Evening star., 1924-07-08
RIPPING RUBY
A Thrilling Mystery Story
By J. S. FLETCHER
WUNWA2I1E2KQksI q yWgzWQX
work, or most of il for nothing"
Copyright. 1924. BY c. P. Putnam. sons

"oIh, of most Oh IL TOT nOtn1nS.
How exactly?" 1 asked.
We'll. you see," he replied, II made
up my mind, last night, I'd have him
at the inquest. What he wouldn't tell
us ! knew he'd have to tell if we got
him into a witness box. and as there's
no prospect at present of getting him
before a magistrate l thought I'd get
him before coroner. And l set to
work fixing it this morning with the
Paddington coroner, and got him to
issue witness summons for Mr..
Cheng and l went myself with his
ofhcer to serve it. But when we got
to the Langham Hotel. the old owl
it seems to me that Mr.. Cheng holds
the key to the situation
Exactly how?" | asked, anxious to
know what was in Jifferdene's mind.
This way" he answered. II make
no doubt that Holliment was mur-
dered by that Chink that MIR. Cheng
wants to lay hands on make no
doubt, either. that that Chink stole
something from Mr.. Cheng, and that
he in his turn was robbed by Holliment
| think the Chink turned Holliment
inside out. so to speak, in his search
for that something. Follow me?"
l followed him well enough, know
ing what l did. and said so.
We'll. wanted to make Mr.. Cheng
tell us. straight out, what it was" he
as | say. he's hoped it,"
DO you think Mr.. Shen knows?'
I suggested.
He doesn't" he answered We
went there as soon as | found that
Mr.. Cheng had left. Mr. Shen came
out of his shell bit this time, and
he assured me that they haven't the
least idea why Mr.. Cheng wanted to
lay hands on this mysterious Chink-
all they know is that he was damned
L.
to any expense in the matter"
Then you're practically no wiser
than before?" / said
Precious little." he .muttered
grumbingly. And up to now we've
you know Of"
About this inquest?" asked.
Three o'clock this afternoon" he
answered. It'll be a mere formality.
Therell be the evidence of the police
police-surgeon'S and yours. Then the
coroner will adjourn for, say, week
or fortnight Can't go further than
that, at present"
will they ask me lot of ques-
tions?" inquired.
Not today, anyway" he said "All
you'll have to do will be to identify
him as man you knew in Ports
mouth by the name of Holiiment.
Later-when we've got more details,
doings at Holliment's store. But to-
day-next to nothing. A formal
affair. Let's pick bit of lunch, and
We'll go up to Paddington and hear
if 'Birkem's got any more informa-
ton"
Birkem. discovered later at the
Paddington police station, had pro-
gressed a little: he had heard Of a
stranger who had lodged at a house
in Delaware road for the last two
denly on the day after Holliment's s
murder And as he was going round
to make further inquiries into this,
we went with .him-to house in the
front window of which was dis
played a card whereon was inscribed
| landlady, presently interviewed. was
one of those faded persons whose
very appearance and manner make 1T
unnecessary for them to tell you that
was quite ready to tell the police Off
Ger anything she knew. She had had,
for about three weeks, a lodger who
| called himself Mr.. Carr. He was a
| tall, portly gentleman. who evidently
had plenty Of, money, and ate and and
great deal, except of an evening:
He was a great buyer of newspapers.
especially of sporting papers; he had
left behind him a pile that high OF
such journals and lot OF eooks
about racing. He wrote lot of let
ters, and he had a good many tele-
grams come for him of an afternoon
lbetweea half-past-two and six O'Clock
did Mr.. Carr say anything to you
about going .out?" asked Birkem.
NO! He had latchkey." said the
| landlady. Il heard him come in again
about o'clock in the morning"
| "Alone?"
| "Oh, yes."
Say anything to you afterward
about being out so later"
"Oh, no! He came in quite quietly
He was very quiet. well conducted
man."
And about his leaving?'' asked Bir
kem Left suddenly, didn't her
| Very. Yesterday afternoon. He
/ came in and told me he was obliged
| to go to the continent. on business
and he'd packed his things and was
of in a taxicab in twenty minutes
| Perhaps you'd like to see his sitting
room its just as he left it,"
| see the sitting room and examined II
| very thoroughly. I don't know
whether their professional eyes saw
anything that mine didn't perceive
| what saw was q considerable COL
| lection Of issues OF the Sportsman
Sporting Times, Rufus Guide. and
similar publications and a large hear
/ of kilograms, carefully stacked on 9
side table. from which gathered
| during his quiet. residence in Della
ware road by baca.ing his fancy, and
| had sometimes won and sometimes
i lost.
That's Quartervayne, Of course
remarked Jifferdene when We left