THE GREY CAR MYSTERY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 144671, 4 May 1915, Page 5

THE GREY CAR MYSTERY.

.'COPYRIGHT.]

By A. WILSON BARRETT. Author of "Tho House Over the Way,” “The Silver Pin.” “A Soldier’s Love,” etc. >

' CHAPTER XIII. Laurence endured as best he could the few hours that had to elapse before his appointment with the fat German. At -1 o’clock he was once moro in Cork Street, and almost lie fore the clock struck the hour he was knocking at Mr. Rosen’s door at the end of the dark passage. The passage was dark, it is true, and ii was that fact that, made visible, perhaps. the little ray of wjrm light which .found its way through a small crack in Mr. Rosen’s ch-jtod door. And it was that fact, in its turn, which made Laurence surprised when ho had knockoil. and knocked_ a second time, and still received no reply to his summons. "He has not conic hack yet, 1 suppose.’’ ho, thought, after a moment, and after he had tried the door and found it, locked. "1 was rather early, it is true. ’ And, making his way back to the street, he stood for a , few moments looking about him. Ten minutes having passed, however, and with them no sign of the fat German, he began to grow impatient. And, thinking that perhaps there wore other convolutions of the snider’s well from which Air. Rosen had not caught the sound of his knocking, ho made his way along the passage, and banged again upon the panels. Again, however, no answer came from within, and ho was about to hammer still more vigorously, and had, indeed, just raised bis stick for that purpose, when suddenly he paused, staring at ' the door; for the light from within no longer came through the crack. All now was darkness.

Laurence started. That was strange, surely. Whoever had turned out that light must have heard him knocking. Then they did not want to answer. More than that, they were hiding from him. Was it Rosen? Then ho had changed . his mind. I-aurencc turned white. There had boon no doubt about tlie fat man’s eagerness to grasp his proffered forty pounds. Had ho not put forward the hour to keep his promise in anticipation of the increased reward? Then what had happened meanwhile? Had ho heard something that had made him hesitate or be afraid? Had he seen the man, mean-

while, whom Laurence wanted to find, and liad ho-been commanded or bribed to keep silence?

‘Tlf find that out,” thought Laurence ; and he struck heavily and, repeatedly upon the door. It remained obstinately closed; and. whoever might bo inside, not a sound came from them. Laurence bit his lip. The light had been turned out —ho was sure of it. Therefore someone, probably Rosen himself, was within. And, furious, ho put his shoulder to the door. One nush from his powerful young frame, another, and the lock began to yield. A last effort, with all his weight and strength, and it had given way, and he was inside. Inside, and looking straight into the eyes, glowing in the darkness like a cat’s, of Rosen himself; The fat man. obviously staggered at this sudden and violent entry, dared at l>aurcncc for a moment in .silence. Then, with his hand twisting his board with his familiar gesture, he suddenly blazed out: “A thousand million devils! What for do yon want to come in like, dat?” he cried. Laurence frowned. 'A on made an appointment for 4 o’clock to tell me where I could: find that man. ’ he said. ‘T have brought the, money—see. here are the forty pounds.” .Mr. Boson’s eyes turned to the little bundle! of notes Laurence held out, and his fat lingers obviously twitched. But ho .hook his head, "I can’t toll yon nossing,” he said, slowly. Laurence clenched his fists. It was obvious that something had occurred to change the fat man's point of view since the morning; that he now joared or did not wish to give the information he irad promised, and the young man for half a second hesitated what to do. Should ho seize the old ruffian by the throat, he wondered, and squeeze the truth from him? And then ho pulled himself together. That would not do at, nil, he realised. A shout for help from the fat man, whoso house lie had already broken into, and he should find himself perhaps in the police station. And Eve? How would that help her? He made another attempt. “If it is a question of money ” he began. But the fat German shook his head, with, as it struck Laurence, a queer, nervous glance of his eyes. “No, it gannot be. Do not ask me. Do not bodder. Go away, 1 don’t know noting what you want to know.” It was obvious that there was nothing to be clone with him, and Laurence turned to the door. “You won't even tell me bus name?” ho asked, turning as ho reached the passage for a last attempt. Mr. Rosen shook his head with a sigh. “I don’t know it.” he said. “I don’t know nossing. 1 never knew nossing.”

Laurence, turning out into Cork Street, jammed the packet of notes hack into his pocket, and walked on thoughtfully. “He knows, of course,” he mused. “Equally certainly I must find that man. How to circumvent that old rogue, now?”

And instantly Mr. Eldon and his first suggestion, came hack to him. What about the man from Scotland Yard? Where Umrcnco had failed it was perfectly conceivable that ho might succeed. He was soon on his way. fortified with an introduction, to Chancery Lane, where Mr. Wise, the subject of Mr. Eldon's recommendation, had Ids offices.

A plate with "Mr. Justus Wise, Private Inquiries," upon it led Laurence up several flights of stone steps to a door, upon which he knocked, a little breathless from tho climb. A cheerful voice bade him “Come in,” and, entering, he, found himself in a light hut very plainly-furnished office, containing only a chair or two, a few papers, an almanack, a desk, and a man.

He wns a man of about forty, darkhaired. with rathor bushy side-whisk-crs and very shining white tooth. lie was neatly dressed, and his clothes, which looked ns if they had seen their best days, bore signs of the care evidently expended upon them by their owner. A snare, rather youthful figure, keen, sharp eyes, and a nose a little resembling the beak of a bird of prey, rompleted the catalogue of Mr. Justus Wise's charms.

Mr. Wise listened attentively while Laurence described his two interviews with the fat German, and nodded when the young man had finished his story. "He knows who this young man is, of course." he said, smoothing his whiskers thoughtfully, "and between the two visits you made him he saw him and wns squared somehowlt sounds natural enough, Air.—or—Carton, and yet there is something queer about it. too. 1 know something by repute about this man, Rosen, and, of course, he is keen on money. It is his life’s blood, as it is with all those men. But then you yourself were ready to pay him, and ho is in any case a very wealthy man. I cannot—or—therefore, understand entirely his sudden change of tone. I cannot—er—ask you why you want to find this young man?” he continued, rubbing his* white hands softly together, and looking up suddenly and keenly at Laurence.

Laurence flushed slightly. "I am afraid not for the moment,” he said, at last. "It must. lv> sufficient to toll you at present that beyond my desire* to trace this man there is my desire to—to find someone else of far greater importanre to myself. I may, I daresay I shall, put you in possession of further facts a little later. At present there arc reasons which ”

Mr. Justus Wise bowed quickly, with a wave of his while hand. "Say no more, Mr. Carton.” he said. "We will find this young man—er—very shortly. Ido not doubt. And I hen yon can tell me or not, as you please.” Laurence looked up, a little surprised at the assured tone in tvhich ho had spoken. "Do you really think you can manage it, and quickly?” he asked, “i may tell you this, that it is a matter of very groat moment to 'myself, and that if money is of any service in expediting your search, you have only to let me know. Mr. Eldon streaks very highly of your abilities, and ” Mr. Wise bowed. "Mr. Eldon is very kind,” he said. “It is my—er—custom to require a certain small—er—. pioliminary fee for expenses in such a ease as this."

Laurence produced the packer of notes from his pocket and, dividing; it into halves, placed one of the bundles on Mr. Wise’s desk. “There is twenty pounds,” he said; “but remember that in this case every moment is, perhaps, precious.” -Mr. AVise’s eyes sparkled beneath his slightly projecting brows. "Thank you, Mr. Carton,” he said, rising. "X am much obliged to you. I will—cr—not delay, if you will call here—or—let me see, shall we say to-morrow at this time?—X shall hope to have news for you. Er—-1 beg your pardon?” He paused suddenly,, for Laurence, who had risen, was standing by the desk, and had glanced carelessly enough at a newspaper which _ Mr. AVise had evidently boon engaged in reading when he hud ‘entered, and which was lying with one paragraph roughly marked in blue pencil folded upon the leather top. had started violently, giving a little exclamation.

For the paragraph was, strangely enough, one which Laurence had read through several times before, and which was connected in his mind, and

more vividly since the last two days, with a night in his life which ho should never forget. It was the paragraph from the newspaper of the day following his dinner at the restaurant, the startling paragraph which had told of. the finding of the murdered woman’s body in the park. For a moment, recalled to himself by Mr. Wise’s surprised looks, he struggled against the momentary agitation the coincidence had caused him, and then, pulling himself together hastily, he nodded. “Thanks, very much. I will he here to-morrow,” he said. And he made his way out. (To be continued.)