THE DECEPTION.

Otago Witness, Issue 3911, 26 February 1929, Page 81

THE DECEPTION.

By

John Anthony.

(Copyright.—For the Otago Witness.)

Murchison knew the whole truth of the Wendover pearl case, and officially, he cleared the matter up. In spite of it, he obtained very little satisfaction from the affair.

The message came through in the early part of the evening, and the chief asked him to go round to the big house near Belgrave square. “ Nouveau riche,” he said explanatorily. “ Pearls are missing. She seems to have left them about as if they were worth about tuppence.” “ Wendover? Is that the newspaper chap? ” “ Yes. There’s a chance for a cheap advertisement in it, or a thorough cursing,”—the chief smiled his disarming smile—“ Good luck anyway,” he added.

Ten minutes later Murchison was admitted to the house in Arbrook street. The elderly manservant glanced at him curiously when he announced his identity. “ I’ll tell Sr William,” he said Sir William Wendover proved to be a much pleasanter man than Murchison had anticipated. He had those quiet grey eyes which, instinctively, one can trust.

“ So you’re fi'om the Yard,” he said, with a smile. “ I’m afraid you’ll find it rather a hopeless business. But perhaps you’ll be able to get more out of my wife than I could. I’ll ask her to join us.” “ Very good, sir.”

Lady Wendover was years younger than her husband. Her youth was not far behind her, and she had retained most of its considerable beauty. She was a striking blonde with level, hazel eyes. She was obviously upset and, Murchison thought, excited. “ I’m so glad you’ve come,” she said impulsively, the moment her husband had introduced Murchison. “ I’m very worried. I left the pearls on my dressing table this evening, meaning to put them on. I had not been downstairs 10 minutes before I noticed I was not wearing them. I went back at once, but when I reached my room they were not on the dressing table where I had left them, and I could find them nowhere.”

“ Perhaps, Lady Wendover, if you would answer a few questions,” Murchison suggested, “ we should get at what happened more clearly. The pearls, I take it, were locked away until you took them out before dinner ? ” “ Yes,” she said, “ in the case where they always are.” “ Were you alone-when you took them out, or was your maid wth you? ” “ I was alone. I don’t usually have a personal maid.” “ We have not always lived in Arbrook street, inspector,” Sir William pointed out; he was a man not ashamed of his humble origin.

“ You had actually taken the pearls from their case? ”

“ Yes. And for some reason I left them on the dressing table instead of putting them on at once . . . and then I forgot them.”

“You remember doing so? It isn’t possible that you put them on and dropped them on the stairs?”

“ I’ve looked—l’ve looked everywhere.” “ They were valuable, I understand ? ” “My husband paid £2OOO for them.” “ Perhaps I may see your room, Ladv Wendover?” Murchison asked, after a silence.

“ Certainly.” She led the way from the room and the two men followed her.

Lady Wendover’s bedroom was on the first floor. It was a spacious room, beautifully furnished in the modern style. On each side of the big dressing table were tall French windows opening on to a balcony. Both were slightly open. Murchison crossed to the nearest one. It overlooked the street at the end of which was the glare of Piccadilly. Immediately below was a tiny garden, or rather a tiled forecourt, with flower boxes and vases. It was not more than four feet wide. A low-, green, wroughtiron railing separated it from the pavement.

With the aid of a flash lamp lamp, he closely examined the window ledge, which was only three inches above the floor level. He made no remark, but crossed to the other and inspected it with the same care.

“ It was quite dark when you left this room, Lady Wendover?”' he asked suddenly. Yes. At least, I think so. I had the light on, of course.” “ The road is almost deserted now. I suppose you didn’t notice then ? ”

“ No, I didn’t. There’s a pipe by the side of that window, but no doubt you saw it ? ”

“ Yes. It would be possible, if it would support a man’s weight—which is doubtagile climber to get up it.

The difficulty would be for him to do it unobserved. There’s a lamp not 20 yards away. But the peculiar thing is that there are no traces or marks at all. The layer of dust on the outer sill is undisturbed.

. “ You suspect the ‘ cat-burglar ’? ” Sir William asked. He had not spoken since they came into the room, but had watched his wife and the detective with those quiet eyes of his. “ What about your servants? ” Murchison asked, without answering the question.

“ They are, in my opinion, entirely above suspicion,” said Lady Wendover. “It was someone from outside.”

“No one,” her husband pointed out, “is entirely above suspicion. I’m not, for example. I’m a very likely person to have taken them. For one thing, no one would sitspect me.” He spoke seriously, almost solemnly. “ I’m not feeling very like joking, Will,” said Lady Wendover. “ Of course you’re not, dear,” he said. “ But I wasn’t joking—altogether.” “ What servants were in the house ? ” Murchison asked.

“We were dining, out; the only servants in the house were the butler, who admitted you, and' his wife—the cook, an elderly married couple, entirely, in spite of what Sir William says, above suspicion. I should hate them to be suspected.”

You would rather I did not question them ? ”

“ I would. Really, I would. I’m certain that no matter how careful you were, they would be upset.” I shouldn’t be, if the inspector were to cross-examine me,” said Sir William. Of course, you wouldn’t. You’re not a servant. And it’s absurd to think that you would have taken them. If you’d wanted them, all you had to do was to ask for them.”

Do you think anyone could have climbed up that pipe in a well-lighted ftreet, without making a mark and without attracting the least attention, Sir William? ” “ No. As you said, it is possible, but that’s about all. The fact that it does not look as if it would support a man would put anyone off. And why should he choose the one night when the pearls are left out? ” “ Did you switch off the light when you went out, Lady Wendover? ” “ Yes. I always do.” “Was it off when you came back?” I think.so. Yes, I’m sure it was.” “ If you don’t mind. I’ll examine the back of the house. It is possible that an entry was forced that way, and the thief entered this room through the door.” The examination proved fruitless; so did Murchison’s inspection of the little forecourt.

“ I am quite satisfied,” he said at the end, “ that the house has not been entered from the outside. It must have been someone who entered the room in the ordinary way.”

“ But the ‘ cat burglar ’ ” Lady Wendover insisted. Murchison shook his head.

“ There are no marks at all,” he pointed out. “ A man climbing up by the aid of that pipe must have left marks on the bricks and mortar, have left traces on the sill when he pulled himself up to it. And, as you see, anyone passing by, or looking out from the houses across the road, must have seen him. The risk would have been too great. You would still prefer that I should not question your servants? ” “ I do,” said Lady Wendover stubbornly. “ Both are entirely above suspicion. I would rather they were not upset.” “ You make it veiy difficult for me,” said Murchison. “As you see, there is nothing whatever to go upon. Your servants might have had visitors; casual visitors—window-cleaners, say,—might have been employed during the day; there are many things that might have happened.” “ I don’t see why it should upset them,” said Sir William again. “It isn’t that we suspect them. It is obviously the inspector’s duty, as well as his wish, to examine them.”

“ Very well, then,” said his wife resignedly. “ I will ring for them.” . Rabbidge, the butler, and Mrs Rabbidge, his wife, proved to belong to the type that Murchison had expected. He could tell at a glance that they had not consciously been parties to the robbery. He put a few questions to them which ere answered simply and satisfactorily. Neither had had occasion to come to the first floor for several hours past; there had been no visitors or casual workmen. The other servants had not been in the house since three o’clock, and during that time neither Rabbidge nor his wife had left it. Within five minutes of their entry. Murchison said : “ Thank you very much ; that is all I v-tqV, to ask you.” “ Needless to 6 ay, Lady Wendover, you have made an exhaustive search for the missin- pearls?” Murchison asked, as the servants left the room. “ I have looked everywhere. I remember distinctly taking them from the case —there is the ease, on the dressing-table, as you saw, just as I left it.” ; “ The whole thing is curious. I do not see how they can possibly have been stolen if we rule out —as, I think, we must —the possibility that the Rabbidges have taken them.” “ Then where are they? ” asked Sir William. “ They were insured, of course?” “ They were not, as- a matter of fact,” said Sir William. “ In any case, you do not suggest -that I am endeavouring to defraud the insurance people?” . “ I suggest nothing of the kind,” said Murchison coolly. “ I asked the question for the reason that I thought you might have had considerable difficulty if they had been insured.” ’ ■

“ They were only worth about six guineas.” said Sir William.

“What?” Lady Wendover demanded. (( Six guineas,” her husband repeated, “ The originals are in the safe at my office. They are insured, of course. Knowsyour incorrigible carelessness where jewels are concerned, my dear, I had a duplicate set made of very beautiful iini» tations.”

“You mean this?” she asked incred, ulously.

“ I do. An expert would have told ths difference merely by their feel.” “ Then I am sorry I troubled you at all, Inspector,” she said. Murchison noticed the touch of ice in her voice. She was evidently not pleased with the news her husband had given her. They were standing in the dining-room, a room of mahogany and old silver, an expensive, beautifully-furnished room, which was rather a queer setting for the little scene. Murchison was not sure what was happening; he had a feeling that there was more behind the incident than was apparent. Lady Wendover was obviously keeping a tight hold on herself ; her husband’s statement had evidently been a disagreeable surprise. The newspaper magnate, alone, was entirely calm.

“ I don’t know that I regret the Inspector’s presence,” he said easily. “ After all, a theft is a theft whether it is six guineas or two thousand pounds. Morally, there is not the slightest difference.” But in practice there is a difference of approximately nineteen hundred and ninety-four pounds,” Murchison pointed out.

Wendover smiled. “That is so,” he said, “ in practice.” “There would appear to be nothing further for me to do,” the Inspector went on. “ The thief, whoever- he is, and if there is a thief at all, will have an unpleasant surprise when he attempts to realise.”

“ You still doubt that the pearls were stolen?” Lady W’endover asked.

“ More than ever, Lady Wendover. Most jewel thieves are more or less expert and would tell an imitation string almost at sight. Certainly, as soon as they picked it up.” “ Even if they were in a desperate hurry, as we may assume a burglar to have been?”

“ Even so, I think. But, in any case, I do not see how a burglar could have climbed up to your window unnoticed. He simply would not take the risk. However, all’s well that ends well.”

“ You will perhaps join me in a whisky and soda, Inspector?”

“ Well, I'm on my way home. Usually I do not, but, thank you, I will.” “ Then if you will excuse me, I will go,” said Lady Wendover. Murchison opened the door for her, and the two men were left alone, which was the one reason why Mureliison had accepted the other’s offer and incidentally, the one reason why the offer had been made.

“Chin-chin!” said Sir William. “You niust think this little affair is mivhtv curious?”

“ Frankly, there are one or two points in it I do not understand.”

‘ You have made up vour mind that no one climbed up that spout to the first floor and entered my wife’s room?” “ Yes. No burglar would have risked it at that time in the evening. There are taxis continually up and down the street, as well as pedestrians. In any ease, he would have waited until you were at dinner, or had gone out. This, too, apart from the fact that he left ' absolutely no traces. In every other ' case I have investigated, the traces have been obvious. You simply could not climb up a spout without leaving marks and probably loosening the spout itself. And, above all, he would not have risked an obviously insecure one.” “ That limits your suspicions to my household.” “ Since you put the specific point, yes.” “ I saw all that before you came,” Sir William said. “ I had 'thought of putting you off, but, for reasons of my own, I did not. It is always interesting for a newspaper man to see the police actually at work.” He smiled and sipped his whisky. “ Who did take them ? ” asked the inspector casually. “ You think I know ? ” “ Yes.” The inspector met his host’s eyes evenly. “ You are right. I do. It was a guess on my part, but that it was a correct guess I am now certain. We have not always been as comfortably off as we are now.”

“That is public knowledge, Sir William.”

“ Exactly. I married a girl who was, at the time, as poor as I was.” The inspector nodded. “ Her family was poor. She had a brother. . . . Ah! I see you gather

the thread of what I am telling you.” Again Murchison nodded. “ He is a decent enough fellow, but ineffective ... if you follow me. And like most ineffective men, he has a hold on the affections of women. He’s a visionary, lives . up in the clouds, rhe sort of man who appeals to the protective instinct in all good women.” “ I follow you,” said Murchison. “ He’s been in Queer street of late. I have often helped him in the past, and I think he hesitated to appeal to me again. My wife is a proud woman where her family is concerned. Her pearls cost me £2OOO. They w-ould fetch £ISOO without any difficulty whatever. Hence the idea which came to her. She utw a chance of helping fe® brother

without injuring anyone but herself. And took it.” After a moment Sir William continued :

“ I had anticipated such a contingency as you may have gathered. But you can judge of her surprise when I told you about the imitation pearls. As a matter of fact, I had made it my business to help this brother of hers in my own way only a few hours ago. He is leaving London in a day or so to join a branch of a firm in South America in which I have considerable interests, and where I trust he will make good. She doesn’t know that yet. I am going to tell her now. Of course, the whole story is based on a conjecture of mine, but, as I said, I am now satisfied it is true.”

“ At it happened, then, there was no need for Lady Wendover’s —I hesitate for the word—deception ? ” * “ None whatever. There was, on the contrary, every reason why her brother should not suddenly find himself in possession of money. He is the type of man who would not settle down to serious work so long as any of it remained. She does not see it, but if she had given him the considerable sum she meant to do, it might well have ruined him.” “ If 1 may say, Sir William, you have .acted very wisely in the matter. I shall, of course, report on the case —descrcetly.”

“ Thank you. That was mainly, why I told you the whole story. I anticipate that the pearls will be found.” “ I understand. Perhaps you will let me lii’ow if they are? ” ‘‘'Certainly. Another spot? No, as you will.” Sir William opened the door for the inspector.

‘‘lt is necessary to come into first-hand contact with the Yard before one can appreciate the difficulties they are up against,” he said with a smile. Murchison followed the great man into the hall. The butler came forward. As he did so, Sir William uttered a sharp exclamation and, bendingdown, picked up a string of pearls lying oy the side of a mat at the foot of the staircase.

“ Here they are! ” he said. A look passed between him and the inspector. The butler stood watching them with the impassivity of his kind. “ That’s fortunate! ” said Murchison. He was doing some fairly rapid thinking, but hi.s words did not express his thought. Lady Wendover, ten minutes before, had crossed the hall.

Sir William held them out for Murchison’s inspection.

. “ They are very fine,” said the detective. “ I shouldn’t know them from the genuine pearls;” He suddenly remembered the butler’s presence and frowned at his indiscretion.

But you agree that I’m wise to have the originals in my safe? ” Sir William asked imperturbably.

“ I think,” said Murchison thoughtfully, “ you are extremely wise. Sir William.”

The butler opened the door for him and he went out. He glanced up at the room on the first floor. There was a light there. He was very’ thoughtful as he walked down that discreet little street to the indiscreet glare of Piccadilly at the bottom. Sir William, he" had said, was extremely wise. But only Murchison knew how wise. ■ For your modern detective, every bit as much as your modern crook, must know the difference between the genuine and the false. The pearls had been in his hands for perhaps thirtv seconds, but that was long enough. He knew they were not fakes.