“Birds of Prey,”

Wairarapa Daily Times, 29 June 1933, Page 7

“Birds of Prey,”

CHAPTER YI. —‘Continued. Her only safety lay in making a clean breast of it all to the police. The task would :be intensely unpleasant, as would the consequences, but it was her only chance of once more regaining that peace of mind which had been hers before she had agreed to Sherwood’s suggestion. Should she do this to-night or wait until the morning? She decided on immediate action, foir two reasons. Her one desire was to get it over, to.be once.more on the side of the,law; and also where else could she night ? To return to her lodgings would be the sheerest'folly. By doing so she would be placing herself once more in

Sherwood’s power, and as she had been the only witness of his terrible crime, her life, she knew, was in the utmost

peril. 'She suddenly found herself directly opposite a police station. The sight caused her to stand motionless and nerve herself for the coming interview. Another thought crossed her mind. Sherwood had spoken a lot about Scotland Yaird, had mentioned a certain Lynton as being the police officer who had handed him the notes. The man must have realised how fooled he had been, must be hot in pursuit of the impostor. Should she seek out this Lynton and tell him her story? That surely was the better way. 'Her obvious course was to go to Scotland Yard. But how to get there? She hadn’t the slightest idea in which direction it lay. Estelle feverishly examined her purse to see whether she could manage a taxi fare. To her relief she found she had still nearly two pounds left. In a few moments she secured a taxi and directed the driver to go to Scotland Yard,

In less than ten minutes Estelle found herself at Scotland Yard and inquired of a friendly policeman for. an officer named Lynton. “Inspector Lynton, miss,” replied the man, ‘'‘l’m afraid you can’t see him now. He’s just ’phoned through to say he’s gone to Brighton. He’ll be back to-morrow.”

'The news came as a terrible disappointment to.. Estelle. The policeman saw her dismay and said: '‘‘Wouldn’t anybody else do, miss? There’s Inspector Hurst you could see, if it’s something important.”

In a flash the scene in that fatal room crossed Estelle’s mind, and she knew she must act now.

‘‘l don’t think there’s much doubt about its importance. All right. Where is Inspector Hurst?”

£l‘This way, miss.” & The policeman led the way along a corridor and down some steps. He knocked at a door marked ‘‘JLTivate,” and on an invitation to enter, did so, followed by Estelle. ‘‘Young lady to see you, Inspector iHurst. ’ ’

The policeman turned and left the room, closing the door behind him. A middle-aged man was seated at a desk. There was a kindly look in his eyes which • reassured the girl. ‘ ‘ Well, miss, ’ ’ he said, ‘ ‘ and what can I do for you?” In as few words as possible Estelle told him her story; about her part ,in the blackmail episode, her reason for doing it, the visit to MdGrory’s den to collect his hoard —and the murdeir. The man stared at her. This was not at all the sort of tale he had expected to hear. A doubting expression crossed his face, which vanished immediately when she came to her description Vf the murder. The fear and horror in her voice was too genuine to fail to convince the most cynical. Hurst heard her out- in silence, and then rapped out a question. ' ‘‘You know the way to this place? You could ‘lead us there? Now, I mean?” ‘‘Yes,” said Estelle, firmly. ■‘‘Good.” Detective-Inspector Hurst pressed a bell. The same policeman answered it and was instructed to have a car got out'immediately with two plain clothes men in readiness. Then, turning to Estelle, Hurst said in a sympathetic tone:

“Wouldn’t you like a drink of some sort before we go, Miss Desmond?” “No, thank you,” said Estelle, quickly. ‘ ‘ All I want is to get this over as soon as possible.” Hurst led the way out to the street. Here a car was waiting, drawn up by the curb, and Estelle saw the figures of two men seated inside. iHurst helped her in, gave his men a brief outline of the affair, and then asked Estelle for the direction. ‘She gave it, and after instructing the chauffeur Hurst jumped in beside her.

To Estelle that journey in the dead of night, in company with these silent, grim-faced policemen, was the longest and most harassing she had ever made. She sat hunched up in a corner of the car. No one spoke; perhaps they wished to spare her all they could. At last the car drew up before the house from which the girl had fled in such deadly terror not so long before. Ordering the chauffeur to wait for them, Hurst helped Estelle to alight, and accompanied by his two men, led the way up The steps. He tried the front door and finding it locked motioned to his men to help him force it. They did so/ and in a few minutes were standing in the blackness of the hall. 'Hurst switched on a torch and led the way to Me'Grory’s bedroom, which Estelle pointed out. His mind filled with visions of the terrible sight he was to see, he entered the room, followed closely by the others. There was nothing whatsoever about the room -which savoured of crime and bloodshed. A very ordinary bedroom: everything in its proper place, there was not the slightest sign of the disorder of which Estelle had warned them —no Dude and no Sherwood.

Hurst turned to the girl. “I’m afraid you’ve brought us out on a wild goose chase to-night, j-oung ■woman. You’ve been reading too many thrillers. Just you go to bed and have a good sleep, and leave the Yard in ■peace! ” '“Oh, don’t be so stupid! I tell 3 r ou it’s all tcrue. Hook at the mattress, if you don’t believe me. You’ll see it’s all ripped up.” Hurst walked to the bed and pulled off the coverings. 'His whole manner changed; the mattress was undoubtedly ripped in two places and was also discoloured by an ominous stain. ,He motioned to his men to help him, and in a few moments they Were gazing at the dead body of a man which they had dragged out from its hiding place in the mattress. „

COPYRIGHT. PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT.

BY GERARD FAIRLIE. (Author of “The Exquisite Lady,” ‘‘Stone Blunts Scissors,” ‘‘The Man who Laughtea*,” etc).

Sherwood leapt to his feet and ran to the front door; it.was open. He was just in time to catch a glimpse of the girl disappearing round the corner. He realised the futility of trying' to overtake her. She was panic-stricken, no doubt, but her brain would remain fogbound f oa- a time. She was not the sort to aecost a policeman. Nevertheless, Sherwood was under no delusion with regard to her eventual decision. ;She would make up her mind and go to the police, who would in a very short time take possession of McGrory’s house. It was up to him to see that he was not in it when this tqok place. Quickly returning to the house, he shut and bolted the door, then retraced his steps to. .McGrory/s bedroom. The knife was still sticking into the man’s back, which, to a great extent, prevented bleeding. Sherwood’s nerves were not in any way affected by the vile deed he had just committed. He was already intent on his next step, and was determining what this should be. There would be delay in carrying it out. It was essential that less than 15 minutes should see him out of that house. He came to a decision, "With the greatest rapidity he rearranged the room so that it was once again in order. All was just as he had found it. A few minutes later he left the house.

(Ben Sherwood, a. string of pearls in one pocket, a bulging packet of bank notes in another, made his way like a shadow in the night until he found himself near the river. The hour was very late; one or two dark forms were huddled up on the seats which ran along the Embankment. One of these was still unoccupied, and he sat down. Sherwood’s position was not an enviable one at the moment. He was wanted by the police for robbery, if riot as yet for murder. He was wanted by MoGrory himself, but McGrory was safely locked up in gaol in Brighton. There was every chance of his not being free again for a period of years. Sherwood made a mental note to look in the papers the next day and see what sentence the man received. There -was another danger that was grave indeed. Just as soon as his Chief discovered that the notes which he had handed to him were fakes he would set out in pursuit. The peril from, this quarter might bo greater than from any other. He knew also that he could scarcely hope to avoid detection by his former leader for much longer than the following morning, when the notes would most certainly be proved to be false. “A change of personality,” said Sherwood to himself, “would not be a bad idea. Ben Sherwood is wanted by too many people. iHe had better disappear off the face of the earth, but he might make his last appearance at* old man Vickers’s, and see what these pearls will fetch. After that Mr Sherwood had better cease to be.” Sherwood rose to his feet and went off in the direction of Vickers’s house. It was a long way but he did the distance on foot; he had no desiire to hire a taxi or use any means of transport which later might identify him with a visit to Vickers. The less that was known of his movements that night, the better. Nearly an hour later 'Sherwood found himself in the street which harboured the notorious Mr Vickers. It was very late, but this was the time at which Mr Vickers usually transacted his business, for it was such an hour that his customers were apt to prefer when favouring him with a visit. A thin shaft of light could be seen through the shutters of one of his windows. The receiver was in and ready to do business. Sherwood approached the wdndow, tapped twice, and turned to the door. He heard the sound of bolts being withdrawn and the door was opened an inch or two. (To be Continued.)

Hurst examined body and also the room, and turning to Estelle, he apologised for liis former unbelief and then said: ‘‘l think this is a job for Inspector Lynton. He’s really on this case, you know. I’ll leave a man in charge here and then we’d better get back to the Yard and send a message through to Lynton. ’ ’ Once more lEstelle entered the car. Hurst and one of the men accompanied her. The Inspector asked heir what she intended to do that night. ‘‘l’m not at all sure, Miss Desmond, whether it isn’t really my duty to arrest you on that blackmail charge. Where were you to go to-night?” ' ‘‘Going?” said Estelle. ‘‘Nowhere, I can’t possibly go back to my lodgings. Sherwood knows them; he sent me there in the first place. It’s an awful hole. JSherw-ood is sure to go back there for me. No, I don’t know what to do.”

‘‘Well, Miss Desmond,” Hurst said, “seems to me the best thing you can do is to remain at the Yard. I won’t arrest you exactly, just detain you, and you’ll be much safer there, while this johnnie’s at large.” ‘‘l suppose that would be the best. But how about my tilings? Could someone get them?” “I hardly like to do that. It- would rather give it away to Sherwood that you’ve come to us. But I don’t know, he’s bound to think you’d do something of the sort. Your landlady might give us some information, also we might be able to catch this smart lad there, if lie comes back looking for you. Yes, I’ll go myself and see her and get her to give me your things.” Estelle thanked him. The ear stopped. They were back at the Yard. Hurst instructed the chauffeur and the plainclothes man to wait, and then placed Estelle in the charge of a kindly wardress, telling her to do all she could to make Miss Desmond comfort-, able for the night. Then he asked: ‘ What’s your address ?’ ’ Estelle told him, and with a cheery good-night Hurst hastened from the room. CHAPTER VII. Ben Sherwood leant down and examined his victim. There was no sign of life on the part of the man who had been known as “the Dude.” In a flash he realised that he was glone. Estelle had fled from the room..