Evening star., 1927-05-01
Red Head |
Continued from Yesterdays starr
CHAPTER XXXII.
Toby Marsh Goes to a Party.

Il to find the body" said Bullott
as they were driving home together.
There are dozens of pits and caves
into which. they could have thrown
him. 1t was an act of lunacy for
you to go there at ALL"
You'll pinch Latin. of course?"
said Bill.
Bullott shook his head
mo, SIR he answered quietly
"l've no evidence upon which / can
arrest the doctor. l haven't even
got the body. But this l can tell
vou-that Laffin is being watched
closer than a fire. There is nothing
to do but to wait until the rangers
discover the body, and that may take
weeks. We have one chance of con-
Meeting Latin with these crimes. /
am taking that chance tomorrow
night"
You mean the raid on the
priory?"
Builott nodded.
There is no better time. Do you
know what happens next week?'
THE only thing / know that hap
pens next week is that the mysteri-
Gus 29th of July occurs on Saturday"
Next week they declare the mid
Summer argosies of the Sons Of Ra-
gousa," said Bullott. That means
that the draw takes place either Mon
day, Tuesday or Wednesday. l guess
Ii is Monday. because your cousin,
Mr.. Pawter. is arranging to leave
London for Plymouth by the 1890
train tomorrow afternoon.
Bullott was not visible for the rest
of the evening. He locked himself
up in his room and gave himself
entirely 10 the problem of the Sons
of Ragousa. 1t was a problem seem
tngly insoluble. What Importance
should he give to the mysterious hints
of Toby Marsh? What could Marsh
tell him? His passion for secrecy
had allowed him only to give the
most tantalizing glimpses of his mind.
and toward IL O'Clock Bullott took
sudden decision. He kicked off his
slippers, pulled on his shoes and. with
out saying a word to his lodger, who
he knew was working in his room.
went out.
Soon after midnight a taxi brought
him TO Robbs road and to the house
which he knew was occupied by the
burglar.
Your lucks in" said Toby. Marsh,
who opened the door to him. Five
minutes later and you'd have missed
me-
Are you going out?" asked Bull
lott, regarding him with professional
suspicion.
I'm going out, but on a perfectly
childlike errand," said Toby Marsh
"In fact, I'm going to a party, and
If you're a wise man you'll go home.
get into your glad clothes and join
me-"
Toby was wearing an old-fashioned
tuxedo and showed an immense ex-
panse of white shirt front.
You look good enough to eat"
said Bullott admiringly. Where are
you going?"
ITO Nine. La Florette, at her
palatial home on Portnan place. said
Toby. I've had an invitation by card
and / guess Jennie won't object if
bring a friend-Jennie is good Eng
lish for La Florette. She's a nice girl,
but somewhat mercenary. VIII you
Gomez"
Bullotts first thought was to de-
cline the invitation.
"Ill go with you if you1I tell me
something Ifwant to know
make no conditions, my busy
friend" said Toby. I'm offering you
the experierice Of a fifetime. What
do you wantsto know
"I want a little more. information
about Laffin''
81 can tell you whole lot" said
the other. "I4affin is at this moment"
he looked at his watch interview
ing Capt. Harvey Hale, that queer
man of the sea. If you We're sitting
in his study you'd learn no more than
I already know and which I'll tell
you in course. of time. BY the way.
did the impetuous and inexperienced
Mr.. Holbrook keep his appointments ?''
He did" said the other grimly,
"And he got back alive. / guessed
that because you're not very agitated.
And did he find Tinker"
His keen. eyes were fixed on the.
detectives face.
Yes; how did YOU know"
''I guessed. Alive or dead?"
Dead" said Bullott, and the other
man nodded slowly.
Il was afraid that was how it would
be. 1t occurred to me this afternoon
what an excellent opportunity there
was for drama in that wood, and
there can be no doubt about the
dramatic instincts of the Ragousans."
Marsh. YOU know little too much
about this business" said Bullott, his
old suspicious aroused
I'm beginning to think you're
right" said Toby with a sigh. Il
found myself dreaming about them
last night-the Ragousans, mean"
He looked thoughtful1v at the detec-
tive. Are you pretty strongF he
asked
Fairly" said Bullott
Gould you work four hours at a
stretch in an atmosphere Of 1o4 de-
grees?"
Fairly" said Bullott.
I'm asking you" Gaid the inper-
turbable burglar. Would your con-
stitution stand up to it?'
II think so; / am a fairly healthy
man." said Bullott But what's the
mystery? Do you ever speak straight
out and say what you mean, Marsh"
Only when 1 plead not guilty"
said Mr.. Marsh.
AS Bullott opened the door of his
house Bill Holbrook came to the
head of the stairs and was promptly
invited to join the party; and. guess
ing more from Marsh's manner than
from what he said, Bill, whose in
quickly and Joined the little man in
Bullott's sitting room.
Here's a strange thing, Holbrook," :"
said Toby. 'F'lorettes been in that
new house Of hers about ten minutes.
Well, say a couple Of days. You
wouldn't think she'd have got the
invitations out so quick, would you,
as she has? And some swell per
formers have been engaged. Half
the stars at the opera have had
hurry-up call and Bazley's are doing
the refreshments. Can you beat it?"
She asked you, but she didn't
ask me; do ] get thrown out?"
you stick TO me. boy" said Toby,
'and you'll see something"
There was very little to see when
they reached POrtman place. except
masses of people. The ballroom was
so crowded that dancing was impos-
sible. In the big drawing room the
fhrnnpc which had gathered tn listen