“ANNOUNCER’S HOLIDAY”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 January 1941, Page 10

“ANNOUNCER’S HOLIDAY”

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT. COPYRIGHT.

By 1

VAL GIELGUD.

(Author of "Africa Flight," "Outpost in China," etc.)

CHAPTER XI. I "And so,” enquired Charles gently, I “what? It appeared for the moment • that Geoffrey Allardyce neither knew I nor cared. “They must have got wind of my trip 1 to the Yard," Charles went on. "Sorry, | Geoff. I'm afraid I have put my foot j in it." "I expect it's the girl." said Geoffrey ' gloomily. "If she took the trouble to worm the truth out about me. she probably did some warning of my appleeating friend." There was a moment's silence. Charles looked up and down the street, and then spoke hurriedly. "Listen. Geoff. Suppose it's a blind. What's the easiest way of damping down enquiries into a place? Leave it empty, and apparently open to enquiry. But I'll bet it's damned hard 1 to get an order to view that shop." "By jove. old man—that’s a notion!"! “I believe it's the truth, which is more important.” "Well?" "Well —these chaps won't want to) shift a base like this—the more so if it’s ! packed with private weapons of war. . They've just made it look as if they’ve i evacuated it, I suggest we go in and •

' j sec." There was a glint in Charles Bland's I eye. In spite of his consistently frivclous manner, too great an addiction tc such things as clothes and comfort, and an appearance that could only be called commonplace, Charles belonged to a family with service traditions, and others more active than service. A Bland had privateered with Hawkins. Another had died in the ice of a Victorian Arctic expedition, A third had ridden behind Rupert and died for his King. Charles’s straw-coloured hair and indetermniate chin were inadequate guides to his true nature. "I'm with you." said Geoffrey. "But not straight off the open street," said Charles firmly, and taking the. leadership as if by right. "Got your treacle with you?” "Treacle —what do you mean?" "All 1 remember of criminology. Wasn't it Raffes who used it to open windows? A diamond, a pot of treacle and brown paper?" "If you talk so much." said Charles j severely. "1 shall crown you with some-J thing heavier than treacle. Get on. 1) want to explore that alley." Geoffrey got on. He went on with the greater expedition, because, just at that moment, there loomed round a corner in the distance, the ominous! figure of a representative of the Metro-1 politan Constabulary. Under an indeterminate archway, between the shop they had come to examine and its adjacent left-hand neighbour, ran a narrow alley, obviously consecrated to the uses of cats and dustbins. It was along this malodorous cul-de-sac that Charles Biand now urged Geoffrey. It was at its furthest end. in disagreeable proximity to a dustbin which had undoubtedly been made a repository for fish

and possibly also for cheese, that the two stood still while the policeman's boots clumped past, 'Better dwell in the midst of alarms, than stop in this horrible place’’ " Geoffrey misquoted under his breath. "Lead on Charles—or should ' it be Macduff? I’m merely the ama- i tour cracksman's devoted moronic! friend. Where, in short, do we go from here?" Charles Bland look no. notice of Geoffrey’s efforts to imitate his own lightheartedness. He was looking up the wall, Even at that moment he could not help being surprised by the fact that against a moonlight sky even the meanest roof or chimney takes on

a certain grandeur. "I shall have to skin your shoulders. I’m afraid," he said suddenly. "Stoop, will you?” .And almost before Geoffrey had realised that 'an entrance was really being effected.' Charles was standing most painfully on his shoulders, and tinkerwith the Cossack knife at the fastenings of a window. ’ Yow”’ grunted Geoffrey, ami cursed under his breath Even buckskin shoes can b<- very painful in certain circumstances. Keep still, can’t you'.”’ No reply came from above; merely a scratching grating sound, followed by a sharp snap. "Up the rebels"’ muttered Charles Brand under his breath, and pushed the window open. Geoffrey felt the excruciating weight of his friend removed from his excorlated shoulders. The pes of the elegant buckskin -.h .<•■ were irretrievably mined agamst ;iw grimy wall, and thv.-i Charles was inside, ami leaning : out to give Geoffrey a hand and haul him up in his turn. "We ought to have brought a t-rch " whispered Geoffrey, as lie crawled clumsily over the sill. ".My dear Bunny!" was the ’■ followed by a tiny eliek, and ;1 beam ■■■: dust-ladm light I-”'-.- V.er<- In ,i completely i ■wept and qam.Jn-l dlK , r . I U-v.- »p n a eha in f blackn- Th..,.- p ..,. r ..q cumu.ly ju-i ... ..... 1;,,. , h( . ; . was taking it. But against the green- j ish moonlight tillering through the I window their face- were the !, h::- wholly without mu -f ; tel! the j erfcct truth. both young men either would have ch-.w,-fully died beMrc hr w aid have admitted th.- fact Neither < ’harir i. r im-< .. t„,i ~,..1 brait i f y un : tnan w lnch can ' ; • •' •■ . . .■ ■ ■ ' ' • : I ha \; p: »-'d ‘ 1.-*' a Cm'- h'Lb • uv. vu. u*■ :utvc ii?. tretch They 1

) started down the uncarpeted staircase ' remembering that according to the bes' i authorities stairs creek less the close: you keep to the wall, and then with c ! single simultaneous movement stoppec : dead in the tracks. From below had sounded an unmisi takable cough. "And someone's smoking," saic ! Geoffrey hoarsely. "The place is nc ! more empty than the British Museum!" Someone certainly was smoking. The reek of ship’s tobacco was unmistakable. And then came a second cough, and the sound of heavy boots moving on bare boards. "D'yott think it's your fat friend?" murmured Charles over his shoulder, “Heaven knows!” "Well —do we go on and risk a scrap? Or withdraw in good order? "I draw the line at diving into that dustbin." muttered Geoffrey. "You've said it." said Charles. And Geoffrey to his considerable horror, saw that the Cossack knife was drawn and glittering in Charles's hand. "Hit first, hit hard, and keep on hitting!" said Charles, and launched himself down the staircase.

Geoffrey followed, wishing that he •had some other weapon other than his 1 fists, or that he could remember soine- | thing of the boxing lessons of fifteen ' years before. He had a vague impres- ! sicn of missing a couple of stairs and ; half-twisting his ankle; of a yell from Charles: of the snap of a light-switch and a sudden blaze of electricity; of a stout figure silhouetted against a pile of packing-cases .... Then he was standing at. the farthest | end of tha well-remembered shop, j The packing-cases were still there—but they were patently empty packingI cases. The light shone from three unshaded dusty globes. "And what, may I ask. would you gentlemen be doing here?" enquired the stout figure, pushing a battered felt hat to the back of his head. It was Detective-Superintendent Moresby. CHAPTER XII. Charles Bland was the first to make the best of an admittedly undignified situation. “And the same to you. Superintendent,” he retorted with all he dignity, he could muster. Moresby grinned. "I thought. I’d just give this place the once-over,” he said. "I haven't found any machine-guns," he added pointedly. "So they really have cleaned the place up and cleared out?"

"They've cleared the place out—certainly," retorted Moresby dryly, "Whether there was anything more interesting than Italian foodsttlffs tp clear, is another story." I saw that gun with my own eyes," said Geoffrey Allardyce stiffly. "But we all see things at times, sir, don't wo?" he said amiably. "I'm not doubting your word, Mr.' Allardyce. But you must realise yourself that the story's a tall one. That I'm here at all ought to prove to you that you've at least been taken seriouslv."

Geoffrey said nothing. He felt injured. He also felt that it was absurd to feel injured. "Of course, Moresby." said Charles Bland suddenly, "you really came here ; because you had no intention of letting us come here and find anything you hadn’t found first?" Again Superintendent Moresby smiled, most irritatingly. "1 suppose you didn’t clear the place out yourself’.' Charles went on. “Moresby’s smile vanished. "I did not." lie said shortly. Don I get shirty, Superintendent. It would have been damned smart work if you had. It would have been smarter if you’d had the sense to put a man on the job of watching this place as soon as you’d heard my story!" Superintendent Moresby pulled a large pipe out of his pocket, sat down on at) empty packing-case, and lit it with deliberate satisfaction. You young gentlemen wouldn’t be! ’lying to make me lose my temper' >'i'h you. would you.’ he enquire'!; through clouds of smoke. I lie young gentlemen said nothing. : Charles Bkimi for ~n v. . fvl{ ;i tru F- • ashamed of himself, 'Because," continued Moresby. "if i you are you can save yourselves the ' trouble I've been told imw to do my I job by amateurs since I joined tb.L ’ force I've read in every detective novel 1 vc ever opened that ail good detectives are amateurs One or "two j amateurs have even been plucky i enoug.h to try- ;nid me h<e,v the ' job should be done '! d.-ul with hard facts. Mr. Allar-. «yce. I know ihur crime is understood; j• :-<-;!y only by the people who have the tin;.- ;» an£ j -j,,. urf , 3! ;. s;l . ’■:> u behind them to deal with it. 'Fhu.-.c' ‘ irc :i! '' pr«f<‘s: i>-n.i! ssuhcemen - f this country. Facts tell me that: criminals are caught, traced, and iiang''d by policemen, and n..t bv h-rdhngA old men in th,. bl . ;j , h , women 1. ■ ( , v <->f the Stan . f the BHU I’m ...rrv Cume would be far ns- r<- fun than ;t ;n< '‘ writer-; were correct • ’U|'*-. mtendent M r.-,by ended. what wa-.‘ b;,i ;h,- -laa'ch and religlm-d his ppo. winch v ,..., ■ ;; rpr ..- )n/ .>y Kon( . i( ’ f ” bv ” Md Charles handsomely. ' ’ ■ ’' ‘■ s ‘ 1 ni -1 f; -:; r;;«• ? ‘‘‘' U •’ ’ Y<- i ' / ’ - • '' -Ty rather ■ ■ ■' • 11 m ’ St a wwU,., ;i ,.t h .cw r