Mystery of the Orchards

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17758, 30 January 1926, Page 17

Mystery of the Orchards

Another Startling Adventure of the SuperSleuth, S. Q. R. Gimlett .

Deeds of Darkness Brought to Light

Written for the “Star ” by

A. B. Lane)

▼T was during the late summer JL of an eventful year that S. Q. W. Gimlett, the super-sleuth, fastened his teeth in one of those bathing cases that stagger the ordinary intellect. It was a case of fruit. But let us begin at the beginning. The orchardists at Redapple, an ap-propriately-named and cosily-situated suburb, were in a state of violent excitement, stimulated rather than reduced by righteous indignation. For weeks past their fruit trees had been systematically raided. They (the orchardists) had fought all sorts of pests for eleven months, and now their harvest time was threatened. Their Delicious apples were being surreptitiously sampled, and their Jonathans were going off with invisible Davids. Aristocratic Lord Wolseleys were doing the disappearing trick, and Cox’s were going by boxes. Something had to be done, and an indignation meeting was held. at which there was a large and representative attendance. The following report is taken from the local organ, " The Cider Press ”: — A meeting of fruit growers was lielrl last nigrht to consider the measures to t*e tak<°n to combat the systematic robbery of orchards in Redapple. The chair was occupied by Mr R. Senate, of Lead, Farm. In a few well chosen sentences be expressed his view of tho situation, but became rather Involved when he tried to sav what he would like to do to the robbers, on whose ancestry he cast the most ignoble aspersions. He invited the audience to make suggestions. Mr Woolly A. Fizz. a prominent worker in the fruit business, said that Jt was enough to make anybody bubble over. Personally, he was determined, to stick to all the fruit lie could.—(Applause.) Mr Codlin said that he and his friend fthort had bored through all the orchards, and could not find any clues. The vase had given growers the pip, and they should probe it to the core. Mr Green said that the thieves were pretty fly. He asked the Cook Island representative, Mr Kara Tonga, if it was a fact that the banana crop had been similarly devastated? Mr Rara Tonga: Tea; we have no bananas.—(Sensation.) Mr Morgan said that his orchard now consisted of two pears. It was very hard, when he had been expecting abundance, to get misere. He felt that lie had been euchred, and he would like to take the poker to the two-up school that had come over the bridge. It was all very well to cry ** whist," but these people would crib anything. The chairman suggested that Mr Morgan should talk about fruit, not cards. After the meeting they could j-ut in on a friendly game, on a cash basis/ Mr Abe Moses said that he had brought his chips. The chairman: In that case you’ll have to fish for your game.—(Roars of laughter.) Order having been restored and numerous other speeches delivered, the chairman made the suggestion that a detective should be engaged to solve the mystery. They had all heard of S. Q. RGfmlett, whose rare skill was at their disposal, for a consideration. It might l.e necessary to take up a subscription < half of those present rose to go), but it might be done through the rates (all scats resumed), or a Government grant. (Great cheering.) Tt was resolved to engage Mr Gimlett, and to demand that, as the protection of orchards was a matter of national importance, the cost be defrayed by the Government. The meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to the chair. x s: x The great Gimlett sat in his den, smoking Woodbines and dreaming day dreams. He was thinking of his triumphs of the past—how he had retrieved the Duke of Stilton’s cheesecutter, and outwitted the rascal who tried to get away with Lady Hardup’s real paste tiara. Ilis niusings were interrupted by Whatsup, his confidential servant, who tossed him a letter. He examined the envelope. On it was printed the command, “ Eat More Fruit From Redapple.” He wished that he could afford it. Pensively he opened the letter. and at once he brightened up. “I la! At last I” he ejaculated. “ Another job?” inquired the faithful Whatsup, whose wages were long overdue. ‘The great orchard mystery!” said Gimlett. 44 I’ll solve it, or eat my way through the entire fruit crop.” “ You’re a good eater! ” said Whatsup, pensively. ” Xone of your ” Gimlett began passionately, but pulled himself up. He could not afford to be violent. 44 There’s gold in this,” he said. Perhaps,” said Whatsup. “For both of us.” added Gimlett. “ Wages deferred maketh the heart sick.” said Whatsup. Gimlett searched his pockets, and found a sixpence, which he handed to his retainer. 44 Go out and have a bust on that.” he said. “ The age of miracles is past,” grieved Whatsup. But he took the sixpence. X X X Gimlett walked out to Redapplc, and appeased his hunger at the first orchard he came to. He met the local committee and demanded and (after some argument) received a tenner for his preliminary expenses. lie put up at the local hotel, where the bar was cool and the beer good. In the evening he scouted round among the orchards, raising a few birds ami rabbits as he made his progress.

A few halcyon days passed without anything untoward happening. The robberies had stopped as if by magic, and it was rightly concluded by the local committee that Gimlett’s presence was responsible. The committee agreed, however, that they could not keep the sleuth on the job indefinitely. They suggested more subtle methods. Let Gimlett go away in the day time and come down at night. Gimlett acquiesced, with a sigh. ».» j.j That very night he had his first hunt. Passing along the road, he saw a flutter among the fruit trees, and. gave chase. He pursued the intruder into the local miller’s grounds, and could almost have sworn that he saw someone disappear through a side door. lie opened the door and looked in. A young lady was sitting in an armchair, reading. She w'as the miller’s lovely daughter, none so fair as she. She was breathing rapidly, and was slightly flushed, as though she had been running. Gimlett paused, arid, always the gentleman, took off his hat. 44 Did you see anyone else come in here, Miss?” he asked, with oldfashioned courtesy. 44 No. Shut the gate as you go out.” None so gay as she. Gimlett retired. None so sad as he. The miller’s lovely daughter dipped her hand into the recesses of her armchair, and drew forth a delicious Delicious, freshly picked. Have you ever heard anybody gobbling a lovely apple? She made a noise like that. None so glad as she. The next adventure had a more serious side, for Gimlett. Late one night he was patrolling the orchard. Diana's bow was in the heavens—that is, the moon was shining. The vigilant sleuth, mooning about among the fruit trees, suddenly received a terrific clump on the head. He thought someone had bit him with a brick, but it was only a Lord Wolseley, propelled by an unerring hand- Gimlett rushed down an avenue in search of his assailant. peering furiously from side to side. He should have looked where he was going, as he barged over the top of a beehive and upset it and himself. Bees resent these impromptu calls, and on this occasion they indicated their displeasure in the customary manner. Gimlett was not a swearing man, but when one is pursued by bees, and overtaken, a little license in language must be allowed. He got away from his tormentors as quickly as he could, stopping now and then to annihilate stray bees that had got into his sleeves and up the legs of his trousers. He frequently invoked his sainted aunt, the devil, and Holy Moses. x x The gallant sleuth, stung and assaulted as he had been, resolved not to relax his efforts to catch red-handed the ruffians who were rifling the rubicund Ribstones. Gne evening he made his way secretly into Morgan's orchard and concealed himself in a cosy nook, resolved to watch with the doggedness of a cat at a mouse-hole. He was awakened some hours later by somebody stepping on his face. With a yell of mingled pain and rage he jumped to his feet, surprising a party of about half a dozen youths, who ought to have been asleep in bed. The miscreants scattered in all directions, and Gimlett set off in pursuit of one of them whose movements lacked the distance-devastating agility of the others. Fortune favoured him, because his quarry was Bill Garry, the boy who was always taking the wrong turning, and was therefore popular and highly respected in the best boy circles. At this time Bill had a sprained ankle, and that reduced his vanishing efficiency, His pockets bulged with fruit.

Bill Garry was an extraordinary lad. To look at him you would think that butter could not melt in his mouth. Later on you would swear that he could bite lumps out of pig iron. He had fair hair, a countenance of singularly boyish beauty, and a slim but wiry frame. His father, the vicar, the local policeman and many others called him “Bill.” His mother called him “Willie,” and the lady school teacher, the curate and his maiden aunt called him “William.” His mother loved him and wept over him and was proud of him. Ilis maiden aunt declared that if he had been her boy she would have brought him up differently. The curate referred to him as “that dreadful boy.” The school teacher, whose miserable life he made happy, if active, by his penchant for mischief and jokes, always wanted to call him “Bill,” but stuck to “William” for the sake of discipline. She was pretty, only about twenty-seven, and had a sense of humour. Bill was a smart lad.-but whenever there was trouble there he was in the midst of it.

He’d go on Sunday to the church and sit among the boys. He’d hear the paison pray and preach and then he’d lift his voice, singing in the village choir. It would make your heart rejoice. ’Twould sound to you like an angel-’s voice, singing in Paradise, and with

your hard, rough hand you’d wipe a tear out of your eyes.

When you knew Bill better you wanted to use your hard, rough hand to bring tears to HIS eyes. As old Scroggins said, “He’s not a nangel; he’s a nimp! ” But to return to our muttons. We left Bill in full if somewhat crippled flight, and Gimlett in full cry. The sleuth steadily- gained, and Bill realised that the game was up. However, Bill was of the Old Guard sort that dies but never surrenders, and at bay he was a little more dangerous than ever. Gimlett rushed in to seize him, but Bill met him with teeth, hands and feet, wielded jointly and severally like an infuriated wildcat. Our sleuth fought his way out of the clinch, and, breathing hard, stood off until he felt up to another assault. Again he closed in and grappled fiercely with Bill, who fought back with a desperation that bespoke an invincible spirit. The pair rolled on the ground, to the great damage of their clothes, and fierce objurgations were emitted by each. In a struggle of this sort weight must tell, and at last Gimlett had Bill pinned by the simple process of sitting on him. He mopped his brow. “Got you with the goods!” he exulted. “Haven’t got any goods 1” Bill sulked. “Nothing in your pockets?” jeered Gimlett. “Look in your own! ” retorted Bill. Gimlett did so, and gave a gasp of astonishment. His pockets bulged with fruit. During their struggle Bill had not only' managed to get rid of “the goods,” but to transfer them to Gimlett’s pockets! Gimlett might have robbed Morgan’s orchard himself. The sleuth was a great man, and now he had a moment of inspiration. He removed his weight from Bill’s torso, and sat down, inviting the youth to a korero. Bill sensed a change in the situation. 44 You’ll mike a great crook * ” said Gimlett admiringly. “Crook be blowed! ” said Bill, elegantly. “I’m going to be a missionary in the cannibal islands.” “They’ll find you too tough! ” said Gimlett, with unconscious humour. 44 8 e gentle with the heathen in his blindness.” “I'll make ’em jump! ” said Bill, who had the true British colonising spirit that made us what we used to be. “I'll bet you will,” responded Gimlett, who felt sorry for the cannibals. “But look at this.” “This” was a half-crown—large, burnished, beautiful, silvery, desirable. ‘‘Looks like sixpence,” said Bill, lyGimlett understood, and sighed. lie laid another half-crown alongside. “Thanks! ” said Bill, gratefully. Things were coming his way. A long conversation ensued, in which the cunning detective learned many things. Bill loyally refused to give away his companions, but it soon became evident that the orchard-robbing gang had no sinister significance. The youths of the district had combined to rob their fathers’ fruit trees. They could eat fruit at home until they loathed the sight of it, but they wanted the added thrill of illicit acquisition. Under Bill’s leadership they had supped their fill of nocturnal adventure, and Bill saw that every paternal orchard was duly' attended to. Bill and Gimlett parted, Gimlett earnestly' - praying Bill to be kind to the cannibals, whose hearts, he said, could only' be won by tenderness. A tender missionary, he declared, was always a piece-de-resistance. Bill wondered what he meant. XXX In the morning Gimlett applied the third degreee to some likely youngsters, and was soon in possession of all the information he wanted. He informed the chairman that the time was ripe for another meeting, at which important disclosures would be made. Once more we quote from “The Cider Press”:— A large and representative meeting was held last evening to receive the report of Mr 3. Q. R.'Gimlett, the supersleuth, on the orchard robberies. Mr R. Senate, of Ledd Farm, presided. Mr Gimlett said that his report would clear up the mystery, but it might surprise and grieve some of those present, whose families were concerned. A feeling of uneasiness at once pervaded the meeting. They all had families, and they looked very uncomfortable. Mr Gimlett produced a sheaf of signed statements—confessions, he said, given voluntarily by the young miscreants. The chairman said that he would read the confessions. He read the first one that was handed to him, but lie sat down suddenly when he turned over the leaf and saw the signature. He moved that the meeting go into committee. He said that he would not publicly expose the young miscreant, but would deal with him privately. Our representative then retired, but we learn from another source that the dealt witli in camera. There can be no doubt that the case 'has shed fresh lustre on the prowess of Mr Gimlett. The Government, having refused to pay for liis services, subscriptions -were immediately collected. Kach subscriber received in return n. signed document. Xo one refused to contribute. Tt is gratifying to us to record such a unanimous desire to reward and honour merit.