“The Marten Mystery.”

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 63, 14 March 1936, Page 14

“The Marten Mystery.”

A Thrilling Serial Story

By

JOHN IRONSIDE.

(Chapter XXIII Continued '. 1 “You'd DPtler keep your moulti shut, for your own sake Bring him along I’ll be back in a few minutes, Mr Freeman.’’ ‘ Right you are, Captain Norton,’’ said Freeman, removing his blue spectacles. ”\\ e\e got to gel on Mr Marten's track al once. Garrett, raging like a wild beast, and yelling a siring of biasphemips, was dragged away, and Freeman turned Io a third man who had now entered, | note-book in hand, from the inner i room. Williams, bis assistant, lie i who had “p lied up’’ with poor young I Adams and kept, him under surveil- • lanre. 1 ‘Then you \\pi-p right. li was ne who shot Sir Joseph and Lady Mar- , ten.’’ he said, regarding his chief's ( disguise with admiration. Even with- ■ out. Hie blue glasses he still bore an ! uncanny resemblance to Henri Rodin, i ‘ I always am. though I can I al- j ways prove it. You heard what he . said Not all. Up spoke so low. But. j enough to guess al ‘the rest. Ami j I’vp made notes of what 1 did catch.’’ "They’ll be no use. It wasn I a , confession, for I tricked him into it, I just for my own satisfaction, so it can’t be used against him. r»r against, Bodin either, more’s the pity. I’ve . known some cold-blooded devils in my i time, but none that was a patch on ! these two. Well, we’ve got one of cm, and we ll gel Ibe other yet ”He. may gel off—Garret 1, 1 mean.” ■’Not. much. If that bullon isn t eriougii. whal about the fact lhal. the, poor chap was dead, strangled, before he was pitched over the parapci inlo the river? Those marks on his throat, were Garrell’s -or Sladdcn’s. Io give, him his right name—and they’ll hang j him right enough !’’ ‘•ho you think Bodin was in that?’’ I • Xo| he! II w s Garrett's private grudge, over the girl. Iles over- I reached himself al last, luckily for ns! We might never have been able. Io ffpt him for Sir Joseph ami his good lady *’[ fp'.t pretty sure it was he. and | pot \danis. when wp narrowed it down | tn the two of them. So did voii, i didn't you?” asked Williams. Freeman nodded. i ‘Though 1 wasn’t sure, till we got his finger-prints yesterday. Tallam managed th; I. Turn we knew who j lip was. Gh.ar’ioy Sladden, a crook from his birth, for all he looks so innocent! Did lime at Boi’slal as a youngsler. ami behaved so well they thought b m a reformed character, and had a good job all ready for him when b.p came out in the household of a philanthropic old lady, who was keen Inn reclaiming \oung criminals and ! giving 'em a chance. . . . Well, he \anislmd from lhere on Hie night of an audacious burgiary, and was never caught, for that, nor any nf Hip gang lip was in with. Xc\i wp heard of him was through the New 'i ork i!.l.|i.. wfipre he'd bci’omc a nolnrious gangster, after doing lime for burglary with violence. ’ Thsy never caught him again, and lost sigil* nf him some two years ago, and hoped he'd been ‘bumped off.’ But lhal must have been when he camp back here, under Rodin's wing. ■’Wp;l, he'll be. hanged all right for Adams. I u!p.ss he decides to squeal .... turn King's evidence against Rodin. n the chance of saving his own neck. . . .” A timid knock fell on the door. ’ Sec who lhal. is.’’ Il was Tallam. \\hn, h.ixing witnessed Hip exit of Garrett ami his captors, had been waiting in Hip hall, a prey Io almo>! unbearable anxiely. "I got through Io Cheltenham, ami they'd n p \cr 'phoned at all. You were right. Mr Freeman!” ’’(if course 1 was. But don't you worry. Tallam. We ll sei about finding Mr Marten as soon a.s Inspector Norton returns. Williams, you ring up .... no, you go round Io Lord ■Marfpndale’s. If he’s home, ask him Io come here at, once, urgent, if he’s not. find out where he is and try to keep an pye on him.” Williams nodded and departed, and Freeman turned again In Tallam. “And now, while I'm waiting for Norton. I'll have a word with that young woman. Miss Cave. What brought her here in such a hurry?” Tallam ga\p him a brief outline of the story lip had heard from Miriam ajlpr slip recovered from her fainting , Freeman raised his whitened eyebrow s. l 'So he’s liable. Io fils of rage, nr 1 madness, is he? Albinos often are, I I believe. Did you say anything Io | Miss Cave about her listening al (he I door lhal day. and dropping her hand- I kerchief ?” No. sir. However it came there I’m sure there's nothing wrong with I her. I'm as sure of her now as I I am of myself.” ”Ah. Have you told her I'm here ?’’ “Yes, sir. I had In. in a way.” i Tallam answered dpprpcatingly. “The ! caught sight nf you when you came | in. and was very upset, thinking you ' werp Rodin, that I had Io tell her I after shg came round.” Freeman smiled and fingered his ! beard. “All right. Well, send her up.” Still Tallam lingered. “Reg pardon, Mr Freeman, but. I won't you go up and wash oIT that ! sluff first? N’ou really look so like ! him still, even without the glasses, that, it -might upset her again. “I think nnt. Anyhow. I'll lake the i risk, especially as you've warned her.” | He prided himself, with some rea- I •son, on his latest impersonation, and ' was fain to try its effect on Hip girl. I When slip entered the rnom. very ! pale and anxious, but quite self-pns- j sesspd. he liad resumed the blue j spectacles, and rose, saying, with an [ admirable, imitation of Rodin's voice and manner: “Good evening. Miss Cave. Please > sit down. Do you know 7 me?” “f know you are Mr Freeman, b?- ■ cause Tattam told me. but. ” • ‘ But if you hadn’t, you’d have sworn ■ I was Mr Rodin?” he asked, removin'.- : the glasses. ”1 should, indeed! H's—it’s mar-, vellous!” “Easy enough, as T happen to be I £bout the j_am§ Ueigbt and build, and

he’s sn remarkable looking. Tt’s ~a 101, harder Io make up like, sonic nondescript person And it s served Ils purpose, all right this time! . . . . Now, Miss Cave, I want you Io pul me wise about, several things before I star! out in search of Mr Marten. ’’ ‘’lie’s down there, at Twickenham. Thai's whal that fiend meant when he boasted lhal. he had him in his power! I believe he was in lhal car that went in as 1 ran out !” she cried distressfully. 1 “More than likely.” i ‘'Then why are you wasting time?’’ j “I’m no’i. ?;ov, don’t pul yourself about. Miss Cave. I’ll bet. after j what’s happened, they won't dare do anything Io him. And I'm going down with Inspector Norton as soon as he returns.” I “I shall go with you!” | “Nonsense. You'd only bp in the t way.” . “I’m going with you!'' she repealed ' imperatively. i Slip had her way. \ young woman ( who could defy Henri Rodin was not, i tn be daunted by Freeman, or eveu • by Inspector Norton. CHAPTER XXIV. Eluded. Within half an hour Miriam was ' speeding back Io Twickenham. aci companied by Freeman ami Norton, and with a burly poiicem.ui in plain clothes beside Hie driver. In the Interval she had not only given them ail the information she could it sounded liHlc. enough bid had rloai’p<i i.p Freeman s doubls of herself. She had been outside the door lhal morning, and hearing suspicious movements within, had been on the point I of investigaling. when she. heard Tati lam's voice, so knew all was right and went on tier way upstairs. She had never missed Hip. handkerchief. | “Well. J apologise, miss,’’ said Freeman. “1 thought you were, spyii.g, and that’s a facl. and when I heard you’d gone on a visit Io Rodin’s [ felt sure you were just another of his tools. Shows how 7 the. best of us may make a mistake. . . Mr Marten woiialn'l hpiie\p. :l. Hiongh.” “You told him?” “I did. On Friday night, after he came bark from Hint dinner-party. And he stmt me. up sharp. But he kept Hip handkerchief!” i»r course John would not believe such a preposlerou; thing. The thought comforted her a little, in her terrible an-iely for him, which increased every moment. They went swift'.', but it seemed a lifetime before they reached those si ir st er gales, which duty swung open as Ihp rh.iUi’fei;r gave the signal, according In her inslruclions. The front of the lions • was in darkness. except fur the I: ghl outside .Ihe porch. Norton knocked and rang imper.aH\ei.'. and al'lor a short de'ay lights flashed up in the hall, and Ihp door was opened by the b.g. stolid butler, who admitted them without question. “Mr Rodin is not al home, sir.” hr informed them, glancing from Norton 0 Freeman, who had removed his disguise, but still wore. Hie furred overcoat. “He. met with a serious accident this evening, and Iris gone Io Pai's, to the Pasteur In-titn'c.” “When did he leave?” ■’Anoiil an hour ago, sir, in j-.i« own “TiiPn I'll sen h’s secretary. Mr l»e\! : n.” -aid XorHm. ignoring the reference In the accidenl. 'Up's gone with Mr Rndin. sir. And Mis- Dr-din Inn, al least shr and Gustave, the \e|e|. b'l’l for Croydon. I beiiexp. Io follow in an Airways ■•[ see. Where is Carney, Hip ch iiffpiJ!’?” ’’’• Ro.l'm, sir, piloting Ihe aeroplane. ’’ Norton frowned and considered, then said ai»rupil\. ns an asscrlion rather than a question: Mr John Marten is here.” Hermann was plainly surprised, or al least appeared Io |>c. “Mr Marlon? The gentleman whn dined here last week No. sir. There s no onp al all here but me and the servants.” . 'His manner was perfectly civil and correct, and boll) the deleeHvps thought he was speaking the truth. So did Miriam, who kepi in Hie background, beside the policeman. ' “Rut Mr Marten camo here about | half-past six” Norton persisted. | “No. sir, lip did not. I'm quite ; sure of lhal. for it was jus! before I then that Iho accident happened. \lr Rodin's pel cal went mad. and flew al. him. hurling him dreadfully before hr killed it. We had a terrible lime, and I'm certain no one al all camp but I Miss Rodin. She was out when i! I happened, and I had to telephone Io ■ her.” I 'Miriam stepped forward. “Who was in the car lhal came in I as I went out. just before Mis-. Rudin relurned?” she demanded. Hermann turned to her with a start. I “Miss Cave! I beg your pardon. ! miss. I did not scp you. Was there ; a car? I did not. know it.” j “Yps, nr I should not have been 1 able Io get out I “I know 7 nothing about it. miss, j But 1 have a message for you from ; Miss Rodin. She was very distressed ’ over what had happened, and afraid j you were hurt. II was just before ' she went that, we found you were not. • in the house, and slip had 00l- a ■ moment Io .spare. She sa.'d she would write Io you from Paris, and jf you did not return I was tn Ip|p- ! phone Io your fJMhpr. But I have not ' Dad limp Io do that yp|.” | “Then you don't know anything • about Mr John Marten?” 1 “No, miss. I give you my word !” I She turned Jislressfully 7 to Free- ! man. i “He must be here! Where else could ; they 7 have taken him?” t “ Someone rang up Mr. Marten from ‘ here, just before six,” he said to the ! butler. “ Was it you? ” ' “ No, sir. Mr. Devlin may have done i so. or Mr. Rodin himself.” There was a lit tie pause, and Norlnn i and Freeman, nonplussed for the > moment, exchanged interrogative glances. I • (Tfl h® pnnrinn»r)y r