THE JADE TOKEN

Taranaki Daily News, 22 December 1930, Page 13

THE JADE TOKEN

(By

RALPH TREVOR)

CHAPTER XXlll.—(Continued.)

“I had heaid,” Ames told him, “that many years ago a jewelled crucifix of considerable value was stolen from th© Church of the Sacre Coeuf, at Montevideo at a time when 'Sir Garvice Watkin was staying there and it had been commented upon that he had been spending a great deal of his time sightseeing in the church itself. Mind you, the assumption was rather thin. There was no actual evidence at the time, and it was stated at police headquarters that a man in Sir Garvice’s position would never think of stooping go low as sheer sacrilege. ■ But that, I believe, was the beginning of his mania. I honestly think that that was the first time he had ever stolen anything in his life. I also think it is quite possible that it was the last, I think that from that time he' began his vast organisation to operate on his behalf. Precisely how he started ! don’t profess to know, and what’s more, I’m not interested. “However, I tdofc that crucifix to someone in London. whom I knew had actually seen it in the church at Video, and I had it identified as one and the same. There is not another like it, I believe, in the world. Naturally,.! did not say where or by whom it had been discovered. I just handed it back with a request that it be returned to the Qhureh of the Sacre Coeur, and I believe it is now safely on its way there. If z we could only get into Rio Court, Mr. Burke/’ went on Ames, enthusiastically, *‘l am convinced that somewhere in the hou/e we should find something interesting.”. \ • “But why should a man in Sir Garvice Waikin’s position stoop to crime when he’s probably wealthy enough to purchase any amount of jewellery aqd ornaments’" asked Burke, as yet unable to focus his mind correctly in the enormity of Ames’ calm accusation. “As far as I can see, Ames, that’s about the only weak link in the chain.’’ Inspector Ames smiled. He knew that had he . been in his .colleague’s - place he would-, have asked much the same sort of question. Oh the face of it it did seem incredible, and yet——.

“Ohly the other day,” Amesed, “I ended my inquiries into matters concerning Sir Garvice, and they have been spread over a great many years. Hie great-grandfather was believed to -be descended directly from ths ancient Incas of South America, and Sir/ Garvice —whom I believe to be insane—has inherited the Inca tradition which is expressed in his inordinate obsession for. gold and jewelled ornaments, of all descriptions. t He arrived in this country from South America twenty years ago. He is brilliantly clever. Be was called td the Bar, and from that time you know how extraordinarily successful he has been. Bui like most excessively brilliant men lie has a kink somewhere. 'lt is a subject upon which I am not wholly Unfamiliar, but I do not doubt that your friend, Dr. Langley (whom, by the way, I never really suspected, but it was necessary from Sir Garvice Watkiii’s point-of view that I should), could help us on that point. “I do not z go so far as to assert that the man is a congenital crook. Only one side of him is.' If he, were wholly a crook I doubt very much whether ws should have ever suspected him. But he made a mistake, and I shall put it- to you -like this;>. Assuming that the theft of the crucifix at Monte Video was his'first excursion into oritrie, it is prob*, able that he regarded it in the light of an heroic deed, and that his personal vanity could only be satisfactorily appeased by his displaying it in some place Jwjfere he could always see it. Hgd he locked it a,way, as presumably he has locked alb the rest away', Inspector Robert Ames might never have run him to eaKh.

“I doubt, Mr. Burke, whether you can recall any other : case among the many and varied annals of crime Where the criminal has used such remarkable cunning and .effrontery as have been displayed in this case. Take the trial of Joe Dehver as a piquant example. Can you cite me an instance of such colossal boldness? There you had Sir Garvice Watkin, himself the 'Long Arm,’ to which he so frequently referred, actually having the audacity to stand in the Central Criminal Court to defend one of his own dupes, and to succeed in .saving him from the gallows! “As I sat there in the court and watched him it took alLmy self-control to prevent my self from getting up and pointing ah accusing finger at him and saying: ‘lf any man should be behind the rails, Sir Garvice, that man is yourself.’ But what could I do?” asked Arnes, with a gesture of utter helplessness “I only had my suspicions, yet when he stood there'and looked around the court and said: .‘That monster who is an enemy of society, who has brought ' the prisoner to his present; position, might even be in court at the present moment,’ I ask you, Mr. Burke, what cpuld I do save admire the man’s brazen nerve, when he must have known all the time that he wq,s that man.” “But that’s another point,” Burke suggested thoughtfully. “Did he know, or wae he firmly convinced that there was someone else? Perhaps it might mean that when he was normal he completely forgot his other personality. That eyen now he has no real knowledge of hiss criminal amnesia.” \ “That ii, of course, a possibility,” Ames conceded slowly. "But ! wonder whether you can recall to mind any occasion when Sir Garvice Watkin specially suggested to you that Inspector Aines, of Scotland Yard, was not the person he K represented himself to be. Can you recollect that, Mr. Burke?” he asked eagerly. “By Jove! Yes,” exclaimed Burke. “It was Sir Garvice Watkin who first sowed the seeds of suspicion in my mind against you. I remember it distinctly. It was during that week-end at Rio Court. Mind you, I thought at | the time it sounded jolly fishy, but you know how convincing he can be when he is speaking calmly and . dispassionately.”

“Yes,” sighed Ames; "I know. But

you weren’t the only person Sir® Garvice approached regarding me, and because of that I’m strongly inclined to the be-lief-that he suspects that I know more that is good for me. However, I think the best thing we can do is to trot along to Dr. Langley. I’d like a word with him before you make that inquiry.” CHAPTER XXIV. ' Dr. Wallace Langley was surprised to find Curtis Burke and Inspector Ames waiting for him at his Harley Street room when he arrived there’after his surgery at Ponson Street. Both men looked gravely serious and at first the doctor thought that Ames’ animosity against him had reached a crisis. On the other hand, remembering Curtis Burke's questioning about dual personality and criminal instincts, he thought that perhaps Burke had managed to get the Inspector along for a diagnosis. “Good morning doctor,” greeted Ames, genially. “We should be glad if you could spare us a few moments of your valuable time for a. serious little discussion on a medical question, that is perplexing us. We. are here as friends, doctor,” he added with a smile. “The inspector wants you to tell him something about amnesia,” explained Burke, with a quick glance at Dr. Langley which the medico interpreted that everything was all right. “That’s right,” said Ames. “We want to know whether you think it possible for a man. to -possess another personality and be.'unconscious of it; incapable of controlling it by his other self’.” Burke turned to his colleague , whowas standing by the dark oak table in the centre of the room. “Might we not take the doctor into our. confidence?” he asked. Inspector Ames looked thoughtfill for a mpmeut. The whole matter had caused him some anxiety when he had been compelled, .earlier that morning, to re-, veal his secret to Burke, and now to entertain the confidence of a third person might wreck his scheme. He was well. aware that Dr. Wallace Langley and ■ Sonia Cranston, niece of 'the man whom he had. under suspicion, were engaged to be married. “Dr. Langley might not be prepare/! to hd'lp us if we mentioned names,” he suggested, significantly. “There is Miss Sonia Cranston, I -believe.” r - IBurke understood, but the doctor, •hearing ‘ Sonia’s name mentioned, immediately demanded an explanation. - “What has Sonia got to do with this visit, Inspector?” he asked, with a traceof .irritation. “I trust that Sir Garvice has not suggested anything. I assure you that Sonia is here as my. patient. 'You know' that, Burke,” he added. Ames looked helplessly at Burke for a lead in this sudden complication.

. £< Aliss Cranston, came to visit her fiance the day before yesterday,” Burke explained. “She-was over-wrought, nervous; and Dr. Langley is looking after her.’’ ■■: • . > J . ' / ' ■

“Nervous of what?” demanded Ames with unexpected suddenness. “Do, you mean that she is afraid of her uncle?" Burke could see the drift of the/inspector’s outburst and realised what was passing through his mind. Dr. Langley continued to stare at the police officers with a smouldering suspicion in his alert'mind. “Don’t you think you might be frank with me?” he asked both of them ap-; pealingly. “If there is anything wrong at Rio- Court perhaps I might help,” , Ames realised -that Dr. Langley must be made. cognisant of his suspicions and his theory and briefly he outlined the ease up to the point where they now stood/ ; 1 ■

ißurke saw that Dr. Langley had grown pale. His hands clenched until the knuckles gleamed strangely white under the tanned flesh.

“You are quite sure of this?” he asked in a.hollow voice. “You are quite sure?”

“How can we be positive until we know /more?” said Ames, answering question by question./ “That is where I was hopeful you might be able to help Jis.’:’-.- ;.- ‘ . . •■ ■ .' '

(To - Be Continued.)