THE GREEN SHADOW

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 959, 30 April 1930, Page 4

THE GREEN SHADOW

By

CHAPTER XVIII.- —(Continued)^

But suppose he should ’ • Loot here. Miss Castle Dr. MoT Celt is flourishing a big sun. but he lias only one shot. He isn't going to waste that shot.” ... . _ She considered, then brightened a little. “I was hoping to hear fiom vou yesterday/’ she murmured. “Busv,” said Dale laconically. She smiled faintly. “I thought pep haps you were resting after the big b *"Oh, the Mummers Frolic. Rather a bore, wasn’t it?” She searched his face. Not for me. Was it for you?” “That reminds me. This is my iirst opportunity to ask you what happened out there on the balcony after I left. Joan of Arc proved to be Dr. Moffett's messenger. I sup“Oh, you knew that? I didu t suspect anything until she spoke a sentence with the words ‘blue’ and ‘yellow'' in it. She almost knocked me over w'ith that sentence.” “No wonder. What happened?” She looked at him as if suspecting that he knew a great deal more than he pretended, but she plunged into her story, finishing at the point where a warning signal had been flashed to her companion on the balcony. “I’m afraid I didn’t carry it off very well,” she concluded. “You did splendidly,” Dale assured her. “Did you know the papers were forgeries, or was it only a bluff?” “Only a bluff.” “Well, it was a good one, and it happened to be true.” She looked a little startled. “Then the papers were forgeries?” “They were copies,” said Dale. “Dr. Moffett meant to keep the originals ior future use.” The dark look in her face showed that she understood. “What a blackguard he is!” she exclaimed. “Oh, all of that,” said Dale in his softest tones. She reflected for a moment. “But the signal? What was the meaning of that?” Briefly Dale explained his own part in the events leading up to the signal, but he omitted the fact that Ainsworth was one of the two men he had found in the room on the thirteenth floor of the Vandermoore. She listened intently, her eyes gradually widening with amazement. “A dog was to receive the money!” she exclaimed. “What an idea!” “A rather clever one. After giving the signal, the two men fled from the room very hurriedly. I didn’t care so much about them, but what I was curious to know was whether Caesar would have carried the packet of money if one had been dropped. I suppose someone was waiting for him in a car near by, but that night every block in tbe neighbourhood of the Vandermoore was packed with cars, so it would have been hard to find the right one. Then I hit upon the idea of having Caesar lead me to it.” She wrinkled her forehead perplexedly. “It was perfectly simple. I merely dropped a package from the window. It was only a couple of newspapers done into a neat bundle, but Caesar couldn’t be expected to know. He did his duty like a thoroughbred. Oh, I forgot to tell you. First I saturated the newspapers with ink.” "Oh!” she exclaimed after a moment’s bewilderment! She laughed a little. “And then you ran down and picked up .Caesar’s trail.” Dale nodded. "It was lucky I had

HERMAN LANDON

Copyright by Publio Ledger

a trail to follow. The car was parked several blocks away. and I would never have found ii without Caesar , assistance. The trail grew fainter and fainter. The papers absorbed some of the ink. of course. But I found the car. It was just about to start and 1 barely had time to jump iuxo a taxi and follow it.” Dale laughed amusedly. “Wonder what the person in the car thought when Caesar brought him that package." She gave him a warm glance of approval. "That was clever. Where diil you follow the car?” Dale looked suddenly diflident. “To Dr. Moffett's new headquarters,” he replied vaguely. “He had to leave Bank Street, you know, after the excitement the other night.” His tone seemed to puzzle her. “Did you see who was in the car?” “No, it was too dark, and it drove away too quickly.' He paused for a moment. “Any other developments since I saw you last? “Mr. Ferryman called yesterday. Hj appears to be a very kind gentleman. He said he understood his house had been the scene of certain activities that had brought unpleasantness to father and me. Feeling as if he were somehow responsible, he wanted to know if there was anything he could do.” “Generous of him." said Dale. “H*» can’t help us. but the offer shows he has a kind heart. You and I will handle Dr. Moffett, and we'll put a. crimp iu his scheme before long.

CHAPTER XIX. THE DOUBLE TOP His confident tone made her smile. “Y'ou make me forget all my troubles,” she told him. Then, his whimsical gaze lingered or. the sun glints of her raven hair, “I am justifying my existence.” “The Picaroon's existence!" she murmured. He smiled soberly. “It needs a lot of justification. Ask Summers. He knows.” He looked at her a little wist full)'. “You are a bit pale. Why not go out in the sunshine for a while?” What about the moonlight? Mr. Ainsworth has asked me to go driving this evening.” “Oh!” It was as if a shadow had suddenly fallen between them “I don’t, think Ainsworth likes me.” “He will when he knows you. And you will like him.” Dale groaned inwardly. How splendid she was with her unfaltering faith in the man she loved —how splendid and how blind!” “Poor Paul!” she murmured. “He had had reverses lately—lost a lot of his money. Now he has to economise and I believe he is ashamed of it, though he has no reason to be. It would make no difference to me if the dear boy was down to his last dollar.” “No, it wouldn't—not with a girl like you.” “X know he will get up again,” she declared. “He isn’t the kind that stays down for long.” “I believe you are right there.” Dale could not keep a trace of hitter* ness out of his voice. At that mo* ment. with Adele Castle seated be* fore him, her heart full of loyalty and blind love, he could have strangled Ainsworth without a qualm. She looked at him intently, her mouth and throat quivering, her dark eyes full of gentle regrets. She rose and came toward him. “You are a wonderful friend,” she murmured. It was one of the most uncomfort* able moments in Dale’s life. She was smiling at him through a veil of mist, reading his face —ancl read* ing it wrongly. "I don’t want any misunderstanding to come between us,” she said gently. “I hope we shall remain the best of friends.” “Yes. always,” said Dale thickly. Was there ever such a situation? Here he was. racking/ his brain to save her from a heartbreaking disaster. And she, misunderstanding, was endeavouring to save him from another sort of tragedy. “Then we understand each other?”

She gave him her hand with a gesture full of friendliness and sympathy. “Oh, perfectly ” Wambley's portly figure appeared at the door. “There is a gentleman on the telephone, Miss Castle,” he announced. Dale and the girl exchanged glances. He nodded slightly. She went out, and when she returned a few minutes later all the warm colouring had fled from her face. "It was Dr. Moffett,” she told him. “1 expected that. I suppose his voice was full of sweetness and light?” "He asked me if I had seen the article in the "Sentinel.” I told him I had. and he said it was only a beginning. He added that the mysterious Mr. Graves will positively be in gaol tomorrow night unless he receives a cheque for 100,000 dollars tonight.” “A cheque?” Dale exclaimed

“Yes, lie said my own xiersonal cheque will do. Then he laughed and added that the Castle name is always good.’’ Dale regarded her in stupefaction. “A cheque? He knows you haven’t as much money as that in the bank. Anyway, payment could be stopped.’’ “I overdrew my balance last month,” she confessed. Dale frowned perplexedly. “That’s too deep for me. Didn't think Dr. Moffett was such a trustiug soul. What else did he say?” "He said I am to bring the cheque to him in person and— —” “Oh!” Dale interrupted, and suddenly his face turned grave. “Not so trustful after all. He gave you elaborate instructions, I suppose?" “I ary to take the car out and drive along Broadway, between Herald Square and Fiftieth Street about 11 tonight.” “The after-theatre rush hour,” Dale j pointed out. "Somewhere along the route. 1 take it, somebody will drop a note into the driver’s seat telling i you how to proceed. He warned you,

j of course, that you must be alone in the car, that you mustn’t have anyone follow you. and that you mustn’t disi cuss the arrangement with, anyone.” “Yes—but how did you know?” “That’s what he would naturally I tell you. What a devilish idea!” j “I don’t understand.” Dale regarded her with a dark, frowning gaze. “Remember what he ; told you—that the Castle name is always good?” i “Oh!” she started suddenly. “He , ! thinks father will make the cheque good. Yes, perhaps he would if he could.” “Dr. Moffett thinks he can.” “But a cheque exacted by threats and intimidation wouldn’t have any legal validity.” “No. but ” He hesitated. His expression was a curious blend of grimness and gentleness. “You might as well Understand the fiendish plan. Dr. Moffett specified that 3’ou are to deliver the cheque in person. He means to keep you as a hostage until it has been paid. From now on he intends to exert double pressure on vour father.

ITe already has the Forrester clocu- j ments, now he will have you besides. That gives him a double-barrelled weapon. If you are in his power, he feels that your father will make the cheque good somehow —even if he has j to rob a safe or two to do it.” I “Yes, and he would, too.” Dale suddenly' brightened a little. “Buck up! Don’t you see the silver, lining? Dr. Moffett is weakening. He is on the run.” Weakening?” % “He is no longer relying on blackmail alone. His original scheme hasn’t proved as successful as he expected, j and so he has changed his method. That’s a sign of weakness. It’s also cur cue to strike.” “When?” Again her drooping spirits caught the contagion of his mood. “Tonight, if you are in the mood ; for a bit of adventure.” “You don’t mean ” “Yes, I would advise you to do exactly as Dr. Moffett says. Are you willing?” Her hesitation was brief. A gleam of audacity entered her eyes. "Oh. yes. since you advise it!”

“That’s the spirit! You will be driv- 1 ing along Broadway, between Herald Square and 50th Street, about 11 o'clock tonight. In your bag or your pocket you will carry a cheque for 100,000 dollars. By the way', what kind i of car do you drive?” “A Waymefleet 8 sedan.” He looked a little envious. “That’s : a regular speed demon, isn't it?” “Father has been thinking of selling it.” “Before he does. I would like to try it some time. I never sat at the i wheel of a Waynefleet 8. I wonder” j —he gazed at her smilingly—“if y'ou’d mind if I took a spin in it before din--1 uer?” “Why, no.” Her eyes were full of mystification. “Of course I wouldn’t mind. I’ll give you an order on the : garage.” She stepped to the writing desk, wrote something, then handed him a sheet o£ paper. ■ ! “Thanks.” said Dale, putting the l | paper in his pocket. “Now remember this. Whatever happens tonight, I i shan't be far away. I’ll he closer than . ycu imagine. You will be watched, of , course, by one of Dr. Moffett's hire-

I lings who will keep his eyes open for [ any' sign of trickery. You will drive , ( carefully' and avoid bumps.” “Avoid—what?” “Bumps. You don’t want to he ail < shaken up before you arrive. That s i important. '• She drew-a long breath of stupefac- ( tion. “Very yvell. I’ll avoid —bumps. Anything else?” “That’s all. I’ll now go for my spin ; in the Waynefleet eight. That will i give me an appetite for dinner. Believe I shall dine at Fagger’s. The chef there knows how to ——” He paused. For a moment he stood j | and inspected the ceiling. J “The chef there knows how to ap- ; pease a long-suffering palate,” he went on, and as he spoke he sprang lightly to the door, flung it open, and in a ; moment had the squirming and protesting Wambley by the neck. “Quiet, Wambley.” he advised. “Miss : Castle, we must put him somewhere ■ for the next few hours. I don’t want i him to get in touch with anybody.” Adele, quickly recovering from her : surprise. thought for a moment, j "There’s a .room in the attic ”

“Lead us to it, please. Better step along quietly', Wambley. or a hardworking spy will come to grief. ’ Wambley decided to step along quietly. They left him in the attic room, hands and feet securely bound and a gag covering the lower portion ot his face. Dale locked the door with care. Fifteen minutes later he w as gliding gently up Broadway in the Waynefleet "sedan. He crossed the Harlem River and pursued a twisting course tor a while. At length he stopped in front | of a large service station and iuter- | viewed the grimy foreman. •-» | “How' many men can you put to 1 work on this car?” he asked. ! “I have seven mechanics, but four jof them knock off in half an hour. What seems to be the trouble?" “Keep your mechanics,” said Dale. i“1 11 pay well. This is a rush job. I want a new top on this car.” The man in the greasy overalls viewed the black unwrinkled top witn a puzzled look. Then he opened the door and inspected the under side of ; the covering. He fixed a mystified e vr ‘ , on Dale.

"What's wrong with the old one?” “Nothing, except that I want a new top.” He leaned toward the man and cocked an eye confidentially. “I want a two-layer top.” he elucidated i% a.t undertone, “with plenty of room between the two layers." Better pu: in some extra braces, too. It has to be strong enough to support a weight of 170 pounds.” The man's grease-spattered brows went up. He eyed Dale's prepossessingly garbed figure suspiciously. v..* t an expression of limited understanding. then shrugged his shoulder.“And you don't want the bulge to show, I guess.” he wisely surmi d. “All right, gov'nor. I can fix yon up. but, you know, it's gonna c<>. : you something.” “I expect to pay well for a good job.” Dale looked the man straight in the eyes. “And 1 am willing to add a premium for silence. Have it ready not later than 1" o'clock.” He walked away and hailed a taxi on the street corner. The man , watched him with a queer grin. To be continued* tomorrow.