“Birds of Prey,”

Wairarapa Daily Times, 1 July 1933, Page 7

“Birds of Prey,”

CHAPTER Vlll.—Continued

His interest had been attracted to it by the fact that the famous necklace known as The Seventy Sapphires was to be worn by the very stupid owner, stupid in view of the l fact that she had advertised the matter in the papers, and had actually allowed a photograph of herself bedecked in the necklace and costume which she proposed wearing at the bail, to appear in one of the society weeklies. The Seventy Sapphires is probably the most famous necklace in the world, and one of the most valuable. This was to be the first public appearance of The Seventy Sapphires, and if Weight had anything to do with it, it would be the last. It seemed to me that I must collaborate with the idea, removing from Weight the pleasure of even temporary ownership. I considered the plan of action prepared by Weight, a copy of which had been procured by Five and now lay before me. The idea was ingenious. ■Old Weight knew his business. His waiter followers would be at their respective posts at the appointed time. At this hour, previously fixed upon, every light in the building would be extinguished; an easy matter according to Weight’s note, since there was onei main fuse with the position of which he was already acquainted. To mend this would take a few minutes, by which time the greatest expert in sleight-of-hand among liis followers would have whisked the necklace off the unsuspecting hostess and passed it to a confederate on the balcony of the. house. It would then take an over-air route, being thrown by the man who had received it to an accomplice dressed as a chauffeur. This man was to mingle with the otheir chauffeurs in Bark-lane, far away from the house in question, then to separate from them, and be in readiness with his car near the balcony at the appointed- time. The engine was to be running and immediately the necklace reached him he was to make off in the car with all possible speed. 'CHAPTER IX.

It was with feelings bordering on •the most intense excitement that De-tective-Inspector Lynton hastened iback to Scotland Yard, in compliance with Hurst’s message. He had caught an early train up from Brighton that morning, had chartered a taxi at Victoria, and was now being driven towards the Yatrd, liis mind full of queries as to the reason for his presence being so urgently requested. 'Had this clever impostor been tracked, possibly caught ? Perhaps Mc'Grory, who had not failed to profit by his opportunity—an empty cell had brightened Lynton’s heart that morning—was already hot on the trail, his thirst for vengeance proving a strong ally in his quest. Had his two shadowers, the policemen detailed off to keep him under surveillance, been in communication with the Yard? The arrest of this criminal meant so very much to Lynton. Should he. fail this time his career would be ruined. Once removed from the special branch his chances of ever again obtaining promotion were slender; the remainder of his service., would be full of bitter humiliation. Lynton jumped out of the cab, paid off the driver;,' and went quickly to Inspector Hurst's private office. He opened the door and walked in. Hurst was seated at his desk writing. He greeted him warmly. "Well, Lynton, I must say you have not wasted much time getting up here. Catch the 8.0?” "Yes. Couldn’t get here fast enough. I ought to have stayed down in Brighton really, as witness in the McGrory affair, but I got out of that, as your message seemed so urgent. What’s up, 'Hurst? No news from McGrory yet, is there?” "Mc'Grory?” Hurst looked at the younger man in surprise. "Why, he s locked up in Brighton, isn’t lie? You got him too, didn’t you?” "I did,” said Lynton, "but he escaped last night.” ■"There’ll be trouble about that. "No,” said Lynton. "He was allowed to escape —he’s being shadowed, you see—so that he ’ll act as bloodhound in scenting the fellow who impersonated Thompson. You know all about that, of course?” "Yes,” agreed Hurst, "and I’ve got news for you, Lynton. I think we re on his trail.” "Tell me what’s happened?” Lynton cried. ‘ ‘ Very late last night a young girl came and asked to see you. ’ ’ ‘‘Whatever for?”

‘ ‘ Apparently she knew about your part McG-rory blackmail affair this was the girl in question, who got young Thompson involved.” “Well, I’m—” Lynton’s amazement was too _ great to be put into words. Huirst continued: “When informed that you weren’t available she agreed that I should act as your proxy, and I was never more staggered in my life as at her tale. To cut it short she told me about her part in the affair, that she’d been the tool of a clever scoundrel, the man who got the two thousand —Ben Sherwood’s his name. It appears ho forced her to show him MciGrory’s lair, and was seizing all that gentleman’s ill-gotten wealth, hidden in his mattress, when in walks the 'Dude, McGrory’s latest recruit, you know. Sherwood knifes him, and "the girl, panicstiricken, dashes away, eomes to us and gets us to go back with her, where we find the body. I Quite an exciting evening, in fact!” j “And the man —Sherwood 1 ?” asked I Lynton. j “I’m afraid he got away. But I don’t think there’ll be much difficulty : in getting him now. ’ ’ “Where’s the girl? Is she here?” “Yes,” said Hurst,'rising. “I’ll send her up to you now if you like.” “Thank you,” said Lynton. Hurst walked to the door, turned, and said: ! “Her name’s Estelle Desmond, or ‘so she says,” he added, and was gone. In his wildest dreams Lynton would never have looked for help from that quarter. I There was a. knock at the door, and, without waiting for an answer, a ! young girl entered. ! The moment his eves fell on her Lynton jumped up; his manner changed subtly from that of the birisk police officer to something different. This was not at all the sort of girl he had expected to meet; not the type usually | associated with blackmailing efforts. He j shook hands with her and after motioning her to a seat, sat down again. She ! was the most attractive girl he had

COPYRIGHT. PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT.

BY GERARD EAIRLIE. (Author of "The Exquisite Lady,” "Stone Blunts Scissors,” "The Man who Laughter,” etc).

"Your information is going to he a tremendous help to me, Miss Desmond. The fellow fooled me also.’’

"Yes,’’ said Estelle. "You know all about me —about my part in Thompson's affair?”

■‘ ‘ Only the bare facts, Miss Desmond. I should be immensely obliged if you would let me know the details, how you got mixed up in it. You'see, you don’t appear to be at all the kind of person to do these things.’’

Estelle glanced at him gratefully. Tears filled her eyes. Then she said: "No. I’m not that sort at all, Inspector Lynton. Only I was such a fool. Could I explain how it all happened?” "Please do,” said Lynton.

"First of all I’ll have to tell you something about myself, Inspector. My father died when I was very young—three oir four, I think —and my mother two years ago. Since she died I’ve supported myself by taking small parts on the stage. I’ve always been keen on acting a*nd I haven’t done badly, but —not well. It’s very difficult, you see, for anyone unknown to be given decent parts. Three months ago I met Ben Sherwood. He joined the company in which I was acting as juvenile lead. And he was really astoundingly .good. It was a repertory company and there was every scope fotr his* talents. 'He was getting quite good pay, too, so I was surprised and flattered when lie came to me one day and said he had a scheme to propose. He 1 told me he had written a play and wanted me to be the leading lady. At the time I was feeling very depressed as I had been given only small- parts for weeks. Imagine my joy at being singled out by one of the most prominent members of the company. I couldn’t understand why he hadn’t spoken of it to the leading lady or somebody of that sort, but he can be extremely charming, Inspector Lynton, and after he had said all sorts of pretty things about me having the most talent of the lot, and things like that—all of which I swallowed like the conceited fool I was—l agreed to do all I could to help. He got me to leave that company, and only when I had done so he told me that he must get two thousand pounds before he could produce the play. I can’t think how I could have been so blind, but anyway he got me to think that our one hope lay in getting this money. ‘We must get it somehow,’ he kept on saying, ‘even if we have to beg, borrow or steal. It’s all in the cause of art and we can always pay back.’ 1

"The idea became a sort of obsession with me. I was in rather a precarious position, being without a job and living on my savings—which weren’t much. When I got down to the last few pounds I became desperate. Then Sherwood came and told me that he had joined a gang and was going to try to get the money that way—walk off with their spoils, and he proposed 'that, as we were partners I should do likewise. I was at my wits end by then and agreed. I’m not trying to> excuse myself but I made up my mind to pay it back some time, and tried to think that it wasn’t so dishonest, robbing thieves. Anyway I joined McGrory’s gang, but I couldn’t stick it for long. I gave it up and then fell in with Thompson. At first I hadn’t the slightest thought of using him. "One day he asked me to marry him —and then the idea came to me. I ■got him to- write to me asking me again —convinced him that I wasn’t the kind of person to marry —and then used the letter.”

'She stopped speaking. Jumping up Lynton walked to the window. He was full of fury against the insufferable scoundrel who had brought this charming and attractive girl into such a sordid affair. He turned round at last, and said:

"I can see'you’ve been more sinned against than sinning. I’m extremely sorry for you. You’ve behaved very wisely in coming to us now. You can be of the utmost service to me—if you will?”

"I’ll dp anything.” "Thank you,” Lynton smiled. "I’ll do what I can for you, Miss Desmond. You can rely upon that, but I’m afraid I can’t get you off all the consequences of that blackmail business —they’ire very down, on that sort of thing.” The girl rpse to go. Lynton shook' hands with her and watched her depart in the company of a police officer. Then he sat down once more and thought of Sherwood, and felt almost thankful that when caught he could be tried on the capital charge. ■"Scum like that,” growled Lynton, "isn’t fit to live.” Another thought struck him. Had it not been far this girl’s prompt action in giving them the information immediately, the murder would probably have been put down to McGrory’s account. It was lucky for that gentleman that Hurst had been on the spot within half an hour after the crime had been ' committed; about the time when McGrory was making a speedy get-away from the gaol in Brighton. Thcire could be no possibility whatsoever of his having been connected with it.* At, this moment Inspector Hurst entered. (To be Continued.)

seen for many a day. Refreshed by her night’s sleep, hope once moire dawning in her lovely, dark eyes, Estelle was indeed a sight to galdden the heart. .She was hatless and her black hair, curling round her face, served to enhance the startling whiteness •of her skin and her delicate rose complexion. A wide, ruby mouth, allowing glimpses of pearly teeth, long equiline nose and determined chin, completed a face whose beauty and character filled thefcyoung Inspector with the profoundest wonder. .She was dressed in a navy blue tailor-made costume, which fitted her dainty figure to perfection. "Well, Miss Desmond, I think I owe you a debt of gratitude, don’t I?” This was hardly the way in which she had expected to be greeted. "I don’t quite understand.”