X 14

Taranaki Daily News, 18 February 1933, Page 9 (Supplement)

X 14

Sy

I. M. GILBERT

CHAPTER XI. (Continued). Besides, I did rather want to see if you were all right, William.” The dear soul spoke that last sentence from her heart. She had been genuinely concerned for my safety. What floored me was the mention of Mr Pringle. Mr Pringle is our family lawyer,—solicitor we call him in Scotland. Doubtless he is an excellent man at his work, in spite of a habit of advancing and retiring before coming to any decision. He looks his part to the life, and utterly lacks a sense of humour. The notion of the worthy Pringle being called in to advise about how to deal with X 14 was too much for me, and I began to laugh uncontrollably. It was terrible faux pas, of course, and Ml?s Graham looked deeply offended. Recovering myself, I apologized, saying that my nerves were slightly upset. ‘‘A great deal has happened during the last day or two,” I explained “ but, for a dozen reasons, it would be better to tell you elsewhere than in this lounge and before you see Mr Pringle." •CHAPTER XII, For several minutes after I capie to the end of my story, Miss Graham sat deep in thought. My letter must have been rather a shock to her, but now was added the disquieting fact that the scene of action had shifted to Edinburgh of all places where respectability is as unavoidable as the east wjnd. Obviously my aunt needed a little time in which to readjust her sense of values. “Add to know," she exclaimed at last, “that two of these wretches are actually here at this moment. Why, the whole affair is a positive outrage, and we must decide at 'once What we are going to do about it." That “we u came as an enormous relief to me, for I realised that I had secured a determined, if strange, ally. The light in her eye and the flush on her cheek betrayed my aunt as a borr conspirator. In fact, she wa really enjoying herself immensely, am all that was now lacking for the makings of a thoroughly comic side was the recruiting of Mr Pringle. “Are you still’ thinking of calling on: Pringle?” I inquired hesitatingly. “Certainly not,” snapped Miss Grabam; “his kind of legal interference is probably the last thing we shall want. You had, meanwhile, better come home with me, and then I’ll decide what is the best thing to be done.”.

Evidently I was already reduced to a very junior second-in-comrnand, and for once In a way I was not disposed to resent Aunt Allison’s habit of taking charge. During the last few days I had done quite enough acting ■on my own initiative, and, so long as She kept clear of actual personal danger the old lady was chore th-an welcome temporarily to run my show for me. “Before anything else, you must buy a- olean shirt and , collar," she announced with a withering glance.

■Those you are wearing are perfectly filthy.” Since with Aunt Allison to hear Is to obey, I meekly accompanied her io a local shop to make the necessary purchases. Afterwards we went to the garage whe~e her car had been left for soma minor repairs. We found it ready waiting for us, with her chauffeur, Henderson, at the wheel. ..During the twety-odd years he has beep In my aunt’s service Henderson has taken on some of his mistress’s. characteristics, as well sas developing a. distinct/personality of his own. In fact, -he is responsible for a good deal of the curiously robust yet almost feudal, atmosphere which pervades Miss Graham’s household. The little chdufteur looked a trifle astonished at seeing me, but it was neither the time nor the place, for explanations. We had hot very far to go, and after a'run of about, half an hour we pulled up outside Moorflelds, the trim, oldfashfojied house where my aunt has lived for as long as I can remember. He” three dogs gave me an uproarious welcome; and Annie, tho tablemaid, a mo-e sedate one Then I ran upstairs and had a bath and a quick change. When I came down I found Aunt AHison in the library, sitting at her desk and looking very serious and business-like. “Sit down, William,” She said. “1 want to get everything quite clear in my own mind.” Then, seeing me Angering my waistcoat pocket, she added reluctantly, “Yes, you may smoke, but remember to be cireful oi my carpet.” Nothing could have so definitely convinced me that my stock stood high at this grudging concession, for when I Stay at,Moo/Ceids I am accustomed to sneaking down to the kitchen garden whenever I want a cigarette during the daytime, and, though she does allow me to smoke in the dining-room after dinner, she never fails to remind ma that mx objectionable habits involve a thoro’ugh spring-cleaning every morning before breakfast. Even now I lit up with a rather guilty schoolboy feeling. We went Over the chief points of the situation once more, the old lady making an occasional note on a sheet of pap6r. Pros . and cons all written down and tabulated are rather a failing of hers, whether the matter undei consideration is new method of overfeeding her pets or the momentous question of the other guests to ask to tea with the local minister. She gol hold of the main essentials far more quickly than I would have done, and then read out her conclusions. “We know,” she commenced, “that there is a horrible plot afoot which, up to now, had been frustrated more by chance than by brains. We cannot expect that to happen again, and unless we bestir ourselves 'inis plot will be delayed no longer. Our evidence at present is not nearly sufficient to prove what we know, but all the further evidence we requite is in that annoying dispatch case in London.”. “Only until to-morrow night," I reminded her. “Quite true,” she said, nodding her head vigorously..“ That is the whole crux of the situation. To-morrow night this person called X 14 will get hold of. the dispatch case at the meeting. Unless we can stop that, the first of these terrible murders will be committed, and we will have failed!’’ “It looks,” I remarked despondingly, "as if our only course is to to go to the police. Surely, they’ll listen to you, even though they wouldn’t take any notice of me "Fiddlesticks,” snorted my aunt. "To give in now will spoil everything. We have nothing to offer except our circumstantial story, and unless we can catch them red-handed, or can produce documentary proof, our enemies will escape. Obviously they will have taken every possible precaution, and the utmost the authorities could do would be to deport the leaders, and that will merely mean the plot being put off until a more favourable moment.”

“Then what ” I began. “Don’t interrupt,” admonished Miss Graham severely; “but since you’ve already done so, just answer me one question. Did you hear the name of the garage from which the car was ordered that is to take the 'two men to

“Yes,” I replied.. “Good. Then, as I see it, our business is this. To stop X 14 and Wace from going to London, and to get possession of that dispatch case. What is to prevent our cancelling their arrangements and sending another car for them which will be driven by Henderson, who can take them anywhere he likes. We, meanwhile, can travel direct to London, secure 'the case, and hand it over to Scotland.” As she finished speaking my aunt sat back and looked at me with a complacent smile, as if everything was settled. But it was not so simple as all that.

“Wace knows the road,” I pointed out, “and 'the moment Henderson tries to leave it he will be certainly stopped and probably shot; and X 14 will undoubtedly telegraph to London to warn his friends. Besides, the dispatch case isn’t exactly lying about for me to pick up, although it is true that with a clear field I might have a chance of getting it. As far as I can tell, the people who are to attend the meeting don’t know me, and I might bluff them somehow, or even attempt a hold-up; but if X 14 puts them on their guard, our only hope is to try and persuade the police to raid the house.” “You always make ■dliXlcultles,” grunted Miss Graham. “There must be some way out, and I’m sure my suggestion is a good one.” In outline it was, but detailed staff work was needed, so I lit myself another cigarette and settled down to a spell of hard thinking, until at last I thougjit I saw a way to rid myself of the two men Without either unduly risking Henderson’s life or resorting to cold-blooded murder,

“Why not ambush them at Lethy Keep and imprison them there?” I suggested. “The tower would answer •our purpose well. The walls are enormously thick, and the -place is little frequented, and if we leave some one on guardl we can keep them there almost indefinitely.” Aunt Alb son not only agreed with me, but promptly offered her own services as aid to Henderson in the business of kidnapping, securing and guarding our prospective prisoners, and I had the utmost difficulty in persuading the old lady that she would be much more useful in some other capacity. Indeed, I soon realised tnat one of my greatest difficulties was going to be the keeping of Miss Graham sufficiently out of the limelight to ensure that she would come to no bodily harm. Finally, and on the distinct understanding that she should be in at the death in London, she reluctantly accepted my conditions. •Henderson, we knew, we could count on. He was an old friend of mine for one thing, and anyhow he simply loved a scrap. The most respectful and efficient of servants where my aunt is concerned, he is like a tiger when off duty. A hard, wiry little fellow, in his younger days he was willing to take on any one, just for the fun of the thing. Even now I could imagine nothing that would give him greater pleasure than' a fight actually carried out at Miss 'Graham’s orders, to whom he is intensely loyal. Twice during the war Henderson had risen to the rank of Sergeant, only to be reduced again owing to his unfortunate bellicose disposition, or, rather, his inability to reserve it exclusively for use against the enemy. Aunt Allison knew ■ all about his failing. Indeed, she 'had threatened him with instant dismissal -should he ever break out* again; yet now she was, prepared to order him to do so. ; Certainly the chauffeur was just the type of man we required, but if we were to have the advantage of equal numbers as well as surprise, another confederate was needed.

We could think of no one except Macnicol the gardener. A big, rawboned Highlander, and strong as an ox, physically he would be all right; but as to his temperamental suitability,, and even fils willingness for the job in hand, I had my doubts. Henderson was'a bachelor, and fighting was his hbbby; but the gardener was a mair ried man, a quiet and law-abiding citizen, and not over-quick at thinking. Aunt Allison, however, was sure she could persuade him, and after we had worked out all the details of our scheme she rang the bell and ordered her two henchmen to be sent for. They looked very sheepish as they walked slowly into the library, and half scared, as if expecting to be rated for some delinquency. When my aunt told them to sit down, their faces took on an expression of complete amazement, while the sheepishness perceptibly increased. Side by side they sat on the extreme edge of the couch, hats awkwardly balanced on their knees.

Miss Graham came to the point at once by telling the m®n that a crowd of foreigners intended to murder '&ome decent Scottish people, and that we were determined to 'Stop them—a proceeding in which we proposed to secure their assistance, provided they were willing to risk their necks in the adventure. “Scottish,” I suppose, was thrown in to give the affair a more local interest, and I noticed that no mention was made of the police. From the word go, it was clear that Henderson was with us. Indeed, he had a general air of listening to something which was altogether too good

to be true, Maoniaal, however, took the matter rather differently. Not a muscle of his face moved, and for a time I feared he was going to let us down. Fortunately I was quite wrong. My aunt briefly outlined the situation, explained our plans. - (To be