Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-12
TMENTY.s SECOND INSTRUMENT.


~ one else ringing up Don't go,
MI Leopold, Maj. Owston, will
YOU listen in on that extension in
the hale"
The Blue sllics?" asked a polite
voice
Yes"
rs that Detective Inspector Bloor
speaking?'
The voice. slow. distinct, with its
gliding undernote of mockery, went on:
Dear shock headed friend, you're
a little better than Martin Hews'
people, for instance. They seem to
spend their time, l am told, haunting
the pubs down Bermondsey and Shore
ditch away. OWston, I dare say, is
with you. I shouldn't be at all sur
prised if he is shadowing the place
where he lost his lady love =.
No denial, l notice Tell me about your
health. Bloor 1 saw you the other
night with the gallant major, and I
thought you looked little peaked and
worried. You shouldn't worry so much,
Bloor. The chief gets difficult some
times. but I shall drop in and see him
one day. and III give you a leg up. if
! can. inspector Not in the
humor for conversation, eh?"
II like to listen" Bloor conided.
"Your voice Is a little unusual, you
1 shall never forget it
Il have a nice voice" our sardonic
enemy went on; "Clcar-it has even
been called musical-but Just a trife
inclined toward ribaldry, All my
friends, you know, consider me too
frivolous for the highest type of
criminal You know I'm Joseph, of
course? 1t is Joseph speaking"
How are you. JoSeph?" Bloor re-
% n
Are You bringing Polly along this
EVENING"
Not tonight" was regretful reply
"I meant to, you know, although how
the mischief you know it can't imagine.
Never mind 1 shall be at the Blue
Skies one evening before very long,
inspector, and l shall dance there and
drink a bottle of that Cliquot rs. I
shall walk out Just as happily as 1
entered only, inspector. 1 shall choose
my night. See? By-the-by. if Maj.
Ovston Is there. would he like to have
a message from q young lady?"
TN give it to him. Bloor promised.
'What is it?"
There was an instant's silence. Then
once more the hooking voice, only
this time I fancied that it contained
a suggestion of something more
sinister
herself, inspector Good-by"
The connection was broken. We sat
looking at each other. In Leopolds
presence, however, we rcfrained from
speech,
Are you two going to occupy my
room all night?" the latter demanded
harshIy.
We shall be leaving in few
minutes" BlCor assured him. Don't
10
1 remember YOU mentioned that YOU
had a guest here. Pray return to her
whenever you like. There are few
of your papers ] am taking the liberty
of removing to look over at my leisure,
and there was a little plan here-Very
interesting-but never mind that now.
1 am afraid we shall have to have
another talk with you about the club.
Mr. Leopold. By-thc-by," he asked, a
little abruptly, what is this bottle of
W1Hky doing here, tightly fastened
down."
Sample bottle" Mr. Leopold re-
piled, with a malicious glcam in his
eye,
Bloor lifted it up and held it to
the light. There was a sort of coating
Of frost on the outside of the bottle
His lips pured themselves into a whistle
You won't mind my depriving you of
this?" he asked.
Leopold sprang for the bottle, but
Bloor easily held him away.
BLAST you'll" the little man shouted
81 wish you'd open the bottle and drink
it,"
We left the room the door of which
my companion locked on the outside.
Aren't 1 going to be allowed in my
Office" Mr.. Leopold asked angrily.
After tomorrow" the inspector
promised Really, 1 am treating you
very well. There are several documents
there and some letters that demand a
good deal Of explanation. Until to-
morrow morning"
Evidently some whisper Of trouble had
spread, for the club was almost deserted
as We passed out.
After all" I reminded Bloor, as we
turned westward, The is certain to
have spare key"
NY companion smiled.
Precisely" he said. II am hoping
that he has. There are several docu-
ments quite inexplicable to me. have
left them all. Tomorrow I shan see
which he takes the trouble to destroy"
We walked homeward in a slight
drizzle of rain 1t must have been 5
o'clock when I opened my front door,
You'll come in and have a drink,
Bloor." 1 invited.
II certainly will" he assented. "For
a member of the committee of club
where a good deal of wine is consumed,
Mr. Leopold was inclined to be in
hospitable. Ill admit that I am
thirsty. I'm curious, too. to know if
Joseph's last message meant anything"
I was staring at note, in Snart's
handwriting, sCrawled on a piece of
paper and stuck up against the wall
to attract my attention.
"a young lady waiting in my sitting
room!" l exclaimed. Come along,
Inspector"
we tore up the stairs. and I threw
open the door of the sitting-room. My
first sensation was one of disappint-
ment. There was certainly some one
there but it was not Beatrice. I turned
on the switch and almost instantly that
faint sensation of disappointment
passed into one of overwhelming
horror. Bloor, on the other hand, never
lost his presence Of mind for a moment.
chair with a knife all ready in his
hand.
What we had to face in that brief
interval is utterly indeScrible. 1t has
passed into the chamber of horrors in
the dark corners of my memory. A sob
was tearing at my throat before ! was
able to be of any assistance to Bloor.
Rachel was lying back in the chair,
bound with ropes. Her eyes we're open.
but glazed and set with terror, and
every particle of color had left her
cheeks and lips. But the rest of her!
The beautiful silky eyebrows OF which
she had been SO .proud-gone! Her
silky blue black hair every shred, every
particle-gone. She had the APP
pearance of a mummy. AS we cut the
rope. she fell limp into my arms. Bloor
was already at the telephone. AS soon
as he had put back the receiver, he