THE GREEN BUNGALOW

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 422, 2 August 1928, Page 5

THE GREEN BUNGALOW

/ BY A POWERFUL WRITER-

Fred M. White. _ Author of “ The Crimson Bfind.” H The Cardinal Moth." ** The House on the River,** Ac., fcc.?

CHAPTER XXV.—PREST IS SATISFIED. “Ah, now that we are all here, I think is would be just as well to have an explanation,” Blythe said quietly. “I am glad you have come, Fishbourne, lecause you are the one man I need. We have just been having a little unpleasantness. I want you, as an old hand at the game, to take up those cards, which we have just been playing with, and examine the backs of them carefully. Just as a hint, I might suggest that you hold them where the light can fall on the backs. If you do that, I think you will find that they are all marked in some way—that is, with little spots here and there, where the glaze has been removed." Without hesitation Fishbourne Picked up the cards, and proceeded to examine them carefully. “You are quite right,” he said, presently. “They are all marked. It's the old dodge, as I learnt to my cost in the old bachelor days when I was shooting in the Rocky Mountains. I used to come down to the settlements frequently, and play a deal of poker, it was an expensive game for me, but H taught me a certain amount of wisdom. i suppose I must have lost Pearly ten thousand pounds before our American cousins call a professional sport, to whom I had rendered a service, put me wise. I was robbed with cards exactly like those, PPd I understand that they are of Japanese make, and supplied for the use of swindlers. Oh, there is not the slightest doubt about it —the question is, who found them?” “Our friend Prest,” Blythe said smilmgly. “They are his cards, and I don’t think he will deny it.” “I do,” Prest cried. “Oh, I don’t mean to say that I did not bring two p ® c ks of cards with me, which I bought this afternoon at a shop called Weston s in Castle Square. But, before I go any further, I may say that I should uot have got those cards at all if Mr. Blythe had not asked me to do so.” That is absolutely true,” Blythe on in the same pleasant way. But I don’t think Mr. Prest is going to tell us that those cards lying on the table are the same that he Purchased.” , can’t explain,” Prest replied, unless, perhaps, the assistant in Wes°us shop gave me trick cards by mi stake.” “In which case," Blythe said, “you are accusing a firm of honest tradesftmu of dealing in swindlers’ accessories. Surely you are not serious in Soing as far as that?" Prest bit his lip, but remained “lent. Macglendy was beginning to recover himself, and stood a little in

the background waiting on events. It seemed to him that here was Blythe, working out some brilliant and original scheme to their mutual benefit. Shute was frankly puzzled but deemed it wiser to say nothing. “Well, there we are,” Blythe went on. “When we started to play cards this evening we had no packs available, and Mr. Prest volunteered the statement that he had two packs in his overcoat pocket downstairs. They were fetched by a waiter, and Prest opened them himself. I don’t think that he will deny that.”

“Certainly not,” Prest cried. “It is exactly as Mr. Blythe says. I sent for those cards, and I tore the covers off before they were shuffled. There they are, in the fireplace. Now please let us have a clear understanding. Am I accused of coming here this evening to play cards for heavy stakes with marked packs in my possession? Is that quite plain?” “I don’t see how it can be otherwise,” Blythe said. “Come, Mr. Prest, be reasonable. Only a few days ago, exactly the same thing happened in a house called the Green Bungalow at Shorehaven when Mr. Roy Harley was accused of the same thing. He is a friend of yours, and the case was so plain that you were bound to believe in Harley’s guilt. I believe it worried you a great devil, but all the same, you made it quite clear that if the scandal were to be hushed up, Harley must resign his commission in the Guards, and take his name off the books of all his clubs.” “That is perfectly true,” Prest admitted. “It was a great grief to me to have to do so, and, <3.11 the more because there was a lady in the case, but I apologise for alluding to that. You see, in Harley’s case, the evidence was so clear ” “Yes, but isn’t the case equally clear here?” Blythe smiled. “It seems to me that it is exactly oil all fours with the other business. __ We cannot let the matter drop now can’t understand it,’ Prest exClaimed. “It is utterly beyond me It makes my blood boil to think that I should he accused of anything of the sort. Fishbourne, you know me well enough to give me credit for something ”

Prest broke down, unable to continue Fishbourne came forward and laid his hand on the other's shoulder. “Of course, 1 do,” he said. Now, Blythe, don’t you think this _ little comedy has gone far enough. “Well, perhaps it has, Blythe replied “I only wanted to drive it right home to Prest that a man might be innocent with a thousand deadly proofs against him. I want him to tr> and realise what Harleys feelings were that night in the Green Bungalow when his friend turned upon him and made certain harsh conditions. Oh, please don't interrupt me, In the

circumstances, I sliould probably have done the same thing. It does not follow that an innocent man always has the appearance of being innocent, or carries his honesty in his countenance, as certain writers of fiction will have us believe. For instance, our voung friend Prest would not impress a jury at the present moment. But all that is by the way. Now, Mr. Prest, in the face of what has just happened, can’t you understand your friend Harley indignantly denying the charge made against him?” “I don’t know what to say, Prest stammered. “Then let me say it for you. Harley was absolutely innocent, and so are you, as I am going to prove in a minute or two. In the excitement of the moment, you have forgotten that it was I who suggested that you should bring a pack of cards or two with you this evening. It was I who put your friend off, the reason for which you will see in due course. Now, when you came in here this evening, you took the two packs of cards from the waiter and put them on the corner of the mantelpiece, when you sat down in a chair with your back to the fireplace Macglendy walked behind you and dropped those cards in his pocket. In the place of them, he produced two packs of trick cards, which had not been opened, and handed them to you to tear the covers off—”

It seemed to Shute that it was time to interfere. He came forward threateningly, and, just for a moment, it looked as if he were going to indulge in violence. “Here, what is the meaning of all this?” he demanded truculently. “You can’t carry it off in this high-handed way. Macglendy is a friend of mine, and I am not going to sit quietly down and see him accused of this sort of thing. Come along, Macglendy, let us leave these men to themselves.” “Oh, no, you don’t,” Fishbourne said. “If you want to leave the room, then you will have to fight me for the door key.”

So saying, he turned the key in the lock, and dropped it in his pocket. He stood there, quite calmly, with his broad shoulders thrown hack, and Shute wisely thought better of it. “Very well,” the latter said sulkily. “Let’s have the whole thing out, and perhaps when it is finished, I shall be able to tell you a chapter or two from the history of the polished scoundrel who calls himself Hilton Blythe.”

“My dear sir,” Blythe smiled blandly. “You cannot tell Lord Fishbourne more about myself than he knows already. There were times when we were great friends, the same as you and he were friends up to a few minutes ago. Now, sit down and take it quietly. Before I have done, you will be grateful that you did so, because otherwise before many hours are over your head you would have found yourself in gaol in connection with a certain set of plate that we both know of. But please yourself. So

far as I am concerned, you are free to leave the room. Now, Mr. Macglendy, are you in the same mind as your friend?” Neither Macglendy nor Shute moved an inch. CHAPTER XXVI.—OUT OF THE WOOD.

Blythe was dominating the situation, ] as he always did. He knew now, I that he had these fellow rogues of his in the hollow of his hand, and he was 1 going to do the best he could for : them. As he had already explained to Fishbourne, dog does not eat dog, and if he could keep these men out of gaol, 1 consistent with a determination to clear Harley’s name, then he was going to do it. “Now listen to me,” he went on. “For certain reasons those two men there made up their minds to get Roy Harley into their power. He had just come into a deal of money, and, moreover, he had a yacht, upon which the partners liad designs. So they lured him down to the Green Bungalow to play poker, and they got you, Prest, to join the party. At Shute’s instigation Harley brought with him two packs of cards which he had purchased at Weston’s in Castle Square, and these he produced on the night I am speaking about, and opened them himself. Now, precisely the same thing happened as has happened to-night. The cards were changed by Macglendy and certain prepared packs substituted for them. I know this is so, because the two packs bought by Harley were carelessly thrown into the drawer of the card table at the bungalow, and left there —” “Can you prove that?” Shute sneered. “No, hut I can,” Fishbourne said. “I took the liberty of entering the bungalow yesterday afternoon at about 5 o’clock, acting under instructions received, as the)' say in the police court, and there I found two unopened packs of cards, which I produce.” He laid the unopened packs upon the table, and Blythe immediately took possession of them. “Now I am going to prove that these are the packs that Harley bought,” he said. “See, I tear one of them open, and what do we find? A view of Sandringham in water colours on the one pack, and behold, Windsor Castle on the other. Now, within a few hours, almost, of those packs being purchased, I went to Westons to try and match them. I wanted one pack of each. They are called the Royal cards, by the way. I was told that they had only one pack left, and that the last pair had been bought the day before by a gentleman whom the assistant subsequently identified for me as Roy Harley. And that reminds me. On the night of the tragedy, as I may call it, Harley was found with a missing card in his pocket—the ace of spades, I think. Now, Fishbourne, if you will take up those cards that we were playing with ' when you came in—l mean the pack/j that was being actually dealt —you, will find that a card is missing*. Kindly tell me which it is.” “The King of Diamonds*” Fishbourne ' said presently. “Ah. precisely. Now, Air. Pre st, if you will put your hand into the /pocket of your dinner packet, I thi/ik you

■will find that the missing card is there. Am I right?” To liis own unutterable astonishment and dismay, Prest did as he was told, and laid the missing card on the table.

“I swear I never put it there,” he stammered.

“OI course, you didn’t,” Blythe said smilingly. “As a matter of fact, I put it there, just as Macglendy placed the Ace of Spades in Harley’s pocket. But that was done designedly, and it had its due effect. What I am showing you now, is to prove to you, beyond a demonstration, that your friend Harley was the victim of a cruel and calculating fraud. And now, after what has happened, you must admit that he is innocent.” “Oil, I do,” Prest confessed. “I do.”

“Now, that’s all very fine,” Shute sneered. “But when we came here to-night Blythe knew well enough that we were out to rob- Prest by means of marked cards. I might just as well confess it, now that Fishbourne knows all about me. I don’t profess to understand what Blythe is driving at. He is one of the most cunning devils in Europe, and you can all depend upon It that he is using you for his own purposes.” “Not to make money,” Blythe said i calmly. “There are other reasons besides that. Now, own up. Didn’t yo/i lure Harley to the Green Bungalow, not so much to rob him, as to get him into your power and ruin h/im socially? It suited your purpose to have an independent witness ill the form of Mr. Prest, but that I /Jon't want to go into. For the sake of your own skins, you had betteq admit all I say is correct. Because it is very possible that Lord Fishbourne may not be disposed to corr.pound a felony.” “Very well,” Shute said sulkily. “Have it your own way. We did all you say we did, and I 'don’t mind admitting that Harley was a mere tool in our hands. We wanted the thing done iu Mr. Brest’s presence, because we knew perfectly we’ll what course he would take. We <Tid change those cards ”

“Ah, just a momej.it,” Blythe said. “Macglendy, hand rue the cards you changed just now.” With a somewh/at shamefaced air, Macglendy produced the cards from a secret pocket, a/jd laid them on the table. Blythe t/jre the covers off, and poured the canfls through his hand.

“Ah, here tve are,” he said. “More Royal packs.. Further proof positive, if we really needed it. Fishbourne, I think you will see that there is no object in Carrying this interview any further. ’You might give me that key, if you dcyj’t mind.” “With all the pleasure in life,” Fishsaid as he handed it over. “Th u-. lias been rather a dramatic expej ience, but., at the same time, a painful one. A day or two ago, these mesu were guests under my roof, and ti/e recollection of it leaves an unpleasant taste In one’s mouth. lam .’not going to prosecute either of you. but if you are not out of England within twenty-four hours, most certainly I shall change my mind. And now you know.”

A minute or two later the two discomfited scoundrels were out in the corridor, followed by Blythe. “Well a nice friend you are, ohute said bitterly. “What is the meaning of all this play-acting stunt of yours. “Well, to a certain extent 1 win explain,” Blythe said. “But I don t propose to tell you everything. There are reasons, very powerful reasons, why it was necessary to clear Harlev’s good name. Not that I am getting anything out of it—-quite the contrary. But that need not concern you. I had to do what I said, and it was necessary that the thing should be accomplished in the presence of Brest. He will apologise to his friend now, and the incident will be closed. I was rather sorry to briVi in Fisbbourne, but If I had not, and bound him to secrecy, yon would have been in the hands of the police long ago. It was a very foolish thing on your part, to try and deceive me over those burglaries, and do me out of my share of the plunder, and, by so doing, you very nearly landed yourselves in | prison. You owe me a debt of grati--1 tude for saving you from that, and i listen, Fishbourne is quite serious in | what he said just now about your J leaving England. You are two wise | birds in your way, and I don't think i I need say any more. When you j come to work it out, you will see that j I have been a real friend to you both.” j Blythe turned on his heel, and went 1 hack to the sitting-room, quite content with his evening’s work.

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“Well, that is finished,” he said, j “Now, Mr. Brest, I leave you to make J vour own peace with your friend, Harley. You had better see him without delay, and explain everything that happened to-night. You need not dwell on my part of the drama. " "I will do it with pleasure,” Prest said. “I will see Harley the- first thing In the morning, and shake hands with him. But he owes you a great deal, though. I wonder ” “Well, go on, say It,” Blythe said. “You wonder why an old hardened sinner like myself should go out of his way to play a part in a dramatic love story. Well, that is my own business. Most of us get more sentimental as we grow older, though few people would accuse me of that sort of weakness. Still, there it is. You can tell Harley what you like, but don t bring me into it any more than you can j j help. 1 require no thanks and, in any case, I shall he out of reach of them to-morrow afternoon. As a matter of fact, I have pressing business in Paris, which I have shamefullv neglected in my anxiety to see this thing through. We may meet again, or we may not. But now, if you don t ! mind. I will ask you to leave us, because I have a good many things to j talk over with Lord Fishbourne. In the happy old days, he and I were great friends, and I would give a great deal to say that we were the same today. However, those are all vain rej grets. So. if you don't mind shaking ! hands with me and saying good-night, j I shall be more than obliged to you.” I “What an extraordinary mixture of ! a man you are,” Fishbourne said. ! when, at length, Prest had vanished, i "Mv dear fellow, if you had only kept ! straight, you might have become anvj thing.” I “Yes, quife a tragedy in its way, 1 isn’t it?” Blythe smiled. “Still, even

my life has its compensations, and I have thoroughly enjoj-ed this unusual experience. To begin with, I hate brought two loving hearts together, and I have restored the wife of that, scoundrel Macglendy to her friend Perhaps, some of these days, when ! am growing old, I may be disposed to see Miss Frond ” "What? Aren’t you going to fell her the truth?” Fishbourne cried. “Is she never to know?” “You forget my compact,” Blythe said sadly. “I passed my word, for what it is worth, to disappear from my world, and never be known again by my own name. The man you knew vanished, and Hilton Blytb took his place. To everybody, excelone or two of my very old friend-. I am dead. The old scandal has bet t forgotten, and is rarely alluded to ! now.” "But still,” Fishbourne said. “But still " “My dear old friend, if I may still call you so, I assure you there is no more to be said. The future lies in the lap of the gods, and I am too worldly wise to seek it. But it will always be a sweet and tender recol lection to me that when Nettie Frond and her lover found themselves in bitter trouble, it was her own father who I came out of the depths and saved the whole situation. And with that. I think, there is nothing more to be I said.” (The End.l