ANOTHER MYSTERY
In his anxiety to learn the truth Dan was perfectly willing to be
arrested on whatever charge Penn might wish to bring against him.
After all, publicity was what he chiefly aimed at, and if he gave his
reasons for threatening the secretary, he felt confident that the man
would find it difficult to clear his character. Certainly Halliday had
not intended to take Penn's life, and had not the man been such a
coward he would have simply laughed at the idea of being tilted out of
the machine. But his nerves, shaken by the possible danger, had given
way, and he had said much which he would have preferred to keep locked
up in his heart. But that the aeroplane, by dipping so low, had
afforded Penn the chance of escape at the risk of a rough fall, he
would have spoken at greater length. And yet, after turning the matter
over in his own mind, Dan could not be sure of this.
But this much Halliday had learned. A gang assuredly existed, and the
perfume was a sign of recognition amongst the members, who apparently
followed each other's trails by scent. Penn declined to say if his
late employer had been done to death by the fraternity, but the
perfume on the dead man's clothes answered this question very
positively. Also the secretary had denied that the false Mrs. Brown
belonged to the gang, a statement which was absurd, as undoubtedly she
was the emissary employed to bring about the death. Finally, the fact
that Mrs. Jarsell used the Sumatra scent brought her into connection
with the Hampstead crime; whatever Penn might say Dan felt that he had
struck a trail, which would end in the capture of Moon's assassin and
the breaking up of a dangerous organization.
On reflection he concluded that Penn would have said very little more,
even though face to face with what he believed to be imminent death.
He had hinted sufficiently to show that revelation was dangerous not
only to himself but to Halliday, for if the gang learned that their
secret was betrayed, it was certain that death would be portioned out
to the man who heard, as well as to the man who spoke. On this
assumption Dan felt confident that Penn would take no action in the
matter, and would probably hold his tongue about the adventure. If he
told any of the gang to which he presumably belonged, he would have to
admit that he had betrayed the secret of the perfume, in which case he
would assuredly be killed by his unscrupulous associates. The death of
Dan, as the young man believed, would follow, but he also believed
that by taking care of his own skin Penn would remove any risk of
vengeance following himself; therefore he was not surprised when he
heard nothing from Penn, or of Penn during the days that passed before
the morning of the great race. Meanwhile he detailed the conversation
to Laurance.
That young gentleman had returned to town with some regret since
Mildred Vincent was not by his side. But to assure himself of an early
marriage by securing a steady income, he flung himself into
journalistic work with redoubled energy, working night and day to gain
an increased salary. He was in his office employed on a political
article when Dan presented himself, and was not overpleased to give up
even a moment of his precious time. In fact, he grumbled.
"I wish you would come after business hours, Halliday," he said
testily.
"Oh, fudge," retorted Dan lightly. "A journalist hasn't any business
hours. Like a king, he is always in harness. Why do you require me to
tell you such elementary truths, Freddy?"
"I have an important article to write."
"Well, then, you can write it in ten minutes or so. I shan't keep you
long."
Laurance pushed away his writing paper, leaned back in his chair, and
reached for a cigarette. "What is it, then?" he asked resignedly.
Dan paced the office and related his adventure. "So you see, old son,
that the perfume is of great importance, as I always suspected."
Laurance nodded gravely. "It appears so. But if what you think is
true, would the man have disclosed a secret dangerous to his own
safety?"
"People will disclose anything when on the rack," replied Dan with a
shrug, "and the aeroplane was my rack. The fool really believed that I
would tilt him overboard, and therefore said what he did say to save
his confounded skin. If he had not escaped so cleverly he would have
admitted more."
"I doubt it. From the hint he gave, if it was death for him not to
confess to you, because you could kill him, it was equally death for
him to speak, if his associates are prepared to murder him for
babbling. However, we are now certain that the gang alluded to by Sir
Charles does exist. Undoubtedly he was got out of the way since he
knew too much."
"It is a pity he did not reveal his knowledge to Durwin."
"He intended to do so, but was murdered before Durwin arrived, as we
know. By the way, Durwin is as keen as we are over this search. I met
him the other day and he said that he was hunting everywhere for
evidence. Why not tell him what you have learned, Dan? He can make
Penn speak out."
"Penn won't speak further," denied Dan abruptly. "I think, as it is,
he dreads the vengeance of his comrades."
"Durwin belongs to Scotland Yard, and has powers to drive Penn into a
corner, so he may be able to force confession. I think you should
consult with Durwin about the matter."
"After the race then."
"Why not before the race, which does not take place for a couple of
days?"
"I don't like doing things in a hurry," said Halliday uneasily. "I
want to question Mrs. Jarsell, and see if she knows anything."
"If she does, which is doubtful, she will assuredly refuse to speak.
So far, I see no connection between her and the gang."
"You forget the perfume."
"H'm, yes," said Laurance meditatively, "perhaps you are right. I want
to have more evidence before I can give an opinion. But since Penn
told you so much, aren't you in danger from the gang yourself, Dan?"
"I think not. Penn, for his own sake, will hold his tongue. At all
events he has not moved so far."
"That doesn't say he won't move. I should examine that aeroplane very
carefully before the race, if I were you."
"Oh, I'll do that. I know the machine thoroughly by this time, and if
it has been tampered with I shall soon spot the trickery. Well, now
that I have brought you up to date with my information I shall leave
you to work."
"One moment. Is Miss Moon going to see you start for York?"
"Yes. I got a letter from her this morning. She and Mrs. Bolstreath
come to the aviation ground with Lord Curberry, confound him," and
with a frown, Dan took his leave. He was anything but amiably disposed
towards his rival.
Everything was quiet as regards the criminal business for the next two
days, as Penn made no attempt to punish Dan for the fright he had
given him. Halliday himself was much too eager over the race to
trouble about the matter, but he kept a sharp eye on the Vincent
machine, still stored at Blackheath, so as to guard against any
tampering. The start was to take place at Blackheath, and on the
appointed day five competitors were on the spot surrounded by a large
crowd of curious people anxious to witness the conquest of the air.
Amongst those present was Durwin, who pushed his way to where Dan
was looking over his aeroplane. The aviator did not see the lean,
keen-eyed man until he was touched on the elbow.
"Is it all right, Halliday?" asked Durwin, nodding toward the machine.
"Perfect. She's a beauty, and it won't be her fault if I don't lift
York Minster before sunset. What are you doing here, Mr. Durwin? I
didn't know that you took an interest in aviation."
"I take an interest in this search for Moon's assassin," said Durwin
drily, but in low tones. "Laurance saw me and related your discovery.
I am looking about for Marcus Penn and intend to ask him questions."
"He may be on the ground," said Dan, glancing around, "since Lord
Curberry's place is a stone-throw away. But he won't speak."
"I'll make him speak," said Durwin with a grim look. "Well, I hope
you'll win, Halliday. When you return to town look me up. I may have
something to tell you," and he moved away with a significant look.
Dan could not leave his machine, or he would have followed, as there
were several questions which he greatly desired to ask. The day was
cold and dry, with few clouds, and a good deal of sunshine, so the
conditions for the race were fairly good. The wind was rather high,
and that vexed the aviators, as the art of flying is not yet so
perfect as to control the winds when they are over-strong. However, to
go against these strong air-currents would be an excellent test of the
qualities of the various machines. The start was to take place at one
o'clock, and the competitors hoped to reach their destination before
five o'clock. Some of the aeroplanes could travel at forty miles an
hour; others at fifty, but so far as Dan knew, his was the sole
machine which could gather sixty-miles-an-hour speed. If Vincent could
be believed, the aeroplane ought to travel the hundred and eighty-odd
miles, if the conditions were tolerably good, in a trifle over three
hours. Dan, now having perfect mastery of the biplane, hoped to
accomplish the wonderful journey in a shorter space of time. But this
hope had yet to be verified.
Meanwhile, having seen that all was in order, he turned to speak to
Lillian who had just come up accompanied by Mrs. Bolstreath. Lord
Curberry was in attendance, and in the distance Dan caught a glimpse
of the yellow-faced secretary, looking unhappy and nervous.
"Oh, Dan, I do hope you will win," cried Lillian, who looked extremely
pretty, but more than a trifle anxious; "it does seem so dangerous to
fly in such a light machine."
"She's the best I have yet struck," Dan assured her. "Don't you think
she's as perfect as Lillian, Mrs. Bolstreath?"
The elderly lady laughed and cast a side-glance at Curberry, to see
how he took Halliday's complimentary speech. "Well, I suppose you
cannot think of anything prettier to say. I have heard of a woman
being compared to a gazelle and to a ship, but never to a
flying-machine."
"Mr. Halliday is very up to date in his compliments," said Curberry
with a slight sneer. He was a tall, bilious-looking man, with pale
blue eyes and a thin-lipped sinister mouth, not at all prepossessing
in appearance, although immaculate in dress.
Dan laughed. Being confident that Lillian would never marry this
spectre, he could afford to laugh. "We young people," he said with
emphasis, "go with the times, Lord Curberry."
"Meaning that I belong to the past generation," retorted the other
with a flash in his pale eyes; "you will find that I don't in some
ways," and he glanced significantly at Lillian.
Mrs. Bolstreath looked nervous, but Miss Moon was supremely
indifferent. She did not care for Lord Curberry, and in spite of her
uncle's advocacy had not the slightest idea of marrying the man;
therefore she ignored him as consistently as she could considering the
way he thrust himself into her company. Without taking notice of this
passage-at-arms, she began to question her lover about the airship,
and gathered quite a stock of information before the start. Curberry
being ignorant of aviation was out of the picture, as the saying goes,
so fumed and fretted and looked daggers at Dan. It took all Mrs.
Bolstreath's diplomacy to keep him in a moderately good temper.
Luckily Laurance strolled up, note-book in hand, as he was reporting
for _The Moment_, and greeted the party gaily. He knew Curberry
slightly and nodded to him without any word or salutation. In common
with many other people, Freddy did not like the man, who was by no
means a popular character.
"Isn't it a splendid day for the race, Miss Moon?" said Laurance,
casting an upward glance at the grey sky. "I look forward to
chronicling Dan's triumph in _The Moment_ to-morrow morning. Well, old
fellow," he slapped Halliday jovially on the back, "are you prepared
for what Jules Verne would call the very greatest journey of the
century?"
"The century is yet young," replied Dan drily, "and it's only one
hundred and eighty odd miles I have to travel. Considering that
aviators have reached a successful distance of five hundred miles this
race is a trifle."
"Well," said Lord Curberry, trying to be amiable--a hard task
for him, seeing how much Lillian was taken up with the hero of the
moment--"aviation has certainly accomplished wonders since Santos
Dumont took his flight of ten yards some four years ago."
"Oh, you do know something about aviation, Lord Curberry," said Dan
coolly.
"I know that it is dangerous, Mr. Halliday."
"Oh, Dan," Lillian grew pale, knowing what the spiteful speech meant.
"I think flying looks more dangerous than it is," said Dan with a
reassuring glance, "and Miss Moon has come here to be my mascot."
"You will wire your safe arrival as soon as you get to York," said
Mrs. Bolstreath anxiously.
"Oh, every one will wire," cried Freddy, taking out his field-glass,
"the telegraph offices will be kept hard at work all the night. As
sure as I stand here, Mrs. Bolstreath, Dan will be the richer
to-morrow by £2,000."
"If he is safe, I shall be content," breathed Lillian, and she looked
as though she would have kissed Dan then and there, in spite of the
presence of the crowd and Lord Curberry.
That unsuccessful suitor scowled, and was about to make one of his
acid speeches, when those authorities arranging the race came to
declare that all was ready for the start. Already the cinematographs
were at work taking pictures of the crowd and the machines and their
various pilots. Policemen drove back the throng to some distance, so
that the aeroplanes might have a clear space to run in, and just as
the hour of one sounded the start was made amidst a breathless
silence. The aeroplanes ran along the ground like startled hens, and
sprang into the air at various points. The eyes of the people from
looking level now began to stare upward at the diminishing dots which
towered and raced for the north. A zigzag monoplane was leading,
but Lillian had only eyes for Dan's craft. Freddy gave her his
field-glasses so that she might get a better view. Three of the
aeroplanes bunched, but two circled away some distance in wide arcs,
and of the two, one machine belonged to Dan. The onlookers saw him
increase the speed of his propeller and then, like an arrow from the
bow, he sped swiftly out of sight in a straight line. A cheer rose
from the throng, as the Vincent airship was leading by some lengths,
and Lillian gave Freddy back his glasses.
"I hope he'll come back safe," she said with quivering lip.
"Of course he will," Laurance assured her. "Dan is one of the most
cautious aviators we have."
"But there is always a risk," sneered Lord Curberry.
"Probably. Only a brave man would take the risk."
"You don't fly yourself, Mr. Laurance."
"As you see," was the calm reply, as Curberry's enmity was too paltry
to trouble about. "Well, Miss Moon, we can't see anything more, so I
suppose you will go home."
"Miss Moon is coming to luncheon with me," said Lord Curberry, "and
Mrs. Bolstreath also."
"I am very hungry," said that lady pensively, "so I don't say----"
"Hallo!" interrupted Laurance, as a clamor arose on the outskirts of
the now fast diminishing crowd, "what's the matter? In the interests
of my paper I must see what is taking place," and with a hasty raising
of his hat to the ladies he left them to the care of Lord Curberry.
As he pushed his way toward the commotion he heard a voice asking
if the man was quite dead, and fancied that someone must have fallen
down in a fit. But when he broke through the ring of policemen, and
beheld Durwin lying on the ground, with staring eyes and a ghastly,
expressionless face, the sight so startled him that he caught a
constable's arm.
"What's all this?" he demanded hoarsely. "Is Mr. Durwin dead?"
"Durwin," echoed the policeman sharply, "do you know the gentleman?"
"Of course. He is Mr. Durwin, one of the Scotland Yard officials. I
wonder you don't know that."
"I never heard of him, sir. He must belong to the detective
department."
"What's the matter with him; has he had a fit?"
"He's been murdered," said the constable shortly.
"Murdered?" Laurance stared at the man in a horrified manner, and his
thoughts flew to the gang which he and Dan and Durwin were trying to
root out. Was this another crime similar to that committed at
Hampstead, when Sir Charles was killed for knowing too much? "Is there
a fly on him?" asked the reporter hastily; "see if there's a fly."
"A fly!" The policeman evidently thought the speaker was crazy. "What
has a fly to do with the matter? Here's the Inspector, who was sent
for some time ago. You had better speak to him, sir."
Laurance did so, and advanced toward the soldierly-looking official
who made his appearance. In a low and rapid voice, Laurance hastily
explained that the prone man was Mr. Durwin, of Scotland Yard, and
also handed the Inspector his own card. Meanwhile a doctor was
examining the body, and found that the deceased had been murdered by
having a dagger thrust under his left shoulder-blade. He was quite
dead, and must have passed away almost immediately the blow was
delivered. The Inspector received this uncompromising statement with
natural surprise, and knelt down beside the corpse to verify the
declaration. There was no doubt that the medical man spoke the truth,
for a stream of blood stained the back of Durwin's coat, and had
soaked into the ground. The thrust must have been made with a very
sharp instrument, and was undoubtedly delivered with great force.
"Who knows anything of this?" demanded the Inspector, rising and
looking at the awestruck faces of the crowd sharply.
A slim lady-like girl stepped forward. "I was standing close to the
gentleman," she explained nervously, "and we were all looking at the
airships as they went away. I heard him give a gasp, and when I turned
at the sound, he was slipping to the ground. That's all I know."
"Did you see any one strike him?"
"No, I didn't. How could I, when with the rest I was staring at the
airships going away. The gentleman was staring also, I think. But of
course I didn't take much notice of him, as he was a stranger to me."
"I saw him fall," put in a rough man, something like a navvy; "he was
crushed up against me in the crowd, and I felt him tumbling. I heard
him gurgle, too, and heard this young lady cry out. Then I saw him on
the ground, and pushed back the folk, saying there was a cove dying.
But I didn't think it was murder," ended the man, shuddering.
"Nor did I," chimed in the slim girl. "I fancied it was a fit. I'm
sure we were all so crushed up with the lot of people, that I
shouldn't have been surprised if he had taken a fit."
This was all that could be learned, and the Inspector took the names
and addresses of the two who had spoken. There were other people who
had noted the man on the ground, but these were the sole ones to see
the fall. They had, as it were, almost caught the assassin red-handed.
But it was impossible to say who was guilty, for the throng was so
dense and every one's attention had been so earnestly fixed skyward on
the airships that no one could say who had struck down the unfortunate
gentleman. The Inspector was much impressed when he learned the
identity of the dead man. Once or twice he had received official
letters from Durwin, but he had never set eyes on him until he beheld
him dead. But for Laurance he would not have known who he was, and
therefore questioned that young gentleman closely when the body was
carried by four policemen off the ground to the nearest place where it
could be placed under shelter.
"And what about this fly?" asked the Inspector, who had heard of the
question from the policeman who Laurance had first addressed.
"Don't you remember the case of Sir Charles Moon?"
"Yes. The woman who killed him was never discovered. I remember about
the fly, and also I remember the letters written to that newspaper of
yours."
"I wrote the first letter that brought forth the correspondence," said
Freddy quickly. "Sir Charles had some idea that a gang of criminals
was in existence, and invited Mr. Durwin to his house to explain.
Before Mr. Durwin arrived Sir Charles was murdered. Since then he had
been looking into the matter, and I believe that he also learned too
much."
"You think that this gang you mention had him put out of the way?"
"Yes, I do, and that is why I asked if there was a fly on him. It's
the trade-mark of these devils, I fancy."
"Well, there didn't appear to be any fly on him," said the Inspector
in an uneasy tone. "All the same, I think your idea is right. Moon was
murdered because he knew too much, and Mr. Durwin has been got out of
the way for the same reason; at least I think so. However, we shall
learn more between this and the inquest. You will attend, Mr.
Laurance?"
"Of course. I am only too anxious to find out all I can about this
dangerous gang. It must be broken up."
"The breaking up will be attended with considerable danger," said the
Inspector in a very dry tone. Then he noted Freddy's address and let
him go.
Laurance returned to the office of _The Moment_ and hastily wrote his
description of the start for the London to York race, after which he
saw the editor and related what he knew about the death of Durwin.
Permitted to write the article dealing with the subject, Laurance gave
a concise account, and although he did not say too much, yet hinted
very plainly that the death of the Scotland Yard official was
connected indirectly with the murder of Sir Charles Moon. Remembering
that Penn was now Lord Curberry's secretary, and that Lord Curberry's
house was near the aviation ground, Freddy wondered if Penn had been
amidst the crowd. Dan could have told him that he had been, but, at
present, Laurance did not know this. However, he had a shrewd idea
that as Penn was connected with one murder, he was probably connected
with the other. Then Freddy cursed himself for not having observed if
there was any special perfume hanging about the dead man's clothes. As
he did not know the particular smell of the Sumatra scent he could not
say if it was the one Dan had traced to Mrs. Jarsell, but if there was
any scent at all, it was worth while looking into the matter. To
repair his negligence he finished writing the article--which was very
short--and then started for Blackheath to view the corpse again.
As he was leaving the office of the paper a telegram was put into his
hand. It proved to be from Dan, and had been sent from Bedford. "Had
an accident," ran the wire, "rudder broke. No bones broken, but shaken
by fall. I return this evening to town and will call. Halliday."
"Now I wonder," murmured Laurance, when he read the telegram, "if that
machine was tampered with, after all. If so, the gang must be getting
scared. First Moon, then Durwin, now an attempt on Dan's life. By
Jove, I'll be the next." The idea was by no means a pleasant one.