THE STORYTELLER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 319, 9 January 1909, Page 3

THE STORYTELLER.

I >ON HIS MAJESTY'S SERVICE. I I- ►-■ • It was a dark and sultry night ;n ' 'August. In one of the rooms of the British Legation at Tangier a young man sat in his shirt-sleeves, with a " code-book at his elbow, a pen in his iund, ami a sheaf of documents m front oi lum. There were two French winj th>ws 'in the room, and boll! of them were open to their widest extent; but. in spite of this, the heat of the room was positively stilling, i The young man was the Honourable iPercival Fitzgerald, and he occupied Uij responsible- post of Second Secretary of tho 'Legation. Important despatches had arrived from England that evening, and it was bis duty to decode them. He had been at work on them since ■eight o'clock, and now it was nearly midnight. ■ Presently he threw dawn his pen with ' a aiigli of relief. He had finislied. He mopped his perspiring brow, and strolled off to one of the windows for a breath of air. Then, donning his coat, he - gathered up the despatches, and left xae room with the intention of taking ,j> them to the Ambassador. '" As he opened the door, he saw the '' Minister coming down the corridor. k "Finished?" inquired- the latter. 1 " Yes, sir," said Fitzgerald, advancing '' to meet him, and handing him the documents. " I was just coming to !?- • (Suddenly he paused, for at that mo- " ment he heard, or fancied he heard, a ' stealthy footstep in the room he had L gust quitted. At the same instant it ' Hashed into his mind that Hie had v - left the code-4)ook oi the desk. ■i ' Quick as thought, he spun round on

Quick as thought, he spun round on ■his heel, and darted back into the room, where he was just in time to see a man in Moorish, costume disappearing s through one of the windows, with the '< code-book in Us hand.

■ Fitzgerald recognised the man at a -'~\ho had formerly been employed at / tfte Legation as dragoman and interF> preter, and wiio, consequently, knew all gN aiwut code-tiioka and their value, and Llsrhn-knaw,*)*}. that any one oi the lither Legations in Tangier would gladly 'pay a thumping sum for the key ,'lto the official cipher of the British - Diplomatic Service. • 'How, and for what purpose, Hamed had gained admittance to the grounds *>f the British Legation at this late ' lour of the night, Fitzgerald could " toot' guess. It was obvious, however, " that Uamed had seen him quit the room, leaving the code-ibook on the desk, and 5 ftad taken advantage of his momentary Absence to enter the room through the Open window, and steal the book. . With a shout of alarm to the Ambas-

eador, Fitzgerald leaped through the ■window, and dashed away in hot and pursuit. Dark as it was, it was . *not too dark for him to see the whitc- * telad figure of the thief, who was - making, not for the gates, where the sentries were "posted, but for a low -Stone wall on the north side of the ; grounds. i Fast as Fitzgerald ran, Hamed easily ' gamed the wall first, and, vaulting over, otook to his heels down the dark, deserted road which led to the sok, or -. market-place. ' t It should here be explained that all (he Legations at Tangier—and there are "many-Hire situated outside the town. . The sok, or market-place, is also outtide the town walls,- and is a big, open Space, surrounded on three sides by ?"l>ative shops and cafes. There are four or five roads leading out of-the sok, /and one of them, after running past itte British Legation—which is about half a mile from the sok—leads to the ~ neighbouring village of Baranis. ; It was down this road, towards the ' sok, that Hamed fled, with Fitzgerald •'in hot pursuit. The road, as previously mentioned, was deserted; but presently Fitzgerald, who was gaining on the fugi- * Stive at every stride, saw <a solitary .Moor, mounted on a mule, ambling up' the road from the direction of the "*ok. i Fitzgerald excitedly yelled to this man, in Arabic, to tor the fugitive's progress. In response to his appeal, the ".man sprang down from his mule, and, '«s Hamed attempted to dash past him, "tha man rushed at him, and encircled -iim with his arms. For a moment, but

hraly for a moment, he held hiin fast; [itbert Hamed broke away, and continued

Shis flight in the direction of the sok. ?: The brief delay, 'however, had en.'fcbled Fitzgerald to lessen the distance ->iietween himself and Hamed, and a few jninutes later, as Hamed, after racing .Jfeross the deserted sok, turned into oym ©f the other roads, Fitzgerald leaped apon him from .behind, and dragged him to the ground. i "You villain!" he panted, as he knelt \>n Hamed's. chest, and thrust the muzzle jot ft revolver into his face. " Give me >the book/it oncel" , The look of innocence on Hamed's -face would have done credit to a newrfcorn babe. lie repeated. "What book? 'C "The code-book you atole off my "desk," said Fitzgerald. "Quick! Give it up at once, or it will be worse for vyou!" "I know not what you msfan," said Samcd stolidly. "I stole no book! I have no book!" The latter part of the statement was imwt certainly true, for, although Fitzgerald searched him from head to foot, : 2o trace of the book could iic find. :i iA. niomeat later the Ambassador and vjtwo of the Legation guards, who hid •''followed Fitzgerald, arrived on the %gelie. Fitzgerald told them briefly what ijhad happened, and again Hamed was aearched, tat with no more result than ibetore. , . , ¥■ "He must'have thrown the book away ■while you were chasing him," said the [mfoaseador. "He calculated, no doubt, hat you would let him go when you tfonnd lie hadn't the book, and he then Sitended to go back to the spot where Ae had thrown the book away, and Secure it. We raiwt search every inch of the road between here and the Legamon." ;'; He turned to one of the guards. ir»'Take him' up to the Legation, be iß»ia,-foin«ng to Hamed, "and lock hiny jip in <ne of the cells." '-> Other countries, other manners. In England, of course, even an Ambassador would not dare to arrest a man on Iris own responsibility, and forcibly detain him. But Morocco is not England. fe Morocco might is right; and Hamed •gas accordingly hauled off to the Legation, and placed under lock and key. . The Ambassador, Fitzgerald, and the other guard then set to work to search for the book. There is no need to describe their proceedings in detail. Jis enough to say that, although they searched .every foot of the road, and :iSe 'bushes on each side, and although the search was repeated by all the Legation guards at daybreak next day, ni ■trace of the book could be found. And Earned; when questioned m hi* eell, merely raised his eyes to heaven, and swore by Allah and his prophet ■that he had never seen the book, and : Jrnew nothing about it. '»■-■■ n. '-Some day, perhaps, .the history may lie psMislied of certain mysterious happenings at Gibraltar, which caused the British Government to send outfcexton Blake to investigate the case. But the time for that is not yet. For the pre■sent, it muat suffice to say that Sexton Make was staying with the Governor « Gibraltar, at the latter's official re«dehce, the Convent, when the Governor Sed a cablegram from the Brito Ster at Tangle;, **** "«*£ jhi important," and guesting him to *end 6extoH Blake, detective, to Tangier Vj £. boat which left Gibraltar at eleven that morning. •And that was all that Sexton Make knew <rf th« case when, after a threfcoura' voyage across the straits of G bStar, he arrived at Tangier. But jMv -gerald met him at the landing-stage, !„d as they walked to the Igjtwn--tf ere aro no conveyances in *»8 ,er •■he put the detective in possession of all khc facts Tecorded above. On reaching the Legation, the Amliaswelcomed the detective with jeffusive cordiality. , ~, , "Mr Fitzgerald, no doubt, has toM -Wou why I hate sent for you?" he said. has told we what happen*.. %* night," «aW Scston Blake; "but 1 $3 still in the dark as to what yon -wepect me to do." ih want vou to find out what has bcfebme of the" code-book, of course, and 1 want y«U to recover it before it pj«*» ;JZ thepossession of any other o he &ions P It was most certainly stolen ■Poned last night, tat it «f ■§*, possession when we captured Innof the road between here and where he was captured, we have to find any trace of it. lhen ■Cat has become of it? How did the KfeVmndrel dUpose of it? Where is it Hi* 0 "I think T can guess how Hamed dis of it," Baid Sexton Blake. J is he still here?"

"Yes." ".May I see him?" "Certainly; 'but J. don't think you'll get much out of him." The Ambassador was right, for, although tlie detective interviewed Hauled at considerable length, the cunning t scoundrel would say nothing except that . he had never seen the book, anil knew , nothing about it. /••Weir?'' said the Ambassador, when they returned to the drawing-room. •• What do you make of it'; Where, and how, did the rascal get rid of the book';'' '"There's only one possible answer I', that ijiiestion," said Sexton Make. "i.Mr. Fitzgerald tells me that, whilst he was pursuing limned, he saw another .Moor, mounted on a mule, coming from the direction of the sok. He shouted to this Moor to stop llamcd. The man dismounted and collared llamed, but was only able to hold him for a moment or two." "That is so," said Fitzgerald. "Well," said Sexton Blake, "ll seems to me that there cannot be any doubt that when this unknown .Moor collared llamed, the latter—who probably knew him—gave him the Iwok, and hurriedly promised him a share of the plunder if he would let him go, and would take care of the liook until he Hained—was able to come for it." The Ambassador glanced at Fitzgerald. " What idiots we were not to think of that!" he said. "Of course, that'-s what happened! And 1 saw the man and you saw him, and we let him ride away with the book in his possession!' "You saw the man?" said Sexton Blake. "Do you know him?" "No." " Well, I think I might possibly find him, if you're willing to do as 1 sug-' gest." "What's that!" " You have another copy of the codebook, no doubt?" " Yes." " Exactly like the one that was stoHi last night?" " Exactly." "Suppose you were to flourish it in Hameds face, and pretend it was the one he stole? Suppose you were to make him believe that the man to whom he gave the. book had brought it back and given it up, in response to a reward which you had offered?- Suppose, after telling llamed this, you contemptuously kicked him out of the house, saying that you weren't going to trouble to prosecute him, now that the book had been recovered? What would Hanied think and do ?" "He would think the man had betrayed him, and if I know Hamed, lie w/>uld go straight to the man's house and murder him!"

"Putting the question of murder aside, you have no doubt that he would go straight to the house of the man to whom he gave the book?" "None whatever."

" And suppose I happened to be lying in wait outside the Legation gates when you kicked Hamed out! Suppose i shadowed him?"

The Ambassador sprang to his feet. "I see the idea!" he said excitedly. "Your plan is to trick HaineA into leading you to the house of Wk man to whom he gave the book?" ''Exactly!" said Sexton Blake. "But it couldn't be done in broad daylight. We should have to 'wait until dusk, at anyrate. Also, I should have to disguise myself, for a European would have little chance of shadowing a .Moor without attracting attention." '• You would disguise yourself as a Moor!"

"Yes. You can doubtless supply mc with the necessary clothes, and I can do the rest."

"Oh, yes, I can supply you with all you need" in the way of clothes. But do you speak Arabic?" The detective smiled.

"A little," he said modestly. "Enough to serve for my present purpose, anyhow, la the meantime, do you approve of my plan J" "Need you ask?" said the Ambassador. "Of course, I approve of your plan, which I can only describe as an inspiration of genius!" in. The sun had set, and the shadows of approaching night were creeping across the white-walled town.

Outside the gates of the British Legation an apparently decrepit Moor was squatting on his haunches, with a wooden 'begging-bowl in his lap.

"Allah il Allah, Mohammed rasoul!" he repeated at intervals, in the whining tones of the professional beggar. Presently the sound of approaching footsteps was heard, and a moment nr two later flamed strode through th.! gates, his face inflamed with passion, and his lingers working convulsively. The Ambassador had carried out Sevton Blake's suggestion, and after making llamed believe that the stolen book had been returned, liad set hiin at libe.ty- " Allah il Allah,' Mohammed rasoul!' whined the beggar, holding out his wooden bowl.

Hsimcd Hung a curse at him, and strode away in the direction of ISaranis. Tins beggar silently rose to his feet, and glided after him; for the beggar, of course, as the reader has doubtless guessed, was Sexton Blake. 'Dusk was deepening into darkness when they reached the little village of Baranis. Outside one of the low thatched huts on the outskirts of-the village a man wa* watering a. jnule. JlanieJ strode up co this man with a vengeful cry, and gripped him fiercely by Unarm.

The detective was too far away to hear what Hanied said, or what the in:.n replied. But he saw the latter protest with indignant gestures, and presently he saw him lead Hamed into the hut.. Glancing quickly round, to make uu>e that he was unobserved, the detective stole up to the hut, and crouched outside the open door. ''Art thou satisfied now?" he heard the man say, in Arabic, of com'. "There is the book, and I swear b\' Allah and his holy prophet that it hath never left my possession since thou gavest it to me. Am I a dog, that I should betray thee to the Bashador?" Bashador, it should be explained, is the 'Moorish equivalent for Anibassa- '. yt£.f e wronged thee," said Hanied hu Jolj. "It is truly the book which I gave to thee last night, and which I asked thee to keep until 1 came for >*•" , ~ "If I had minded to betray thee, said the man, "what,,^,\-'""to wait until to-day? Could I iST; 1 ' have delivered up'the book t» the Christian dog who was pursuing thee last night, and who bade me stop thee in thy (light? Did I lftt feign to stop thee, knowing who thou wert, and did I not swear, after thou had tohlst me how the matter stood, that 1 would bring the ib'ook' here, and keep it till thou earnest for it? How, then, couldst thou believe that I had betrayed thee to the Bashador T '• I have wronged thee," said Hamed again; "and yet I do not understand. The Bashador'showed nu: a took, like unto this, and said that thou hadst brought it to him for a reward of a hundred dollars." "They are all liars, these infidels!" said the man contemptuously. "That is true," said Hamed. "Yet he loosed mv bonds and set me free.

Now, why ' ■ The sentence was never completed, for at that moment Sexton Blake—who had overheard every word of the foregoing conversation—sprang into the dim-ly-lighted hut, snatched the book from Ilanied's liand,~"nd, with two straight-from-the-shouldi-- blows, one to the

right and the other to the l"ft. sent th two men sprawling on their Unt-ks. And by the time the startled :md out witted Moor,-; had si-rambled to thi' feet, the detective hud darted throuj;! the door, liad leaped on to the ku-k o the mule. which was still standing out side the hut, and was gal'lupin;; towardTan«ier at i. speed which defied pursuit.

The Ambassador and Fitzgerald were conversing in tlm drawing-room of the ligation. "Oh. f think you may trust Mr. Blake!" said Kitzgerald. "I do trust him," said the Ambassador. "If 1 hadn't the greatest confidence ill his powers I shouldn't have wired to (lib. and asked the (lovcmor to send him over. But 1 must confess now that 1 have lak«i liis advice I berrin to doubt the wisdom of his plan. 01 course, I don't doubt that Ins theory is correct; it's his ability to cope with Hamed that I doubt. "Yon see," he continued, "so Ion? as we kept Hamed under lock and kej we were practically certain that 11k stob-n book would not find its way int.' anv ,-.f the other Legations. Rut, nov that T have let ■Hamed go, what gunran tee have I that he won't elude Rextor Biakc' And if he once gets out <••' Mr. Blake's sight Hallo! W coming?" The clatter of hoofs was heard o- «.-. drive outside. The Amhassadowalked across to the open windc.v and 1 peered out,

i "It's u Moor, mounted on a bareback nmle!" he said. " Who on earth cun ;it ! bur" I The "Moor" pulled up outside the ' window. It was too dark for the Ambassador to see the man's face. "Is that the book you want?" said a well-known voice. Then a small book Hew from the ".Moor's" hand and dropped at the Ambassador's feel. H was the stolen code-book!