THE STORYTELLER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 29, 27 February 1909, Page 4

THE STORYTELLER.

A MODERN ALCHEMIST. SEXTOS BLAKE DISPOSES OF "' ANOTHER MYSTERY. J" ~ i Mr. Jervis returned from Leeds on _ o Monday afternoon, and on Monday night he sent off twenty copies of the P following advertisement, which duly uppearcd in as many London and proviu- . cial newspapers on Wednesday morai "JOES WELFORiD.—Twenty pounds i will he paid for the present address, if giving, or proof of death, if dead, uf John Welford, who was born at Leeds |Li 1882; and whose father, William l " Kelford, emigrated to New South Wales ( . Hjißß3.—Apply, Jervis and Co., Soli- \'° Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, Mr. Jervis reached his office on j ( morning he found a tele- . awaiting him. It had been "hand- ~ BRi" at the Commercial Road l'ost ~ Office, Milltown, at, 9.35 a.m., and ran as follows: "Just seen your advertisement. I am t( tile Joh» Welford reterred to. My pre- e gent address is 27, Bridge Street, Mill- ± town.—John Welford." As th» case .was an important one, in- n volving a sum' of over £70,000, Mr. Jervis decided not to write to Welford, s but to gj» and see him. Two hours later, a accordingly, he was on "his way to Mill- t town. i 'Bridge Street proved to be a narrow back street leading out of Commercial Road. "Doe* Mr. Welford live here?" asked i Mr, Jervis of the elderly woman who ] opened the door of So. 27 in answer to , his lsnook, and whose name, he after- i .wards learned, was Mrs. Barr. "He lodges here," corrected Mrs. Barr; "but lie isn't in at present, and he won't be in before seven o'clock." Mr. Jervis had foreseen tie possibility of having to spend the night in Milltown, and had brought a hastily-packed portmanteau with him. He drove to the Koyal Hotel, engaged a bedroom, and returned to Bridge Street about halfpast seven. Welford had not yet returned. Whilst waiting for him, Mr. Jervis took advantage of the opportunity to question Mrs. Barr about her lodger. "He's a very nice, steady young fellow," she said; "but I can't tell you much about him, as he's only been lodging here a little over a fortnight. "Where did he lodge before he came here?" ti . ~.„ "I don't know; but it wasn't in Milltown." "How do you linowj' "I had advertised for a lodger, and he answered the advertisement. When lie came he said he was a stranger to Milltown, and had only arrived that morning. He said he had seen my advertisement in the Post, and that was why he had come to me." "Had he any luggage with him?" "One bag and a small tin trunk." "Then Mr. Welford isn't what—or—you might call well off?" "He's very poor, I should say; though he paid me a month in advance, like a gentleman." "Did he say why he had come to Milltown!" •■Yes. He said he had got employment in the town." "Of what'kind?" "I don't know. When I asked him, he laughed, and said that his employer wa» an eccentric old gentleman, who bad made his swear that he wouldn't tell anybody in Milltown who his cmplover was or what his work was." "And do you mean to say that Welford has been lodging here for over a fortnight and you don't know what his employment is?" ■'lt's a fact! All I know is that he leaves here every morning at half-past nine, and comes back for supper about seven o'clock. Why he is so. late tonight I can't imagine." "He left here this morning, as usual, at half-past nine." "Yes," said Mrs. Barr. "But he'll be in directly, no doubt, and then he'll be able to tell you all you want to know." But Mrs. Barr was mistaken. Welford was not "ia directly." As a matter of fact, he had not returned when Mr. Jervis left at ten o'clock, and he had not returned when Mr. Jervis called again at nine o'clock on Thursday morning. "as the day wore on, aad there was still no sign of Welford's return, Mr. J«rvi§ became alarmed. Eventually, he communicated with the police, but this was of little use, for at the end of forty-eight hours they had not only failed to solve the mystery of Welford's disappearance, but they had equally failed to discover what his employment was.

Anil so, OH' Saturday afternoon, Mr, Jervis wired for Sexton Blake.

Mr. Jervis met Sexton Blake at the station, and, as they drove to Bridge. Street, the lawyer explained to the detective how and why he was interested in the case.

"About ten days ago," he said, ceived a letter from a firm of solicitors in Sydney, ifor whom I have acted before, informing me that one of their clients, named William Weiford, had died intestate, leaving a fortune of over seventy thousand pounds. From papers found in his house after his death, they said, it appeared that he was a native of Leeds, and had emigrated to Australia in 1863. They requested me, thereiore, to make enquiries in Leeds, and ascertain if he had any relatives who were entitled to the money. "I went down to Leeds," he continued, "and, with much trouble, discovered these faets: William Weiford married in 1881, and in, 1883 his wife presented him 'with, a eon, who was christened John. She died a few weeks later; and in 1883 Weiford emigrated to Australia, leaving his baby son in the charge of an aged couple named Dudley. He promised to send them money from time to time to pay for the upbringing of the child, but he never did so. In fact, after he left Leeds, nothing more was heard of him by Mr. and Mrs. Dudley. "I further ascertained," he -went on. "that" the Dndlevs left Leeds in ISB7, taking Wclford'a" son with-them. But nobody knew where they went, or whether they were now alive or dead. Consequently, on my return to Loudon last Monday, I seat out this advertisement, which appeared in all the leading London arid: provincial papers on Wednesday morning." When Sexton Blake hadi read the advertisement Mr. Jervis showed him AVcliord's telegram, and told him of his interview with Mrs. Barr, and his subsequent interview with the local police. "So that's how the mat tea- stands at present," lie concluded. "John Weiford is evidently William VYelford's son, and, as such, the legal heir to liU father's money. AVo know that he left Leeds, in 1887, witli the Dudleys; but from thait date until three weeks ago his history is a blank. All we know is tliat he came to lodge with Mrs. Barr three weeks ago; that he told her he had obtained employment in the town with an eccentric old gcntleiuan, Who had made him swear .that he would not divulge the natureofhis employment; and that every lodgings at halfpast nine in the returned at seven o'clock in the evcniHg? l^

Mr. Jervis had scarcely finished spending when the hansom drew up at 27, Bridge Street. Here the detective questioned and cross-questioned Mrs. Barr, without, IWever, eliciting any more information than she had already given to Mr. Jervis and t'he police. lie 'then requested her to show Win the room—a combined bedroom and sitting-room—-whica Weiford had occupied. For a timo his examination yielded no reeult. Presently, however, the detective made* discovery which appeared to afftrd Mm the liveliest satisfaction.

Hanging behind ;the door was a shabby tweej jacket. On the Trout of it wore several statu, and on one of the sleeves was i, daub of green paint. In one of tde side-pockets was a matchbox containing a few wax vestas. In the tickctjioekeswere four old tramway tickets.

'Here are three invaluable Hues." said -Sexton Blake, as Tie laid the coat, the matchbox, and the tickets ou the table. "This smudge of paint on the coat-sleeve might possibly prove to be a fourth clue, if only we knew its origin."

"I can tell von all about that.'' said M*C Barr. "When Mr. Welfonl came here, three weeks ago. he was wearing that coat, and he wore it every dav up to last Tuesday. When he. eaine home last Tuesday, be rtowed me that daub of paint, and be told me he had accidentally knocked up against a newlynainted lamp-post outside his employer's house." This information so obviously incrcaseid the detective's satisfaction that Mr. Jervia wa9 fain to demand an explanation. The detective laughed. "You -will agree ■with me," he said, "that, before we can hope to unravel tie myeteiy of Weiford's disappearance,

we must first know what his occupation J was, and where he went to when lie left '' his lodgings at hal'l'-past nine every morning;" "Of course!" { "Very well," said Sexton Blake. "Let ' us first deal with the question of where ( he went to every morning. Here are , lour uld tramway ticlit.'is. They are all tor the same route—irom Commercial Road lo Western Park. When you find four old .tramway tickets in a man's pocket, all lor the same route, it is safe to assume that the man in whose pocket tho tickets are found has been a pretty frequent traveller by fh.it route. "We may take it as proved, thcreicre," he continued, "iu.il Welford was in tho liabit of travelling by the trams which run from Commercial Road to Western Park. .Mrs. Barr lias told us that he never went out in the evenings after he rdturned from business. What iis the obvious deduction?" "That Welford used the trams as a ' means of getting to and from the place where he was employed," said Mr. Jervis. "That is to say, when he left here, he walked as far as Commercial Road, and took a tram irom there t<> ' Western Park." "Xot necessarily to Western Park. He may not have journeyed all the way L to Western Park. He may have alighted from the tram before it reached the Park." "He may have done so, but we have - no proof that he did." "Excuse me, we have. Look at om l> second clue—this matchbox. It bears, ', as you see, by way of advertisement, 1- the name and address of a tobacconist in Cemetery Road." " The detective turned to Mrs. Barr. i! "ft is a long time since 1 was last in Milltown," he said; "but, if 1 remember d rightly, tihe trams from Commercial o Road to Western Park run along W'esl- » em Road, aud Cemetery Road is one of t- the streets leading out of Western Road, about half a mile on this side of the <1 Park." 't "That is so," said Mrs. Barr. "Well, now," said Sexton Blake, .turn--y ing to Mr. Jervis again, "if Welford 1- purchased this box of mulches, as he -d evidently did, at a tobacconist's shop in K Cemetery Road, it is a fair deduction. i J I think," chat lie was in the habit of If' alighting front the tram before it reaohed tibo Park, and turning down 5 * Cemeterr Road. You agree?'' d- .>Yes.» ' n "Then, in our efforits 'to find out when Welford went to every morning, we havi E1 " now traced him as far as Cemetery DU Road. Can we trace him any farther: fe" I think we can." ■He pointed to the smudge of paint oi ne the coat-sleeve.

"WelfoTd told Mrs. Ban- on Tuesday ■'*" night," lie said, "ithat -this was due to his 1 having accidental!}' knocked up against a freshly-painted lamp-post out"c side Ms employer's house. If we can. l' e find a street or road in the neighbor- '"" hood of Cemeitcry Road in which the ra " lamp-posts were newly painted last se " Tuesday, we shall have found the street b e in which Welford's employer lives. "And now for our last clue,'' he continued, pointing to the stains on the froalt of ithe eoat. "This stain is due to r ~~ iodine. This has been caused by nitric acid, and this, in all probability, by bro- '"" mide. This smells of ammonia, and this : * of sulphuretted hydrogen. In a word, all these stains have been caused by ■'"' chemicals. What is the obvious conclusion? Is it not it'liat Welford's work wt [ay amongst chemicals—in other words, that he was employed in. a chemical laboratory?" ' m ! The words had scarcely crossed his F r lips ere Mrs. Barr exclaimed: .•ho "Xow I know! I know where he went 1"' to! I know who his employer was! !m- Professor Allen, the borough analyst, who is also the professor of chemistry ' e '' ait Milltown. College, lives in Junction r n Road. And Junction Road leads out of bis Cemetery CRoad." "Then we'll pay 'him a visit," said he Sestom Blake to the lawyer. "Come as k along."

The lamp-posts in Junction Koad hail obviously been recently repainted. A policeman informed tbein that the lampposts tell been repainted on the previous Tuesday. He also directed them to the borough analyst's house.

SProfcssor Allen listened to the drfti tive's story with tho greatest intcrc: and also with a twinkle in his eye.

"So," he said, "youT elues have led you rto the conclusion dJial I am tho eccentric old gentleman who employed Wolford and made, him swear that lie wouldn't reveal the nature of his employment. It is- a pity to demolish such an artistically-constructed theory; but, as a matter of fact, I have never seen AYelford, and know nothing of him. Moreover, I have no laboratory here, as I do all my work at my office in Commercial Road."

"Then I owe you an apology for troubling you," said Sexton Blake. "All the same, I am none the less convinced that'iny artistically-constructed theory, as you are pleased to call it, is sound. Weiford was undoubtedly employed by somebody who is interested in chemical research, and who lives in this neighborhood. Do you know of anybody answering to that description?" "Yes. At number ninety-six, over the way, lives poor old Sir Charles Clutton. You remember him, ofcour.se? He was once one of our foremost authorities i.i chemistry.

"For "the last five years." be continued, "Sir Charles lias been undoubtedly mad. though .not mad enough to warrant his being put under restraint. Two years ago he built Jiimseli a laboraitory alt the back of 'his house, with ironIbarred! windows, steel-plated doors, burglar-alarms, and all the rest of it; and rumor has it that he spends all his time in itrying to discover the Philosopher's Stone and the Elixir of Life." "A modern alchemist!" said Sexto'.i Blake, with a laugh. "Exactly. His household consists* of himself aiid an old housekeeper; and I regularly, about once a month, he udI vertLses'for a confidential assistant, who But I'll show you one of his atl- [ vertisCmeufe." A moment later he produced the fol- | lowing advertisement for the detective's inspection: WASTED, a well-qualified assistant for research wort in important chemical investigation. Must be prepared to take oath of secrecy. Liberal salary.—Apply bv letter only in first instance to Sir Charles Clutton, F.R.S., 'JO, Junction Road, Milltown." "To mv ccrtaiu knowledge," said Professor Allen, "he has had ten assistants in uhe last'twelve months, but all of them have left him, after a few weeks' employment, on account oi' his insane behaviour." "Thank you! Xow we'll go across and interview Sir Charles Cluttou," said Sexton Blake. | IV. Sir Charles was not at home. He had left for London on Wednesday night. Such was the information vouchsafed I by his housekeeper at Xo. 00. "Perhaps yon can tell us what we wish to know." said Sexton Blake. "We have called to enquire about a young fellow named Weiford. You recognise the name, I see. Am, I right in supposiirr he was Sir Charles' assistant!" ■•Yes," replied the housekeeper; "lint Sir Charles dismissed him. ra Wednesday oveniiisr. 'i« .consequence of a quarrel thev bad had." ••Do vou know what tliey quarrelled about?" "1 don't. I was out shopping at the time. Whin T went out. Sir Charles and Mr. Weiford were in the laboratory: but when T came back Mr. Weiford had L'one. the laboratory was locked up and in darkness, and Sir Charles was in his bedroom, packing his portmanteau. "lie was very excited and strange in his ma liner." she continued. "I asked him whv he was packing his bag, and he snid'he was- going up lo London Jo hunt, for a new assistant, as Mr. AVclf, nf and he had .quarrelled, and he had dismissed him on the. spoil," "So you didn't actually see Mr. AA elfordt leave?" said Sexton Blake. "X«."

"Have von ever been into the laboratory since .Sir Charles went away?" '•\o In tlie first j.lace. Sir Charles has the krv, and. in the second place, he doesn't'allo'w aiivbody but himself and his assistant to go into the laboratory." The detective turned to Mr. Jerns. "Welford was here on Wednesday evenine." lie said. "Nobody saw him leave. "-Tie and Sir Charles quarrelled, and immediately afterwards Sir Charles departed for London, leaving no address. Nobody has been into the laboratory sine*. ' Our course 5s elear. I think?" The lawyer modded. His face was verv white. '■We'd better have a policeman.' he said. "Hhe policeman whom they bad previously .(|uestion'ed was still at Hie end of the read. He listened to their story, and accompanied them to (lie laboratory —a prison-like building, in a soclmb'.rt eorner of the grounds at the back of the bouse. , And b'ere, on bursting open the door, they found Jotei Welford—not dead, as to bit fearcd-nofc even seriously in-

jiu-i-il—but half dead with (.•old and' ■hunger. ,

T.ha explanation was simple. Sir Charles, in .Welford's words, llad bowl "madder than ever'' on Wednesday evening, and, amongst other things, had conceived the idea that Welford was

trying to rob him of his precious formula, dor tho manufacture of the Elixir of Life! Angered by Welford's amused denial of this charge, he had] struck him a blow which had momentarily stunned him. Then, in a mad lit of terror, fully believing that he had murdered his assistant, he had locked up the laboratory and had fled to London, where he was subsequently discovered, hiding under aji assumed name, in a third-class hotel in Blooinsbury. He

is now in an asylum. Tho irom-oarrcd windows and the i steel-plated door had prevented Welford, getting out; whilst tho distance of the, building from the house had .prevented his shouts being heard. He had thus been kept a prisoner, without food and drink, from Wednesday evening until Saturday night. That he would have perished of starvation if it had not been for Sexton Blake admits of little doubt.—From "Answers."