1940-12-19 — Page 28

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In B

Square

If

and

IT was Christmas Eve and Big up and examined the area win- took off her opera cloak and he

Ben had just struck eight dows.

saw the gems he so coveted when Bill Gover, affectionately

They were all barred, except a sparkling round her neck. dubbed "The Nipper" by his pals, very small one. If Bill had not only she would make haste and burglar and ex-con, turned into been a very small man that was get into bed he would try BSquare, Mayfair. For some why his intimates named him grab them. But my lady was in peculiar reason a corner house at The Nipper" he could

For some time she never no hurry. once arrested his attention.

have got through it. He certain- stood by the bedside. There was It was number 13. Like

A so ly had to squeeze a good deal.

half-frightened, half-resolute many criminals, Bill was super-

look in her eyes, and lines of pain He alighted in a larder. stitious. He believed in mum- air felt dank

The about her dainty little mouth as bers Number 13 in another Lon- was a very chilly night.

and chilly, but it

she gazed thoughtfully at the don Square had once brought him

sleeper, in a good haul. This number 13

might prove equally lucky. So he eyed its exterior with profes-

on

sional interest. All its windows were in darkness except one the first floor, and the blhds of

Slipping on a pair of felt slip- pers, they were part of his stock torch cautiously around, he mov- in trade, and flashing his electric

ed slowly forward; out of the larder into a kitchen, where a that particular window not being nearly spent fire glowed dully in drawn down, Bill could see into the large range, out into a stone the room. Standing in front of flagged passage and up a wooden the dressing table was a blonde, staircase on the ground floor. he knew that by the top of her head, which shone like bumished gold. He could not see her face,

Once there came an expression Into her face that Bill did not like. It gave him the creeps, it was cruel, and seemed incongru- ous in one so young and fair. He was glad when she left the bed- side and disrobing, which did not take her a jiffy, slipped into a suit of dainty pearl buttoned silk pyjamas, and switching off the The light from a lamp-post in light, got into bed. the Square shone through the Bill waited till he felt assured fan-light over the front door, and she and the man were slumber- because of the mirror.

called into evidence dark shadows. ing, and then came quietly from What interested hirn most about about the house, what it was he still, no sounds but the pattering

something strange his lair. Everywhere was her, however, were her hands: the white. bejewelled, scarlet

of snowflakes against the window, tipped fingers dangled a sparkling

not even the rustling or squeak- necklace.

ing of a mouse.

till

There was

By ELLIOTT O'DONNET

"Diamonds," he said softly to himself. "If they're genuine they would fetch a mint of money, en- ough to set me up in a pub" To own a cosy public house in White- could not say, but he did not like chapel or Lambeth was the height it. It made him creepy. of his ambition. "They're worth trying for. I'll come again later, made him halt.

The sound of footsteps outside when the coast is a bit clearer."

There was Do mistaking Strolling off he whiled away the even though the snow muffled it. that measured tread, next few hours in a coffee house It was one of his enemies, a po- in Soho. He stayed ther close on midnight.

liceman, and his heart skipped a It was now beat when the footsteps stopped snowing, and cold and beastly outside the house. enough to clear the street of loi- per looking at his imprints on the Was the cop- terers. All who had homes were area steps? only too glad to get back to them bell?

Would he ring the This was all in his favour,

for

Bill did not breathe freely till when he reached B-Square, it the steps moved on, he then tip- was deserted, and few of the

toed softly to the staircase leading houses showed lights. Number

to the first floor. 13 was in total darkness.

From afar off came the sound of singing, carols, Having assured himself no po- probably on the wireless, but it liceman was in lurking anywhere sent Bill's memory fleeting back near, he trod noiselessly down the to the time when he was a choir area steps, and was nearly at the boy. bottom of them when he slipped. ened burglar now.

A choir boy then, a hard- His head struck a wall, and he fate; and Bill smiled grimly. He The irony of lapsed into unconsciousness. For wondered how long he could not say. When who watched

what the shepherds his brain functioned again, he got Noel, would think of him, going their flocks, and

up the stairs to pinch these dia- monds, and on Christmas Eve too. Lord blimey! It was funny. Then he jumped, as a dark, sha- dowy form darted past him, It was a big, black cat.

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Arriving on the first floor, the light from his torch revealed door nearly opposite him,

"That's the room," he told him self.

a

Tip-toeing noiselessly across the landing, and cursing when the boards creaked, he halted at the door and, with his ear pressed against the panel, listened intent- ly.

Not a sound from within and no light showing under the door. A gentle tapping in his rear made him swing round in alarm. It was only a spray of ivy beaten against the staircase window by the wind and snow.

very

The lady had laid the necklace and her other Jewels on the dressing table, and their sparkle and glitter when he flashed his torch on them, made his mouth water. He was about to grab the lot and make a bolt for it, when he heard something that made him start in apprehension.

In his

trying of the

It was the gentle, surrepetitious

door handle. un instant he was back in hiding place, and not a second too soon for the door opened noise- through the aperture. lessly and a white face peered

the

It was a woman, a woman with smooth black hair parted down the middle. The glow from heater illuminating her long, nai- row face, and emphasising its whiteness to a quite startling de- gree, strong relief, and they were of a threw the features into

kind not easily forgotten. A hawk- shaped nose,

tight, thin lipped mouth and dark obliquely set evilly as they wandered furtively eyes, sinister eyes, that glittered

round the room,

ly ejaculated.

"Strike me pink!" Bill inward- "What 3 nasty looking devil! I wonder what she's up to?" and he shivered.

Moving with cat-like stealth, the woman crossed the floor to the bedside and bending over the man, listened with flendish in- tent to his breathing. Then, ap- parently satisfied he was asleep. she gently drew the bedclothes from around his neck, and pro- ducing a shining, razor edge, horn handled knife from under her clothes, deliberately cut the wretched man's throat,

Tiptoeing noiselessly round the bedstead and holding the dripping knife ready to strike again :i necessary, she peered derisively down into the blonde lady's face. Frozen with horrow and unable to move a limb or utter a sound, Bill, in his hiding place, watched. .length, apparently satisfied

blonde was asleep, the murderess made for the dressing table, and picking up the necklace thrust it in her bosorn.

At. the

ร

Cautiously, and with bated breath, he tried the door handle. The door was not locked, Open- Ing it noiselessly he stepped into the room. The sound of deep, At that moment there was regular. breathing come from the slight noise close beside Bill. What bed. The occupant was an eld- caused it he did not know. It erly, clean-shaven grey-haired might have been the wind, · a man, and he appeared to be mouse-anything. The murderess sound asleep. There was no one else.

Bill's gaze, wandering round the handsomely furnished room, rest- ed on the walnut dressing table.. The elaborate display of silver backed toilet requisites suggested a woman, the blonde lady with the diamonds, but where was she, and where were they?

heard it too..

Darting to the curtains, she pulled them aside. Bill made a frantic effort to break the spell that still held him limp and tongue-tied. He could do noth- ing. Outside the snow was fall- ing faster than ever and the wind blew the flakes against the win- dow panes with increasing vi He was examining with fever- gour. Save for the slight noise ish haste the contents of the this made everywhere was death- dressing table drawers when he ly still. Bill never forgot that caught the tapping of high heeled stillness, there was something 30 shoes on the staircase. In a panic weird and unusual about it. The he at once hid behind the heavy woman stood, with her ugly, 'curtains covering the window re- sinister face thrust forward, her cess. Only just in time, for hard- eyes full of evil mockery mock- ly had he concealed himself be- ing at his terror and inability to fore someone enter the room. defend himself. Raising the keen Bill peeped through a chinks in knife, her lips wreathed in a cruet the curtains. It was the blonde! smile, she paused, gloating at his Tall and slender, with neat fen- suspense,; and then with a swift, tures, and a "scarlet, cupid bow sudden hction, she stabbed. Bill felt mouth and heavily lashed blue an awful, agonising pain and then eyes, she was really beautiful. all was a blank.” He came back Even Bill, who had been very to consciousness, lo. and himself "much" off women since his wife lying, nearly buried in snow, In ran off with his best friend, while the very spot in the area where he was last in prison, had, to admit he had fallen and bumped his that. He was not, however, so head. much interested in her looks as

Puzzled beyond words, for

he was in her jewels. The dla had all seemed too real and vivid mond necklace I was not on the to be a dream, he staggerect dressing table, or in any of the his feet, and discovered, he had drawers. Was she wearing it?

no cap. It must have dropped of The answer came when she (Continued on Page-22)