Was He the Man?

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10211, 13 April 1911, Page 2

Was He the Man?

OUR SERIAL.

BY F. !>. DACRE, „ nf "A Phantom of the Past," "Tronholme's Trust," "The Doctors Secret/' '1 Loveless Marriage," "Sir John's Heiress'," etc.

CH A PTER Xll . —Continued. Morel was Iho first to speak. "It's certain our man's not come !,v this vessel, unless lie's still below. But that we can soon find out, for we can get aboard now." "Yes; hut 1 am afraid wo have come on a. fool's errand." 1 replied. "At any rate wn can learn whether any oilier person has taken passage in this ship under the name of Denver. To 1 :iow that will ■ he something, anyhow." [ led the way across the gangway. The captain was standing a few yards from the other end or it, his watchful eye:; shifting about in all directions. A man of about fifty years of age, of middle height, square-built and muscular. He had keen grey eyes, and his face was of a ruddy bronze, from exposure to all weathers. Wo had learned that his name was Grimshaw. Approaching him somewhat ahead of my companions, I remarked : "I came down in the hope of meeting a passenger named Denver; but, as I can see nothing of him, I fear he must have travelled by another vessel. "Denver?" repeated Captain Grimshaw. "Wh.i*. M a.jor Denver? Yes, ho'started witlvrs fmmCapetown, but ho wont ashore at Gibraltar."

Morel made a ge-turo of annoyance, j aro his i'nr-o r.ho'wed his keen disap- | prv-tment. j "GihraU'orho joined ill, ."hut 1 how cmio your :;liip to nut in there, j captain r' Wo mad.' particular enquiries, and wero told hv the owners that j the Bramber Castle would call only at j Madeira, between Capetown and Southampton. They ought to be a little more careful in their answers to inquiries. Sometimes much depends on them.'' His tono showed an irritation he could not suppress. "The owners wero quite justified in their statement," rejoined Captain Grimshaw. "My sailing orders did not include a stoppage at Gibraltar. I can command this ship, but I cannot command the elements. Unfortunately we-got into a hard gale, and damaged our steering gear. Consequently we had to go in for repairs to the nearest port, which happened to be Gibraltar. The rough weather and the delay caused by the repairs, accounts for our late arrival;" 'Ma>.*r Doiivor Ss&id he had stveraJ friends among the garrison, and that he would go ashore and continue his journey overland. He took his traps ashore, and as ho did no.t return I presume ho did so." "H'ni!" the three of us ejaculated simultaneously. It was a very had ,set-back, indeed. "I am sorry you have had, a useless journey," resumed the captain. "Are you all friends of his?" and his [ eyese rested upon the plain clothes ofI ficer. i

"It is very important that we should ,seo him," 1 replied.

"So important," added Morel, "that if we may rr.ake a further demand upon your courtesy we should be greatly obliged by your assuranco that the passenger who landed at Gibraltar really was Major Denver." At the same time toe put his hand into his pocket, and drew forth 'the album of criminals' portraits.

jan extraordinary likeness to my lixto friend, and ho is trying to save his neck by trading 011 that likeness." After some further talk with Capt- j ain Grimshaw, wo took our leave, ask-1 ing him, for obvious erasons, not to J say anything about our conversation, j I explained L-hat, knowing our enquiries would raise suspicions, wo thought it better to bo frank with him, and lies readily promised to respect our confidence. Not a trace of our recent elation remained as wo left tho dock ; we made our way for tho train to London, a gloomy and depressed little company, and few words passed between us. I had suggested that Fitzgerald might have been in hiding at Southampton, having reached it by a roundabout route, in order to travel tlienco to London to lend colour to his statement that he arrived by the Bramber Castle, but Morel thought tho possibility too remote to bo entertained. Wo obtained a compartment to ourselves, and tho affair was discussed as wo made car way toward London again. "Wo'vo missed him this time," said Morel, "and must make the best of it; but our patience will not be tried much longer. There is little doubt, I think, that Fitzgerald is in London at this moment. He has had ample time to outstrip tho steamer, even if 110 did not take the most direct route through Spain and France, which he might hesitate to do for fear of arrest in France. He might have shipped in another name from Gibraltar, or-travell-ed by rail to Oporto, and shipped froir there; ar, giving France a wide berth could work this way to Antwerp, Flushing or Osfcend, and thence to Engalnd. But, whichever way he took, you may depend upon it. he is there." "Yes," agreed Burton. "I think we shan't bo far wrong in assuming that- A j.ity we did not think of the possibility before, and have the continental ports of arrival in this country watched. But Fitzgerald will soon I put him'elf in evidence. He hasn't taken all -this trouble to lie low. His [audacity and resourcefulness seem to Ibo unbounded, and, having started on his venture, lie will go through with it. Still, it might hasten matters, and give him less time for strengthening bis case, if we prosecute our search for him —meet him halfway, instead of waiting for his arrival." "Certainly," Morel assented, "and this should not be difficult. Posing as Major Denver he will probably put up at a good hotel, at anyrateT to begin with, arriving at such a time as would fit in.with having disembarked from the Bramber Castle; within an hour or two, in fact. By employing two or three, men, and parcelling out the hotels between them, we ought soon to run him to earth, and this must be the first business for Burton and mo to see to when we arrive. In a few hours, Mr Grey, I hope that you will, receive news that we know where to lay hands on tho murderer." At Waterloo we separated, they to set a watch upon the hotels, while I went to- my rooms, to play the harder j part of waiting.

CHAPTER XIV

"Oh! Undoubtedly he was," replied the captain. I "Would you oblige me by looking | through these photographs and telling us whether he is among them,", replied Morel. "With pleasure." The captain took the album and scanned it quickly, but with care. When he had examined half the photos he stopped and: indicated ony. . 1 "This is Major Denver," he said, "and an excellent likeness, too; but your friend finds himself in strange company, for a more villainous set of j faces I never beheld." j He handed the album back to Morel j and then a smile of intelligence broke j over his face. ! "I Have a shrewd susupicion, gent- I lemen, that the major is less desirous of coming faee to face with you than ! you are with him. Eh?" j "I think it's possible," I replied. "In fact, you've a warrant for his i arrest." Morel nodded assent. "What's his crime, if it's no breach of confidence to tell rne." "Bobbery, false pretences, forgery, prison breaking, murder, and a few other irregularities," returned Morel imperturbably. "Good heavens! You don't say so," exclaimed the captain. "I should never have dreamed it! He was a genial companion, .and very popular on board. I can assure you he was very much missed." "It is to bo hoped that nothing else was missed when lie left the ship," I said. "Fortunately, I think not; I have heard no complaints from the passengers of losses. What you-tell-me is almost incredible. To think that Ave had .such a desperate criminal among us for weeks. It is evident he has given you the slip this time; I wish you better luck on the next occasion. By the way, I suppose he is not really Major Denver?" "Most certainly not," T replied energetically. "Major "Denver, who was my intimate friend, died about three months ago, murdered as we believe, by the villain who left your ship at | Gibraltar. Strange to say, he bears

A LETTER AND A CARD

When I reached my rooms I found a note from Fenton, asking me to dine with him at the Criterion, and then turn into the theatre. It was tho first night of a play written by a friend of. his.

The invitation was very welcome, for, after the failure of our expedition I needed something io rouse me from my depression. It wanted little more than half an hour to the time of Fenton's appointment; so I dressed in a hurry, put myself in a taxi-cab, and reached the Criterion in good time. We waited until the curtain fell upon a not particularly startling piece, to accord our plaudits to the author, as in duty bound, and then passed out with the crowd. I had not forgotto" Morel's promise to- call, so I asked Fenton to accompany mo to my chambers for a drink and a smokel He was almost as desirous as myself to learn whether IVorel had discovered the whereabouts of Fitzgerald. ' Wo had turned the corner, of Regent Street and Piccadilly, and just where Jermyn Street crosses the datter, I caught sight of a man getting in a hansom. It was only a glimpse of bisprofile I got, but I recognised him in.a second —it was Fitzgerald. On the impulse of the moment I called out to Fenton, "Follow me," and darted forward. I had not taken more than three strides when I stepped 011 something slippery, probably a banana skin, and down I came, shaken, but not hurt, my hat parting company with my head. Fenton in a moment was helping, me up. "Hurt old chap?" ho asked. "What was it?" (To be Continued^