Evening star., 1924-07-09
RIPPING RUBY
A Thrilling Mystery Story
By J.. S. FLETCHER
,pyriCht 1924 by G. P. Putnam's Sons


otner tWo-one mad 10, the other 1o. |
Number Is is exactly opposite TO-
when did you see them next?
Sixteen and Is come down at a
quarter to seven, just at I was going
of duty. They said they didn't want
no breakfast here, and went away"
Did you see them take any particular
direction?"
said the night porter
"Well-and the other man?" inquired
Jifferdene, after pause.
The night porter made a grimace.
"Ah, !" he said. I'D just gone to bed
when that come upl l goes to bed at
o'clock in the evening. The boots--he
comes and roGses me out and says he
can't g4 no answer from Is. SO l
goes with him, and after bit me and
the boss there opened the door And
then-well-therew was blood knitted
right through his throat. And we sends
for the police
Which they've had charge of every
thing, and kept the room locked ever
since, gentlemen remarked Mrs. Kel
lerman. There's a constable up there
now, in charge-perhaps he's expecting
you?'
Yes. assented Jffferdene We'll go
up"
Upstairs the whole place was shah
bier. more down-at-heel than ever. We
traversed a corridor or two; finally
came to one that led to the back of
the house. At a window at its far end
stood a uniformed policeman. obviously
much bored. He came forward on see
ing the local detective and produced a
key. moment later We all stood in
number Is.
"Nothing's been touched or moved"
remarked the policeman in low voice.
"Leastways, not since We were called
in
one look at the bed was enough for
me-l was glad to turn away to the
window, whittier Jifferdene, for some
reason or other, had repaired imme-
diately on our entrance. He tapped my
elbow, pointing with his other hand.
NO fastening TO the window sasheS,"
he muttered. Window open, too, now
what's outsider
He threw upehe lower sash and looked
out. Just beneath was the fiat roof
of some lower building: on either side
there was spouting; down below was
court. from which dark narrow al
ley opened.
"A man used to climbing could have
got in here through this window" re-
marked Jifferdene. musingly. ITS my
notion somebody did don't think any
thing of that other tale! Well-let's
have a look around"
He and the local man began to exam
clothing. | at once recognized the suit
which I had seen Quartervayne wear
ing the night before; l saw too that
it had been treated exactly as Hoii-
ments clothing had-the padding at the
shoulders had been ripped to pieces
wherever there was a chance of any
thing being secreted a knife had been
at work. AS to the dead mans effects,
his watch and chain-valuable things
lay on a chest of drawers. near it a
.l-ztt, 1,,- H.
Der of Bank of England notes and a
letter of credit for a considerable
amount on an Amsterdam bank: close
by were several other personal things,
silver cigar-case. silver match box,
and so on. And there was a purse
empty.
"Taken the cash. this time" remark
ed Jifferdene, significantly. Butt
wasn't that he was after,''
I went outside and waited; eventual
", l made my way down to the front
door and into the street, sick of the
whole thing. 1t was some. time before
Jifferdene and his companion joined me
Made any discoveries?" 1 asked as
walked away.
There's one thing noticed" remark
ed Jifferdene, after a pause,& during
which he seemed to be thinking hard
Il believe it's not an uncommon thing.
too. in hotels of that class in this part
of the town The door was furnished
ordinary gimcrack affairs such as you
see in better-cIass hotels. The thing
is-did he use both?"
Couldn't have used the bolt" OBJ
served the other detective, because
the landlord opened the door with a
master key. If the bolt had been
shot,
"Wel, it's my belief the murderer
dene. However, whichever way he
entered, he did his work. This is
that sneaking Chinaman, Mr.. Gran
age" he continued when we got to
ourselves. Didn't Mr. Cheng tell us
that thered be second murder, and
a third. and"
"You think the two murders are
by the same hand?" L suggested
Sure of it," he answered. Look
at the circumstances! Quarteryayne,
and done in, It's the Chinkr''
You don't suspect the two men who
followed him into the hotel?" I asked
Il don't! I think they were just
it's some slit-eyed Chinaman, Look
herev'
He drew from his pocket something
carefully wrapped in soft paper and
his own handkerchief, and, having
removed the wrappings. revealed
which he held up between me and
the light. There. on its sides. I saw
clearly the imprint of two unusually
slender foref1ngers and of a thumb.
That's not been done by any Eu-
ropean hand" said Jifferdene. trium-
phantly IT'S an eastern thumb and
eastern fingers that did that, He
took a drink of water after his
bloody work, and-there you are.
Mr.. Cranage, we'll have to rake Lon
don to get that Chink, or there'n be
another of these affairs. But-who
will it be next? However-don't you
get frightened. Stick to me in the
daytime and keep to your hotel after
dark and"
Continued in Tomorrow's Starr