SERIAL STORY. “The Gorgon”

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 140, 16 June 1932, Page 10

SERIAL STORY. “The Gorgon”

BY

SYNOPSIS. Colonel Dainton Is concerned about the disappearance of his brother-in-law. Jim Rowson, the vagabond millionaire. He consults Dr. Farrar, an eminent nerve specialist, -Aho describes how Rowson called on him six weeks ago in a state of nervous collapse, leaving in his care a remark ably hideous mummy. Colonel Dainton confides in his daughter Helen and her friend Peter Southwark. During the night a cry of terrible fear is heard, and Jenkins, Colonel Dainton’s manservant, is found brutaily murdered. While discussing the murder with Peter Southwark, the door flies open and they are looking Into the muzzle of a revolver. CHAPTER lll.—(Continued.) But Colonel Dainton was not. listening. He motioned to Peter to be silent. His eyes were riveted on the door. He was listening intently. But whatever he had heard the sound was not repeated. Suddenly he pointed. “The door handle,’’ he whispered. Slowly and noiselessly it was turning. Peter’s hand slid into his pocket and closed on his automatic. But before he could withdraw it the door flew open with a lightning thrust, and he was staring into the muzzle of a wicked-looking revolver. ; The intruder took in the whole I room and ’ its occupants with one comprehensive glance. Then his expression changed. He laughed I softly and slipped the ugly weapon I into his pocket. “Pardon the somewhat theatrical j entry," he drawled in a pleasant I voice. ‘‘l was prepared tor other | eventualities." 1 Then with the utmost composure, and without waiting to be asked, he ; sank languidly into a chair. CHAPTER IV. Andrew Eden—Uninvited Quest. the intruder was a slenderly-built man, a little above the average height. The impression of slenderness was enhanced by the wide, clean-cut shoulders sloping away to a narrow waist, and straight flips. . One could not have called him handsome. The long, straight line of the mouth, the prominent bridge of the nose, and the slightly cadaverous cheeks redeemed the face from mere good looks. A pair of grey eyes, unusually large for a man, glinting frostily,, lent a cold, implacable strength to his general air of virility. As he slipped the revolver into his pocket, his whole expression underwent a change. The lines of his face softened and the coldness of the eyes melted, into gentle humour. For one gasping moment Colonel Dainton regarded him in blank amazement. He was too astonished to be conscious of any sensation but relief and, a curious sense of reassurance, i Clearly the man’s audacity was neither forced nor offensive. It was tot’ natural. Peter was the first to find bisf tongue j ••Eden,” he exclaimed, in a tone oi j wondering inquiry- “What the —?” | He paused, conscious of the extraordinary situation, and performed the | necessary introduction.. “Andrew Eden of'the Foreign Office—uninvited guest,” he announced, with a whimsical smile. ‘Colonel Dainton. who , will, no doubt, demand an explanation ■ ■on his own account." “Human sleuth-hound; Sir,” explained Eden, with a rare smile. “Pre- i vention of crime, and so on.. It’s a I relief to know expectations on this occasion have' not been realised. “What did you expect?” asked the Colonel quickly. “Trouble,” he answered with a careless shrug. “Then your relief is a little premature. My man Jenkins has been brutally done to oeath," Eden without a word leapt to his feet. He was clearly taken aback. But it was characteristic of the man that no expression of astonishment passed bis lips. He wasted no time in futility. “Take me to him,” was all he said in a tone of quiet command. Once in the bedroom, he glanced casually round the room, strode to the bedside; and drew back the covering from the huddled figure of what had been a man. “H’ml Bungling, bad bungling,” he murmured. “Now, I wonder what Birdie had to do with it." Oblivious alike to Colonel Dainton’s curiosity and the look of horror on the distorted features of the victim, be continned to gaze abstractedly at the bed. Suddenly he turned away, and as though he had lost all further interest left the room. "The police will do all there is to be done,” he said finally. “My work begins in me morning. TH get Southwark to give me a. shake-down for a few hours. By the way, I must ask you to keep my visit secret for the present. Colonel. It is of the utmost importance that I should work alone." Bather to his own surprise, Colonel Dainton found himself agreeing to Eden’s request. His own impulse was to put the whole thing in the hands of Scotland Yard, and be done with it But there was something about Eden that impressed one. He explained nothing, and yet one felt satisfied. He seemed to take it for granted that his actions must be accepted without question, and they were. With that peculiarly boyish smile that so completely transfigured him. Eden thanked the Colonel for his ■lourtesv and, yawning lazily, followed Peter Southwark up the stairs. When Peter returned from arranging lor his comfor*. he found ’lnspector Durham and a doctor closely examining the body, while Colonel Dainton stood answering the abrupt oiieslions sho* at hhn from time to time Durham was a thorough worker. His questions ernoraeed not only flip events of the night, but the who), past history, character and pursuits of the victim. To all of which the Colonel could only reply that Jenkins had oome to him six months ago. ba 1 I lived up to tus. splendid rererenoes,

J. LINDSAY HAMILTON

and' tliat he could in no way conceive of any possible motive for the murder of a harmless manservant. Inspector Durham next turned his attention to the room. Every nook and cranny was subjected to a rigorous searching examination. From the man's clothes he extracted all papers and letters, and tied them carefully in a bundle. Satisfied at length that nothing more could be learnt from the interior of the flat, he expressed a wish to see the garden: an unusually large and well-kept garden it was. too. for the building, now consisting of three commodious flats, was at one time a large detached house standing iin its own grounds. Passing down the hall into l a small conservatory, Colonel Dainton led the way, and a moment later they were beneath the open window of Jenkins’ room. The Scotland Yard man swept the ground with his torch and a low exclamation of satisfaction escaped him. The soft soil showed clearly the deep imprints of a very large foot, but there was no deeper impression such as the heel of a boot would leave in the yielding earth. “In his socks,” muttered Durham. “Some foot, too.” He measured a footprint carefully. “Size twelve In boots at the least. That narrows the field of enquiry a lot.” Among the laurel bushes near the seven foot garden -wall they came across further tracks. It was clear by their direction that the murderer had made both entry and exit by way of the garden. “It surely must be the work of a maniac. Inspector,” said the Colonel when they were back in the flat. “I can’t conceive of any possible motive for such wanton brutality." Durham closed his note book with a snap and prepared to take Ills departure. “Can’t commit myself to any opinions,” he replied bluntly. “As for motives, there’s plenty would be glad to put him out of the way. He was a blackmailer’s tout. Birdie, his pals called him. But we’ll get our man all right, they don’t elude- us for long.” A few minutes later Colonel Dainton was alone. Bed seemed out of the question. He sat turning over in his mind the events of the day. Inspector Durham knew Jenkins as Birdie, a criminal. This in itself was startling. He remembered the missing letter and that again brought him to the problem of his brother-in-law’s disappearance. Could there be any possible connection between the two baffling mysteries, he wondered? And what of Eden? Eden, he felt convinced, was the man who could supply the missing* link in the chain. Gradually his head drooped and he was presently sound asleep in his chair. CHAPTER V. Celia’s Cable. Peter was up early, refreshed in spite of the loss of sleep, but it was to find that Andrew Eden had already breakfasted and had gone. “He said he’d be back at eleven, Sir,” Roberts informed him. “Very nice gentleman, too. if I may make 'so bold.” Roberts had been Peter's batman 'hroughout harassing days in France, land was now very much the privileged servant. “Asked me if I wanted a new job.” He grinned appreciatively. “Said he was sure you must be a bit of a tartar. Sir. But he was only having his joke, you understand/’ “The devil he did,” laughed Peter. This was the Eden he knew of old, a light-hearted irrepressible being, far removed from the tight-lipped dynamic Eden of the previous night. Suddenly an idea occurred to him. “I’m going to sack you, Roberts.” he announced. “Oh! Only for the day,” he added with a laugh as the man’s face fell in dismay. “I want you to go down at once and give your services to Colonel Dainton. And. by the way, enquire from me how Miss Dainton is this morning. One minute, I’ll give you a note.” Roberts, looking a little nonplussed took the hastily scrawled note and departed. A few minutes later he was back again. “He don’t want me, sir. Mr Eden's sent a man along already. But I was to thank you for the kindness. Awfu. about Jenkins, isn’t it, sir? ’Who’d have thought ” x But Peter did not want to discuss Jenkins or any other man. “Didn’t you enquire after Miss Dainton?” he cut in with unusual sharpness. Roberts regarded him reproachfully. “I was just going to tell you, sir. She looked very well indeed if I may so, and said she was convalescent and would be allowed to see visitors.” Peter gulped the remainder of his breakfast with inordinate haste. His anxiety to see Helen again amounted almost to a fever. He realised impatiently that it was still rather early. He would be intruding. So he wandered restlessly about the room, gazed out of the window, picked up the morning paper and tried to read it. It was some minutes before he noticed he was holding it upside down. Finally he flung it down and strode decisively out of the room. Time or no time, he would see Helen at once. Any fear that he was intruding was dispelled at once by the warmth of Helen’s welcome. “I want to thank you.” she began with perfect simplicity. “Don’t say it was nothing,” she laughed, “that would be most uncomplimentary, wouldn’t it?” Peter, who had been about to make some such remark, laughed ruefully and clapped one hand to his brow. “Logic," he pleaded, “was always my weakest point, so I’ll take your word fur it, Miss Dainton, and keep clear of the awful risk.'" “How’s the nose?” she asked mischievously. “Progressing favourably—a little more prominent than usual, perhaps, ho pronounced judicially. “I’m think ing of taking it for a sniff of good old Hampshire air. I wish—if you would ” jie paused diffidently. “A little fresh air would do you a world of good. Miss Dainton. “Thai’s awfully good of you, she answered quickly. “But .1 must stand by Daddy. It will be a difficult day for him.” , . (To be continued.)