THE ROGUE OF FITZROY ROAD

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 78, 1 April 1931, Page 16

THE ROGUE OF FITZROY ROAD

By

KENNAWAY JAMES

(Author of “ The Missing Mannequin,” etc.) •:

CHAPTER XXI. Sarker’s Methods. Meanwhile Mr. Noggins remained in the chair, watched over by Abrahams and Sing Loo. He had that evening kept an appointment at the Royal Motor Club, as requested by Mr. Sarker, though he failed to find that eminent one awaiting him in the hall as lie had promised. He had therefore taken a seat in the hall, and indulged himself in the pleasure 01 watching the comings-out of the multitude whose ‘only qualification to participate in the splendour of the club was the ownership of a fifth-rate car and five guineas. Presently lie was approached by a man who asked him if he were Mr. Noggins, and if he was waiting for Mr. Sarker. Having given the double affirmative he was told that Mr. Sarker had given him the name of the wrong club. Would Mr. Noggins therefore be so good as to come with the speaker to the “junior London/’ where Mr. Sarker was awaiting him. Mr. Noggins expressed himself as being only too delighted, whereupon he was led to a car which he entered, followed by the other man. At the same time a dark man entered the other side of tne car. What happened after this was never easy for Mr. Noggins to remember. He suddenly found himself on the floor of the car with the dark man leaning! over him and pressing something uoon his mouth. After that he was asked if i he were going to make a fuss, where- j upon he said, quite truly, that making a | fuss had never been a habit of bis. He was then allowed to sit up in the car, though the blinds had been drawn so | that he should not see the actual route I which was leading to some mysterious | destination. He had seen nothing of Sarker, and | he was wondering now. as he sat facing Melton, just how it had all happened , simultaneously. It was not f«r him to j know that the conversation in the Dun- | cannon had been overheard, nor that j Sarker had been suspicious of him since ' the night when Dog had chased the j Chinaman over his garden wall. Had he but been able to watch Sarker from that time he would have- found him making inquiries of the most exhaustive kind in every quarter where lie might learn something about the little man of the Acacias. He had not j found out much, but he had discovered 'that Noggins had once been in love with Molly Fenby, and had watched her "being slowly enmeshed in the cocaine net. Mr. Sarker had the sense to put such things as those together and, in his own words, to act accordingly. Harold’s mention of the shop had l given him just the opportunity which he had wanted, and he had made use of it. It afforded a fine pretext for meeting the little grocer without creating suspicion in his mind. Or, if not to meet him, to lure him to a rendezvous on an apparently straightforward matter. The condition of Sarkers* mind on this day- had not been enviable. His clubs had become a terror to him now that he was certain that Noggins had suspicions about him. He had in consequence broken one of the greatest rules of his life. He had, as he expressed it, taken some of his own medicine. But the drug which he had taken was a worse drug than cocaine. Few outside the scientific world knew of its existence, and it reached this country in the smallest quantities. A friend of Sing ILoo’s in Cochin China, however, was able to procure it and, in consequence, a small amount of Methylaine, as it was called, found its way into the hands of Sarker. His methods of selling it were secretive to the last degree, and were worked in conjunction with a disqualified medical practioner who supplied it to several of liis wealthy patients who were willing to give large sums for the smallest quantity. Its effect at first was, like cocaine, to produce a feeling of spurious optimism, but the reaction! was far worse than that of the latter drug, whilst, taken in excess, it drove the victim into a A-eritable form of insanity. It made the brain work at twice its normal speed, at the same time warping the mentality in curious ways. Methylaine was no respector of persons, and it took its due from Morden barker just as it did from his victims. "Where Sarker failed in wisdom, however, was in thinking that, because he could indulge in the drug comparatively without cost, he could over-indulge. The result was that he became, by his own instrument, a nervous wreck. In fear he had gone to a discredited private inquiry agent, a policeman who had been dismissed the force for accepting bribes from the keepers of clubs such as owned bv Morden Sarker. It was a man whom he knew well and who Rad acted for him before with success. In confidence born of apprehension he told the facts to the inquiry agent, whose name was Robins, and suggested that he should keep watch on Mr. Noggins. “I know perfectly well he saw Sing Loo climb over my wall that night, and I have other proofs that he is out to put me under.” Thus he spoke to Robins, a lean specimen of humanity with a red nose and a drooping moustache. “f want to be kept acquainted with everything he does from now onwards. Whatever you do don’t miss him for a moment when lie’s outside his shop.” A five pound note, with the promise of more to come next day was sufficient to fill; Mr. Robins with "zeal. That is why he succeeded in being in the Duncannon when Mr. Noggins and Melton, the detective, were engaged in their earnest deliberations about Mr. Sarker. The interview had taken place at lunchtime. By two o'clock Robins bad told Sarker all that lie had overheard. If Morden Sarker’s mental state had been precarious hitherto, it now became terrible. When Robins told him what he had heard, Sarker rose from his chair and paced the room in frenzy. “I’m right. I’m right!” lie cried. “I knew the little devil was on my tracks, and all because of Molly Fenby. Poor Molly. I mean, damn Molly Fenby damn the little rat who’s gnawing at ane now because of her.” “Don’t get distressed,” said Robins, •whereupon Sarker turned upon him. *T. can got just how I please,” be exploded, “without your meddling about mv moods. our job is to do as vou’rc told.” Then, seeing that Robins was about to reply with heat, he calmed down.

. “No, I don't mean that, Robins. You know I don’t; but this wretched thing has upset me. Leave me for half-an-liour, so that I can think. 1 fool that 1 can hit on something which will baffle ’em yet.” Robin:-, who had always found Sarker a good payer, decided not to quarrel with even a portion of his bread and blitter. He thereupon took leave of Mr. Barker, having assured himself that he would report again within an hour. When lie had gone Sarker took from his pocket a small phial of liquid drug and took several inhalations. “And now, Mr. Noggins,” lie said presently “we will see what we can do for y° u ” * , It was after the inquiry agent had left him alone that Mr. Barker began to hatch out the fantastic plot which ended in Mr. Noggins and the detective being made prisoners in the strange room at Whitechapel. When Robins returned it was to learn that Sarker had madte his plans, and that for the moment Mr. Robins could amuse himself in spending a second livepound note which Morden Sarker handed to him. “No aspersions on you at all, Robins/' Sarker said. “It is just that I have hit on a plan which I can carry out alone. Perhaps you’ll be good enough to give me a call in a day or two, unless, in the meantime, I get into touch with you.” Accordingly Robins departed, whereupon Mr. Sarker put on his hat, and, having made a mysterious telephone call from a call-office outside, went on his way to meet Bing Loo, to whom he had sent the telephone message, It was to Sing Loo that he gave his instructions about Mr. Noggins. They met at a little restaurant near London Bridge. Here Sarker told the Chinaman what had been overheard by Robins in the Dun cannon. “The detective, Melton, is on your tracks,” he said, “and you’ve got to let him find you. He’s going to look for you in Limehouse, and he’s sure to ask about you from some of the police spys down there. Do you know any of them ?” “Most of them are welly well known, but nobody can ever say for sure that they are spies.” Sing Loo put his long finger-nails together. “If we could bo sure, they would not live long in Lime** house,” he added. “Well, just get yourself seen to-day by one or two of them,” said Mr. Sarker. “And you can be sure our friend Melton, the detective, will be on your tracks before the day is out. He’s got a ginger moustache, so if anyone like that tries to talk to you, you’ll know who it is. Tell him something about dope and get him to come to Abraham’s with you.” j These and other instructions he gave to Bing Loo, and presently to Abrahams also, whom he had summoned by telephone. Abrahams was a surly fellow who be-, grudged everything he did for Sarker, though, as there was generally some money at the end of it, he managed to raise a certain amount of enthusiasm. It was a case of making the best of a bad business so far as Abraham was concerned. Had he been able to do so he would long since have cut adrift from the domineering Sarker, but tho latter knew too much about him to make such a thing possible with safety. 1 It was in the power of Sarker to send Abrahams to prison and this constituted a "stranglehold which Abrahams found impossible to shake off. Later when Sing Loo and Abrahams met alone they discussed the amazing Instructions which they had received. * “The man’s mad,” said Abrahams. “Welly mad,” agreed Sing Loo. “Supposing we get the detective and this Noggins into your house what’s going to happen when they get out? We can’t keep them there for ever, and when they get out they will tell the police all about it.” “Of course they will,” agreed the other, “unless—-unless they don’t get a chance.” A look of fear crossed Sing Loo’s face. “You don’t mean that he’s thinking about murdering them?” “I wouldn’t put anything past him to-day.” replied Abrahams. “He’s on Methylaine, and when a bloke like him gets on to that stuff there’s no knowing what might happen.” “Then I’ve got a welly good mind to clear off 1 , right now at once.” “No you don’t,’ said Abrahams. “We’ve been together on this game too long for you to leave me in the lurch. And in any case it’s going to be good fun to see what does happen.” (To be continued daily.)