“THE TURN OF THE TIDE."

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17245, 11 January 1924, Page 10

“THE TURN OF THE TIDE."

OUR SERIAL.

By FBBD M. WHITE CHAPTER XVIII. Ah, there J quite agree with you,” Lock said. “It will taKe a great deal to convince me that Mr Croot knew nothing about it. But to identify him with the robberies will be quite another thing. He must have known all about the secret of Crombies Wharf. When he took over tho business of Verity and Co. a few years ago ho was a poor, struggling man. He had just come back from Canada, knowing very little, about English business conditions. Ho has been running an old-fashioned concern on rather narrow lines, and yet, lrom all I can hear, he lias made a large fortune. Ho couldn’t have done that and been honest at the same time.” •‘We are quite aware of the fact,” Rust laughed. *‘ Perhaps it would be as well now to show- you another side to Croot’s charnctei. Before long you will have to know it in your professional capacity. It is not a pretty story, but wo have nil the facts practically at our finger tips, and you will have the satisfaction before long of arresting Croot on another charge, though you may ne\er be able to provo that ho was behind Gilmour in those liver robberies. Not that J. despair of that.” “Neither do T,” Look said. “I shall bo very interested to hear what Croot has to say when. 1 ask him how he explains the fact that Gilmour went down to tho Moat House one night in a taxi and subsequently appeared in evening dress at the birthday dinner party of Croot’s adopted daughter.” “Yes, that will take a bit of answering,” Ellis said. “Now, Geoff, tell the Inspector all about Broken Points.” Witli that, Rust proceeded to tell the story at length, and after it was finished Lock went off. leaying Ellis and Rust together. It was getting very late now, but neither of the friends seemed inclined to move, though Ellis suggested bed. “ Oh, X don’t think you want to turn in yet,” Rust said. “ I feel as if I never should sleep again. It’s been a ghastly evening, Jack, and it will be a long time before 1 forget it. Of course, everything is going to straighten itself out now, but what troubles me particularly at tho moment is how Vera will take all this business when she comes to be told the truth.” ‘‘l hadn’t overlooked that either,”) Ellis murmured. “It will be a great shock to her, but after all, she is young and strong, and Croot is no relation of hers. She will get over it in time, though I don’t mind saying that I dread telling her.” “ I think the sooner you do so the better,” Rust said. “You had better run down to-morrow and see her. Or if you like, I will arrange it. I arn going down to Cray to-morrow, any way.” ‘‘Oh, things are moving in that direction, are they?’ “ Most assuredly they are. I have arranged to see Croot to-morrow at the Moat House, and I am not going alone, because Major Langley accompanies me. Oh yes, we are ready to move, and when he have finished, Langley will come into his own again.” “ What, you don’t mean to say ” “I ilo, Jack, I do. The major is quite clear in his mind again, and what’s more, he knows now where all those vital papers are hidden in the Moat House. He can go straight to the spot, and put his hand upon them. They are in the library almost under Croot’s nose, and I am going to be present when they are found.”

CHAPTER XXIX. It still wanted some quarter of an hour from midnight when Ellis flung himself into a taxi outside Rust’s rooms and drccted the driver to take him to the offices of the “Telephone.” 111 the horror and excitement of the evening he had entirly forgotten the reason why ho had first embarked upon the problem connected with those robberies 011 the river. He had been seated talking to Geoffrey Rust and discussing the future, when just after Rust had mentioned the fact that Major Langley was at last in a position to make a definite move, he had recollected the duty that he owed to his paper. No one knew' better than himself how quickly these things get talked about; he was quite aware of the small army of hack journalists who nlways hang about a polico station late at night 011 the offehanco of picking up some exclusive piece of information likely to lead to a paragraph which, properly manipulated, would keep the writer in comfort for a week. And if this happened, then the “Telephone ” would b© forestalled, and he would have his pains for nothing. “By Jove, I must be off!” be cried. “If I start now I shall be able to get in two or three columns in time for the country edition. I will try and see you to-morrow. Geoff, and perhaps when we meet in the evening you will have something to say to me with regard to the interview with I Croot.” i With that ho hurriedly departed, and a quarter of an hour later passed through the granite pillars of the “ Telephone ” offices in Fleet Street, and thrust himself into the sanctum of the new editor. Mr Donaldson did not appear to be particularly busy. On the contrary, he was deploring the fact that tho present issue of his paper would be rather a commonplace one. There was plenty of time yet for something big, and Donaldson knew that the great thing was at hand directly he caught sight of Ellis’s face. “ You’ve got a scoop for us. haven’t vou?” he asked. “Well, rather,” Ellis said. “Those river roberies. Tho loader has been j arrested; in fact. I was present and | saw it done. And. moreover. he is ! dead. Flung himself out of a taxi 1 with the handcuffs on. and fractured ! his skull. But stop a minute. I am not quite sure that he is dead yet. But anyhow, he can’t live till inorni ing. and you can verify that by calling |up the London Hospital on the , 'phone. I have got it all here. Don- ! aldson —arrest of the miscreants, a j fine story of underground passages and secret valts—quite in the style of the : old-fashioned shilling shocker. Send me a smart tvpist to my room, and T will i turn out two or three columns for you ! as fast as you can get it set up.” A *Tr» be tVu.iin.uad,>