Catching Up

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 242, 3 January 1928, Page 5

Catching Up

By

Henry C. Rowland.

Author of ** The Dear Eccentric.” ” The Pedlar.* “ Dud«,” &c., &c.

SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS ..Chapters I and ll. —lt is Mrs. Grenfell Ormes's At Home day. Mr. Orme returns home and views his daughter, Isabel, among the guests. He notes the daring nature of her costume, or rather, the lack of costume. Afterwards he owns to wife and daughter that he is worried over financial matters. He tells them that Jerry Heming has just missed being a millionaire. A friend of his, named Hazard, hailing from Kansas, came of age a short time ago, and, being in the thick of the fighting, made his will. His four beneficiaries were: Jerry Heming, a Lieutenant Steele, Raymond Wagner, his buddy, and a Salvation Army girl. Now he has got through the fighting, and on the day the armistice was signed, he refused four million dollars for his patch of prairie said to be floating on a sea of oil. The Ormes go to the Opera Comique. Lieut. Calvert Steele, A.E.F., is now In Paris on furlough. He goes alone to the Opera Comique and sits in the next box to the Ormes. He sees Isabel, recognises the face, but cannot recall how and where he has met her. He suddenly recollects. It was on the beach at St. Jean-de-Luz; he, a boy of twelve, rescued a pretty, little girl from death by drowning. That was Isabel. He overhears that Isabel Is to ride with Mr. Minturn next morning, and he Is at the Avenue du Bois to time. He watches them ride away.

Chapters 111 and IV. —Lieut. Calvert Steele has an appointment with his company commander. Captain Gerald Heming, to meet him in front of Fouquet’s. They discuss the affairs of Private Henry Hazard, the two of them being his coheirs, along with Agnes, the Salvation Army girl, and Raymond Wagner. An American officer, bearing the insignia of major, walks up. He requests their presence to report to the chief army intelligence officer. They have to account for themselves the previous night. Private Hazard has been murdered in bed at his hotel a little after midnight. Tho intelligence officer, Major White, and Calvert Steele call on the Ormes. Answering the questions of the intelligence officer, Isabel provides a perfect alibi for Calvert Steele. Major White departs. Mrs. Orme, her daughter, and Steele, converse. Calvert tells them that Gerald Heming is unable to prove an alibi, and has been ordered back to camp pending investigation. Agnes was companion to Lady Audrey Chatteris, and was in that lady's villa at the time of the murder. Raymond Wagner was out in camp. Calvert has an invitation to attend the Ormes’s At Home.

Chapter V, VI. and Vll.—The provost marshall tells Lieut. Steele that Hazard s case is purely an American affair. He details the nature of the wounds over Hazard’s heart. He asks Calvert whether Heming had ever shown any love interest in Agnes. Steele admits that they all flirted with her more or less. Afterwards Calvert goes to interview Heming, whom he finds in a hard and reckless mood. Jerry asks Lieut. Steele to go to the station to meet his sister, Juanita, just arriving from England. In looks she is a combination of Venus and Diana. Lieut. Steele decides to interview the American lawyer, Mr. Douglas Harker, to whom Heming had taken Hazard on the mornng of the tragedy. Mr. Harker receives him courteously and they discuss Hazard and his affairs. The lawyer owns that he thinks a woman is at the bottom of it, and he begins to ask questions concerning the woman, Agnes. The telephone bell rings. Mr. Harker says that Agnes has made an appointment, and Is here now.

CHAPTER VIII. Agnes sprang up out of her chair. “But, Mr. Harker,” she cried, “I’m ready to sv/ear that Raymond only got out of the taxi, and then got back into it again! I’m ready to swear it!” shrug. ‘Shucks, my dear, that’s nothing! I feel like swearing myself.” “There goes a young person,” said Mr. Harker to Calvert as the door closed on Agnes, “who is a true type of the sort which might be called the inevitable trouble maker. Such girls are harmless in themselves, but they commit indiscretions which crack the enamel of their reputations. They are the sort to figure in frauds or brawls, divorce and unwritten law, and they get up on the witness stand and turn their appealing limpid eyes upon the court and get sympathy enough to secure their immediate acquittal, several offers of marriage and a contract on the vaudeville stage.” “Still, Agnes was acting for the best,” Calvert protested. “Yes, and for all we know may have suceeded in achieving the worst. if she had kept out of it —gone straight home after the show as a good girl should—those two young men would probably have kept together. Raymond would have been punished for A.W.O.L. and Harry not have been murdered. But no, she must butt in —try to straighten things out—with the result that Hazard was killed, and if she tells anybody else what she has just spilled to us its going to look black for Raymond.” “You seem to have no doubt about her telling the truth,” said Calvert. “1 haven’t. If Raymond had gone into that hotel she’d never have come here. But I have a very strong conviction that she is still holding something back.” “So have I,” said Calvert. “I reckon it struck us both in the same place,” said he. “What’s your idea?” “1 don’t believe she went to the movies alone,” said Calvert. “No more do I; in fact, I’m sure she didn't. A girl like that doesn’t go to anything alone. She would slip in and out of that Villa des Lilas of Lady Chat’s like a sleek, pussy-footed little prowler. Mind you, Steele, I don’t question her good behaviour or virtuous intention, but I know that type of gadder. Lady Chat’s not rich, and probably has a femme de menage who comes in by the day. She’s of a Devon family, with a fine old place down near Torquay, and she’s a veteran gadder herself. Don’t happen to know her, do you?” “Only by reputation,” said Calvert. “Well, I think you ought to meet her.” “I could manage that. I know the Ormes, and they’re intimate friends, I believe.” “Then go to it! Agnes could do with a bit of watching. We’ve got to know who she trails with. There’s no use in our handing in this statement she’s made. I think it’s perfectly true, and it would only complicate things for the present. Meet Lady Audrey and cultivate her a little and keep your eye on Agnes. Let me know what you turn up. Now I must get on my job.

I’ve kept a cabinet minister waiting for three-quarters of an hour.” Calvert wished him good morning, and went out. The next step appeared to be to see Isabel and take her sufficiently into his confidence for a speedy presentation to Lady Audrey Chatteris. Fortune gave him a friendly lift, for he presently overhauled a willowy girl in a jersey dress of latest cut, she being jerked along with a lateral swaying movement by an eager Airedale tugging at a leash. Calvert recognised the black, wavy hair and sweep of the graceful shoulders. Isabel’s physique was of the sort which Parisian cartoonists of chic demoiselles are so fond of depicting. At sight of her now ahead of him, Calvert’s pulse and footsteps quickened synchronously.

“Good morning, Aliss Orme,” said Calvert, hauling up abreast. “You seem to have a tractor to haul you up the grade.”

“That’s the trouble with these silly dogs,” said she. “They’re always in such a desperate hurry to get nowhere. He belongs to Lady Audrey Chatteris, and I offered to exercise him. He’s doing it to me.” “Alay I relieve the watch?” Calvert asked.

“Yes, if you don’t mind. He’s making me lopsided* and besides, there are always a swarm of tykes to kick out of the way opposite Fouquet’s.”

She handed the leash to Calvert, and the dog feeling the change of tension cast back a look of reproach. Isabel arranged her long glove. “Have you had any more news? Or perhaps I shouldn’t ask,” she said. “Things seem to be pointing up in

an indefinite sort of way,” Calvert answered; “but I hope to be able to improve the situation for Heming.”

“It must be dreadful for him,” Isabel said. “I never knew him very well, but 1 feel awfully sorry for him.” “Was Fleming in jour set?” Calvert asked.

“Well, rather on the fringes of it, as one might say. It was a good deal his own fault. He and his sister were considered a bit impossible by a good many people. Father always stood up for him, but then father does for anybody that’s not absolutely hopeless. He says it’s nonsense to suspect him of the crime.”

“I agree with him,” Calvert answered. “My whole energy is being devoted just now to clearing him. But I need some help.” “Is that a tentative request?” she asked.

“I don’t believe in tentatives, so I’ll make it a request. Would it be asking too much of you to present me to Lady Audrey?”

“Of course not. I think I understand. You want to watch that girl Agnes a little? Surely you don’t suspect her?” “Not for a minute,” Calvert answered. “Agnes is a good girl. But I’d like to know something about her associates.”

“So would Lady Audrey. She’s rather worried about Agnes, and it takes a lot to worry Lady Audrey. Well, it’s easy to arrange for you to meet her. I’m going to take Jock there now. You can come with me, and I’ll present you.”

“I’d rather not go there now,” said Calvert, “because I have just been talking to Agnes at Douglas Harker’s, and if I were to go straight to Lady Audrey’s it might look like more than coincidence and set her to thinking. I’d rather it happened in a more formal way.”

“That would be better,” Isabel admitted. “Then you’ll have to wait till the first of next w r eek. Lady Audrey is going down to Romorantin to-mor-rows and I am going with her to see the house she’s arranging for the children’s home. We are returning Monday morning.” “Is Agnes going?” “No; Agnes has been requested not to leave Paris until further notice.”

“Is she to be alone there in the villa?” Calvert asked.

“Yes, at night. But those places are rather like kennels—different runs in the same enclosure and an old watch-dog at the gate.” “Just what is Agnes’s position there?” Calvert asked.

“Sort of a lieutenant —secretary, you might call her. She’s always present, which is a little surprising, as Lady Audrey—like most British —is democratic purely in theory.” “Does Agnes seem set up over her prospective wealth?” “No, quite the contrary. She seems to hate to have it referred to, but she’s assured Lady Audrey that she means to contribute generously to her charity. So that’s another reason for consideration. We can’t afford to snub millionaires nowadays. There! I forget I’m talking to one myself.” “Don’t let that hamper your free speech. I’m a bit like Agnes. I hate to speak of it myself, but”—he glanced at her glowing profile—“l must admit there are moments when I like to think of it.”

“Oh, dear!” sighed Isabel. “We’ve all tried to do our bit to help to win the war, and now here’s this poor boy, Hazard, killed just when he had everything to live for, and Agnes suddenly rich without the least idea in the world of what to do with a lot of money, and people like ourselves obliged to fare meagrely for a week after giving a tea.”

I hope you don’t begrudge it to me.” I don’t begrudge it to anybody, but

I wouldn’t mind a little slice myself. I am getting tired of this everlasting trying to catch up.” ‘‘There seem to be a good many different ways of catching up,” Calvert observed. “But don’t get discouraged, Miss Orme. One never knows what he may grab.” “Have you decided what you’d like to grab?” * Yes,” Calvert answered. “Is it grabbable?” “Everything is—if one’s a good enough grabber.” “Yes, I suppose so. Jock might tell you that. When we were down at Romorantin the other day we took a walk in the woods and he grabbed a hedgehog.” “Pcor tyke! I thought his muzzle looked a little puffy. He ought to be old enough to know better.” “Well, you see, this was a strange variety. Lady Audrey brought him from Canada, and he’d seen only porcupines with long quills. He thought this one was too young to be dangerous.” “Often a fatal mistake,” Calvert admitted. “But did he get the hedgehog?” “He made it uncurl, but the victory was gained at frightful cost, like Ypres. But then Jock is Scotch Canadian, so the cost didn’t count so long as he gained his objective.” “I believe that Jock Is right,” said Calvert, “i.\i principle if not in military strategy. Let’s cross the Etoile and go round by the Avenue du Bois and let him run ” “He might run away,” Isabel objected. “That doe? not match up with his race and character,” said Calvert. “Besides, any dog or other male protector to leave you .\n the lurch would not be worth keeping, anyway.” “But we might go down the Avenue du Bois and round by the Chaussee La Nuette, all th«\ same.” They crossed the Place de l’Etoile, and as they walked under the Arc de Triomphe Isabel said. “Doesn’t it give you a wonderful thrill of victory?”

(To fee continued).