THE BLACK PILGRIM

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20741, 27 February 1939, Page 3

THE BLACK PILGRIM

A story of a modern Robin Hood.

STORY XIII — ;Continued; Replacing everything as he had , found it, he listened at the door for a moment. Then he hurried into the passage, and the door clicked on its spring lock behind him. He walked swiftly from the building and, looking at his watch, saw that theer was ample time for him to can- yout his project. Accordingly, he boarded a passing bus, and dropping from it at the Elephant and Castle, sought his objective. He found the building in which Bert Formly had his office, and made his way up the §tairs. Room 35, he discovered, lay on the top floor, and was eminently suited for anyone who wanted to leave the building quickly, for the flat topped roof stretched within each distance of the other building below in a series of steps which could easily be negotiated by an active man. He found a window by which he could gain access to the roof, and made a survey of the surroundings. Then, satisfied, he returned via the window, and had gained the floor below when a man appeared. lie took no notice of the “postman,” and The Black Pilgrim walked quickly from the building, to obtain several articles which he required. lie succeeded in obtaining these from a local radio stores and neighbouring shops, then he returned to the office of Mr Robert Formly to complete his preparations. These ready, he climbed upon the roof and, concealed by the chimney stacks, lay awaiting the arrival of Mr Bert Formly and Nellie Fallows, with an earphone in his hand. Four o’clock chimed, and then he heard foosteps in the room below as someone entered the office. A few minutes passed, then he heard a knocking, and a man’s voice called: “Who’s there?” To his surprise the voice sounded like that of an educated man, not like an accomplice ot the little blackmailer. “It's me, Nellie Fallows,” came a voice. “Anyone with you?” demanded Formly. “No, I’m by mesself," answered the woman. The Black Pilgrim heard Formly cross the Room and the door open and shut. Then Formly began to speak again, and he did not sound too pleased. “Who put you on this place?” he asked. “D’you think I want every cheap crock in Camberwell to follow me about? Say what you want and make it sharp!” “All right,” soothed Nellie Fallows, cunningly. “I’ve got a job ' worth money to you, and I’ve brought you twenty quid on account, if you’ll take it on.” “So you’ve got at ‘lron Annie’s’ money, have you?” said Formly." “You'll get a bashing ” “ ‘lron Annie,’ nothing!” snapped the woman. “I got it meself from someone who's rolling in it. There’s lots for you too, if you come in on it." “Tell me the tale,” replied Formly. “and, if it sounds any good, I’ll see about it. I’m not promising., though.” “You got to promise to keep your mouth shut if yon don't come in, or else I’m not talking,” demanded the little woman. “Good enough,” agreed Formly. “I’ll keep quiet, if the job doesn’t interest me.”

“Then, listen. You’ve heard of this Black Pilgrim bloke, haven’t you? Well, I know were he ’angs out! I can put me ’ands on him any time I want to. There’s a reward out for him, too. He’s bound to ’ave quids and quids tucked away in his flat. It’s a job I can’t work on me own, so I had to let someone else in on it. 1 thought of you. I know you’re straight. This is what I propose to do: We’ll get into this bloke’s flat while he’s out. lie's going to a theatre with a fancy bird to-morrow night, and we can do it then. When he comes back —you can get him. We'll go through the flat and clear everything he’s got. Then, when we've got away, I’m going to tip off the police, and they can grab the swine. After they've' got him they can keep their reward. He’s the bloke that put ‘lron Annie’ away. He nearly got me, too, curse ’im!” “Sounds good to me,” agreed Formly, “hut your little scheme needs alterations. I’ve never worked with a woman yet, and I’m not starting now. This is what I suggest: You can trail him to the theatre and make sure he’s gone in. Then we get into the flat. You can clear with the stuff, dump it at the Elephant station cloakroom, and pick it up the next day. I’ll see to him by myself, and as soon as I’ve done it, I’ll signal you, and you san tip off the narks.” They spent the next ten minutes arguing out the final details, and in the end, their arrangements were completed to their satisfaction. Nellie Fallows handed over Ihe twenty pounds, and I lie two parted with j mutual congratulations. The Black Pilgrim was also congratulating himself, for he realised that hut for Mary Marne’s action in telephoning to him, the cunning plan of the little thief might well have proved successful. He heard the door open and close as Nellie Fallows left, and creeping from his post, succeeded in leaving the roof without being seen. Then he concealed himself to wait for the appearance of Bert Formly, for the plan which was shaping in his mind revolved upon the appearance of that gentleman. He waited nearly half-an-hour before Formly appeared. To his satisfaction he saw that the crook was wearing a well-cut suit and presented a good appearance. On the way hack to the base, which he maintained in the mews, he considered the best way of dealing out his punishment. The first tiling to do was to remove any incriminating evidence from his flat and, having changed his clothes at the mews, this he proceeded to do. After leaving everything in the flat in order, he removed the remainder of his properly to the mews. Then, after calling to reassure Mary Marne, and to arrange for their visit to the theatre, he returned to the mews where lie passed iiie night During the following morning he made his way back to the flat to dispose-of certain articles, and remained there until the time came foi him to leave for the theatre On the alert, he left the flat, and in the distance saw the little figure of Nellie Fallows watching fur his lie strolled .doiur to Mary Marne's house, and a 3 they were driven in

By George Stanley

1 her car to tlm theatre, behind them I at a discreet distance, followed a taxi ) bearing the little thief. They alighted from the car, entered the theatre, and The Black Pilgrim turning saw the face of the little spy, among the passers-by. He escorted his companion to her seat and sat a few moments until the curtain had risen then, under cover 01 the darkness slipped away. Almost unnoticed he left the theatre by an exit door and, picking up a taxi in Shaftesbury Avenue, was driven to a point near his base in the mews. He managed to gain the mews unseen, and had soon changed into a suitable disguise, in which he proceeded to his flat. He had foreseen sometime before that he might be forced to make a sudden escape from the flat, and had accordingly- devised a means by which he could enter and leave unobserved. Thus, as Bert Formly watched the little figure of Nellie Fallows leave the flat carrying a suit-case containing the “Valuables,” The Black Pilgrim watched him from his secret entrance in a cupboard. As soon as the door had been closed upon the woman, The Black Pilgrim emerged. Formly never saw the pistol fired from which belched the deadly gas that caused him to sink, an inert figure, upon the floor. He was still unconscious when The Black Pilgrim produced a hypodermic syringe from his pocket and gave him the injection which was to keep hini>quiet for many hours. This done, he proceeded to remove all clues from the unconscious man’s clothes and pockets, which might identify him as Bert Formly, replacing them with suitable articles, including The Black Pilgrim’s card, which would serve to prove that he was the unknown avenger. Then, procuring the necessary articles, he dyed the fair hair of Bert Formly black. This done, he placed the unconscious man upon a divan and, after placing a tumbler in his hand containing neat whisky, sprinkled some of the spirit upon his clothes. He made a final examination of the flat to satisfy himself that nothing remained to incriminate him. Then he sat down to wait until the time arrived for him to signal Nellie Fallows, pondering over the fact that she had unwittingly decided for him that he should relinquish his role as The Black Pilgrim. At last the time arrived. He flashed the signal from the window which the two accomplices had arranged; saw Nellie Fallows scurry off to inform the police, then he, too, hurried away. Half-an-hour later the police from the local station entered the flat by the fire escape to find the ffgure of a drunken man lying upon a divan. From a search of his clothes and the flat, there appeared to be no doubt that the celebrated Black Pilgrim had been caught at last. They removed him to the local station with great satisfaction. But this satisfaction was rudely dispelled the following morning. For “Records” rclialed the unfortunate fact that the prisoner’s finger-prints were those of Bert Formly, and he had been “inside” during most of The Black Pilgrim's escapades. Nellie Fallows read this news in The Press with glee, for the three hundred pounds in notes and other valuables w-hich they had removed from The Black Pilgrim’s flat, were now hers. But like the police her glee did not last long. The following day she answered a knock /pon her door, and two hard-faced men entered who began to search the room. They found the three hundred pounds which she had removed from The Black Pilgrim’s flat, and one of them examined the notes closely. “Slush!” he said. “Where d'you get this from, Nellie? Some of it looks like Barstem’s old stuff, too. Gome on, Nellie, you can tell Hie magistrate that you found it—if you like!” In spite of her protests they led the cursing Nellie Fallows away. The following day The Black Pilgrim read the story from a daily paper to his companion, as they sat upon the sands at a celebrated seaside resort. “I think that that you are right, by dear,” he said. “Like Nellie Fallows, The Black Pilgrim will have to take a long rest!” Mary Marne squeezed his hand in answer. No words were needed; her eyes said all that was required. THE END.

NEW SERIAL STORY. Commencing on Tuesday February 2Sth. LAWLESS ISLAND LAWLESS ISLAND LAWLESS ISLAND by EMILY HEATON An Irresistible Love Story When Dr. Hildegard Aslin took over the scattered North country practice of Yeolm, she found ttie housing conditions, and things generally, in a very neglected state. The landlord of the whole countryside was Gavin Burn, who lived at Nether Hill House, surrouned by a moat, with negro servants. “The wretch who owns this property must be made to realise his responsibilities,” stormed Gerda. But “This is Lawless Island, and, with myself. I count it beyond the Law.” Sucli were the sentiments of Gavin Burn, whom no one dared to thwart —at least no one until the fearless Hildegard came upon the scene. Don’t miss this story of Hildegard Aslin, the young lady doctor.