1940-11-29 — Page 2

THE CHINA MAIL FRIDAY SUPPLEMENT, NOVEMBER 29, 1940.

SHORT STORYO

A Tissue Of Some Sense By Douglas Newton

a scraggy, starveling sort of in- Pusey?"

He had been driven individual.

man's

his

MR. Julius Sugars, waiting at the sunk into the upholstering at the objected. "An' he wouldn't ha' Mr. Seymour 'squirm. Why, only as he did before setting up on his a regular shooting gallery at the kerb of Whitehall for a break back, others had not got so far, overtaken on the near side, nei last Thursday there was the de- own a couple of years ago, he ran

meaving a vil to pay

bottom of the estate. Seymour in the traffic to let him through to the dead man intervening. It look-ther, not without

"You make him sound almost Acton had an old, seven shot Colt Scotland Yard and his daily work, ed, in fact, as though the car had word to say to 'im about it."

"That almost insists that the inevitable," sighed Mr. Sugars. saw something in a passing if passed through a burst of machine-

murderer must have waited hid- "They had a row because Tony revolver for house protection; dingy car to catch his mild eye. gun fire. He looked hard, stepped out to a The dead man proved to be a den, say in some bushes, in a wanted a lot of immediate cash Tony used to sneak that for tar-..

get practice. It was quite a craze some Important something, taxi, said as he boarded it on the Mt. Seymour Acton, 57, Anancier lonely place, and fired as you pass for

Could he have done that; Uncle flares out against the spend with him, he even used to take on Dicker, the house servant and move: "Follow that saloon. Over- of Plim Street, Kingsway. He was ed

thrift and threatens to cut him Pusey, in shooting matches: and take and stop it if you can,'

chauffeur admitted The

that, out of will-all that, ch?" Mr.

though they were ex-Servicemen, It was one of those mornings when even the green lights were to town that morning from his since he had to believe his eyes Brunt nodded miserably. "It's like he soon became as good as they.

and how did you "The gardener, himself, never against him. The saloon swept on small estate at Branson Heath, one against reason, it could only have a book

descended, to such folly, eh?" unchecked by as much as a Belisha of the still countrified districts just happened that way, and the lanes know it?" Mr. Sugars ended.

building estate between Mr. Seymour Acton's was there," Mr. Brunt said,..

"Sometimes, but he was never crossing, into and round the whirl- beyond the new pool of Trafalgar Square to dive zone of South East London. Pusey, house and the Eltham road were then paused to shoot a frightened along Chandos Street, eastwards, the chauffeur, had so driven him certainly empty enough. In fact, look at the detective. "I-I went as good as the other three," said Sugar's smile: "Olr, I see, you think Though travelling at a normal daily for years. Pusey, with a mar once the idea had been broached, to Mr., Seymour Acton's house at Jardine, then he blinked at Mr. pace it was either always sand- ried couple named Dicker, and a Pusey found he could name at least four nights a week, to work. Twyfer might be taking cover be- hind the others; but that's hardly wiched by delivery vans or too fur gardener named Twyfer, formed least five likely spots. He got He rented me a cottage in

dend whole of the

It was his ahead for them to draw level. Only the

quite expansive about the matter, grounds, cheap when they reached a gaunt, grey- household.

until Mr. Sugars yawned and pull- way of getting unpaid overtime likely. It's Tony Acton who bene-

fts by the will”. Pusey again stated he simply ed him up by asking if he knew out of me."

The gardener, too." Mr. Sugars stone building in a street off Kingsway were they close enough could not see how Mr. Acton of anybody who had cause to re- Seeming to realise then that he sighed. "He stands to get £750 Everybody who was in to draw up immediately behind as could have been killed. He had en- move Mr. Acton in such, fashion, had linked himself too closely to clear,

Acton's Pusey was sorry to say he had the murder by motive and dwel- Seymour

service it stopped.

tered the car alive and well and The saloon's chauffeur nipped they had driven straight from no idea. He was only a servant, ling place, Mr. Brunt closed up. house or office, at the time of down and opened the door, star- Branson Heath without anybody and though a financier no doubt

anyone killing Seymour Acton- "Good lord," blinked Owen Jar- ing straight ahead as good chauf- having any opportunity to shoot at had enemies, Mr. Seymour Acton he could suggest no reason for his death gets something." feurs do. It was only when noth them. True, they had been slowed had always been as close minded not through his business, certain dine, "Still-would anyone risk ing happened that he glanced in- as usual by the traffic in Lewisham as he was tight fisted:

"A bit of a miser was he?" My the dead man had been tob hanging for a mere £7507"

and cautious to make side. Then he let out a yell

menn, close and hung up at, New Cross, but

"It's a big enough packet to, a Sugars said............

poor man who had been counting. "Yes, I saw that in Whitehall," such places were too public for

La pass enemies there... murmured Mr. Sugars at his any man to dare murder.

"Regular old skin-a-louse. Mean Mr. Sugars went on to the law on it for years; who put up with elbow. "He must have been dead "I don't know," put in Owen

Es- Jardine, one of the bright new as misery" Pusey began warmly, yers in Lincoln's Inn feeling that no end of Seymour Acton's mean- for miles."

The occupant of the car was ex- Trenchards who had been coupled then he shrugged. "But there, he's the only person likely to have ness for the sake of it. tremely dead. The stopping of the to Mr Sugars to add science to dead-an' it's best to ferget such killed Acton would be someone pecially when that man learnt that, with expectations under his will. in spite of all he'd endured, he saloon had pitched his stiffening his sleuthing. "You did the jour things."

Pusey, in fact, had nothing more The lawyers told him things that wasn't going to get it after all. The body sideways on to the seat; in, ney every day at the same hour

To the clock, sir. He docked to offer: Mr. Sugars therefore de- made him even more certain of it. lawyers told me that Seymour any case there could be no two opinions about the blood and me thruppence for every ten min- cided to gather further information Things that gave him such food Acton had decided to wind up his wounds on his face. The dead man, utes, I was behind time," Pusey from the dead man's office and for thought that he spent more business and household and re- home. He chose the office for him- hours than a lazy man likes to tire to live in an hotel on the in fact, had been shot not once but said sourly..

"Well, then," said Jardine, "a self. Branson Heath was a long work, following them up. In fact Riviera.” several times in the head.

The chauffeur could only stare murderer studying and timing you way off, and the scientific mind Owen Jardine had been back at astcunded at his master and gasp: would know not only where you can scurry about the country look, the Yard for more than an hour "It couldn't have, happened. I slowed up, but where traffic noises ing for clues much better than an by the time Mr. Sugars dropped

me driving on knowing would smother the noise of a pistol easy-going, man who hated exer

cise. He sent Owen Jardine off to nothing.... It simply couldn't using, say, a silencer." have happened - ... .'

"To stand on a pavement or even Bronson Heath, told Puscy to re- a window to shoot, from port back to the Yard every two "He seems quite a strong argu-, hire ment to the contrary,' murmur- meant risk," Mr. Sugars suggested hours, and himself sauntered to-

wards Kingsway. ed Mr. Sugars. "Drive back to mildly. Scotland Yard. I'll sit inside."

"He might have followed be- As they drove back to the Yard, hind in another car, or on a motor Mr. Sugars noted that all the windows of the saloon were open, it being a drought-hot morning. There was no sign of a weapon in the car, On the contrary, the window frame on the near side had been nicked by a bullet com- ing from outside. Two more had

méan,

bike."

"Splendid," nodded Mr. Sugars, "And just how did he make the body from the bullets enter the front near side?"

"Oh, he no doubt fred back as he overtook," muttered Jardine

"I'd ha' seen that, sir." Pusey

PENINSULA

HOTEL

GRAND

BAND

CONCERT by the COMBINED ORCHESTRAS of THE HONG KONG & SHANGHAI HOTELS on SUNDAY, 1st DECEMBER, 1940, at-9 p.m. Proceeds in aid of

The British War Organisation Fund

THE HONG KONG & SHANGHAI HOTELS, LTD.

K. M. A.

CERAMIC & REFRACTORY PRODUCTS

CLINKER,

PAVING,

BUILDING

& FIRE

BRICKS.

STONE-

WARE

PIPES &

GLAZED

TILES.

Ask for our Hlustrated Catalogue-Compare our Pricos and Inspöat our wide' Runge" of Samplés- THE KAILAN MINING ADMINISTRATION

PODWELL- & 00, LTD.-Agon

sighing into his comfortable chair again.

Owen Jardine was almost boil- ing over with criminal investiga- tion cooked to its most successful,

scientific conclusion.

"We were right," he said, taking full benefit of the partnership. "Seymour Acton's car was am bushed. I've found the place, the one logical place, if you'll consider this plan of the road...

"Save that for the jury, and help my ancient mind out with a brief survey couched in language.

murderer, knowing the regular

"The miserly old rat," Owen Jar- dine exclaimed when Mr. Sugars told him how that would mean who were to receive legacies 'only' the sacking of all the employees if in his employ at his death.' their "Sweating them through hope only to do them in the eye

in the end."

"It also complicates things for "It us," Mr. Sugars mentioned. gives us about half a dozen sus- pects instead of one"

He did not take short cuts, mainly because he came out of the Yard on the heels of the chauf feur, who was going in the same

"I don't quite agree there," Jar was

dine objected. "Tony Acton ob- direction. Pusey, however, merely killing time. by drifting

Hé into and along the Strand, and

viously stood to gain most.

"And didn't arrive at his office gazing into shops. Or rather he

quarrelled with his uncle studied the cases displayed in two

Mr. or three doorways on the North understandable, by feeble intel- until after lunch to-day," side, until, coming to a shop just lects," sighed Mr. Sugars, settling Sugars added. "I went there to see him. He said that as the. before Southampton Street, he more cosily. stood gloating over its contents Being young, Owen Jardine morning was brisk and his liver until they lured him inside. Mr. found that difficult. Still, he did wasn't, he went for a country walk Sugars broke off and continued manage to convey the fact that the all morning,

"There you are, the most foot- on his humdrum way.ZAMAN

The late Mr. Seymour Acton route and timing of Seymour ling of alibis!" jeered Owen Jar- had a shabby office containing a Acton's daily journey, had found dine. "We know where that coun- few sad looking clerks. It was the one place for the deed. This try walk took him to those therefore quite startling to learn was a thick clump of bushes on a bushes from which he shot his that he was a very rich man. The rise, well back from the road. Hid- uncle. No Jury will doubt it ...'

"No," sighed Mr. Sugars. "Nor manager, Mr. Brunt, & spiritless den here the criminal had a clear and prematurely burnt-out crea view down the road as it climbed. Mr. Brunt's alibi either. For the ture, told Mr. Sugars this. Mr. a steepish hill to pass him. The first time for years Mr. Brunt, too, Brunt was in a position to know, steepness of the grade would not was late at the office. He says that he was also book-keeper and pri- only make the car go slowly, but Seymour Acton kept him so late vate secretary to the deceased. increased the noise of the engine last night blackguarding Tony Seymour Acton, indeed, had enough to prevent Pusey hearing that he overslept this morning and The spot was also missed his usual train, And Mr. made his money that way; miser- the shooting. liness plus slow and cheeseparing deserted enough to make a man Brunt gets £5,000 under the will, close to Seymour accumulations, even at the ex- using a silencer quite safe from Also he lives

Acton. I daresay, the hour he was pense of his employees, had been other ears. the basis of his business method. Having something like this in late would just be time enough "He was the meanest man I ever his orderly mind, Jardine had for him to get to those bushes, met," Mr. Brunt said. "He paid studied the road as he drove to shoot his man, and then catch his wages that scarcely kept body Seymour Acton's house thus he train." end soul together. I don't know had been able to locate the place. Just about," Jardine agreed, how we ever stuck it."

almost at once. The murderer also doing higher mathematics on the "Yet you did stick it-why?" had been helpful. He had left ten back of an envelope. "But-where asked Mr. Sugars.

exploded and ejected cartridges does that lead us?"

"Five places from nowhere," Mr. Brunt reddened and said eases on the ground behind the

sighed Mr. Sugars, "I've told you sheepishly that it was because bushes. Seymour Acton promised to "He lost his nerve and bolted there are at least six who benefit "make up for it" in his will before remembering them," Jar- under that will; and no doubt they Though the dead man had hated dine said in answer to the sur- all have the same sort of shaky

Sugar's eye, alibi. to part with a penny during his brise, lift of Mr.

"Except Pusey we know he's life, he did not mind being gen- brows, and he added largely: "He erous after his death, when his probably felt that the ordinary clear," Jardine scowled. "All the money was no use to him.. police methods would never locate same, I don't think it shakes our "So you see, one naturally put that one spot over all that coun- theory about Tony: Acton, There's up with anything rather than risk try. Here are the empty his knowledge of firearms. Brunt

won't fit there." losing this big lump sum." Mr. shells."

"No," mused Mr. Sugars, "I sup- pose it does all turn on those shooting matches. You didn't find that Colt revolver, I suppose?"- service at his death. That was his "Dr. Thorndyke would have put "It hardly matters," Owen Jar- grindstone: for of course, the those into a neat little tin box... dino said a shade too quickly. money is sure. His es ate will or would it be a seed envelope? "From the way the car was spray- be worth a quarter of a million, if Or was that Sherlock Holmes? ed, from the number of cartridges not more.

Anyhow, I'm sure you were un used, it must have been a modern "That's a lot of money," Mr. salentific to carry them loose amid automatic, perhaps a sub-machine Sugars said. And even if he's left forests of pocket, débris. Still gun. Wang big lump sums to all his em- no doubt you have the murderer "Does that mean you forgot to. ployees, as I suppose he has" Mr. named and taped to make up for look for the Colt, or are you dodg- ning the fact that not even your Brunt rodded in the affirmative, Itand g "there'll be a lot left. Who gets "It's the nephew, Tony Acton," science could find it?” tan that lower le

Jardine sald stifly. "He quarrel-"Well, I couldn't find it," Owen Tony led Maine reddened, "I looked "He's They all do,"sighed. Mr. everywhere, but it's not in the

Sugars “Anyhow, when they have house.

Brunt said wearily, "Oh, he told He brought the exploded cart- us quite frankly what it was go› ridges in a lanse handful from his ing to be. Mine is £5,000, free of coat pocket; Mr. Sugars sald mild Death Duties if I'm still in his ly:

There's, his nephew Acton," Mr. Brunt said.

the natural heir, unless

"You aren't going to tell me rich uncles, with fat wills, and a "I thought it mightn't be.", that there'siyet another rich man's tendency to be murdered. But mused Mr. Sugars. He picked up nephew who, quarrelled with his any evidence?” Ares de band began to examine the spent uncle/protested Mr. Sugars Welly Tony Acton's an export cartridge casos, "See it that chuul- Well heald Often, Mr. Bruns plstol shot," Owen Jardine shifted, feur Ja still about?: Ho might tell said tonelessly. "Anybody with That's much better. Who told us something about these, -

Pusey came in. He blinked 'nt any spirit would. And Tony's a live wire withufions, ofninusings The gardener Twyfor. When, the brass casas that Mr. Sugars

money spending that made Tony Acton lived with his uncle,

you?"! :

(Continued on Page 6)