1940-12-19 — Page 68

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THE CHINA MAIL SPECIAL CHRISTMAS SUPPLEMENT, DECEMBER 19, 1940. -

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Demonstrations

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ORDER YOUR

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EARLY!

The

Haunted House

Square

In B-

could

saw

coveled

her neck. If

and

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

the gems he so Ben had just struck eight dows. when Bill Gover, affectionately

They were all barred, except a sparkling round 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

But my lady was in B Square, Mayfair. For some why his intimates named him grab them.

For some time she peculiar reason a corner house at The Nipper"-he

There was once arrested his attention,

It was number 13. Like so was super- many criminals, Bill stitious. He believed in num- bers. Number 13 in another Lon- don Square had once brought him in a good haul. This number 13 might prove equally lucky. he eyed its exterior with profes-

sional interest.

on

never no hurry. have got through it. He certain- stood by the bedside.

a half-frightened, half-resolute ly had to squeeze a good deal.

look in her eyes, and lines of pain He alighted in a larder. The

about her dainty little mouth as air felt dank and chilly, but it she gazed thoughtfully

the at was a very chilly night.

sleeper.

Slipping on a pair of felt slip-

Once there came an expression So pers, they were part of his stock into her face that Bill did

not in trade, and flashing his electric like. It gave him the creeps, it was cruel, and seemed incongru- All its windows torch cautiously around, he mov

ed slowly forward; out of the

ous in one so young and fair, He were in darkness except one

larder into a kitchen, where

was glad when she left the bed- the first floor, and the blinds of nearly spent fire glowed dully in side and disrobing, which did not that particular window not being drawn down, Bill could see into the large range, out into a stone take her a jiffy, slipped into a suit

pearl buttoned the room. Standing in front of flagged passage and up a wooden of dainty

pyjamas, and switching off the dressing table was a blonde, staircase on the ground floor.

The light from a lamp-post in light, got into bed. he knew that by the top of her

the shone through

Bill waited till he felt assured head, which shone like burnished the Square gold.

He could not see her face, fan-light over the front door, and she and the man were slumber- called into evidence dark shadows. ing, and then came quietly from because of the mirror.

There was something strange his lair. Everywhere was

silk the

very

What interested him most about about the house, what it was he still, no sounds but the pattering

her, however, were her hands: the white, bejewelled. scarlet tipped fingers dangled a sparkling necklace.

By ELLIOTT O'DONNET

of snowflakes against the window, not even the rustling or squeak- ing of a mouse,

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

In

Its

"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 torch on them, made his chapel or Lambeth was the height it. It made him creepy. of his ambition. "They're worth

The sound of footsteps outside trying for. I'll come again later, made him halt. There was no when the coast is a bit clearer."

mistaking that measured tread, It was the gentle, surrepetitious Strolling off he whiled away the even though the snow muffled it. trying of the door handle. next few hours in a coffee house it was one of his enemies, a po- an instant he was back in his in Soho. He stayed there till liceman, and his heart skipped a hiding place, and not a second too close on midnight. It was now beat when the footsteps stopped soon for the door opened noise- snowing, and cold and beastly outside the house. Was the cop- lessly and a white face peered enough to clear the street of loi-

per looking at his imprints on the through the aperture. terers. All who had homes were area steps? Would he ring the It was a woman, a woman with only too glad to get back to them. bell?

smooth black hair parted down This was all in his favour, for Bill did not breathe freely till the middle. The glow from the when he reached B Square, it the steps moved on, he then tip- heater Illuminating her long, nal- was deserted, and few of the toed softly to the staircase leading row face, and emphasising houses showed lights. Number to the first floor. From afar off whiteness to a quite startling de- 13 was in total darkness,

came the sound of singing, carols, gree, threw the features into Having assured himself no po- probably on the wireless, but it strong relief, and they were of a liceman was in lurking anywhere sent Bill's memory fleeting back kind not easily forgotten. A hawk- near, he trod noiselessly down the to the time when he was a choir shaped nose, tight, thin lipped area steps, and was nearly at the boy. A choir boy then, a hard- mouth and dark obliquely set bottom of them when he slipped. ened burglar now. The irony of eyes, sinister eyes, that glittered His head struck wall, and he fate; and Bill smiled grimly. He evilly as they wandered furtively lapsed into unconsciousness. For wondered what the shepherds round the room. how long he could not say. When who watched their flocks, and "Strike me pink!" Bill inward- his brain functioned again, he got Noel, would think of him, going ly ejaculated. "What a nasty I wonder what up the stairs to pinch these dia- looking devil! monds, and on Christmas Eve too. she's up to?" and he shivered. Lord blimey! 11 was funny. Moving with eat-like stealth, Then he jumped, as a dark, sha- the womar crossed the floor to dowy form darted pust him. It the bedside and bending over the

a big, black cat.

In- with flendish man, listened Arriving on the first floor, the tent to his breathing. Then, ap- light from his torch revealed aparently satisfied he was asleep, door nearly opposite him.

she gently drew the bedclothes from around his neck, and pro- ducing a shining, razor edge, horn her handled knife from under clothes, deliberately cut the wretched man's throat.

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was

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

Tip-toeing noiselessly across the landing, and cursing when the boards creaked, he halted at the door and, with his ear pressed Tiptoeing noiselessly round the against the panel, listened intent- bedstead and holding the dripping ly, Not a sound from within and knife ready to strike again if derisively no light showing under the door. necessary, she peered A gentle tapping in his rear inade down into the blonde lady's face. him swing round in alarm. It Frozen with horrow and unable to was only a spray of ivy beaten move a limb or utter a sound, Bill, against the staircase window by in his hiding place, watched. At the wind and snow.

length, apparently satisfied the Cautiously, and with bated blonde was asleep, the murderess breath, he tried the door handle. made for the dressing table, and The door was not locked. Open- picking up the necklace thrust it ing it noiselessly he stepped into in her bosom.

-

the room. The sound of deep, At that moment there was a 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 heard it too. else.

Darting to the curtains, she Bill's gaze, wandering round the pulled them aside. Bill made a handsomely furnished room, rest- frantic effort to break the spell ed on the walnut dressing table. that still held him limp and The elaborate display of silver tongue-tied. He could do noth- backed toilet requisites suggested a ing. Outside the snow was fall- woman, the blonde lady with the ing faster than ever and the wind diamonds, but where was she, and blew the flakes against the win- where were they?

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- that dressing table drawers when he ly still. Bill never forgot caught the tapping of high heeled stillness, there was something so 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 peoped through a chink in knife, her lips wreathed in a cruel the curtains. It was the blonde! smile, she paused, gloating at his Tall and slender, with neat fea suspense, and then with a swift, tures, and, a scarlet, cupid bow sudden action, she stabbed. Bill felt mouth and heavily lashed, blue in 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, to find 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 it he was in her jewels. The dia had all seemed too real and vivid mond necklace was not on the to be a dream, he staggered to dressing table, or in any of the his feet, and discovered he had drawals. Was she wearing it? no cap. It mul have dropped off ** The inwar / Camel whôn lễ ghu, (B) "(Cameïnted dit Pliga Can y