"DEATH GOES BY 'BUS"

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 December 1939, Page 10

"DEATH GOES BY 'BUS"

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT.

COPYRIGHT.

BY

LESLIE CARGILL

(Author of “The Yellow Phantom,” “The Arrow by Night,” etc.)

CHAPTER XXI Continued. “Quite as usual, even to the extent of supposing the revenge to be accomplished. Queer, though, I thought from the beginning that was the motive for the murder. I remember askMatthews if he knew a word of seven letters meaning ‘in return,’ but he didn’t get my meaning.” “No,” the Superintendent retorted, "but he didn’t forget the question. He’s still worrying about the answer. So that was what you meant? Perhaps the woman can’t be left out of consideration after all. What do you think.’’ “Nothing at all. As you’ve carefully kept me out of the way of the lady you can hardly expect me to have any definite opinions. All your endeavours are being devoted to making out her innocence, although it isn’t so long ago since I told you that if you could tell me why Miss Hanson should shoot Caleb Wainwriht, I would suggest how it could be done.” "Isn’t it enough that she believed the man had done her some sort of a wrong?” “Certainly not, providing your medical superintendent's diagnosis is accurate. Paranoiacs threaten and rave, but only become dangerous in the last stages. From what I have seen of the patient she hasn’t gone that far. There’s another thing to remember—keep the trees in mind, although you’re in the forest.” “Which means?” “That Wainwright may have been a real enemy among a host of imagined ones.” “Nov; who’d have thought of that but yourself! It sounds sensible enough to me. Shall I get the doctor to sift it out?” Mr Sharpe, it seemed, had no verygreat opinion of that particular expert. "Try, if you like," he said without any enthusiasm. “Some alienists could do if they were trained psycho-analysts. But it is the most difficult thing in the world to detect one truth among a multitude of lies—or one he among a multitude of truths.” “You’re not being very helpful this time.” “Neither are you. Let me see Miss Hanson.” “Sorry, sir, but that it still quite out of the question. You’d have to get a permit from the Governor-of the gaol. “Although she's not technically in custody?” Maxley looked slightly ashamed. "To tell you the truth,” he owned, "we’ve had her certified already.” “Poor John Smith,” Mr Sharpe observed inconsequentially. The Superintendent scowled. “What do you mean by that remark?” he demanded. “Nothing! Nothing much!" The little man was a picture of innocence. “Give a dog a bad name and hang him,” he quoted softly, “though I never heard of a dog being hanged. Are you going to tell me the new evidence that’s turned up to make you concentrate once again on Smith?” “You’re guessing .again, sir!"

“I rarely guess. Your prisoner has such a bad record that it would be easy to trace a connection between him and the stolen jewels found in Wainwright’s possession. It’s no use putting on that wooden expression, which only confirms my view. Admit it!" “Smith has confessed.” This made Mr Sharpe start violently. “Impossible!" he ejaculated. “Yes, really, sir. We now have his signed statement about the Bradham business . . .”

“Oh, that! You could have proved as much without his written confession." “Wait a minute, that isn’t the whole of it. We know Smith and Wainwright had been concerned together in the robbery, and that they came to England on the same boat. Wainwright carried the swag and skipped it as soon as he got the chance. Smith got on his track and followed over half England before discovering him at Belham. Perhaps,” he added ironically, “you could do one of your deductive stunts from there?” “Easily,” Mr Sharpe retorted, and to Maxley’s chagrin he filled in the remainder of the confession to within a reasonable limit of accuracy. Wainwright had agreed to return to London, where the necklace was to be sold without delay instead of waiting for the highest offer. As Smith was known in that part of the country they travelled together, but without betraying the companionship. Even then Wainwright could not play straight. He got up early with the intention of making off again, but Smith was too clever to be fooled. The shadow was on the train to Colborough and on the bus when it left for Netherton. still, in the background and probably behaving as if nothing untoward had occurred. "But.” concluded the speaker, "your statement ends there, unless I’ve gone hopelessly astray. Smith doesn't say he shot the man. does he?" “N-no! But up to that we've got everything necessary to complete the case against him . . .opportunity, motive, and all the rest of it . . .’’ Mr Sharpe interrupted angrily with an “Absolute rubbish. You're no more advanced than previously. Take it from me; John Smith did not kill Caleb Wainwright." "Why do you say that?” “Because it is the truth.” “Then who did?” “Ask me tomorrow and I'll hand you an envelope sealed some days ago. Inside is a slip of paper, with my. er, guess—if you like to cal! it so —written down." CHAPTER XXII. I There were times when Mr Sharpe

tired of his new game. He felt it would be a relief to dispose if it and turn his attention elsewhere, although he would not rest until the solution was arrived at. Piecing together the tiny fragments, he had formulated an explanation that satisfied him. He could find no flaws in it. All that remained was.to convince the authorities and let them take appropriate action.

Meanwhile Maxley was plodding on in his painstaking way, picking up a fact here and a fact there. The more he learned, the more respect he acquired for the little puzzle-master.

“We shall find the real murderer's name written down inside that envelope,” he confessed to Sergeant Matthews. “Positively uncanny, I call it.” The Sergeant agreed. “Do you know.” he went on, “that Mr Sharpe gave me a cross-word clue, the first time I met him that described the motive. A word of seven letters meaning ‘in return,’ and I’ve only just solved it.” "Revenge! Yes, I know that one.” Matthews looked at his superior admiringly. “By jove, sir,” he said, "it didn’t take you long to work it out. ’ Maxley accepted the undeserved compliment as if he had earned it. “That would explain Smith’s part." he added. “But other people had the same motive. Let’s have a look at the dossier.” There were some more papers, fresh in that morning. One of them caused the Superintendent to grunt with surprise. Investigation had been continued with methodical efficiency, little details that added together with damning effect. It was the day of the remand hearing, but Mr Sharpe had not put in an appearance to give his promised explanation. He was still missing when the court assembled, which was annoying, for Maxley was not anxious to act without reading the contents of the sealed packet. The court room was crowded and the reporters overflowed from the box usually reserved for them, into the solicitors seats. After the remarks of the Chairman at the previous sitting, it was expected that either the police would submit startling facts or the case against John Smith would collapse. According to the “Morning Sun”: . The prisoner looked pale and worn. On entering the dock, accompanied by two uniformed warders, he glanced anxiously round before bowing to the Chairman of the Justices. Major Martinshawe (Chief Constable) intimated that he had a statement to make. . Sir Ellington Ellerslie: “Would it not be better to proceed with the evidence first?" The Chief Constable said he proposed taking the unusual course of offering no further evidence against Smith. Certain matters had come to his notice that entirely altered the complexion of the case. Sensation followed this announcement, and Sir Ellington threatened to clear the court unless order was observed. Mr Tomblin, representing Smith, asked for costs, but the Clerk suggested that this did not arise. "My client has been placed in an invidious position,’ Mr Tomblin said. “He has been wrongfully arrested and is entitled to costs, and possibly compensation.” Sir Ellington: “I am afraid you must take that matter up elsewhere. What has the Public Prosecutor to say?’ The Crown representative said he had received certain information from the police and his instructions were clear enough. He was not in a position to proceed further at the moment. Sir Ellington: “It is all most unsatisfactory, but we can do nothing more, apparently. Smith will be released at once. Any further action he decides to take is a matter for himself and his legal advisers." As Morrison Sharpe would have said, that completely eliminated one other suspect. Things were getting down to bedrock. Ninety miles away the little man read the newspaper contents bills, which told him all he wanted to know without buying the special editions, NETHERTON BUS MURDER: NEW SENSATION. That was chough in itself, but another bill announced: JOHN SMITH RELEASED. Morrison Sharpe smiled grimly and hurried to • catch a motor bus. He would have preferred that the news had been delayed another hour or more, for the premature release was likely to destroy the sense of security of the real murderer. Had he been wise, he wondered, to reserve this little personal triumph instead of talking ii over with Maxley’.' Inside his breast pocket was the envelope that contained the secret. He lingered it and felt the paper crackle. At the end of a longish ride, he left the bus and plunged into a maze of narrow streets. Ten minutes' sharp walking brought him to his destination —the dockside office of Gregor Gardopoulos. The Greek received him without surprise. He was quite alone and immediately suggested that in order to ensure privacy he should hang a "Back in half-an-hour" notice outside the door. "I think you want to talk with, me pretty quiet.” he observed. "Just a few additional questions that! were forgotten." Mr Sharpe said mildly. "Please yourself about closing the office. You don't want to drive away) customers.” | (To be Continued.)