THE CHINA MAIL, FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 1936
The Man Behind The Hold-Up
(Continued from Page 11)
The buildings were now used as warehouses, but due to poor trade most of them were closed. At ene side of the square, however,
| WAS A PRISIDA.
doors. M'Phinney's mouth opened the tender shot by the six-wheeler! and closed with undignified codfish and then pulled up with a terrific) like surprise:
report from the exhaust.
I doors WAS a twelve-foot sign.
**Page Furnishing Company, Ltdbeckoned. the sign read. Several vans could!
When Dixon Hawke left the Apparently something had gone Post Office some ten minutes later wrong. and the furniture truck he was smiling grimly. Descend squealed to a standstill. The driver ing the steps be noticed a butcher's leaned out and swore viciously.
down the street "All right?" MPhinney snap- Judging by the fresh paint, the coming.
It stopped at the ped. "Get them!** place was new". Above the main towards him.
jeurb, and the man at the wheel The doors of the tender swung Jopen. A dozen alert detectives The detective swung up by his bounded out into the road and be seen inside, and a few mechanics ride. It did not surprise him to raced for the truck.
and M Phinney's burly form A yell came from the man at the were working on them.
jammed into corner of the wheel as he tried to back his ma "We turned that place upsident.
chine away. His companion. down.
with darting. M'Phinney said, following although to all appearances the thin-faced "fellow the directing of Hawke's glance. van belonged to a tradesman it black eyes, snatched an automatic "It was an obvious possibility was really one of the high-speed from his pocket and levelled it at
senders usel by the officers of the the nearest detective.
Dixon Hawke's hand moved up llow long has it been here?"flying squad. Inside there would
This is be dozen men and a short wave from his side. There was "About three months.
radio set which kept them in touch glint of blue steel. A sharp report) with Geotland Yard.
mang out, and the ran with the These well-disguised vans, cruis.gun collapsed. ing round the London streets, had done a lot to check erine.
P:O-BRITISH INDIA-APCAR AND The company is a new one." EASTERN & AUSTRALIAN LINES
MAIL AND PASSENGER STEAMERS
TAKING CARGO FOR
Straits, Java, Burma, Ceyloni Africa, Queensland Porta, and
Red India, Persian Gulf, West Indies,
Sea, Egypt, Istanbul, Mauritius,
ja side branch from their factory big trade as furniture They do fremovers.
"It looks harmless."*
**
the
Without any doubt. he's thei
the erook who shot the guard."
The Lord gumman
"I took you at your word. criminologist said. A typical
"It is. There's no possibility of hiding a san in there. Look round M Phinney runted. Greece, Levantine Ports, Europe,
for yourself."
Eart and South PENINSULA & ORIENTAL FORTNIGHTLY
DIRECT ROYAL MAIL STEAMERS
UNDER CONTRACT WITH HM. GOVERNMENT
All vessels may call at any parts on or off the route-and the route and all sailings are subject to change or deviation with of without notice.
PENINSULAR & ORIENTAL SAILINGS
Tons
From Hour Song About
16,000 18th Apr.
NALDERA *MIRZAPORE **BANGALORE
16,000 18th Apr.
CARTHAGE RAJPUTANA 1*BHUTAN
CHITRAL "BEEAR
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14,500 2nd May 17,000 16th May 6,000 23rd May
15,000 30th May.
6,000
5th June
17,000 13th June 7,000 20th Jane
17,000 27th June
RAWALPINDI
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* Cargo only.
Destination.
Stratta, Columbo, Bombay & Karachi
Hawke entered the garage. It was a vast room with a solid con- 89?** erete floor, a few repair pits, and no cellar. The criminologist walk- jed round slowly, looking keenly
the door
at
Didn't they see anything of the van here he asked..
There are only six men on the
staf truck.
help you if this turns out to be The driver of the truck, realising a wild goose chase. Where do we there was no hope of escape, lifted
his arms in surrender. In a mo **Take the Dartfoni Road."¡ment handcuffs were clipped to his 11awke said. "It's the old Reman wrists.
"A nice round-up," M'Phinney be following it as far as Faversham, said. highway of Watling Street. We
"No doubt they're part of land then branch off to Herne Bay. Fan-Tan Joe's gang.
But you There's a little village on the coast promised me you would find the fcalled Swalecliff."
stolen bullion-van."'
"Is this a geography lesson? ̈ ́
"And so I have, old fellow!'';
They were busy loading a **N I'm just telling you where Hawke laughed.
The name is an Irish tomatic reduced it to scrap iron.
A
came
As the engine was running we'll find the man wh planned He walked round to the rear of The double they heard nothing of the uproar the robbery. His present alias is the furniture truck. Bombay, Marseilles & London when the van was stolen. The Halloran, and he lives at a house doors were secured by a padlock, 6,000 25th Apr. Marseilles, Havre, London, Hamachine coull have driven right fcalled Bay View, in the village of but two shots from Hawke's at-
burg, Rotterdam, Antwerp & Ball through the court without them Swaircliff.
The truck they were one. Marseilles. &
seeing it.
I think you were right in He wrenched it free and swung up London. Bombay. Marseilles & London, loading blocked the entrance." suspecting the American crook, the bar which held the doors. "A six-wheeler. wasn't it? 1O'Rourke, alias Fan-tan Joe."
startled exclamation Marseilles, HavT, London, Ham- burg, Rotterdam, Antwerp & Hall.
can see the wheel tracks on the Bewildered by the facts which (from M'Phinney as he looked in- Pombay, Marseilles & London.
had been huried at him. the Chief side. Marseilles, Havre, London, Ham concrete."
Carefully secured by ropes was a burg, Rotterdam, Antwerp
"I suppose it was," M'Phinney Inspector settled back in his seat. & Hull. Bombay, Marseilles &
said ensually. & London,
"I can assure you Alrendy the tender was moving at small bottle-green van. Marseilles,
London, Hayre,
Ham there's nothing in this place to rapid pace in the direction. of Very clever, eh?" Hawke said. burg, Batterdam, Antwerp
were Greenwich. Soon they were be There you
scouring the arouse suspicion.
Hawke nodded, and they left theyond the outskirts of the city and country for this machine, and it 14,500 11th July Bomb Marseilles & London.
Marseilles & London.
|garage and passed out of the court faring along the old Roman road was safely tucked away inside a 17.000. 25th July Bombay. Marseilles & London.
A young which cuts across Bexles Heath in monster six-wheeler.' 16,000 8th Aug. Bombay, Marseilles & London. Aby the other entrance.
And that's how it vanished constable, alert and smart, was on dead straight line. 11,000 22nd Aug Bombay Marseilles & London. 17,000 5th Sept Bombay. Marseilles & London. duty. He saluted at the sight of For their getaway the criminals after entering Black Horse Court!"" 15,000 19th Sept. Marseilles & London.
M'Phinney,
could not have chosen à better the chief inspector exclaimed. 17,000 3rd Oct. Marseilles & London.
The man who was here when road. It was so straight that they Exactly. They simply ran the 17,000. 17th Det Marseilles & London
the robbery occurred." the head of could make good time on the whole van up an incline into the truck 14,500 31st Oct Bombay, Marseilles & London.
the C.LD. said. "Do you want to of the fifty mile run into the heart and closed the doors. Then it was 17,000 14th Nov. Marseilles & London.
talk to him? I've looked up his of Kent.
driven right pust you. A furniture record, and um positive that he had The Flying Squad tender, with a van was not likely to be suspect. no connection with the gang." powerful Rolls Royce motor under ed. "
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Istanbul, Piraeus, Symrna and otherLevant Ports by steamers of the Khedival Mail Steamship Co.
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"I'd swear to that, sir!**
Hawke liked the frank way in the battered bonnet, was SOOD Until you got on the trail,"*) All Phinney grunted. "I send Frequent connection from Port Said for Passengers and Cargo to which the constable looked at him. touching sixty miles an hour.
He was also sure that this pro-eyes were fixed ahead, waiting for the gold back to London at once Shall mising officer would not have been the bottle-green van which Hawke with the tender as escort. bribed to let the stolen van pass. had declared had taken this road. we push on with the truck and pay "Did you hear the whistle of After a time M'Phinney mutter- surprise visit on Fan-Tan Joe ?*** your comrade on the other side of ed impatiently. He was frowning Hawke's eves twinkled. "That's the court?** the
an excellent ides," he said. "Fan- criminologist as he turned to the detective. asked.
We ought to have caught up Tan is a slippery customer, und Then was a lot of tratte going with the thing." he protested. might slip away if we staged an by, sir. I did have an ides The Bank of England uses special ordinary raid." heard something, but I wasn't sure, machines which can't go above After the bottle-green van had and I had to stay where I was twenty miles an hour. The idea is been run out into the road, and and keep the traffic moving." that no emok can get away with sent back to London with a detec-
"It would have been impossible such a slow-moving vehicle.
tive at the wheel and the flying for the van to have passed you!
guard, The machine we're following squad tender acting as without being seen?**
can make nearer forty miles an Hawke and Phinney, with half hour thin twenty," Hawke said a dozen men, took the truck on Did any sort of van drive out crisply. "Don't be so impatient, towards Herne Bay. Two detec of the court during the next half-fold fellow. We'll catch up with tives, disguised in the leather hour?**
them before we come to Roches-sprons and rough clothes of the The constable wrinkled
his ter."
original crew, were on the driving- brows, then he nodded.
A few miles further on and the seat.. "There
of the six-crew of the Flying Squad tender was one
Swalecliff was a tiny resort out- wheelers belonging to the Page becane alert at the sight of a cloud side Herne Bay, and it was very people," he said. "It came out of dust which was rising just ahead easy to find the residence of Mr. when the inspector was question of them. Some vehicle was mak-Halloran. The house lay back ing me about the other van. It ing a high speed in the direction from the road, sad was surrounded stopped down there by the Post of Rochester. The detectives were by trees. It was A good head-j Office, and I had to go down and keyed for action.
quarters for a gang. tell the driver to move on. The Then a sport of disappointment As the truck came to a halt at van was blocking half the road." came from M'Phinney. The dust the top of the drive three men hur-
had cleared for a moment, and the ried out to receive it. Why did they stop?"
One of To send a telegram, sir. They machine in front could be clearly them was a chubby-faced old fellow had some furniture to deliver, and sera. It was a giant furniture von. with silvery hair and a most plea
"They shouldn't be making that want smile. they had to let the people know! Southampton and
that they were coming."
speed," the chief inspector said, "Well, well," he drawled, "80 "I see,
"Hawke said. All Humph I didn't know a six- the English police were tricked? right, consable. I don't suppose wheeler could go so fast.
Of course, they've never had real can "As with our tender, it depends brains pitted against them be: itell me.
upon the engine under the bon-fore!"
Be hurried to the back of the He turned to MPhinney, who net," Hawke answered. He learn- had been listening to the questions ed forward, and there was a flush ran.
**Confound!" he snarled abrupt- with a puzzled frown on his rugged of excitement on his pale cheeks.
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And
by the
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Frequent connections from Australia with the following:-
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The P. & 0. Royal Mail Steamers to London and
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ALL DATES are approximate and sub-
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the day previous to sailing,
on the
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face. The Yard head made anJove, we've got them!" he said. "Why didn't you padlock the impatient movement.
be
"We're wasting tine.**
"Those crooks will get growled. away with the gold if we don't get on their trail soon."
Hawke smiled
"How long will it take you to get hold of a flying squad tender
and a dozen men?" he asked.
"About ten minutes.**
Tell your men to get ready with doors as I told you?" their guns!**
He jerked them open. Dixon "But we're looking for a Bank Hawke, M'Phinney, and four other of England. van painted bottle men stepped out. green!** exploded M Phinney. guns in their hands.
There's no time to waste in stop-
There were
"I must apologise for breaking ping a speeding furniture van.” the padlock, Fan-Tan Joe," Hawke They were now within a few said. "I had no key to the truck, vards of the six-wheeler. A man you see!"
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leaned out and looked back. He! The American crook Tocked beck **Good I I'll meet you outside shrugged his shoulders at the sight on his heels. His mouth was open, the Post Office ten minutes from of the disguised tender, and a mo-and the colour had gone from his
The American's mouth, twisted **Your own men. They sent you now. Make sure they're your bestment later the van. pulled into the chubby face.
a telegram, but unfortunately for men, M'Phinney, and that they're side of the road and slowed down. "How did you get there?" he into a snari, but he did not speak.
"A half-ton van." Hawke went you an alert constable, found that well armed."
The driver waved the tender to panted. "How
the de-on, cannot vanish into thin air. out, and I made good use of it to The detective walked away with pass.
"You were very clever,' rapid strides, and after a moment “Look at the name that tective drawled, and you almost Obviously it had been hidden. The pay you a surprise visit."
police had made a thorough search Fan-Tan Joe took the silvery wig. of blank amazement the chief truck!!! Hawke rapped.
deserved to get away with the gold, of the square, and so, by de pro- from his head and tossed it care. inspector darted after him,
"Page and Company. Why, Fan-Tan. Unfortunately you were "Why do you what the tender" that's the firm who have their over-cautious. You chose for the ceas of elimination, I hit upon lessly to one side. Then he beid he demanded:
garage in Black Horse Court !?" disappearance of the vas a square only possible hiding place the inhis arms out, wrists touching.
of the six-wheeled truck terior
"Put 'em on,” he said.. **I "To catch up with the stolen And that's the machine we're which was empty except for one which had left the square after the guess it's not worth while playing" van," Hawke answered. "By, the going to stop Hawks said. business-the Page Furnishing crime!"
with you guys.” tricks time you come back I'll know Although still puzzled, Phin Company, which was a new con
**How the thunder did you know
(THE END) where it is!"*
ney passed the word to his men, cern. When I looked round, Fan- He ran up the Post Office steps and the crew inside the van prepar Tan, I realised that lonely garage where I was?" Fan-Tan Joe de- Another adventure of Dizon Hareke
manded and disappeared through the swinged for action. Picking up speed, was not there by chance."
will appear to-morrow,