Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-06-06
THE START OF TEE STORY

THE START OF TIE STORY
| In lull of Great war battle four
men are thrown together-a mysteri-
| Gus EngliShman, another who has been
a valet, polished Frenchman and an
unknown" The latter disappears
after he has heard the others discuss
their underworld careers and agree TO
| join forces after the war. After the
armistice Captain Francis Newcombe
is discussing with Sir Harris Greaves,
amateur criminologist, series of I'M
is all agog. Sir Harris blames the
| robberies on Shadow" Varne. a no
torious crook whom Scotland Yard
considers dead.
Gold Plate
A motor ran swiftly along a
country road. Two men sat in the
! front seat; darkness fell upon the
| road; the motor slackened it's speed.
You were speaking of the visit
| from Scotland Yard" resumed the
Frenchman calmly. You were at
! home, of course. when Captain New
combe returned from the club the
night before last at-what time was
it. he said? %
Hes a rare 'un, all right, he is.
is the captain" he said slowly, but
it. wasn't him that did in Sir Har-
ris Greaves. I'd take my oath on
that. We was both in bed by
| twelve, and he was still sleeping
like a babe when l got up in the
morning" ...--,.
Again there was silence; then the
Frenchman spoke abruptly. :
slower, Runnells. If | am not
mistaken. we are arrived. The
LODI he
quarter of a rlile on, and the bit of
lane that borders the park ought to
be just about here-yes, there it is"
Runnells stopped the motor. and
then, with the engine running softly.
backed it for a short distance from
the main road down an intensely
| black. treelined lane.
That's far enough" said Paul
Crcmarre. I'VE can't take any risk
of being heard from the hall. Now
edge her in under the trees"
Still another moment, and the two
men. each carrying two rather large
sized empty travelling bags, began
to make their way silently and
cautiously through the thickly
wooded park of the estate.
Five. ten minutes passed. And
now the two reached the farther
edge of the wooded park and halted
here, drawn back a little in the
shadow of the trees. Before them
was narrow breadth of lawn; and.
beyond. a great, rambling, turreted
pile lay black even against the
darkness, its castellated roof and
points making jagged fringe
against the sky line.
Runnells appeared suddenly to
find vent for his i'll humor in a
savage chuckle.
What is it. Runnells? demanded
the Frenchman.
Il was just thinking that in the
with Lord Section, you know. I amt
forgotten his nibs the Earl of
Cloverley. I'd like to see his face
in the morning, He's a grabbed old
bird. My word. He'll die of
apoplexy. he will! And if he don't,
he won't be so keen on his 'ouse
parties to visiting nabobs and
cabinet ministers. He didn't send
into London and get his gold service
out of the bank for us when we
were here"
He stared at the black. shadowy
building for minute. Then
abruptly: It's 2 o'clock, amt it?
You looked, didn't you?"
LES, Sdlu dul STemaFre,
looked when we left the motor. The
times right. 1t was just ten
minutes of ="
We'll, what the blinking ELLIS the
matter now, them" complained Run
nells. THE place is as black as a
cat. They're all in bed, aren't
they?"
That is not for me to saw" re-
pied the Frenchman calmly. 1--WE
will wait. Runnells."
Runnells, with another grunt, sat
down on one of the bags, his back
against tree. The Frenchman re-
manned standing, his eyes glued on
the great house across the lawn.
The minutes dragged along. Run
nelis too had relapsed into silence.
4 quarter of an hour passed. Then
Runnells commenced to mutter IN
der his breath and move restlesslv
on his improvised seat and then.
getting up suddenly he moved close
over beside the Frenchman.
say! whispered Runnells I'M
easily. Il don't like this, 1 don't,
What d'you suppose is up?"
"A great deal, / have no doubt.
my Runnells,' said the Frenchman
imperturbably. More perhaps than
You and 1 could overcome in the
same time-if at ALL"
That's all right" returned Run
nells. I'm not saying it amt. but
It's getting creepy standing here and
staring your eyes out. I'm begin
ming to see the trees moving around
and coming at you. and in every sbit
of breeze the leaves are like a lot
OF bloody voices whispering in your
ears. wish to Gawd you hadn't
said anything about that night, 1t
gives me the
Look" said the Frenchman sud
denly.
From an upper window, out of the
blackness of the building across the
lawn, there showed faint spot of
light that held for few seconds
and then. in quick succession,
series of little flashes came from the
rom within.