THE Man From Montevideo

Waikato Times, Volume 96, Issue 15361, 9 October 1923, Page 3

THE Man From Montevideo

BY ARRANGEMENT}'*

BY T. C. BRIDGES,

'/ Aulhf of "Whoso Shcddeth," "The Price of Liberty," "The Home of Her 1 Fathers," etc., etc. I ! (Copyright).

SYKCSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS. CHARERS I TO 111. —As a log Is coming- on Bter Carr gives up fishing. On the main rad he hoars a girl's voice calling for help He comes across a girl In the hands d a burly ruffian, whose clothes bear tlj imprint or the broad arrow. Peter gcs for the man, and there Is a JIR-ht, in which both are badly damaged, but the man crocks up. The girl attends to Peter, and takes him to her own home. Her nane is Joyce Lovell, and she lives at Otter's /Holt. Peter Is introduced to Joyce's brother, Jasper, who Is lame, and who tates to Peter at once. He goes oIT to osfjaifse jhc capture of the escaped wnvlct. Joyce's rather Is scandalised by <he hsflyWiltiif, Jasper returns to say that the convict nils escaped yet again. Peter Carr pisses a happy roflnlght in Joyce's home-, tonvaiescing. A letter comes from His uhcle'; Sir Anthony Carr, to say that Ihere Is a new claimant to the estate, in the person or a son or David Carr, the elder brother or Sir Anthony, who had died abroad. Peter returns to London to find his uncle, Sir Anthony, lying: on the bedroom floor, murdered. UHAPTEn IV TO Vl.—Peter searches the flat, and ilnds nothing stolen. His uncle's man, Scrutlon, is lying on the lloor, stupefied with chlorororm. Peter hears a board creak, and thinks someone Is there; looks round; Ilnds no one. As he realises that, should the claimant be able to prove his Claim, Sit' Anthony's whole estate Will go to him, and that he, Peter, Will be reduced to poverty, the young man thinks it wise to avail hlmsoir or £BOO he finds in a drawer, Tor he IS already In debt to the tube or several hundred pounds, lie telephones the police, who promptly take charge. He shows the police inspector, Curtin, the last letter Sir Anthony had written to him, and tells mm that he, Peter, will stay at Harcourt's Hotel. At the rormal Inquiry into the murder Peter meets his uncle's solicitor, Mr Calvert. They taxi to the lawyer's omces. They find that the claimant, Tudor Carr, with his "bear-leader" as Mr Calvert terms him, Mr Paul Bassett. Tudor Carr's claims are accepted as genuine. Peter is under the impression that he .has met Paul ini e^l be /?£ d - u Mr Calvert knows nothig, except that he halls rrom Montevideo. mlvphL Har . coun s l lotel ' pcter sits down ~r Y.,i J l°. yC( V . Allutl| nff to the episode ' e nl 011 * 1 . Jauez Holt, his pen stops suddenly, Peter knows who Paul Bassett

have that washed out. I can even be grateful to that convict chap " Peter stopped suddenly in the midst of his sentence. His pen dropped from his fingers, and he sat perfectly still, staring blankly In front of him. For a s he had written the last two words an idea had flashed across his mind—an idea so mad, so seemingly incredible lhat, vivid as it was, he could hardly bring himself to believe it. i It was this —that the convict Jabez Holt and the well-dressed, urbane Paul Bassctt were one and the same person.

CHAPTER Vl.—(Contd.;

'Mr Tudor Carr, Mr Peler Carr," lie said, and Peter found himself shaking the limp hand of the little man. The latter flushed painfully and seemed much embarrassed.

"Mr Paul Bassett," continued the lawyer, and the biff man gave Peter one quick grip, and a sharp glance from his deep-set eyes. ' Sir Anthony," stammered Tudor Carr. "I—l'm awfully sorry," In spite of the situation Peter almost smiled. The idea of connecting this poor little atomy with a murder was almost absurd.

CHAPTER VII.—BEARING THE LION. "Mad' Impossible!" These were the words that framed themselves on Peter's lips. And on the face of it, the idea was indeed about as crazy a one as could possibly be imagined. How, by any sl.rp.lch of coincidence could a convict, barelv a fortnight out of Dartmoor, have turned into the well-dressed, apparently wealthy and prosperous man from whom Pater parted not an hour ago? Reason told him lhat the suggestion was fit only for a' lunatic; instinct warned him that he was right. There is no other way by which you become so well acquainted with another man's personality as by fighting him, and struggle against it as he might the conviction burned itself more and more deeply on Peter's brain that Bassctt and Holt were indeed one and the same. How the change had been effected he did not even pretend to guess. The fact remained and that was enough. Minute afler minule Peter sat mol.ionles h his chair at the writing table. The big room was empty, but for himself. Everyone else In the hotel was at lunch. At first his mind was in such a whirl that he /ould not think consecutively. Gradually, however, he calmed down and began to go into the pros and cons of the situation. If it was the truth; if he was right in. his supposition Again, he was staggered at the posslibillies which loomed before him.

Mr Calvert spoke. "It is a terrible business," he said gravely. "And yet in a way it simplifies matters as far as the claim is concerned. I have, as suggested, submitted your papers, Mr Tudor Carr, to the handwriting- expert. He pronounces them genuine. Under the circumstances Mr Peter Carr has decided not to contest your claim." "Br—all, that is very good of him," said Tudor, in his odd, hesitating way. "I—l quite see that it's—it's rough on him, and I think we ought to do something for him—that is if lie doesn't mind." lie turned to the big man. "W-what do you say, Bassett?" "Time enough to talk of that later," said Bassett speaking for the first time. His voice matched his appearance, being deep and rather harsh. Bassett's tone annoyed Peter. "Never mind about me," he said curtly. "There is alter all no question of sentiment in the matter." "That's tlie way to look at it," replied Bassett, and there was a suspicion of irony in his tone which galled Peter. But. his words did more than annoy Peter. There was sonic tone in them that touched a chord cf memory in his mind. It seemed to him that he had heard this voice before, and he gave Bassett a quick, searching glance. The impression grew upon him that this was not the first time that they had met, yet rack his memory as he I would he could not bring to mind 'when or where.

Bassett gave him little time for thought. He rose. "We may as well be moving Tudor," he said. "Your business seems to be finished for the present. I presume, Mr Calvert, that Mr, or I should' say Sir, Tudor Carr will simply come into his late uncle's property, as next heir?" "That is so," replied the lawyer. He spoke rather stiffly. It seemed as though he rather resented the presence of this third party. "There are, of course, the usual formalities to be observed," he continued. "There must be a valuation for Probate and duty will have to be paid before Sir Tudor Carr can take possession." "Quite so. He understands alt that," said Bassett easily. "I trust you will attend to all that for him!" "If Sir Tudor Carr desires us to do so," replied Mr Calvert. "Yes—yes," said Tudor hurriedly. "Of course I do. I—l shall be much obliged if you will do it." He picked up his straw hat and yellow gloves, nodded awkwardly to the lawyer and his cousin, and followed Bassett out of the room. Calvert looked at Peter. "A curious couple," he said in his dry way. "Poor little beggar," answered Peter. "Ho daren't call his soul his own. But who is this fellow, Bassett?" "Indeed, I wish I could tell you. But except that he comes from Montevideo and claims to have been a friend of your uncle David, I know no more than you.'" "From Montevideo, eh? Let me see, that's the capital of Uruguay". Peter got up from his chair as he spoke. "Well, Mr Calvert, I am much obliged to you for all you have done, and I now think I will be going."' "Stay and lunch with me," urged Calvert. "I want to talk to you about your prospects." Peter thanked him, but refused. He had the feeling that he must be alone. He went straight back to his hotel, but instead of lunching, walked into the reading-room, and sat down to write to Joyce. He told her all that had happened. "So you see, Joyce, dear," he wont on "I am left practically penniless, and that is the end of it so far as you and I are concerned. I am not one of those clever chaps who can carve out a fortune, and turn up a millionaire inside twelve months, and so I am not going to ask you to wait for me. It wouldn't be fair. Not that I shall ever forget you. I shall love you always—as long as ever I live. I don't think I need tell you that, for I believe you know it as well as I do. I've had the best time of my life the last fortnight. Even if I never see you again I would not

Jabez Holt was a criminal. As Peter knew, he had been serving a sentence of ten years for a particularly brutal assault. Yet, as Bassctt, he was bear-lcadcr to, and apparently in charge of, Tudor Carr. The natural conclusion was that, in spite of the evidence of the hand-writing expert. Tudor's proofs and credentials were not genuine. In that case, he and not Tudor was still the heir, and Joyce—Joyce might still be his. 'He sprang up. lie snatched up the unfinished letter which he had been writing to Joyce, and taking it <n both hands was about to fear it across and across and fling the fragments into the waste paper basket. Then with equal suddenness he changed his mind. A grim smite parted hi slips. ' Belter be sure, first," he sa.id half ;,]oud, and folding the letter carefully, slipped it into an envelope, and placed both In an inner pocket. He turned as if to leave the room, then paused undecklely. "What was he to do next'? What use was lie to make of this knowledge which had come to him so strangely? His first idea was to hurry to and lay it before .Calvert. The lawyer would advise him what best to do. But on second thoughts he decided against iliis idea. It seemed to him lhat he must make sure, first. He must see Basscll asain. Yes, that was the best plan, and the one which most r.ppcaled to a man of Peter's direct and simple mind. Next, it occurred to him that lie had not Basset L's. address. Calvert would know it, and this lime as lie made for the door there was no indecision in Peter's step or manner. As luck had it, Mr Calvert was still in his office, and he himsell' answereed Peter's ring up. Petter gave no reasons |or wishing to know the address. He merely asked for it right out. And the lawyer, on his part, asked no questions, but gave it promptly. It was CO B Jermyn street. The western end of Jermyn street was not ten minutes' walk from liarcourt's Hotel and Peter, putting on his hat in the hall and taking up his gloves and stick, strode off there at a rapid pace. Sixty-B proved to be a block of bachelor flats. Enquiring of the ha'.l porter, Peter heard that Mr Tudor Carr and Mr Bassett were in No. 5 on the second floor. Yes, the man believed that they were both at home, out he would telephone up and And out lor certain.

They were at home. Mr Peter Carr wished to see Mr Basselt. Very good. Would Mr Carr come up? As Peter mouned the stairs, he realised thta his heart was heating more rapidly than usual. But it was rather with that pieasureable excitement whicli the lighting man feels before going into the ring. For Peter, itf not particular clever or brainy, was a real lighter. It was Bassett himself who opened the door, Bassett with his deep-set eyes, dark hair, dominant chin, and extraordinarily well-dressed and prosperous appearance.

"Good afternoon, Mr Carr," he said in his deep and rather harsh voice. His manner was perfect, yet there was an air of faint surprise about him. He seemed lo be saying. "What on earth have you come here about? I had thought we had done with you." This nettled Peter, yet he did not show it. He had had time to prepare himself for the meeting, and he meant to carry it through. "Good afternoon, Mr Bassett," he said quielly. "There was a matter which escaped my attention when we met this morning. Can I have a word with you in private?"

Bassett made no demur. "By all means," he answered, "Come in."

Peter followed him into a large sitting room, which was furnished in the expensive ,yet tasteless style so usual in apartments of this kind. (To be continued to-morrow).