The Jewels of Sin

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 732, 3 August 1929, Page 22

The Jewels of Sin

Bernard Rowthorne.

Author of " The Claws of the Dragon.” &c.. &c,'

CHAPTER XV (Continued)

“I will. If you lay a finger on this girl “We shall seel You brought her here, and she is like a lily to rejoice the soul of man. But for the present nothing will be done. Take the girl away. I must talk with your brother-in-law, and after that with you, and perhaps I shall be able to convince even you that there is a great necessity to do something very quickly if we are not to lose those diamonds 1 ” Isabella Van Terkamp moved toward the girl, who shrank from her a little, and then, taking Zita's arm in a firm grasp, she said under her breather, “Come! Don’t linger!” Side by side with her the girl moved toward the door, the black watching them with eyes that were utterly baleful. He waited until they had passed out of the door, then he addressed Van Terkamp. “We have little time. What we do must be done quickly. I have been followed.” “Followed ” “I am sure of it! All the way from the city.” “Who,” began Van Terkamp, then broke off, and asked abruptly. “Der police?” “No! You remember that man who picked me up when I was knocked down at Bagnall Street, and who gave me the number of the taxi which ” “Of course*” “I think he is after us! If a reward should be offered ” “Der is one in der evening papers, I haf seen it. Rogers’s sister is offering a hundred pounds ” “Enough to tempt a white loafer, yes, ample! But the man has yet to find us, and It may be that he can be bought ” “Bought?” “Bought! I said. But there is a cheaper and a safer way. If he should find his way here it will not be difficult to deal with him. He may not go to the police. He may be thinking that he will blackmail us. Us!” the black laughed, “Dog does not eat dog, but it kills it sometimes.” “Yes!” said Van Terkamp, “and we can’t afford to take risks. Dat mad business at Bagnall Street has tied der whole business Into a knot ” "Which a knife will cut,” said hobengo smoothly. “But come to the fire, Jan. I want to talk to you about that girl and Mallinson and the diamonds.” And sure that his grosser partner in crime would follow, the black led the way to the fireplace. CHAPTER XVI. In an upper room in the desolate house, Zita Barrymore confronted the woman whom she looked on as her betrayer. “You expect me to believe you?” "I ask you to, Miss Barrymore!” “But I heard you say to your brother-in-law ” "Yes! What else was there that I could say? I could not tell him that I was playing a double game, that without his knowledge I brought you here to see your brother. That would not have helped you, and it would have made it impossible for me to help your brother. You must see that!” "Perhaps I do. I do not know what to think ” “But you heard me speak to John Lobengo ” “Oli; that is a terrible man. I could see it in his eyes, hear it in the tones of his voice. He has the heart of a tiger.” “But he shall not touch you ’while I am here, Miss Barrymore. I swear it! Oh! how can 1 make you believe me? How can I convince you that it was only of your brother's welfare that I was thinking when I induced you to come down here? It Is so very difficult. If Jan Van Terkamp had not been In Mr. Mallinson’s rooms to answer the telephone, your friend would have been at Plum Wharf, ho would have followed and with him here we could have discovered your brother and now —it Is another that requires deliverance also, and I do not know what to do for the best.” Zita looked at her searchingly. Her distress seemed genuine, but she did not know what to believe. There was so much in the woman's conduct that was contradictory, so much that was hard to explain and so much that was downright suspicious. And while she looked at her unable to make up her mind, one of these suspicious circumstances leaped in her mind. “You said you had seen that case In Mr. Mallinson s rooms?” she cried accusingly. “That is true! I went there to find it. I guessed that it was possible that he had the stones and I thought that if I could secure possession of them these two men downstairs having got what they wanted, would disappear without troubling further.” “But how did you find out about Mr. Mallinson?" asked Zita, still suspiciously. “That was very simple. Do you remember that last night. when Mr. Mallinson went down to Bagnall Street, with you, your driver lost his way, and had to ask a man to guide him ” “Yes—yes.” “That man was curious about your visit to the man Rogers, for he knew that the latter was a dealer in Stolen valuables. So, after walking away lie returned to the neighbourhood a little time later, and was standing quite* close to the taxi when he caught the noise of someone falling—at least, that is the story that he told John Lobengo, whom your taxi-driver knocked off the car when it was starting, and whose arm as he fell was run over by the vehicle. The man picked him up and was able to give him the number of the vehicle, and Jan Van Terkamp set a man to trace it. The report came quite early this morning, just a telegram with the address of the man Tompkins, which I overheard, and I went to that address to get a taxi, and saw the man leaving his garage. He looked very disturbed and I made a guess that he had read about the dead man at No. 7 Bagnall Street, and was going either to the police or to the people who had employed him the previous night. 1 followed him to your friend’s, and there I saw someone else had followed him

also, and I watched, and saw the man Tompkins come out and run hack as he caught sight of the other man. Then I made another guess and did a thing which would have made me look a lunatic if my guess had not been the right one.” “What was that?” asked Zita, deeply interested. "I went up to the man, and looking him straight in hte face, I quoted the number of the taxi-cab. I could have laughed outright at the look of startled astonishment which came on his face; but before he had time to recover, I said, ‘You were at Bagnall Street last night?’ “The man swore, hut from his face I knew that I had guessed rightly. I did not give him a chance to ask me any questions, but walked on, and from a man who was delivering milk learned that at the present time there was only one man living at the house when Tompkins had called, and that he -was Mr. Mallinson, the novelist. I remained loitering in the neighbourhood until I saw Mr. Mallinson, as I guessed him to be, drive away In a taxi which Tompkins had brought, and which was the same number as the one which went to Bagnall Street last night. Then, having walked to Southampton Row, I hired a taxi and drove to the house and asked for Mr. Mallinson. He was out, of course, but I suppose I must have impressed his landlady considerably, for I managed to persuade her to let me wait his return in his room. I was very trustful of her, and I am afraid I requited her trust very badly.’’ “In what way?” asked Zita quickly. “Well, the first thing I saw in Mr. Mallinson’s room was a despatch case which I recognised, and which 1 had last seen in your brother’s hand as he got out of the train at Waterloo. Then I knew that 1 was right, and that Mr. Mallinson was acquainted with that affair at Bagnall Street. I made a dreadful mess of his rooms looking for the diamonds ” “You would have taken them?” asked the girl sharply. “They were not there; I could not find them, or I certainly would, to save your brother’s life. Now I have told you everything as far as I know It and I hope that, you believe me. Just now downstairs I had to play a part. You do ont know those men as well as I do. If I had let them guess that I was in collusion with you —I could have done nothing for you or for your brother, so I had to pretend ” “You deceived me.” said the girl, doubting the woman’s story no longer. “And those men. which is far more important! But you will trust me now? You will not mind what part I seem to play? You will know that underneath, all the time, it is for your brother’s interest that I am working? You will believe that, Miss Barrymore?” “Yes!” said Zita softly. “I will trust you!” “I brought you here, and now I regret it. 1 must get you away unhurt.” “But not until I have seen my brother?” “No! You must see him. Your friend, Mr. Mallinson, no doubt, knows where the diamonds are, and as your brother has a bettei; claim to them than anyone else, I shall rely upon you to persuade him to compromise with these men and so save his life.” “When can I see ” “Not while Lobengo and my brother-in-law are on the alert. They must not be allowed to suspect that you and I understand each other. They are both terrible men, but John Lobengo is the worst. There is liothing that man will not do to gain his ends. He did not like my repudiation of his authority just now. Even already he may suspect, and if he does ” “Hark!” I Downstairs a door had softly opened ajnd there were sounds of stealthy feet moving in the hall. “What ” began Zita. “Hush! Wait!" came the whisper, accompanied by a lifted finger in warning. The stealthy steps passed along the hall, without turning up the stairs, and receded into the depths of the house. “It is strange!” whispered Isabella Van Terkamp. “I cannot think that they are ” The explanation came suddenly.

There was a swift scurry of feet in the garden outside; the sound of struggling and of a half-strangled oath, followed by a single sharp cry of agony. Isabella Van Terkamp rushed to the window, followed more slowly by Zita Barrymore. Looking down on the white gravel they were able to discern the forms of two men stooping over a third, who lay prone on the ground. “There is trouble.” said Isabella Van Terkamp quickly. “Some one has arrived and there has been a struggle. Look, they are carrying the man to the river. If I know them they will throw him in that he may he drifted far from here. Who can ” “Mr. Mallinson!” cried Zita in sudden anguish. “Oh, if it should be he, I—l ” She broke off with a sob, and with eyes straining into the darkness, watched the bearers of that ominous load until the bushes concealed them. CHAPTER XVII. When Gerald Mallinson arrived at Limehouse Pier he found it deserted except for a rather sleepy watchman, who at first was little inclined to be communicative. “Hev I seen a nigger? Cburse I

have! Limehouse is full of the black cattle!”

“But this one is a superior sort of black, and particularly well dressed—” “All niggers is. It’s in their blood to decorate themselves. Give one five bob, and he’ll go an buy a pair of cuffs an’ a collar like a white-washed fence an’ put ’em on so as he can mash white girls who ought to be slapped or sent to a Borstal institution.” “I wonder what you would do with five bob!” said Mallinsou with a laugh. “Me! Try me if yer want to find out,” answered the man with a grin. Mallinson gravely produced two halfcrowns and as he took them the watchman grinned again. “Anythin’ I can do for yer, sir ” “I want to know about this black who was here tonight almost certainly.” “Right, sir! He was here an’ went off down the Reach in a steam launch. I saw him.” "Have you seen him before?” “Once or twice lately.” “And you don’t know where he comes from?” “No! Except somewhere down river.' I’ve never gi’ it a thought or maybe I could have found out.” Mallinson produced his card and handed it to the man. “Find out, and send me word and there are five pounds for you.” “Five pounds! Phew! Guess I’ll get into action in no time at all.” “If you find out don’t waste time in going to Tavistock Square. Telephone to me at once. Lend me the card a moment and I'll write my number on it. There, that’s it. Ring up at once if you should discover ” ‘‘You bet I will,” said the man with enthusiasm. Having found one more helper, Mallinson returned to the taxi, and gave Tomkins the order to return. “There is nothing more that we can do tonight, I am afraid; and a night’s full rest won’t do either of us any harm. Perhaps by breakfast time we may have the news we want.” “Sure I hope so,” answered Tompkins, as he seated himself at the vrheel. They made the run back to town in almost record time, and when he dismissed the taxidriver and had climbed the stairs to his own room. Mallinson had a little surprise, for on his desk | was a telephone message w ritten in ! his landlady’s tortuous hand. (To t>« continued on Monday)