“THE UNLATCHED DOOR”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 February 1941, Page 10

“THE UNLATCHED DOOR”

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT. COPYRIGHT.

By

FRANK PRICE.

(Author of "Behind the Curtains,” etc.)

CHAPTER XX. There was nothing smaller than a one pound note in Barbara’s purse and for this the taxi driver could not give change. While she was searching her bag tc see if she had any loose silver i a man in shin-sleeves and wearing a ; green baize apron came out of the 1 bcarding-house and began to shift the luggage from the other cab. Barbara i was vaguely aware of what was going i on there. The porter had several cases round him and was about to carry two in when another man who seemed to have materialised suddenly from no- | where, spoke to him: “Want a hand, mate? I'll carry some for a copper.” Tire porter looked with disfavour at i him. He was a typical specimen of a down-and-out, blue chinned, ragged and wearing an old cap pulled down over his eyes. "You hop it. my lad. or I'll get you a copper you won’t like'" said the porter truculently. “I've been seeing a lot too much of you today!" "Keep your eyes skinned, don’t you?" said the other sarcastically. “Better give 'em a rest or you'll be getting a squint!" He spat, turned on his heel and slouched away. "Who is that?” asked the passenger from the second taxi. His voice was deep and resounding, and there was such an accent of urgency in the word-- : i that Barbara paused in her search to ' look at him. "Don’t know, sir." replied the porter. I "but I don’t think he’s up to any good, j He's been hanging around here all day I and you hear of funny goings on nowadays. what with motor bandits and cat burglars and what-all!” Ho slung a big case on his shoulders, took another in his hand and started for the door. The owner of the luggage stood with his back to Barbara, looking after the slouching figure which was slowly withdrawing. Barbara turned to her driver again with the pound note in her hand. “I can't find anything less," she said. 1 Perhaps " There was a rush of footsteps and a bump. A hand closed over hers, crushing the note in her palm. Startled, she looked up into the eyes of Roy.’ who nad dashed out of the house and reached her side with a jump which cleared the steps and the width of the footpath.

•'Put that away!" he said. ‘ I'll see to this. Hero you arc!" He dived into ) a pocket, brought out two half-crowns and handed them to the driver. "No change! This is my birthday." The man looked at the coins. "I wish you many happy returns and may I be there to see them!” he said with a grin. Barbara was clutching at Roy's arm. At the sound of his voice the white haired stranger had swung round swiftly to stare at him. Barbara caught sight of his face, but the only features that seemed clear to her were his eyes. There might have been fires burning in their depths, and as they rested on Roy she had an impression of light flashing from them. Then, as her in'•oluntary movement attracted Roy's attention, the stranger turned his back and leaned across to speak to the man who had driven him there. Roy. who had noticed nothing of this, returned the pressure of Barbara's hand. "Come on," he said. "Let's got intide," and hurried her up the steps. But she was not satisfied. "Who is that man?" she asked. "What man’, 1 " "Outside. The one who arrived as I I did." "Oh. that!" He threw a careless) over his shoulder at the stooping back I and white hair. ’Must be the new | boarder moving in. He's having the ' next room to mini*. Mrs. Bonnet told ■ me she'd let it this morning to a gen- , tlvman she was sure would be a nice, quiet neighbour. Looks as if he ought I to be- a bit !<>o fur into the sere and; yellow to main* whoopee! But here I were are!" They had ascended a flight I nt stairs, traversed a corridor and were ( •ow in a small, bare room. "This is the Black Hole and and--Barbara!" ) His arms were round her. and he was) locking hungrily into her face. "Oh. Roy!" she said, and could find ) no more words. They were not need - i ed just then, and could not have been | uttered if they had been ready, for his’ 1 bps were in hors, sealing them with a ' ’ kiss that seemed as if it would never end. She clung to him with both hands) ; feeling that courage was flowing back I ■ to her on waves of ecstasy Fear could ’ not touch her while he held her thu*-! ’ ! It was Roy who broke the spell, lie - ’ I engaging himself gently he said: ’ 1 "Ami now. . wcetheart. suppose y<m * * tell me what it's all about.” "It’s awful! Awful!" she smd -t 1 hardly know how to begin!” ’ '* Start with the worst." he advised, ; ’ fl we get mat over iir?l the ro*-’. may ' not seem so bad. but remember, what- ' ••v<-r it 1 love you! Now! [.<•: •’ llo! 1 iolh-.l Roger Borden!” ■ <;.-d j ' v ‘ a what He - Kin d m her j ! with mcrodulotis horror in lie ry. "It wasn't murder- Oh. don't thmk ■ 'iia. hoy It wa* an accidont. Suv vou ! : believe me!" l( "Believe you - ’” He w.m, gaspnsq f,, : - ' breath His hand went up. pre ■mg ’ his fore head and ruffling hr fam ham ! Thinking that the horror in h* <->< '■ '•a*, for her, rm- suddenly grew ’ ••gain Sb,-- put noth ham! to he’’ fa, < . and tinned aw:iv with a little d< ..late! erv The next moment hi- aim w--,• ' round hi r agam :m j h<- Lad her tn hum ' H.-r.- d-.n't <!•> that'" h<- ' • •nd V> umu Ibe afia.,l ’ But u d -n't bell.:■ ix-lleSe V.-u' In- rep,,| I--,; | ‘ l-m w whether I (jr, ()r nii! - y, tI * ’ simply knocked me endway ’ Pmt " whether { b.-L- V>- : t,r • If-.; ’ 'Vi I T 1 ' * * T’n :■ ' ’ f ,- I , <

! serious. It’s impossible!" "Oh. if it were!" she cried. "If it i only were!" "Do you mean it's really true? You I killed him?" I "Yes—at least. I suppose I did!" "You suppose . . . ?" "It was all confused. He was beast- ! ly. He tried to kiss mo—" she fell Roy \ .-tart and saw his eyes blaze, ” 1 pushed him away and he stumbled against the table. Then he came at me again. His face was horrible and he had the revolver in his hand —it had been lying on the table. I was afraid. j I caught held of his hand and tried to ; get it from him. While we were strug- > fling it went off. There was a little round hole in his forehead —it seemed ! to have made itself before my eyes' 7 hen he was lying at my feet and I was standing over him with the rei volver in my hand!" "Barbara! Little Barbara!" Roy's voice was only a whisper but it car- - ried untold comfort to her heart. He ' believed ner now. A moment- later he said: "I knew you had been to his fla . nut I never guessed at this!" "How did you know?" I "That was guessing. When the Win- | tenons were going I saw you looking at in card in your hand and. withou' I meaning to, road Borden’s name and i address. I couldn't understand why j you were so upset by his row with; ! them and afterwards when that slimy i woman in the ladies' cloakroom was | so leerily mysterious about where you : were. I jumped to the conclusion that | you had gone to him. I couldn’t think ! why you should but—l suppose I was jealous and I followed you." "And now the police know you were there!” “But they don’t know why!” "That inspector does—at least he suspects! He came to see Martin this afternoon. He as much as said that if you didn't kill Mr. Borden yourself you were screening someone who did—and that you would only do that for a woman.” "Well, there's comfort in that!” said Roy. "Comfort?” she repeated wondering-! iy. "Yes. Don't you see? He already thinks I killed Borden. He had every I reason to. I had plenty of motive, and i if it had ever come to a show-down between us 1 would no more have minded bumpin'g him off that treading on a snake—"

“Don't, Roy! Don’t talk like that!" “I'd have done it then if I'd known what you've just told me about the way the blackguard was treating you. But never mind that. The point is that you have nothing to be afraid of. If ever this inspector chap works round to accusing you. all I have to do is to tell him I did it and he'll believe me tike a shot."

"But why should you tell him that”" "Why? What else do you think I'd do? You don't suppose I'd let the police get their hands on you. do you?" "Roy! Do you mean you would accuse yourself of having killed Mr. Borden just to save me?" "Of course I do. What else would you expect? Don’t I keep on telling you I love you?" "Oh, you dear! You silly, reckless, darling dear!" Barbara was crying and laughing at the same time. "As if Ld let you! As if I could! Why—they would hang you, Roy!" "Well, that would be better than putting my head in a gas-oven because I'd I been skunk enough to let them hang' | you!" ! "They wouldn’t. 1 should tell the I truth, and whether they believe it or ' not 1 don't oelicve they would ever call what happened murder—in mv' case." “I could tell the same story " "They would say you were lying.) Think of the reasons you had for hat-| ing Borden. Remember how you have’ .spoken about him. But 1 wouldn’t ]<-t .‘.’on do it. anyhow!" "We'll talk about that if ever the I necessity arises, Let's hope it won't. ) "But that's just my trouble! A »<■• j ccssity has arisen!" "What necessity?” "Tint man who was found une«n-’ tcious—you remember. Burden'; ser-' van'—has recovered enough m tel! what happened to him " "You're not going to say you knock-; < - d him out as well as Borden and he i has given you away, are you'.’" "No. but he Itad an alibi am! I'v--knocked that out. Borden had sen’■ him on an errand to deliver something! it wns what 1 went to the flat to ,;-m j It was when he got back, long afteri Borden was dead, that he was stimned ! 1 found the packet afterwards and hid it and now Mart the person it was! sent to swears it was never delivered ’ He really thinks it wasn't; but Impm--' !<t K.-nway thmk th,- servant !’<*d hide his own guilt and is likely to a: rest him." "What dal you to Bord.-jO fl f Barbara"' I can’t toll You that miim ■— " "Unless you gm-e m.- your promise m-v<-: mention o - S l:\illl' Sold J; j-,;ft my ' sou spoke tif ’dint before I |i. .; mi.M-; but don't tell me i( yuti L-.-t y-m ’ ought not to. It wasn’t di-.trust ,d si-u' 'hat made me ask wh-. 'OhR ■- v. DK.* ■ !'<■< I | must you Y< u 1) never undcr-;t;md if 1 don't, ami .: d>> Nam \ :r *. !.•;> j - ; -he - lht? . 'omey': c n:ld<-m>‘ m h< i 1,-.’ • V list, mI m d< m<• th-. . h-. . « ■ :.-m ■. r, d • ... I. I -- - "I L -id’ ' !,,- < ad ‘ . hed Wha • T<> b<- continued '