"STAR” NEW SERIAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17178, 23 October 1923, Page 10

"STAR” NEW SERIAL.

“THE TURN OF THE TIDE.” By FRED M. WHITE. CHAPTER V—CONTINUED. “Quite amusing.” lie said. “So this faithful watchdog on board the barge claims to have recognised me for somebody who was once his superior officer in his Majesty’s Navy. Incidentally I may say that I never was in any navy. To all practical purposes I am a man without a country, being the son of an Englishman born in Los Angeles who married a Canadian woman. T spent most of my life in Canada, where Mr Croot met me. Did this—-er—Avory tell you what was my other alias when in the service “I don’t think he did,” Lock ad rnitted. “But you have quite convinced me that he has made a mitsake. No doubt he has seen you in Great Bower Street and confused you with somebody he knew' years ago. The mere fact that you were dining here ” “But I wasn’t,” Gilmour carefully corrected. “I changed at the office and came on later, being detained at work till too late to reach here in time for the dinner. I arrived by the train from Charing Cross that reaches Cray at 8.30. I presume you found out my address and saw my housekeeper ” “I got your address and the number of your flat from the telephone directory,” Lock explained. “Avory gave me your name as Gilmour employed by Mr Croot. Ho said lie had known that you were in business in Great Bower Street for >© time. It was your housekeep thought you might be down try and their thousand-guinea moty-cars. Gents as drinks their wine regular and plays that Scotch crokay as they calls it on Sunday. I ’ears things, mind you, and I’ll ’are something good for you yet.” “ I shouldn’t- wonder if you were ight, Bill,” Ellis said as he knocked out his pipe ar.d strolled towards the door. “ I .shall be out in the boat tonight and will give you a look up.” It was after seven o’clock before Ellis got back from the West and ate his simple supper in the dingy lodgings where he had elected to put up for the present. Then in the driving rain and mist lie went down to the wharf where his motor-launch was moored, and a little later he was out on the bosom of the river. Not that he had nny particular object in view except the chance of some adventure- which might turn out useful from a journalistic point of view. Jt was a thick black night with a fine rain falling, and something in the nature of a fog hanging over the water. And so in the course of time iLllis drifted into the vicinity of the barge called the Stella, on board of which was Bill Avory and his mate, it. would be just as well perhaos to give the ma call and see how they* were getting on-

He ran the motor-boat under the counter of the barge, and as he did so His nerves tightened up and his senses grew a.ert, for from the tiny caoin or the barge came a clear erv lor help T n a few seconds Ellis had scrambled on to the deck. He shouted encouragement as if he were merely the advance guard of a party, and as he made out bis bearings two figures shot by him and dropped into a boat on toe far side of the barge and opposite to the quarter from whence he himself had come. Before he could interfere iu^ b + °l ? UShe l off ancl had vanished mto the fog. Out of the mists Ellis ?aunch SCe faint outline of a police T right.” he shouted. “ I’m EHis it 'after Those chaps.'’" 8 ’ tsrsSr scrambled to his feet and began to K„* o a .:^ d . that alone

1-ook.s like it. don’t it?” Avory , mate ™nt off to get some- beer an hour ago, and ’e ain’t oT the BOt ’old of mostly likely and nobbled ’im. bi^ht T ers“ow.’’ 01,6 ° f U ‘ e m: e d Y °one m oT n the°gf„ J g ? t ’ , . lat y ° U "*»«- ‘Aye, that I did, guv’nor. Two of em comes creepin’ down ’ere an’ arops on the top of me before I knows as they are about. When X y<? n s ollt a " J ear * your voice the first chnp catches me a clip on the jaw that knocks mo out, but not afore T calls f l , ?. e name an’ I see as ’e pipes mo. An mi a regular toff.” “Oh, indeed. Who might he be? Do I know him ?” “ V T ry , Hkc - ,;E ’ r a sort of boss in one of the big offices in Great Bower Street, manager ’e calls hi.sself to } and Go- Name o’ Gilmour they tells me But. that worn’t the name I knowed mi by when I were in the ISavy. I spotted ’im ages ago as an old enemy, but I didn’t say nothink because I alius believe in letting bygones be bygones, and if the bloke likes to coll msseif by another name it don’t concern me. But the bloke what copped me on the jaw is the same as calls msseif Air Mark Gilmour.” Ellis sat there without comment, but seeing a deal of light in what hitherto hod been a very dark place to him. A score of little things began to assume large proportions. But it was no part of his policy just then to say anything about this to his companion. Ho would know what to do when the time came. “Perhaps I had better hail the next police boat and send off to find your mate,” he suggested- “If tlnx man has been got at it would be just as well to find out.” Half an hour later Avory was relieved l>y a police patrol, and Ellis was ! getting Inspector Lock on the telephone. It was not the first time he had been of service to the authorities and Lock listened to him with all due respect. “ I’ll make inquiries,” he said. • Ring me up again in about half an hour and I may have something for you. At tiie end of that time Lock had quite a lot to say. A polio© patrol had very nearly caught the raiders and was under the impression that they had sunk their boat- If that was so, then the thieves must have been drowned, a solution that did not altogether satisfy Ellis- He had a suggestion to make. “ They were probably prepared for that,” he said. “If you don’t mind, it would be as well to find out nt once where Gilmour is to be found. I know the man personally; I have met him more than once at his employer’s house at Cray, and the more I see of him the less T like him. He may try to get to Cray to-night to establish an alibi. Tf he isn’t at his flat, and his housekeeper doesn’t know where lie is. wouldn’t it l>e worth while to rush off

to Mr Croot’s house at Cray and make inquiries ?” “ Not at all a bad suggestion,” Lock j replied. Gilmour smiled to himself. Fie could j see quite plainly liow the officer bad laid bis trap to catch him. “Oh, well,” he said. “These clianco likenesses are frequently the cause of trouble. But final.fy to dispel any further doubt in the matter, look at this.” From this waistcoat pocket Gilmour produced a slip of blue cardboard which lie handed to Lock. 3t was a. half of a first-class reiturn ticket between Charing Cross and Cray taken out that day. “There you are,” he said. “My ticket purchased at the booking office about 7.45 this evening by myself. The first half you can no doubt inspect at Cray station. And perhaps after that you regard the alibi as proved, M’ “Quite,” Lock said shortly. “There is obviously a mistage somewhere. J am sorry to trouble you, bmt I had to make inquiries. I wish you good night, gentlemen.” (To be Continued J