“MAN FROM THE AIRPORT”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 January 1940, Page 10

“MAN FROM THE AIRPORT”

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT. COPYRIGHT.

By

LESLIE BERESFORD.

Author of “Mr Appleton Awakes,” “The Other Mr North,” etc.

CHAPTER XII. Continued. ‘Why, yes. You looked surprised. Has not your disreputable friend, Tucker, mentioned my name to you?” For a moment Luttner was silent. He was frightened, and could scarcely conceal his fear. But his guile had not quite deserted him. “I certainly have heard Tucker mention the name of Mr Peters—” he began, to be interrupted by the other. “Of course. Tucker came to New foundland to find me. I am—as you know quite well —the legal heir to the Accrington millions. Need I say any more?” “Sure, and what’s the use of asking a German a straight question. John. You’ll get only a crooked answer. Tell him why we’ve come. Tell him we want that stolen paper, or we’ll beat the life out of him ”

. “Shut up, Dan!” Peters interrupted the Irishman’s impetuous intervention. “I can see that we've taken Mr Luttner by surprise. He’ll recover in a, moment, and then he'll come to his ! senses. We’ll get the stolen paper all right.” “Stolen paper ?” The German, trying to control himself, laughed. “I know nothing about any stolen paper. In fact ” “In fact, you’re lying, Herr Luttner . . .” Pierre de Brissac thrust himself into the foreground, in his determined, way. “Now, just think again. We’re talking about something that was stolen from a church by that little man, who’s a friend of yours ” “One moment .. .” The German shouted to disguise his fright. He was, frankly, at his wits’ end. He realised that he liad been badly let down by Tucker. Firstly, through the theft of that slip of paper cut from the church register. Secondly, because—as somehow he had imagined it might possibly happen—the real heir to the Accrington millions was here. The German realised that he must change his tactics. “One moment . . .” he repeated. “I'd like to know, first of all, why I should be accused of having in my possession this stolen paper, about which I swear that I know nothing ” “Very well,” interpolated Peters. “All the same, you have here the person who stole it—the solicitors clerk person, named Tucker. My two friends here have assured me that he is here on the premises. Send for him.” “On the contrary,” the German became suddenly aggressive. “I shall send for the police. I know nothing about any stolen paper, and you have no right to come in here in this way “Haven’t we then —?" Dan O’Corrigan flung out swift fingers to snatch at the wrist of the German, as he was about to use the telephone, and sent him hurtling back against a wall of the room. “Listen here he began afresh, when again Peters interrupted him half laughingly. “Be quiet, Dan. This isn’t Chicago, boy. We're not putting this man on the spot. ” We’re trying to teach him reason. He wants to communicate with the police. Well, we’ve no objection at all to that. Let him get on it with it. if he dares.’ Luttner made no attempt, however, to pursue his .original purpose. He could see that Peters was not to be bluffed. His agresSiveness fell from him. “I thank you, Mr Peters,” he said, with a hurriedly summoned smile. “It would perhaps be as well if we discussed this matter in a more friendly spirit. Possibly, in that way. we may arrive at an understanding. Let us be frank. You appear to be here after a certain document “Stolen from a church,” Peters reminded him, also quite pleasantly, and added: “I may as well explain how I know that. It was because I wanted to see that particular document from that church that its theft was discovered.” "Mr Peters ” The German licked dry lips, while . attempting .to appear unconcerned. “The document was not stolen by me. I assure you- ’’ “Why trouble," Peters shrugged. “Tucker stole it, and —if we are to go so far as a court-case —the vicar of that church will be able to identify him. Also from other sources, th£re will be plenty of evidence to convict not only him. but you, of complicity in this conspiracy. It is useless for you to try and beat about the bush—” “Mr Peters,” the other interrupted him, ‘let us get down to business. What do you want?” “Isn't that rather a silly question, Mr Luttner?” Peters asked in turn, laughing. “1 want immediate possession of that stolen document. lam the heir to the Accrington estate ” As he was saying this, he saw a sudden expression of surprise flicker in the German's eyes, which was staring beyond and behind him. Instinctively. Peters swung, round on his heel. He realised that the door must have been opened, without any of them being aware of the fact. It had. Paula stood there, with someone —a young man —behind her. She was looking at Peters in blank astonishment. CHAPTER, XIII. Paula, after a moment or two ol tense silence, moved slowly forward into the room. The astonishment in her eyes was echoed in her voice as she addressed Peters: "What did you mean by that? she asked. "You said that you were heir to the Accrington estate ” "The legal heir,” Peters said. He too had been taken by surprise. 1 The appearance of Paula, so wholly

unexpectedly, complicated matters. It swept away, once and for all. every hope of settling this matter without her knowing the truth about himself. And, with Peters, a definite fact became immediately accepted.

He lost no time in reconsidering his position. He realised at the. same time that Paula’ had received a serious shock. Against the stark pallor of her face, with its tired eyes and petulant mouth, the make-up seemed to rise in patches. In this moment, she became dnee again that same insolent aloof girl with whom he had violently contacted on the Beaconsfield aerodrome. “You mean,” she said now, “that you know all about my grand-uncle’s secret marriage, and that —Emil Luttner here has ” “——possession of a vital document, proving that marriage—yes,” Peters completed her sentence for her. "And you’ve known that all along. You knew it when we first met. You knew it when you were at ‘Sunnyside.’ You’ve had it up your sleeve, like a card-sharper’s ace ” (-‘lf you like to put it that wayyes,” he agreed. "It was then that, thrusting his way aggressively forwards, the young man with Paula intruded stridently in the conversation. “What’s all this about, Sis? Who’s the follow, and what’s his game?” he asked. “You’ve heard, Geof,” she responded coldly. "This is aMr Peters. At least that’s what he calls himself. He is claiming our money.” "Oh —is he?” The ether laughed with sarcasm. "Well, let’s hope it keeps fine for him. Possession’s nine points of the law, anyway, and the money’s still ours. We ” “Your brother, I take it,’ Peters addressed Patna, in His quiet, unemotional voice, explaining: “Mr Wallingford told me last night that he had turned up.” 'Did he?” Paula’s eyes were half closed, and her voice was arctic in its chilly absence of tone. She was bitter with resentment most of all, against Mr Wallingford, against Emil Luttner, and —Ln an indefinite way—against the others who were here. The last came first in her mind at this moment. “In any case,” she said, “I really dont see why my family matters should be discussed before strangers “Friends of mine,” Peters interrupted her. and introduced the two, who had meanwhile been standing, silent and looking a trifle awkward, in the background. "I thought it advisable to bring them with me,” he explained further. "In dealing with this Luttner person, it seemed to me advisable ot have evidence on tap, so to speak. These two good friends of mine, as a matter of fact, know all the circumstances of the case. They were with me in Newfoundland when my claim to the Accrington estate was first put to me by Luttner’s fellow-conspirator, Tucker." ‘We hadnt at all expected, you see, that you were coming here,” Peters was adding, when Paula interrupted him with a chilly little laugh. "I can quite imagine that. Apparently it is just as well that my brother and I have turned up on the scene. From what we overheard as we walked in here, you seem to be demanding possession of a stolen document ”

“Exactly,” Peters agreed. “I don’t know, of ■ course, if you are aware of the facts. Miss Accrington—” “We are, my brother and I.” she retorted. "Mr Wallingford made us acquainted with them. The story in the papers, I mean. That is why Geof and I are here, in fact. To get at the truth of the newspaper story ” "If you won’t mind so very much,” the German's gutteral English intervened here with dry sarcasm, "there seems to be some mistake. Much is being said about a stolen document. I am already asked by this Mr Peters to produce it. I am sorry. I know nothing of it at all.” Peters was not blind to the little flash of relief lighting, for an instant, the eyes of Paula, as well as the way in which her brothers right hand screened quickly the smile leaping, to his lips. They were both, he realised, delighted by the German’s bluff. If he had followed his own personal inclination, he would willingly have allowed them to benefit by that bluff. But the matter had gone too far. He did not personally want a penny of the Accrington money. He was quite willing that Paula and her brother should retain it and benefit from it. Not, however, in any underhand fashion. The whole story had,to come out now, so far as Peters was concerned, whether Paula and her brother like it. or not. He was determined on that. "Very well, Luttner," he said curtly. "You say you know nothing about that marriage entry which was cut from the old register in that Devon church. We will, for the moment, accept your word on the point. You are, anyhow, not the person who removed that entry. Thai person is here in this roadhouse. The man, Tucker. We want him brought to this room —” Peters’s demand was unexpectedly answered without further argument. The door as tiling open, and Tucker, the solicitor's clerk thrust himself into the room, his smooth and clipped voice adressing the German before he had realised other people to be present. “Any news yet, Emil, from- ” he was saying, and then stopped short, staring at Peters from eyes which, seemed to be bolting out of his head. “The—the man from Newfoundland —." Ho gasped, his wizened face blanching, though he was swift to show more self-control in the next moment.

"Quite a little family-gathering." he cackled, breaking a tense silence, by now having realised the presence of Paula, to say nothing of the others. He felt an obvious necessity to obtain his cue from the German. "What’s been going on then, Emil?" he asked. "This gentleman—" the German motioned towards Peters" —wants to see you about a marriage entry, which ho says you stole from a church —" "I The solicitor's clerk feigned a puzzled anger, quick to realize the position. "I am accused of stealing something from a church? But —that is actionable " (To be Continued )