THE METAL BOX
By THOMAS COBB..
(Author of "False Pretinces," Mr. Pomeroy's Reputation, de.)
&
CHAPTER XIV.
CHAPTER XV.
THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH.
sidering the fresh light which appeared to have been thrown on Everard'a motive.
The drawing-room on the firet Monica Still Interferés. floor was one of the most expen.
Foster forgot Sir Joseph's dis- aively furnished in London, and looked like it. A tall screen stood agreeable innuendocs as he walk before the fire, and Lady Porkin-ed towards the Marble Arch, con- son was leaning back in an easy chair with an open novel on her knees. Her usual allowance wos one a day. Her lips were slightly parted, she rhythmically snored, till as her husband stopped before her, she opened her eyes, sat up with a jerk and grabbed at the
book.
Two years ago, at the time of the robbery, he had ved at home with his people at Park Lane, and he could not have been ignorant of the fact that his mother's jewels ware fully insured,
Although fifty seven years' of
Theresa's explanation had been, ago, she looked extraordinarily consequently, inaccurate in an Everard young, and her complexion was important particular. still clear, unwrinkled and scarce- could not have been anxious to ly powdered. Her fair hair, less curry favour with his father by pronouncedly red than Everard's the restoration of the gems. Sir had kept its colour, and she had Joseph, having received their kindly hazel eyes.
Her rather value, would not care whether he Yet podgy hands were covered with saw them again or not. rings and she wore a valuable Everard must have had, an object. ruby brooch, balieving that it had What could it have been? About a tendency to make her appear that, Foster had not the slightest less forid.
doubt. Everard Parkinson had "Agnes, the most extraordinary intended to defraud the insurance thing!'! cried Sir Joseph. company, to dispose of their pro "There's a man downstairs who perty to the best advantage, to says he's brought back those pocket the money, to return to jewels you lost at Waterloo- America and spend it on Nina
Francey.
Lady Parkinson looked as if the thought she must still be dream- ing.
"Never!" sho answered. "Never, after all this time! Joe, there's some trick."
"Well, we shall see. He calls himself Dr. Markwell, and he looks all right."
"Ah, but you never can tell!" "Still, he's got a box and I left him opening it. It's true I haven't seen what's inside it yet But It'd be too infernally bare- fnced. I thought you'd like to be
I
This seemed perfectly clear, but Theresa had had no suspicion. She had been completely deceived. Everard had lied to her, and she unfortunately had believed him. He was worse than the mere waster she had described. He was neither more nor less than a rogue.
SINGAPORE LAWYER
RETIRES.
AFTER 23 YEARS OUT EAST.
The Singapore Bar lost another of its senior members when Mr. G. 5. Carver left on retirement by the Macedonia last week, after 23 years in the Colony.
Mr." Carver qualified as a soll citor in 1903 with a firm of mari- time lawyers at Liverpool, and he has frequently appeared in cases connected with that branch of the law during his legal career. In Singapore. He was away from Singapore for three years during the war, when he served with the 1st Cheshire Regiment in France and Belgium. Ilis ability as an advocate is well-known, and it is recalled that he was one of the counsel engaged in the famous Malayan Collerics litigation heard at Kuala Lumpur several years ago.
Mr. Carver twice served on the Legislative Council, and during the past year he has dealt with a number of public questions, parti cularly the prevalence of crime and an adequate police force, in speeches made at that body. He has also been a strong supporter of the Straits Settlements Associa tion (Singapore), and has twice been elected President of that body. He has also done useful work for the Children's Society as a member of the Com- mittec.
Ald
A keen tennis player and yachts- man, Mr. Carver has held the office of Vice-Commodoro of the Royal Singapore Yacht Club, of which he has always been an He has enthusiastic amber, been a mamber of the Volunteers since he arrived in Singapore and he holds the Volunteer Decoration, with the present rank of Lieuten ant in the Reserve.
The good wishes of many friends in the Straits will go with Mr. and Mrs. Carver when they leave Singapore and settle down, as they hope to do, to enjoy the delights of the English country- side.
prompt manner, summed the mat- ter up.
Already, before his recent visit to Park Lane, Foster had been convinced that it was Everard-who an Miss Croom on the Monday before she was murdered and used on the spot.”
"I suppose she's very good As a matter of fact, she wel.the name" of Hillyard as an intro- duction. Had Everard desired comed the excitement, and at once accompanied Sir Joseph down the only to restore Lady Parkinson's looking, anyhow," said Miss Rail- property, the vleft to Baynton ton, and Foster allowed that to thickly carpeted stairs, finding Crescent would seem of little im- pass, telling her about his visit Lupton waiting to reopen the smoking-room foor. By this time portance, but as he had been to Park Lane with the metal box obviously after the jewellery for and what he had learnt there of Parkinson. "A nice Foster had unlocked the box and his own ends, the case became in. Everard raised the lid, and directly Lady Parkinson crossed the threshold. Anitely more serious. Nothing, it man," cried Montca. "If he was she uttered a loud exclamation of was true, of any consequence had a thief, you can't tell what else he astonishment, running to the writ happened during that first visit, may not have been. Suppose ho Ing table and fingering the gems, but the question arose, had it went again on Thursday and been followed by a second as "Well, I certainly never expect Monica Railton insinuated, and ed to see them again," she cried. had thint taken place on the fatal "After all this time. Wherever have they come from?" she de- Thursday? The first thing, how- manded, with the ruby necklet in ever, was to ascertain beyond a one hand and the diamond tiara in the other, as she gazed Into Foster's face,
"Perhaps," Sir Joseph snapped out, "you'll have the kindness to explain!"
doubt, whether Everard's descrip- tion tallied with that of the man whom, presumably, Martha Keeno had admitted on the Monday,
A few days after the funeral, Martha had asked Foster to give As the three stood, in a group, jher a reference, and he had made Foster, by far the coolest, began a note of the address in his pocket Consulting this now, he his explanation. Nor did he find dlary, it easy. It seemed obvious that saw that she was living at Down- theed people were entitled to hear shire Hill, Hampstead, and taking how their stolen property had a motor 'bus in Oxford Street, he come into his possession, but he got off at Swiss Cottage, walking knew too little about Hillyard to the rest of the way along Belsize make the story plausible without Park. He was surprised at the creating a wrong impression of rural character of the road, and his apparently circumspect little stopped at the gato of a sort of aunt. He was anxious, also, not cottage with a bow window and a to drag in Theresa's name, and lattice work porch. consequently kept Everard Parkin- Bon's out of it.
threatened her with his revolver just as he did you! She would never have parted with the box, She looked upon it as a sacred trust
sort of
"She hadn't got it," sald Foster. "She had handed it over to me."
"Yes, but Mr. Parkinson wouldn't have belleved that. He would have wanted to look for himself, and when she tried to reach the phone, how do you know. he didn't hit her on head with the handle?"
the
"I don't know," Foster admit- ted. "I wish to Heaven I did."
"Dr. Markwell," exclaimed determined air, Monica, with a "there's one question. I want to ask you."
"What is it?"
"Are you going to see Inspec tor Tow to-night?""
THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 1928.
SHARE PRICES.
TO.DAY'S QUOTATIONS.
The following la the list of loosl share quotations issued to-day::
Banks.
Hongkong Bank, 31230 b. Chartered Bank, £214. b. Morcantile A. & B., £394 n. P. and O. n. East Asia, 370 B: Insurances.
b.
Canton Ine., #675 Union Ins., 8332 b. North China, Ins., Tis: 143 n. Yangtze Ins., 8461 b. China Underwriters, £2.70. b China Fires, $215 n. H. K. Fire Ins., $740 Shipping.
Douglasos, $41 b.
B
H. K. Steamboats, $281 b. H. K. Tuge, $2.80 Indo-Chinas, (Dof.) $45 b. Shell Trans., 90/- n. Union Waterboats, $201. Mining.
.
Bonguets, $2.35 Kailane, 66/-. n. Laarkats, Tle. $16 n. S'hai Exploration, Tls. 2.75 b. Raubs, $11 b Tronohs, 17/6 b.
Docks, etc.
Kowloon Wharvos, $140 ea. Whampoa Docks, $481 n. China Providents $6.45 sa. Hongkews, Tls. 164 b. New Engineerings, Tis. 4.80 a. Shanghai Dooks, Tle. 101 b.
Cottons.
Ewo Cottons, Tls. 8.70 b. Orientale, Tis 2.15 b. B'hai Cottons, Tis. 60 (old) b..
Lands, Hotels, etc.
H. and S. Hotels, $101 b. H. K. Lands, $68 S'hal Lands Tis. $131 b.
b. Humphreys, $142 Realtios, $8.75 e. Territorials, $li n.'
: Public Utilities. Tramways, $26) ́ ́§. Peak Trams, (old) $12 b Star Ferrios, 165 BB: China Lights, (Comb) $18 b. H'kong Eléctrics, $74 80. Macao Electries, $21 Telephonos $4,65 b. China Busos, Tls. 6 . Singapore Tractions, 11/9 b
Industrials.
.b.
China Sugars, $122 b. Malabons, $27 · D. Canton Ices, $4 b. Coments (Comb.) $12.45 s. Ropos (Old) $9.40 8. United Asbestos $10 B.
Stores &c.
Dairy Farms, $21 b Watsons, $14.25 b. Der A. Wing, $26. Lane Crawfords, $3.60 b. Mackintosh, $22 8. Sinceres, $9.00 b. Wm. Powells, $50.
Miscellaneous. Amusemonts, $291 b. Constructions, 81. B'quo Ind. G. Bonds, 60%. b. HK. G. Loan, 6% Prom.:
VATICAN & POLAND.
+
Warsaw, Feb. 9. The name of the Pope has been
tions.
FIAT
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9 Motorists out of 10
who are investing in light cars will choose the
9 h.p.
FIAT
The tenth will wish he had.
The Car of International Reputation.
Sole Agents for Hongkong; Canton and Macao··
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SHOWROOMS AND OFFICES
67, Des Voeux Road C. Tel. C. 4821
FIAT 509
FOR 1928 NOW ON SHOW
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PLUMBING
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Phone C.1080.
In December of last year the Bishop of Poland issued a pastoral letter urging Roman Catholics to use their votes to ensure a Catholic majority in the Diet, and recom- mending a bloc of all Catholic parties for the elections. This was OVERTURNED TRAM. donled that men had been dis- impossible, since it ignored the real election issue, which is for or against Marshal Pilsudski, and cuts across every other political, social, or religous, issue.
Phone C.1080.
LETTER GOLF: SOLUTION.
"Not to-night," answered Fos Martha opened the door, look-ter. "I'm Inclined to think I ing as gaunt, and as Foster shall be driven to it before I've He, however, insisted on thought, as forbidding as ever. done. But I must have a word Redpath's share in the restoration,
"Lor, Dr. Markwell," she cried, with Miss Feversham firat.”. urging his claim to the reward, "you've never come to say you've "Miss Feveraḥam!" retorted though with an uncomfortable found the murderer?"
Monica
contemptuously. "How POPE'S NAME DRAGGED INTO
PARTY POLITICS. feeling that he was suspected of He explained that he had not you can be so dense! If Mr. Par- going halves.
got so far. yet, but wanted her kingon killed poor Miss Croom, "The man le neither more nor to answer one or two questions, you may feel certain of one thing. less than a thief, and the com- panion of thieves," exclaimed Sirher answers soon convincing him Miss Feversham knew the jewels that it had, indeed, been Everard were insured, she knew what he Joseph. "Birds of a feather" he Parkinson whom she admitted on meant to do with them. I don't suddenly brought into the strife of added, with an unpleasant expres- Monday the Seventh. But Martha say she thought he was going to Polish parties, rendered acute fust sion, as he glared at Foster.
"Anyhow, but for Redpath," insisted that she had only seen kill Miss Croom beforehand. Como now by the approach of the elec was the reply, "you would never im on that one occasion, also that to that most likely he didn't mean to kill her. He was carried he was "quite the gentleman/ have seen your property again."
Although Foster would have away and lost his head. But she "It's not my property."
wished to go direct from Down knew all about it before she "Ludy Parkinson's," said Fostershire Hill to the Capital. Hotel, tempted you to take the box to "Nor her Indyship's." "Then whose is it?" asked having seen Theresa once already her flat, and if the plot had come
that day, he scarcely liked to ven- off, she'd have had her share."
Foster was annoyed. When Foster, entirely at a loss.
"It belongs to the Lion Assur-ture again. On the whole, he had ance Company, Dr. Markwell, better wait ill to-morrow; mean- Monica rose from her chair, he The jewels were insured for their while the new sitaution had to be opened the door and followed her full value. The money was paid considered. Hitherto he had shrunk downstairs without another word, In due course. It was the assur from going to Inspector Pow, nor did he offer his hand on the ance company that offered the re-fearing to cause Theresa, at least, threshold. Miss Railton walked ward. Application must be made uppleasantncas, but now that he away in a state of righteous in
At a London County Council to them. In my opinion they was convinced of Everard's real dignation, and that evening after The Bishop's letter, however, has This motive, it seemed questionable dinner at the Roscoe Women's been used by the anti-Pilsudski man Redpath certainly docan't whether, even for her sake, he Club, she went to Miss Statham's Catholic bloc na a weapon against meeting Mr. Herbert Morrison, re-could be foreseen. The rail had' pat. Ife should have was justified in keeping his know. bedroom overholten in the supporters of the Government, ferring to the overturning of a shown no defect whatever, but for
two discussed the Croom caso in who include both Catholica and non-
some reason or other the check .deserve given his information two years ledge to himself.
He told Monica Railton all he all its known details,
"One thing's centain," said Miss Catholics. One clerical organ went tramcar at Balham, said it wasrall had been broken off.
Six cars passed over the spot in, when that afternoon, As he spoke, Sir Joseph drow know
Government would be a sin. to the absence of a check rall, perfect safety. The car concern the box towards him, and Lady scarcely surprised, he received a Stathum, after an enjoyable hour so far as to say that to vote for the stated that the accident was due talk. That Miss Feversham, or Parkinson regretfully replaced the visit from that lady on her way whatever her real name is, has Princo Janusz Radziwill, leader of and he suggested that that, in ad had been compelled to halt.
home from business. He know goms she had been handling.
would have passed in safety. "I will communicate with the she was intensely interested in made a perfect fool of Dr. Mark the Catholic Conservatives, who are conjunction with definite cases of But for this, in all probability, it
surrounding well. Just like a man, But if I members of the Government Coall- company at once," Sir Joseph con- the circumstances
which he states that his party's rise to grave disquiet as to the tinued, turning the key in the lock; Miss Croom's murder, besides he were you, I should stand no more tion, has replied with a letter in defective tram tracks, had given "and take charge of the jewels till was anxious himself finally to nonsense.”
"What should you do?" asked policy is approved by the Bishop state of the track generally. He That labour saving devices they send for them.
disabuse her mind concerning
of his own diocease. He also.
be debated at St. Peter's Church "Well, my responsibility is end-Thercan. She sat listening eager "I should take the matter out of learns, he adds, from, two persons further suggested that the accl-courago laziness" is the motion to into the church, and we have had ed anyhow," said Foster, and ly with her bell-shaped hat on
motion will be proposed by Mr times without number," said the without a word of thanks, he left ane side, and the button: still his hands. I should go to. Scot- recently received in private dent was due to "starving the Young Men's Club on Monday. The two carpets stolen and boxes opened L. K. Quick, seconded by the Rer Vicar of Oatlands, Burrey, who sug the room, with a vastly different missing from her dark blue cont, land Yard myself. You might audience at the Vatican, that he has
afternoon.
demn the misuse of the Bishop's
Mr. C. W. Matthews, Chairman EWI Martin, and opposed by Mr. gented the police should adopt more opinion of Everard Parkinson while he dwelt on the innocent leave an hour early to-morrow the approval of the Pope, who con- track of labour."
(To be continued.)
letter for party purposes,
the Committee concerned, 8. V. Boxer and Mr. A. E, Lea, modern methods. › - -*-*-* from that he had brought with part Misa Faversham had played, him
whereupon Monica, in her shrewd,
won't part with a penny.
@go.
Monica.
ALLEGATIONS CONCERNING TRACK DENIED,
charged from the Permanent Way Department. Instead, he added, |overything possible was done to maintain the track in a good state of repair.
The accident was not one which
Here is the solution to the puzzle on another page.
SPORT SPURT [S/P|U|R|S] SPARS STARS
"People are continually breaking