1940-03-08 — Page 16

SHORT STORY

TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE

THE CHINA MAIL, MARCH 8, 1940

Sir William

By Thomas, M.B.E.

t

The story I have to tell is not one I "And who might he be?" I asked, my dear Sir," was his verdict, "I don't Stapletons-and they'll surebeliove. am really proud of. True, I succeeded not too pleasantly. Somehow I didn't see what I can do-except to keep an the police, won't they?"

on the young man's move- in what I set out to do, but in doing like the name it didn't ring quite eye so I became unwittingly, an accom- true to me, if you know what I mean. ments.

"A lot of good that will do," I said. plice in a most impudent theft

"Well," smiled Momma, coyly. Anyway, you can judge for yourselves. that's the only way I can describe her "Most of his movements that matter take place outside the precincts of this It happened at a place I will call

attitude. Brimston (for obvious reasons I do not Rienzi!. But he isn't

confounded hotel of yours." And I He might be give its real name, but I do not doubt

"What on earth do you mean?" I strode away in dudgeon.

And then, out of the blue as it were, many of those familiar with the place

demanded.

came Seth Stullick to my rescue. will recognise it), which at that time

I had run across Stullick once in a' was a fashionable Spa for the cure of all sorts of "perennial” complaints.

month's cure.

Gloria was rightly named, for she

•

“Well, I'm not supposed to

But great secret!

Signor

its a

■

All the same he had struck me as

I agreed that they would, and then saw that his plan was a good one, and. said as much.

said.. "There's just one thing," he "We shall want the help of the Mana- ·

You ger, who seems to be friendly. see, it won't do for me to be pinched. in the act of stealing those spark- lers

•

I admitted that it wouldn't, and so

well, I guess professional matter, and I knew him we took the Manager into our confid- The Hotel Superb was considered you're an old friend, and I can tell at best for a soldier of fortune, at worst ence. He was a trifle doubtful about It

you. He's a gentleman' we met in for a bit of a crook.

at first, but finally agreed to help us.. the best place in the town, and it was Naples. Young, handsome,

and all

was a fast Stullick, as he said, there that I met, in that same year, that--but not very well heeled-these Gloria Stapleton, who was there with Italian noblemen never are, you know, being, in his way, and apart from his worker, and the attempt was planned her "Momma" (as she called her) But he's a Prince in his own right natural crookedness, a good-hearted for the following night. My part in it and kindly man. Furthermore, know- was simply to arrange that, somehow, while the latter was undergoing her the Prince of.... No, I mustn't say.

ing that he would do most things for Signor Rienzi should leave his table- it aloud-I'd better whisper it."

money, I was pretty sure that he would for a few minutes during dinner. The Upon my word, the woman was al-

help me out of my present trouble. one possible snag seemed to be that. was gloriously beautiful; a natural most flirtatious-in Her triumph.. She

I made myself known to him, and Momma might wear her necklace, but: blonde, with eyes of sapphire blue and whispered the name and title of her then, in the privacy of my room and the occasion not being a special one, the features of a Greek goddess. She Prince, and that sounded pretty stagey aided by a whisky and soda, I told him she didn't, but contented herself with was also a very considerable heiress, to me, too. I didn't like the sound of the story. When I had finished, he a mere matter of a dozen rings and her mother being the widow of a man it-or of him, at all.

nodded gravely.

half as many bracelets. (her second husband) who had made

Later, I met him. He was slim, "Sure,"

he said, ""you're right I had dinner early, and when Rienzi a fortune on Wall-street.

elegant, dark and handsome-a little enough. I know the guy you mean- and the Stapletons had sat down A very slight service I was able to too much of all of them, I thought. saw him in the vestibule this morn- theirs, at the same table, of course, I perform for Gloria led to a friendship Except that he didn't seem to me to be ing. His lay is to get hold of rich simply went out and telephoned Rienzi between us, which, though naturally dark enough for an Italian. And It women-usually old ones though-and at the hotel from a booth just round. of the most platonic nature, was very also seemed to me that his broken marry them under a false name. Then the corner. When he came I managed pleasant to me and not unflattering English was a trifle överdone. His he gets a big wad out of them, on some to keep him at the telephone for since she always had a horde of young "Good morning, Sate-1. am please of pretext or other, and just fades away, good five minutes, and finally let him fellows buzzing around her.

meeting you!" seemed to me to reek Only sometimes he comes back, and go, under the impression that he had " Naturally, I had at least some of her of the amateur stage. But of course lets 'em know that the marriage was been talking to a madman.

bigamous one, him having been As he went back to his table Stul- confidence, and so one day was em- that fool mother with her silly ambi- a boldened to express surprise that she, tions couldn't see anything like that. married about a dozen times before, lick, apparently by accident, brushed.

а That night I put with her looks and her expectations,

'phone-call and soaks 'em for blackmail, so he'll, against him. had not married before..

through to a friend of mine connected keep it dark."

me," grinned

to.

a

the

"Say," exclaimed Momma, indig- nantly, "what do you think

I left the booth and strolled back to. "The filthy scoundrel!”

the Hotel. When I got there, I en- "I guess that's mostly Momma's with the Italian Legation. Yes, he

Thinking of what might happen to countered the Manager, Shepherding. fault," she told me. Though I've got said, there was a Prince of that name, to admit that, up to now, I haven't and he was handsome and penurious Gloria made me emphatic. Stullick. Gloria, her Momma, and Rienzi,” all

looking a trifle mystified, in the met any male who's managed to dis--but where he was at the moment, shrugged.

office. though Fection of his

He seemed "Every man to his trade turb my sleep at night!

they could not say. "Another thing is that Momma, Is My suspicions became further arous- this one wouldn't be mine. 'Sides, he's pleased at sight of me, and greeted old-fashioned in some respects, and ed when I learned that the "Prince" usually kept off Americans. I'm an me with:

"Pardon me, Sir, but I wonder if she's just crazy on me marrying a had only been in England a few days American myself, you know!".

This didn't seem to have much to you would be good enough to come to title. And as I'd like to please her, if and yet his clothes, smart enough,

were do with it at the moment, but I dis my office for a moment, I think you: we can find one that's fairly young but by no means brand-new,

covered later it had quite a lot. Stul- can be of-er-of assistance to these: and good-looking, I guess I shan't most undoubtedly of English cut. mind

1 "

And then I thought of another little lick might be a crook, but nationality ladies, whom I believe you know!”

I fell in with the others, and we That seemed to me a queer way of test. I bribed a waiter to spill some is thicker than water!

I made my offer, and Stullick nod- went to the office. Immediately we looking at marriage, but I don't pre- hot coffee over his hand. The result

got inside, the Manager locked tend to understand the young people of this test was more or less a positive, ded, thoughtfully.

"I get you," he said. Fifty quid door, and I was glad to see Rienzi turn of to-day, so I didn't offer any sort of for the "Prince" jumped, and shouted:

what "Damn it, you fool, protest.

d'you if I can show this fellow up for what pale.

he really is. Is that it?" We often used to dine together, and think .!"

"Yes," said I, and nodded. "But re- "Momma" had a habit of covering her- But he pulled himself together on

But the Manager held up his hand. self with valuable jewels, a habit that that, and burst into a fine stream of member, for what he really is. No

"One moment, if you please, Ma- I found rather repellant. But she Italian-profanity. Apart from satisfy- faking a case, you understand!”

dam. You will soon be enlightened. was proud of them, and told me that ing myself, however, my experiment "That's OK. with

"I guess there won't be no And you, Sir.. "--he turned sternly a diamond and ruby necklace she was a failure, because Momma never Stullick. usually wore was worth fifty thousand noticed it (she was so concerned about need to fake. Anyway, I'm not say on Rienzi-Will you kindly empty pounds. I thought: Then it's fifty the precious Prince being hurt), and ing yes or no as yet I'll think it over, your pockets on to my desk here?"? thousand pounds worth of blatant vul- when I referred to it later, passed it take a peek at the girl and let you. A look of relief crossed Rienzi's face,

know later. OK.?”

and he smiled his usual toothy smile. garity!" but said aloud:

off as imagination on my part. "I should be careful with it, if I

I was now quite convinced that this That evening the Stapletons and, Sairtainly, of course-why not?”

But he soon saw why not, and his. were you. It would be a great temp- alleged "Prince" was an imposter. His of course, the "Prince dined with tation for any crook!”.

anxiety about the preservation of his me, and Momma: wore all her regalia. face was a study when he himself Gloria laughed:

incognito-little princelings are usual- Stullick occupied the next table, and pulled that necklace from his pocket.

to it seemed to me (rather uncomfort and dropped it hervelessly onto the "Oh, it's safe enough here, at any ly the other way about-seemed

and so did ably) that his attention was taken up desk. rate. This little old England of yours confirm my conviction,

"Hell! This is a frame is a mighty honest place, you know!" the hungry way he looked at Momma's far more with that wretched necklace

I wasn't so sure of that, but said no necklace at dinner when she wore it. than with anything else. However, started then remembered

I found myself in a cleft stick, and later in the evening he sought me out, and burst into a flood of protests in I was sorry when Momma's month's didn't know what the devil to do. I and his expression looked as though broken English,

"You can spare your words, treatment was up, and we had to part, was convinced that this infernal gigolo he'd been eating something that hadn't

friend," said the Manager, grimly. The friendliness and confidence of a (as I called him to myself) was up to agreed with him.

"All right," said he, crisply. ^ "I've He opened the door, and outside- beautiful young heiress, given will- no good. I could see him marrying ingly, and in preference over a lot of Gloria, getting his hands on a large seen the dame-in fact I've just seen stood Stullick and a man who quite good-looking young men, is slice of her money, and then vanish- the pair of 'em, all tied up into a true obviously a plain-clothes officer.

stand- The Manager admitted them, and. bound to be flattering to a man of my ing into the blue. And my problem lover's knot--and I guess I ain't

Little ing for it. She's a looker, and she's locked the door once more. age, however platonic the relationship was-how was I to stop his

an American-and a sight too good to: "Now," he said. "It is quite simple. may be. But, apart from that, I had game? grown genuinely fond of Gloria Sta- I have all the average Englishman's be a sucker to that hunk of cheese. This gentleman"-indicating myself pleton. I was a little comforted by dislike to interfering in doesn't, Now, I've got a plan. You know those "first told me that he was suspicious the fact that a tentative appointment on the face terfering in what and sparklers the old woman's got slung of Mr. Bienzi. Therefore I had hita watched. To-night he made an excuse was made to meet again at Brimston deadly fear of being told to mind my round her neck?” the following year .....

"Right!" Well, I'm going to lift those, to leave the dining-room. A few mo "I guess Momma'll be needing her all, in a position to prove that the and plant them on him. Then we'll ments later, this gentleman "indi- cure again by then," Gloria told me. fellow was an Imposter, and I didn't show him up, with the swag on him, cating Stullick-"saw him coming from and get him pinched. Get me.. your rooms, Madam, and noted that "So I'll be looking out for you.! want to make myself look a fool.

And, sure enough, we did meet there But the strongest part of the muzzle "But hang it!" I protested. "We his manner was furtive and suspicious, Stallick informed me, and I im-. again the following year. But, as I on me lay in the fact that I knew per- can't frame the man up like that,

ediately took action, as you see...P daresay you've noticed, it is seldom fectly well that if I had a serious talk get him sent to prison for a crime he

The ladies looked flabbergasted. possible to repeat a really happy time, about It to Momma, the confounded never committed, however big_1@

Stallick smiled in a self-satisfied way. and this was no exception to the rule, foot of a woman would think I was scoundrel he is!”.

"Don't you worry about that," grin The detective turned on Rienzi:, Almost the first person I met when actuated by some sort of Jealously,

Il, any explanati

more.

་

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own business. Also, I was not, after

}

I arrived at the Hotel in the follow- I thought of two things to do. I ned Stullick. "He won't go to stir- ing Spring was Momma. She looked instructed a detective agency to set for pinching those sparklers, anyway," younger than ever, and seemed to about finding out the whereabouts of "Then what's the good of getting-of the telephone!" have a light at triumph in her eye. the real Prince (but feared I should him arrested?!

"Where is Gloria?" I asked her, get the information too late for use) when greetings were over.

and I had a word with the Hotel Oh, she ! She's out with the Manager. *.

I mean Mr. Bigdor

"Why don't you see? The

a record, all right, and when fie's be arrested the police will look it up... won't come out in the pollon-court of the absence of any sort of proof, course-but the police will inform the

wasn't helpful either,

he

himself,

my/

was-

1s damn-nonsense. I was call

quite t, put in Momma

enough to take a phone call,'

tectiv "Point; is how wels get into your pocket? (Continued On Page 17)

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