THE STORYTELLER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 256, 4 December 1909, Page 3

THE STORYTELLER.

CHE GROSVENOR SQUARE MYSTERY' BOW SEXTON IiLAKK KKCUvtItKO THE alAl'ii

There was not in London a liappiel Couple than Sir George lintou and his •wife Ellen until a series ot most extraordinary and quite inexplicable thetu threw a gloom over their nouseiioiu, ana ended by almost creating an actual spirit Of mutual suspicion anu reciprocal mistrust between the two themselves. They were both wealthy. Sir Ueorge Occupied a trusted position as under-

secretary in the Foreign Office. His wife's drawing-room.-, were thronged by the very bloom, as it were, of ail tuat the world-metropolis could oiler in art ftnd literature, science, and politics. Their house in Grosvenor squarefamiliarly known as the Urange—was' an ancient mansion, and it was furnished in the heavy style of the early Victorian era. Jits prevailing air was solidity. It had thick, solid doors, witu ■olid keys and solid bolts to each. Its Shutters and windows were souu.

It seemed, therefore, that the very imp of levity had invaded its solid atmosphere when things of unique value, began to disappear mysteriously from the locked apartment sacred to Hie use of Sir George and his wile. The apartment consisted of four intercommunicating Moms Lady Hilton s loom on the west, her boudoir next to it on the east, and next to that the bathroom, and beyond that again sir George's room. i'he apartment could only be entered by the doWB which gave tespectively from each of the r 0,01113 on to the corridor, and each of these doors was fitted with patent locks, bolts, ana burglar alarms, as also were the shutters at the windows, all of which overlooked the square, some thirty feet beneath.

The first of these inexplicable disappearances occurred one evening wiien lidy Hilton, having dressed lor dinnci, save for the rings she had left in her bedroom in a tray on the toilet-table near the door leading into the corridor, \ns awaiting ih her boudoir the completion of Sir George's toilet, and carrying on with him a more or leas continued conversation through the (open doors. All the doors leading into the corridor were locked. AU the windows were ■buttered, save for the foot "of space at the top, where the circulating ventilators were open. Sir George, strolling through bis wife's boudoir, preceded her through the bedroom to opea the door for her.

Bis wife, pausing at the tray where the bad left her rings, gave aa exclamation of alarm, which stayed Sir ueorges band as he was about to shoot back Uie bolt. The four rings—priceless heirlooms —were gone, ilu vain tuey searched, both for rings and concealed tmei. There was nu one m the room, J.ue bolts of all the doors were shot. But the rings were gone. Nor were the experts of Scotland lard able either to trace them or to offer any feasible explanation of their disappearance. in iact, their conclusion was briefly summed up in the nasty dilemma, "It Sir George hasn't got them, his wite must have."

After that Sir George's scarfpins ana his diamond solitaire ring vanished; then a priceless pearl pendant belonging to his wife, then a purseful of sovereigns, then a necklace of rubies—and always when Sir George and his wife were together in the rooms, with the doors and windows secure from intrusion. The chimneys' were out of the qnestios, for they were barred both at the top and above the grates. The position had already become intolerable, and almost grotesque, when a tragic climax was put upon it by tne disappearance of a packet of State papers which Sir George had left in the pocket oi his coat thrown over a chair, while he proceeded to take his preprandial tub. When he returned to his room the coat was on the floor, and the .envelope containing the papers had vanished. This time he knew that his wife had mot even been near his room. He called ier in, and in an agitated voice broke the news to her. i

"ATe they of great importance?' she asked.

"My dear," he said gravely, "the despatch is a communique to the French Government of what we are prepared to do in her aid in case Turkey persists in playing into the hands of Germany in the Near East. Unless I have them by to-morrow morning 1 am ruined and disgraced, and my career is at an end.""l'hen there's only one thing to be done," said Lady Union, with emphasis. "Send for Sexton Blake." And they did.

Blake had solved many a "poser" in his vivid and varied career, but he had never before met with one that s*o "lett him on the mat" as did this.

The personnel of Sir George's household did not afford any clue. "There is not a person in my employ," said Sir George, "who has not been with me for at ten years, with the sole exception of the Swiss governess, and she has been here a year." "And she is a good and sweet woman," said Lady hilton, "as ingenuous as a child." "Has she been out this evening?" asked Blake, with sudden suspicion.

"Oil, dear, n"o!" said Lady Hilton. ''l will enquire if you like. But I am sure she lias not. Sue never goes out alone, -except to early service at half-past six .at St. Margaret's." "To ilass, i suppose!" asked Blake. "No, she is a Protestant, but most .devout," replied lady Hilton. "And the rooms opposite yours in the .corridor!" aaked Blake, "How are they .occupied?" "The one opposite mine is occupied by my private secretary—Julian Herder, said Sir tieorge. "The other three are guest rooms, and at present vacant." "Bid youi secretary know you had these pajers!" asked Blake. "No one knew," replied Sir George. "It waa only at the last moment the ohief asked me to look over them and see that all was right." "And Mr. Herder has been with you some ti"'"pursued Blake. "Fifte . replied Sir George. "1 have tli- i . ontidence in hiui. In fact, wliea n... ~ife and I go away—which we often do—we always leave our "■ house here entirely in his charge, and as he has practically control of the many valuables in it, -he could have robbed us right and left had he been so disposed.". "May I ask if 1 could 'occupy the xoom opposite yours to-night, Lady llilton!" as>a'<l Blake. "And that no one, not even the servants, may know of my presence. By LUe way, have any of your guests ever suffered similar loss?';*" "The Duchess of Bury, who was staying a few months since in the room you are about to occupy averred that she had lost her diamond necklace under 1 . exactly similar conditions," replied Lady Hilton. "But as 1 had told her of our ; stran»e experience, and as she was up to . her eyes in debt, 1 really did not believe her, though Hcorge paid the 'value of the necklace." Blake rubbed his hands gently to--gether, and almost purred in his contentment. "I think I can promise you the ■papers, Sir George," he said, "before Ibreakfast time to-morrow morning. And I should not be surprised if I recovered, also, your more personal possessions, in<.|i, the duchess's necklace. And now, if-you will excuse me, I will retire to iny room." Sir George showed him across. Ihe i orridw was in darkness. But Blake's keon eyes' had nearly the visual faculty of a cat in the dark, and he smiled grimv to himself as he entered the room id locked and bolted the door, for he ould have sworn that in the far end of the Corridor, beyond Sir Georges xoom, there was the figure of a ™>n 111 a long grey dressing • gown blotteu against the wall. °jji 8 bed was in the centre of the room. He arranged a lralster in it, heaped the clothes about the pillow, then ato'e across to Uu ' ' l °,° r rigid against the wall, to the left of the •hinges.

Jt was at five-thirty the next that Blake left his' room on tip-toe, locked his door behind h.ni, W the kev. crept noiselessly across to j^l v Hilton's door, where for a coup Minutes he stood as . hstenmg. Then lie made his way silently Hie stairs let himself out by the hail wl.i.b be closed after him and snapped '«<* the catch with a httl «tccl blade of bis own contrivance, and fc'rt t/jiinod t-C struct. , \t six-twentv lie was making his way down the street in which St. Mar^ re ' 3 Cfauccb lies, «<i following, from tUe op-

posite side, the neat, trim figure of the Uiltons' governess, of whom ho hail never lost sight since she stepped demurely out of the front door of the Orange twenty minutes previously. Just as demurely she stepped into tho porcli of St. Margaret's Church, an! 1 Blake's keen eyes noted that she transferred a brown parcel to a heavilycloaked man, who, without saluting her, immediately stepped into the street aid made with quick steps towards liruton street. Make shadowed him, and as the man was inserting his latchkey into hi. door, Blake's hand gripped his'am. ''l have you covered," said the detective sternly. "You are my prisoner. Lead the way to your rooms. If you make the slightest fuss, you go to Bow-street, and II doubt if your employers will thank you for the scandal " "I am in your hands," said the ot ler man coolly. He led the way up to his room, and as he opened the door, Blake snapped a pair of handcuffs over his wrists, ami, thrusting a hand into his cloak, drew out tho brown parcel. 'That is all 1 want from you at present, Herr Baron;' he said. "I shall lock you in your room, and if you are wise you will wait quietly my return. I will not keep you long." Blake pushed him gently in, locked the door, pocketed the key, and regained the street. Making his way leisurely to St. Margaret's, he opened the parcel, made sure that, the packet contained Sir George's despatch, scanned a short note, written in a fine, scholarly hand, and arrived at the church just as the Hiltons' governess was leaving it. He followed her leisurely, and re ] joined iier on the Grange doorstep. As j the door opened, the governess, with a slight bow, would have passed him. Hut , he detained her with a gesture. j "Sir George wishes to see you,' he said, and noted her eyes dilate witu j sudden fear.

"Sir George 13 in the library, sir, said the butler, and led the way there. "Sir George was there, with his wile and the secretary, who, seeing the governess enter with Blake, half started from his chair, and sat uown again, pale to the lips. "Your despatch, Sir George," said tne detective coolly, handing the document to the baronet "And this letter, sir, he said, turning to the secretary, "is, 1 believe, yours." Herder stretched out his hand mechanically, and Blake, with a switt movement,, braceleted it in a handcuff, threw himself on him, and gatiiered his other wrist into the feiiow-bracelet. Herder sat livid, speechless. The governess had sunk half fainting into a chair. Sir George and his wife had sprung to their feet dismayed. "What ■on earth " began the baronet, in a tone of exasperation. Blake stayed him with a gesture, holding out to him the letter taken from the fateful parcel. "That, 1 think, is his writing," lie said. "1 took it from Baron X., of Brut'on-street, with the despatch. Both were handed him by that lady, whc, you will lind, is your secretary's wife. Your jewellery you will no doubt find concealed in her boxes."

"But, Mr. Blake, what does it mean? How did you find out?" cried Lady Hilton.

"It means," said Blake drily, "that Herder grew tired of dependence auu honest work, and determined on a Xite of ease. Being a careful and ingenious being, he pursued a plan that very nearly baffled even my skill. As you sec from the note there, his wife was to receive fifty thousand pounds from the baron to-morrow, and they would then have chosen discreet moments to withdraw from your service with your jewels. You tound my note this morning!"

"Yes. And have never ceased to wonder how it came to be on Iny bed, cried Lady Hilton. "I threw it in," said Blake, "by the same way in which Herder ingeniously devised a means of entrance. Your rooms, like the duchess's, had been entered by the door, had been unlocked and unbolted from the outside, and relocked and rebolted again from the outside. It was the only possible explanation. And you yourself named the only possible man who could have controlled such a feat when you told me that your secretary frequently had the house at his disposal. 1 confess 1 could not conceive how he could have done it. tt never entered my head to imagine it. But I saw that he suspected my disguise in the drawing-room, and I caught sight of hiui in the night concealed in the corridor, as I crossed it to my room, and 1 felt quite sure that he would satisfy himself I was in bed before he proceeded to visit his wife's room anu give her instructions. 1 therefore arI ranged a dummy figure in my bed and | flattened myself behind my door.

"I had n-ot long to wait. At two o'clock I heard a faint noise, and my eyes, accustomed to -the darkness, saw the panel of my door—the panel below the lock—glide swiltly, gently up. A ray of light shone in on my bed, and 1 saw Herder's face —masked—give -one glance in. Then the panel moved downwards again. "I waited an hour. Then I left my room, assured myself, by listening at his door, that he was asleep, and, returning, examined the panel. Once in possession of the secret, the discovery of the mechanism was child's play. The top panel was h'ollow, and twice the thickness of the bottom. By a pressure of the bottom groining it could be slipped up into the one above, giving to the operator access' to the bolts and key within. "1 wrote your note, and tested the facility of the mechanism By raising your panel a few inches, and throwing the letter in. Then I quitted the house, and followed ill's. Herder, with the result you know. The baron is at present handcuffed and locked in his rooms, anu awaits your disposal."—Answers.