“THE BLACK OWL”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17830, 26 April 1926, Page 16

“THE BLACK OWL”

“STAR’S” NEW SERIAL

[By

William Le Queux.

CHAPTER XlV.—(Continued.) His ordinary course was to follow Pearson straight back to the hotel and wait a reasonable time for him to come out again. But to-night there was better game afoot than this. If he could get the information he was after out of this not very intelligent-looking foreign youth, he thought he would be a good deal farther nearer to penetrating the mystery of Pearson’s sojourn in London. When the lad came back, bringing with him a couple of bottles of wine, Marsden stopped him, slipped a couple of shillings into his hand, and said in a low voice: “As soon as you have given those to the waiter, come back to me here; I want to speak to you." The boy came back and stared rather stupidly at the young man who had made such an unusual request. “ Now look here, some twenty minutes or so ago you took a telegram for a gentleman who was dining here, a pretty regular customer, by the way. Did you happen to read the message as you took it along?” The boy shook his head and answered in the negative in very halting English. He did not understand the language at all well, and read it with great than he spoke it. Marsden could have hit him for his stupidity, first for not having sense enough to pick up the language of his adopted country, and secondly for lacking the curiosity to look at what the telegram contained. Accustomed to note the minutest trifles, he could not understand anybody being so deficient in observation. “ Didn’t yoti even notice to what place it was addressed?” was the next question he addressed to the puzzled youth. A gleam of intelligence came into the round vacant face. He was pretty certain he had seen that as he fcook it from the customer’s hand. He spelt out the name in a slow, laborious fash-ion—’“M-A-N-C-H-E-S-T-E-R. ” “Did you notice the name of the per son to whom it was addressed, or the name of the street?” No, he had noticed neither, to Marsden’s intense chagrin. He had been so near finding something out, if this stupid dolt had possessed common intelligence, even average curiosity. By way of soothing his deep disappointment, he read the astonished youth a short lecture on the advantage of cultivating one’s powers of observation. “ Look here, young man, you’ve got to make your way in the world, and if you don’t keep your eyes a great deal more open you’ll find it a sorry job. Never let the minutest trifle escape you. Observe everything even if it doesn’t seem to be of any use to you at the moment, and you’ll find it pays in the long run. See what you’ve lost to-night by not taking advantage of vour opportunity. I have given you two shillings for practically nothing. If you could have told me the name of the man and the street it was addressed to I would have added ten to it. Think over what I have said, my friend, and be more spry in the future. Good-night.” The stupid youth stared after the retreating form and muttered to himself. He did not understand all that Marsden had said, but he did gather the important fact that if he had committed the telegram to memory he would have been ten shillings better off. He made up his mind that in the future he would read everything he came across in case such another piece of luck came his way. Marsden felt so sick that he gave up his usual evening watch on the hotel. His luck was dead out. To divert his thoughts from the unpleasant subject he went to the Stroller’s. Had he got even a step nearer his goal. Well, perhaps just a very small step. He had identified Manchester as the possible headquarters of the business which was keeping Pearson in London. The ever-smiling and urbane Jennings was in his usual box partitioned off from the hall. He advanced to Marsden with an air that conveyed he had something interesting to communicate. “Good evening, sir. Mr Attwood is in the smoking-room.” Marsden gave a grunt. His ill-tem-per over the stupidity of the foreign youth at the restaurant was rather increased bv this information. Attwood was here, the man who knew all about Mrs Winterton, if anybody did, and presently he wouid be talking to him, burning with the desire of getting that knowledge which the other man could so easily give him if—if it were made worth his while. Idiotic thought! Of course, he was too well paid by that wealthy woman; he would be proof against anv ordinary bribe. He pulled himself together and addressed a casual remark to the hall porter. “ Well, has he altered his habits? Is he getting rid of your five pounds in all-round hospitality?" The face of Jennings wore a rather anxious expression. “ Well, sir, he seems to be hoarding it up. He’s had a few drinks already. two for himself and some for others, and he has asked the waiter to give him credit for a day or two, pitched the same tale to him as to me that he was expecting a big remittance everv day. There's no doubt he’s awfullv hard Up. If anything goes wrong with that money he is expecting, he’ll be dead broke, as sure as I stand here.’’ After a brief pause, during which Mar.sden was deliberating as to whether he should avoid Attwood, at any rate for that evening, and retire into the comparative peace of the reading-room, Jennings, who had evidently been observing the American very closely, made some further remarks about him. “ There’s a great alteration in him, sir. the last, day or two. There’s something wild-like in his expression, as if the. strain of his thoughts was too much for him. Oh, by the way, I forget to tell you. Mr Marsden, as soon as he came into the club he asked if you were here, and when I told him you were in. inquired fi you usually dropped in of an evening. He gave me the impression that he wanted to see you rather particularly.” That information decided Marsden.

Tie would certainly go into the smok-ing-room, according to his original intention and give the American the opportunity of seeing him, if the hallporter was right in his surmise that he wanted to do so. Attwood was sitting himself when he entered, with a big tumbler before him. Marsden cast a keen glance at hih, and his scrutiny corroborated the hall-por-ter's statement that there was a considerable alteration in the man, a sort of suppressed excitement revealing itself by certain minute signs which might have been lost on the ordinary observer. As soon as he recognised the young man he made an eager gesture to him, which Marsden at once obeyed, wondering at the reason of it. “Glad you dropped in to-night; rather wanted to have a chat with you. You’ll have a drink, of course.” Marsden remembered what Jennings had told him in the hall, that he was getting credit from the waiter, also he did not like the idea of accepting hospitality from a man in such straits. And, moreover, he was not inclined to accept anything from a person who was a crook, and the friend of crooks. As a matter of fact, he would rather not have drunk with him at all, but he was curious to know why Attwood wanted to have a chat with him, the very best way would be for him to be the host. “ Thanks very much,” he said easily. “ But if you'll excuse me, I am sure it is my turn.” Much to his relief Attwood, conscious no doubt of his depleted exchequer, did not press the point. The waiter was summoned, drinks were brought and put on the small table in front of them. When the man was out of earshot, Marsden turned to his companion and addressed him in a tone as.casual as he could make it. “So you wanted to have a chat with me, eh? Anything of importance you want to discuss?” It was a little time before the American answered. Before doing so, he lifted his tumbler and absorbed half the contents in one big gulp, then put it down with a deep-drawn sigh of satisfaction. with the air of a man who had fortified himself by the act to do something he was a bit nervous of doing. lie leaned near to Marsden, and in a low voice gave utterance to the remarkable words that thrilled his listener. “ You are very curious about Mrs Winterton, I know. You would be glad to learn the history of her past?” CHAPTER XV. Five minutes ago Marsden had been quite sure, that his luck was out, and the feeling had engendered an almost savage lit of depression. Now, with a sure instinct, he felt that it was in. He must, however, be very wary in his handling of this crook, who was certain to be a man of infinite resource, and up to every' move on the board. Assuming an air of indifference that he was far from feeling, the young man put the question: “ What makes you think that I am curious about the lady and anxious to learn the history of her past?” Attwood was about to reply, when one of the members, a notorious club bore, sauntered up to them, and with a slight nod to the American, whom he hardly knew, engaged Marsden in conversation, He was an actor of the old mouthing school, who occasionally got a job in the provinces, and was full of lamentation over the decay of acting the present day, and the indifference of managers to genuine talent. This person prosed away for some ten minutes on nothing in particular, in spite of the ill-concealed impatience with which his observations were received by the two listeners. At length, to the unspeakable relief of both, who were equally anxious to come to grips, he relieved them of his presence, “Infernal old bore. I wonder he isn’t turned out of the club,” grumbled Attwood. Then sinking his voice, he said, as he cast a comprehensive glance round the crowded room: “It would be impossible for me to say what I want to say here—a great deal too many people about. Have you any particular engagement for the remainder of the evening, or could j-ou spare me an hour?” Marsden replied that he was quite free. What did Mr Attwood suggest by his question? The man spoke hesitatingly, his furtive glance stealing ever round the room to make sure that nobody was within earshot. “Well, I thought you wouldn't mind coming round to the place where I am putting up for the present. It’s not in a fashionable locality, for to be quite frank, at the present moment, I’m more than a bit hard up.” This, of course, was only confirmation of what .Marsden had already learned from the hall-porter. “Where do you propose to take me to?” was the sharp question. Attwood explained not without embarrassment that he was at present lodging in a small boarding hous* in the vicinity of the Euston Road. If Marsden did not mind coming up to his bedroom .they could talk there in complete privacy. The young man considered before accepting this invitation. He did not like the neighbourhood for one thing, and he had a deep distrust of his man. Naturally enough, as what he did know about him was so greatly to his disadvantage. When he had pondered a minute or two he announced his decision. He had made up his mind that there was no need to stand upon ceremony with this crook who had wormed his way into a club of more or less honest “I’m afraid your suggestion doesn’t quite appeal to me. Still, I should like to have a talk with you, and what I propose is this. I rent a couple of furnished rooms out at West Kensington, a taxi will take up there in no time. Come with me there, and we can talk away as long as we like.” Mr Attwood was not., apparently, offended by this exhibition of want of confidence, he rather admired his companion for his caption by the approving smile he bestowed upon him. “Delighted, I’m sure. 1 can see you are a very' smart chap. You haven't made up your mind to trust me, that is evident. But I can't wonder at it, .seeing you really know nothing about me. Well, I will repay good for evil, I’ll trust you. and put myself freely' in your hands.” (To be continued.) j