JOHN GELDART

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19763, 19 December 1935, Page 4

JOHN GELDART

SERIAL STORY

CHAPTER XXL (continued.) Abbott's eyes twinkled as he smiled at Paula and shook her hands warmly. "I't is only humorous now' that I look back upon It,” he said, “for it was really most annoying while it lasted. As you know, I was in the j South of Prance when the unfortunate occurrence happened that our friend here is investigating. I had gone down on the week-end previous to that. .Tust before we passed through Lyons, I left my berth for a stroll in the passage and to smoke a cigar. For some reason or other, the train stopped just after leaving the station at Lyons. It stopped only for a few moments—no explanation being given toy the conductor, but the result of that stop Was most annoying to me. I finished my cigar and went hack to my berth. As I climbed into it, picture my astonishment and disgust at finding it- occupied by a dirty, ill-clad tramp—a tramp as completely drunk as you would never wish to see. He must have crawled aboard at the stop and into my berth, whloh happened to be near the door. He was so completely under the influence, that I oould not rouse him and, being essentially a man who pities his fellow-men, I- lot him sleep on there,

while I roamed up and down the corridor, looking for an empty berth, feeling more of a fool every minute. I got him put off in the morning and I can laugh at the incident now. It was probably the only time in that poor devil’s life that he slept in such luxury.” “It’s a good Job he wasn t sufficiently awake to recognise you as the celebrated philanthropist. Sir David," said McKnight, with a smile, “or else he might have wanted more than your berth from you." “Perhaps you’re right," laughed Abbott, and at that moment, a clerk summoned them to the office of Mr Borrow, the senior -partner of the firm, and they left the waiting-room. Brian noted that Abbott walked beside Paula, but this time no spasm of jealousy fluttered his heart. MoKniglU’s eyes dwelt curiously upon the figures of the girl and her companion, but his face was as inscrutable as ever. “It is my duty to-day, Miss Marmlon,” began lire solicitor, a distinguished elderly man of sixty or thereabouts, “to read to you your father’s Last Will and Testament. It was drawn up by myself and witnessed by two clerks and signed by your late father, two months after bis arrival in England from South America. I understand from tire police that Air Leonard Marmion has disappeared and Is therefore unable to bo present. I asked Sir David Abbott to be present, 1 because 1 understand that lie is a great friend of yours who has bad, to a great extent, charge of your career during j five years during which your father | was absent from England. Mr Me- j Knight is with us in his capacity of official representative of the Law, which Is Investigating the curious events surrounding your late father s unfortunate decease. I do not think I know this gentleman," and he bowed slightly in Brian’s dlreotion. “This in Mr. Clarke, Air. Borrow, Paula explained. “He also is a friend of mine and to a large extent he too is hound up in this case. You see, it was he who found me on that night.... " “Ah! I see. Pray explain no further, my dear young lady," the lawyer interposed tactfully. He picked up an envelope that lay on the desk before him. The four of them disposed themselves in easy chairs round the room, Brian noticing that AlcKnight sat in such a position'that, his face was turned away from the window and was in shadow', lie felt tempted to smile at this: it was an old trick of the fiction detective. Sir David sal easily in his chair, with « one leg crossed over the other, while lie tapped the toe of his elegant boot with his ebony slick. Paula and Brian sat in adjacent scats, facing the solicitor's desk.

CIJAEPTER XXH. An Illuminating Dooument. “I knew remarkably little of my client’s affairs,” the lawyer began. “Beyond the fact that I administered a small trust fund for his children while he was out of England, all his legal business being, of course, conducted by solicitors in Buenos Ayres. This trust fund was to cease, I may mention, on his death, when fiuther provision was to be made for his dependants through this last will. I have seen my client tw-ice only since he returned to England, and one of thes occasions was when I drew up this document." Brian had seen McKnight shift uneasily in his chair at Mr. Borrow s remark as to the cessation of the trust fund In the event of Marmlon’s death, but as the detective’s face was in the shadow, no indication could be gathered of his expression. “There is, first of all, the address of my late client’s solicitors, in South America, with whom l am instructed to communicate with regard to some lessor bequests to beneficiaries of his, over the water. !■ now come to (lie clause which concerns Miss Paula Marmion and Mr. Leonard Marmion . . he went on in his even, clipped tones and as the words of the will sank into Brian’s consciousness, he fell the atmosphere in the room change In intensity. It seemed to become charged with an electricity that had been absent before. Paula stiffened in her chair beside him: Sir Bavid ceased tapping the too of bis boot with bis slick, and McKnight, in ids cljjjir before the window, leaned slightly lorward with his eyes fixed steadfastly on the carpet. ' “To my daughter Paula, I leave all the residue or my estate, real and personal, in toto and hi perpetuity, upon the condition that 1 shall die a natural death. In the event of my decease from any violent cause whatsoever, proved to be not an ae- « eident, all the said residue to be paid into I lie Treasury of His Majesty’s Hovernmcnl for the reduction of Ihe National Belli." 'l'lie solicitor's voice died away ami in I lie pause Ilia I followed I here was a eoneerted imlrawing of brealh from Hu; four listeners, rur Bavid rose irom his chair suddenly. 8 "H is initpiilous." lie exclaimed. I "wlinl was the man thinking of.’ He • must have been mail, insane; they are Hie words of a madman. “ “My elionl was in Ihe be si of heallli ami sound of mind, when lie inserted Ibis clause. Sir Bavid." said Mr Borrow suavely. ••|!nl a condition sueli as lli.il c.iuni,| stand in law." proh-sled Abboll. !ljs \\a> pale ami some great i'liio- |,,, i, seal I 1“ lla\e gripped him •| ii furl mm I • ly. ~ir Bax id, I am afraid it will.”

By /. L. MORRISSEY. (Author of “ High Doom," Etc., Eto.)

McKnight had not spoken, but had watched with curious interest the agitation displayed by Abbott. Sir David resumed his seat, attempting to recover ills calm attitude. "The amount in question,” went on Borrow, “is fifty thousand pounds In various holdings, shares in several diamond companies, which I- shall elaborate, and in real estate in Buenos Ayres. There is, further, a clause which relates to Air Leonard Marmion:

“To niy son, Leonard Marmion, I leave not one penny of my estate, but I give over lo his charge the annuity left to him by ins deceased mother, amounting lo two hundred and fifty per annum, in the hope that he will prove himself better qualified to possess it than he has done so heretofore."

The solicitor then went on to enumerate the holdings in which Francis Marmion’s wealth had been confined. “This will has not yet been filed for probate," he concluded at last, “but that shall be done this week. In view of the findings at the inquest upon my late client, this should merely be a matter of form and I sincerely regret, Afiss Marion, that I am not the conveyer of better news to you to-day. This is altogether a most peculiar document of your late father’s, but I am afraid it is legally quite sound and water-tight in every particular. There is, of course, the two hundred and fifty per annum left to you also by your mother upon which _ you have been drawing while your father was out of the country, That, of course, ■was rescinded, as I mentioned early on in this interview, but I am glad to state that your father, after he' had expressed himself in that peculiar clause relative to his feared death by violence, left instructions that should you forfeit the major benefit under this clause, your income of two hundred and fifty was to recommence as from the dale of his death. Thus, your position is exactly as it was before ills death, and I sincerely hope that this meeting has not been too much of a disappointment to you." “Thank you, Air Borrow," replied Paula in a stuned voice. She seemed dazed and overcome by the amazing outcome of the reading of her father’s will. ‘I am sure I expected no better than this from my father," she added with a trace of bitterness, and the solicitor looked pained.

"My dear Aliss Marmion ” he began deprecating]y, but lie was interrupted. “You don’t understand, Borrow,” cut In Sir David’s voice harshly. “The man was .... well, lie’s dead now and there is no profit in slandering him. But just picture lo yourself a man base enough to pursue his daughter from the grave with this mean vengeance on some fancied enemies or enemy." “Well! Of corse —quite, quite," murmured Borrow. He was out of his depth here and ho was conscious of a swirl of deep feeling in the room, amounting almost to passion. He was glad when AlcKnight rose abruptly from his seat and shook hands with hlltl. . , IV “Thank you, Mr Borrow," said the detective curtly. "This will is something I have been waiting for." lie walked to the door and the others followed him, Sir David Abbott with a set expression on his face that startled Brian, and Paula with a calm white face that offered no indication of her feelings. “Is there somewhere we can talk over ’’ asked AlcKnight, as they cams out into the daylight. “There is my ofllee—not far from here,” suggested Abbott. “This monstrous will must be discussed at once so that we shall know what steps lo take to combat it.”

“Arc any steps possible?" asked McKnight.

“I’ll make them so-’’ said Abbot I grimly, “if i have lo take it lo lluHouse of Lords." Brian was amazed at the force willi which he spoke and ho could see that this unwonted >'Cemenoo on Ihc part of mild Sir David was not altogether lost upon the detective.

“There is one thing this has taught me," said McKnight, as they tok their seats in Abbott’s ofllee at the headquarters of “British Industrial Welfare Ltd.,” “it has shown me that this murder of Marmion is not such a simple affair as we had thought.’’ “What do you mean?" asked Abbott.