MYSTERY AT MANBY HOUSE

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21361, 4 March 1941, Page 8

MYSTERY AT MANBY HOUSE

BY PETER MANTON

CHAPTER Vlll.—(Continued) “All right,” he said, and Bill smiled to himself. The next twenty minutes were instructive. There was no third degree allowed in England, but Court’s tactics against the three gunmen almost made Bill express his admiration. It was grim, and it was, perhaps, illegal. The man named; Brandt was stubbornly silent .excepting when he broke out to demand that he saw his solicitor. Court snarled at him the third lime. “Don’t be a purblined lunatic! We’re stuck her for days, and the sooner you realise it the better.” “I got here,” said Brandt grimly. “Sure, on a sledge—perhaps. Well, your solicitor won't. What’s his name?” “Crook works for crook, eh?” Court was almost too melodramatic, but his methods succeeded with Baby Face, who was sweating with fear. As he talked, Brandt snapped an occasional threat, but Baby Face—whose name turned out to be Race—was far more scared of the police Lhan the gangster. Wanted Him Dead Unfortunately Race said a lot that meant little. Apart from the information that Mr Balluzzi was giving them instructions, and the address at which, he, Brandt and the third man—Keller—had been staying, he had to confine his statements to the events of the night. And in one thing Court could not shake him. lie, Brandt and Keller had been in London until five o'clock, when they had had orders to visit Manby House. The blizzard had held them up, and they had had no chance of obeying Balluzzi’s orders, until Mann had been shot in the drawing room. “So Balluzzi wanted Mann dead, eh?” “He—he knew too much,” gulped Race. Arden could have explained what the dead secretary had told him, but he held his peace for the time being. Apparently the trio had been sent to get Mann, and it had been Brandt who had taken the direct orders that afternoon from Balluzzi. Brandt had thought of the sledge, when they had been snowed up, five miles from the village. In a large field a party of young people had started wintei sports, and Brandt had acquired the sledge and snow shoes. Halt pushed and half sliding—when it was downhill—the journey had been completed. Brandt again had been responsible for Keller going through the house, to try and create the impression that it was an inside job. Unfortunately he had gone into an occupied room, not an empty one, and Bill Arden had heard the maid screaming. She was not seriously hurt, bi’i Keller had manhandled her badly. “And that,” said Bill Arden, twenty minutes later when he was with Horn in the drawing room, “is the lot. Tonight’s show is expiained, but the murder isn’t. Only that we seem to be mixed up with the most murderous gang of crooks in England, and Court seems worried. Mr Balluzzi seems to be a gentleman who means buisness—and I feel like business.” Horn’s eyes were narrowed. “Meaning you’re going after Balluzzi yourself?” “Meaning exactly that,” said Bill Arden. CHAPTER IX. Short Cut To Suicide Horn accepted a cigarette, and sat back in an easy chair, one leg draped over the side. “It’s probably a short cut to suicide,” he said to Bill, “but I’m inclined to think you might be useful. Balluzzi will be watching for the police, but not for you. Are you going to tell Inspector Court about Mann’s story of the new syndicate, and the crowd that’ll be badly hit? Or ” “Can’t see that it*s going to be any use to hold out on the gentleman,” said Bill. “He’ll find it eventually —or the Yard men will—and I don’t want him running round with the idea that I’m keeping things up my sleeve. He might get suspicious, and after the way he handled Brandt and the others I should hate Court to get like that with me. I shan’t, of course, tell the gentleman that I’m working with him.” Horn laughed, with read enjoyment. “All innocence, eh? Well, you won’t want to go into a show like this alone.” Bill scowled, good-humouredly. ."If you think you’re coming in on this, Horn, you’re making a mistake. For a married man it isn’t going to be healthy. Your wife would probably have strong objections anyhow.’’ (To be continued daily)