"GAY VENTURE"

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 November 1940, Page 10

"GAY VENTURE"

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT. COPYRIGHT.

By

T. C. BRIDGES.

CHAPTER XXI. (Continued*. Eve was alone in the flat. Joyce was out at a party. She got up and walked up and down the room. Presently it come to her that she could not stand the suspense. She picked up a timetable. There was a train for Moreton at 8.35. She could easily catch it. She rang up Madame who agreed to let her have Saturday off, she wrote a note to Joyce, saying that she had to see Jack Sagar and would be back on Saturday, then she changed her dress, put things for the night into a light suitcase and left for Paddington. Joyce coming home about eleven found the note and got a shock. She went to bed still wondering about the cause of Eve’s sudden journey. Eve’s train was due at Paddington at nine on Saturday evening,’ but the clock struck half-past, then ten and still no sign of her. It was plain that she had missed the 4.15 fast train ana now she could not reach Paddington until 2.40 in the morning. So Joyce at last went to bed. When she woke on Sunday morning and found that Eve had not yet arrived Joyce grew frightened, and put a call through to Crofton. With only a very short delay Jack Sagar was at the phone, and Joyce anxiously inquired about -Eve. "What! Isn’t she back?” “No,” said Joyce. ‘I can’t understand it,” said Sagar. “She arrived here early yesterday morning, having walked from Moreton. She told me that she had decided to break our engagement. I did my best to persuade her not to. It was no use and there was nothing for it but to let Her go. So I sent her in the car to Exeter to catch the 12.50. Maltby drove her. That train gets in at 3.45. She ought to have been with you at tea time yesterday.” “She wasn’t. She isn’t here now. Oh what has become of her?” cried Joyce, terrified.

“Don’t be frightened, Joyce,” said Sagar. “Go to Paddington and inquire if anyone saw her. She was wearing a blue dress and a hat to match. If you don’t get any news go to the police.” “Don’t be frightened,” Sagar had said, but Joyce was very badly scared. If Eve had been due at Paddington at a quarter to four she had now been missing for eighteen hours. Where could she be? She called up Dicky and was lucky enough to get him at once.

“Dicky, Eve’s gone.” She heard him gasp. “Not—not dead!”

“No? disappeared. Listen.” Quickly she told him what had happened and what Sagar had said. “He told me to go to Paddington and inquire. I —I —” “Steady old girl,” said Dicky. “It’s a rum business, but there’s no need to think anything serious has happened to Eve. Go to Paddington and I’ll meet you there under the clock. And try not to worry. Ten to one she’s sent a message which didn’t reach you.” Joyce put on her hat and hurried out. She and Dicky got to Paddington almost at the same minute and went straight to the enquiry office. Joyce was able to describe accurately the dress Eve had worn which was of blue linen. -Notes were taken, and a promise made that the ticket collector on the 12.45 should be questioned. Meantime it was suggested to Dicky and Joyce that -they had better go to the police. They went to Scotland Yard, but the fact that it was Sunday made things difficult, and when at last they got back to Greenwell Gardens even Dicky felt discouraged. They had called up the Kingscotes, who knew nothing; they had found and talked to Rose Prosser, who was terribly upset; they had even interviewed Miss Lynd, who had learned precisely nothing. For hours the two sat in Joyce’s pretty room, racking their brains to solve the mystery of Eve disappearance, and when at last Dicky left it was with a promise to be back first thing in the morning. Joyce looked terribly white and wan when Dicky arrived next day. “You can’t go to work, Joyce,” he said firmly. “We must ring up your shop and tell them.” Joyce did so, and was almost astonished at the shock her news caused. Madame demanded all details, and told Joyce that she was not to spare money for the search, if it was wanted. She herself would supply it. ( Dicky had a brain wave. “Tell you what, Joyce. I’ll ring up Babbage. He was awfully good about poor old Keith.”

He did so and told him everything. Babbage was very keen about the story, for he realised that it had big news value. “You don’t think Sagar has anything to do with it. Mr. Trask?” he suggested. "I wouldn't put it past him," said Dicky. “Well," said Babbage, “if you don't get any news at Paddington I'd go down and talk to the gentleman.” "Just what I will do,” said Dicky. ‘TH have the whole story in our next edition," Babbage promised. “.Now you’d better get on to Paddington and I'd be obliged if you'd give me a call from there to let me know if there’s any news.”

1 here was news. The collector distinctly remembered a lady who sat by herself in a third-class carriage in a dress and hat similar to those that Joyce described. Joyce looked at Dicky. then she did reach London.”

‘‘She must have." said the collector Its a non-stop train.” Joyce shook her head helplessly. “Then either she's had an accident or there’s been foul play." CHAPTER XXII. “It looks like it." said the collector gravely. "But I wouldn’t worry, Miss. The police will be sure to find her. 1

do hope it will be all right, Miss.” By Monday evening everyone in I London —everyone, that is. .who read an evening paper —knew of Eve’s disappearance. The police, spurred by the publicity, made every effort to trace Eve, but without the slightest success. They had not even a clue to report. Not a soul had noticed Eve leave the train or Paddington Station. Late that night Joyce and Dicky sat together. They were both tired out and utterly discouraged. “Could anyone have kidnapped her?” said Joyce. “She’s —she’s so pretty.” “I’d be sorry for anyone who tried it,” replied Dicky. “Eve’s no doll. She keeps herself fit and is strong as a steel spring.” “I know, but I’m trying to think of everything,” said Joyce wearily. “She hasn’t any enemies; you couldn't imagine her losing her memory.” “Unless Sagar doped her,” said Dicky. Joyce’s eyes widened. “I hadn’t thought of that. But it’s impossible, Dicky. She was all right in the train when the guard took ner ticket. He’d have seen if there was anything wrong with her. Besides, what would he do it for?”

"Revenge because she wouldn’t marry him.” Joyce shook her pretty head slowly. “That’s another thing that puzzles be. Why did she suddenly make up her mind to break her engagement? She hadn't said a word to me about it. It looks as if she must have heard something about him. She might have had a message or a letter by the evening post.” , “Likely enough,” replied Dicky, “but we can’t know. There's no sign of any such letter.” “She’d have taken it with her,” Joyce decided. “Oh, Dicky, I feel as if I should go crazy if I think much more.” “That won't help Eve, old thing,” said Dicky kissing her. “I’m taking Babbage’s advice and going down to Crofton tomorrow to talk to Sagar.” There was a rap on the door. “Not another reporter?” said Joyce.

“If it is I’ll soon send him about his business,” Dicky exclaimed. “Come in!” he said sharply. The door opened and there stood Keith.

With a slight cry Joyce fell back in her chair. Keith sprang across. “Joyce, my dear. I’m sorry. I ought to have ’phoned.” Joyce's eyes were fixed upon him with a look of somethink like awe.

“You —it’s really you,” she said slowly. For the moment Dicky had been struck as dumb as Joyce. Now he moved.

‘lt’s Keith,” he said as he grasped the other’s hand. "It's not a ghost.” He gazed at his friend. “And yet I saw your grave.” “Only I wasn't in it,” said Keith drily. ‘Dicky, it’s good to see you and Joyce again, but where’s Eve?” Dicky’s jaw dropped, Joyce's face showed equal dismay. "What’s wrong?” Keith demanded urgently. “What makes you look at me like that? She—she isn’t hurt—ill

"She has disappeared, Keith,” said Dicky bluntly. “I—l thought you’d know. It’s in all the papers.” “Disappeared!” Keith echoed. “How could I know? I flew to Croydon. From there I came here as fast as a taxi would bring me. Papers—l haven’t seen any papers.” Dicky pulled a chair forward. “Sit down, Keith.”

“Sit down with Eve missing.” “That’s what I said.” It seemed as if Dicky was suddenly the elder of the two. “You’ll sit down and you’ll have a whisky. Then you’ll listen to what I have to tell you. As for looking for Eve the police and half London are doing that and Joyce and I have hardly sat down for two days.” "Two days,” Keith repeated. Yet he obeyed Dicky and dropped into the chair. Dicky poured out a drink—a stiff one. Keith drank and his face looked a shade less ghastly. He put down the empty glass. “Go on,” he said hoarsely. Dicky began with the story of Eve’s first visit to Crofton and how she had run away from the Dower House. He told of her second visit. It was not until he spoke of Eve’s engagement to Sagar that Keith interrupted. "She promised to marry that swine?” he exclaimed.

‘lit was for her sister’s sake and Joyce's,” Dicky insisted. “She hated it,” put in Joyce. “And anyhow she broke it off.” "Wait, Joyce. I must tell him about that, ’ said Dicky. “Eve went off on Friday last, Keith. She went down by the night train and Sagar—Joyce talked to him over the phone—says she came to break her engagement. But why?" Keith put in sharply. Something must have happened to make her change her mind." "It looks like it." said Dicky frowning. “but Joyce and I simply can't imagine what. Anyhow she went. According to Sagar she got to Crofton in the morning and they had a talk. Eve broke off her engagement and was going to walk back to Moreton but Sagar says he sent her to Exeter in his car with his chauffeur where she caught the express for Paddington. ft's a non-stop train and gets in at a quarter to four. Eve ought to have been here by tentime on Saturday but she never arrived”.

"Sagar’s lying," said Keith between his teeth. “He's keeping her." "No. that won't work. Keith.’ Dickyanswered. "Joyce knows what Eve was wearing. It was a blue linen frock with a straw hat. The ticket collector on the train saw a lady in this dress in a third-class carriage. Joyce and 1 have seen (he collector and talked to him. and there's no doubt Eve was in the train.”

(To be Continued)