The Ely miner., 1930-08-01
CHAPTER v
The Diamond World

We founo Mr.. KIoop at half past
ten, leisurely finishing late break
fast, a little. dapper, Hebraic looking
gentleman.
He appeared to take unusual inter
est in me as we revealed our separate
identities, and remembered then
that the details of Mazarotf's will had
come out in POstlethwaite's evidence
at the inquest, and that newspaper re-
porters had been present
II only arrived in London last
night" he said. as we seated ourselves.
Il read about MaZaroft in the paper.
A strange affair. gentlemen land yet
not so strange as II seems. MaZaroff
was a careless man. he was too
ready-sheeI thoughteSsness, you
know--to let people see what he had
on him. And he carried things that
/ should have kept under lock and
key. However-but tell 'le-how did
you find out that was here?"
I'VE found these letters of yours
in Mazaroff's rooms at the Hotel
Cecil" replied MaythCrne. producing
the letter case, land Judging from
them that you were a very intimate
friend of his. cabed 70 your address
in Cape Town yesterday morning. and
received a reply at right that yoH
were here. You have read up the
case Mr. Kloop?"
'All that there is in these papers,
replied KloOp. 81 see the police sus.
pect some local mana villager of no
very good reputation. May he So
but | should say, knowing what | do
of MaZaroff that there is something
deeper in the case than a mere vulgar
murder and robbery. Now. as | learn
from the newspaper accounts that Mr.
Holt was MaZarOff's companion in his
north-cOuntry excursion, and with him
all the time at this Woodcock inn.
should like TO ask Mr. Holt to tell me
two or three things-questlOns that
occur TO me, you know. Did you ever
notice anything to make you think
that yOu-that is to say, that MazarOf
vas being oliowed-trackedT
81 can't say that 1 ever did," said |.
You never. for instance. noticed a
man, or men. who turned up with some
regularity at the hotels you stayed
at?" he suggested.
WELL" | answered. 81 can only
think of this-that seems TO nave any,
thing TO do with your suggestion. We
stayed a night at HuntingdOn-our
first night. | saw MaZaroff talking,
evidently cOntidentialy. to man in
the moking room late that night
Then, one day at York, | saw him in
conversation with the same man in
Ioik station"
You'd know the man again?" sug.
gested Kloop.
"Oh, yes-a young, fair-haired. fresh
cOmpleXiOned man, very smartly
dressed" ! said. "a man OF probably
twenty-five, or So"
Were there any other guests than
yourselves at this Woodcock inn?" in
Quired Kloop.
Staying there-nO," replied.
"People came in, though, for lunch
people who were motoring north or
south"
Klo0p folded his hands on the table
and looked from one to the other
of us
"What is in my mind" he said, "is
that Mazaroff may have been tracked
To this place, caught Oh that moor by
the man who had tracked him. and
done To death"
"For what he had on him?" sug.
gested Crole
"That-or something like it," an
swered KlOop. 81 see it's stated in
the papers-from Mr.. Hollis evidence
that he probably had lot Of money.
and his valuables op him. But-dn
you know if he had anything else
anything that would make a man re
sort to actual murder to gain posses
sion off"
1--WE DON'T" answered MaythOrne
1.-The fact is, Mr.. Kloop, We came TO
you hoping that you, as close friend
of his, could throw lot OF light on
to have on him?"
Il will tell you what l know of
Mazaroff 1t may do some good-but
/ think the secret of this business will
be unearthed only by getting at MaZa
roff's own dOings between the time he
arrived here in London and his mur.
der at Marrasdale moor"
You tlave read what was said at
the inquest S4s0lt MaZaroff being in
reality one Andrew Merchison? Very
well-do you know If he was Andrew
MerchisOnT MaythOrne asked.
81 do not" replied KlOop. But"
he added, with quiet smile, II dare
say be was. In fact, should con-.
clude he was the Andrew Merchson
spoken of at the inquest. He was
bit of a mystery man. But | never
knew him as anything else than Salm
MazarOff, and he never said word to
me about his antecedents, during the
whole time of our friendship.
"When he first became known to me,
Mazaroff was what you might term a