THE STORYTELLER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 215, 16 October 1909, Page 4

THE STORYTELLER.

THE BLACK PEARL OF BAHREIN. SEXTON BLAKE SCORES ANOTHER BRILLIANT TRIUMPH. I. "'Orrible murder in Bond Street! Disappearance of the Black Pearl of Barrm!" The raucous yells of the newsboys reached Blake's cars as he sat leisurely finishing a late breakfast. He rang, and sent his servant down for a paper. This is what he read: "SENSATIONAL MURDER IN BONB ' SffKEET, "An extraordinary crime was committed last night in the Bond Strct establishment of Mr. Lazarus Rosenthal, the well-known dealer in gems and Eastern curios. Mr. Rosenthal, arriving at his shop at half-past nine this morning, found the door of his strong-room open and the electric light full on. Entering the vault, the first thing that met his eyes was a body which he recognised as that of Horace Minns, who had fo.merly been an employee of his own, but had been discharged about a week ago. The unfortunate man's skull was hor ribly crushed, and he was stone dead. "Further investigation proved thai the safe door had been opened, apparently by means of skeleton keys, and that the famous gem known as the Black Pearl of Bahrein had been stolen.

"The pearl was the property of Sir Curtis Bryan, and bad been entrusted to Mr. Rosenthal to 'be sold. The police theory is that Minns had an accomplice, that the two quarrelled over the spoil, and that the accomplice killed Minns and fled."

"Phew! The Black Pearl of Bahrein! That's worth something!" said Blake aloud. "I wonder "

And just then the telephone-bell tinkled sharply, cutting short the further reflections of the eminent detective.

"Is that Mr. Blake?" came a voice. "Yes. Who is itl"

"Harcourt, manager of the United ani General Insurance Company. Can you come over at once t It's about the Bond Street robbery." Fifteen minutes later Blake was at the door of the manager's office. Mr. Harcourt, a tall, good-looKinjr man, with a worried face, came forward and shook hands cordially. "Great luck, catching you at Mr. Blake!" he said. Then, glancing at the paper which the detective estill had in his hand: "1 see you've read the as count."'

"Yes. And I presume you are th* insurers of the stolen gem?" "Exactly. It's a very serious matter for us."

"Its history appeared in the paper? recently when it wa6 announced that Sir Curtis Bryan was selling it. 1 pnsume yon wish me to attempt to rceove> it?"

"I hope to goodness you can do so Mr. Blake!" said the other. "The ac complice, whoever he was, seems to bavi got clean away!" "The b;\st thing I can do is to go tn Rosenthal's place and have a look round," said Blake. 11. Blake discharged his taxi at the Piccadilly end of Bond Street, and walked rapidly northwards. He knew when Rosenthal's shop was; but, instead ol going straight to it, he dropped into a tobacconist s across the street, and ask.'d for a mild Havana. It was a shop r w sometimes dealt at, and the man recog nised him at once.

"Dreadful business, this, sir!" he begin at once. "I saw Mr. Rosenthal go in. I happened to look at the clock, and if was just the quarter past. And then, after a bit, he came out again, with hi; face like chalk, and called the police man from the corner, and then I knew something was up." The police were in possession when Blake reached the shop; but Kent, thr inspector in charge, knew Blake well and made no difficulty about admitting him.

A short; stoutish man, with black, shiny hair, and a very dark complexion, was talking eagerly to a tall, we'lgroomed young man in the little glasv office in the corner of the shop. "That's Sir Curtis talking to Rosen thai," said Kent aside to Blake. "Bui the theft won't affect either of them. The pearl was well insured." "I know," replied Blake. "I am here on behalf of the insurance people," "I thought as much," said the insp;rtor. "You'll like to see the strong room?" "If you please."

He led tie way through the shop. down a flight of steps, and through a pair of heavy iron doors into a large vault, which a blaze of electric liglt Bhowed to be packed with the moat amazing collection of Eastern curiosities which Blake had ever set eyes upon. "You're in luck, llr. Blake," said Kent "Another five minutes, and we should have had the body shifted. At present everything's just as it was when Rosenthal came in at half-past nine this morning."

"Half-past nine ?" repeated Blake, in « tone of mild enquiry.

"Yes; that's the time he tells us he came in and found all this mess."

As he spoke he stooped and lifted the sheet which covered the body of the murdered man.

Minns' body lay flat on its back in that extraordinarily rigid position often seen on battlefields where men have died with extreme suddenness. The eys were wide open; the fists were clenched by the sides. The spot where he had fallen was an open space at the far end of the vault. Beyond him, set in the wall, was the safe—a large and massive, but not particularly modem arrangement. Behind was a curiously-carved chair of some black Eastern wood, and in front, staring vacantly across the vault, towered a Hindu idol of amazing hideousness and gigantic proportions. Blake dropped upon his knees beside the body, and began a rapid examination. For a moment he fingered the head; then he looked up to Kent.

"Whoever dealt the blow must have been verv strong," he said. "The man's skull is a pulp. I see there are bioodmarks on tie floor all the way across from tli? Lase of that idol," went on Blake. "Minns must have been standing close by it when the other hit him I" "Perhaps he was admiring it?" said the inspector. "It's not beautiful," replied Blake. • 1 think it's Kala, the Hindu god of death. See, he has the trident in his right hand. and a necklet of skulls. Yes, it's Kala without a doubtl"

"Afraid I'm sadly ignorant of Hindu mythology," said Kent, repressing a yawn. "Xow I must leave you, Mr. Blake. One of my men will remain M the shop; if it's all the same to you, we'll shift the body now to the mortuary."

"By all means. I have seen as much of it as I need." As Blake spoke ',e covered !lr remains again with the sheet. "Hut I *hi'n't be leaving just yet I want I'J h.:ve a good look round. 15 Then' was a ghu-t of a smile on Sexton Blakf's lips" as he watched the inspector depart, but the moment the latter was through the iron doors the detective was all alert.

Out came a tiny ivory rule, and honce more removed the sheet, and toiA j quick but accurate measurements of til" wound in the head. He had hardly -. placed the sheet for the second tin, before the constables arrived with 0 stretcher, and carried away the crashed 1 --"fins. Then Blake was again lt.'t !■'■■; !n this strange underground mu■■•ii- .vith its glaring electric lights ' .-heavy, Eastern atmosphere, he did not move about, searching

■' '■ uhe weapon with which the murder iid been committed. Instead, he stood for some minutes on the very spot where Minns' body had lain, and gazed up at the inscrutable eyes of the huge idol, ■which stood opposite. Then suddenly he became alive again. Out came the rule, pencil, paper, and a small out powerful magnifying-glass, and' Blake set to work with sudden, silent energy. 111. It was twenty minutes before Blake heard footsteps on the 6tairs, an.l Lazarus Rosenthal came into the vault "Haf you found anything?" he asked. "Chiefly dirt," replied Blake. "Hava you any place where I could wash my hands!"

There was a little dressing-room at the hack of the shop, fitted with a fixed basin and hot and cold taps. ' Blake washed his hands, and when he had done so his next proceeding was to clip "off a tiny morsel of th 3 cake of soap, and, placing it in an empty envelop-?, drop the envelope into his breast-pocket. Then he rejoined Rosenthal. "I can't do anything more here at oresent," said the detective. "I may jrop in again." "You will find mc here any time up •So seven," Rosenthal assured him. Irfss than a quarter of an hour later lie Teas in the British Museum, enquiring (or Professor Baden.

, "Ha! you, Blake V said the professor. f "I'd like to have a translation of tha | inscription." ' Blake took out from his inner pocket a long strip of paper, on which was a rubbing in pencil. The professor glanced ! at it. _ "Pali, the sacred lauguage of Indu>, A child could read it!" he said "Not this child," replied iilake, goiiiihuuioredly. "Take pity on my ignorance, professor, and tell me the meaning." "Here it is, then!' siianpt* ihe professor. And Blake whipped out his notebook. " 'in my heart are the treasures of the Temple; but seek not to open, lest deatn come upon thee.' Got it?" "Ves, thanks,'- said Blake. "Uood-byo, professor, and many thanks." Blake drove back to Bond Street, stopping at a. post ollice on the way. Rosenthal seemed surprised to see the detective back so soon. "1 want to have one more look round to see if I can iind the weapon Minns' murderer used," explained Blake. "And, by-theby, Mr. Rosenthal, can you' tell me anything of the past history of the man? Was he ever in the Army'!" "I belief he was," replied Rosenthal. "But Ido not know, lie came to mo from Strombergs'. They can perhaps tell you more."

I Blake nodded, and passed dowu iulo the vault, where he began a search through the forest of curiosities with which the place was stocked. Rosenthal watch him for a little while, and then a customer came in a smart-looking young man, who, if the curio-dealer had only known it, wau in reality Tinker, Blake's clever assistant, to whom his chief had telephoned on his way bacit from the museum. The moment Rosenthal was away Blake deftly closed the iron doors, and went straight to the giant idol, the black god Kala. He climbed on to the pedestal, and. catching hold (3 the left arm of the monstrous image with his own right hand, began feeling with his left ovefl the wide expanse 01 the deity's chest. Presently, amid the carved drapery, lis cautious fingers encountered a smali letal ring. "Got it!" he muttered in triumph. _

And, whipping out a piece of' stout cord from his pocket, he tied one end lirmly to the ring, and, holding the other, walked back some paces. , "My head'e pretty thick," he chuckled grimly, "but I'm not taking any risk?, thank you!" So saying, he gave the cord a sharp tug. The result was startling. As a square section of the idol's chest fell open, the huge right arm dropped with a silent but terrifying force, and the ponderous trident club fairly whizzed through tlio lir. "No wonder Minns' skull was pulped!" exclaimed Blake.

And, drawing himself up to the opening in ths idol's chest, he thrust his hand in, and, aftc v a moment's fumbling in the cavity, drew out a small morocco case.

"1 thought so!" .he exclaimed triumphantly, as there, In its nest of white velvet, shone and glistened with iridescent lustre the famous Black Pearl of Bah. rein.

liapidly pocketing the pi-nrl. her lumped down, and carefully exaniin.'d :he trident club, ending by "putting hi? nose dose to it and smelling it. Then, climbing buck on to the pedestal, ne pressed the open flap buck with ill his force. Slowly the giant right tini. and the club it grinned in its giant fingers, rose to its former'portion. Presently there was a slight snap, and all was as !>. f„rc.

Another minute, mid Blake was back ; n the shop, where the smart young' uan was stfll deep in conversation with Rosenthal.

"I "nave quite finished for the present, Mr. Rosentha),"-said Biakc. 'Til let you know if anv further developments occur." Leaving the shop. Blake went straight o the insurance olliee, where he Amazed larcourt bj asking nim to ring up oscnthal at once and request his imiciliatc presence. When the manager had done so Blake lokc again, giving exact directions hat to say when Rosenthal appeared.

It seemed a very long time, but was <M really quite halt an hour, before the urio-dealer, with a jaunty air i,ut Mizzled f.iee, was ushered in." Iliircourt greeted Win gravely. "Mr. Rosenthal." he said abruptly, "i vishrd to tell v<m that we are not satis'■•d about this 'business of the stolen learl. Wc mean to fight the case!" "Kicht the ease!" exelaimed the taller. ''Why, you haf not a leg to tand upon! Tt is a; clear a ease of ■ a« efl'er was seen!" "Quite s'>," returned, llaieourt drily. 'But the question is, who was t'ie Inrglar?" "J'hat i« for you to find out." said Rosenthal.

"We have found out," replied liarourt quietly. "At least, this gentleman lias"—pointing to Sexton Blake, Sexton Blake came forward. "Yes, Mr. Rosenthal. When you arived at vour shop tliis morning at a ■jiiartcr past nine, not half-past, as you old }!r. Kent, you found this man linns dead on the floor, and the idea ■•■currcd to yon that .here was a chance n a million to steal the pearl. You ipencd the safe yourself and took out lie p'ari. Then you washed the idol's iub clean of the blood which bespat~re;l it, an-1 pushed it back to its former oosition. Then you hid tile pearl and al!?d the police. Those are my deductions." 'Those are your deductions, a>c they?" Rosenthal remarked scornfully. 'And wliot proof haf you? Where is der pearl?" For answer, Bloke drew from his inocket the little red morocco ease, and -napped it open. There lay the great .black pearl on its bed of white velvet. Rosenthal's face went an ugly ash color; his prominent eyes goggled horribly. Then suddenly down he went flop on his knees on the floor. "Haf .pity!" he begged. "I will confess it alll"

I "It was all simple enough," said Blake afterwards, in reply to a question from Harcourt, "from the moment that I realised that the wound on Minns' head had been made by the idol's club. Minns, you see, had been a soldier, and had served in India, where he had evidently ;pickcd up enough of the Pali language to decipher the inscription on the base of the image. Of course, he did not come after the pearl. As a matter of fact, he probably knew nothing about the gem. for he was discharged at a moment's notice two days before Sir Curtis left it with Rosenthal.

"Equally, of course, Minns had no accomplice. He broke in with the object, of stealing the treasure which he believed to be in the idol's heart. The moment he pulled the ring the hidden mechanism caused the club to fall and kill him. The rest yon know."—Aniwors.