HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1930-07-24, Page 24
THE STORY £0 FAR
Alugli Drummond and Peter Darrell
are interested in Mr. Granger, who
lives at Temple Tower, which is
strongly fortified, Miss Vjerney
juccepts a position as private se-
• «retary to Mr- Granger and her
afylend (Freckles) Tom Scott' is
• staying with Hugh is his house
’ taxear Temple Tower. John, an
• oldfriend of Hugh’s has the plans
of Temple Tower, but., someone
.stole them out of his house. Shorf-
' ly after, Gaspard, Granger’s ser-
• -want is found1 strangled and the
• jfcig watch dog poisoned. - They
meet Victor Matthews, a member
of the New.York police, who re-
• turns with them and’ gives the
1 ^history -of the mysterious^ person
4 «.n black. A boarder at Spragge’s
'3Farm was found' outside Tdmpje
'Tower, grounds the next day, also
■’ -strangled. The local, police are
1 then called. Miss Verney be-
.comes frightened to Hugh’s. Peter
• Darrell goes -to the Dolphin Inn at
• Rye and meets Vandali and the
woman Madame Vandali and while
1 Darrell is taking to the woman he
; .noticed someone looking through
-a hole above the fireplace. He
tyentJUpstairs to the room and’a
• masked man enters and nearly
f strangles him. When he recover-
’ 4?d -he discovered the ‘lost plans
lying beside the bed. Before leav-
' ing the hotel Vandali.and Madame
’’ Vandali were found strangled,' the
,«n<an was • hanging .to the1 ceiling
jmd the woman was found in the
- cupboard.
JNOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
’ The Inspector scratched his head.
' *‘Yes—'but' why?” he began.
But Red-hair was not to be put
«>fL
'“Find out whether this man had
^anything to do with Temple Tower,-'
he cried. “I’ll bet you he dicl.”
“You win your bet,” I said **I
happened to be passing Temple Tow
er yesterday when he and this un
fortunate woman were trying to get
in.”
“What did I tell you?” he said
triumphantly. “There's your mur
derer; there’s the solution to the
whole thing. Why he did it the
Lord knows—-and possibly that man
Granger, And neither of them are
likely to split. But he did it. Damn
it! is there ajiny other solution?
But for this quarrel here there whs
nothing at present to connect him
with the two murders at Temple
Tower. Now there is, -Once a poi
soner: always a poisoner, Once a
strangler: always a strangler.”
Once again I caught John’s eye,
and this time I signed’ to him urg
ently to leave the room.
“Ought I to speak?” I asked him
as we went downstairs. ’
■'.“How can you?” he answered.
“What on earth can you say? You
have >got no proof. And, anyway,
are you certain that that youth isn’t
right?”
“How can he be right?” I cried.
“I heard Vandali’s heels .drumming
against the wall before I Was attack
ed myself.”
■' “Le Bossu or no ' Le Bossu,” he
answered - obstinately, “I ref use to
believe that a man can be forced to
commit suicide. Come on: let’s get
back to Hugh's house. My head is
simply-buzzing.”
“Where is Matthews?” I asked.
“Weren’t you going to pick Jlim up?”
V “He said .he’d wait 'for me in the
car,” he said ' “And if he wasn’t
there, I was to get along back.”
There'was no sign of him, and we
started off. . My brain felt as if it
was going round and round in circles
also: as John had said, no man can
be made to commit suicide. And yet
iit was not Vandali who was the
■ -.J JUST A ■tM
Vi'i
$
THE EXETER TIMES-AWQCATE
murderer; of that J was convinced.
We found them all at dinner—
Victor Matthews included, and they
listened in silence while we told ofl'r
story. And the first person to speak
when w® had finished was Matthews.
“I suppose,” he said quietly, “that
neither of you thought
the doctor if Vandali’s
broken?”
We all stared at him:
he driving at? And then he 'began
io laugh quietly to himself as if
enjoying some secret joke.
“Forgive ine for laughing/
said,
admiration
man
were wondering—all
Bossu was going to
ror. Now we know.1
“You think it was
manded John.
“I don’t think,”
Other, “J know.”
“Then how did
commit suicide?”
“He didn’t—for
that Vandali didn’t committ suicide."’
“But," spluttered John, “confound
it all—he did,”
“You are wrong, Sir John. Van
dali wns murdered; just as the
others were murdered. And by that
simply and kindly little act on the
part of Le Bossu he has not Only re
moved from his path two people lie
wanted removed, but he lias supplied
the ready-made solution, so ably dis
covered by your journalistic friend,
to account for everything..”
“But how do you know that Van
dali was murdered?” insisted John.
“Know is perhaps too strong a
word,” admitted Matthews. “And yet
I’m not so sure that it is. Just
think. If a man is hanged in the
accepted sense of the word, his neck
is broken, and death is instantan
eous. But to obtain that result a
long drop of several feet is necessary
In the case, however, of a man stand
ing on0 a chair, and then kicking it
away—there wore one or two cases
during the Avar of captured spies
doing it1—tile neck is- not broken.
Death is not instantaneous, and is
■due to strangulation.
“Yes, but dash it all,” objected
John again, “what’s that got to do
with it?”
Dry up, John, said Hugh. “I see
what he is driving a’t.”
“Strangulation, Sir John,” contin
ued Matthews. “So that, in reality,
..................... . .... . ' ..............■"!/
of asking
neck was
what' was
” he
but it is indicative of genuine
What a man! What a
He grew serious again. ‘We
of us—how Le
retrieve his er-
a a
ill
Le Bossu?"
answered
de
the
he make Vandali
the simple reason
J?0
T colours m over 100 different com
old wood shingles.
*
■tW
SALE BY ROSS-TAYLOR CO., LIMITED
Brantford Roofing Co., Limited, Hoad Office and Factory: Brantford, Ont.
ErancIWa and WnrehouBsn at» Toronto, Wtnd«or, Winnij«-K, Montreal, Halifax, Saint John, N.B.
Mhd St. John’s, Ndti.
your dealer about the new Brant
ford Tapered Slates with the thicker butts,
increased weight and heavier shadow line.
roof-NOW and then see your fire insurance
t reduced premiums.
binaiions^ you., can
your tone preference—
covering that will "add .much to the beauty of your home
ha roof thafc exactly expresses
a permanent, weatherproof
Re-roof today while labour is plentiful
all four deaths were due to ihe aame
cause. Wlilch puts a very differ
ent complexion on the matter, does
n’t it? Qur friend, by the simple
process of hanging one of the dear
bodies up, has made it appear as if
only three were due to strangulation
and that the fourth suicide. That
being so, the solution to the whole
affair would be exactly what ihe
journalist got, and which Le Bogsu
intended someone to get, I don’t
blame anyone to the conclusion that
has been jumped to; without the im
side knowledge we possess it is th®
conclusion we should arrive at.” 1
“But look here, Mr, Matthews,” I-
said, “there are still some pretty
useful difficulties in the way. It we
accept your theory we have also got
to accept the fact that Le Bossu
walked quite openly into the Van-
dalis’ bedroom, and strangled them
one after another, without a sound
being heard. Further, that Madame
Vandali, who must' have been killed
second, came into the room to find
her husband hanging to the beam,
and never utter a cry. Why, she’d
have screamed the place down.”
Matthews smiled faintly.
“Agreed,
Put as you have done, it sounds a
bit difficult.
and reconstruct what' may have hap
pened. While the two Vandalis
were talking in the little room be
low, Le Bossu was listening. Van
dali goes upstairs into
Bossu leaves Number
lows him in. There
and puts the body in
Wait”—as I again started to speak
—“I can guess your bbjection, but
let’’hie finish first, 'Then he goes
back to his listening-post, and short
ly after Madame, comes up to the
room. "With her he repeats the pro
cess, and having killed them both,
'lie hangs the man on die .beam, and
puts the woman in the cupboard.
Then once again he goes back to his
room, where lie finds you. Now it’s
obvious he can’t kill you. To do so
would be to shed the light of pub
licity on Number 19, and the mysti
cal Mr, Thomas. So he renders you
unconscious, packs his tilings and
departs. Moreover, Mr. Thomas will
be seen no more. He lias served his
purpose, and he dissappears
the cast—as Mr. Thomas.”
“How do you mean—as
Thomas?” demanded Hugh.
Victor Matthews leaned forward
impressively.
“Assuming that my account of
what happened is correct, and sub
stantially it must be so, there is
one grave difficulty—a difficulty
which I think Mr. Darrell spotted.
If a stranger walks into your room,
for whatever purpose, there will be
some conversation, and probably
loud conversation. In Mr. Darrell’s
case it was a little different:" he-was
in a room where he had no right to
be, .and he was taken by surprise.
But with the Vandalis—especially
with Madame Vandali—one would
have expected a scream or some cry,
at any rate. And there was nothing
—no sound at all. Don’t-you see
the almost irrestible conclusion we
arrive at?”
“I damned if I do,” said Freckles.
“Why, that Le Bossu was not a
stranger to the Vandalis. He is a'
man, moreover; who could walk into
their , room whithout occasioning
comment on their part. Jean Picot
—'tlie chauffeur: lie is Le Bossu.
He almost shouted in his excite
ment, and we all stared at him..
“It fits,” he went on. “It must fit.
He conies -over as their chauffeur.
All along he has meant to get .rid
of them sometime or other. Hav
ing'arrived he takes the first oppor
tunity of getting the room next to
them, and for the purpose he dis
guises himself and takes the name! iv of Thomas. So that he has two! nfglit'
rooms in the hotel: *--- ’
room, :and Mr. Thomas’ room.”
He paused and lit a cigarette,
looking around the table triumpliaiit-
“By George! Caddie,” boomed
Hugh, “what a brain! Picot, it is,
for a fiver. Wha.t shall we do? Go
and push his face in? Or have a.
mug of port?”
CHAPTER XI
In Which We Sec A Face At The
, Window »».
'The more one thought of it the
more probable did it seem that Mat
thews was right" It accounted for
so many little odd threads .that had
hitherto proved puzzling. Particu
larly the elusiveness Of the so-called
had “Struck me
;-rl in the office
'"W
Tea
if g
fast be fresh—SALAD A
aranteed to be fresh
•m
i
AUFthe way through it was the
same thing, and it was impossible
not to feel a certain unwilling ad
miration for the swien. For just so
long as a person was useful to him,
Le Bossu employed him. Then with
out the smallest compunction he
murdered him, Le Rossignol was
allowed to make his ladder, and al
most put it in position on the wall.
Then—death: that hideous silent
death which, had it suited him,
would have peen my portion.
The Vandalis had been allowed to
live only as long as they served his
purpose. While it had seemed pos
sible that they might get the jewels
from Granger, Le Bossu was perfect
ly prepared to let them try. He was,
in fact, a past-master in letting the’
cat pull the chestnuts out of the
fire for him.
It all fitted in, las-iMatthews said,
On hearing of the plan he had forth
with driven off to Laidley Towers,
and obtained it, returning in time
to hide in the shadow of the ware
house as we started off in the car..
Then, later on, they were the lights,
of his car that we had seen on'
the main road—going and .then com
ing back. And having drawn blank
there, he had returned and tried the
sea road till he found our car and
removed the spark-p«ugs,
“He’s a blinking marvel,” cried
Hugh. “Equalled only by our Mr.
Matthews.”
Matthews waved a deprecating
■hand,
“My dear sir, you must not for
get that I know him. But I assure
you that'on the score of brain I lay
no claim to .be in the same street as
Le Bossu. However, this time, by
a combination of- circumstances, I
think we got him. And our princi
pal asset it Sir John’s plan.”
“You think he will go on with it?
said John doubtfully,.
“A man is not going to kill four
people for nothing,” answered Mat
thews. “And though the risk will
be great, Le Bossu is accustomed to
risk. He must guess, of course, that
we shall be there,
about Miss Verney is.
almost certain. And
less arrive at exactly
elusion :as Sir John
that the best way of spotting the tree
is for her to return to Temple Tow
er to-morrow, under the pretext of
getting her luggage, Further,
will assume that once the ""tree
found we shall- lose no time
searching for the entrance to the
passage. And then he will rely on
his own cunning. That is how I
see it, gentlemen. Moreover, I see
another thing, too. The inquest
will be, I should imagine, day after
tomorrow. He, if it can be possibly
done, would like to ■ be clear of
Temple Tower before the publicity;
which is going to be given to Grang
er and a.11 his doimgs, occurs. And
so I believe Le B&.ssu Will be pre
pared to run an additional risk, - if
f he can pull it off to-morrow night, j If it was feasible lie 'would do it to-
t but it isn’t. He does notJean Picot s ,jin.ow -where the tree is.”
And .so, oil your theory,” said 'Hugh, “we are going to be the last
bunch of pussy-cats for the monkey
Supposing we refuse to play?”
I “Notliing would please him more,’
’ laughed Matthews.“Though ■ we
. have the easiest method of spotting
the tree, there .a.r’e otliers. A thing
like that is not going -.to- deter Le
Bossu. And if we-refuse to play we
leave him a free hand. Besides, our
friend .is quite a good eiiou'gh judge
of human nature t& know'that you
are not going to let me down."1 I’ve
got to play, any way,”
“My dear fellow,” cried Hugh hor
rified, “I was' only jesting. ‘Why,
great Scott! this is where the tun
begins. We’ll dot him one all right.”
(To be continued)
Mr. Darrell, ’ he said.
Let me, however; try
his room: Le
19, and fol-,
he .strangles
the cupboard.
from
Mr.
Mr. Thomas. It
when -I asked the g’
•that, she seemed very vague about
him; the manager, too, in spite of
the worry of the tragedy, m'djg'ht
have been a little more helpful. But
once one assumed that
Were the same person,
difficulty disappeared,
ter of disguise, such as
most certainly was, there would have
(been no difficult^ over entering
Number 19 as Mr. Thomas, and leav
ing it', if he so wished, as Jean Picot.
His presence in that part of the hotel
was easily accounted for in his role
of chauffeur.
Then again the chimney-pot epi
sode. It had seemed to-me that it
had caused the Vandalis so little
surprise that they must be privy to
it. And they probably had been,
thinking it Was jeair PicOt- who had
pushed it oVer on Hugh. But a
Jean Picot who. really was their
chauffeur and accomplice; not a Jean
Rtcot who was using them to Ms
own ends entirely.
he and Picot
much of the
To a. mas-
La Bossu al-
That he knows
I should think
he will doubt-
th e same con-
did—namely,
OTAL
&ES
DA
PV g" % °f/>FA
to CAN/
ADVANCED
Britishers
k Canada may flow bring
^•ward thei£ Families,
on
in.
Relatives and
Eaw Terms.
For will details !
<• D- c4
D»t. Supt.
Canadian PacUicffi
Terms.
Friendr
MERON
Colonization
lailway, Toronto
1 BRITISH
RE-UNION ASSOCIATION
!
HER SYSTEM WAS ‘
in a toxic state:
he
is
in
’♦I’m so much more alert and.
energetic since I started Sargon that.
I hardly know myself/for the same-
person.
E| WILKINSON
troubled with indiges-
•s. Headaches, pbo:r
chronic constipation
down; my color was
whole system toxic,
me remarkable im-
snjoy my food with- •
. indigestion, I sleep
I’d been made over..
tion- for e;
circulation^and
helped pull me
sallow aiidlmj
Sargon lbro|.gh
provement.
out a trace to
fine and feel fil
“Sargon Pill1^ lie/er leave the ef
fect of having' taken medicine but
they cleansed my system of poisons
and completely ended my constipa- (
tion.”—Mrs. E. Wilkinson, 273
lis" Street, Hamilton.
;; .Sargon may be obtained in Pieter"
at W. S. Howey’s.
GSBORNE & HIBBERT UTUAIQ
IP ANY
Ont,
FIRE INSURANCE C
Head Office, Farquh^
President ffMON DOW
Vlce-Pres. FRANK JvIcCON'NELIa..
DIRECTO
ANGUS SINCLAIR, J/t. ALLISOH
ROBT. NORRIS,
* AGEN
JOHN ESI RY, Ce
M. BROCK
ralia, Ageat?f!dfr
Biddulpli »- -
. _ unro, AgetU w ■
ullarjon and Logaa'
NBULL . . .j
ar ^Treasurer s
i
i
V
For the pas
MANUFACTVH
THE T. Ml LBUR
’ Toronto.
OLIVER HARRIS, J
Hibbert,
W.
Seer ... _____w.
Box 98,\Efeter,® Ontario
.GLADMATW& -STANBVBT ;
Solicitors, Exeter
* A?
Troubled
and Neck
Miss E. Shorthousc, Truro, N,£L
Writes:®—“I was,.troubled with boil#
on my face and nock duo to tho Ifaci
that i had impure blodd in my syij-l T
imii. I tried scvorai kinds of
emo which had no offoct on thoxm'
Finally a friond recommended
dpbk Blood Bittors, which shb had;
nakon for a similar blood trouble.!
After taking two bottles my bldodf
was completely cleared, the- bbll^.
disappeared atid I have never beehj
froublod with tlicm sinco. t kboVw
of nothing ;ho splendid, or M .wdw
dcrful for a blood purifier