Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-27
The Wolves of the Waterfront
By Edgar Wallace.
The bluff worked
UAJohod,,,s ooinU IN bill her-" CT
copyrsh 1929 by North ard Metropolitan



"Nobody's going to kill her." she
began huskily, and stopped suddenly.
He stared at her.
Mrs. Oaks. you're playing very
stupid game" he said You know Golly
went to Maidenhead to get that woman;
YOU know he brought her here, either to
the Mecca or somewhere else in London;
YOU know she was taken without her
consent. and YOU know why she was
taken. I repeat. If her body is fished
out of the Thames, your husband and
YOU will find 1t difficult to explain away
your connection with the-murder. "
He said the last word deliberately.
And you might find 1t also very dim
cult to associate yourself from the
india rubber men. who have done sew
eral little murders"
For a moment she was desperate, and
then some thought brought her COM
fort.
WAS that all you wanted to see me
about Wade?" she said, with a return
Of her old insolence.
That's ALL" he said cheerfully.
Don't bother to show me out.
He was half way up the path When
he heard something strike the pave
ment behind him. He took out his lamp
and threw a beam upon the pain. "A
little kew, about which a piece OF paper
was wrapped, lay on the ground.
He had only time to shc the key into
his pocket when the door opened ana
the path was flooded with light. Mum
Oaks stood in the doorway.
mfr. Wade" she called, Il hope you
won't report about Golly. / don't want
nv name dragged In the mud. I'm 60
ing to see II I can get hold OF MIN
and tell him to see you. II he knows
anything about the motor car, hell tell
YOU. II you like. I'll bring him here
and YOU can see him yourself.
"Ill think it over" said Wade.
He was tempted to stop under the
first lamp-post and examine tne paper
that was wrapped about the KEY, Tor
he had no doubt that Lila had thrown
it to him But he overcame the temp
tation. He did not know, but could
guess. that he was under observation.
When Wade reached his home, he
found that he didn't have his latch-key.
After repeated efforts to rouse his serv-
ant he decided to break one Of the
scullerv windows. In the passage that
led to the rear OF the house he stum-
bled against something and almost went
sprawling Taking out his lamp. he ex-
amined the obstacle.
He saw two boxes Of pansies. Near
them were two spades and crowbar.
Nor was this all Close to the kitchen
doors was a circle Of wood, made OF
stout p'anks.
"Curioser and curioser," said Wade.
Going to the kitchen windows, he
knocked Through a chink In the cur
tain he could see his servant asleep
in a chair. It took Ave minutes to wake
the man, but at last the back door was
unbOlted.
I'm very sorry, Mr.. Wade. didn't
get much sleep last night"
whats this stuff in the side pas
sage?" Wade asked.
Stuff" Henry was now wide awake.
IT don't know what YOU mean"
He examined the flowers and tools,
very bewildered man.
Looks like lid of something" He
tapped the wood with his knuckleS.
They must have made a mistake and
delivered 1t to the wrong house. It's
a funny thing / didn't hear EN-"
That's the only thing that isn't
funny" interrupted Wade.
He went into his own room. took
from his pocket the note that had come
to him so mySteriously, and read:
please be careful. watch the
grating In your room. That is what
they talked about. am terribly
worried"
There wss no signature, but, though
he did not recognize the writing, he
could guess who had sent the warning.
Grating? What grating?
He went up to his room and looked
around. And then he remembered. and
pulled the bed into the middle Of the
room. In the wall, ON the floor level,
was a ventilator He had never ex-