The Jewels of Sin

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 726, 27 July 1929, Page 26

The Jewels of Sin

Bernard Rowthorne

Author of *’ The Claws of the Dragon," dec.. ate."

CHAPTER VIII. (continued). “But even then he could have telephoned or telegraphed. He knew that I was going to that dreadful house ... and a man does not lose himself for many hours even in an unfamiliar district in London. There are cabs, taxis, omnibuses, tubes. Oh, Mr. Mallinson, I am very afraid that something dreadful has happened to poor Jack.”

"That is possible,” agreed Mallinson, slowly. “But I would not worry over much about it—yet, Miss Barrymore. You see you do not know that anything has happened. Any moment you may get a message or he may walk in here himself—” “Oh, if he only would!” broke in the girl impulsively. Mallinson did not think he was likely to. For a moment he visioned Barrymore racing in the boat train for Dover, or going slowly down from the Pool in some steamer hooting its way to the sea, a criminal fleeing from his crime, and his heart was filled with pity for the girl; but he kept his real thoughts to himself. "We can do nothing but wait,” he said. “If we had the very slightest idea as to where he is we might attempt to get in touch with him, but we haven’t, and so we are comparatively helpless.”

“But there must be some way of finding a person who is lost, even amid all the millions of London, it should be possible to discover him.” “Always supposing that he is in London—yes! But you know, Miss Barrymore, we can't very well go to the police and set them looking for him. We should have to tell them what happened last night, and should only involve ourselves, without in any wayhelping your brother, 'Tor whom, if X know anything of the C.l.D.—having in mind the hat left behind —I’ll warrant half the police of London are already looking most diligently.” “But is there no other way?” asked the girl earnestly. Mallinson considered again. “Yes,” he said, after a time, “there is another way! Your brother is almost certain to be interested in the newspapers just now, and it is possible that you might reach him through the agony columns of the ” He broke off sharply, and then he ejaculated, “Great Scot!” “What is it?” asked the girl quickly. “That big man there who has just entered the lounge—the man by the table I mean, who looks and dresses like a foreigner—do you know him?” Miss Barrymore shook her head. “No,” she answered. “I have seen him about the hotel once or twice, but I have no idea who he is! Whydo you ask?” “He is looking this way,” said Ma’linson, proceeding very deliberately to light a cigarette, “but when he ceases to do so, I -want you to take a good look at him.” “Why?” asked the girl.

Mallinson blew out a cloud of smoke and from behind it considered the individual in question. The man had half turned and his gaze was no longer directed toward their particular corner. “Because,” he said qiuckly, “that is the other man who, with the black, was on the watch for the coming of your brother at Waterloo last night.” “You are sure?” she asked.

“Quite sure!” he answered. with conviction. “Look at him. Is he a figure that one would be likely to mistake?” The girl considered the big, gross figure, the close-cropped hair, the scrubbily bearded face, the small lioglike eyes; and then gave her judgment. “No,” she said, “he is too massive and too ugly to easily be mistaken.”

“He is the man.” replied Mallinson emphatically. “When did he come here? Do you know?” “No! But he has been here for a day or two!” “And he has not made any attempt to become acquainted with you?” “No!”

“Then apparently he does not connect you with your brother. I wonder who the fellow is. We must find out if we can.”

He signalled to a passing waiter, and as the man hurried toward him, Mallinson took a ten-shilling note from his pocket-book.

“You can be discreet?” he asked the waiter.

"As the grave!” replied the man with a smile. “Good! I want to know the name of that big man over there who is just lighting a cigar. If you will inquire for me quietly ” “No need to inquire, sir. I know the man. He is a millionaire, or so ’tis said, and interested in diamonds. His name is Van Terkamp ”

“Ah, a Dutchman?” “South African Dutch, sir, but first cousin to a German if I know how a Hun talks English.” “When did he arrive here?” “Can’t say for sure, sir. But it must have been over a week ago.” “Thank you. I’m very much obliged.” Mallinson thrust the note toward the man. “A millionaire, you say. I suppose I must have seen his portrait somewhere.”

“As I’ve seen yours, sir, in the current ‘llustrated Weekly,’ ” said the man, with a smile. "Very good likeness, if I may venture to say so, sir.”

“Flattering! you mean,” answered Mallinson, dismissing the man with a laugh. Then he turned to Zita Barrymore again. “You hear, Miss Barrymore. The man is from South Africa. He is in terested in diamonds, as your brother appears to have been; and he is most certainly the man who was with the black at Waterloo, the black who later was at No. 7 Bagnall Street, and who made a pretty desperate attempt to get hold of your brother’s dispatch case with its treasure of gems. It has a singular look. To me it appears that that man may be at the very bottom of all this mystery—even of the death of Peter Rogers.”

“I am so glad you do not think that Jack—that ” “You must keep an eye on that man. Watch him unobtrusively.

Note if he has any acquaintances in the hotel, or if he receives any visitors. It may be helpful, and in the meantime I will go down to Fleet Street and put a message for your brother in some of the evening papers, as well as for the papers tomorrow morning’. We may get in touch with him if he is in London.” “I shall be very grateful ” “I must hurry if I am to catch the evening editions. But you have my telephone number. If you notice anything in relation to that rascally Dutchman, or hear anything of your brother, ring me up at once, and above all don’t take any steps without letting me know. You understand?”

“Yes,” answered the girl quietly, “and I will do exactly as you say, I am so indebted to you that ” “The debt is on my side,” laughed Matlinson. “You have no idea how dull a sensational novelist’s life can be; and to have to live one of my novels is almost a god-send. Anyway, it is very interesting. I really must go now. Au revoir.” “Au revoir!” said the girl with a little smile and a look of gratitude that set his heart pounding with gladness.

He took his departure, passing the Dutchman on his way out, and convincing himself that Van Terkamp was in no way interested in his doings, for as he passed, the Dutchman did not so much as look at him. Telling Tompkins to return to Tavistock Square, he stepped into the taxi and throwing himself into a corner set with a musing look upon his face until the vehicle drew up outside the house where his apartments were. As he stepped out he turned to speak to Tompkins, and just as he did so, there came the sound of hurried steps across the side-path, a woman brushed against him, almost colliding with him in the fog. She made no excuse, nor did she speak, but for one moment their eyes met, and in that one moment he recognised her for the woman who had made the signal to Van Terkamp find to the black at IVaterloo on the previous night. CHAPTER IX. As he entered his rooms Gerald Mallinson had a surprise. In the very first glance it was clear to him that there had been a visitor in his absence, and that whoever the visitor was, he or she had used the opportunity to rifle his rooms. Cupboards and drawers were all standing open, and books were displaced, and on a chair, where evidently it had been placed for inspection, was the dispatch case in which the diamonds had been taken to Bagnall Street.

As he considered the disorder of his rooms, he whistled, thoughtfully to himself, then smiled and, going to the bell, rang for his landlady. When she appeared he waved his hand round the sitting room.

“I have had a visitor, I believe, Mrs. Smithson?”

“Yes, Mr. Mai—Lord save us, sir? Has she done this?" "It was a lady, then?” “She looked it —the baggage,” said Mrs. Smithson with energy. “A bit foreign-like, but I never thought she’d go and do a thing like this. I hope she hasn’t stolen anything.” “If she is the woman I think, I should say not.” “You were expecting her, then?” said Mrs. Smithson, with evident relief. “She said you were.”

“As a matter of fact, I wasn’t,” laughed Mallinson; "though I suppose I ought to have looked for something of the sort.”

“She's an impostor, then, Mr. Mallinson?”

“It depends on what she claimed to be,” answered Mallinson, carelessly. “What did she say when she came?” “Asked if you were in, sir, and when I said you weren’t, said you were a friend of hers, sir, an’ asked if she couldn’t wait., the weather being what it is, an’ she having sent away her taxi—which, as a matter of fact, I had heard come and go. At the first I was a bit doubtful, sir. but she looked so much the lady, sir, that I didn’t like to refuse her, sir, an’ thinking that if she was your friend, you’d like her to wait, an’ that ’twould be easy enough for me to slip up now an’ again just to see that she wasn't doing any mischief, I showed her into your study, sir.”

“And did you slip up again, Mrs Smithson?”

“I should just think I did, sir. Within five minutes I went up with some coal, and there was my lady sitting In your arm chair with the newspaper, as large as life and demure as a mouse. Quite respectablelike she was —the hussy!” “And did you know she had left, Mrs. Smithson?”

“Of course I did; ’twasn’t two minutes before you came back that she went. Come downstairs she did, and. knocked on the door of the hall to tell me that she was going, and to say how sorry she was that you weren’t in, but she hoped she’d see you again before long.” “She left a name of course.” “No. sir; an’ me being in the middle of getting ready for lunch I clean forgot to ask her.” “Well, well,” said Mallinson. with affected carelessness. “There’s no great harm done. Ten minutes will put the study to rights—and I think I know who the ladv was. But it will be as well, Mrs. Smithson, if in my absence you refuse everyone admission to my rooms in the immediate future, unless they are personally known to you as friends of mine. You understand that?” “Yes. Mr Mallinson.” “That is all right, then.” said Mallinson. dismissing her. “It is an arrangement which I fancy will save both of us trouble in the future.” He waited until the woman had gone. and. shutting the door, he surveyed the untidy rooms, then he whistled softly to himself. (To be continued daily.)