A CONFIDENTIAL REPORT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 264, 31 October 1908, Page 4

A CONFIDENTIAL REPORT

A REMAIiKABLK AUVK.NXI'UK OF SEXTOX BLAKE, DETECTIVE. 17 "Urgent. Come at once.—Trcvelyan, Jtontyii Manor." ..-That was all the telegram said; and, apart from the fact that .Sir Utto Trevelyan, of Mostyn Manor, in Surrey, was one of the best-known linancii) magnates in the City of London, that was' all that Sexton Blake knew of the ease when he left his rooms in Maker Street and drove to Waterloo. 11 was then hali-past seven in the morning. An hour later he reached I Mostyir where Sir Otto's motor met hhn at the station. By a quarter to nine he was at the Hall, a tine old Tudor man-ion, -urrounded by an extensive park." Sir Utto. pale and distracted, wis awaiting him in the library. "I thought you weren't coining!'' lie exclaimed, seizing the detective by til; hand, and dragging him into the room. •■ I've been rubbed of a document worth a hundred thousand pounds! My secretary, who apparently surprised the thief, has been shot and is now uncoii'sciou... The police, of course, have the matter in hand: but I've no faith in these rural police -o 1 „ent for you. Find tic theft and recover tlr- stolen document, before it falls into Ihe hands of old Picot—for he's at the bottom of the business. I'll ..wear—and I'll pay you anv fee " The detective interrupted him with an impatient, gesture. '■We can din n-s the question of fee afterwards." he said. "At present we arc merely wasting time. I'm on' n

yourself, and begin at the beginning, and tell mo what lias happened." "If lam t 0 begin at the beginning," said Sir Otto, "1 must tell you that 1 have large financial interests in Peru. Another firm, with equally large interests in that country, is the well-known Unanciiil linn of Picot et Fils, of Para Between their firm and mine there has been for many years the keenest commercial rivalry, amounting, in the ease of old Picot and myself, to something in the nature of a bitter personal feud. " About six months ago I sent an expert over to (Peru to inspect and report on certain properties which had been offered to me. His confidential report, written in Spanish, reached London yesterday. I do not wish to weary you with details; so I will simply say that if that report falls into the hands uf Picot ct Fils before noon to-mono,v, the result will be a loss to me and my firm of at least a hundred thousand pounds. "1 glanced through the report at my office in London, and brought it home with me last evening. 1 snt up until after midnight reading it; then I locked it up in a small safe in my study an 1 went to bed."

" Excuse my interrupting you," said Sexton Blake. " How many persons knew you had brought the report home with you?" "Two," said Sir Oto. "My confidential clerk, in London, and my private secretary, a young fellow named Percival, who lives here. "At six o'clock this morning," he continued, " I was roused by one of the servants with the startling news that the study window had been broken open during the night, the lock of the safe had been picked, and the unconscious form of my secretary had been found lying outside the study window. He had evidently heard a suspicious noise in the study, had come down to investigate, had surprised the thief at wor'.;, and had jumped out of the window after him. "The burglar had then apparently lired at him, for there was a wound on the side of his head, which the doctor declares must have been caused by a revolver-shot lired at close quarters. Fortunately, the bullet did not enter the skull, and the doctor lias every hope that he -will recover." "Did anybody in the house hear a shot fired?" asked .Sexton Blake. "X«. But there was a violent thunderstorm here between two and thi'je this morning—no rain, but terrific thunder and lightning—so that, if the shot was fired at any time between two an.l three, it is not surprising that nobody heard it. " On hearing the servant's news," continued Sir Otto, " I rushed down to the study.. The lock of the safe had not been picked, as the servant had said. It had been opened by means of a duplicate key, which was still in the keyhole. And the only thing which was missing from the safe was the confidential report—which proves, to my mind, at least, that the .thief was an agent of old Picot's." The detective shook his head. "Your theory doesn't impress me at present," lie said. ''However, may I see the room in which the robbery was committed?" * .

Sir Otto conducted him to the study, which was ou the ground floor, nu-3 overlooked the park.' The window had been opened by the well-known device of scratching a circle with a diamond on the outside of one of the panes, sticking a lump of putty in the centre of the circle, and pulling out the disc of glass. A hand had then apparently been thrust through the opening, and the catch had been forced back. •Sexton Blake examined the safe and the duplicate key; then ho opened the window. On the ground outside was the disc of glass which had been cut out of the window-pane, and which had been overlooked by the servants and the village constable. The putty was still adhering to it, and on one side if the putty was a beautifully clear 'mprcssiou of a thumb, whilst on the other was an equally clear impression of a finger.

"Clue Xo. 1!" said Sexton Blake. ''These finger-prints may prove of: incalculable help iu identifying the thiei.' lie opened the window, climbed out, and examined the ground outside, where the secretary had been found. Suddenly he uttered a low whistle of 'astonishment, and, to Sir Otto's surprise, he began to walk slowly away from the house with his eyes fixed on the ground. "Where are you going?" asked Sir Otto, vaulting through the window and joining him. The detective made no reply. Willi his <>yes still fixed on the ground, and followed by Sir Otto, he walked across the. lawn, round the end of the shrubbery, and ultimately pulled up at a small rustic gate, which opened into a deserted lane on the south side of the park. •Fust outside the gate were the prints of a horse's hoofs—dozens of imprev sioiis-t-and a number of cigarette-ends."

"A man on horseback evidently role up to this gate, either last night or early this morning," said Sexton Blake. "He waited here. Judging by the, nusiibci' of hoof-prints, he waited a considerable time. Sec!" He picked up and counted the cigar-ette-ends. There were live of them. '• Turkish," he said. '' Evidently not a poor mail. Allowing a quarter of an hour for each cigarette, that mea-is he waited here for upwards of an hour." Suddenly his eyes fell on a yew-tree, which grew -beside the gate. Several of the, fresh young shoots had been >'ecently torn oil'. On one of the branches were the marks of teeth. ••Splendid!" said Sexton Blake. " Magnifk'cnt. The man whiled away his time whilst he was waiting here by smoking Turkish cigarettes. The horse, amused himself by munching the leaves of this yew-tree. If you recover that confidential report it'll be the horse you'll have to thank!" 'Why?" said Sir Otto, completely mystified. ■ The detective smiled, and shrugged his shoulders. "And now." he said. "I'd like to see your private secretary." They returned to the house. I'cicival, the secretary, had been carried up to his bedroom and put to bed. He was still unconscious, and the district nurse had been pressed into service, till one from London could be obtained. Without a word, the detective removed the bandage from I'ereivaFs head and examined the wound, ft was a peculiar, burnt-looking wound. The skin was scorched and 'blackened, and the hair on each side was singed. "Where are his clothes'" asked Sexton lllake. after replacing the bandage. '• There, sir," said the nurse, pointing to a chair at the foot of the bed. The detective calmlv felt in the pockets, and drew out a 'knife. He opened one of the blades, and requested the nio— („ |,.|id him ; , needle. iWiien she had complied, he laid the needle on the bed, and touched it with the blade of the knife. The blade picked up the needle aad held it, exactly'as a magnet would have done. '• That's curious," said Sir Otto. "But, upon my word, 1 dou't see what it points to." "it points to the fact that vour secretary wa>n'i shot al all." said Sexton Blake. ■• I guessed what had happened when I saw the wound, and now I know. He was struck by lightning, and, as often happens in such cases, all the steel articles in his pockets were converted into magnets."

lie picked up the piece of putty, which he had brought upstairs with him, and compared the impressions oil each aide with the linger and thumb of Percivai's right hand. Sir Otto turned suddenly pale. "Mr. Blake," he. said, in a low, hoarse voice, "you—vou don't suggest that—that-—" "J do," said Sexton Blake. "Come downstairs, and I'll Ml Vou." They retraced their steps to the lib: rary. " \\ hen I examined the ground o,ltside the stndv window." said Scxt in tilakc. " I discovered „ double track of bare feet, leading away from wild back to the window. I traced them to that rustic gate, and found, as yo\t kno.v, that a man and a horse had been' standing there for an hour at least. Th.it gave me my fust, inkling of tin- I ruth. I returned to the house, examini.'d you;--.ccretary'* wound, and aU> hM fingi " and thumb, and then 1 knew my Iheoiy was correct." "And what is your theory;" "Jt was your secretary who opened the safe and took out the report. The. duplicate key had probably been in ,us possession for months, and he cut, the piece out of the window to make it appear that the house had been broken into from outsido. "Alter lie had secured the report, be elimlied out through the window, mid walked to that gate, where he handed the report to a confederate, who had arrived on horseback, and who had been waiting then, for more than an hour. He then walked back to the bouse, 'hut. Just as lie reaclwd the window, he wis jlrurk by lightning and rendered tin-

! conscious." "And to think iiow I trusted him!" Sir Otto said, in a hollow voice. " Wlio do yo.u think was his confederate?" " That's just what I'm going to find out," said Sexton Blake, rising to hi* feet. "May I borrow the car? It's still outside, 1 see." " Certainly," said Sir Otto. " But where are you going?" " To find your secretary's confederal.", of course," said Sexton Blake, "and to compel him to disgorge his booty." And, before the mystified baron-t could question him further, Sexton Blake hud left the house, and was speeding down the drive in a motor-car. 11. Few things escaped Sexton Blake's observation. Whilst passing through the village, ou his way lrom the station to the Hall, he hud observed on the door of cine of the houses a brass plat'.', bearing the inscription " Mr. Dawson, Veterinary Surgeon." Jt was to Lhis house that lie now directed Sir Otto's chauffeur to drive him. Mr. Dawson was standing at his window. He saw the detective alight from the car, and hurried to the door. "Vou know who 1 am, 1 see!" said Sexton Blake, as the vet. welcomed hiin with effusive cordiality. "1 want sonic information from you, if you're willing to give it to inc." " Auy iniormntion 1 can give you is at your service," said Mi. Dawson, "What do you want to know?" " Vou attend most of the horses hereabouts when they are ill, 1 suppose'.'" "All of them, 1 think." "Have you one on your list at present suffering from the effects of yewpoisoning?" "Why, yes!" replied the vet., in evident surprise. "1 was called out eaily; this morning to sec one—a valuable hunter, belonging to Major Brett." "Taken ill lhis morning?" "Yes; quite suddenly." " And you've no doubt that the! horses's illness bus been caused by eating yew-leaves':'' " Not the slightest, though it's a niys'tery where the beast found the leaves, as there are no yew-trees in the major's grounds. Bill why do you ask?" "I'm asking questions, not vou!" said the detective, with a laugh.' "Where docs Major Brett live?" " At Tapliiu Lodge, about three mil"s from here."

The detective looked him full in the face. "Don't answer this if you'd rather not?" hj« said. "What sort of a character docs the major 'bear?" "Very bad," said Mr. Dawson frank- '

"Do you happen to know if he's a friend of Mr. Percival, Sir Otto Trcvelyan's -private secretary?" "He is. Sir Otto doesn't know, and I'm sure he wouldn't approve of it if he did, but Brett and Percival have been as thick as thieves for the past few weeks." That was all the detective wished to know. "Good-morning!" he said, holding out his hand. "Tlmuk you for your information, and especially for asking Hi questions. By the way, 1 suppose the chauffeur will know where Tapton Lodge is?" "Oh, yes! But if you want to see Major Brett, it's no use your going to Tapton Lodge. He has gone away this morning."

"Gone away?" echoed Sexton Blake, in dismay. "Already?"

"Yes. He left by the 8.30 for London. 1 drove him to the station in my trap after I had seen the hunter. He's off to Paris by the eleven train from Victoria. He told me so himself." " Can I get from here to London in time to reach Victoria by eleven?" Sexton Blake asked.

Mr. Dawson glanced at his watch. It was a quarter to ten. " I'm afraid you can't," he said. " The !).ii will have gone now. The next train doesn't leave till 10.10, and isn't due to reach Waterloo till U. 25."

The detective groaned. Then he suddenly bethought himself of the motorcar. Victoria was only twenty-five miles away, and he had an hour and a quarter.

He turned to the vet. "One last favour," he said. "What is the major like—in personal appearance, J mean?" Mr. Dawson pointed to a. framed photograph on the wall of the consulitingrooni. It represented a meet of the local hunt.

"That's Major Brett," lie said, pointing to one of the mounted figures. The detective studied the photograph for ii few seconds; then he bade the vet. a hurried farewell, and returned to the car. "Victoria Station!" he said, as he sprung in. "As fast as you can make her travel!"

The ear dashed away, and seventy minutes later drew up in Victoria sta-tion-yard.

At Dover all doubt was set at rest as to whether Major Brett was in the I train. The detective saw him alight, recognised him by the photograph ho had seen in the vel.'s consulting-room, i and followed him aboard the steamer. I From Dover to Calais—from Calais to Paris—and in Paris \ which was reach-oil! at a quarter to sewn in the evening) from the Care du Nord to the Hotel Mimosas, in the Hue Caumartin, he shu-; dowed his unsuspecting quarry. " 1 wired to you from l/indon this morning to reserve ine a private sittingroom and a bed-room," he heard ihe major say to the nianagc-r of the hotyl. '• What jiame, sir?" asked the manager. "Smith." said the major unblushing!,*'. The manager consulted his book, and beckoned to the hall-porter. '•'Forty-nine," he said. Then be turned to Brett. '• Your sitting-room and bed-room are en suite, sir," he said, "on, the first Hour. Dinner will be read}' at half-past seven." " I shall not take dinner to-night": said Brett. " L may have something later in my room: but I'm expecting a. (gentleman to call to see. me at eight o'clock. Monsieur ll'ieot is his name. Will you please show lain up to my room as soon as he arrives?" The manager promised that he would, and the major followed the hall-porter to the lift. " So Sir Otto was right," murmured Sexton lilake. as he turned on his heel ami left the hotel, after asking lor somebody who he knew was not there, "l'ieot el Kils are at the liotfoin of this. And yet that doesn'i. follow." he added. " I'ercival ami Brett mav have concocted this plot between tiie.ni, anil Brett may simply have wired to Paris this morning, asking l'ieot ,ti> meet liiin at the Mimosas at eight oVlock to-night. In any case, whether Picjot knew of the plot beforehand or not, he doubtless knows by now that Itrcttt has the report and is willing to sell it. Even if Br.'tt only wired to him tliis morning, he would he ,urc to tell him that; or, «l any rate, to give him a hint. And, unless J can prevent it, the report will pass into Picot's hands to-night. " Unless 1 can. prevent it," he mused. "Can i? Of course, I've no legal evidence against 'Brett, and, even if 1 had, I couldn't have him arrested and searched before eight o'clock. And if once old l'ieot gets bold uf the report, all is lost."

Hi' pondered I'm a innniotii, or two; then 11 (luring idc;,, occurred lo Jiim. "Ik's risky," lie muttered. " JSuL it might 00111 c oil'." Hit hailed a passing cab, ami drove l«i ii big theatrical costumier's in tin- Km; Kivoli. lie was only in the simp a few minutes, yet when k> came out he was no longer _i young, clean-shaven Englishmail, but—in u-unoaranei!—:iil elderly Frenchman, with, a grey, pointed heard mid hair of the same line. "li lie knows Picot, I'm done," he mused, as lie retraeed his steps to tho Hue Ciiinuartiii. "Hut it's a hiiiidri'd to one he doesn't. Anvhow, I'll risk it/' It was harely n i(ualter to eight when Jie.reaelu'd the Hotel Mimusiis. ■■There is it geutlemait staving here named Smith.'- he said to the'malinger, in faultless Vreneti. " I wish to roe him.'- 1 "Ah. voti are .Monsieur I'icol, no doiilil!" saiil the manager. "Yes. -Mr. Sinilli is expecting sou." Seslon Blake heaved a sigh m' relW. He had not disguised him-olf Jo resemble '.\l. I'ieot, <.l' course, I'or ; "•■ simple reason (|,al he had not a gho-l. of an idea what ,M. I'icol was like. He had merely made up as an ehleilv, grev haired Krem-liiiiiiii: and if Ihe n agv-r had happened lo know M. ,I'icoi Hie de ■ toetivo/s trick would have been exposed at the very oiitsol of his programme. lint the manager suspected iiothiu--lie culled lo one of the «ail cr,. and instrucled him to conduct the delect ivc 10 iS'o. -111. The detective walked nil e |-00-,t. Brett came forward with outstretched hand. The waiter closed t „. | retired. '•I hope you speak KnglMi, Monsieur I'ieot?" said the major, somewhat misi Oltsly. "Hilt yes." s-.id ||,e dclcelilv, " I speak English vonoo well. And von? Is it that yiiu do not speak miMim guage.';"

"Xo," said Brett, "English is the only language 1 know—and the only one I want to know!" Again a look of relief crossed the detective's face. The stolen report was written in Spanish. If English was the only language which Brett knew, he could not have read the report, and, therefore, would not be able to tell Monsieur Picot what it contained if heSexton Blake—could recover it befoie the Frenchman saw it. Brett observed the look whioli Hashed into the 'detective's face, and misinterpreted it. " You're wondering," he said, " how 1 wrote that telegram, if I didn't know French 1" " Certainly the telegram was in French," said Sexton Blake, making a blind shot. "Of course it was, hut it wasn't written by me. It was written by a gentleman whom you know, I believe—Mr. Percival, Sir Otto Trcvelyan's private secretary. He wrote it out for me last night, and 1 sent it off from London this morning." The detective nodded—somewhat impatiently, it is to be feared. It was now ten minutes to eight, and the real Monsieur Picot was due at eight. "And now to business, as you English say," he said. " Y'ou have brought the report?" Brett gazed at him in undisguised astonishment. t j ~i^ " You're a hoy for jumping to conclusions!" he said. "How on earth lid you guess I'd got the report?" This 'was an awkward corner; bat Sexton Blake turned it with Hying colours. "Ah, 1 see Mr. Percival doesn't tell you everything!" ],e said blandly. "Of course, the telegram was in French; you couldn't rend it." "That's so," said Brett. "But Percival didn't say any more i" the telegram than what I've told you, did he?" The detective shrugged his shoulders. "The beggar!" said Brett. "Fancy his deceiving me like that!" It was then live minutes to eight. " Then why do you waste time in idle talk?" said Sexton Blake. " Let us come to business. You have the report. J want it. For how much will you sell it to me?"

" l'"ive thousand pounds," said Brett. "Xot a penny less!" "A large slim," said Sexton .Blake. " Yet I do not say if is more than the report is worth. 'First of nil, howevir, before we discuss terms. I must know that you arc not deceiving me. 1 must sou the report." "You can Joolc at it across the table," said Brett; "but J'lin not going to Jet you touch it, or read a. line of it, till the money's in any hands."

" Let me see it, then," said Sexton Blake. Brett thrust his hand into the inside pocket of his frock-coat, and drew out a foolscap envelope, addressed to H'<v Otto Trevelyaii at his London Office, and hearing a Peruvian stamp. From the envelope he drew out a folded packet of papers, unfolded it, and laikl it face upwards on the tabic in front of him. Quick as thought the detective stretched out his hand to secure the papers, but, quicker -still, a revolver Hashed from Brett's pocket and leapod into his face. " Xo, you don't," said Brett. "No tricks! As I said before, I'm not going to let you touch those papers till the five thousand pounds <ire in my hands." The detective smiled. Fixing Ids eyes on the bedroom door, which was behind Brett, lio ostentatiously nodded his head.

"Collar him!" lie said. "Bight you are, sir," -said a gruff voice behind Brett's back.

Brett leaped to his feet with a startled oath, and spun round on his heel.

But ,it was only Sexton Blake practising d little Ventriloquism. And even as Brett turned his hei.nl, to see wno had spoken, the detective's hands shot out across the table. One hand snatclknl up the precious report; the other wrested the revolver from Brett's grasp, and levelled it at its owner's head.

Still covering lirett with the revolver, he raised the hand containing the report to his head, and whipped off his wig and false beard.

" Sexton Blake!" gasped Brett. " Who presents hi« compliments to Major Brett, of Tapton Lodge!" sa'd the detective, with a mocking bow. The dock struck eight. Footsteps and excited voices were licard in the corridor outside.

" I rather fancy," said Sexton Wake, I "that this is the veal Monsieur l'ieot, coming In see you. By this time, no doul)t, tlu> manager has explained to him that another gentleman, giving the name of l'ieot, has lieon .shown up to your room. Monsieur Pieot appears to be angry and excited. I hate scenes. You'd better meet him in the corridor, and explain to liinn that there has been a alight mistake, and that you have no important private information for sale." Brett looked lip quickly. "You're not going to arrest me?" he asked eagerly. Sexton lilake did not answer. He did' not trouble to explain that he had no power to arrest lii'm. lie merely pointed to the door. "'Go—quickly!" he said. "They'll be here in half a minute!" 'Brett darted from the room. Scarcely had lie disappeared, when Sexton Jilaxu slipped into the 'bed-room through one door and out through another. "Nn. 1 -sha'n't prosecute," said Sir Otto, when Sexton Blukc. had presented him with the report, and had brif ;ly related .his adventures. ' Pereival is dying, the doctor says; and as for Droit," well, I. don't suppose lie.'ll ever dare to show his face in England again, anl, now that I've recovered the report I .don't feel inclined to waste time and .trouble over extradition proceedings." And so the true history of the robbery at Mostyn Hanoi- never got, into tho papers; and the villagers are still wondering why Major Brett, of Taplon Lodge, departed by an early train for Loudon one morning, and never returned.