Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-25
By
Edgar
Wallace

thinks" he said with curl OF his lip.
Martins bit sore at me because"
He hesitated Well he thought / knew
a lot more than did know. He got an
idea that l was friendly with Lacy and
knew all his secrets I'll give Lacy this
| credit. that when 1t came to love al
| fairs he never told"
Dick didn't ask for any further in
| formation on that subject.
Its dull. especially at night. I'm al
! lowed to go out in the afternoon for
couple of hours, but there's creepiness
about this house that certainly gets on
my nerves"
1t almost seemed as if he were sin
cere; his voice dropped to whisper
and involuntarily he looked round.
II don't know what your boys get up
! TO rext door but there are some quaint
no-es on the other side Of the wall,
he said. And last night, Moses! l
| tn ,ught the house was coming down.
| Something happened, too. When l
looked out of my bedroom window
! that's Iacy's old room--I saw the street
| full of fiatties-I beg your pardon,
! policemen"
Call them 'iatties' # it pleases you"
said Dick. Yes, there was something
doing. You didn't by any chance have
an overflow meeting OF ghosts In TINS
| house?"
Stanford shivered
Don't think about ghosts, captain,
he begged Why, last night 1 thought
1 saw-well. that's foolish anyway,
You thought you saw Marshall.
"No-the other man, Malpas. How
| did YOU know?" asked the other, sur
prised.
"Malpas is the busiest ghost in Lon
don. Where did you see him
Coming out of the storeroom-at
| least, standing in the doorway. Only
| for second
What did you do?"
| Bill smiled sheepishly.
IT got upstairs as fast as could
and locked myself in" he said. BACK
chat with ghosts amt in my roper
| tory"
Shannon got up. :,
I'll take peep at that storeroom IL
you don't mind" :,
You're welcome" said Stanford, pull
ing out a drawer and taking a large
bunch of keys. Its a fool room that
old longer used to use for keeping the
governors cartridges and guns and JUNK
of that kind"
It Law, Dick found. at the end OF the
hall passage, and was filled with an IN
describable medley Of guns, saddles, olo
boxes, cleaning materials, dnaploateo
brooms and all the equipment that I'M
tidy cleaners thrust away out OF sight.
1t had one small window. heavily
barred, and there was a fireplace COW
cred up now. At the Ear END OF the
room was a rough bench, on which was
gas ring, small, rusty wise ana
few tools There was nothing remark
able about the apartment except Its un-
tidineSS, and
What are in these boxes?"
"I don't know; / haven't looked
said Stanford.
Shannon pulled back the sliding lid
of one of the wooden receptacleS and
disclosed number of small green-ia-
beled cartons.
Revolver ammunition" said Dick,
land one package has been removed re-
Gently"
The under packet was free from dust,
1 he saw.
pas?"
Il don't know: it was just the de-
Scription I've had OF him" said STAN
ford vaguely. I've never seen MIN IN
| my life"
He evidently expected Dick to take
his departure, and with difficulty con-
cealed his annoyance when the COM
missioner led the way up the broad
stairs to the study. Dick stopped to
examine the door which shut of Mar
shafts private apartment.
This still functions?" he asked.
"As far as / know" said the other,
sulkily Its no good asking me ques-
tions about this house, Capt. Shannon;
I'm ledger"
$50 you are" said Shannon. SYM
anI t.trpnI II IN on
The mans relief showed In spite OF
himself
II really believe you are anxious to
get rid of me" bantered the detective.
Stanford murmured something about
not caring one way or the other.
And how are our friends the FL
tons?"
II don't know anything about the
Eltons," said Stanford resignedly.
They have never been great friends
| of mine"
And now the unwelcome visitor really
| took his departure. Stanford went
| downstairs with him and closed the
| door with a grimace of satisfaction. He
returned to the study, locking the par
tition door behind him, opened Sec
ond door, which communicated with
| the little dining room, and a man
| stepped out.
You've got good ears, Martin" he
said.
Martin walked to the window and
through the heavy gauze curtain that
covered the lower pane followed Dick
Shannon with his eyes until he was
! out of sight.
Early or late, I fall against that
bird" he said without heat "Yes-1've
good hearing. I knew 1t was he the
mn II
| How long are you staying here? There's
job coming along"
| Stanford spread out his arms in a
! gesture of regret.
Cant take it, Martin-sorry. Some
how / feel that / ought to play square
| with poor Lacy. The moneys nothing,
but I'll stay here just as long as they
want me. I regard it as duty"
Martin laughed softly.
What did Lacy leave in the way of
money!" he asked.
so far as / know nothing" said the
other in a grieved tone. TITS not pick
ings I'm after. I was friend Of
Lacy's----
You never told me-
IT told you I knew him." protested
the other Dora knows we were old
! friends"
do you know Malpas?"
The mans eyes narrowed.
Yes. / know Malpas" He dropped
his voice until 1t was almost inaudible
And If it comes to pickings, I know
| just where to pick"
There was doubt and suspicion in the
face turned toward him.
Where is hep" he asked, and STAN
ford laughed loudly.
Think it out. Elton" he said: Think
Of all the people who hated Lacy with
: good reason, think of all the clever men
! and women who could act an old man
at minutes notice-think it out, boy,
and then take three guesses!"
Continued in Tomorrow's Starr