THE TURN OF THE TIDE.”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17183, 29 October 1923, Page 10

THE TURN OF THE TIDE.”

“ STAR ” NEW SERIAL.

By

FEED M. WHITE.

CHAPTER VII. ARCADES AMBO. “ To quote the one and only George Robey, ‘ that’s that.’ ” Croot smiled knowiingly as he saw the last of the discomfited Rock, and helped himself to another cigarette. “ Still, it was rather a near shave, and T. hope such, a thing will not occur again.” “Sounds like a schoolmaster talking to an unruly boy,” Gilmour laughed unpleasantly. “ Anyone would thinic you were blaming me for what happened. It* s a great game that we are after, and the profits are enormous, hut the risks are nearly as big. So long as your hide is safe, what have you to complain of?” _ “I’m not thinking of myself altogether, Mark.” “ Perhaps not, hut you are no philanthropist. ou must admit that I was quite ready for our friend Lock to-night.” “ Oh, I give you full marks for that, at any rate he was all at sea and quite satisfied that he was on the wrong track. That return ticket of yours was a real brainwave. How on earth did you manage it? A real ticket, too.” ‘ 1 Of course it was a real ticket. A forgery would have been detected at once. As I take practically all the risk and do all the dangerous work T naturally cover my tracks as far as possible. Besides, I had a feeling that something was going to happen this evening, Lord knows why. But I had. And it did. It was real bad luck to barge slick into a man who knew me years ago when I was in the Navy, and on my own ship, too. Bill Avory tumbled to me at once, though we ha\ r e not met for at least ten years. And, what’s more, he has been aware for some time that I have been engaged in the neighbourhood of Great Bower Street. Avory was always a decent fellow, though he had nothing tc thank me for, and probably when he spotted me snd realized that I was leading a presumably decent life in the city he kept his own counsel. “Then he knew ail about your little —er—trouble ?” “Of course he did. He was on the Sharkstootli at the time of my arrest, and heard the result of the court martial. Croot, v r e must get Avory out of the way or he may spoil the whole game.” Gilmour's voice dropped to a whisper, and the expression on his face was nol good to see. He was preaching the gospel of murder now. and Croot averted his eyes. Hardened rascal as he was he shuddered., and his heart sank in his breast. Gilmour seemed to sense what was passing in the mind of liif confederate, for he smiled contemptu-

ouslv. “ Tt wouldn’t be the first time,” he snarled, “ and you need not pretend that you don’t know it. That old workshop of mine has done us many a good turn since we started on the present stunt.” “ You mean the place where you did your coining operations? I thought you had gi ven that up long ago. ■ t was a poor game you were at there., and the risks were great. When we joined forces you promised me that you would not ” “ And I didn’t,” Gilmour interrputed. “ But 1 kept thj workshop on because I still dabble n\ mechanical experiments, and the power that drives the plant costs me nothing. Tho South Thames Electric Corporation -will never find out that I tapped their main cable to the extent of a 2000 volt alternating cunent. I am still using it for my electric furnace. But the coining business is dead off. You showed me a better game than that. Vk hy, we must have made over £IOO,OOO during the last twelve months.” “Quite tliat,” Croot chuckled. “It was a great day for me when I came back from Canada and found a footing iln the firm of Verity and Co. They were absolutely on their last legs and the £SOOO X managed to scrape together just paid their debts. Did T ever tell you how I first got on to the business?” “ Not quite. Home man you met ia Canada, wasn't it?” “ That’s right. The shady sort of chap who leaves his country for his country’s good. He was the son of an old trusted servant of Verity Brothers and knew trom the father all about the secret passage under the offices, and the history of Crombie’s Wharf. I learnt it quite by accident one night, and for tho time being thought no more about it. Then it came to mo like an inspiration. 1 could see a for tune in it for a man of courage who got hold of the business and posed as a respectable merchant and broker in all sorts of foreign produce. And it came off, too. Then T found you and, well, I don’t think that I need sav any more.” “ Not for the present,” Gilmour said meaningly. Croot took up the challenge. There were times when he did not feel quite easy with this lieutenant of his. “What do you mean by that?” he demanded. “ Ain’t you satisfied with your share of the plunder?” “So far as the mere money goes there is nothing to grumble at,” Gilmour admitted. “ I am taking all the risks, and if I happen to be caught led handed then you get off on the plea that I am taking advantage of my position in your office to play the rogue. That was the understanding, and I am not squeaking at it. From the boodle point of view I have done very well, and, given another year, 1 shall he in a position to chuck it. Then I shall settle down to a respectable life, and the little wife I have in my mind will never know anything about my shady past. 1 suppose it never occurred to you that a man like myself had dreams of a nice little place in the country with a golf links handy and a wife and kids. Now with a girl, for instance, like your little Vera “You can drop that,’ Croot muttered with an ugly frown on his face. “ You can cut that out at nuce, Mark.” “Why?” Gilmour asked. “Why. If I you are good enough to be her adoptj ed father 1 am gooff enough to be her [ j real husband. And if she will have me ; j I ain going to be, and so I tell you I straight. It isn’t as if you were an honourable honest man.” * , (To be Continued.)