1928-12-15 — Page 16

China

Library, Supreme Court

Mail.

Christmas Supplement 1928.

HONG KONG, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1928.

THE HAND OF SANTA CLAUS

By WILLIAM LE QUEUX,

was five o'clock, the hour of the "aperi- to trace missing friends who, for the most

I't, and the Boulevard was agog with

part, disappear purposely, either because of family reasons, love affairs, or financial trou- ble. True, some meet with foul play, but they are not numerous,

life as I sat sipping my vermouth and cassis on the terrace of the Grand Cafe, in Paris, and gazing thoughtfully upon the passers-by,

Suddenly I was aroused by hearing my Presently he gave her a promise to have name uttered, and, turning, found standing inquiries made, and dismissed us. Outside before me a rather pretty, well-dressed Eng-she told me that she was staying at a cheap lish girl, a complete stranger to me.

hotel much patronised by English tourists,

"I hope you will forgive me addressing you," she said, blushing slightly, "but, knowing you by reputation as a cosmopolitan, and that you know Paris well, I thought per- haps you would be kind enough to give me advice."

"Certainly," I said, pulling a chair for her to seat herself at the little tin table.

"Well," she began, not without some hesitation, "the fact is that my sister is missing, and I have come here in search of her. Shall I go to the police?**

*

and I promised to let her know the result of the inquiries,

That same afternoon I returned to the Prefecture, whereupon Dumont, looking up from his littered table, said:

"Inspector Belin is just going round to the Rue des Petits Champs to inquire about your friend's sister. Would you like to ac- company him? I expect the girl has run away with a lover, as most missing girls do."

I expressed keen interest in the affair, and with Belin, the tall, cadaverous-looking man who, by the way, brought the "Blue beard" Landru to justice I went to Miss Lilinn, Enderby's last address.

ing apparently been used. The fruit had bedroom was in disorder, with a number of dainty feminine garments lying upon the bed, as though a woman had packed and left in great haste. The kitchen was quite clean, hence the food had evidently been purchased ready cooked.

decayed, and the flowers had withered. The

Beyond the salle-a-manger was the spacious studio, with a big window and -polished floor, upon which were spread some Eastern rugs. On the easel was a beautiful picture of a dancing girl wearing a black "loup," and at the end the model's throne, a chair upon which lay overturned.

Belin stood in the centre of the room and took in every detail.

The girl packed hurriedly, after eating her dinner with a companion," he said, slow- Jy. "She had prepared for two guests, one of whom did not arrive. They were men, because of the whisky and syphon and cigars on the table-two men!"

"What is your theory ?" I asked, for the famous detective never spoke without some- thing at the back of his mind. "Have you: any idea of what has happened to the missing girl?"

"I certainly should," I advised her. And then, in response to my questions, she told me how she and her sister lived with their widowed mother at Reigate, in Surrey. Her

The apartment was on the third floor of sister, a smart, good-looking business girl, had a year before been engaged as secretary a high dingy house, but on ringing, the bell at the door several times there was no res- by an American named Martin, who was

"Only that she may have run away, or conducting some financial business in Paris. ponse. Returning below, Belin sought. the She had gone to France with her employer, old crone who acted as "concierge," and from she may have been murdered," he snapped. My idea coincided with that of Dumont and for six months her letters had been fre- her ascertained that the flat belonged to n

man named Pietro Pasquali, an that the sprightly English business girl quent and cheerful. Suddenly, however, they young hnd censed, and all letters sent to her had Italian artist, who, having returned to Italy had run away with some good-looking lover. been returned by the Post Office.. In response for six months, had sub-let it to a young Paris is a seductive city for English girls. to a letter to Mr. Martin, a reply had been English lady, a Mademoiselle Enderby. The It seemed that after preparing a meal for her received from him in New York to say that, lady arrived in the month of November, and friends, she had eaten her dinner with a com- four months before, she had left him in Paris, was seen on Christmas Day, when she came panion, walked out of the place, and vanished. of her own accord, and he had neither seen down and gave the concierge twenty franes Yet if such theory be correct, I reflected, nor heard of her since. She said that her as a present, and remarked with glee: "Santa why had she packed in such feverish haste? name was Doreen Enderby, that her sister's Claus visited me in the night, and left me a name was Lilian, and that the last address well-filled. stocking!" she had given was in the Rue de Petits Champs, a long, narrow street not far from

the Opera.

My friend Lucien Dumont, the chef de In Surete, would, I knew, have left his office by that hour, hence I made an appointment to meet her next morning. She was there punctually, and in a taxi I took her to the Prefecture of Police,·

"The girl has, I think, gone away with her pet boy," said Belin.

At the moment I did not follow his trend

of thought. I knew him to be one of the most astute and clever agents of the Surete, for as such he had proved himself from the

The old woman laughed at the joke, and thought no more of it till, two days later, the young lady went away. She waited for her return, but though many months had

first moment that the notorious Landru, who gone by, she had not come back.

"Have you the key?" Belin asked. ́A gave another name, had walked out of that negative reply having been given, he called a chinn shop in the Rue Rivoli, workman who was repairing the roadway,M. In half an hour he had called a local and with a crowbar we soon forced the door. locksmith and placed upon the door a new The interior, dusty and neglected, was a American lock, the key of which the lock- Dumont; the elegant, brown-bearded cosy artist's studio, but somewhat surpris smith gave him. Belin then revealed his police functionary, seated at his table in his ing. In the salle-a-manger there were re-identity to the old woman doorkeeper, saying rother cold official room, heard her story, now mains of a repast, evidently dinner, for in an officious voice: and then jotting down notes and placing in covers were laid for three, but only two per- "Nobody enters here. You, madame, are a pile the lost girl's last letters. However, I sons had apparently eaten. Upon the buffet responsible, to the Surete. Anything you could see by his manner that the affair was stood several dishes that had been consumed can tell us will be welcome. Understand? ́ uninteresting to him. The police of all coun-by mice, while upon the table there was a There is a mystery here which we are deter tries are daily pestered by persons anxious half-empty bottle of wine, two glasses hay-mined to solve."