Evening star., 1934-12-11
CHAPTER XII.
THE SYNDICATE.

- STARED at the girl Tor q momenC,
without speaking. ITO Judge by
appearances" I said finally, "it
looks to me as if our friend Os-
borne had been ehattering."
"He may have known Dimitri and
he may have told him something.
Perhaps they had arranged to work
together, and then, at the last mo-
ment, when father died"
That must be it," cut in. Sos
borne saw his chance and suddenly
decided that If he were going to be q
thief there was no point IN sharing
the plunder. I'm not surprised that
the other lad was a trif1e annoyed.
He probability jove! Yes-now one
comes to think of 1t that would ex-
plain everything!"
How do you mean?"
put yourself in Osborne's place.
Supposing you'd played dirty trick
on a man like Dimitri, and somehow
or other you found out that he'd
managed to get on your track. What
would you do-what would any one
do?"
Run away" she said.
EXACTLY. And if somebody hadn't
scattered Osborne's brains over the
hearth rug" I stopped. But
let's finish your story"
There's not much more to tell.
I'd already made up my mind that
you were innocent, and wasn't going
to stop in there and see you tortured.
I was waiting until Dimitri turned
his back to me- Directly he did
meant to shoot him, and then I sud-
denly caught sight of the telephone by
your bed and that gave me the idea
Of pretending to ring up the police.
"I didn't even go near it as a
matter of fact. stopped just where
I was, and If Dimitri had come up
stairs as he wanted to, should have
fired at him as soon as he opened
the door. With man OF his kind
there was nothing else to do"
It entirely agree with you," said,
"but, taking it all around, perhaps
we're better off as we are" I got up
and, walking slowly across the room,
stood for a moment looking down into
the empty stove.
I'm not much of hand at thank
ing people, I began; lit always en-
barrasses me, but"
"Please!" She rose, too. II don't
want you to thank me. only want
you to believe that all I've told
you is absolutely true. I know 1t
sounds"
"Of course, believe you" inter-
rupted. "It'S much too impossible q
yarn for any one to invent, and, be-
sides, a girl like you doesn't tell
lies" I began to laugh quietly. I'm
thinking of jerry" explained. He Il
be absolutely all over this"
She looked a trif1e bewildered.
who's Jerry?" she asked.
"Oh, I forgot you didn't know
him" came back to where she was
standing. "Jerry's rather particular
pal of mine. His full and proper
name is Sir Jerrold Mordaunt-we
were up at Cambridge together-the
same time that Osborne was there.
got a wire from him this evening to
say that he'd just arrived back in
England and that he'd be round here
first thing tomorrow"
But" she hesitated, "do you pro-
pose to tell him about-about to-
night?"
"Why not?" demanded. Hell
Jump at the chance Of coming in
with us. He's always on the look
out for some fresh excitement-this
will be a lot more amusing than
potting snipe on a Dalmatian island" :"
Then you do mean to help me?"
"Of course. Why, hang it all, we
must work together. We're practically
in the same boat. You want to
find the man who's got your formula
and I want to find the man who killed
Osborne Then there's the question
OF common or garden gratitude. After
what you've done for me I couldn't
possibly let you down. Besides,
though I'm not quite so passionately
fond of trouble as Jerry is, job Of
this sort does rather appeal to my
boyish fancy"
With faint sigh my visitor sank
down again in her chair. II thought
I was right" she murmured con-
tently.
We'll make a kind of triple alli-
ance of it," I went on, like the
three musketeers-you and I and
Jerry. We can call ourselves the A..
D. Syndicate; that will do either for
Anti-Dimitri or Assassination Detec-
tives"
She laughed softly. There's one
thing absolutely insist on. You've
seen the sort of people we've got
to deal with and I'm not going to
let you run all this risk and danger
for nothing. If we do get the formula
you and your friend will each have to
have a share in it."
"Oh, that's nonsense" I protested.
"Jerry's disgustingly rich already;
It would be positively indecent to
offer him any more"
And you?"
Money means nothing to a sculp-
tor" I explained. He lives entirely
on the joy of his art"
Her lips sec in a mutinous line.
"In that case I shan't have anything
more to do with either of you"
well, of course, if you're going to
be OBSTINATE" I paused. Look
here, let's meet each other half way.
If we get this bit of paper back for
you, and it turns out to be as valuable
as you think, you shall contribute
toward the expenses of my trial and
buy Jerry new car. How does that
appeal to you?"
She shook her head. I think it's
very unfair. All the same, it's no
use arguing about it now"
Profoundly true" agreed. "The