THE FREEDOM COMPANY

Taranaki Daily News, 1 December 1932, Page 15

THE FREEDOM COMPANY

(By

CARMINE GRACE

- CHAPTER lll?—'(Continued.) Sir Hylton glanced at them. “Oh, the Ranson case. I understand Son has left the business, and the old man has taken a partner—one degree more shady than himself. They’ll lose this case. If it goes on, I can see them being bankrupt. The son is well out of it.” Temple smiled. “Yes, but he has gone farther and feared. worse.” i “How so?” i "He is in wdth the Freedom Company.”

i Sir Hylton made an impatient sound. rThe young fool! Did you carry out my Instructions, by the way, and take shares in the Company? I mean in some of their mines?” “Yes — i Invested a hundred pounds.” "Thats all right. lam financing you.” “You’ll lose It, sir.” "Of course I shall. I know that. What are my engagements for tonight, Temple?” Temple referred to a book. You are due at the Connaught Rooms for Mrs Clive’s dance at 9 p.m." “It’s a good thing you made a note of it. I‘had forgotten all about it. But. that’s no.use to me for my work • —chiefly a family affair. Did you get me a card for.any big function?” “Yes. That Is also for to-night; at the Ritz Hotel. Your hostess is Lady Algernon Symes, a wealthy Jewess married to a city Knght.’’ Sir Hylton’s eyes lit up. “That’s more like it.' That’s what I wanted. I.

shall not meet anyone I want.to see at Mrs Clive’s dancer-far too select, I have an invitation for, you. there, so you- must:cover my tracks when I have to make a hurried exit to the .Ritz.”

“It’s Miss'Clive’s-twenty-first birth-: day I- think; sir. ' They won’t like you d6feoftihg;.‘»p early.” Temple’ reminded him. ’' 1 "■'

“Y©i, It’s her . coming of age dance. You .sent the flowers?”.'

“Yes; : firesia.”:

“That’s right. They won’t mind me leaving early. They’ll have you; you’re - much fmore o£- a ' dancing- man than I am.” '

Tempi© made- no -reply, but he thought the more. ' He was Sir. Hyl-= ton’s# secretary; he- had-a good position and-a good salary, -but he was not Sir Hylton - Clive.He was a goodlooking inah of twenty-six, nine years younger than'hfs chief; he was clever and used,his brains, but he was quite shrewd enough to realise that he was a poor substitute for Sir Hylton. They were just finishing a late tea when the telephone rang. Temple answered it. “It’s Mr Clive, Sir Hylton. He. wants to speak to you.”

Hylton rose and took the receiver. “Yes? Is that you, Uncle? Hylton speaking.” “Can you spare time to hear me state a case briefly? I will merely give you the bald facts.” “I will make time. Go ahead!”

“Mamie Tyler—Enid’s American friend-—was- here to tea to-day. She told Enid she intended wearing her valuable opal necklace to-night at Enid’s dance. When she got home she rang Enid up to tell her that her opals had been stolen while she was out. Those are the bald facts as I know them.”

“Where; does-Miss. Tyler stay when she.is in England?”

“She and her chaperon, Mrsi Van Diet, are at the Chesney Hotel, Lancaster Gate this time. They were at the Ritz last year.” “Where does Miss Tyler keep her necklace as a rule?” “In the bank. Mrs Van Diel only got them out this morning.”

“Have they notified the police?” “Yes, they did that at/once.. .But Miss Tyler asked Enid to ring you up and tell ypu about it; but Enid had to go and dress,’ so I took it on." “I will see Miss Tyler to-night and hear about it. I suppose she will be there? Or Is.. she too. cut up over, her loss to show tip?”

“Oh, no, she’ll be there. She’s a plucked ’un. She won’t fail End.” “All right. I will see her to-night, then?” and he rang off.

He turned to Temple. “I don’t like Important .communications - given through the medium of the telephone. One never , knows who is. listening, people.neyer think of-that. My uncle rang me up to tell me that the American girl. Miss Tyler, has lost her opal necklace—it was stolen from thi Chesney Hotel to-day while she was having tea with my cousin. It has just been brought from the bank. Do you know Miss Tyler?”.

“I have seen her at dances, but 1 was not introduced to her; but ! was Introduced to her chaperon, Mrs Van Diel.” • ' “I suppose the chaperon is all right?.”.../

“Mrs Van Die! is absolutely all. right, j Are you taking'on the case?"' “Yes.. I can;'see it’s ■'the; "work of the same gang l am tracing?’

“You mean ’’ “No? need._for names. I mean the gang. Blit I want more proofs than. I have. I'can’t move quickly enough. I want their pass-word, Temple. If. I can only get that, I can get them. Unfortunately they know me by sight Sometimes I am tempted to use a disguise to get into conversation with them? . T might learn their: pass-word them I met a man once named Ford, quite a /decent chap, who , seemed t< be in .with them., I don’t say lie was one of them,;.but;he. was friendly with them.: He was very reticent about them and I could get nothing out oi him. if you ever, meet ...Ford,. you might see what you can do." “I will. He won’t know that I.work with: you so he may let out something. Is :Miss Tyler to. be there to-night?" “Yes. I am going to' have a chat with . her. I shall have-some work to do after all—a more interesting evening than I thought. Now I must be off to the Yard. I shall be back to dinner, though I may be late. I must see Gleeson; I can’t trust the •phone.” Hylton’s car drew up at the Yard ten minutes later 1

“I want to see Gleeson, Inspector, is he in?”

“Yes, Sir Hylton, he has just finished tea. He has . been on a case at the Chesney Hotel.”

“That is the case I want to see him about."

... Inspector Hyde showed .him into a room' that was always reserved for served for private interviews. Hylton tehed -his overcoat, as the room was nicely warmed, sat down and lit a cigarette. Five minutes later - Gleeson appeared. - “1 hear you have, been at the Chesney Hotel, Gleeson. Mr Clive rang me up,-and told me of the—er—loss.” . .Gleeson gave a quick smile. “Call it the tlieft, Sir Hylton, not to. put -too fine a polnt.upon.it. That’s the second in the last ten days. They’re getting too frequent!" “It’s the same gang, of course. Did you glean any details of importance?”

Gleeson referred to some notes. “'The two American ladies, Miss Tyler, and her chaperon Mrs Van Diet, have, rooms on the first floor. The opals. iu a metal cash box Jjwlych

.“I will/ Sir Hylton.' Good-night."

(To be Continued.'

was locked) in a drawer in Mrs. Van Biel’s room, which drawer ■ was also locked. Miss Tyler was out to tea. Mrs Van Diel went down to have tea in the lounge at half-past four. She locked the door of her room and left the key in the office. She was absent (about three-quarters of an hour. When she returned to her room she noticed nothing unusual except that .the .window was, open, but. she. could not remember if she had Opened it or not, and thought the chambermaid might have done so as the maids have duplicate keys.” Gleeson paused again .to read his notes. , “Did you see the room—and where it opens on to?” “Yes. The window opens on to the roof .of. the. lounge. I took no|es as

to who was sleeping, on that, floor. , There, were an American lady and gentleman (a married couple). ' A’single lady, Mrs Beddows, an invalid, who has a private sitting room; and a single gentleman, Mr Brownlow.” “Who occupied the room next to Mrs Van Diel?” was Hylton’s next question. “The invalid lady, Mrs Beddows. Mr Brownlow occupies the room next to her. He only took. the room for two days. He paid his bill and left just before I got there.” “As a rule people at hotels are supposed to vacate their rooms at noon. When was his time up?" “Not till noon to-morrow —I asked about that. It appears he had a wire recalling him to the "North on business,-, and so- could not stay out; his time.” ~ 2 ■ .* “Was he known at the Chesney? Had he ever been, there before?”'. “I made all enquiries about him. This--was his first visit to the Chesney. He gave the Westminster Bank as his reference; but he paid his bill in notes, not with a cheque. He was ■very liberal with his tips—but beyond that brief outline they knew nothing about him. The Westminster Bank was olosed, of course, so I could not verify the reference. I shall ,do that to-morrow.” ; “What about. Mrs Beddows? Had 'she any maid or companion?" ’'‘Yes, she had a maid, but she/was mew to Mrs .Beddows ,who only .engaged her to attend, on her. while she Was at the Chesney. Her own maid had influenza, I learnt, and was not- able to come. Miss Tyler got back to the hotel about elx o’clock, and it was then that the theft was discovered. They rang us up at onoe and I was sent straight there. I’m only just •back.”

“I thought you were having a late tea—but we have to make meals subservient to our work.” Hylton always ■identifldd himself with the Force. “Yes, Sir Hylton, we have—and sometimes meals don’t come In at all. What about your dinner, for example?” Hylton smiled. “My dinner-time is any time. I had to get what details I could, about this case, because I am meeting Miss Tyler to-night at a dance, and I had to glean, what information I co'uld from you on the subject. I shall get dinner about 8.30, I expect. Temple is dining with me and -going to the dance. We ware-discussing this case before I came here.”

■‘Mr- Temple is shrewd and clever.” “Yes 1 and he’s level-headed, too; also plodding,,and thorough. If he ever thought of joining us he would make a good worker.” 1 . ..- “Ye», Sir Hylton, and he has . the advantage of your tuition I he knows your methods. I wish he would join us.” . •'

Hylton laughed. “He’s too useful to me at present as he is. You had better verify , that reference, and see the maid again who waits on Mrs Beddows,. and -report the result to me.”:'/' .:-'/ ;

“Good-night, Gleeson. I may go to the Chesney myself to-morrow morning, so we might meet there.” When Hylton reached his house he 'dined with Temple.~at; once,’_and~then 'changed info his dress clothes. It was ten o’clock when they, reached the Connaught Rooms. “Sir Hylton Clive and Mr Temple;” -announced the major domo at the Connaught Rooms, who, at- Montague Square, was Poole, the Butler. Mrs Clive always took Poole with her when she ’gave a private dance at public rooms. ■ She felt safe, with Poole; he -was always .given- the. list of . guests invited, and she ~knew she /could; trust /him to/ exclude anyone whose/ name did not .figure/ on the list. There was no one. more- rigid for etiquette than Poole.

Mrs Clive looked at her nephew wduld-be reproachfully- when he greeted her. “You. are. fashionably late,: Hylton, for this most, important dance. You will have to make your peacewith Enid. I hope she has kept you some dances.”

“I’m so sorry, Aunt Julia, to be late, for this special occasion.. Some tiresome 'business detained me. And I know Temple has been; cursing me. I will go and make the amende honourable - to Enid at once,” and his tall figure strode through the dancers to where Enid was holding a little court. It struck him with a shock that his cousin was beautiful. He had realised that she was very pretty, but tonight she looked 'beautiful. Her hair was of that spun gold where sunbeams seem to lurk. Her features were finely moulded, with a small/ straight nose, big grey eyes black lashed, and a mouth made for kisses. A little firm chin indicated a will of her own.

She looked at him with a delicious pout. “You deserve to be scolded—but I suppose I mustn’t be cross on my birthday.”