Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-11
This Is the First 0 f Series Of Com
blete Detective Stories by That Master of
Such Fiction, Edgar Wallace NE Are
Introduced to a Quaint FellozU, mr..
Reeder, Whose Exploits NH Thrill You
in the Future Stories to Appear in The
Stars Magaziue.

that Mr. John G. Reeder, with some reluctance,
transferred himself from his own office on
Lower Regent street to a somewhat gloomy
bureau on the top floor of the building which
housed the public prosecutor. In making this
change he advanced only one stipulation: that
he should be connected by private telephone
wire with his old bureau.
He did not demand this-he never demanded
anything. He asked nervously and APOLOGIZE
caly. There was a certain wstful helpless
ness about John G. Reeder that made people
feel sorry for him, that caused even the public
prosecutor a few uneasy moments of doubt
as to whether he had been quite wise in sub
shutting this weak-appearing man of middle
age for Inspector Holford-bluff capable and
heavily mysterious.
Mr.. Reeder was something over SO, long
faced gentleman with sandy-gray hair and q
slither Of side whiskers that mercfully distract
ed attention from his large outstanding ears.
He wore halfway down his nose a pair OF
Steel-rimmed pince-neZ, through which nobody
had ever seen him look-they were invariably
removed when he was reading A high and
hat-crowned bowler hat matched and yet did
not match frock coat tightly buttoned across
his sparse chest. His boots were square-t oed
his cravat-of the broad, chest-protector pat
tern-was ready-made and buckled into place
behind the Gladstone collar. The neatest APP
pendage to Mr. Reeder was an umbrella rolled
so tightly that 1t might be mistaken for g
frivolous walking cane Rain shine, he car
ried this article hooked to his arm, and within
living memory it had never been unfurled.
Inspector Holford (promoted now to the re-
sponsibilities of superintendent met him In
the office to hand over his duties.
"Glad to know you, Mr.. Reeder I haven't
had the pleasure of meeting you before, but
I've heard a lot about you You've been doing
bank work, haven't your"
MIR. Reeder whispered that he had had that
honor. Mr.. Holfords scrutiny was full of mis-
givings.
"Wen," he said awkwardly, "this job is diff
ferent, though I'm told that you are one Of
the best informed men, and If that Is the case
this viii be easy work. Still, we've never had
an outsider-T mean, so to speak, private de-
tective-in this office before, and naturally we
are BIT"
IT quite understand" murmured Mr.. Reeder,
hanging up his immaculate umbrella.
'Well-there is nothing much doing. That
Ealing case Is pretty clear. Green is an ex-
convict, who got a job at the bank during the
war and worked up to manager. He has done
seven years for conversion"
"Embezzlement and conversion" murmured
Mr.. Reeder. "I-er-Im afraid was the
principal witness against him; bank crimes
were rather-er-a hobby of mine. Yes he
got into difficulties with money-lenders. Very
foolish-extremely foolish. And he doesn't adj
init his error" Mr.. Reeder sighed heavily.
Poor fellowl With his life at stake one may
forgive and indeed condone his pitiful prevari-
cations"
The inspector stared at the new man in
amazement.
II don't know that there is much poor
fellow about him. He has cached 100000
and told the weakest yarn that I've ever read
you'll find copies of the police reports here, If
you'd like to read them. The scratches on
Malling's hands are curious-they've found
several on the other hand. They are not deep
enough to suggest struggle. AS to the yarn
that Green tells"
Mr.. j. q. Reeder nodded sadly
1T was not an ingenious story" he said, al
most with regret. eff remember rightly, his
story was something like this. He had been
recognized by a man who served in prison
with him, and this fellow wrote Matchmaking
letter telling him to pay or clear out. Sooner
than sreturn to a life of crime Green wrote
out all the facts to his directors put the letter
in the drawer of his desk with his keys and
left note for his head cashier on the desk
itself, intending to leave London and try to
make a fresh start where he was unknown"
EFT alone in his Office he spent very con-
siderable time at his private telephone,
communing with the young person who was
still young person, although the passage of
time had dealt unkindly with her. For the
rest OF the morning he was reading the deposit
lions which his predecessor had put on the
desk.
1t was late in the afternoon when the public
prosecutor stroled into his room and glanced
at the big pile % manuscript through which
his subordinate was wading