The Missing Bank Manager

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 158, 24 September 1927, Page 26 (Supplement)

The Missing Bank Manager

SERIAL

STORY

By

J. S . FLETCHER

Chapter XXV. (Continued) “Mr. Mollis was empowered to offer ten thousand pounds in full satisfaction, Mr. Stipp,” he said. “And, what’s more—a cheque for that amount was found on his dead body when it was discovered. Now, sir, you’ll understand why we want to know who it was that he went to see at Scarnham!” Both men were watching the moneylender’s manager with redoubled attention. But it needed no very keen eye to see that the surprise which Mr. Stipp had already shown at various stages of the interview was nothing to that which he now felt. And in the midst of his astonishment the two detectives bade him good-day and left him, disregarding an entreaty to stop and tell him more. “My lad!” said Easleby, when he and Starmidge were out in the street again, “that chap has no more conception that his master is Gabriel Chastermarke than we had twentyfour hours since that Gabriel Chestermarke and Godwin Markham are one and the same man. He’s a clever chap, this Gabriel—and now you can see how important it’s been for him to keep his secret. What's next to be done? We ought to keep in touch with him from now.” “I’m expecting word from Gardam at noon, at headquarters,” answered Starmidge. who had already told Easleby of the visit of the previous night. “Let’s ride down there and hear if any message has come in.” But as their taxi-cab turned out of Whitehall into New Scotland Yard, they overtook Gardam. hurrying along Starmidge stopped the cab and jumped out.

“Any news?” he asked, sharply. “He’s off. Mr. Starmidge!” replied Gardam. “I’ve just come straight from watching him away. He left his house about nine-twenty, walked to the St. John’s Wood Station. went down to Baker Street, and on to King’s Cross

Metropolitan. We followed him, of course. He walked across to St. Paneras, and left by the ten-thirty express.” “Did you manage to find out where he booker for?” demanded Starmidge. “Ecclesborough,” answered Gardam. “Heard him! T was close behind.” “He was alone, I suppose?” asked Starmidge. “Alone all the time, Mr. Starmidge,” assented Gardam. “Never saw a sign of the other party.” Starmidge rejoined Easleby. For the last 24 hours he had let his companion supervise matters, but now, having decided on a certain policy, he took affairs into his own hands. “Now, then,” he said, “he’s off —back to Scarnham. A word or two at the office, Easleby, and I’m after him. And you’ll come with me.” CHAPTER XXVI. THE LIGHTNING FLASH. At half-past seven that evening Starmidge and Easleby stepped out of a London express at Ecclesborough and walked out to the front of the station to get a taxi-cab for Scarnham. The newsboys were rushing across the station square with the latest editions of the evening papers, and Starmidge’s quick ear caught the meaning of their unfamiliar North .Country shoutings. “Latest about the Scarnham mystery,” he said, stopping a lad and taking a couple of papers from him. “Something about the adjourned inquest—of course, that would be to-day. Now, then, what’s this?” He drew aside to a quiet corner of the station portico, and, with his companion looking over his shoulder, read aloud a passage from one of the two papers: “ ‘An important Witness gave evidence this afternoon at the adjourned inquest held at Scarnham on the body of Mr. Frederick Hollis, solicitor, of l London, who was recently found lying

dead at the bottom of one of the old lead-mines in Ellersdeane Hollow. It will be remembered that the circumstances of this discovery—already familiar to our readers—-allied with the mysterious disappearance of Mr. John Horbury, and the presumed theft of the Countess of Ellersdeane’s jewels, seem to indicate an extraordinary crime, and opinion varies considerably in the Scarnham district as to whether Mr. Hollis —the reason of whose visit to Scarnham is still unexplained—fell into the old mine by accident, or whether he was thrown in.

“ ‘At the beginning of the proceedings this afternoon a shepherd, named James Livesey, of Ellersdeane, employed by Mr. Marchant, farmer, of the same place, was immediately called. He stated, in answer to questions put by the coroner, that on Monday morning last he had gone with his employer to an out-of-the-way part of Northumberland to buy new stock, and in consequence of his absence from home had not heard of the Scarnham affair until his return this morning, when, on Mr. Marchant’s advice, he had at once called on the coroner’s officer to volunteer information.

“ ‘Livesey’s evidence, in brief, was as follows: —At nine o’clock last Satur-

day evening he was walking home from Scarnham to Ellersdeane by a track which crosses the Hollow, and cuts into the high road between the town and the village at a point near the Warren, an isolated house which is the private residence of M.r. Gabriel Chestermarke, banker, of Scarnham. As he reached this point he saw Mr. John Horbury, whom he knew very well by sight, accompanied by a stranger, come out of the Hollow by another path, cross the high road, and walk down the lane which leads to the Warren. They were talking very earnestly, but Mr. Horbury saw him and said “Goodnight” in answer to his own greeting. There was a stong moonlight at the time, and he saw the stranger’s face clearly. He was quite sure that the stranger was the dead man whose body had just been shown to him at the mortuary.

“ ‘Questioned further, Livesey positively adhered to all his statements. He was certain of the time; certain of the identity of the two gentlemen. He knew M.r. Horbury very well indeed; had known him for many years; Mr. Horbury had often talked to him when they met in the fields and lanes of the neighbourhood. He had no doubt at all that the dead man he had seen

in the mortuary was the gentleman who was with Mr. Horbury on Saturday night. He had noticed him particularly as the two gentlemen passed him, and had wondered who we was. The moon was very bright that night; he saw Mr. Hollis quite plainly: he would have known him again at any time. He was positive that the two gentlemen entered the lane which led to M.r. Gabriel Chestermarke’s house. They were evidently making a direct line for it when he first saw them, and they crossed the high road straight to its entrance. That lane led nowhere else than to the Warren —it was locally called the lane, but it was really a sort of carriage- drive to Mr. Chestermarke’s front door, and there was a gate at the high road entrance to it. He saw Mr. Horbury and his companion enter that gate; he heard it clash behind them.

“ ‘Questioned by Mr. Polke, superintendent of police at Scarnham, Livesey said that when he first saw the two gentlemen they were coming from the direction of Ellersdeane Tower. There was a path right across the Hollow, from a point in front of the Warren, to the Tower, and thence to the woods on the Scarnham side. That was the path the two gentlemen were on. He was absolutely certain about the time for two reasons. Just before he saw Mr. Horbury and his companion he heard the clock at Scarnham Parish Church strike nine, and after they had passed him he had gone on to the Green Arches public-house, and had noticed that it was ten minutes past nine when he entered. Further questioned, he said he saw no one else on the Hollow but the two gentlemen.

“ ‘At the conclusion of Livesey’s evidence the coroner announced to the jury that, having had the gist of the witness’s testimony communicated to him earlier in the day, he had sent his officer to request Mr. Gabriel Chestermarke’s attendance. The officer, however, had returned to say that Mr. Chestermarke was away on business, and that it was not known when he would be back at the bank. As it was highly important that the jury should know at once if Mr. Horbury and Mr. Hollis called at the Warren on Saturday evening last, he, the coroner, had sent for Mr. Chestermarke’s butler, who would doubtless be able to give information on that point. They would adjourn for an hour until the witness attended.’”

“That’s the end of it, in that paper.” remarked Starmidge. -Let’s see if the

other has any later news. A 1 ! here we arc! There is more in the stop* press space of this one. Now .hen—* He held the second newspaper hau in front of himself, half in front o Easleby, and again rapidly read over the report: “ ‘Scarnham—further adjournment. Or the coroner’s inquiry being resuna.®® four o’clock, Thomas Beaver*, boo to Mr. Chestermarke a: the War**®* said that so far as he knew, Mr. n * bury did not call on his ma f* er .. Saturday evening last, Dor A .. gentleman call who answered tne scription of Mr. Hollis. It was ling* sible for anybody to call at the ren, in the ordinary way, witbo “ t aft - r the butler’s, knowledge. As a of fact, the witness continues, Chestermarke was not at home the greater part of that evening. * Joseph Chestermarke had dined Warren at seven o’clock, and at n« past eight he and his uncle L house together. Mr. Chester ma not return until eleven. Asked . Polke, superintendent of P° ice ;,_ hr iel knew in which direction Mr. and Mr. Joseph CliestermarK ceeded when they went away. * ness said that a short time after ty left the house he, in drawing tains of the dining-room wiiHM * tb* them walking in a garden, apparently in a fter tion. He saw neither of roar ss that until Mr. G ) abrle ' C !\f e time W returned home, alone, at tne had mentioned. -g. “ ‘Later.—The inquest was tu* n > £ journed at the close of ti*i* - proceedings. Before adj°u • uncoroner informed the jury * . tb f derstood there were rumo _ bat town to the effect that Mr. been strangled before be * jjardtt into the old lead-mine. He nee htgS: say that there were not the grounds for those rumours- tha : medical men had some sU t,: b* ve the unfortunate gentleman m = coroC€ r, been poisoned, and he, tha t * thought it well to tell by & specialist was being s ? nt tb d ccarnb*® Home Office who, with 1 ’ rtoP gy e® doctors, would perform an u j d b* his arrival. The res V __ t’.o*® I* 0 ” placed before the jury i ceedings were resumed. Starmidge dropped the U*J e3 sie» ' looked at Easleby with an e*P> .of astonishment.

(Continued on Monday