dining room. "My dear chap, you are actuallv excited." "I don't mind admitting it," Quint smiled. "We're getting on, my boy. The enemy is alarmed. Just cast your eye over that advertisement. If it isn't meant for vou I'll eat it."

Somerset picked up the paper and read as follows:

" 'Somerset. If Edward Somerset, of 5 Morton place, now believed to be out of England, will send his address or call at 95a Fenchurch street, he will hear of something greatly to his advantage. Claw and Co. as above.'"

"Well, ■what do you think of that, my boy?" Quint asked, excitedly. "Doesn't it speak" for itself? The hawks are scared. You might say it is a trap. I don't believe anything of the sort. They want you to call upon them and make terms. If they didn't they -would never expect you to put your head in a noose like that." "What shall we do about it?" Somerset asked. "Do nothing," Quint snapped. "Just lie low and wait for the next move. It won't be long." CHArTEPv XVI.— THE MAN AT THE WINDOW. There was something very heartening about the Times advertisement, and the two men hiding in the house on the river were encouraged accordingly. They sat over the fire a long time after they had intended to go to bed, discussing this sign of weakness on the part of the enemy and drawing all sorts of . more or less illogical deductions from the m'ass of figures which John Claw had sent to his client. But the advertisement in the Times was the thing that encouraged them most. Turn it over how they would, they could read in it signs of nothing but weakness. It seemed plain enough on the face of it that if those two wily scoundrels had found Kent and patched up their quarrel with him there would have been no occasion to spend money on newspaper advertising.

And with Somerset fully acquainted with the fact that a wai'rant was out for his arrest they would never be simple enough to believe that Somerset would step into so clumsy a lure. No, Kent was either out of his mind >. still or he had come to the conclusion that it would pay him better in the long run to keep out of the way of his late accomplices. "What we have to dp now," Quint said, "is to find Kent. No doubt he is hiding somewhere in the East End, preparing his plans, or he is still in the same mental condition as he was when he was here. It doesn't much matter either way, so long as he keeps clear of Fenchurch street. And we've got to find him, Ted; we've got to find him. How on earth we aie going to do it goodness only knows, but it must be done. Perhaps Ennie can help usi, or even Margaret. Still, we can do nothing till after I have seen Ennie to-morrow. You might go as far as the pillar box and post that letter."

On the offchance of Ennie Barr being at leisure the following afternoon Somerset got out the bath-chair and pushed his friend up to the high ground behind the Common. It was a fine, warm afternoon, just the sort of day that an invalid would bask in the sunshine, and Somerset was quite content to leave his friend there whilst he went down to the shops to procure certain goods that he and Quint were in need of.

"I shall be quite all right here," Quint said. "Don't you worry about me, old chap. Come back in about an hour, by which time I ought to be ready for you. I should like to smoke a cigarette, but 1 suppose that wouldn't be quite safe." Without taking the hint, Somerset went his way, leaving Quint'.to his own devices. It was about a quarter of an hour later before a slender figure loomed over the brow of the hill, and Einnie made ner appearance. There was no one in sight, so that she was free to pause by the bath-chair and hold out her hand to Q.i.u.*it.

"Ah, it is good to see you again, Ennie," he -said. "You have no idea how deadly monotonous it is in that little house on the river. We seem to drift on day after day with nothing done, and I am getting utterly weary of it. But there, I ought not to grumble. With a helper like you—look here, Ennie. There's nobody in .sight; don't you think you might -■ Ennie looked swiftly around her, then bent down suddenly and touched Quint's lips with her own. "There," she laughed. "And now will you please behave yourself and discuss business. Don't forget that I am an American girl who understands all that sort of thing. My father used to tell me all about his affairs, and he said that I should have made a splendid partner. And besides, you didn't ask me to come here this afternoon for the mere sake of seeing me." "Well, you can put it that way if you like," Quint said, "but I have been looking forward all the morning to the mere chance of seeing you. 'Now, tell me how things are going. Are Enderby and Claw happier?" "No, indeed they're not," Ennie said. 'I see one or other of them most days, and I am sure that there is something seriously wrong. I never saw two men so utterly miserable." "Ah, that's good hearing," Quint said. "In that case it's pretty certain that they have seen nothing of Kent. If they had then they'd be happy enough. He's still wandering about in a fog, or he's got back to his Hiding place in the East End. People do that sort of thing, I'm told, just as a wounded dog creeps back to His lair. It seems to me that we are pretty safe so far as Kent is concerned, and I begin to think he was only bluffing when he told Enderby that night at Barnes Place that he knew where we were hiding. So we'll put him on one side for the moment. And now I'll come to the reason why I am so anxious to see you to-day. Last night, to our great astonishment, a letter'"was delivered at the house on the river addressed to Mr Geere. I happened to turn it over quite casually, and, oo my amazement, saw on the flap of the envelope a medallion with the name of Claw and Co., Fenchurch street." "That must have astonished you," Ennie said.

. "Well, I ask you? Here was the man we had more cause to fear than anybody in the world actually in communication with the individual in whose house we are hiding. Of course, if Claw had known that, he would never have written the letter. But there you are; here's Claw as Geere's correspondent." "Have you got the letter with you?" Ennie asked eagerly. "Did you open it by any chance?" "Oh, we opened it all right," Quint grinned. "We steamed it open with a kettle. It wasn't exactly the right thing to do, but in the circumstances I make no apology." "And what did you find?" Ennie asked. "Well, I discovered that Claw is acting as Mr Geere's agent and transacting all his business. He evidently collects dividends and that sort of thing. But what st#uck me most strangely in the letter was the fact that there was no money to come. There were excuses about fires in oil wells and labour troubles, but no money. So, being a little prejudiced perhaps, I came to the conclusion that Claw is robbing the old gentleman." "Did you notice what the securites were?" Ennie asked. * "I saw they were all American," Quint replied. "However, I made a list of them which I have in my nocket at the present moment. My dear girl, if you are as good a business woman as you say, perhaps some of them will be familiar to you." With that Quint handed the list over to his companion, and she read it with knitted brows.

"This is very extraordinary, Michel,"' she said. "And I am quite sure you are right. These are nearly all oil and steel shares, and it so happens that my father is interested in every one. of them. Unless I am greatly mistaken, my unfortunate uncle invested in the whole group at my

father's suggestion. And I am quite certain that there have been no labour troubles in .America for the last year. And as to fires in the oilfields, rubbish! That was all very well in the old days, but those sort of things rarely happen now. You are quite right, Michel. Mr Claw has taken advantage of my poor uncle's state of mind, and is robbing him audaciously. But I can put that all right when my fatner comes over. It will only be a day or two now. : '

As soon as that?" Quint asked eagerly. ... v\ell—yes. I didn't tell you exactly the truth yesterday when I said I had asked my father to come over. As a matter of fact, I sent him a marconigram. I was so terribly anxious about you and poor Ted that I couldn't test until 1 had communicated with America. Unce my father is here you will see that things will take a different course altogether."

"And you are quite sure your father "w t uT d r Qu * nfc asked > ajudously. wont he be disgusted to discover the relationship between us? Here are you, the heiress to all those millions, carrym£ ° n - H lth a sort of athl etic pauper who might be arrested at any moment." Ennie laughed whole-heartedly. Oh, dad's a darling!" she said. "I've had my own way all my life, and when he knows the truth, and realises that my happiness is at. stake he will make no objection But, we won't go into that now Michel. I dare say you are wondering now it is that Everard Geere has most of his money invested in America. Let me tell you. Many years ago Everard Ueere went to America on a combined business, and pleasure trip, and took his sister with him. She was at least twenty years younger than he, and when she met my father they fell over head and ears ;in love with* each other, and were married. were not very rich then, but thmg s wire going well, and before long my-father was one of the richest-men in the "West. At his advice, Mr Geere invested most of his money in the very securities set out on that "list of yours, and then he went back home to be married. Shortlv after that came the dreadful tragedy on the Thames which changed the poor man's whole life. \ From that moment he shut himself up at home and refused to see anybody. He used to write to my father occasionally, but that stopped three years ago when there was something in the nature of a silly quarrel, and" Mr Geere placed his affairs in the hands of an agent in London. You can see now who the agent was. In the circumstances we can do nothing till my father arrives. But only have a little patience, Michel, and I am sure everything will be well." (< "Indeed, I hope so," Quint said moodily. "But you can't understand what all this idling means to me. If I could only get a game of golf again!" "Well, -why not?" Ennie laughed. "I can find you another disguise. A shabby suit of tweeds with a red wig and a straggling beard and moustache. 0 A pad or two in your cheeks, and you will be changed beyond recognition. I should love to come with you. It would bo a glorious joke. You could run down to Saiidmouth or something like that and come back without anyone being, the wiser. I can send you anything vou want." "I wisn you would," Quint said, wistexercise I shall break out into some madness, and the whole thing will be ruined."

"Now you must promise me not to do anything of the sort," Ennie smiled. "Why don't you go to some place of amusement? What about that film I spoke of? Get Ted Somerset to wheel you as far as the kinema in High street, where the first instalment of the series is running all the week. Why shouldn't you go tomorrow afternoon? lam most anxious for you to see it, because I believe it is the best thing.l have ever done." "I'll go," Quint said, with decison. "I'll go to-morrow afternoon. And now, as I can see my broken down man coming along up 'the hill, you had better be going." Somerset was was not in the least anxious to carry out the programme for the following afternoon that Quint and Ennie had arranged between them. But as he was always more or less wax in the hands of his friend he made no demur, and three o'clock the following afternoon saw the chair pulled up before the kinema, and Qnint, in the guise of a brokendown invalid, creeping into his seat. They sat there for half an hour or more watching a dull so-called humorous film till presently, with a flourish, the first instalment of the "Lady Burglar" flashed on the screen. They were interested enough now, for here was Ennie, a central figure, going through various hairbreadth escapes and winning triumphantly by sheer audacity. Here was the very scene in the library at Barnes Place where the safe had been burgled _at the very moment that Quint was hiding behind the window curtains.

And so it went on for the best part oZ

half an hour until there appeared an episode in a dreary street in the East, End where the lady burglar's taxi cab -vvas held up by the police, and she herself escaped by a daring bit of strategy. It was just the scene she had described to Quint, with its mean buildings and the sordid inhabitants looking on, not realising that they were watching a slice taken from a film drama. Here was a dilapidated public-house and a man with a bandage round his head loking out of a window with the keenest interest in his eyes. Then -Quint gripped Somerset's shoulder and whispered eagerly into his ear. "Look at that man," he said, "the man leaning out of the window. Don't you recognise the red hair and the foxy eyes?" Somerset almost jumped from his seat. "Kent," he murmured, breathlessly. "Kent, beyond the shadow of a doubt. But for you I might have missed it."

(To be Continued.)