The Shadow Crook

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 593, 20 February 1929, Page 5

The Shadow Crook

- By

Aidan de Brune

(Author ot “Dr Night, “The Carson Loan Mystery,” “The Dagger and the Cord, ’’ etc.) [ (COPYRIGHT.)

CHAPTER XXII. —(Continued). She opened the envelope and one by one held the documents up before bis eyes. As the damning exposure of his malpractices become more aiul more apparent the man wilted. He stepped back and threw himself into * chair, covering his face with his hands. "Where did you get them from? Etheringham roused himself. “Tell me! Ah, you got them from Mintos. have confessed he made love to you. You bought them, bought him y ith your body to betray me.” Bought him?” Norma laughed ironically. “Yes, for years I have paid Abel Mintos, but not with myself. accused me of cozening money out of you. You stated Mintos owns toe White Trinity! You are wrong. 1 own the White Trinit}’. I have Paid for it, thrice its value, with tlie money you allowed me to ‘cozen’ from J°u. Now, what have you to say, Stanley Etheringham?” did you get them?” the shaking hand of the squatter pointed t 0 the documents. Uhat does that matter?” The girl SWe Pt her hand across her eyes. “You cannot deny these papers, in your °*n handwriting.” them to me!” No. They are—oh, God. that 1 “ ave t 0 say it—they are my safety gainst you—mv husband.” Again L! aU§hed bitterly. them to me?” The man pouched in the chair, his blood-shot t V s staring at his wife. “I say, give them to me." rr J he Birl shook her head. She into*?* t 0 a ciia * r an d sank wearily w ? *!• F °r a moment the man then sprang toward her and the papers. Passion

' blinded him and he succeeded in only obtaining the envelope. “Posted to you!” For a moment he stood scanning the endorsement on the envelope. “Posted, by whom? “Some friend who knew my sore need!” Norma was on her feet. “Stanley, if you touch me . . “Touch you!” For a moment fear dominated anger. Then, utterly mad. the squatter sprang forward and seized her by the throat. “Give me those papers, or . . “One moment. Mr. Etheringham! A cool, quiet voice spoke from one of the windows. With a hoarse cry the man's hands dropped and he turned round. Norma gave a slight cry. Leaning against the window frame stood a man dressed in a worn, brown overcoat, a dark grey hat pulled low over his eyes. In his hand he held a small automatic, pointed at the squatter. “The Shadow Crook!” Etheringham retreated a pace. I “The Shadow Crook, at your ser- ! vice!” The voice had resumed its i old. mocking tones. For an instant ; the eyes of the crook passed th j squatter and met those of the girl The automatic moved slightly, mo tioning to the door. Norma moved obedient to the order. As she passed out of the room the Shadow Crook spoke again. “Stanley Etheringham.” there was contempt in the lilting voice, “will it interest you to learn that eren in ill' eves you are a blackguard and a j coward. Turn round. Quick! I dop’ 5 | waste a second on curs like you.” Under the compulsion of the gup the squatter turned his back on the Shadow Crook. He started to fine' ] his wife had left the room. He swung round again to discover the j master criminal had disappeared With a shout of anger he spraur : through the window into the gardens | The mvsterv man was not in sight. Norma had sped into llie hall | clasping the bundle of documents t her breast. As she turned to mom ; t he stairs she met one of the maid coming in search of her. "Inspector Mason wishes to sp?a with vo)i. ma’am.” The girl w; plainly astonished at her mistress agitation. “Inspector Mason! " Norma gaspc, instinctively she Placed the ham j holding the papers behind liei. Oh.

Mary, please bring Inspector Mason to my boudoir.” She turned into the library and waited, listening to the footsteps ascending the stairs. She must hide the documents not only from her husband but from the police. She looked aryund her desperately. There was no safe place where her husband spent most of his days. In the desk she found a packet of long envelopes, similar to the one in which the documents had come to her. Feverishly she seized one and enclosed the documents in it. Now, where to hide it? A sudden thought brought a smile to her lips. She opened the door and ascended the stairs to her boudoir. She had thought of a place where the papers would be safe. “Inspector Mason,” she paused within the door of her room, her breath coming quickly. “Will you do me a favour? It ... it isn’t much. I ... I have quarrelled with my husband. He demands the papers in this envelope. They are . . . they are my liberty, my safety from him. Will you take them and keep them for me?” “Sorry, Mrs. Etheringham.” the police officer turned from the window. “Sorry for your trouble, I mean. Of course. I’ll take the en-

velope and you can get it from me when you want it. By the by, isn’t Mr. Cranford Hughes acting for you? What about me giving the envelope to Him? That’s best, r may be out when you call for it. You can get it from him any time y’know.” “If yoV will.” Norma could hardly articulate: the relief was too great ; With the documents in Cranford’s j hands she would feel safe. He would | advise her what to do. Of one thing she was certain. She would not remain in that house with her husI band.

i “Funny thing, you handing me an | envelope of papers,” Mason turned to ; a parcel he had placed on a table. “I came here, to-day, to bring you a i parcel of papers. Sorry, but they may distress you a bit. They belong to you and I thought it best to bring them as soon as possible. Y’see, from information I received I decided to arrest Sydney Warton for . . .” “Sydney Warton arrested!” “For the murder of Frederick ! Mayne.” The inspector had sat down jat the girl’s gesture. “Looking { through the things in liis room I ■ came across a parcel of your father’s correspondence. Nothing much in it, | except one letter, blit 1 thought you ; might like to have the papers.” J “And .. . and the letter?” You | think it is important?” “Maybe my imagination.” The police officer laughed slightly. “It’s addressed to you. Seems to have been written years ago. when you j j were a schoolgirl. You used to take i ! your holidays alone, or with school i i chums?” “Yes.” Norma hesitated. “I never . could persuade father to leave his i shop. T always went for holidays j alone or with school friends.” Mason drew an envelope from his ! pocket and took out the paper con- j taining the few lines of writing signed I by Stacey Carr. “Just what T thought when T read ! the letter. 1 didn’t open the envelope. Have an idea Sydney War- j ton did that. There’s only your name on the envelope, and as there was not an address I guessed you were on holidays and your father had not your address by him when he wrote it. Must have placed the letter on one side and got it mixed up with •>ther papers.” “May T see it. please?” Norma held out her hand, eagerly. “Sure.” Alason handed her the letter. “Queerly written and worded. Looks as if Air. Carr . . .”

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He trailed off into silence. Norma read the few lines, a thickness gathering in her throat. The letter was queerly written and worded. What had her father meant? The sentences | were disconnected and inconsequent, j “Looks as' if Air. Carr had been ! failing in health at the time he wrote that.” The detective spoke again. ; “Or . . ! “Or . . .?" Norma looked up j quickly. j “Mrs. Etheringham.” the inspector

spoke earnestly. “Is there a message hidden behind those words? I've got j a hunch that letter means a lot. I’ll confess I spent a lot of time over it j last night and without success. Now • I’m putting it up to you. Can you j read any hidden meaning in those : few lines?” CHAPTER XXIII. For some minutes Norma bent over j the straggling writing, wonder grow-

| ing in her heart. What did those ! few lines mean? She could not make : sense of them They spoke of her holiday and in a queer manner, of her health. Then followed a reference to the double-doored cupboard in the j shop. “Dad must have been ill when be wrote this.” She spoke hesitatingly. T can’t understand it. He’s built | that cupboard years before . . » bej tore . .

“Before the trouble came,” Mason f ; completed her sentence. “Yes, I have • learned that. Do you remember when ’ the cupboard was built, Mrs. Etlier- > 1 ingham ?” ? “Over 10 years ago,” Norma spoke | almost to herself. “Yes, it must be 10 years or more ago. Inspector, 1 % believe I was not more thau 12 or IS years of age when the cupboard wai • built.” (To be continued.)