THE HOUSE OF EVIL

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18057, 18 January 1927, Page 16

THE HOUSE OF EVIL

“ STAR’S ” SERIAL.

By

WILLIAM LE QUEUX.

CHAPTER XXll.—Continued. | I offered for Effington Hall which, after I payment of the various charges and t debts, left over a balance of about a j couple of thousand pounds. Stor- ' mont had left no will, and his property therefore devolved upon his next of kin. But as none of them would touch j a farthing, Jasper made a donation of . the money to a necessitous hospital. j It was a great relief to Jasper and j his sister that he had solved the problem of the future in the way he did, j before the old instincts came to life, j again and led him to the commission ! of further crime. But tender-hearted Gloria sometimes shed tears when she remembered the numerous acts of kindness to her. proving that even the basest of men can possess some good qualities. Lord Wravsbury heard nothing further from Edwards’ solicitors. Grewgus had settled that, little matter, and for doing so he received a very handsome cheque from the grateful young nobleman. The house and furniture in (nr 7, on Street were up for sale. Neither Edwards nor his wife was any longer in residence there. Grewgus chuckled 1 as he thought this frustrated scheme must have cost the gang a pretty sum. Glenthorne had also suddenly left Ashstead Mansions, and abandoned his solicitor's practice. That interview of Grewgus with Edwards and the suicide of Stormont seemed to have produced far-reaching consequences. Edwards had disappeared and was not heard of at any of his ustial haunts, and the dark, handsome Zillah had vanished as suddenly as her uncle. It looked like a wholesale dispersal of that portion of the gang. Lydon and Gewgus settled up accounts. The detective informed his client that the Paris police had given up the case of Leon Calliard, after following several delusive clues. There was now practically no chance that the details of the unfortunate man's murder would ever be known, unless he communicated the information he had acquired about Edwards and Zillah. Even then, it would be almost impossible to connect them with the affair. But of course Lydon strongly discountenanced such a step. One could not take it without bringing Howard , Stormont into the matter; it. would also involve Jasper, who would have to testify that his brother had practically admitted his participation in it.

“Best to let sleeping dogs lie, for the sake of the family.” said the young man. “If one did discover the actual murderer, it would not bring the unfortunate Calliard to life, and it would inflict the greatest pain upon innocent people.” Grewgus agreed rather reluctantly. He had the true instincts of the sleuthhound; he loved to hunt his quarry down. lie would dearly have liked to go to Scotland Yard, but he was bound to respect his client’s wishes on the subject. All the same, he felt it was a tame sort of inquiry which had not resulted in a triumphant finish. As a consequence of it, Stormont had been driven to suicide, and the other persons concerned had found it expedient to lie low for a while. But for him, there was no public kudos in it. On the same day on which he squared up accounts with Lydon he came face to face in the Strand with his old friend Tom Newcombc. The gentleman’s appearance had altered very much. He had discarded his beard and moustache, and a less keen eye than the detective’s might have failed to recognise him. But Grewgus had a wonderful memory for faces, and it required a very clever disguise to baffle him. They exchanges greetings. “Hardly knew me, did you?” inquired the Colonial. “You see, I cleanshaved myself directly after we had settled matters. I got out of that house as soon as I could, but 1 was mortally afraid I might run across Stormont, and he might get me into his clutches again. Well, it’s all right now, he has passed in his checks. 1 can tell you it was a relief when I saw it in the papers. I thought, as I read it, that you might have had something to do with it.” “Perhaps I had, in a very indirect fashion,” was the cautious answer. “Well, he's gone to where he wanted to send me. Gad, that man did make me sec red when I thought of his attempt to put me out of the way. Many a time I’ve half made up my mind to sneak down to Effington and plug him if I got the chance. But a bit of prudence steped in, fortunately. Tt, wasn’t worth swinging for a fellow like that. And so he came to a bad end after all. It makes one think a bit, mister, it does.” “It makes }Ou think a bit, eh?” re peated the detective. “And what turn do your thoughts take? The wages of sin is death, or something of that sort?” “You’ve hit it,” said the . Colonial, speaking with great seriousness. “I told you my mother was a good woman ; she did her best to bring me up religious, but my father always scoffed at her for her pains. I Tow many times have I heard her use that very phrase; it has always stuck in my memory. I thought of her a goodish bit when I was struggling back to life. I began to feel quite sick of the past,' and all the evil I had done. But you know, mister, when j-ou’ve once got into the crooked life, it's precious hard to get out of it. But now I've got Howard Stormont kept silence. llis active brain was no doubt weighing the advantages and disadvantages of his brother’s suggestion. “As I shall be very liberal in my estimate of what, she cost you,” continued Jasper; “you could exist upon the interest of the capital sum I should hand over to you. But you arc not without brains, and you might use that money to embark in some hon est business.” “It is a very generous offer,” Howard said at length. “And I am very disposed to accept it without further reflection. Still, T would like to go into matters a little closer first. I admit your visit here to day has taken the courage out of me You will laugh at me, I suppose, and consider it a further proof of my hypocrisy when I say that I would prefer not to live upon vonr bounty. But 1 should like to reckon up what T am likely to get out of the sale of Effington, when the. mortgages have, been paid off.” “It is not a question of bounty; it is an act of reparation to my own conscience,” said Jasper hastily. "I would prefer to return the money to lits rightful owners, if I could find them. But that is impossible. If you re

fuse to accept this sum. T shall devote. it to charity, so as to make some sort of amends.” "Give me till to-morrow, and T will let, you know definitely. I presume you have told Maud?” “Certainly,” answered Jasper. “She is as much horrified as I was when T learned the. horrible truth. She is coming back with me.” A ghastly smile spread over Stormont’s white face. “Jt is what one might expect. Rats always leave the sinking ship, don’t they?” Jasper, made no reply to this cynical remark, which showed the naturally hard and callous nature of the man. He moved towards the door with a few last words. “I must have your decision not later than the time you have stated.” He went out into the hall and summoned a servant to find Mrs Barnard and ask her to come, to him in her boudoir. He had kept the taxi waiting. As soon as she was ready, they could quit this house of evil where the owner of it had plotted and thought out his criminal schemes. She came to him .ready dressed for her journey. She was taking with her a couple of small trunks; the rest ! of her belongings, which had all been bought with her own money, could be sent after her. Jasper explained that he was taking her down to Brighton, where she could make a long stay till she had made her plans for the. future. Together they went down into the hall. And suddenly, in a burst of womanly feeling, she whispered to her brother, “Vile as he is, I cannot leave him without a word.” She turned, and walking swiftly to the study, opened the door and entered. Howard was sitting huddled tip in his chair, looking a ghastly object of misery and despair. She laid her hand lightly on his arm for an instant. “God forgive you. Howard, and turn j-our heart before it is too late.” His dry lips muttered a faint “Goodbye.” and she turned from him and rejoine'd Jasper. They got back to Brighton in the evening, and in the private sittingroom the banker explained to Lydon and his family what had passed between the two men in that final visit; to Effington. Leonard was rejoiced i that Mrs Barnard had come back with her brother. He had never quite been able to make, up his mind about her, whether or not she was in Howard’s confidence; but her action showed that, like her niece, she had never guessed his guilty secret. The next morning, Jasper Stormont, according to his usual custom, went for a stroll before breakfast, and on his return to the hotel found a telegram awaiting him. ft was from the butler at Effington 11 all, and informed him that his brother had committed suicide early that morning. He had thought he would never set foot in Effington again, but in the face of such news he must go there at once. When he reached the house, the butler gave him the details. On entering the studio, one of the housemaids discovered her master lying dead in his

easv-chair, a bottle of brandy standing beside hi’s elbow, an empty pistol lying on the floor, to which it had dropped after he had shot himself, lie had been dead some few hours, the doctor said, when she had found him. At the time of his suicide, to the perpetration of which he had fortified himself with large doses of alcohol, the household was fast asleep, and nobody had heard the shot. Jasper could only conclude that the wretched man had come to the conclusion life was played out for him, and had nerved himself to make his exit from the world on which he had preyed for so long. He had been careful to preserve appearances. He had written an open letter lying on the table, in which he stated that utter financial ruin had come upon him, and that at hi’s age he lacked the courage to begin the battle of life over again. lie gave the address of his brother at Brighton, and requested that he should be communicated with at once. There was a good deal of sympathy in the neighbourhood, where his benefactions and lavish hospitality had made him popular. The inquest was held in due course, and the usual compassionate verdict recorded. When Howard Stormont was laid to rest nobody guessed that the body of an archcriminal was being committed to the earth. Jasper Stormont’s visit was explained on the grounds that he had come to take his sister for a long stay at Brighton. So the future was secure. A sum was that bit of money, I’ve made up m3* mind to go straight.” “ I’m exceedingly glad to hear it,” said Grewgus heartily. “ Most crooks come to a bad end. Stormont, who was clever and cunning as the devil, took his life at the finish, and most of ’em overreach themselves and get into quod. So I’m making a fresh start. Till I read that in the papers, I was going out to Canada, for fear of Stormont. But now he's out of the way, I shall stick in the old countn*. I shall buy a smug little business, a tobacconist’s by preference. Gosh, it will be pleasant to pass a policeman without fear he’s going to lay his hand on you.” They chatted for a little time longer, and at parting Grewgus offered Newcombe his hand, wjyieh the Colonial shook heartily. Since he had now resolved to lead an honest life, the detective felt he was justified in showing him this mark of esteem. lie got back to his office about four o’clock and busied himself with his correspondence. In the midst of it, a. clerk entered and said that a ladywished to speak with him for a few minutes, but would not give her name. Rather impatiently, for he was very occupied with his letters, he ordered the visitor to be shown in. What was his astonishment when the mysterious lady entered, and he recognised in the dark, handsome young woman who had refused to give her name, Elise Makris, otherwise Mrs Edwards. (To be Continued )