1937-10-29 — Page 21

THE CHINA MAIL FRIDAY SUPPLEM

OCTOBER 29, 1937

BREAD UPON THE WATERS

(Continued from Page 1)

But Big, who had been think- ing hard and quick, shook his head

"I'll do a bit better than that, I think he said. "You see, Snide, I been to a lot of trouble over that job. Disguised as a newspaper-man-a difficult dis- guise for me, me having a natural been gentlemanly manner-I've down to Oxted Hall. I've taken photos and made plans of the in- terior for my series on "The An- cient Homes of Old England.". I've got the whole thing cut and dried, and Fm not going to give it up now! Hang on for a bit!”

*

·He went out of the room, and came back with some maps, blue-prints, and photographs. These he studied for a bit. Then he had a think. In the end he said: i

"I've got it, I think! Plk want a little help from you-not on the actual job, though. You're twenty-per of what I make, and all exes paid. Are you on?”

on

I said I was on, and he gave me five fivers.

+

"Go and buy the fastest sec- ond-hand motor-bike you can spot, and tune it up pretty!" he told

for "We'll want it

alibi work, and that's where you come in !***

me

I did that. In the meantime Big got busy, in this manner, as I learned later.

He dropped a line to each of the three Morny, Slype and Godshead-and asked each of them to call, at different times of

course.

When.

Morny was the first. he'd done the honours, Big came down to brass tacks. He explain- ed, as a great secret, about the Oxted crib and the sparklers, and suggested that Morny should help him, and take half the do- ings.

"The sparklers are worth ten thousand. We'll get four thou, sand from Sneapes, the fence, for them. That's two thousand smackers each. Are you on?”

"I am on!" agreed Morny. "Now, how about it? We'd bet- ter meet right on the spot, hadn't we? Won't do to be seen around together beforehand, will it?"

"No!" said Big. "We'll meet outside the house at three ack emma sharp. On the left hand side of the house as you face it. Got that?"

"Fine!" said Morny, and went, after promising not to tell a soul about it.

The interview with Slype" was about the same, and so was the result. Except that it was ar- ranged Big should meet him at 3:15 on the right hand side of the house The chat with Codshead was also similar, and the result synonymous. Except again, that he arranged to contact with Cods- head at the back of the house, and at 3.30 prompt.

Three days before the job was due to come oft Big went and took lodgings at King's Langley. which is in Herts, while Oxted is in Surrey.

On the eighth he went out with his landlord and they both ap parently got ver drunk.hat's

to say the apparently only ap- plied to Big. At ten-thirty he staggered to bed. At twelve o'clock he got out of his window and met me in a quiet spot, where I had the motor-bike. He took it and scooted off to Oxford on it. At three sharp he met Morny on the left-hand side of the house (all of those three were mighty pleased at the way there was no quarrel about which side of the house each should take--it was what they had all been nervous about!)

"Do we get in this side?” Morny whispers, anxiously.

"Sure!" answered Big. "Ive fixed the burglar-alarm, so it's "easy"

"What's the evening dress for?" Moiny asked curiously.

**Alibi! And looks well if any questions are asked!" answered Big. "Come on!”

He had a window open in no time, and they went in Upstairs to the first-floor, where Big said the safe was.

Half-way along the corridor, Big gave a sudden.

gasp, and clutched Morny's arm:

"S-s-s-ht! Somebody's coming in here, quick! And keep quiet as a mouse!"

He shoved Moray into a big cupboard, and closed the door on him. He also, quite silently, turned the key in the lock.

At three fifteen he joined Slype, on the right-hand side.

"Good boy!" he whispered. "Come along I've got a window already opened here!"

The window belonged to the kitchen. They had hardly got inside when Big gave a sharp exclamation:

"My God! There's someone And coming! In here don't make a sound!”

And he shoved Slype into boot-cupboard. and locked the door on him.

At three-thirty he found Coās- head, at the back of the house:

* "Come on," he whispered. "We've got to make it slippy! And keep your ears open

This window led right into the library, where the safe was. It was actually open, because Big had come through it at ten mîn- utes to three, after lifting the sparklers out of the safe. You see, he had gate-crashed the party about two o'clock Chence the glad razs) and, hidden be hind a curtain, had seen the maid put the diamonds away. He had a wonderful eye for the manipu- lation of a combination-lock the moment she was out of the room he had opened the safe taken the necklace.

Now, as soon as they side he switched on the light

"Great pip he gasped.

to the open safe. Some

blighter's been here before us!

they have darn their souls!" growled Codshead. was wondering which it Slyde or Mozny?

Big gave a sudden jump: "And there's someone.com-4. ing!" he gasped. Quick

keep quieter than

desta!"

He opened the door of an fashioned book-cupboard, and he pushed Codshead in Then shut and locked the door

Five minutes later Big was on the motor bike and streaking through Surrey. Luckily Lizzie, the fence, had his place at Pur- ley, comfortably adjacent and icely private. Lizzle often had late visitors, you see.

In the pureus of Purley, Big got off the bike. First he took the necklace, and a pair of pliers from his pocket. He broke off a small piece of the necklace about an eighth and put that into a side-pocket. The rest he put in a safer place. Then he went into a telephone-booth (he had stopped by one on purpose) and rang

Whitehall 1212:-

"There's been a burglary at the Earl of Oxted's!" he told the Yard. "Four men concerned in it. I've captured three for you- one's locked in the boot-cupboard; one in the library cupboard, and one in a cupboard on the first floor. The fourth man has got away with the loot I'm follow- ing him he's too big for me to tackle by myself, and I haven't seen a constable. You want to wake 'em up! At the present time the fourth man is having a cup of coffee at a coffee stall, so I've got the chance to phone I'm sticking to him, and I'll let more later! You'd

you know

better send out and get the other three right away! What's that? Who am I? Oh, just an enthu- siastic amateur detective. You'll hear from me later. Bye.*

Shortly after Big did a thing he had never done before, to a -man who had never had such a thing done on him previously, he broke into a house in order, not to take something away, but to leave something there! In other words he burgled Lizzle's house, and while the old chap was sleep- ing the sleep of all just and hon- ourable fences, Big left the eighth part of the necklace in his sitting- room-putting it in a place where it was sure to be found, but not too easily.

Then he rang up the

Yard

"The chap with the necklace has gone into Mon Repose," Mount Pleasant-road, Purley!” he told them. "If you go there quick you'll find him, and the necklace, for it's evident he lives there! What? No-not now! I'm going home to bed?"

?

Which he did. That's to say he motor-biked hell for leather down to King's Langley, handed over the bike to me, got back in to his bedroom through the win- dow, and was very grateful for the cup of tea his landlady brought him in the morning.

So even if Lizzie and the other three had been taken notice of by the cops when they said that Big was the real criminal, he had a perfect alibi. Or as near per- fect as wouldn't matter!

Talking about casting bread upon the water!" I call that toasting it when it comes back anyhow! Yes, thanks Fll have another pint, having earned it!

"Equal to a

fine liqueur"

"I can tell

White Horse

blindfold! And to think that at one

time I used simply to ask for whisky-and-soda! White Horse is just like a fine liqueur!!

Sole Agents for S. China: JARDINE MATHESON & Co., LTD.