THE MAN WITH THE DALMATIAN

Taranaki Daily News, 25 July 1930, Page 14

THE MAN WITH THE DALMATIAN

By

FRANCIS FURNESS

He went up the stairs. The other man followed him, but remained on the second step. Valiance waited a few seconds, and then seeing that the man’s back was turned towards him, ran lightly across the hall and sprang swiftly at the man. One arm went round his neck and bore him to the ground; with the other he clapped his hand over the man’s mouth. In a moment Vallance’s knees were on his chost, and his fingers pressing against his wind-pipe. “Breathe a word,” he whispered, wresting the jemmy from his hand, “and you’re finished.” The man made no effort to resint. Physically he was no match for Valiance, and the surprise attack had completely flattened him out. He tied the. fellow’s hands behind his back with his handkerchief, and his feet with a loose strap from his golf bag that stood in the hall. He brandished a jemmy in the terrified man’s face, and said. “N.Ow whistle.” The fellow pursed his lips, but was so nervous that he could not whistle at the first attempt. “Whistle, you fool, quick. The jemmy grazed his forehead, and the whistle emerged quickly enough then. “'What’s the matter, Reg?” came the hoarse whisper of the man upstairs as he ran down the stairs. ‘tLook out, Tiger I” The warning shout of his companion braving Vallance’s threat was just too late. . . « Vallance’s fist caught him with terrific impact on the point of the jaw as the man half-raised the life preserver to defend himself. He pitched forward on to his face from the stairs senseless, . Two table napkins from the dining room, bound him .hand and foot, . "Any more of your lot about?’ said Valiance to the man called Reg. “Nobody else, guvnor.” “Now tell, me, you cur, what have you done to that dog?” Reg flinched at the savage tone of Vallance’s voice, 0 and the jemmy was very close to his nose. - “He ain’t hurt,” gasped the man, “wo only gave him a whiff of chloroform. He’s in there,” indicating the study. Valiance hurried there and found Thor stretched on the carpet, and iust beginning to move his legs. A faint look of recognition showed in his eyes. “All right, old man.” There was a tremulous wag of his tail. Valiance' could see z no trace of any injury, and went back into the hall carrying Thor in his arms. The other man had just come round. “It’s lucky for you two,” said Vallance, “that this dog is all right. Otherwise you would have been hurt.” The man called Tiger had sufficiently recovered to find his tongue. “The dog was going for us when yoii called out° and told him to be quiet. He just eat down then, and all we had to do was to give him a whiff to keep him quiet. He wann’t touched.” The Dalmatian growled, and Valiance put him down, and the dog staggered towards Reg. “Keep him off, guv-nor, he’s savage,” cried the.burglar, terror in his eyes. “Lie down, Thor!” The dog, who had one paw on the man’s chest, reluctantly obeyed. Valiance picked up the life preserver which had fallen on the floor, and examined it. “And what exactly did you propose to do with this?” he said, addressing Mr. Tiger. That individual seemed disinclined to answer, and Reg attempted to step into the breach. “We came here for the silver. It’s in the sack in the dining-room. Give us another chance, sir.” CHAPTER XVII. THE RUBBER HEEL. “It’s got to look like a burglary.” Valiance repeated the words as he overheard them spoken by the Tiger. “I heard you say that,” said Valiance, “so it’s no good trying to persuade me that you were after my miserable collection of electroplate.” In the struggle the mask had remained on their faces. Valiance now removed him. The man called Reg had a round pimply face, a pug nose and eyes that squinted. The Tiger was dark haired with pale, finely drawn features, pierei lag eyes and an extensive jaw. Vallance’s intimation that they had been overheard staggered Reg, but his companion forced a smile. “We thought you had some of the best stuff.” “You didn’t think anything of the kind, you had a special job with this life preserver,” said Valiance, “and you are going, to tell me all about it. The Tiger shook his head. “Sorry, sir, there’s nothing to tell, we always carry these things, in case things get a bit lively.” Vallance’s gaze travelled over the prostrate form until it rested on the Tiger’s shoe, and then something he saw made him start, and for the moment took him mind off the secret mission of these two men. On the heel of the left shoe was the remains of a rubber heel. His mind flashed back to the discovery on the night of the murder of John Markham. It was just possible that here was a very valuable clue indeed, and he decided that when the police arrived he would get them to take possession of that shoe. Deckling that Reg was by far the weaker of the two he went over to him and said: “Who sent you here to commit murder?” “Murder!” repeated Reg, “that’s not in our line, sir.'.’ “We shall see' about that,” said Vallance. “I know.a good deal more about this than you imagine. Well, as you I have cut the telephone wires I shall | have to go to the police station myself. I don’t want to upset my maid servants.” The two men exchanged hopeful glances. “It’s not the slightest good thinking you are going to escape,” said Valiance. “The sergeant only lives a few minutes from here. If either of you moves an inch this dog will get angry. He’s nasty when he's roused. In fact, he is a very ferocious animal, and his bite is much worse than his bark.” The two men nervously eyed the Dalmatiaii/ Avlio • was now entirely his old self again, and apparently listening

to his master’s words with complete understanding. ' “Stay here, sir, and look after these men.” Vallance’s admonition brought a. growl of satisfaction. The dog went straight to the mat just inside the front door, and settled down there so that he eould see both men. . “He won’t go for us. guvnor, when you are gone, will be?” cried Reg in great agitation. . “He will be as harmless as a kitten, provided you don’t move or speak, and breathe softly,” said Valiance. Actually it took him twenty minutes to knock up Sergeant Gorse, and bring him back to the house, but when they entered neither man had moved a fraction of an inch. Both were extremely pale, and delighted, for once, to see the police. “You seem surprised at my question,” she said. “I am amazed,” he . answered slowly. Then he added after a few moments, “I did not know that they, had met. But why do you ask?” Kyrle, who was determined to speak her mind' up to a point, said, “You remember that John Markham told you that someone was blackmailing him ?” “Yes.” “Well, I have been wondering whether Sir Ralph was the blackmailer. If so, and it could be proved, dp you think he would be suspected of the murder ?” Valiance returned her gaze, but when he answered he looked away. “I suppose you will charge these men with burglariously entering this place and stealing my plate, which ypn will find' in a sack in the dining room,’\ said Valiance, “but there may be another charge against this man, at any rate,” pointing to the Tiger. “By the way, sergeant, would you kindly remove his shoes. ■ I will give him a pair at least as good.” . “His shoes?” said the sergeant. “Why, what have they got to do with it?” Valiance took him aside into the dining room and told, him of his theory. The sergeant’s face brightened. “I hope you are right, sir,” he said. “It’s about time we got on the track of the people who did Mr. Markham in.” He went back to the hall and removed the amazed Tiger’s shoes. “Footprint clues, eh?” said the Tiger sarcastically. “Going to fit them with the prints in the flower beds outside ? You’ll get promotion over this, my lad.” “You’ll get more than you bargain for,” said the sergeant,. producing two pairs of handcuffs, which he. proceeded to attach to the wrists of his prisoners. . Valiance brought in a pair of old shoes of his own which were a size too large for the Tiger. The burglar protested indignantly. “Never-you mind about tliat,” said the sergeant.' “Them shoes is going to be useful to us.” He winked at Valiance. The Tiger was puzzled. This 'was beyond him. When the. two intruders had been removed to the nearest lock-up Valiance speculated as to what their real game was. ... “Strikes me, sir,” said the sergeant, “that the dog saved your life. I have heard before of that bloke they called the Tiger, he has done . one stretch for violent assault. He’s the sort that will do anything for money.” Valiance bade the sergeant good-night, telling him to be sure and take greatcare of the Tiger’s shoes. The next morning Inspector Lucy called. He brought with him the piece of rubber heel that wan picked up the night of the murder. "“I’ve compared it with ■ the piece on this man’s shoe in view of your suggestion,” he told Valiance. “I did not expect it to be muchwuse, as some weeks have elasped since the murder, and the shoe may have been worn a good deal since then. But apparently it hasn’t for the two pieces correspond exactly. It is difficult not to believe that the. piece we found did not come from this shoe.” “Its not (lie sort of evidence that would han«- a man, is it? ? ’ asked Vailance. “Well, this man may find it hard to account for his whereabouts on. the night in question. If he can't .then. i.V« going to be awkward for him,” said Lucy. “Slighter clues than this have been the undoing of. many a clever criminal. This fellow has got a bad record, and if it can be proved he was In this district on the night' Markham was killed there will be a case against him.” “But there must have been more than one man, don’t you think, and what was the motive?” The inspector handed the shoe and the piece of rubber to the sergeant. “I dare say there was more than one, but as to the motive, that is. where we have been up against a conundrum all the time, except for the suggestion of blackmail. What was the motive of this attack on you last night?” “What was the motive of the attack on me at Brooklands?” “It’s a funny thing.” said Sergeant Gorse, brightly, “but rubber seems to be playing an important part in these cases. There’s the rubber heel in this case, and there was the rubber tyre of your car at Brooklands.” “I daresay,” snubbed the inspector, “but how is that going to help us? My belief is that we shall see light before long. Somebody will talk, they always do.” “What about the Yard, do they know about this discovery?” inquired Valiance. “The Yard will be informed in due course,” said Lucy stiffly. “I thought it would be just as well to make sure that there was something in this heel clue before I told them about it. I’ve had my leg pulled quite enough. Inspector Teems will be very interested. He’s had previous dealings with the Tiger.” The next day the two men were interrogated by Teems, but they gave away nothing as to their real mission, and the Tiger professed to bo able to establish a'most satisfactory alibi with reference to the night the rubber heel was found. The only charge preferred against the num for the time being was burglary, and on this they were committed for trial. (To be continued.) ?