“The Ghost Counts Ten”

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20231, 28 June 1937, Page 4

“The Ghost Counts Ten”

By RALPH TREVOR (Author of "Viper's Vengeance," "The Eyes Through the Mask," Etc., Etc.)

BYNOPBIB. DICK FERRING, or the Britlih Secret Service, Is on the track of FERDINAND BOLZ, a notorious agent and virtual head of one of the most powerful and formidable espionage organisations In Europe. CONRAD QUEST, a young scientist, has Invented a Death Ray or such perfection that the nation holding It could keep the whole world at bay Bolz Is believed to be arter the formula of this ray, one hair of which reposes in a Government safe In Whitehall, the other Is In the possession or Conrad Quest. SIR MARK FREELAND, head or Department Z, Informs Ferrlng that Bolz will probably be found In the vicinity of Breardon Manor, a fashionable country club, under the direction of THE HONOURABLE MICHAEL TRELARE. Conrad Quest Is friendly with Michael Trelare and his sister LOUISE. Michael Informs his sister that TORESTES, one or the proprietors of the club, Is pressing for monies which he, Michael, has foolishly misappropriated. Torestes promises to go no further with the matter if Michael can persuade Quest to show him the formula of his Death Ray. Ferrlng takes rooms at the local Inn near Breardon Manor. Torestes Is working for Bolz. The latter, unknown to anyone but Torestes, Is at Breardon Manor, living in one of the secret rooms. A former owner of the Manor, Sir Roger Kynass, Is said to haunt the place Armed with plans of the house, and a costume or Sir Roger Kynass’ period, FerrJng makes bis arrangements to lnstal himself In the secret'rooms. Bolz decides to mingle among the guests as Mr Roderick Pershing. 'CHAPTER XV. The ghost of Sir Roger Kynass had had a busy night, and when he eventually returned to the “Goat and Kitten’’ he was feeling, If not elated, at least satisfied that things had begun to move. Mr Horder met him in the tiny hallway. “There’s been a young gent asking for you, Mr Ferrlng,’’ he said. “Mr ' Trelare from the Manor. I mention- : ed that you’d be late in returning most probably, and he said as how , he would call back again.’’ Ferring thanked the landlord and intimated that he was ready for as generous a supper as the limits of Mr . llorder’s pantry would permit. Mr Horder’s pantry appeared to be ' possessed of singularly elastic properties, for when Ferring returned from partaking of a clean-down in the bathroom, he found the table spread with all manner of appetising things, j There was a baron of cold beef con- j sorting with a bowl of pickled onions; a game pie and a dish of saute potatoes; a large Jar of the crispe§t and', whitest celery he had seen for a long, long time, a large wholemeal loaf on a wooden platter, a great hunk of Stilton cheese, and a barrel of assorted bis- j cuits.

“How’s that, Mr Ferring?” Mr Horder surprised him regarding the table with appraising eyes.

“I only wish some hoteliers I have met could take a course of instruction from you, sir,” he commented, and Ferring was not flattering Mr Horder when he said it.

Mr Horder smiled at the compliment. “Mrs Horder boiled a York ham this afternoon, but it’s not quite cool as yet. There’s an art in boiling a ham, Mr Ferring, and my old lady knows just how it’s done. I don’t thL.k even for you she'd cut so much as a slice of it before twentyfour hours have gone around the kitchen clock. That’s to set the Jelly in it, if you understand me. sir, and to, cut into It before the Jelly’s set spoils the whole ham, so she vows.”

“I wouldn’t oourt Mrs Horder’ displeasure for anything.” smiled Fer ring, settling himself at the ' table “I’ll start with a helping of game pie and then I-’ll be tempted with a plat of that delicious cold beef and half dozep onions.”

Mr Horder himself attended to hi guest’s table, explaining that his littlserving maid was having her evenini out. “She’s only young,” he added, "am I fancy she’s got a young man wh< works on Sampson’s farm. Like a not they’ll be at the village hall danc ing the leather off their shoes, thougl I’ll wager that Tom’s boots will wan a bit of wearin’ thin. You’ll bi havin’ your usual ale, sir?”

“A pint tankard, if you please, M Hoder.” And a pint tankard of nu

brown ale drawn from the wood it certainly was. A Half an hour later Ferrlng felt that every Inch of space within his eleven stones of weight had been suitably filled.

He knocked the dottle from his pipe, replenished it from his rolled oil-skin pouch, and settled himself before the fire with a copy of one of the London evening newspapers that had arrived an hour ago.

Ferrlng always read the foreign news first. It was a habit he had acquired over a long period of years. In his Job home affairs were of secondary importance. He learned with more than usual interest that an Italian official had attended a demonstration of a "noiseless aeroplane, and a grim smile played around the oorners of his mouth. Only three months ago in Vienna he had heard that ‘Ricardo Pelini its inventor had been so snubbed by this same official that he had been on the point of disposingof the new aerial wonder to a representative of Russia.

Ferring knew well enough that secret agents had been assiduously at work, and that Italy’s fear of Russian gold had proved too muoh for them. The man Celini, Ferring had met more than once. His one crime in Italian eyes was that he had been a bitter opponent to Fascism—a well nigh unforgiveable crime, but apparently they had decided to compromise, and Ferring had little doubt that if there was anything at all in Gelini’s claim of a noiseless aeroplane, the invention would undoubtedly pass to Italy. His eyes had soaroely alighted on an announcement that the Austrian 'Chancellor was proceeding to Geneva when Mr Horder poked his head around the corner of the door and announced that Mr Trelare was again inquiring for him. When Michael Trelare entered the : room Ferring first noticed the unusual ; pallor of the young man’s face, and then the look of unmistakable fear in , his eyes. j Hello, Mr Trelare, what brings you here at this time of the night? I should have thought that the Manor , would have been more pleasant.” I A thin smile came to the young 1 man’s lips. “I’m afraid I’m presuming a great deal on our brief acquaintance, Mr Ferring.” he began, “but I had an idea to-night that perhaps you might be able to help me.” j “Sit down,” announced Ferring, ! “while I get friend Horder to bring ' you a still whisky. You look about all-in." ; Before Trelare could protest Fefring had vanished in the direction of the bar, returning a moment later with a large glass into which he had j not permitted the siphon to run too readny. I “Take a good long drink of this," Ferrlng ordered, “and you’ll feel j heaps better.” I The Honourable Michael Trelare did exactly as he was commanded, never pausing for as much as a split second to ask himself the reason why. j When he had Ret the half empty tumbler on the table he turned almost gratefully to Ferring. “If T hadn’t known you were a pal of Giles Randall." Trelare began. “I would never have dared come down here like this, but since you are, I decided some time ago to-night that perhaps you could see some way to help me." “Take It very easily, old man,'” counselled Ferring. “and don’t be afraid of telling me everything that happens to be troubling you. If I ' can find a way of helning you, you , may be quite certain I’ll do It."

“Thanks!" murmured Trelare. “I’m afraid T am in a bit of a jamb, and if you‘d care to hear the story right from the start. I’M tell you."

“Carry on. my boy. A story that starts at the beginning is always better than one that begins in the middle. You needn’t be afraid. Whatever you fell me will be in the strictest confidence. But wait a moment,” he added, glancing in the direction of the bar parlour filled with noisy voices. “Better come up to my room, then no one will overhear."

Trelare followed Ferring up the flight of narrow creaking stairs and waited in the open doorway while Ferring applied a match to the oil lamp and drew the curtains across the tiny window.

As Trelare told his story Ferring did not betray his interest with so much as a flicker of an eyelid, and when the young man had finished he said: “I say, that is bad luck, isn’t it? I suppose you don’t happen to have any suspicion that the baccarat game was faked?"

“How can one say?" replied Trelare. “It might have been just sheer bad luck.”

“Of course,” agreed Ferring. “Now tell me, Mr Trelare, I take it that the man Torestes Is a sort of governingdirector of the company. Can you say how many of his friends happen to be with him at this moment at tho Manor?" Trelare stared thoughtfully at the ceiling for a moment. “At the moment I think there will be ten—that is. If you count his artist friend from Chelsea, a fellow called Roderick Pershing, a large man with a brown beard.” “Oh I And when did he arrive?" Ferrfng was inordinately interested. “I don’t know. I only saw him for the first time to-night. You see, Mr Ferring, it’s like this: Torestes’ friends do not go through the usual routine of membership, or even of visitors to the Club for that matter. Torestes being. I suppose, a very large shareholder, has been granted certain privileges that are not extended to ordinary members. He has, for instance, a number of bedrooms perpetually at his disposal. There is a block of them in the north wing which is separated from the normal residential wing by the rectangular gallery that runs around the room we are using as a dance lounge. You may remember seeing it when Louise showed you around the other day?” Ferring nodded. “Now look here, Mr Trelare. while I can’t perhaps be as frank with you as I should like, f want you to appreciate this. I can’t lend you a thousand pounds—Fve never possessed so much money in my life, but if you care to leave this matter entirely In my hands I think I can promise you that there won’t be any police court proceedings, and there won’t be any prison. 1 have no doubt I could easily raise the sum you name, but to do so would spoil tlie plan I have at the back of my mind. T want you to mention the fact that you have been here to see me to no one. not even to your sister. T would rather that she acted in whatever manner she considers best on your behalf, but if she succeeds in persuading Mr Quest to part with his secret formula. 1 want you to lot me know immediately. You can do this

quite easily. You have a new lounge waiter, have you not; he came down last night, I think. Summon him to your office and tell him you want him to go down lo the village post ollleo for a sheet of stamps. While he is there suggest that he cuts along to ‘The Goat and Kitten’ and hands in an envelope which will he addressed to me. It will he a sealed envelope and there will be nothing Inside it. I shall understand. Above all, I want you to pull yourself together. Carry on as If nothing has happened. If Torestes torments you, tell him you have done your best to get a loan; hut whatever else you tell him don’t for the love of Mike tell him you’ve been talking to me here to-night " .(To be continued).