Sentenced to Death.

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 43, 13 May 1927, Page 14

Sentenced to Death.

By

Louis Jract.

Author oj “ The Long Lane of Many Windings /* *' One Wonderful Night/* “ Love and the Aces,** 4 * The Token/* &c. t &e.

(Copyright for the Author in the United States and Canada by Kdward J. Clode. Inc.. New York. All other rights reserved.)

SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS. CHAPTER I.—A young officer, Antony Blake, learns from a skilled physician that he has not many months to live. One of the valves of the heart is clogged and nothing less than a rntracit can save him He arrives at a part of Regent’s Park where a pony and governess car are stationed which had passed through Harley Street during his interview The stout driver has vanished. A vivid flash of lightning causes the pony to bolt As Antony Is walking, in a drenched condition. two men overtake and rush past him, one tall and thin, the other short and fat The rotund runner falls, picks himself up and tears along. Antony notices a sharp-pointed dagger shining in the grass He picks it up and examines It. finally flinging it into the long grass fringing the shrubbery He reaches a small wooden hut. A girl is sheltering there. He shelters there also She tells him she was to meet her uncle, who was driving a pony in a governess car The two leave the hu*. turning to the left instead of to the right. CHAPTER 11. Blake takes her to her home Her name is Iris Hamilton Soon after he Is again in the Park and he finds the dagger About half-past nine he glances through the day’s news. The first item that catches his eye Is “Tragedy In Re gent’s Park Supposed Murder ” An other paragraph details how Dr Ensley Jones found a long-hladcd dagger in r he body of the dead man. Its description tallies with the one in Blake’s possession He taxis to the nearest police station and tells his story Blake finds himself practically under arrest, susnected of com plirity In the murder of Robert Lasting ham. CHAPTERS 111. and IV.—Furneaux arrives, identifies Blake, hears his story, and then asks the inspector for the knife Then Furneaux Invites himself to Blake’s flat. As the two men are making their way to Antony’s rooms, his housekeeper, Mrs Wilson says that a young ladv had called and left a letter for him It Is from Iris Hamilton and relates to the murder. In spite of happenings frls Hamilton keeps an appointment They taxi to the Marble Arch, where Blake phones Mrs. Wilson his change of plans Iris draws his attention to the fact that the short, stout man whom Blake is connecting with the murder has lust passed He has a woman with him An attempt Is make to arrest the fat man hut the detective is stunned by a chauffeur, while Rlake suffering a heart attack can onlv stand by helpless Tris goes to get help but does not return

CHAPTERS V. and Vl.—Blake sees the tall thin man at Albert Gate, and after sending a note to Furneaux. follow’s him to Soho. Detectives join him and they succeed in finding the haunt of the criminals. The fat man walks in and is caught. Blake calls on Iris and is surprised at her reception. She warns him to go away ouicklv. An American crook threatens Blake over the telephone. Blake attends a dinner of detectives where the mention of the name of “Xatalie Gortzchakoff” strikes terror into one of the guests.

CHAPTER Vl.—(Continued). “Iris Hamilton.” “Never heard of her. I don’t believe she exists. He had neither brother* nor sister that I ever knew of, and I have been in his company so often that he must have spoken of his relatives if they were on the map. Of course, he may have kept them up his sleeve. He was close enough in some respects. By jing, if I had ever guessed he was mixed up with Natalie Gortschakoff I would have got out of his company that quick he wouldn’t have seen me for dust.”

“Is Mademoiselle really so fearsome?” put in Furneaux. Inglis seemed to have mastered his first outburst. Perhaps he was a little ashamed of it. He contrived now to smile dourly. “Part of my business deals with insurance,” he said, “and I tell you frankly that if I could be certain she had marked down for destruction all five men in this room I wouldn’t accept a 90 per cent, premium to guarantee the existence of any single one of us a month hence. The worst thing is there are so few people in the world who know her real character. Even her dupes regard her as a sort of goddess. You might appeal in vain to the police bureaux in Athens, or Smyrna, or Cairo itself, for incriminating facts concerning her. She is credited with semi-magical power. I’ve heard its described as super-hypnotic influence. It is said she can will that a complete stranger should attack and try to kill another complete stranger, though she herself should be altogether remote in both time and place when the attempt is made.” “Exactly.” agreed Winter, venturing a smile in his turn. "That is why my friend in the Foreign Office put me on to you, Mr. Inglis. He made no mistake in that respect, at any rate. Now, let me say without the least qualification that if you will be good enough to speak out fully and frankly this evening you will never again- be drawn into this inquiry in any shape or form. You are certainly safe here, and all four of us will pledge ourselves not even to mention your name to any other person or quote you as the source of the information we may act on. even in the unlikely event of its being inaccurate or misleading. Meanwhile, Sheldon. suppose we ring for the poussins?”

Inglis, though still manifestly ill at ease, had calmed down sufficiently to understand that there could be great danger in taking Scotland Yard into his confidence. “Mind you,” he said, “I don’t withdraw a word I have uttered. In fact, I have done you fellows a real service if you give heed to my warning. Two Greek Premier and one Bulgarian Prime Minister, one leader of the Young Turks, and a man who might be described as the founder of Bolshevism have tried to curb La Gortschakoff’s activities at various time j during the past five years. They are all dead—murdered. She came into prominence at Constantinople during the Enver Bey regime. Where is he now? I tell you I have thanked my stars many a time that in the various financial and political deals I have carried through since 1920 my luck has steered me well away from that woman’s schemes or interher. Yet I have such a vivid impresremain her friend. You must either be her slave or her enemy. There is nothing of sex in her, though her devotees rave about her beauty. I, personally, have never seen her. I would run a mile any day rather than meet hre. Yet I have such a vivid impression of her striking appearance and personality that I recognised her instantly from Mr. Blake’s description. I have lost two valued friends in the Levant because they despised her. I shall be more than surprised if it is shown beyond doubt that she had nothing to do with Lastingham’s death, though I trust admit that she generally contrives to avoid dealings with Englishmen, the reason being, possibly, that she does not want to make the English authorities unpleasantly inquisitive.” “It may give you a thrill to know that she occupies a flat within a few hundred yards of this restaurant,” said Furneaux. “She may even be eating downstairs at this very moment, though that is unlikely, because we should hear of it. She lives in rooms vacated by the lamented death, two months ago, of one Casquetti, a Maltese.” Inglis positively jumped. “Casquetti!” he breathed. “Is he dead, too?”

Winter held up a warning finger. An Italian waiter appeared, balancing a tray loaded with dishes and plates. “Hullo, Mussolini!” chirped Furneaux, “when is the next Fascist banquet?”

The waiter, a black-eyed, pinkcheeked Neapolitan, whose shock of fuzzy hair stood out inches from the surface of his scalp, smiled broadly. “To-morrow night, sare,” he said. “Ah, I must look in. I like to study the menu. The name of every plate strikes a high note. The very puddings are made of blond and the ices are bombs. They don’t use knives to cut but to stab. When the Fascisti march on Battersea London will be no place for me. I’ll find an urgent call to the Isles of Scilly and study the coy narcissus in its humble home.”

“So you had some acquaintance with Casequetti. Mr. Inglis?” prompted Winter when the door was closed on the Italian. “He was a go-between in each instance when my friends lost their lives—the sort of reptile always present in the

unpleasant cases which seldom or never come into the law courts. I know, because I have paid him money as a mere agent for other unfortunate people who dared not face the music. But, he, by the way, was well known to the police.” “Oh, yes. We identified him cheerfully. To tell the truth, we believed that one of his victims had taken revenge, so we did not lose any sleep in ferreting out details. To the best of your belief, is there any sort of organisation behind La Gortschakoff??”

“There must be, but she is the brain, the controlling force. Casquetti was a knave, but I imagine she mostly enlists fools. There are whispers of orgies, when she dances and turns the onlookers into perfect idiots.” “True!” muttered Furneaux. “I had some experience of her skill little more than an hour ago—not by the lady herself, but by deputy. It nearly drove me crazy.” f Inglis was obviously on the point of seeking enlightenment when a telephone on the mantelpiece rang. Sheldon took the call, but handed the receiver to Blake. “A lady inquiring for you,” he said. It was Iris Hamilton, speaking from Blake’s flat. CHAPTER VII. —THE ATTACK THAT FAILED. It was a relief to heai the girl’s voice, which, in ordinary conditions, had a pleasant cadence, almost a cooing note, that was quite attractive. Her opening words showed that she was back to normal again. “I could not possibly get free earlier,” she said, “and have very little time to spare now, but it was kind and thoughtful of you to leave instructions with Mrs. Wilson, because, no

matter what restraint I must impose on myself otherwise, I do want to apologise for my actions twice to-day. I could not help running from the Park.” “Don’t go , into details over the phone,” he advised. “I am dining with three of the leading men from Scotland Yard, and a fourth who knew your uncle well. Can you possibly spare time to rush here in a taxi, or better still, wait till I come for you in one?” Instantly he knew that his words, intended only to reassure, had caused the liveliest alarm. “Oh, no!” she gasped, and he was certain that she recoiled from the instrument as though it were a sentient thing ready to strike and wound. “I cannot meet them. That is all, Mr. Blake. Please do not put any questions. I dare not answer.” “But, Miss Hamilton,” he urged, “for goodness sake let us be sensible. We are in London, not in Moscow or Smyrna. Will you remain quietly in my rooms for a quarter of an hour? Let us have a few minutes’ talk, and I am positive you will not regret our meeting.” • “No,” she said sadly. “You must never see or speak to me again. Goodbye! Thank you for wanting to be kind and helpful, and let me urge you to do as I shall do almost at once—get away from —Oh!” Her voice trailed off into a muffled shriek. He knew instantly by the curious deadness of an unconnected telephone that the receiver had dropped or been torn from her hand. He turned to the four intent listen(To be continued.)