Sentenced to Death.

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 46, 17 May 1927, Page 16

Sentenced to Death.

33?

Louis Jracy.

Author oj ** The Long Lane of Many Windings /' '* One Wonderful Night/* " Love and the Aces/* ** The &c., &c.

(Copyright for the Author in the United States and Canada by Edward 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 La clogged and nothing less tha i a miracie can save him. He arrives at a part of Regent’s Park where a pony and governess car are stationed which hid passed through Harley Street durine his Interview The stout driver has vanished. A vivid flash of lightning causes the pony to bolt. As Antony is walking, in a drenched condi tlon. two men overtake and rush past him. one tall and thin, the other short and fat. The rotunl runner falls, picks himself up and tears along. Antony notices a sharp-poi ited dagger shinine in the grass He picks it up and examines it. finally flinging ix 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 hut. 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 agr in in the Park and he ’ finds the dagger About half-past nine ho glances through the day’s news. The first item that catches his eye Is “Tragedy In Regent's Park Sur»p--*sed Murder” An other paragraph detxlls how Dr EnslevJones found a long-bladed dagger in *he body of the dead man, Tts description tallies with the one n Blake’s possession He taxis to the nearest police station and tells his story Blafoe finds himself practically under arrest, susneoted of complicity In the murder of Robert Lastineham.

CHAPTERS Hi and TV.—Furneatix arrives, identifies B ake. hears his storv. and then asks the irspector for the knife Then Fumeaux Invlves himself to Blake’s flat As the two men are makinc their way to Antony’s rooms, his housekeeper. Mrs Wilson says that a vnunc lady had called and left a letter for him It is from Tris Hamilton and relates to the murder. Tn spit** of happenings frls Hamilton keens an anpoijptment They taxi to the Marble Arorv where Blake phones Mrs Wilson his change of plans Iris draws his attention to the fact that the short, stout mat whom Blake is connecting with the murder has lust passed lie has a woman with him.

An attempt is m: ke to arrest the fat man but the detective is stunned by a chauffeur, while Blake, suffering a heart attack can only by helpless Iris goes to get help but does not return

CHAPTERS V. to Vll—Blake sees the tall thin man at Albert Gate, and after sending a note to Fumeaux, follows him to Soho Detectives loin him and they succeed In finding the haunt of the criminals. The fat man walks in and Is caught. Blake calif? on Iris and Is surprised at her reception She warns him to go away oufekly. An American crook threatens Blake over the telephone Blake attends a dinner of detectives where the mention of the name of “Natalie Gortzchalroff" strikes terror into one of the guests Then Miss Hamilton rings him up bi t the conversation is

cut short. News comes or a fight between the police and a gang at Blake’s house. Blake himself had another heart attack when he was on his way to Iris. He goes to the flat with a detective. CHAPTER VII, — (ContinuedlHe even halted to listen at the door, but no sound was audible from within, and Blake whispered that the occupants were probably gathered in his sitting-room, which opened out of a central passage. Precautions had been taken, too, because the latchkey became necessary. Sheldon made the minimum of noise, but the key had not turned fully in the lock before he was challenged by someone on guard. So there was nothing for it but to announce Blake and himself. A constable eyed them warily for a second, grinning with relief when he saw Blake. “Glad you gentlemen have come,” he said. “Both the inspector an* me was a bit knocked about in that shindy on the stairs, an’ we didn’t want no more of it without bein’ given the office, as one might say.” The hall was in disorder. A chanhad been broken, a porcelain umbrellastand shattered, and a picture swept off a wall. Blake pointed to a closed door, and Sheldon turned the knob. He was literally not inside the room when a shrewish female voice cried: “If you have any authority over these idiots tell them instantly that my daughter and I must be allowed to go home. It is monstrous that we should be kept here as prisoners in some strange man’s apartments.” CHAPTER VIII.—MOTHER AND DAUGHTER Blake had been subjected to many surprising experiences since he saw a stout man roll ignominously in the mud of Regent's Park at four o’clock on the preceding afternoon, but, in reviewing a series of strange and exciting events afterwards, he admitted that nothing had astonished him more than his first impressions in regard to Iris Hamilton’s mother. There are times when a man’s ordinary faculties are shocked to their extreme capacity, but this was a test of the spirit. To begin with, the woman lacked refinement. She was good-looking for one of her years, probably a little over forty. She was well spoken, and un-

deniably well dressed. But she was not a lady—that is to say, she fell short of Blake’s hazy notion of the elusive qualities which constitute a lady. Her voice was shrill and aggressive. Her temperament evidently led her to believe with a transatlantic humorist that

Thrice is he armed who hath his quarrel just, But four times he who gets his blow in fus’t.

She had no air of matronly repose. Her small-featured face was a trifle marred by eyes set too closely together, and this defect was not improved by their present glinting anger, or rather vindictiveness, as Blake seemed to read their expression. Her enunciation was too perfectly balanced, and its note metallic. One felt that if she were roused to fury the outer enamel would crack and reveal but a coarse clay beneath. That mother and daughter should differ in so many essentials was enough to drive any student of the principles of heredity into a stupor, and it happened that Blake, as a hobby, had taken up Mendelism quite seriously. He could discuss the hybridisation of plants with Luther Burbank as one enthusiast with another.

Of course, he had to sort out these generalities subsequently. At the moment, as he followed Sheldon through the doorway, his quick glance was searching for Iris, even though subconsciously his mind occupied itself in noting Mrs. Hamilton’s defects.

The local inspector was seated near the door. He was evidently ill at ease, but had lost none of his bull-terrier aspect. Mrs. Hamilton had risen from a chair on the opposite side of the room. Iris, a disconsolate but graceful figure, was leaning with an elbow on the mantelpiece. She said nothing, but Blake saw utter distress and pleading in her wistful eyes. Sheldon, of course, was a far too experienced 4 man of the world to be carried by storm by a woman’s shock tactics.

“Are you Mrs. Hamilton?” he said, quietly. “Obviously,” came the still aggressive retort. “Why should I be here otherwise?”

“I am sure you will tell us why you are here and who came with you. We have not kept your waiting more than a quarter of an hour, which, in the circumstances, is not a very material thing. Won’t you and the young lady sit down?”

"I don’t want to sit down. My daughter is coming home with me this instant. Who are you that you should imitate that wretched man there and dare to detain us?”

The inspector was the “wretched man.” A wintry smile replaced the usual alert watchfulness of his fea-

“If you only knew it, ma’am,” he said wearily, “I couldn’t have lifted a finger to keep you from going at any moment. Your friends gave me a bad jolt on the stairs. I don’t think I can stand up, and I’m certain I can’t walk.” Sheldon was sympathetic instantly.

“I’ll send the constable on duty in the passage to bring assistance, and see that, you are taken home in a taxi,” he said. “No, madam,” he growled with an alarming sternness as Mrs. Hamilton made to pass him; “you remain where you are, unless, that is. you choose to leave this house under arrest.”

“Arrest, indeed!” snorted the lady, though her defiance was now tinged with fear. “Are you a policeman, too ?”

“I am a member of the staff of the Criminal Investigation Department, or a detective from Scotland Yard, if you understood that definition better.” “I told her so, Mr. Sheldon; she knows well enough why she has been kept here,” explained the inspector. “Mother,” broke in Iris timidly, “you are doing no good by storming at these gentlemen. Please let this poor man be taken home if he is injured, and then it will be a simple matter to clear up a stupid misunderstanding, which is entirely my fault.” Mrs. Hamilton, if minded to check her daughter imperiously, had sufficient self-control to say nothing and resume her seat again. Indeed, the girl’s words were highly significant in other ears than her mother’s.

The constable summoned from the street helped his colleague to support the crippled inspector downstairs, and a passing taxi was requisitioned. He had not far to travel. Both men were back on duty within five minutes. As it turned out, the inspector spent the next 24 hours in bed, vhich showed that his back had been badly strained, because the average policeman in good health can withstand violent assault as though his body were compound of steel and indiarubber.

Meanwhile, Sheldon put Mrs. Hamilton through a polite but searching cross-examination. He did not begin by treating her as a hostile witness. He was for too acute for that. Rather did he try to lead her into a reasonable mood.

“I take it you were informed, by some person who kept an eye on Miss Hamilton’s movements, that she was paying a visit to Mr. Blake’s flat, and. as you did not approve of he- action, you hurried here with the intention of persuading her to come away at once?” he began.

Mrs. Hamilton did not expect such an agreeable opening.

“I accept that statement entirely she said.

“But when you found that she was alone in these apartments, and merely using a telephone, why was she torn away from the instrument with such force that the receiver fell from her hand ?”

“She was not torn away, as you put it. I was vexed, and snatched at her arm. She was startled, and resisted for a moment. That is all.”

“If that is so, why did the three men who accompanied you attack the police?” “They were alarmed, I suppose. They are not quite accustomed to English ways, and imagined that they would be bludgeoned or shot.”

“So they protected themselves by hurling the inspector down a flight of stairs, stabbing a constable, and knocking another constable insensible?” “I know nothing of what happened outside. I was here with my daughter.” Mrs. Hamilton was not so confident now, however. Her tone grew shrill once more. “I am not asking you to implicate yourself in that respect,” said Sheldon suavely. “Who were these men?” ‘Friends, or, rather, helpers of mine. I give no names.” ‘That is a pity. Their murderous asault on uniformed officers of the law may amount to a felony—the most serious form of crime—and you will be deemed an accomplice if you decline to give any information about them.” “The police were the aggressors.” “I think not The police were investigating a far more serious matter —the murder of Mr. Robert Lastingham.” “How is Mr. Lastingham’s murder connected with a clandestine visit paid by my daughter to a young man utto me—her mother? Is this he? and Mrs. Hamilton glared at Blake. “Yes. This is Mr. Blake. But. one thing at a time, please. Do you still refuse to reveal these men’s names?” “I do. They came at my bidding, so I am responsible, 1 suppose.” “Was Mr. Lastingham your brother, or brother-in-law?” “He was no relation. I hated the man. I am glad he is dead.” “Mother!” sobbed Iris broken-heart-edly. Mrs. Hamilton stormed at her witl unrestrained fury. “Don’t you interfere!” she almos; screamed. “Y r ou hold your tongue. I 1 is because of you and through you thal all this mischief has occurred. Sheldon held up a warning hand tc the distraught girl. It was as though he wished her to understand that she should remain wholly apart from th€ controversy. “I shall not press you further in the matter of your associates’ identity Mrs. Hamilton,” he went on. “It wil be my duty presently to warn you as to the consequences of your refusal t( assist the police in their inquiry intc a case of murder ” “Y r ou are drivelling, young man,’ came the retort. “I am here to protect a foolish child. Keep to the point I beg.” “I am not evading any points to mj knowledge. It is you who decline tc answer reasonable questions. Let me try again. How did you come to heai that your daughter had called on Mr Blake?” “Y r ou yourself put it quite accurately I had my own reasons for wishing tt know who her acquaintances were, so when she left my house, she was followed.” “By one of the men who came her> with you?” “Y —yes. There is no harm in say ing that*”

“She walked here from Sutherland Avenue, which is fully ten minutes distant, yet she was not in these rooms long enough to have even a minute’s conversation with Mr. Blake —1 know, because I was with him when the call came through—before you and the others burst in on her, having arriyed in a car. It was quite impossible in the time that any watcher could have ascertained where Miss Hamilton had gone, and then return to Sutherland Avenue to advise you.” “I don't see what you are driving at,” declared Mrs. Hamilton stubbornly. “Surely you do? You and the others were prepared for the excursion. The instant that she went out you all followed in the car, which probably halted at some distance from this particular locality, because neither the driver nor your companions cared to come too close to a police station. Thus, your spy had but a little way to go when he discovered Miss Hamilton’s exact destination.” A thoroughly annoyed and discomfited woman now shut her lips determinedly. “So you mean to say nothing at all about this side of a strange affair?” purred Sheldon. “I’ll say this,” she snapped. “I have no knowledge of police methods, but it’s clear as daylight that you want to bring some sort of vamped-up charge against me, and I decline to help you. I’d be a fool if I didn’t.” “Very well. You leave me no alternative but to arrest you.” The daughter screamed and collapsed on a couch which luckily was close at hand, as she had not changed her position previously, but the mother only shrieked: “My heavens! What for?” “For aiding and abetting in the escape of certain persons suspected of being concerned fn the murder of Robert Lastingham.” “But I didn’t. The first I heard of his death was when the police came yesterday evening.” “That may be so. Y r et now, when I, a responsible official, tell you that the men who attacked the inspector and his men to-night are probably members of the gang which killed Lastingham, you withhold all information. It won’t do, Mrs. Hamilton. You cannot have it both ways. Either these persons are reputable but excitable foreigners who honestly made a mistake in resisting the police and can explain why they were so ready to use murderous weapons, or they are desperate criminals. In either case you are bound by the law to disclose their identity. Please understand I am not threatening you in order to force a disclosure. I am not allowed to do that. You are a free agent, but you cannot shirk the plain issue—which demands complete candour on your part or compels me to lock you up on | the charge I have stated.” ITo be continued.)