Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1900-01-25
CHAPTER XIII.
A Missing Link.


had ample food for reflection dur
ing my drive back to the Strand. Bloge
was. almost to certainty. implicated
in the decoying of -Arnewood. if not
also. in his murder. SO was the mystic
rious stranger" and so. too. was the
ether unknown. referred to by Blogl
as the strangers master or boss. Mr.
Spratt seemed to have merely played
jackall. but was probably the engin
GERS adviser and instigator through
/ cut.
The description given by Billy of the
stranger tailed with no one that
knew Moreover. if lie had a master
he must necessarily himself be a ser.
want of some sort and could by no pos
sibility be either member or mem
bers guest Of the tirst-class Service
club Either he was cOncealing his
real rank, to deceive Blogg. or he had
merely called at the club to leave 4
message for his employer. and had
slipped out unseen by Billy. 1t was
strange, though that the club should
be, also. Captain Arnewood's-very
strange. when one came to think OF it.
almost wished was still working
with Inspector Trail when I thought
out the full strength of the Rodney Av-
enue incident Blogg and the stranger
had. indeed, arranged to meet there
again in a weeks time-the one to re-
ceive. the other to pay $3.50; but might
not something occur meanwhile to
scare one OF both from keeping the ap-
pointment? With such evidence as I
had to work upon Trail would GER
tainly have the engineer rigidly shad-
owed during the interval, if he did not
resort to the expedient of having him
arrested upon some more or less triv-
ial. trnnEed-up charge. to make sure
of him. But was I morally bound. on
that account. to invoke Scotland Yard
aid once more? This question I an
swered in the negative, to my own sat
isfaction, at all events. If (as Mr.. Gray
believed) the police had ceased to sus-
pect Spratt and Blogg, despite Brad
shaws instructive suspicion of them at
first so much the worse for the official
intelligence. 1t did not occur to me to
remember that it was the bathman
whom Trail had singled out, and
whose every movement was being quiz
city watched while stolid-looking, gin
drinking Blogg was ignored. Was
Spratt himself aware of it? Most prob
ably he was, and played his game ac-
ccrGingly. He was a clever as well as
an audacious scoundrel, quite capable
of drawing suspicion upon himself in
order to leave his less astute accom-
plice a free hand.
More as a matter of detail than with
any expectation of news, called at the
Beresford Hotel. in Convent Garden.
A reference to the books showed that
no room had been engaged for any Mr..
Arnewood-at all events during the
past six months covered by the en-
tries. But it appeared that, during the
latter part of November, the hotel had
been exceptionally crowded, and in
tending que SITS had been refused daily
Possibly the gentleman 1 inquired for
had been in this latter category. AS
usual, vague and utterly unsatisfact-
DRY. If Luke Arnewood had gone to
any other hotel, must trust to the re-
ward to bring me notice of the fact.
Meanwhile, Mr.. Burton's well meant
suggestions came to naught, like SO
many others.
| next visited the Junior Naval and
Military Club, in Picadilly. and in
quired for Capt. Arnewood, although I
was, of course. well aware that he was
in ireland.
"Out Of town, Sir" replied the jnnitor.
present address, Shelborne Hotter,
Dublin. Good many inquiries for him
since he left
''IDdeed!' remarked seizing my op-
portCnity. do you remember Short
stout gentleman inquiring for him last
night at about O'clOck!"
Yes. sir. The party seemed so as
tcnished to hear CT CAPITA n ArnewOods
departure that l think he hardly be-
lieved it at first"
1t was clear. then. that the mysteri-
Gus stranger had gone straight from
his interview with Blogg to see Cap
tain Arnewood. whom he fully expect
| ed to find at his club. Moreover, if APP
pearances could be trusted. the captain
| must be the master who was to sup
ply the ESQ. The least ineligible part
Of the affair was that he should have
been represented to Blogg as unable to
| find this sum without borrowing it; but
that, after all. might be quite a polite
stroke to keep down Blogg's claim, or a
mere trick Of the strangers to avoid
! paying away money already intrusted
to him. Upon the whole, / could not
4 ulluk lily eyes " luc lACI ludI Things
were beginning to look very black in
deed against my client, and that /
might yet find myself in the dilemma
. of having to choose between my duty
| towards society and my desire to serve
| him f,
/ L don't think ever felt more worried
and pegplexed than did after quitting
the club, and proceeded to Exeter
street more than half-inclinad to com
A municste my suspicious to Mr.. Hawk
ms. and ask to be relieved of any fur.
ther connection with the Arnewood
case. Mr.. Hawkins, however, had moi
yet arrived; and before he did make
his appearance q telegram came which
drove all idea of withdrawing from the
INQUIRY clean out Of my mind 1t ran