The Gold Magnet

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 13, 6 April 1927, Page 14

The Gold Magnet

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T.C. Bridges,

* Author of " The Whip Hand/ 0 Price of Liberty, 00 " The Home Her Fathers&c.. &c.

SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS

CHAPTERS L lo Hi. —a ferocious face, pressed against the window of a train, frightens a mysterious passenger, Stuart Egerton, who is interested in Malayan tin mines, and just afterwards, the train is wrecked. Bruce Carey gets Egerton out of the wreck, but the man is dying He gets Bruce to promise that he will deliver u bag, which contains an invention, to his daughter, Silvia, who holds the key. A pitiless enemy, Janies Lurgan, who has ruined Bruce’s half-brother, also wants the invention. Bruce finds an American friend, Randolph Colt. The motor in which they are travelling to Silvia’s cottage is held up by armed men. CHAPTERS 111. to V.— Having no alternative, Bruce hands over the bag containing the invention. After the interruption the two men reach Silvia’s home \\ hen Bruce tells her of the robbery of the invention entrusted to Him she says it is useless without the directions, which are in her possession. He vows to recover it from Lurgan. Bruces halfbrother, Claude Bryston, goes to a gambling house near Hyde Park, and Bruce follows. After some sharp practice on the part of a man Crane and an accomplice Stroud, there are heated words and a fight. , CHAPTERS VI. to VIII—A rough-and-tumble ot four men against two Claude wakes up suddenly and comes to tlie rescue of his brother’s friend. The final victory is with Carey and Colt. Bruce tells his brother about Egerton and Lurgan, and adls that Claude is to keep out of it. The next day Bruce travels down to Mortimer, where Silvia dwells, to attend Egerton’s funeral Afterwards he goe.i to Deeping Cottage He expresses his anxiety about Silvias future, and she assures him that she has an stidependency. inherited from her mother. Bruce gives her Colt's idea as to what Lurgan is likely to do, then takes leave as he intends walking back to Reading. On the way Lurgan steps out of a wood and joins him. He proposes a half share in the new Gold Recovery Syndicate. Bruce tells him that he would sooner go into partnership with the devil. CHAPTERS IX. to XIII.—A strategic step is made by Claude, who cultivates the friendship of Duggan, one of Lurgan’e henchmen, and finds out where Lurgan lives. A raid on the villain’s house is contemplated. At. Silvia’s invitation. Bruce goes to Reading td look through her father's papers and he makes the discovery that his one desire is to ’’take her in his arms and never leave her." Then he sets out to make the raid on Lurgan’s place, single-handed; and in the dusk arrives at Friar s Bank. The old mansion is forbidding, but Bruce forces iron bars apart and gets Egerton’s bag from the strong room. The burglary is discovered and Bruce is pursued and shot at. He trips on an obstacle and becomes unconscious. CHAPTERS XIV. to XVI.: Bruce wakes up to find himself trapped; they have-been waiting for his attempt torch the house. Lurgan renews his offer of a partnership and Bruce refuses until he B with imprisonment not H on, y tor burglary but for manslaughter, B our h ®ro having knocked down and killed **• man who tried to stop him from escap- ■ B Subject to strong temptation. Bruce |||||| almost gives iu and accepts the paruier-

ship. But finally he tells Lurgan that he can do his worst, and the villain immediately starts to do it. Meanwhile Claude Bryson calls in a lawyer friend of his. Claude flushed a little. “That’s just it, Mark. I am fed up with being a beastly butterfly. There’s old Bruce, working like a horse to make a little cash, while I have been rotting round chucking mine all over the shop.” Hammond nodded. “So your brother is home? I didn’t even know it. But continue, Claude. You are quite worth listening to this morning.” "Don’t rot, Mark. Honestly, I want to do something. Bruce has pulled me out of a beastly hole, and the least I can do is to show that I appreciate what he has done.” Hammond nodded again. “About the hole —do you mind telling me, Claude?” Claude nodded. He needed no second bidding, and his account of the doings at Duke Street lost nothing in the telling. The story included the robbery of the model of the magnet, and the interview with Duggan in Claude’s rooms. Mark Hammond whistled softly. ’Claude, your job is evidently on the staff of the ‘Daily Mail,’ that is if you can write a story as well as you tell it. But I say, I hope to heaven that your brother has not taken it into his crazy head to try and recover his property by illegal means.” “I am more than half afraid he has,” replied Claude uncomfortably “I rang Artillery Mansions before I left home, and they said Bruce had been away since yesterday.” Mark Hammond sat up straight in his chair. “You don’t mean that seriourffy, Claude?” he said. "I should not wonder a bit.” answered Claude. “When old Bruce makes up his mind, he goes straight as a bullet. I simply begged him to let me come and help him, but ho would not hear of it. He paused. "But if he did tackle the job, you can be pretty sure lie has carried it through.” he added. "What —against a man like Lurgan? It is quite clear. Claude, that in spite of the company you have been keeping, you know urecious little about the kingpin of this gang. The chances are that what Duggan spilled is all part of the trap, and that by this time it has been sprung. and that your brother is in custody.” Claude went very pale. “You don’t mean that, Mark?” “Indeed I do. in my practice I have already run across two victims of Lurgan. and you will remember that I warned you against him more than once.” Claude jumped up. “I must go, Mark. I must go and help him.” he exclaimed. "Sit down, Claude,” said Hammond., “It is no use getting excited. I may be wrong. I hope I am, but the first thing to find out is where Bruce is, and what has happened. This Miss Egerton you spoke of— cai* she tell us?” „ jj.

“She may. I will telephone. No, that is no use, for I don’s suppose she is on the ’phone. I will send her a wire.” Mark shook his head. “No, you will only scare the girl, and perhaps for nothing. The best thing will be for you to see Colt, and ask him if he has any news. If he has not, call me up, and I will get into touch with Scotland Yard. I know Inspector Merkle, and if any arrest has been made you may be sure he will know all about it.” "I will see Colt at once, and ’phone you as soon as ever I have spoken to him,” declared Claude, and dashed off. Half an hour later Hammond’s telephone rang. “Are you there, Mark?” came Claude’s voice. “Colt says that Bruce told him he was going to see Miss Egerton, and that he might be away the night. All the same, Colt is in a stew, and he would be no end grateful if you would call up your friend at the Yard.” "That’s all very well," replied Mark, “but remember that, if I do so. I am giving Bruce away. It makes it seem as if he had been planning this burglary. I w'ould advise waiting a bit. If Bruce has been caught, a few hours’ delay won’t make any difference. If, on the other hand, he has not. yet tried this silly game, he is not likely to do so until to-night.” “I see,” said Claude. “Yes, perhaps you are right. But if he has not started, the thing is to stop him. I think I had better go down to Reading by the next train and hunt him up.” “Not a bad notion. And let me know as soon as you can, Claude Good-bye.” There was a serious expression on Mark Hammond’s strong face as he hung up the receiver. His father had been legal adviser to the Selbys. Claude’s mother’s people, «md he himself had always looked after Claude’s' affairs. He was fond of the boy, and had done what he could to keep him straight. But since he was a very busy man, he had not the time to act as dry nurse to Claude, and it had troubled him greatly to see Claude in the company which he had recentlybeen keeping. Now Bruce Carey had come home, and, it seemed, had managed to pull up Claude with a round turn, so. although he hardly knew Bruce, Mark felt very kindly towards him, and was proportionately worried

to think of the danger which threatened him. A client came in, and all the morning Mark’s time was fully taken up. It was nearly two when at last he went out to lunch. He lunched at the Law Society, and was walking briskly back up Chancery Lane towards his office when a newsboy came running from the direction of Fleet Street. “Evening piper,” he shouted. “‘Big burglary and murder near Wokingham. Evening piper.” “‘The ‘News’!” snapped Mark, and. standing back against a shop window, quickly opened the paper. The first thing he saw was a scare headline across two columns: “Burglary and Murder near Reading.” Last night, about one o’clock, the Wokingham police were rung up by Mr. James Lurgan, whose country seat, Friars Bank, is some three miles from Wokingham. Police Inspector Durham, with two constables, went out by car, and on arrival were told that a man had broken into the strong-room, and was getting away with a bag of valuable jewellery, when stopped by Mr. Ferdinand Denyer, a friend of Mr. Lurgan, who was staying in the house. *The intruder struck down Mr. Denyer with such force as killed him, and was then making his escape when Mr. Lurgan and another friend managed to arrest him. The man’s name is given as Bruce Carey. He was taken to Wokingham police station, where he is at present under lock and key. The inquest on Mr. Denyer’s body will take place to-morrow. Mark’s lips pursed in a soundless whistle. “So Claude was right,” he said beneath his breath, “and now we are all up against it. What an unholy mix-up.” He thought a moment, then made up his mind. “Colt —Colt’s the man I must see first,” he said, and hailed a taxi. “Artillery Mansions,” he told the driver, and was driven rapidly away. CHAPTER XVII.-—THE INQUEST OPENS. To Mark’s surprise, for Claude had told him how ill Colt had been, he found the American out of bed. He was still in his room, but fully dressed, and lying in an armchair. “3 am sure glad to see you, Mr. Hammond,” said Randolph cordially. "It’s mighty white of you to come like this.”

“It’s the least I could do,” replied Mark, taking the other’s hand. “I don’t know Bruce Carey very well, but I am Claude’s legal adviser.” ,“I reckon it’s Bruce more than Claude that is in need of legal advice right now, Mr. Hammond.” “Then you have heard what’s happened,” said Mark quickly. “I have heard all right. Claude ’phoned me about an hour ago from Reading, and since then I got the evening paper. Claude said he was going right out to tell Miss Egerton, and then on to Wokingham to find if he could see Bruce.” He paused. “Poor old Bruce,, he’ll be feeling sore as a scolded pup.” “He was rather asking for it,” said Mark gravely. “That’s so,” agreed Randolph, “but you have got to remember that Bruce has never had a chance to get wise to the ways of crooks like Lurgan You wouldn’t ask a better man alongside you in a real fuss, but strategy is not his strong point.” He bit his lip. “And to think that it was I who let him in for all this trouble.” ‘"Yon?" said Mark. “Why, sure. It was 1 who first talked of starting the strong arm game.” Mark’s eyes widened slightly “You mean that you meant to get back the magnet model by force?” . “You’ve said it,” replied Randolph grimly. “And I’d have done it, too, only first I’d have made mighty sure that Lurgan was fixed so he couldn’t interfere.” Mark shook his head. “These ways are a bit beyond a stay-at-home Britisher like me, Mr. Colt. I should have tried legal methods.” “You’d have wasted your time and your money, Mr. Hammond. There ain’t a mite of evidence that Lurgan took the bag, and you can bet your bottom dollar there ain’t going to be any. If it hadn’t been for me going sick like this, we’d have had the bag back by now.” He frowned. “But what’s the use in that kind of talk? My job now is to get Bruce out of this mess.’’ ‘"Mine, too,” said Mark, "only don’t ask me to try what you term strong arm methods.” “I guess they wouldn’t work in this country,” agreed Randolph regretfully "If it was Arizona now, we might bribe the sheriff or use a stick of dynamite.” (To be continued.)