“JOHN SMITH, Blackmailer”

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 13, 16 January 1936, Page 5

“JOHN SMITH, Blackmailer”

Serial Story f

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LINDSAY HAMILTON

CHAPTER XL— .’r onL’nucd.) Soames rose again. "Wa W a Williams.” he said. la la look the name of XX’a Wa XVa ” “••h. spit it out,” groaned Horace Thrasker under Ils breath. ‘’Walts?” suggested one. White?” said another helpfully. ■X’-n-nn,” said Soames mildly. ‘ \X a \\ a Williams look the name, of \\ a Wa icks.' Wicks." said Simon Peck very c-parly. and looked straight at Rodd>. Th s evidently was the President's climax. yp|, it left them more fogged than before. Only two persons in the room comprehended it.— Peck him seif, and Roddy; and Roddy had not grasped ils full significance. He only Knew that he had overheard the, name XX’icks that afternoon when I'palherstone. and Peck discussed Colonel Gretlon’s troubles. Roddy, after the first look of l>e "i'derment ga\p nn further sign, but waited for enlightenment. It was to come speedih. Mr Soames interviewed XX’icks' landladj. and she showed him a letter she had kept. It was addressed to Wicks by a firm nf solicitors. Tinsley and Brisson, and it slated that, if XX ck« would call nn them he would hear something to his ad'antae*. Th? da:e nf th? letter was -lune Ist of this )?ar. N wppk later Wicks made a joutnp' In a small seaside village In the nortn. It is known as H s re-appearance in London was heralded by a long debauche of drunkenness; tie had mon°y tn burn. I.'.si week he again visited Sandilands. The day after his return h*> called upon Messrs Tinsle. and Brjssnn. and was forciidy ejected I rather '»an - pd to 4PP this Mr XVicks personally, but 1 vas ton late. He was knocked down b> a car and d rd in tiiiaring Gross Hospital before 1 could r?ach ID paused and th?n added softly. "B. a curious rninc'(| f ’nc p . a mutual f" end of our honoured guest and myself was present, at the hospital fnr a similar purpose. And still a cninr.rienrp. of course—his estate is at r-andilands." 'i nu don't suggest.'' brnk? m Roddy, but checked himself. ')f cours'’ nof. Th?!’? is no pnc; ; i>|p connection." • th dear me. no." said Peck, in n Jn r d inrr. Hn \ con'd *h?re be?" lie ‘u;n p d to fhp ring of mcmiiers. ’ T oat is Lie evidence before us. w ? now examine it." E' l ' perhaps a quarter of an hour hr allowed them freedom tn talk and argue, tn suggest this and that wpird ■■rd uniustiria'n’e theory, ami finally hr rose 'o his f?pl. iicnt pmen. on receiving these m pn.ti a w*■ ?\ ago 1 look upon rn. s?ir .‘hr task of rarrj ng out rr—a little pi '■ .;lr investigat,on." Ag.i p the iiusi] of expectancy. I hoian by referring *X the un known nurnirer p s \lr X. To indulge m a pel theory nf mine. |pf us call him rather Lieutenant X. \..w presum i.c Leijtenanf X. came through the w i:• unscathed, he would ha\p ad\.merd snmpwhat. in rank. <ti|| in- ■ ocine. r| us look now for a "<inc \ returning tn England. an\1- tn kno-v perhaps why Williams ’ rirjP'j p; m anxious perhaps to rpnr from him some incriminaling ' -i ft nrr. af'ra d pprhaps of blacknail. Suppose, shall up. say. U was *lia"; . J|p wnu d bp willing 1 P'L ' nr ’*• Xo ' cuiinusl) pn"ich W ill 'ms r.penpd a banking ac•mtnl early in 1919 with a rh'eqfjp. -icn?d by -wp hr-d bolter Mil] call nun ‘inhmel X It pnablrd him In .»;> hi? bnarding-iiniisc. Hijr ( ; n | nnr | ' • " ith the diary in his possession. ' nuld feel srrnnp again. |f he is still 1 ' ? w? must expert to find a normal irnily m?n past seems now no ; nor? than a shadow . . unless, of oiir.= c. h? was foolish enough to ■ ppp liiat d-ar\ ; unless moreover, it, ' hou d fail into the hands of some , tn.-crupulous person, someone who . knew L)? truth; Wicks for Pxample. I ft omr other person who had learnt 'nough from indiscre?t words let fall by Williams. W'p might, then pxpecl. what .’ Blackmail. I.p| us give this •; pot het ea I unknown a name what, betfpr than John Smith Rlackmailpr? Gentlemen." said Peck, impressively. "a wide field fnr nur talents opens before ns. For th? first i me in the history of Hip Grime Key tlirclc wc are glad Io accept Hip as stance nf a non-rnember, onp whnse Kimirable qualities ami peculiar advantages render his proffered aid well-nigh indispensable Mr Roderick \nd Roddy. w?,g had rea p In the i .rune Key circle to be amused, found i urnself lorn between dismay for his hripnd. Grctlon. strange uncanny fear , >f Simon B. Peck, and a strong desire o kick him violently. The cool rffinnlccy of it. In thrust him into this •osition ! There was nothing for it. iwwcvpr. but, io take a leaf from ; eck s book. When flic mild ovation had died iown. and snmp. reply of sorts secm<i expected of h'm. he evaded the isj ue w.ih a show of delightful can iniir such as cvpn P ck himself could ‘■ot have bettered. X our esteemed President. I assure ou. over-rates what, he is pleased to .erm my admirable quaiiiies and peculiar advantages.’’ he murmured. But. you may rest, assured that, what, iltle I may do shat] be done, with vigour." Up smiled on Peck as he said it. and menially vowed he would screw- the litile beetle s neck if it ever oecame necessary. How much did Peck .w ? Howmuch was sheer audacity and guesswork? Roddy determined In find out. But how was one Io deal with so unreal a person as Peck? Direct attack would probably fail, but, he nuld conceive of no other means in he limited time at. his disposal. When Peck extended his hospitality with an invitation to supper, he accepted with alacrity. The problem that had been forced upon him kept him silent as they sped in Peck's Lmousine towards Kengsington. As he sipped the. excellent cocktail provided by his host, Roddy looked across Io find Peck beaming at him in his peculiarly bland way. ‘ Xnd you found us as amusing as you had hoped?" Roddy laughed. 'Guilty! j admit

Jit. I a xp??tpd far?e with a touch of [ low comedy." j \nd you found ?” ■ ' W ell. I don't know ." said Roddy, j If max turn Io anything—Grand Guignol. perhaps." I Ppcl< laughed as though he was i really delighted. ' "Dur interest is purely academic,’* ihe said, and Roildj thought he de- ’ leeted a hint of mockery. i ‘You have investigated oth°r eases ?" j ‘ .Most successfully." ; "11. would Interest me In know j what action you look tn bring the } culprits In Justice." "Dear me. you are not very flatterling. my young friend. Dur interest in I crime is purely academic. Have | not I said so? However, since you Insist, jin the two cases that come first. In |my mmd . . ..let me see. on? hanged {himself with a clothes-line, and th?. oih?r ga\p himself up In the. police." Th? moment, for direct attack had come. "And what fate have von in mind for Colonel .X.—Colonel Grrl- : inn?" | peek surveyed h'm w<lh every apj pearance of admiration. j "Did I not say It? admirable qual- { dies and peculiar art vantages." | "You admit lh*n that Grettnn Is th? 'man you suspect of cnmmiH.ng I murder. ' 1 "DJi, not necessarily murder." said [ Perk. Ynu see this spider 0 " It was 1 creeping over the lop nf his writingtable. "| loath? spiders. I kill il - I sn." l|p d d so with the ball nf h s i HiumJ. r.nd th? wax il was don? sent. : a shiver through Rndih’. "That is not. j murdor. : remove a pest. Harrup I was a pp<‘ j "Tg sa\ Grelton shot him deiiberL:;p’y ,= •) damned be,' retorted Rodd?’ i hntb . i •> nn v’e probabi? right." agreed '•Peck equab!'. "I* may have been self-defence. William* could enlighten us. for 1 haven’t a doubt that he | witnessed it with that ex p of his a' the keyh'• 1 ?. Rut that is of 1 iID p account. H* certainly would have been tried for murder." "It's all very well.' argued Roddy, "but :nn haven't, on? scrap of real evidence against him." • \n. John <mith has it.” "The diary. *on mean It may no|. I even ?xis|. You invented it. r°- ' member." j -< o I did. but it serves as xvpll as an? other symbol tn represent damnline evidence. Consider. m\ young jfrjend. would a man of colonel GrefMon s character submit to blackmail [without sufficient- cause?" | Ymi don't even know that he is ' submitting. i Perhaps h? is no'." said Peck, j Tli? alternative will l»p more alarmline 'o his friends." j Are you his friend? ’ demanded •Rodd? bluntly, or his enemy ?" I f ran Maim neither distinct inn." answered Peck blandl'. nil p t' psim in crime. If an: tiling. I p ni I mm-p deeply interested in blackmail I than murder. I loalhp parasites. II i is a peculiarity over which I have no control. The remale parasite fill* me with irresistible longing to squash as l squashed that spider." Stick to the point, pleas 4 *. ' said Roddy, firmly. "Nou know 1 am Golonel Gretlon’s friend. I have a right- In knnxv why xou ar? so sure i nf m; assistance." ' Rpcausp ?ou w ill gi' n it.” To this extent." retorted Rodd'. • and p.'cd him sternly, "that I m pr?- | pared to remove an; man who threatens h’s future." j Peck chuckled conl?ntedly. ' "Odd as it may *?em. I real)? susi peel vmi mean me. i I hopp il won tb? necessary, said Redd.', ann drained Hip remans nf I his cocktail. A nifl' one that. You | must give me the recipe. ' . "My ?oung friend." chuckled P?ck. .' "J like .'ou. X oij ar? interesting—a potpnl’.il killer. I sec. X nil may yet ic ,p Ihe Crim? K?v Girrle ils most, sensationai rasp, th? mysterious ! death of its ’ President. The onl> ] drawback appears In be Inal I should .rot be Iherp in conduct invpstigalions. i Ymi don't appear to triHl me. Mr ■ Gti? s I e r." "l «lo nof." said Rod<l> bluntl?. but i neither do I distrust you ye*. I don't I know. X ou're clever, devilish clever. ■ Llevpr enough Io be President Perk I one evening a month, and John Smith ; himself the rest of the time." "Xou missed ?our vocation." said | Pc?k with a solemn wag of the head. "Xou ought Io write fiction " "On the contrary." retorted Roddy with a grin. "I take credit for the fact, that 1 might have written poetry but didn't . . . XX’pII. what do you > want me Io do Peck appeared Io consider. I could do with a holiday. X quiet little seaside place somewhere in lhe Xorth would suit me admirably." "Try the East coast." suggested ' Rodd,' , unsynipathetically. "It’s drier I and healthier, they sa?." 1 "The North appeals tn be more. I [ had thought of Sandiland®. It is so I much m<»rp pleasant to sia? with I friends. j "i’h. have you friends there?" * Xou might secure m? an invi'a- ! lion." ‘ ’ Xot nn your I f?." replied Roddy, bluntly. "I hardly thought you would. Indeed that is why I am so confident of your whole-hearted co-operation." "What is it. you want me to do?" demanded Roddy again. "Dh. nothing to disturb your tender conscience." said Peck, in his most, blandishing tone. "Kpp|> Colonel Grctton in the land of the living—that is all." Roddy laughed. "Is that all? Knowing Gretlon as I do. 1 should call that a soft, job." The simple benevolent smile w?nt. from Simon Peck's face, leaving it very grave. Gold glittering eyes were fixed on Roddy. "You think so? I am not so sure," he said slowly. (To be Continued.)