Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-06
CHAPTER xxx.
Explains a Desperate Resolve.

CdAPTER AA4A.
Explains a Desperate Resolve.
The cab containing the pair had pulled
up before the snug white house of Ralph
Garshore, in Bolton street, Piccadilly.
Both descended. The man paid the
driver. and. with sign to the woman.
left her and. turning, walked toward
Curzon street. while she assembled the
three well kept steps. rang and was adj
mitted by the eminently respectable man.
servant
The door closed behind her, and as we
drove past the house a moment later we
scanned the place in wonder.
Plain 1t was that at the suggestion OF
the fat. flabby faced foreigner she had
gone there to call Unexpectedly upon Gar
shore. Equally plain was it that she was
no stranger to the house, for instantly
the servant recognized her he admitted
her.
Having turned into Curzon street and
gone some distance, passing Melanie' 9
friend on our way, we ordered the man
to pull up, descended, and walked back
into Bolton street.
This was, I pointed out to my friend.
somewhat injudicious move, for, as the
tat man was also awaiting her at the
corner, feared that he might recognize
me as the man he had scanned so sus-
piciously in Soho.
We therefore strolled back to Picca-
dilly on the opposite side of the way.
taking careful note of the eminently re-
spectacle house wherein resided the man
who had so cleverIy changed his identity
that the metropolitan police had been
entirely baffled.
Already the Roumanian concession
which he had so ingeniously stolen from
Granny had created a good deal of talk
in the city. A wealthy syndicate had, /
had seen from the Financial News. been
formed to purchase 1t, and the price ar
ranged was stated to be q very large
one. Rufford. alias Garshore. alias a
dozen other names, was indeed working
his cards well.
Was 1t, however. sthe clever woman who
had become his accomplice who was, at
that moment, paving him q visitor was
eide Certainly the young woman's APP
pearance when dressed genteelly, was
not at all like that of a maid.
Discovery Of the secret existing between
recognized. elucidate the mystery Of Red
1--WE must take care not to
alarm them." pointed out to my
companion as we idled together
in Piccadilly, near the corner of Bolton
street. I'm yonder house undoubtedly lies
the secret"
YES" answered Cunliffe, thoughtfully.
1T would be interesting to enter that
place and examine it. The fellow Gar
shore is a crOok-I feel convinced of it. !"
What makes you so certain?" / in
Quired In some surprise
Because Of his association with this
woman, whose name you say is Popescu,
and who obtained for him that valuable
concession. An honest man would never
have had recourse to such a subterfuge,"
was his reply.
How surprised would my friend have
been had told him the actual truth!
Yes" I remarked, slowly; there's a
good deal of truth in that argument. All!
II we could only overhear the conversa-
ton in progress at this moment!'
"Or II we could enter the place In the
night and have just look round" Cum
life said.
1t was a bold suggestion, and one that
instantly appealed to my adventurous
spirit. What might not be concealed
within that house, the exterior of which,
with its rows Of dwarf. laurels in the
window boxes, was so enninently respect
"Dare we do such thing?" asked.
I'm low voice.
Il dare-if you accompany me-
"And II we're discovered!"
"If we're discovered by Garshore or his
man. then we must make fight for It,
II by the police, then an explanation. We
have more to fear from Garshore, who
may keep revolver handy, than from
the ponce at vine street.
The suggestion to commit a burglary
was worthy the mind of the enterprising
journalist. Like myself, he dearly loved
adventure. Life was not worth living to
either of US without constant change and
q soupcon Of uncertainty. It Is oppor-
tunity that makes the hero. How many
quiet plodding men. compelled to spend
their lives at their desks or work benches,
are at heart wanderers and Adventures,
eternally beating their wings against the
bars of their business cages and longing
for freedom to move and to live.
I was rejecting. AS I stood with my
gaze fixed up the long. rather dimly lit
street, l noted a dark figure moving be-
meath street lamp in the distance-the
figure of the big-faced man who awaited
the return of the mysterious Melanie.
Possibly that mans existence was a Sc
cret even from Ralph Garshore.
Cunliffe's quick eye noted the approach
of a constable from the direction of
Piccadilly Circus, therefore we moved
along together for some distance. in order
not to attract the mans attention by loi-
| tering
1t was now past eleven. and taxi
cabs, hansoms and carriages be-
gan to rush swiftly past us, bearing
people home westward from the theaters.
OF passersby there were many more than
before, and the London streets were
awakening from their 10 o'clock lethargy.
Returning again to Bolton street, we
the road. and to our surprise saw a big
motor car with cleaning head lamps
standing before GarshOre's door. The
chauffeur had descended, and was in
waiting 1t struck me that the man who
had baffied Scotland Yard had ordered
his car by telephone from the garage, for
hardly had we passed the house when the
door opened. and Melanie. wearing a long
fur coat, emerged, entered the car hur-
riedly. and moment later was driven
swiftly past us, around the corner into
Curzon street. and thus out of our sight.
OF the fat foreigner we saw no sign.
He had disappeared.
To what destination, we wondered, was
Garshore's fair visitor speeding SO hur-
riedly.
We repassed the house again, both of
us bordering over the suggestion Of
forcibly entering the place. There were
two windows on the ground floor, and be-
proach from the street. We therefore
concluded that there must be a trades
mans entrance somewhere at the rear
of the premises.
In the room on the first floor light
had been burning all the time.
Behind Bolton street. and running par
allel. was Stratton street. Here on ex-
animation we discovered a news. beyond
which lay the backs of the houses. and
on passing along we found the kitchen
entrance of the house in question.
Having determined upon our mode of
entry. we retreated. at risk of being
noticed by a stable lad at the end of
the news, and walked as far as the sub
terranean bar of the Criterion, where we
discussed matters further.
| / had a little electric handlamp and a
| chisel at my fiat. while Cunliffe remarked
| that he had in Danes Inn q small thick
iron bar which might be. used as a