"TWO ON THE ROAD"

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 November 1938, Page 10

"TWO ON THE ROAD"

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT COPYRIGHT.

BY

JOHN MACLEOD

CHAPTER XXIII. —Continued. “Good Lord!” broke in .Emmerson “This is terrible.”

“I got some more yet,” continued Shep. “We didn’t know nothin’ about them forged notes until just the other night. Lakin or his sister saw me arriving here with that case, ’cause that same night a bloke breaks into Smith’s room an’ was makin 1 off with the case, when I stopped ’im. You saw that bloke,” he said to Emmerson. Emmerson nodded mechanically. All three were stagered by this news. It was an even bigger shock to them than the arrest of Smith. Smith was a stranger, but Lakin was a well known society figure, and he was engaged to Marie. It seemed incredible that it should be true, but Shep’s evidence could not be doubted. He would never dare to concoct such a story against a man of Lakin’s standing. “The day we went to the golf links,” went on Shep, “I just got back in time to save it from bein’ pinched again. This time it was Lakin himself, an’ I met ’im as he was marchih’ out of the door with it. Turned white ’e did, and told me he wanted to borrow it to send some things to be laundered.” Shep smiled grimly. “I gave ’im the other case, an’ told ’im the one ’e had was broken in the fastenin’s. That mad two attempts to get it, an’ we began to get suspicious, an’ when we examined that case more closely, we found the fivers. They was hidden behind the linin’.” If the jewels hadn’t been pinched last night, they fivers would’ve been handed to the police today.” Emmerson commenced pacing backwards and forwards, restlessly. “Good heavens!” he exclaimed. “What a shock!”

He stopped suddenly in front of Marie. “There’s no doubt, Marie, we are very heavily in Shep’s debt. An hour ago he saved you from death, and now he has probably saved you from something worse.” Marie nodded slowly. She was thunderstruck, and even yet, could scarcely realise what it all meant. To think that she was engaged to such a man, and him already married. “You remember,” said Betty, “I said’ that it I had to pick a scoundrel between the two, it wouldn’t be Mr Smith?” I Emmerson turned to Shep. “You have rendered us all a great service, Shep, and I won’t forget it. We must take this story to the police at once.” : Shep backed away in alarm. “No no, not me. I sat on a policeman at Suicide Bend, an’ they’re lookin’ for me.” “But you must, Shep, you must!” : broke in Marie. “For Mr Smith’s sake —for my sake.” “I don’t think you have much to be afraid of from the police,” assured Mr Emmerson. “The information you’re bringing them is worth far ' more than any satisfaction they’d get from punishing you. They’re looking for you all right, but it’s your evidence they want. You’ve only made, one or two mistakes; any of us can do that, but if you don’t go to the police with this story you’ll be making the bigest mistake of all. After all you’ve done for us, Shep, I’ll risk breaking the law myself and let you go if you want to, but if you do —I’ll be disappointed.” “But what about them jewels?” He pointed to Betty. There’s the culprit. Mis Walford took them to wear to the theatre that night.” “They aren’t pinched?” .“No.” Shep pondered the matter over for a moment; then making up his mind, he said very decidedly: “I’ll come!” Emmerson laid a hand on his shoulder. - . “I knew you would ,Shep.” He rubbed his chin, thoughtfully. “We’ll have to get away without Lakin seeing us. You slip out of the house, and we’ll pick you up further down the drive. I will instruct the servants to say that I’m taking Marie to see a doctor after her ordeal in the river.” Shep, accordingly, made his way out of the house as unobtrusively as possible, and, after following the river path for a little way, he doubled back and waited for Mr Emmerson at the entrance to the drive. Here he was presently picked up, and the drive to Weyburn began. Shep thought as they drove along that, perhaps, after all, he had been a little bit hasty in deciding to come with Emmerson to the police. I'n spite of Mr Emmerson’s assurances, he approached the interview with the gravest forebodings, and the nearer he came to Weyburn the gloomier he became. When they finally alighted in front of the police station, he surveyed the uninviting pile of masonry as though he were a condemned man looking at his scaffold, and, as he entered the door, he heaved a heavy sigh of resignation, which brought a smile to the face of Mr Emmerson. They advanced to a large desk, where an elderly man in uniform was writing. He looked up as they approached and laid down his pen. “Well,” he inquired genially, “what can I do for you?” Emmerson explained their business, and introducing Shep, invited him to tell his story. If Shep had been nervous before, he was doubly so now. The sight of the uniform was bad enough but the keen eyes that were turned on him when Emmerson introduced him, left him on the verge of panic. . . . He began in a halting ■ voice, triping himself up occasionally, until Mr Emmerson came to his assistance, and by patient prompting here and there, gave him a feeling of confidence. The man at the desk, too noticing his nervousness, endeavoured to put him at his ease, so that Shep gradually settled down and gave a fairly clear account of himself. When he had finished, the man at the desk turned and spoke to someone on his left. Shep started; he had no idea there had been a second man ■ present. A high, partition-like wall ob- . scured the hidden one, and Shep stared hard as a voice commenced to read out his voice commenced to read out his statement, word for word. “That correct?” asked the man at and with a shaky han'.!,

signed the papers that was pushed towards him. Again, the man the desk spoke to the person behind the partition, and a man, also in uniform, appeared from behind it and left the room. “This seems to clear the atmosphere,” went on the man at the desk, “Your story fits in with Smith’s for the most part. The Lakin element, of course, is a new one. It seems certain that he’s the man we want, but to make assurance doubly sure, I’ll just get Inspector Wade to identify you.” Shep looked at him in alarm. “Is that the bloke I sat on?” he asked, in a scared voice. “That’s the ‘bloke,’” was the smiling answer. “Gee!” muttered Shep, in dismay. There a sound of footsteps behind them, and a plain clothes man walked smartly forward. He peered into Shep’s face as he passed and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Know this man?” asked the man at the desk. “I do!” Inspector Wade smiled, “but Hie last time I saw him he needed a shave, and he wasn’t quite so prosperous looking.” He turned back to Shep. “1 owe you one for Suicide Bend.” Shep backed hastily * away. “It was a —a accident, I mean —it wasn’t a accident. What I mean to say is, it was a mistake. There was a general smile at Shep’s discomfiture, and at this moment, Smith was brought in. He stared at his friends in surprise, and his eyes, travelling to Marie first, met a smile that meant more to him at that moment than all else in the world. Emmerson shook hands with nim warmly, and apologised for having doubted him. While Marie and Emmerson were telling him all that had occurred since last night, the man at the desk was giving instructions to Inspector Wade. “Take a couple of men and go along to Cranford Hall and pull this Lakin gentleman in. Better bring the woman, too. I don’t know whether there s anything against her or not, but she might not be so handy when we want her.” After the detective had gone, Emmerson approached the desk. “Now, what about these two gentlemen?” he asked. The man at the desk looked at them with a smile. “Well, a warrant was. issued for these gentlemen, but I think I can safely say that all they’re likely to be wanted for now will be evidence, when the trial comes on. Can you guarantee their appearance?” “I’ll guarantee their appearance,” assured Emmerson. “When they’re wanted, they’ll be here.” At this moment. Smith came forward. “Now that I’ve heard of my friend’s discovery with regard to Lakin, I fancy I can supplement it a little. Since I went to Cranford Hall I’ve been under the impression that Lakin was a detective, and two or three nights ago, while walking in the garden, I overheard a conversation between Lakin and some other man he addressed as Tim. By what I heard, I came to the conclusion that they were preparing to arrest me on Tuesday night, and Tim was to come to Cranford Hall and remain hidden until Lakin came for him. Now, of course, I now it was a robbery they were planning, and Tim was to be there to take the stuff away, while Lakin was to follow in a few days’ time. I didn’t want to be arrested before the new river channel was finished, and I thought that, by detaining Tim, I would postpone my arrest. I had overheard Tim give his address to Lakin, so I sent him a telegram, telling him not to come before Thursday night.” The man at the desk.smiled. “Good idea,, that. Thanks. We’ll be on hand tomorrow night, when Tim makes his appearance.” As they walked to the door Shep could hardly believe his good fortune. To be turned loose after having sat on a policeman seemed incredible and he half expected to be called back. They reached the car in safety, however, and, to Shep’s relief, they were allowed to start up and depart, unmolested. CHAPTER XXIV. Smith was given a warm welcome back to Cranford Hall by the Waifords and Cyril. The dramatic turn of events had come as a shock to everyone. Lakin had been standing speaking to Mr Walford on the lawn when the police had arrived, and, thinking they had come for Shep, he had been taken completely by surprise. At dinner that night excitement ran high, and conversation was naturally centred around Lakin and Mira. No mention was made of Smith’s circumstances before coming to Cranford Hall, and, although Smith appreciated this delicacy of feeling, he, nevertheless, felt his position keenly. They knew, now that he had been a tramp and had really come amongst them as a fraud, yet they were treating him as though he were some very dear friend, who had just returned after a long absence. He’ tried to get a chance to speak to Mr Emmerson after dinner, but he could not catch him alone. He wanted to thank him for all the trouble he had taken on behalf of himself and Shep, and to tell him that they would be leaving in the morning. It would be impossible to stay on amongst them after all that had happened.

In the smoke-room Mr Walford was present, and just as Mr Emmerson left the room he started to tell Smith a story. Smith was anxious to follow Emmerson, but couldn’t very well leave until Walford had finished. For ten minutes he claimed Smith’s attention, and at the end of that period Cyril made his appearance and asked Smith to come and make a fourth at billiards with Betty and Marie. Despairing of speaking to Emmerson that night, lie followed Cyril from the room, just as Emmerson returned. “Come on.” cried Betty, as they entered the billiard room. ‘We want to see if you know as much about billiards as you do about golf.” “I don’t,” confessed Smith, with a smile. They played for nearly tvzo hours, at the end of which time Marie and Smith had been soundy beaten. Smith was in no mood for concentrating on

anything, and Marie was much too excited with all that had happened. They left Betty and Cyril playing a ’single game and went out on to the balcony. It was beautiful night. A full moon was just appearing over the tops of the trees, whose shadows, which were cast across the lawn, seemed to be dancing a.grotesque jig, as a light northerly breeze stirred their leafy branches. The hum of night insects could be heard above the low rustle of the trees, and the occasional peep! peep! of I waterfowl came from the direction of I the lake. (To be Continued.)