1936-04-17 — Page 11

THE CHINA MAIL, FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 1936

11

THE MAN BEHIND THE HOLD-UP

(Continued from Page 9)

"We need you!" he said, after a brief explanation of what bad happened: The Assistant Com. missioner persisted that you should be called in at once. The first time in history, Hawkr, that the Bank of England has been, robbed!"

Th

"A clever sicherne, ton, girl who stopped the van faked that accident, of cours you, eaught he ?**

Have

M

She was taken away by a mani in a ear. Prositally be was mov- ing her to hospital, but she never reached one. Another accomplice, Hawke, making sure that the de- | cey should escape!"

But the vani, man! A bottle- 21 van with the name of a Arist on its side in gold letters is distinctive enough. Can't you

trace it?"

There was H splutter from the

other end of the wire.

"That's the crazy thing about: the whole business. The van was turn into a side street scen to which leads to Black Horse Court. There's only one exit from that court-a continuation of the same street-and a constable was on duty at the other end. Although he did not leave his post he did not see the ran!"

"Then it must still be in the court."

M'Phinney's voice almost crack- ed. "We've been through that court with a fine comb," be shrill- ed. There's not the slightest trace of the van. It's gone, and the gold with it

Dizon Hawke whistled softly as he clipped back the receiver. Cer- tainly the case was a startling one. The van and the gold together must have weighed a ton and a half.

It would have taken con- siderable time to force open the steel doors and take out the gold. To break up an armoured van and scatter the pieces in such a short time was out of the question.

Unless the constable who had heon on duty near the court was working with the criminals, which| was not at all likely, the van must have been in some amazingly clever hiding-place when the police made their search. Hawke drove over to Vauxhall to see for himself the scene of the crime.

He found Duncan 'Phinney and Baxter, the head of the flying squel, already there. Scotland Yes was being put to the test with this case, which was one of the biggest in London's crimei history.

Squads of police stood at every jeorner watching everybody who passed. It would have been in- possible to smuggle a single bar of gold away frini that district with- Joan. being seri

M*Phinney, a burly us with | keen blue eyes and a bristling mandstache, rdled to Hawke as be arrived. * of the CLD. and the famous crimino-

gist were great friends.

"It's not an English erine, Hawke said; after he had listened to further details. "There have) been a few cases like it, in New York and Chiengo, though. Have any notorious American criminals slippest into the country?"

"We've been looking for one of them for nearly three mouths now," MPhinney answered, “A) man named O'Rourke, but he had a lot of aliases "

"I believe be was popularly known as Fan-Tan Joe in the States," Hawke broke in. "I've

heard of him. The New York- police broke up his organisation, but failed to capture him."

They thought he would try to get over here, MPhinney said. As a matter of fact, we heard hrough underworld channels that he was here, but we couldn't find him. He -Wa--a wonder at dis- uising. Do you know his method f staging a crime? He planned to the last détail and trained men to carry it out. He would ever take the risk himself. A ery high-class criminal is Fan-Tan Joe, and this is just the sort of utrage that he might attempt."*

Hawke nodded. If the American fas in the country he had little loubt that the man was behind he hold-up. Success would en- ourage him to further crimes, and might well be the beginning of a rave of crime in Britain equal to hat of the great country across the | tlantic.

Obviously the most difficult part f the criminal's plan was to re- hove the stolen gold. Success Or efeat binged upon that one point. nce the mystery of the "vanishing an was solved, it might be pos Ible to discover the crimala.

Hawke went down arrow

breet into Black Horse Court. It] [

as a typical old London équare, aved with cobbles,' ami with old- · ashioned buildings-on either side. E(Continued on Pare. 13)

NOW.

WHAT?

GOOD,

WELL- AT LAST ME WIFE HAS FINISHED HER HOUSE- CLEANIN, SHE PRACTICALLY

BOUGHT ́A NEW HOME- EVERYTHING IS NEW- SO I'LL BE ON ME WAY HOME NOW-

Bringing Up Father

WHAT'S THAT YOU

SAY?

SORRY-SIR-BUT YOU MUSTN^gen PUT YOUR

THINGS CH THẤT TABLE-I'LL TAKE

THEM, SIR-

DON'T SIT IN THAT NEW CHAIR-

THAT IS ONLY

FOR VISITORS="

NOW- AN'T THAT

NICE?

VERY

SIR-

BEG PARDON, SIR- BUT DON'T WALK ACROSS. THIS NEW- LY POLISHED FLOOR AS YOUR SHOES WILL MAR

LISTEN-YOU- WHEN YOU PASS THESE CURTAINS- DO NOT TOUCH THEM-1 DO` NOT WANT ANY OF YOUR ENGER-MARKS

ON THEM-

FATHER-PLEASE WASH YOUR HANDS- BEFORE YOU USE THE TELEPHONE- IT'S ALL FINGER- MARKED ---

Rosie's BEAU

ABY

GEO.MCMANUS

· Ragístered U. 5. Patent Office

SOMEBODY PUT SOME CIGAR-ASH- ES IN THAT NEW

ASH-TRAY-

BUT- DALIGHTER

I'VE GOT TO WRITE A LETTER-

BUIT, DADDY- YOU MUSTN'T USE THE FINE NEW "DESK- YOU'RE APT TO SPILL INK ON IT-

DON'T YOU DARE USE THAT FINE GLASS-GO OUT IN THE KITCHEN AND GIT A -CUP IF YOU WANT A DRINK OF

WATER

SERVES ME RIGHT PER WANTIN' A DRINK OF WATER-

THERE'S A SPOT ON THE LIBRARY

TABLE-

PARDON-BUT YOUR WIFE IN-

SISTS THAT YOU SHOULD

USE THE BACK STAIRS-

JUST TRIED TO GO THAT WAY, BUT TH'

MAID JUST |CLEANEO ‘EM-

ARCHIE-DARLING-ISN'T IT NICE SITTING OUT HERE IN THE GARDEN- I DO HOPE YOU WILL LIKE THOSE_BISCUITS

1 BAKED FOR YOU -

IT'S A GOOD. THING ROSE WENT BACK INT. THE HOUSE I'VE GOT TO GET RID OF THESE BISCUITS SO I CANI TELL HER LATE 'EM-

WILL YOU STOP WALKING AROUND?] YOU'LL RUIN THIS

NEW RUG -

JIGGS-IF YOU USE ANY OF MY NEW MONOGRAM- MED TOWELS-I'LL BRAIN YOU-AND DON'T STAND

ON THE NEW BATH-MAT-

HERE UNTIL

I'LL STAY OUT

TH' HOUSE IS OLD ENOUGH

TO USE-

S.RR

1914, Kuig Features Syndicate, Inc., Great Britain ripets reserved.

WOW-THERE GOES ONE OF

MY TESTI

HEAVENS!

THE OLKKS.

'ALL SANK-

1936, King Features Syndicate, Inc., Great Britain zight

· ITS THE GYPSY IN-ME-

DON'T : TELL YOU YO WASH

THE BACK OF

YOUR NECK?

AW! SHUCKS:

IT DON'T" SHOW WHEN

I GOT ME COLLAR ON-