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THE CHINA MAIL FRIDAY SUPPLEMENT, NOVEMBER 29, 1940.
SHORT STORY
A Tissue Of Some Sense By Douglas Newton
MR. Julius Sugars, waiting at the kerb of Whitehall for a break in the traffic to let him through to Scotland Yard and his daily work, saw something in a passing if dingy car to catch his mild eye. He looked hard, stepped out to a taxi, said as he boarded it on the move; "Follow that saloon. Over- take and stop it if you can.”
sunk into the upholstering at the objected. "An! he wouldn't...ha' Mr. Seymour squirm. Why, only as he did before setting up on his
•
hind the others; but that's hardly
back, others had not got so far, overtaken on the near side, nei- last Thursday there was the de- own a couple of years ago, he ran the dead man intervening. It look- ther, not without me 'aving a vil to pay.
a regular shooting gallery at the ed, in fact, as though the car had word to say to 'im about it."" "You make him sound almost bottom of the estate. Seymour
"That almost passed through a burst of machine-
insists that the inevitable," sighed Mr. Sugars. Acton had an old, seven shot Colt gun fire.
murderer must have waited hid "They had a tow because Tony revolver for house protection; The dead man proved to be a den, say in some bushes, in wanted a lot of immediate cash Tony used to speak that for tay- Mr. Seymour Acton, 57, financier lonely place, and fired as you pass for
some important something. Het practice. It was quite a craze of Plim Street, Kingsway. He was ed... Could he have done that; Uncle flares out against the spend with him, he even used to take on a seraggy, starveling sort of in Pusey?"
thrift and threatens to cut him Dicker, the house servant and
Pusey, in shooting matches; and · It was one of those mornings individual. He had been driven
The chauffeur admitted
ch?" Mr. that, out of will-all that, when even the green lights were to town that morning from his since he had to believe his eyes Brunt nodded miserably. "It's like though they were ex-Servicemen, he soon became as good as they." against him. The saloon swept on small estate at Branson Heath, one against reason, it could only have a book and how did you
"The gardener, ́ himself, never unchecked by as much as a Belisha of the still countrified districts just happened that way, and the lanes know it?" Mr. Sugars ended. descended to such folly, eh?”.... crossing, into and round the whirl- heyond the new Luilding estate between Mr. Seymour Acton's "I was there Mr. Brunt said,
"Sometimes, but he was never pool of Trafalgar Square to dive zone of South East London. Pusey, house and the Eltham road were then paused to shoot a frightened along Chandos Street eastwards. the chinuffeur, had so driven him certainly empty enough. In fact, look at the detective. "I-I went as good as the other three," said Though travelling at a normal daily for years. Pusey, with a mar once the idea had been broached, to Mr. Seymour Acton's house at Jardine, then he blinked at Mr. pace it was either always sand- ried couple named Dicker, and a Pusey found he could name at least four nights a week, to work. Sugar's smile, "Oh, I see, you think wiched by delivery vans or too far gardener named Twyfer, formed least five likely spots. He got He rented me a cottage in his Twyfer might be talking cover be- ahead for them to draw level. Only the whole of the dead man quite expansive about the matter, grounds, cheap
It was his when they reached a gaunt, grey household.
until Mr. Sugars yawned and pull-way of getting unpaid overtime likely. It's Tony Acton who bene- stone building in a street off Fusey again stated he simply ed him up by asking if he knew out of me,"
fits by the will." Kingsway were they close enough could not see how Mr. Acton of anybody who had cause to re-
“The gardener, too." Mr. Sugars to draw up immediately beliind as, could have been killed. He had en- move Mr. Acton In such fashion, had inked himself too closely to clear. Everybody who was in Seeming to realise then that he sighed. "He stands to get £750 it stopped
tered the car alive and well and
Pusey was sorry to say he had the murder by motive and dwel Seymour Acton's service The saloon's chauffeur nipped they had driven straight from no iden. He was only n servant, down and opened the door, star Branson Heath without anybody and though a financier no doubt place, Mr. Brunt closed up. house or office at the time of ing straight ahead as good chauf- having any opportunity to shoot at had enthies, Mr. Seymour Acton He could suggest no reason for his death gets something." feurs do. It was only when noth them. True, they had been slowed had always been as close minded anyone killing Seymour Aciou-Good lord," blinked Owen Jar- not through his business, certain- dine. Still would anyone risk ing happened that he glanced in as usual by the raffle in Lewisham as he was tight fisted.
ly: the dead man had been too hanging for a mere £750?” side. Then he let out a yell. and hung up at New Cross, "but
mean, close and cauticus to make. "Yes, I saw that in Whitehall," such places were too public for
enemies there. murmured Mr. Sugars at his any man to dare murder. elbow. He must have been dead don't know, put in Owen for miles**
Mon Jardine, one of the bright new The occupant of the car was ex- Trenchards who had been coupled tremely dead. The stopping of the to Mr. Sugars to lidd science to saloon had pitched his stiffening his sleuthing "You did the four body sideways on to the scat. In ney every day at the same hour? any case there could be no two opinions about the blood and wounds on his face. The dead man, in fact, had been shot not once but several times in the head.
The chauffeur could only stare astounded at his master and gasp: "It couldn't have happened. I mean, me driving on knowing nothing.
It simply couldn't have happened..
"He seems quite a strong argu- ment to the contrary," murmur ed Mr. Sugars. "Drive back to Scotland Yard. I'll sit inside.**
As they drove back to the Yard, Mr. Sugars noted that all the windows of the saloon were open, it being a drought-hot morning. There was no sign of a weapon in the car. On the contrary, the window frame on the near side had been nicked by a bullet com- ing from outside. Two more had
"A bit of a miser was he?" Mr. Sugars said.
"It's a big enough packet to a poor man who had been counting "Regular old skin-a-louse. Mean
Mr. Sugars went on to the law on it for years; who put up with as misery Pusey began warmly,
Es- then he shrugged. "But there, he's yers in Lincoln's Inn feeling that no end of Seymour Acton's mean- such killed Acton would be someone pecially when that man learnt that, dead-an it's best to ferget such the only person likely to have ness for the sake of it
with expectations under his will. in spite of all he'd endured, he things.
Pusey, in fact, had nothing more The lawyers told him things that wasn't going to get it after all. The To the clock, sir. He docked to offer; Mr. Sugars therefore de- made him even more certain of it. lawyers told me that Seymour me thruppence for every ten min- cided to gather further information Things that gave him such food Acton had decided to wind up his utes I was behind time, Pusey from the dead man's office and for thought that he spent more business and household and re- said sourly.
on the home. He chose the office for hin hours than a lazy man likes to tire to live in an hotel Well, then," said Jardine, "a self. Branson Heath was a long work, following them up. In tact Riviera.?
The miserly old rat," Owen Jar- murderer studying and timing you way off, and the scientific mind Owen Jardine had been back at would know not only where you can scurry about the country tool the Yard for more than an hour dine exclaimed when Mr. Sugars slowed up, but where traffic noises ing for clues much better than in by the time Mr. Sugars dropped told him how that would mean would smother the noise of a pistol easy-going man who hated exer- sighing into his comfortable chair the sacking of all the employees
cise. He sent Owen Jardine off to
who were to receive legacies 'only again. using, say, a silencer:"**
death.' if in his employ at his Bronson Heath, told Pusey to re-
their port back to the Yard every two
"Sweating them through hours, and himself sauntered to-
hope only to do them in the eye wards Kingsway."
in the end:"-
"To stand on a pavement or even from hire a window to shoot meant risk," Mr. Sugars suggested mildly.
"He might have followed be- hind in another car, or or a motor bike:"
He
did not fake short cuts, mainly because he came out of the Yard on the heels of the chauf- feur, who was going in the same direction. Pusey, however,
Qwen Jardine was almost boil- ing over with criminal investiga- tion cooked to its most successful, scientific conclusion.
"We were right," he said, taking full benefit of the partnership. "Seymour Acton's car was am- bushed." "I've found the place, the was ont logical place, If you'll consider
+
"It also complicates things for us," Mr. Sugars mentioned. "It gives us about half a dozen sus- pects instead of one.” dine objected, "Tony Acton ob- body from the merely killing time by drifting this plan of the roadger I don't quite agree there," Jar-
viously stood to gain most. quarrelled with his uncle
"Splendid," nodded Mr. Sugars, "And just how did he make the bullets enter the front near side?"
"Oh, he no doubt fred back as he overtook," muttered Jardine.
"I'd ha' seen that, sir." Pusey
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into and along the Strand" and "Save that for the jury, and gazing into shops. Or rather he help my ancient mind out with a studied the cases displayed in two brief survey couched in language or three doorways on the North understandable by feeble intel- side, until, coming to a shop just lects, sighed Mr. Sugars, settling before Southampton Street, he more cosily.
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14
"And didn't arrive ut his office until after lunch to-day," Mr. Sugars added. "I went there to see him. He said that as the inorning was brisk and his liver wasn't, he went for a country walk all morning
stood gloating over its contents Being young, Qwen Jardine until they lured him inside. Mr. found that difficult. Still, he did Sugars broke off and continued manage to convey the fact that the on his humdrum way.
murderer, knowing the regular There you are, the most foot- The late Mr. Seymour Acton route and timing of Seymour ling of alibis!" jeered Owen Jar- had a shabby office containing a Acton's daily journey, had found dine. "We know where that coun- few sad looking clerks It was the one place for the deed. This try walk took him to those. therefore quite startling to learn was a thick clump of bushes on a bushes from which he shot his that he was a very rich man. The rise, well back from the road. Hid- uncle. No jury will doubt it ...” manager, Mr. Brunt, a spiritless den here the criminal had a clear "No," sighed Mr. Sugars. "Nor and prematurely burnt-out crear view down the road as it climbed Mr. Brunt's. alibl either. For the ture, told Mr. Sugars this. Mr. a steepish hill to pass him. The first time for years Mr. Brunt, too, Brunt was in a position to know, steepness of the grade would not was late at the office. He says that he was also book-keeper and pri- only make the car go slowly, but Seymour Acton kept him so late vate secretary to the deceased. ⠀ increased the noise of the engine last night blackguarding Tony Seymour Acton, Indeed, had enough to prevent Pusey hearing that he overslept this morning and made his money that way; miser- the shooting. The spot was also missed his usual train. And Mr. liness plus, slow and cheeseparing deserted enough to make a man Brunt gets £5,000 under the will. accumulations, even at the ex using a silencer quite cafe from Also he lives close to Seymour pense of his employees, had been other cars.
Acton. I daresay the hour he was the basis of his business method. Having something like this in late would just be time enough "He was the meanest man I ever his orderly mind, Jardine had for him to get to those bushes, met," Mr. Brunt said. "He paid studied the road as he drove to shoot his man, and then catch his wages that scarcely kept body Seymour Acton's house thus he train
Mr. Brunt reddened
Jeg - Durat
and soul together. I don't know had been able to locate the place "Just about" Jardine agreed, how we ever stuck it."almost at once. The murderer also doing higher mathematics on the "Yet you did stick why?" had been helpful. He had left ten back of an envelope. ""But where asked Mr. Sugars.
exploded and said cases in and ejected cartridges does that lead us?"
ground behind the "Five places from nowhere," shtepishly that it was because bushes.
sighed Mr. Sugars, "I've told you Seymour Acton promised to "He lost his nerve and bolted there are at least six who benefit "make up for it in his will. before remembering them," Jar- under that will, and no doubt they Though the dead man had hated dine said in answer to the sur- all have the same sort of shaky to part with a penny during his nrise -lift of Mr Sugar's eye- alibi. life, he did not mind being gen brows, and he added largely: "He "Except Pusey we know he's erous after his death, when is probably felt that the ordinary clear, Jardine scowled "All the money was no use to him.
police methods would never locate same, I don't think it shakes our "So you see, one naturally put that one spot over all that coun- theory about Tony Acton. There's up with anything rather than risk try Here are the empty, his knowledge of frearms, Brunt losing this big lump sum," Mr. shells."
won't fit there? RATES QUE Brunt soid wearily, "Oh, he told He brought the exploded cart-No," mused Mr. Sugars, "I sup- us quite frankly what it was go ridges in a loose handful from his pose it does all turn on those ing to be. Mine is £5,000, free of coat pocket, Mr. Sugars baid mild shooting matches. You didn't find Death Duties if I'm still in his lyUNG BOY CHANDANG MAG that Colt revolver, I suppose?" service at his death. That was his "Dr. Thorndyke would have put "It hardly matters," Owen Jar- grindstone: for of course, the those into a neat little tin box dind said a shudo too quickly, money is sure. His estate will or would it be a seed envelope? "From the way the car was spray! be worth a quarter of a million, if Or was that Sherlock Holmes? ed, from the number of cartridges. not more."
Anyhow, I'm sure you were un- used, it must have been a modern "That's a lot of money," Mr. scientific to carry them loose amid automatic, perhaps a sub-machine Sugars said: "And even if he's left forests of pocket debris. Stigüies APERTANIAN big lump sums to all his em- no doubt you have the murderer. Does that mean you forgot to ployees, as I suppose he has," Mr. named and taped to make up for look for the Colt, or are you dodg Brunt nodded in the affirmative, it;**** BRANA (Nes Wighting the fact that not even your "there'll be a lot left. - Who gè's "It's the nephew, Tony Acton." science could find it? NE
Jardine sald sumy. "He quirrel- "Well, I couldn't find it," Owen ELENA Jurdine reddened, “rlooked He's They all do,” sighed Mr. everywhere, but is not in the
Sugars Anyhow, when they have house." me rich uncles with fat wills and
that.
"There's his nephew
| Acton,"Mr. Brunt said Tony, led
the natural helt unless. "You aren't going to tell
"I thought it mightn't be," that there's yet another rich man's tendency to be murdered. But mused. Mr. Sugars. He picked up nephew who quarrelled with his any evidence?),
*** and began to examine the spent uncle?" protested Mr. Sugars Well, Tony Acton's an expert cartridge cases. "See If that chauf
Well he did. Often," Mr. Brunt: pistol shot," Owen Jartline aniffed. Leur is still about? He might toll. said tonelessly Anybody with That's much Better Who told us something about these
VIS ANAK Von 2 Tusty tuma. In... 110 blinked, af. any spirit would. And Tony's a you
live wire; with ideas of business. The gardener, Twyfer When the brass, cases that Mr. Sugars
(Continuod on Page and money spending #thist: mode & Tony Aofo lived with his uncle,