Evening star., 1921-06-04
THE AVENCER
BY E. PHILLIPS OPPENHEIM
A Tale of Political Intrigue and Private
u, Revenge.
Copyright b. I
1t II was documents, they were prob
ably stolen by the person who killed

him."
Come. that's cheerful" the young
man declared. ruefully. 'Tf you're
guessing right. where do I come in?"
I'm afraid you don't come in
Wrayson answered: but remember
am only following out a surmise.
Have you looked through your broth
er's papers carefully"
I've gone through 'em ALL" Mr.:
Sydney Barnes answered, but, of
course, / was looking for scrip or a
memorandum Of investments. or some
thing of the sort. Perhaps II clever
chap like you were to go through
them. you might come across clue"
1t seems hard to believe that he
shouldn't have left something Of the
sort behind him." Wrayson answered.
1T might be only an address,. or
name: or anything"
will you come round with me and
see?" Mr.. Barnes demanded eagerly
1T wouldn't take you long. You're
welcome to see everything there is
,, there
wrayson called for the bill
Very WELL" he said. I'VE will take
| a hanson round there at once"
They left the place few minutes
later and drove to Battersea.
There's quarter to run, the land
lord says, SO I'm staying here" Barnes
explained. as he unlocked the front
door. Il can't afford a servant or
l shall just sleep here"
The rooms had a ghostly and un-
kempt appearance. The atmosphere
of the sitting room was stuffy and red
olent of stale tobacco smoke. Wray
sons first action was to throw open
the window.
There isn't a sign of paper any,
where. except in that desk" the
young man remarked. You'll find
things in mess. but whatever was
SO cd
nothing"
Wrayson seated himself before the
desk and began a careful search.
There were restaurant bills without
number and a variety of ladies' cards.
more or less soiled. There were En-
pire and Alhambra programs.
bundle OF racing wires. and an ac-
count from a bookmaker showing
small debit balance. There were other
miscellaneous bills. a plaintive epis-
and begging for the loan of a fiver
for a week. and an invitation to tea
! from a spinster who called herself
Poppy. Amongst all .nis mass Of mis-
cellaneous documents there were only
three which Wrayson laid on one
side for further consideration. One
of these was a note. dated from the
Adelphi few days before the tragedy
and written in a stiff, legal hand. 1t
contained only a few lines
Dear Sir:
MY client will be happy to meet
you at any time on Thursday you may
be pleased to appoint. either here or
making an appointment, by return of
post.
'''S 'Asa1q ''W.BESrHAM."
The second document was also in
the shape of letter from a firm of
private detective agents and was dat
ed only a day earlier than the law
yer's letter. 1t ran as follews:
My Dear Sir:
for watching single person in Lon
don only are three guineas a day. in
cluding all expenses. For that sum
we can guarantee that the person
with whose movements you desire to
keep in touch will be closely shadow
ed from roof to roof, SO long as the
person remains within seven miles
Of Charing Cross. a daily report will
be made to you. and should legal pro-
ceedings ensue from any informa ton
procured by US. you may rely upon
any witness whom we might place in
the box.
Trusting to hear from you,
we are, yours sincerely,
McKENNA & FOULDS."
The third document which Wrayson
had preserved was the Cunard sailing
list for the current month, the plan of
steamer which sailed within a week
of the murder and few lines from
the steamship Office respecting accom-
modation.
These. at any rate, will give you
something to do" Wrayson rema arked.
you can go to the lawyer and find
out who his client was who desired
to see your brother. There is chance
there. You can go to McKenna &
Foulds and find out who it was whom
he wanted shadowed, and you can go
to the Cunard office and see whether
he really intended sailing for America.
Mr.. Sydney Barnes looked a little
doubtful.
II suppose" he suggested timidly,
you couldn't spare the time to 60
round to these places with me? You
see. I'm not much class over here,
even in Morris togs. They'd take
more notice Of you. oeing a gentle
man. Good God! what's that?
Both men had started. for the sound
was unexpected. Some one was ft-
ting latch-key into the door!
CONTINUED in Tomorrows Star.)