June 9, 2025 • 55 mins
Dive into seven captivating mystery stories featuring master detective Martin Hewitt, as narrated by his trusty, yet unnamed, sidekick. Authored by Arthur Morrison, these tales showcase his extraordinary imagination through diverse scenarios, motivations, crimes, and characters. Whether hes hot on the trails of a Russian spy or a household pet, or investigating the theft of national security documents versus the destruction of a counterfeit work of art, Hewitts adventures are as varied as they are thrilling.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chapter two of Martin Hewitt Investigator by Arthur Morrison. This
LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter two, The
Loss of Sammy Crockett. It was, of course always a
part of Martin Hewett's business to be thoroughly at home
(00:21):
among any and every class of people, and to be
able to interest himself intelligently, or to appear to do
so in their various pursuits. In one of the most
important cases ever placed in his hands, he could have
gone but a short way towards success had he not
displayed some knowledge of the more sordid aspects of professional sport,
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and a great interest in the undertakings of a certain
dealer therein the great case itself had nothing to do
with sport, and indeed, from a narrative point of view,
was somewhat uninteresting. But the man who alone held the
one piece of information wanted was a keeper, backer or
gaffer of professional pedestrians, and it was through the medium
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of his pecuniary interest in such matters that Hewitt was
enabled to strike a bargain with him. The man was
a publican on the outskirts of Padfield, a northern town
pretty famous for its sporting tastes and to padfield. Therefore
he would betook himself and arrayed in a way to
indicate some inclination of his own towards sports. He began
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to frequent the bar of the Hare and Hounds. Kentish,
the landlord, was a stout, bull necked man of no
great communicativeness at first, but after a little acquaintance he
opened out wonderfully, became quite a jolly and rather intelligent companion,
and came out with innumerable anecdotes of his sporting adventures.
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He could put a very decent dinner on the table
too at the Hare and Hounds, and Uett's frequent invitations
to him to join therein and divide a bottle of
the best in the cellar soon put the two on
the very best of terms. Good terms with mister Kentish
was Hewitt's great desire, for the information he wanted was
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of a sort that could never be extracted by casual questioning,
but must be a matter of open communication by the
publican extracted in what way it might be. Look here,
said Kentish, one day, I'll put you on to a
good thing, my boy, a real good thing. Of course,
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you know all about the padfield one hundred thirty five
yards handicap being run off. Now, well, I haven't looked
into it much, Hewett replied. Ran the first round of
heats last Saturday and Monday, didn't they They did well?
Kentish spoke in a stage whisper as he leaned over
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and wrapped the table. I've got the final win in
this house. He nodded his head, took a puff at
his cigar, and added, in his ordinary voice, don't say nothing, no,
of course, not got something on of course. Rather, what
do you think got any price? I liked been saving
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him up for this. Why he's got twenty one yards
and he can do even time all the way. Fact
why he could win run backards He won his heat
on Monday like like that. The gaffer snapped his fingers
in default of a better illustration and went on, he
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might have took it a little easier. I think it
shortened his price. Of course, his jumping in by two yards.
But you can get decent odds now if you go
about it right. You take my tip back him for
his heat next Saturday, in the second round, and for
the final. You'll get a good price for the final
if you pop it down at once, but don't go
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making a song of it, will ye. I'm giving you
a tip I wouldn't give anybody else. Thanks very much.
It's awfully good of you. I'll do what you advise.
But isn't there a dark horse anywhere else? Not dark
to me, my boy? Not dark to me? I know
every man running like a book old taylor him over
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at the cop He's got a very good lad at
eighteen yards, a very good lad, indeed, And he's a
tryer this time, I know. But bless you, my lad,
could give him ten instead of taking three and beat him. Then,
when I'm running a real trier, I'm generally running something
very near a winner, you bet, And this time, mind,
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this time I'm running the certainist winner I ever run,
and I don't often make a mistake. You back him,
I shall if you're as sure as that. But who
is he? Oh? Crockett's his name, Sammy Crockett. He's quite
a new lad. I've got young steggles looking at after him,
sticks to him like wax takes his little breathers in
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my bitter ground at the back there, I've got a
cinder sprint path there over behind the trees. I don't
let him out of my sight much. I can tell
you he's a straight lad, and he knows it'll be
worse his while to stick to me. But there's some
had poison him if they thought he'd spoil their books.
Soon afterward, the two strolled toward the tap room. I
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expect Samue'll be there, the landlord said, with steggles. I
don't hide him too much. They'd think I'd got something
extra on if I did. In the tap room sat
a lean, wire drawn looking youth with sloping shoulders and
a thin face, And by his side was a rather short,
thick set man who had an odd air no matter
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what he did of proprietorship and surveillance of the lean youth.
Several other men sat about, and there was loud laughter,
under which the youth looked sheepishly angry. Tarn't no good, sammy, lad.
Someone was saying, you a makin' after Nancy Webb. She'll
d nout to do dee. Don't like him, so thread
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Papery added another. No, Sammy, you aren't the lad for
she I see her? What about Nancy Webb, asked Kentish,
pushing open the door. Sammy's all right. Anyway, you keep fit,
my lad, and go on improvin, and some day you'll
have as good a house as me. Never mind, the
lasses had his glass of beer. Has he this too?
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Raggy Steggles, who answering in the affirmative, viewed his charge
as though he were a post, and the beer a
recent coat of paint. Has two glasses of mild a day,
The landlord said to Hewett, never puts on flesh, so
he can stand it. Come out now. He nodded to Steggles,
who rose and marched Sammy Crockett away for exercise. On
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the following afternoon, it was Thursday. As Hewitt and Kentish
chatted in the landlord's own snuggery, Steggles burst into the
room in a great state of agitation and spurted out,
he's he's bolted gone away? What Sammy gone? Hooked it?
I can't find him. The landlord stared blankly at the trainer,
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who stood with a sweater dangling from his hand, and
stared blankly back, what do you mean? Kentish said, at last,
don't be a fool. He's in the place somewhere. Find him.
But this Steggles defied anybody to do. He had looked already.
He had left Crockett at the cinder path behind the
trees in his running gear, with the addition of the
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long overcoat and cap he used in going between the
path and the house to guard against chill. I was
going to give him a bust or two with the pistol,
the trainer explained. But when we got over t'other's side,
Ragge says he it's blown a bit chilly. I think
I'll as a sweater. There's one in my box, ain't there?
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So I coombs for the sweater, and it weren't on
his box. When I found it and got back, he
warn't there. They'd seemed now to him in house, and
he warn't nowhere else. Hewitt and the landlord now thoroughly startled,
searched everywhere, but to no purpose. What should he go
off the place for, asked Kentish, in a sweat of apprehension.
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Paint chilly a bit it's warm. He didn't want no sweater,
never wore one before. It was a piece of kid
to be able to clear out nice thing. This is
I stand to win two years takings over him here.
You'll have to find him. Ah, But how exclaimed the
disconcerted trainer dancing about distractedly. I've got all I could
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scrape on him myself. Where can I look? Here was
Hewett's opportunity. He took kentish as side and whispered. What
he said startled the landlord considerably. Yes, I'll tell you
all about that, he said, if that's all you want.
It's no good or harm to me whether I tell
you or no. But can you find him that? I
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can't promise, of course, but you know who I am
now and what I'm here for. If you like to
give me the information I want, I'll go into the
case for you. And of course I shan't charge any fee.
I may have luck, you know, but I can't promise,
of course. The landlord looked in Hewett's face for a moment.
Then he said done. It's a deal, very good. Hewett replied,
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Get together the one or two papers you have and
we'll go into my business in the evening. As to Crockett,
don't say a word to anybody. I'm afraid it must
get out since they all know about it in the house.
But there's no use in making unnecessary noise. Don't make
hedging bets or do anything that will attract notice. Now
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we'll go over to the back and look at this
cinder path of yours. Here. Steggles, who was still standing near,
was struck with an idea. How about old Taylor at
the cop governor A He said, meaningly, His lad's good
enough to win with Sammy out, and Taylor is backing
him plenty. Think he knows anything of this? That's likely,
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Hewitt observed, before Kentish could reply, yes, look here, suppose
Steggles goes and keeps his eye on the cop for
an hour or two in case there's anything to be
heard of. Don't show yourself. Of course, Kentish agreed, and
the trainer went. When Hewitt and Kentish arrived at the
path behind the trees, Hewitt at once began examining the ground.
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One or two rather large holes in the cinders were made,
as the publican explained by Crockett in practicing getting off
his mark. Behind these were several fresh tracks of spiked shoes.
The tracks led up to within a couple of yards
of the high fence bounding the ground, and there stopped
abruptly and entirely in the fence. A little to the
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right of where the tracks stopped. There was a stout door.
This Hewitt tried and found a jar that's always kept bolted.
Kentish said, he's gone out that way. He couldn't have
gone any other without coming through the house. But he
isn't in the habit of making a step three yards long?
Is he? Hewitt asked, pointing at the last footmark and
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then at the door, which was quite that distance away
from it. Besides, he added, opening the door, there's no
footprint here or outside. The door opened on a lane
with another fence and a thick plantation of trees at
the other side. Kentish looked at the footmarks, then at
the door, then down the lane, and finally back toward
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the house. That's a liquor, he said. This is a
quiet sort of lane, was Hewett's next remark. No houses
in sight. Where does it lead that way? It goes
to the old kilns disused This way down to a
turning off the pad Field and Catton Road. Hewett returned
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to the cinder path again and once more examined the footmarks.
He traced them back over the grass toward the house. Certainly,
he said, he hasn't gone back to the house. Here
is the double line of tracks side by side from
the house Steggel's ordinary boots with iron tips and Crockett's
running pumps. Thus they came out. Here is Stegell's track
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in the opposite direction alone, made when he went back
for the sweater. Crockett remained. You see various prints in
the loose cinders at the end of the path where
he moved this way and that, and then two or
three paces toward the fence, not directly toward the door,
you notice, and there they stopped dead, and there are
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no more either back or forward. Now, if he had wings,
I should be tempted to the opinion that he flew
straight away in the air from that spot, unless the
earth swallowed him and closed again without leaving a wrinkle
on its face. Kentish stared gloomily at the tracks and
said nothing. However, hewittt resumed. I think I'll take a
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little walk now and think it over. You go into
the house and show yourself at the bar. If anybody
wants to know how Crockett is, he's pretty well, thank you.
By the bye. Can I get to the cop this
place of Tailor's by this back lane? Yes, down to
the end leading to the cat and road turned to
the left and then first on the right. Anyone will
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show you the cop and Kentish shut the door behind
the detective, who straightway walked toward the old kilns. In
a little more than an hour he was back. It
was now becoming dust, and the landlord looked out papers
from a box near the side window of his snuggery.
For the sake of the extra light, I've got these
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papers together for you, he said, as Hewett entered. Any news,
nothing very great. Here's a bit of handwriting I want
you to recognize if you can get a light. Kentish
lit a lamp, and Hewitt laid upon the table a
half dozen small pieces of torn paper, evidently fragments of
a letter which had been torn up here reproduced in
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facsimile reader's note. Illustrations of the paper scraps read as follows,
M M Y throw them? Oh you write a W
A left H. I hate her came w H end
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of reader's note. The landlord turned the scraps over, regarding
them dubiously. These aren't much to recognize anyhow, I don't
know the writing. Where did you find em? They were
lying in the lane at the back a little way down. Plainly,
they are pieces of a note addressed to some one
called Sammy, or something very like it. See the first
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piece with its M M y. That is clearly from
the beginning of the note, because there is no line
between it and the smooth straight edge of the paper above. Also,
nothing follows on the same line. Some one writes to Crockett,
presuming it to be a letter addressed to him, as
I do for other reasons, as Sammy. It is a
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pity that there is no more of the letter to
be found than these pieces. I expect the person who
tore it up put the rest in his pocket and
dropped these by accident. Kentish, who had been picking up
and examining each piece in turn, now dolorously broke out.
Oh it's plain he sold us, bolted and done us
me as took him out of the gutter too. Look here,
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throw them over. That's plain enough. Can't mean anything else
means throw me over, and my friends me after what
I've done for him, then right away, go right away,
I suppose, as he has done. Then he was fiddling
with the scraps and finally fitted two together. Why look here,
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this one with lane on. It fits over the one
about throwing over, and it says poor f where it's torn,
that means poor fool. I suppose me or fat head
or something like that. That's nice. Why I'd twist his
neck if I could get hold of him, and I will.
Hewitt smiled. Perhaps it's not quite so uncomplimentary, after all,
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he said, If you can't recognize the writing, never mind.
But if he's gone away to sell you, it isn't
much use finding him, is it. He won't win if
he doesn't want to. Why he wouldn't dare to rope
under my very eyes? I'd well, well, perhaps we'll get
him to run, after all, and as well as he can.
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One thing is certain. He left this place of his
own will. Further, I think he is in Padfield now.
He went toward the town, I believe, And I don't
think he means to sell you. Well he shouldn't. I've
made it worth his while to stick to me. I've
put a fifty on him out of my own pocket
and told him so. And if he won, that would
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probably bring him a lump more than he'd get by
going crooked, besides the prize money and anything I might
give him over, But it seems to me he's putting
me in the cart altogether that we shall see meantime.
Don't mention anything I've told you to any one, not
even Steggles. He can't help us, and he might blurt
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things out inadvertently. Don't say anything about these pieces of paper,
which I shall keep myself by the bye Steggles is indoors,
isn't he very well? Keep him in? Don't let him
be seen hunting about this evening. I'll stay here tonight
and we'll proceed with Crockett's business in the morning. And
now we'll settle my business please in the morning. Hewett
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took his breakfast in the snuggery, carefully listening to any
conversation that might take place at the bar. Soon after
nine o'clock, a fast dog cart stopped outside, and a
red faced, loud voiced man swaggered in, greeting Kentish with
boisterous cordiality. He had a drink with the landlord and said,
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how's things fancy? Any of 'em? Fur the sprint handicap
got a ladd o your own in, haven't you? Oh? Yes, Kentish,
replied Crockett. Only a young un not got to his
proper mark. Yet, I reckon, I think old Tailor's got
number one this time, capital lad. The other replied with
a confidential nod. Shouldn't wonder at all? Want to do
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anything yourself over it? No, I don't think so. I'm
not on at present. Might have a little flutter on
the grounds just for fun, nothing else. There were a
few more casual remarks, and then the red faced man
drove away. Who was that, asked Hewett, who had watched
the visitor through the snuggery window. That's danby bookmaker, cute jap.
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He's been told Crockett's missing. I'll bet anything and come
here to pump me no good though. Matter of fact,
I've worked Sammy Crockett into his books for about half
I'm in for altogether through third parties. Of course, Hewett
reached for his hat. I'm going out for half an
hour now, he said. If Steggles wants to go out
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before I come back, don't let him. Let him go
and smooth over all those tracks on the cinder path
very carefully. And by the way, could you manage to
have your son about the place today in case I
happened to want a little help out of doors. Certainly,
I'll get him to stay in, But what do you
want the cinders smoothed for Hewitt smiled and patted his
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host's shoulder. I'll explain all my tricks when the job's done,
he said, and went out. On the lane from Padfield
to Sedby Village stood the Plow Beer House, wherein j.
Webb was licensed to sell by retail beer to be
consumed on the premises or off as the thirsty list.
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Nancy Webb, with a very fine color, a very curly fringe,
and a wide smiling mouth revealing a fine set of teeth,
came to the bar at the summons of a stoutish
old gentleman in spectacles, who walked with a stick. The
stoutish old gentleman had a glass of bitter beer, and
then said, in the peculiarly quiet voice of a very
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deaf man, can you tell me, if you please, the
way into the main cat'in road? Down? The lane turned
to the right at the cross roads, then first to
the left. The old gentleman waited with his hand to
his ear for some few seconds after she had finished speaking,
and then resumed, in his whispering voice, I'm afraid I'm
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very deaf this morning. He fumbled in his pocket and
produced a note book and pencil. May I trouble you
to write it down? I'm so very deaf at times
that I thank you. The girl wrote the direction, and
the old gentleman bade her good morning and left all
Down the lane, he walked slowly with his stick. At
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the cross roads, he turned, put the stick under his arm,
thrust his spectacles into his pocket, and strode away in
the ordinary guise of Martin Hewett. He pulled out his
note book, examined Miss Webb's direction very carefully, and then
went off another way altogether, toward the Hare and Hounds.
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Kentish lounged moodily in his bar well. My boy said,
Hewett has Steggles wiped out the tracks, not yet. I
haven't told him, but he's somewhere about I'll tell him now, No, don't.
I don't think we'll have that done. After all. I
expect he'll want to go out soon, at any rate,
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some time during the day. Let him go whenever he wants.
I'll sit up stairs a bit in the club room
very well. But how do you know Steggles will be
going out? Well, he's pretty restless after his lost protegee,
isn't he I don't suppose he'll be able to remain
idle long? And about Crockett? Do you give him up? Oh? No,
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don't you be impatient. I can't say I'm quite confident
yet of laying hold of him. The time is so short,
you see, But I think I shall at least have
news for you by the evening. Hewitt sat in the
club room until the afternoon, taking his lunch there. At
length he saw through the front window Raggy Steggles walking
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down the road. In an instant, Hewitt was downstairs and
at the door. The road bent eighty yards away, and
as soon as Steggles passed the bend, the detective hurried
after him all the way to Padfield Town, and more
than half through it Hewitt dogged the trainer. In the end,
Steggles stopped at a corner and gave a note to
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a small boy who was playing near. The boy ran
with the note to a bright, well kept house at
the opposite corner. Martin Hewitt was interested to observe the
legend H. Danby Contractor on a board over a gate
in the side wall of the garden behind this house.
In five minutes a door in the side gate opened
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and the head and shoulders of the red faced man emerged.
Steggles immediately hurried across and disappeared through the gate. This
was both interesting and instructive. Hewett took up a position
in the side street and waited. In ten minutes the
trainer reappeared and hurried off the way he had come
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along the street Hewitt had considerately left clear for him.
Then Hewitt strolled toward the smart house and took a
good look at him. At one corner of the small
piece of forecourt garden, near the railings, a small beze
covered glass fronted notice board stood on two posts. On
its top edge appeared the words h Danby Houses to
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be sold or left. But the only notice pinned to
the green bez within was an old and dusty one
inviting tenants for three shops which were suitable for any
business and which would be fitted to suit. Tenants apply within.
Hewitt pushed open the front gate and rang the doorbell.
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There are some shops to let I see, he said,
when a maid appears, I should like to see them,
if you would let me have the key. Master's out, sir,
you can't see the shops till Monday. Dear me, that's unfortunate.
I'm afraid I can't wait till Monday. Didn't mister Danby
leave any instructions in case anyone should inquire, Yes, sir,
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as I've told you, he said, anybody who called about
him must come again on Monday. Oh very well, then
I suppose I must try one of the shops is
in the High Street, isn't it? No, sir, they're all
in the new part Granville Road. Ah, I'm afraid that
will scarcely do, but I'll see good day. Martin Hewitt
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walked away a couple of street's lengths before he inquired
the way to Granville Road. When at last he found
that thoroughfare in a new and muddy suburb, crowded with
brick heaps and half fish streets, he took a slow
walk along its entire length. It was a melancholy example
of baffled enterprise. A row of a dozen or more
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shops had been built before any population had arrived to
demand goods. Would be tradesmen had taken many of these shops,
and failure and disappointment stared from the windows. Some were
half covered by shutters because the scanty stock scarce sufficed
to fill the remaining half. Others were shut almost altogether,
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the inmates only keeping open the door for their own convenience,
and perhaps keeping down a shutter for the sake of
a little light. Others again had not yet fallen so low,
but struggled bravely still to maintain a show of business
and prosperity, with very little success. Opposite the shops there
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still remained a dusty, ill treated hedge and a forlorn
looking field which an old board offered on building leases,
altogether a most depressing spot. There was little difficulty in
identifying the three shops offered for letting by mister H. Danby.
They were all together near the middle of the row,
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and were the only ones that appeared not yet to
have been occupied. A dusty two let bill hung in
each window with written directions to inquire of mister H.
Danby or at number seven. Now number seven was a
melancholy baker's shop, with a stock of three loaves and
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a plate of stale buns. The disappointed baker assured Hewett
that he usually kept the keys of the shops, but
that the landlord, mister Danby, had taken them away the
day before to see how the ceilings were standing, and
had not returned them. But if you was thinking of
taking a shop here, the poor baker added, with some hesitation,
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I I if you'll excuse my advising you, I shouldn't
recommend it. I've had a sickener of it myself. Hewett
thanked the baker for his advice, wished him better luck
in future, and left to the hare and hounds. His
pace was brisk come, he said, as he met Kentish's
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inquiring glance. This has been a very good day on
the whole. I know where our man is now, and
I think we can get him by a little management.
Where is he? Oh, down in Padfield. As a matter
of fact, he's being kept there against his will. We
shall find. I see that your friend mister Danby is
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a builder as well as a book maker, not a
regular builder. He speculates in a street of new houses
now and then. That's all. But is he in it?
He's as deep in it as anybody, I think. Now,
don't fly into a passion. There are a few others
in it as well. But you'll do harm if you
(29:03):
don't keep quiet. But go and get the police come
and fetch him. If you know where they're keeping him,
Why so we will if we can't do it without them.
But it's quite possible we can, and without all the
disturbance and perhaps delay that calling in the police would involve.
(29:23):
Consider now, in reference to your own arrangements, wouldn't it
pay you better to get him back quietly, without a
soul knowing, perhaps not even Danby knowing, till the heat
is run tomorrow. Well, yes, it would, of course very good. Then,
so be it. Remember what I've told you about keeping
(29:44):
your mouth shut. Say nothing to Steggles or anybody. Is
there a cab or broom your son and I can
have for the evening. There's an old hiring landau at
the stables. You can shut up into a cab. If
that'll do excellent. We'll run down to the town in
it as soon as it's ready. But first a word
(30:04):
about Crockett. What sort of a lad is he likely
to give them trouble? Show, fight, make a disturbance? No,
I should say not. He's no pluckt un certainly all
his manhoods and his legs, I believe you see, he
ain't a big sort of chap at best, and he'd
be pretty easy put upon at least, I guess so
(30:27):
very good. So much the better, for then he won't
have been damaged, and they will probably only have one
man to guard him. Now the carriage, please. Young Kentish
was a six foot sergeant of Grenadier's home on furlough
and luxuriating in plain clothes. He and Hewitt walked a
(30:47):
little way toward the town, allowing the landout to catch
them up. They traveled in it to within a hundred
yards of the empty shops, and then alighted, bidding the
driver wait, I shall I'll show you three empty shops,
Hewitt said, as he and Young Kentish walked down the
Granville road. I am pretty sure that Sammy Crockett is
(31:09):
in one of them, and I am pretty sure that
that is the middle one. Take a look as we
go past. When the shops had been slowly passed, Hewitt resumed, Now,
did you see anything about those shops that told a
tale of any sort? No, Sergeant Kentish replied, I can't
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say I noticed anything beyond the fact that they were
empty and likely to stay. So I should think we'll
stroll back and look in at the windows. If nobody's
watching us, Hewitt said, You see, it's reasonable to suppose
they've put him in the middle one, because that would
suit their purpose best. The shops at each side of
(31:51):
the three are occupied, and if the prisoner struggled or
shouted or made an uproar, he might be heard if
he were in one of the shops next to those inhabited,
so that the middle shop is the most likely. Now
see there, he went on, as they stopped before the
window of the shop in question. Over at the back,
(32:11):
there's a staircase not yet partitioned off. It goes down
below and up above. On the stairs and on the
floor near them, there are muddy footmarks. These must have
been made today, else they would not be muddy but
dry and dusty, since there hasn't been a shower for
a week till tomorrow. Move on again. Then you notice
(32:34):
that there were no other such marks in the shop. Consequently,
the man with the muddy feet did not come in
by the front door, but by the back, Otherwise he
would have made a trail from the door. So we
will go round to the back ourselves. It was now
growing dusk. The small pieces of ground behind the shops
(32:57):
were bounded by a low fence containing a door for
each house. This door is bolted inside, of course, Hewitt said,
but there is no difficulty in climbing. I think we
had better wait in the garden till dark. In the meantime,
the jailer, whoever he is, may come out, in which
(33:17):
case we shall pounce on him as soon as he
opens the door. You have that few yards of cord
in your pocket, I think, and my handkerchief properly rolled,
will make a good gag. Now over, They climbed the fence,
and quietly, approaching the house, placed themselves in the angle
of an outhouse, out of sight from the windows. There
(33:40):
was no sound and no light appeared. Just above the ground,
about a foot of window was visible, with a grating
over it, apparently lighting a basement. Suddenly, Hewett touched his
companion's arm and pointed toward the window. A faint rustling
sound was perceptible, and as nearly as could be discerned
in the darkness, some white blind or covering was placed
(34:04):
over the glass. From the inside. Then came the sound
of a striking match, and at the side edge of
the window there was a faint streak of light that's
the place, Hewett whispered, Come, we'll make a push for it.
You stand against the wall at one side of the door,
and I'll stand at the other, and we'll have him
as he comes out quietly now, and I'll startle them.
(34:27):
He took a stone from among the rubbish littering the
garden and flung it crashing through the window. There was
a loud exclamation from within the blind fell, and somebody
rushed to the back door and flung it open. Instantly.
Kentish let fly a heavy right hander, and the man
went over like a skittle. In a moment, Hewitt was
(34:49):
upon him, and the gag in his mouth hold him.
Hewitt whispered, hurriedly, I'll see if there are others. He
peered down through the low window. Within Sammy Crockett, his
bare legs dangling from beneath his long overcoat, sat on
a packing box, leaning with his head on his hand
and his back towards the window. A guttering candle stood
(35:13):
on the mantel piece, and the newspaper, which had been
stretched across the window, lay in scattered sheets on the floor.
No other person besides Sammy was visible. They led their
prisoner indoors. Young Kentish recognized him as a public house
loafer and race course ruffian, well known in the neighborhood.
(35:35):
So it's you, is it, Browdie, he said, I've caught
you one hard clump, and I've half a mind to
make it a score more. But you'll get it pretty warm,
one way or another before this job's forgotten. Sammy Crockett
was overjoyed at his rescue. He had not been ill treated,
he explained, but had been thoroughly cowed by Browdie, who
(35:57):
had from time to time threatened him savage with an
iron bar by way of persuading him to quietness and submission.
He had been fed and taken no worse harm than
a slight stiffness from his adventure due to his light
under attire of jersey and knee shorts. Sergeant Kentish tied
Browdie's elbows firmly together behind and carried the line round
(36:20):
the ankles, bracing all up tight. Then he ran a
knot from one wrist to the other over the back
of the neck, and left the prisoner trust and helpless
on the heap of straw that had been Sammy's bed.
You won't be very jolly, I expect, Kentish said, for
some time. You can't shout, and you can't walk, and
(36:41):
I know you can't untie yourself. You'll get a bit
hungry too, perhaps, but that'll give you an appetite. I
don't suppose you'll be disturbed till some time tomorrow, unless
our friend Danby turns up in the meantime. But you
can come along to jail instead if you prefer it.
They left him where he lay and took Sammy to
the old landown. Sammy walked in slippers, carrying his spiked
(37:05):
shoes hanging by the lace in his hand. Ah said Hewett,
I think I know the name of the young lady
who gave you those slippers. Crockett looked ashamed and indignant. Yes,
he said, they've done me nicely between em, but i'll
pay her. I'll hush, hush, Hewett said, you mustn't talk
(37:27):
unkindly of a lady you know. Get into this carriage
and will take you home. We'll see if I can
tell you your adventures without making a mistake. First, you
had a note from miss Webb telling you that you
were mistaken in supposing she had slighted you, and that,
as a matter of fact, she had quite done with
(37:49):
somebody else left him of whom you were jealous. Isn't
that so well? Yes, young Crockett answered, blushing deeply under
the carriage lamp. But I don't see how you come
to know that. Then she went on to ask you
to get rid of steggles on Thursday afternoon for a
few minutes and speak to her in the back lane.
(38:12):
Now you are running pumps with their thin soles almost
like paper, no heels, and long spikes hurt your feet
horribly if you walk on hard ground, don't they aye that?
They do enough to cripple you. I'd never go on
much hard ground with em. They're not like cricket shoes.
I see not a bit cricket shoes. You can walk
(38:33):
anywhere in Well, she knew this, I think I know
who told her. And she promised to bring you a
new pair of slippers and to throw them over the
fence for you to come out in. I suppose she'd
been tellin you all this, Crockett said, mournfully. You couldn't
have seen the letter. I saw her tear it up
and put the bits in her pocket. She asked me
(38:55):
for it in the lane in case Steggles sigh it. Well,
at any rate, you sent Steckles away, and the slippers
did come over, and you went into the lane. You
walked with her as far as the road at the end,
and then you were seized and gagged and put into
a carriage that was bowdy? Did that? Said Crockett and
(39:17):
another chap. I don't know, But why this is Padfield
High Street? He looked through the window and regarded the
familiar shops with astonishment. Of course it is. Where did
you think it was? Why? Where was that place you
found me in Granville Road, Padfield? I suppose they told
you you were in another town. Told me it was
(39:40):
Newstead Hatch. They drove for about three or four hours
and kept me down on the floor between the seats
so as I couldn't see where we was going. Done
for two reasons, said Hewitt, First to mystify you and
prevent any discovery of the people directing the conspiracy, and
second be able to put you indoors at night and unobserved. Well,
(40:05):
I think I have told you all. You know yourself
now as far as the carriage, But there is the
hare and hound just in front and We'll pull up
here and I'll get out and see if the coast
is clear. I fancy mister Kentish would rather you came
in unnoticed. In a few seconds, Hewett was back and
Crockett was conveyed indoors by a side entrance. Hewitt's instructions
(40:29):
to the landlord were few but emphatic. Don't tell Staggles
about it, he said, make an excuse to get rid
of him and send him out of the house. Take
Crockett into some other bedroom not his own, and let
your son look after him. Then come here and I'll
tell you all about it. Sammy Crockett was undergoing a
(40:50):
heavy grooming with white ambrocation at the hands of Sergeant
Kentish when the landlord returned to Hewitt. Does Danby know
you've got it? He asked? How did you do it?
Danby doesn't know yet, and with luck, he won't know
till he sees Crockett running tomorrow. The man who has
sold you is Steggles, Steggles, Steggles. It is at the
(41:17):
very first when Steggles rushed in to report Sammy Crockett missing,
I suspected him, You didn't, I suppose no, He's always
been considered a straight man, and he looked as startled
as anybody. Yes, I must say he acted it very well,
But there was something suspicious in his story. What did
(41:37):
he say? Crockett had remarked a chilliness and asked for
a sweater, which Steggles went to fetch. Now, just think
you understand these things. Would any trainer who knew his
business as Steggles does have gone to bring out a
sweater for his man to change for his jersey in
the open air at the very time this man was
(41:59):
complaining of chilliness, of course not. He would have taken
his man indoors again and let him change there under shelter. Then,
supposing Steggles had really been surprised at missing Crockett, wouldn't
he have looked about found the gate open and told
you it was open when he first came in. He
(42:19):
said nothing of that. We found the gate open for ourselves,
So that from the beginning I had a certain opinion
of Steggles. What you say seems pretty plain now, although
it didn't strike me at the time. But if Steggles
was selling us, why couldn't he have drugged the lad
That would have been a deal simpler. Because Steggles is
(42:42):
a good trainer and has a certain reputation to keep up.
It would have done him no good to have had
a runner drugged while under his care. Certainly it would
have cooked his goose. With you, it was much the
safer thing to connive at kidnapping that put all the
active work into other hands, and left him safe even
(43:02):
if the trick failed. Now you remember that we traced
the prints of crockett spiked shoes to within a couple
of yards from the fence, and that there they suddenly ceased. Yes,
you said it looked as though he had flown up
into the air, and so it did. But I was
sure that it was by the gate that Crockett had left,
(43:24):
and by no other He couldn't have got through the
house without being seen, and there was no other way,
let alone the evidence of the unbolted gate. Therefore, as
the footprints ceased where they did, and were not repeated
anywhere in the lane, I knew that he had taken
his spiked shoes off, probably changed them for something else,
(43:46):
because a runner, anxious as to his chances, would never
risk walking on bare feet with a chance of cutting them. Ordinarily,
broad smooth soled slippers would leave no impression on the
coarse cinders bordering the track, and nothing short of spike
shoes would leave a mark on the hard path in
the lane behind. The spike tracks were leading not directly
(44:09):
toward the door, but in the direction of the fence.
When they stopped, somebody had handed or thrown the slippers
over the fence, and he had changed them on the spot.
The enemy had calculated upon the spikes leaving a track
in the lane that might lead us in our search,
and had arranged accordingly. So far, so good. I could
(44:31):
see no footprints near the gate in the lane. You
will remember that I sent Steggles off to watch at
the cop before I went out to the back, merely,
of course, to get him out of the way. I
went out into the lane, leaving you behind, and walked
its whole length, first toward the old kilns, and then
back toward the road. I found nothing to help me
(44:52):
except these small pieces of paper, which are here in
my pocket book. By the bye of course, this m
M Y might have meant Jimmy or Tommy, as possibly
as Sammy, but they were not to be rejected on
that account. Certainly, Crockett had been decoyed out of your
ground not taken by force, or there would have been
(45:14):
marks of a scuffle in the cinders. And as his
request for a sweater was probably an excuse, because it
was not at all a cold afternoon, he must have
previously designed going out inference a letter received. And here
were pieces of a letter. Now, in light of what
I have said, look at these pieces. First there is
(45:36):
the m M Y that I have dealt with. Then
see this throw them oh V. Clearly a part of
throw them over, exactly what had probably been done with
the slippers. Then poor f coming just on the line before,
and seen by joining up with this other piece, might
(45:58):
easily be a reference to two poor feete. These coincidences,
one on the other went far to establish the identity
of the letter and to confirm my previous impressions. But
then there is something else. Two other pieces evidently meant
left him and right away perhaps, But there is another
(46:21):
containing almost all of the words hate his with the
word hate underlined. Now, who writes hate with the emphasis
of underscoring? Who but a woman? The writing is large,
not very regular. It might easily be that of a
half educated woman. Here was something more. Sammy had been
(46:43):
enticed away by a woman. Now, I remember that when
we went into the tap room on Wednesday, some of
his companions were chaffing Crockett about a certain Nancy Webb,
and the chaff went home. As was plain to see.
The woman then, who could most easily in ty semi
Crockett away was Nancy Webb. I resolved to find who
(47:05):
Nancy Webb was and learn more of her. Meantime, I
took a look at the road at the end of
the lane. It was damper than the lane, being lower
and overhung by trees. There were many wheel tracks, but
only one set that turned in the road and went
back the way it came toward the town, and they
(47:26):
were narrow wheels carriage wheels. Crockett tells me now that
they drove him about for a long time before shutting
him up. Probably the inconvenience of taking him straight to
the hiding place didn't strike them when they first drove off.
A few inquiries soon set me in the direction of
the plow and miss Nancy Webb. I had the curiosity
(47:51):
to look around the place as I approached, and there
in the garden behind the house were steggles and the
young lady in earnest confabulation. Every conjecture became a certainty.
Steggles was the lover of whom Crockett was jealous, and
he had employed the girl to bring Sammy out. I
(48:12):
watched Steggles home and gave you a hint to keep
him there. But the thing that remained was to find
Steggle's employer in this business I was glad to be
in when Danby came. He came, of course, to hear
if you would blurt out anything, and to learn, if possible,
what steps you were taking. He failed, by way of
(48:34):
making assurance doubly sure. I took a short walk this
morning in the character of a deaf gentleman, and got
miss Webb to write me a direction that comprised three
of the words on these scraps of paper left, right
and lane. See they correspond the peculiar f's, t's and all.
(48:57):
Now I felt perfectly sure that Steggles would go for
his pay to day. In the first place, I knew
that people mixed up with shady transactions in professional pedestrianism
are not apt to trust one another far they know better. Therefore,
Steggles wouldn't have had his bribe first, but he would
take care to get it before the Saturday heats were run,
(49:19):
because once they were over, the thing was done, and
the principal conspirator might have refused to pay up, and
Steggles couldn't have helped himself. Again, I hinted he should
not go out till I could follow him, And this afternoon,
when he went follow him, I did. I saw him
go into Danby's house by the sideway and come away again.
(49:41):
Danby it was then who had arranged the business, and
nobody was more likely considering his large pecuniary stake against
Crockett's winning this race. But now how to find Crockett.
I made up my mind he wouldn't be in Danby's
own house. That would be a deal too risky, with
servants about and so on. I saw that Danby was
(50:04):
a builder and had three shops to let. It was
on a paper before his house. What more likely prison
than an empty house. I knocked at Danby's door and
asked for the keys of those shops. I couldn't have them.
The servant told me Danby was out a manifest lie,
for I had just seen him, and that nobody could
(50:27):
see the shops till monday. But I got out of
her the addresses of the shops, and that was all
I wanted at the time. Now, why was nobody to
see those shops till Monday? The interval was suspicious, just
enough to enable Crockett to be sent away again and
cast loose after the Saturday racing, supposing him to be
(50:49):
kept in one of the empty buildings. I went off
at once and looked at the shops, forming my conclusions
as to which would be the most likely for Danby's purpose.
Here I had another confirmation of my ideas A poor,
half bankrupt baker in one of the shops had by
the bills the custody of a set of keys, but
(51:12):
he too told me I couldn't have them. Danby had
taken them away and on Thursday the very day, with
some trivial excuse, and hadn't brought them back. That was
all I wanted or could expect. In the way of guidance.
The whole thing was plain. The rest you know all
about Well, you're certainly as smart as they give you
(51:35):
credit for, I must say, But suppose Danby had taken
down his to let notice, what would you have done?
Then we had our course. Even then we should have
gone to danby, astounded him by telling him all about
his little games, terrorized him with threats of the law,
and made him throw up his hands and send Crockett back.
(51:57):
But as it is, you see, he doesn't know at
this moment, probably won't know till tomorrow afternoon that the
lad is safe and sound. Here. You will probably use
the interval to make him pay for losing the game
by some of the ingenious financial devices you are no
doubt familiar with, Aye, that I will. He'll give any
(52:18):
price against Crockett now, so long as the bet doesn't
come direct from me. But about Crockett now, Hewitt went on,
won't this confinement be likely to have damaged his speed
for a day or two? Ah? Perhaps, the landlord replied,
But bless ye, that won't matter. There's four more in
(52:40):
his heat tomorrow, two I know aren't tryers, and the
other two I can hold in at a couple of
quit apiece any day. The third round and final won't
be till tomorrow week, and he'll be as fit as
ever by then. It's as safe as ever it was.
How much are you going to have on? I'll lump
it on for you safe enough. This is a chance
(53:02):
not to be missed. It's picking money up, thank you.
I don't think I'll have anything to do with it.
This professional pedestrian business doesn't seem a pretty one at all.
I don't call myself a moralist, but if you'll excuse
my saying so, the thing is scarcely the game I
care to pick tap money at in any way. Oh,
(53:24):
very well, if you think so, I won't persuade ye.
Though I don't think so much of your smartness as
I did after all. Still we won't quarrel. You've done
me a mighty good turn, that I must say, and
I only feel I aren't level without doing something to
pay the debt. Come now, you've got your trade as
i've got mine. Let me have the bill and I'll
(53:45):
pay it like a lord and feel a deal more
pleased than if you've made a favor of it. Not
that I'm above a favor, of course, but i'd prefer
paying man, that's a fact, My dear sir, You have paid,
Hewitt said, with a smile. You paid in advance. It
was a bargain, wasn't it. That I should do your
(54:06):
business if you would help me in mine? Very well?
A bargain's a bargain, and we've both performed our parts.
And you mustn't be offended at what I said just
now that I won't. But as to that raggy steggles,
once those heats are over tomorrow, i'll well. It was
(54:27):
on the following Sunday week that Martin Hewitt, in his
rooms in London, turned over his paper and read under
the head Padfield Annual one hundred thirty five yards Handicap.
This announcement final heat Crockett first, Willis second, Truby third,
(54:48):
Owen zero, Howell zero, a runaway win by nearly three yards.
End of Chapter two st
Chapter two of Martin Hewitt Investigator by Arthur Morrison. This
LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter two, The
Loss of Sammy Crockett. It was, of course always a
part of Martin Hewett's business to be thoroughly at home
(00:21):
among any and every class of people, and to be
able to interest himself intelligently, or to appear to do
so in their various pursuits. In one of the most
important cases ever placed in his hands, he could have
gone but a short way towards success had he not
displayed some knowledge of the more sordid aspects of professional sport,
(00:43):
and a great interest in the undertakings of a certain
dealer therein the great case itself had nothing to do
with sport, and indeed, from a narrative point of view,
was somewhat uninteresting. But the man who alone held the
one piece of information wanted was a keeper, backer or
gaffer of professional pedestrians, and it was through the medium
(01:08):
of his pecuniary interest in such matters that Hewitt was
enabled to strike a bargain with him. The man was
a publican on the outskirts of Padfield, a northern town
pretty famous for its sporting tastes and to padfield. Therefore
he would betook himself and arrayed in a way to
indicate some inclination of his own towards sports. He began
(01:32):
to frequent the bar of the Hare and Hounds. Kentish,
the landlord, was a stout, bull necked man of no
great communicativeness at first, but after a little acquaintance he
opened out wonderfully, became quite a jolly and rather intelligent companion,
and came out with innumerable anecdotes of his sporting adventures.
(01:55):
He could put a very decent dinner on the table
too at the Hare and Hounds, and Uett's frequent invitations
to him to join therein and divide a bottle of
the best in the cellar soon put the two on
the very best of terms. Good terms with mister Kentish
was Hewitt's great desire, for the information he wanted was
(02:16):
of a sort that could never be extracted by casual questioning,
but must be a matter of open communication by the
publican extracted in what way it might be. Look here,
said Kentish, one day, I'll put you on to a
good thing, my boy, a real good thing. Of course,
(02:36):
you know all about the padfield one hundred thirty five
yards handicap being run off. Now, well, I haven't looked
into it much, Hewett replied. Ran the first round of
heats last Saturday and Monday, didn't they They did well?
Kentish spoke in a stage whisper as he leaned over
(02:56):
and wrapped the table. I've got the final win in
this house. He nodded his head, took a puff at
his cigar, and added, in his ordinary voice, don't say nothing, no,
of course, not got something on of course. Rather, what
do you think got any price? I liked been saving
(03:17):
him up for this. Why he's got twenty one yards
and he can do even time all the way. Fact
why he could win run backards He won his heat
on Monday like like that. The gaffer snapped his fingers
in default of a better illustration and went on, he
(03:37):
might have took it a little easier. I think it
shortened his price. Of course, his jumping in by two yards.
But you can get decent odds now if you go
about it right. You take my tip back him for
his heat next Saturday, in the second round, and for
the final. You'll get a good price for the final
if you pop it down at once, but don't go
(03:59):
making a song of it, will ye. I'm giving you
a tip I wouldn't give anybody else. Thanks very much.
It's awfully good of you. I'll do what you advise.
But isn't there a dark horse anywhere else? Not dark
to me, my boy? Not dark to me? I know
every man running like a book old taylor him over
(04:19):
at the cop He's got a very good lad at
eighteen yards, a very good lad, indeed, And he's a
tryer this time, I know. But bless you, my lad,
could give him ten instead of taking three and beat him. Then,
when I'm running a real trier, I'm generally running something
very near a winner, you bet, And this time, mind,
(04:40):
this time I'm running the certainist winner I ever run,
and I don't often make a mistake. You back him,
I shall if you're as sure as that. But who
is he? Oh? Crockett's his name, Sammy Crockett. He's quite
a new lad. I've got young steggles looking at after him,
sticks to him like wax takes his little breathers in
(05:04):
my bitter ground at the back there, I've got a
cinder sprint path there over behind the trees. I don't
let him out of my sight much. I can tell
you he's a straight lad, and he knows it'll be
worse his while to stick to me. But there's some
had poison him if they thought he'd spoil their books.
Soon afterward, the two strolled toward the tap room. I
(05:28):
expect Samue'll be there, the landlord said, with steggles. I
don't hide him too much. They'd think I'd got something
extra on if I did. In the tap room sat
a lean, wire drawn looking youth with sloping shoulders and
a thin face, And by his side was a rather short,
thick set man who had an odd air no matter
(05:50):
what he did of proprietorship and surveillance of the lean youth.
Several other men sat about, and there was loud laughter,
under which the youth looked sheepishly angry. Tarn't no good, sammy, lad.
Someone was saying, you a makin' after Nancy Webb. She'll
d nout to do dee. Don't like him, so thread
(06:12):
Papery added another. No, Sammy, you aren't the lad for
she I see her? What about Nancy Webb, asked Kentish,
pushing open the door. Sammy's all right. Anyway, you keep fit,
my lad, and go on improvin, and some day you'll
have as good a house as me. Never mind, the
lasses had his glass of beer. Has he this too?
(06:35):
Raggy Steggles, who answering in the affirmative, viewed his charge
as though he were a post, and the beer a
recent coat of paint. Has two glasses of mild a day,
The landlord said to Hewett, never puts on flesh, so
he can stand it. Come out now. He nodded to Steggles,
who rose and marched Sammy Crockett away for exercise. On
(06:58):
the following afternoon, it was Thursday. As Hewitt and Kentish
chatted in the landlord's own snuggery, Steggles burst into the
room in a great state of agitation and spurted out,
he's he's bolted gone away? What Sammy gone? Hooked it?
I can't find him. The landlord stared blankly at the trainer,
(07:21):
who stood with a sweater dangling from his hand, and
stared blankly back, what do you mean? Kentish said, at last,
don't be a fool. He's in the place somewhere. Find him.
But this Steggles defied anybody to do. He had looked already.
He had left Crockett at the cinder path behind the
trees in his running gear, with the addition of the
(07:44):
long overcoat and cap he used in going between the
path and the house to guard against chill. I was
going to give him a bust or two with the pistol,
the trainer explained. But when we got over t'other's side,
Ragge says he it's blown a bit chilly. I think
I'll as a sweater. There's one in my box, ain't there?
(08:04):
So I coombs for the sweater, and it weren't on
his box. When I found it and got back, he
warn't there. They'd seemed now to him in house, and
he warn't nowhere else. Hewitt and the landlord now thoroughly startled,
searched everywhere, but to no purpose. What should he go
off the place for, asked Kentish, in a sweat of apprehension.
(08:27):
Paint chilly a bit it's warm. He didn't want no sweater,
never wore one before. It was a piece of kid
to be able to clear out nice thing. This is
I stand to win two years takings over him here.
You'll have to find him. Ah, But how exclaimed the
disconcerted trainer dancing about distractedly. I've got all I could
(08:50):
scrape on him myself. Where can I look? Here was
Hewett's opportunity. He took kentish as side and whispered. What
he said startled the landlord considerably. Yes, I'll tell you
all about that, he said, if that's all you want.
It's no good or harm to me whether I tell
you or no. But can you find him that? I
(09:12):
can't promise, of course, but you know who I am
now and what I'm here for. If you like to
give me the information I want, I'll go into the
case for you. And of course I shan't charge any fee.
I may have luck, you know, but I can't promise,
of course. The landlord looked in Hewett's face for a moment.
Then he said done. It's a deal, very good. Hewett replied,
(09:37):
Get together the one or two papers you have and
we'll go into my business in the evening. As to Crockett,
don't say a word to anybody. I'm afraid it must
get out since they all know about it in the house.
But there's no use in making unnecessary noise. Don't make
hedging bets or do anything that will attract notice. Now
(09:57):
we'll go over to the back and look at this
cinder path of yours. Here. Steggles, who was still standing near,
was struck with an idea. How about old Taylor at
the cop governor A He said, meaningly, His lad's good
enough to win with Sammy out, and Taylor is backing
him plenty. Think he knows anything of this? That's likely,
(10:21):
Hewitt observed, before Kentish could reply, yes, look here, suppose
Steggles goes and keeps his eye on the cop for
an hour or two in case there's anything to be
heard of. Don't show yourself. Of course, Kentish agreed, and
the trainer went. When Hewitt and Kentish arrived at the
path behind the trees, Hewitt at once began examining the ground.
(10:44):
One or two rather large holes in the cinders were made,
as the publican explained by Crockett in practicing getting off
his mark. Behind these were several fresh tracks of spiked shoes.
The tracks led up to within a couple of yards
of the high fence bounding the ground, and there stopped
abruptly and entirely in the fence. A little to the
(11:07):
right of where the tracks stopped. There was a stout door.
This Hewitt tried and found a jar that's always kept bolted.
Kentish said, he's gone out that way. He couldn't have
gone any other without coming through the house. But he
isn't in the habit of making a step three yards long?
Is he? Hewitt asked, pointing at the last footmark and
(11:31):
then at the door, which was quite that distance away
from it. Besides, he added, opening the door, there's no
footprint here or outside. The door opened on a lane
with another fence and a thick plantation of trees at
the other side. Kentish looked at the footmarks, then at
the door, then down the lane, and finally back toward
(11:53):
the house. That's a liquor, he said. This is a
quiet sort of lane, was Hewett's next remark. No houses
in sight. Where does it lead that way? It goes
to the old kilns disused This way down to a
turning off the pad Field and Catton Road. Hewett returned
(12:15):
to the cinder path again and once more examined the footmarks.
He traced them back over the grass toward the house. Certainly,
he said, he hasn't gone back to the house. Here
is the double line of tracks side by side from
the house Steggel's ordinary boots with iron tips and Crockett's
running pumps. Thus they came out. Here is Stegell's track
(12:40):
in the opposite direction alone, made when he went back
for the sweater. Crockett remained. You see various prints in
the loose cinders at the end of the path where
he moved this way and that, and then two or
three paces toward the fence, not directly toward the door,
you notice, and there they stopped dead, and there are
(13:00):
no more either back or forward. Now, if he had wings,
I should be tempted to the opinion that he flew
straight away in the air from that spot, unless the
earth swallowed him and closed again without leaving a wrinkle
on its face. Kentish stared gloomily at the tracks and
said nothing. However, hewittt resumed. I think I'll take a
(13:24):
little walk now and think it over. You go into
the house and show yourself at the bar. If anybody
wants to know how Crockett is, he's pretty well, thank you.
By the bye. Can I get to the cop this
place of Tailor's by this back lane? Yes, down to
the end leading to the cat and road turned to
the left and then first on the right. Anyone will
(13:47):
show you the cop and Kentish shut the door behind
the detective, who straightway walked toward the old kilns. In
a little more than an hour he was back. It
was now becoming dust, and the landlord looked out papers
from a box near the side window of his snuggery.
For the sake of the extra light, I've got these
(14:08):
papers together for you, he said, as Hewett entered. Any news,
nothing very great. Here's a bit of handwriting I want
you to recognize if you can get a light. Kentish
lit a lamp, and Hewitt laid upon the table a
half dozen small pieces of torn paper, evidently fragments of
a letter which had been torn up here reproduced in
(14:31):
facsimile reader's note. Illustrations of the paper scraps read as follows,
M M Y throw them? Oh you write a W
A left H. I hate her came w H end
(14:55):
of reader's note. The landlord turned the scraps over, regarding
them dubiously. These aren't much to recognize anyhow, I don't
know the writing. Where did you find em? They were
lying in the lane at the back a little way down. Plainly,
they are pieces of a note addressed to some one
called Sammy, or something very like it. See the first
(15:18):
piece with its M M y. That is clearly from
the beginning of the note, because there is no line
between it and the smooth straight edge of the paper above. Also,
nothing follows on the same line. Some one writes to Crockett,
presuming it to be a letter addressed to him, as
I do for other reasons, as Sammy. It is a
(15:40):
pity that there is no more of the letter to
be found than these pieces. I expect the person who
tore it up put the rest in his pocket and
dropped these by accident. Kentish, who had been picking up
and examining each piece in turn, now dolorously broke out.
Oh it's plain he sold us, bolted and done us
me as took him out of the gutter too. Look here,
(16:03):
throw them over. That's plain enough. Can't mean anything else
means throw me over, and my friends me after what
I've done for him, then right away, go right away,
I suppose, as he has done. Then he was fiddling
with the scraps and finally fitted two together. Why look here,
(16:24):
this one with lane on. It fits over the one
about throwing over, and it says poor f where it's torn,
that means poor fool. I suppose me or fat head
or something like that. That's nice. Why I'd twist his
neck if I could get hold of him, and I will.
Hewitt smiled. Perhaps it's not quite so uncomplimentary, after all,
(16:48):
he said, If you can't recognize the writing, never mind.
But if he's gone away to sell you, it isn't
much use finding him, is it. He won't win if
he doesn't want to. Why he wouldn't dare to rope
under my very eyes? I'd well, well, perhaps we'll get
him to run, after all, and as well as he can.
(17:10):
One thing is certain. He left this place of his
own will. Further, I think he is in Padfield now.
He went toward the town, I believe, And I don't
think he means to sell you. Well he shouldn't. I've
made it worth his while to stick to me. I've
put a fifty on him out of my own pocket
and told him so. And if he won, that would
(17:32):
probably bring him a lump more than he'd get by
going crooked, besides the prize money and anything I might
give him over, But it seems to me he's putting
me in the cart altogether that we shall see meantime.
Don't mention anything I've told you to any one, not
even Steggles. He can't help us, and he might blurt
(17:53):
things out inadvertently. Don't say anything about these pieces of paper,
which I shall keep myself by the bye Steggles is indoors,
isn't he very well? Keep him in? Don't let him
be seen hunting about this evening. I'll stay here tonight
and we'll proceed with Crockett's business in the morning. And
now we'll settle my business please in the morning. Hewett
(18:17):
took his breakfast in the snuggery, carefully listening to any
conversation that might take place at the bar. Soon after
nine o'clock, a fast dog cart stopped outside, and a
red faced, loud voiced man swaggered in, greeting Kentish with
boisterous cordiality. He had a drink with the landlord and said,
(18:37):
how's things fancy? Any of 'em? Fur the sprint handicap
got a ladd o your own in, haven't you? Oh? Yes, Kentish,
replied Crockett. Only a young un not got to his
proper mark. Yet, I reckon, I think old Tailor's got
number one this time, capital lad. The other replied with
a confidential nod. Shouldn't wonder at all? Want to do
(19:00):
anything yourself over it? No, I don't think so. I'm
not on at present. Might have a little flutter on
the grounds just for fun, nothing else. There were a
few more casual remarks, and then the red faced man
drove away. Who was that, asked Hewett, who had watched
the visitor through the snuggery window. That's danby bookmaker, cute jap.
(19:26):
He's been told Crockett's missing. I'll bet anything and come
here to pump me no good though. Matter of fact,
I've worked Sammy Crockett into his books for about half
I'm in for altogether through third parties. Of course, Hewett
reached for his hat. I'm going out for half an
hour now, he said. If Steggles wants to go out
(19:48):
before I come back, don't let him. Let him go
and smooth over all those tracks on the cinder path
very carefully. And by the way, could you manage to
have your son about the place today in case I
happened to want a little help out of doors. Certainly,
I'll get him to stay in, But what do you
want the cinders smoothed for Hewitt smiled and patted his
(20:12):
host's shoulder. I'll explain all my tricks when the job's done,
he said, and went out. On the lane from Padfield
to Sedby Village stood the Plow Beer House, wherein j.
Webb was licensed to sell by retail beer to be
consumed on the premises or off as the thirsty list.
(20:35):
Nancy Webb, with a very fine color, a very curly fringe,
and a wide smiling mouth revealing a fine set of teeth,
came to the bar at the summons of a stoutish
old gentleman in spectacles, who walked with a stick. The
stoutish old gentleman had a glass of bitter beer, and
then said, in the peculiarly quiet voice of a very
(20:56):
deaf man, can you tell me, if you please, the
way into the main cat'in road? Down? The lane turned
to the right at the cross roads, then first to
the left. The old gentleman waited with his hand to
his ear for some few seconds after she had finished speaking,
and then resumed, in his whispering voice, I'm afraid I'm
(21:20):
very deaf this morning. He fumbled in his pocket and
produced a note book and pencil. May I trouble you
to write it down? I'm so very deaf at times
that I thank you. The girl wrote the direction, and
the old gentleman bade her good morning and left all
Down the lane, he walked slowly with his stick. At
(21:42):
the cross roads, he turned, put the stick under his arm,
thrust his spectacles into his pocket, and strode away in
the ordinary guise of Martin Hewett. He pulled out his
note book, examined Miss Webb's direction very carefully, and then
went off another way altogether, toward the Hare and Hounds.
(22:03):
Kentish lounged moodily in his bar well. My boy said,
Hewett has Steggles wiped out the tracks, not yet. I
haven't told him, but he's somewhere about I'll tell him now, No, don't.
I don't think we'll have that done. After all. I
expect he'll want to go out soon, at any rate,
(22:23):
some time during the day. Let him go whenever he wants.
I'll sit up stairs a bit in the club room
very well. But how do you know Steggles will be
going out? Well, he's pretty restless after his lost protegee,
isn't he I don't suppose he'll be able to remain
idle long? And about Crockett? Do you give him up? Oh? No,
(22:46):
don't you be impatient. I can't say I'm quite confident
yet of laying hold of him. The time is so short,
you see, But I think I shall at least have
news for you by the evening. Hewitt sat in the
club room until the afternoon, taking his lunch there. At
length he saw through the front window Raggy Steggles walking
(23:07):
down the road. In an instant, Hewitt was downstairs and
at the door. The road bent eighty yards away, and
as soon as Steggles passed the bend, the detective hurried
after him all the way to Padfield Town, and more
than half through it Hewitt dogged the trainer. In the end,
Steggles stopped at a corner and gave a note to
(23:30):
a small boy who was playing near. The boy ran
with the note to a bright, well kept house at
the opposite corner. Martin Hewitt was interested to observe the
legend H. Danby Contractor on a board over a gate
in the side wall of the garden behind this house.
In five minutes a door in the side gate opened
(23:53):
and the head and shoulders of the red faced man emerged.
Steggles immediately hurried across and disappeared through the gate. This
was both interesting and instructive. Hewett took up a position
in the side street and waited. In ten minutes the
trainer reappeared and hurried off the way he had come
(24:13):
along the street Hewitt had considerately left clear for him.
Then Hewitt strolled toward the smart house and took a
good look at him. At one corner of the small
piece of forecourt garden, near the railings, a small beze
covered glass fronted notice board stood on two posts. On
its top edge appeared the words h Danby Houses to
(24:38):
be sold or left. But the only notice pinned to
the green bez within was an old and dusty one
inviting tenants for three shops which were suitable for any
business and which would be fitted to suit. Tenants apply within.
Hewitt pushed open the front gate and rang the doorbell.
(25:00):
There are some shops to let I see, he said,
when a maid appears, I should like to see them,
if you would let me have the key. Master's out, sir,
you can't see the shops till Monday. Dear me, that's unfortunate.
I'm afraid I can't wait till Monday. Didn't mister Danby
leave any instructions in case anyone should inquire, Yes, sir,
(25:23):
as I've told you, he said, anybody who called about
him must come again on Monday. Oh very well, then
I suppose I must try one of the shops is
in the High Street, isn't it? No, sir, they're all
in the new part Granville Road. Ah, I'm afraid that
will scarcely do, but I'll see good day. Martin Hewitt
(25:47):
walked away a couple of street's lengths before he inquired
the way to Granville Road. When at last he found
that thoroughfare in a new and muddy suburb, crowded with
brick heaps and half fish streets, he took a slow
walk along its entire length. It was a melancholy example
of baffled enterprise. A row of a dozen or more
(26:11):
shops had been built before any population had arrived to
demand goods. Would be tradesmen had taken many of these shops,
and failure and disappointment stared from the windows. Some were
half covered by shutters because the scanty stock scarce sufficed
to fill the remaining half. Others were shut almost altogether,
(26:33):
the inmates only keeping open the door for their own convenience,
and perhaps keeping down a shutter for the sake of
a little light. Others again had not yet fallen so low,
but struggled bravely still to maintain a show of business
and prosperity, with very little success. Opposite the shops there
(26:53):
still remained a dusty, ill treated hedge and a forlorn
looking field which an old board offered on building leases,
altogether a most depressing spot. There was little difficulty in
identifying the three shops offered for letting by mister H. Danby.
They were all together near the middle of the row,
(27:15):
and were the only ones that appeared not yet to
have been occupied. A dusty two let bill hung in
each window with written directions to inquire of mister H.
Danby or at number seven. Now number seven was a
melancholy baker's shop, with a stock of three loaves and
(27:36):
a plate of stale buns. The disappointed baker assured Hewett
that he usually kept the keys of the shops, but
that the landlord, mister Danby, had taken them away the
day before to see how the ceilings were standing, and
had not returned them. But if you was thinking of
taking a shop here, the poor baker added, with some hesitation,
(28:00):
I I if you'll excuse my advising you, I shouldn't
recommend it. I've had a sickener of it myself. Hewett
thanked the baker for his advice, wished him better luck
in future, and left to the hare and hounds. His
pace was brisk come, he said, as he met Kentish's
(28:22):
inquiring glance. This has been a very good day on
the whole. I know where our man is now, and
I think we can get him by a little management.
Where is he? Oh, down in Padfield. As a matter
of fact, he's being kept there against his will. We
shall find. I see that your friend mister Danby is
(28:43):
a builder as well as a book maker, not a
regular builder. He speculates in a street of new houses
now and then. That's all. But is he in it?
He's as deep in it as anybody, I think. Now,
don't fly into a passion. There are a few others
in it as well. But you'll do harm if you
(29:03):
don't keep quiet. But go and get the police come
and fetch him. If you know where they're keeping him,
Why so we will if we can't do it without them.
But it's quite possible we can, and without all the
disturbance and perhaps delay that calling in the police would involve.
(29:23):
Consider now, in reference to your own arrangements, wouldn't it
pay you better to get him back quietly, without a
soul knowing, perhaps not even Danby knowing, till the heat
is run tomorrow. Well, yes, it would, of course very good. Then,
so be it. Remember what I've told you about keeping
(29:44):
your mouth shut. Say nothing to Steggles or anybody. Is
there a cab or broom your son and I can
have for the evening. There's an old hiring landau at
the stables. You can shut up into a cab. If
that'll do excellent. We'll run down to the town in
it as soon as it's ready. But first a word
(30:04):
about Crockett. What sort of a lad is he likely
to give them trouble? Show, fight, make a disturbance? No,
I should say not. He's no pluckt un certainly all
his manhoods and his legs, I believe you see, he
ain't a big sort of chap at best, and he'd
be pretty easy put upon at least, I guess so
(30:27):
very good. So much the better, for then he won't
have been damaged, and they will probably only have one
man to guard him. Now the carriage, please. Young Kentish
was a six foot sergeant of Grenadier's home on furlough
and luxuriating in plain clothes. He and Hewitt walked a
(30:47):
little way toward the town, allowing the landout to catch
them up. They traveled in it to within a hundred
yards of the empty shops, and then alighted, bidding the
driver wait, I shall I'll show you three empty shops,
Hewitt said, as he and Young Kentish walked down the
Granville road. I am pretty sure that Sammy Crockett is
(31:09):
in one of them, and I am pretty sure that
that is the middle one. Take a look as we
go past. When the shops had been slowly passed, Hewitt resumed, Now,
did you see anything about those shops that told a
tale of any sort? No, Sergeant Kentish replied, I can't
(31:30):
say I noticed anything beyond the fact that they were
empty and likely to stay. So I should think we'll
stroll back and look in at the windows. If nobody's
watching us, Hewitt said, You see, it's reasonable to suppose
they've put him in the middle one, because that would
suit their purpose best. The shops at each side of
(31:51):
the three are occupied, and if the prisoner struggled or
shouted or made an uproar, he might be heard if
he were in one of the shops next to those inhabited,
so that the middle shop is the most likely. Now
see there, he went on, as they stopped before the
window of the shop in question. Over at the back,
(32:11):
there's a staircase not yet partitioned off. It goes down
below and up above. On the stairs and on the
floor near them, there are muddy footmarks. These must have
been made today, else they would not be muddy but
dry and dusty, since there hasn't been a shower for
a week till tomorrow. Move on again. Then you notice
(32:34):
that there were no other such marks in the shop. Consequently,
the man with the muddy feet did not come in
by the front door, but by the back, Otherwise he
would have made a trail from the door. So we
will go round to the back ourselves. It was now
growing dusk. The small pieces of ground behind the shops
(32:57):
were bounded by a low fence containing a door for
each house. This door is bolted inside, of course, Hewitt said,
but there is no difficulty in climbing. I think we
had better wait in the garden till dark. In the meantime,
the jailer, whoever he is, may come out, in which
(33:17):
case we shall pounce on him as soon as he
opens the door. You have that few yards of cord
in your pocket, I think, and my handkerchief properly rolled,
will make a good gag. Now over, They climbed the fence,
and quietly, approaching the house, placed themselves in the angle
of an outhouse, out of sight from the windows. There
(33:40):
was no sound and no light appeared. Just above the ground,
about a foot of window was visible, with a grating
over it, apparently lighting a basement. Suddenly, Hewett touched his
companion's arm and pointed toward the window. A faint rustling
sound was perceptible, and as nearly as could be discerned
in the darkness, some white blind or covering was placed
(34:04):
over the glass. From the inside. Then came the sound
of a striking match, and at the side edge of
the window there was a faint streak of light that's
the place, Hewett whispered, Come, we'll make a push for it.
You stand against the wall at one side of the door,
and I'll stand at the other, and we'll have him
as he comes out quietly now, and I'll startle them.
(34:27):
He took a stone from among the rubbish littering the
garden and flung it crashing through the window. There was
a loud exclamation from within the blind fell, and somebody
rushed to the back door and flung it open. Instantly.
Kentish let fly a heavy right hander, and the man
went over like a skittle. In a moment, Hewitt was
(34:49):
upon him, and the gag in his mouth hold him.
Hewitt whispered, hurriedly, I'll see if there are others. He
peered down through the low window. Within Sammy Crockett, his
bare legs dangling from beneath his long overcoat, sat on
a packing box, leaning with his head on his hand
and his back towards the window. A guttering candle stood
(35:13):
on the mantel piece, and the newspaper, which had been
stretched across the window, lay in scattered sheets on the floor.
No other person besides Sammy was visible. They led their
prisoner indoors. Young Kentish recognized him as a public house
loafer and race course ruffian, well known in the neighborhood.
(35:35):
So it's you, is it, Browdie, he said, I've caught
you one hard clump, and I've half a mind to
make it a score more. But you'll get it pretty warm,
one way or another before this job's forgotten. Sammy Crockett
was overjoyed at his rescue. He had not been ill treated,
he explained, but had been thoroughly cowed by Browdie, who
(35:57):
had from time to time threatened him savage with an
iron bar by way of persuading him to quietness and submission.
He had been fed and taken no worse harm than
a slight stiffness from his adventure due to his light
under attire of jersey and knee shorts. Sergeant Kentish tied
Browdie's elbows firmly together behind and carried the line round
(36:20):
the ankles, bracing all up tight. Then he ran a
knot from one wrist to the other over the back
of the neck, and left the prisoner trust and helpless
on the heap of straw that had been Sammy's bed.
You won't be very jolly, I expect, Kentish said, for
some time. You can't shout, and you can't walk, and
(36:41):
I know you can't untie yourself. You'll get a bit
hungry too, perhaps, but that'll give you an appetite. I
don't suppose you'll be disturbed till some time tomorrow, unless
our friend Danby turns up in the meantime. But you
can come along to jail instead if you prefer it.
They left him where he lay and took Sammy to
the old landown. Sammy walked in slippers, carrying his spiked
(37:05):
shoes hanging by the lace in his hand. Ah said Hewett,
I think I know the name of the young lady
who gave you those slippers. Crockett looked ashamed and indignant. Yes,
he said, they've done me nicely between em, but i'll
pay her. I'll hush, hush, Hewett said, you mustn't talk
(37:27):
unkindly of a lady you know. Get into this carriage
and will take you home. We'll see if I can
tell you your adventures without making a mistake. First, you
had a note from miss Webb telling you that you
were mistaken in supposing she had slighted you, and that,
as a matter of fact, she had quite done with
(37:49):
somebody else left him of whom you were jealous. Isn't
that so well? Yes, young Crockett answered, blushing deeply under
the carriage lamp. But I don't see how you come
to know that. Then she went on to ask you
to get rid of steggles on Thursday afternoon for a
few minutes and speak to her in the back lane.
(38:12):
Now you are running pumps with their thin soles almost
like paper, no heels, and long spikes hurt your feet
horribly if you walk on hard ground, don't they aye that?
They do enough to cripple you. I'd never go on
much hard ground with em. They're not like cricket shoes.
I see not a bit cricket shoes. You can walk
(38:33):
anywhere in Well, she knew this, I think I know
who told her. And she promised to bring you a
new pair of slippers and to throw them over the
fence for you to come out in. I suppose she'd
been tellin you all this, Crockett said, mournfully. You couldn't
have seen the letter. I saw her tear it up
and put the bits in her pocket. She asked me
(38:55):
for it in the lane in case Steggles sigh it. Well,
at any rate, you sent Steckles away, and the slippers
did come over, and you went into the lane. You
walked with her as far as the road at the end,
and then you were seized and gagged and put into
a carriage that was bowdy? Did that? Said Crockett and
(39:17):
another chap. I don't know, But why this is Padfield
High Street? He looked through the window and regarded the
familiar shops with astonishment. Of course it is. Where did
you think it was? Why? Where was that place you
found me in Granville Road, Padfield? I suppose they told
you you were in another town. Told me it was
(39:40):
Newstead Hatch. They drove for about three or four hours
and kept me down on the floor between the seats
so as I couldn't see where we was going. Done
for two reasons, said Hewitt, First to mystify you and
prevent any discovery of the people directing the conspiracy, and
second be able to put you indoors at night and unobserved. Well,
(40:05):
I think I have told you all. You know yourself
now as far as the carriage, But there is the
hare and hound just in front and We'll pull up
here and I'll get out and see if the coast
is clear. I fancy mister Kentish would rather you came
in unnoticed. In a few seconds, Hewett was back and
Crockett was conveyed indoors by a side entrance. Hewitt's instructions
(40:29):
to the landlord were few but emphatic. Don't tell Staggles
about it, he said, make an excuse to get rid
of him and send him out of the house. Take
Crockett into some other bedroom not his own, and let
your son look after him. Then come here and I'll
tell you all about it. Sammy Crockett was undergoing a
(40:50):
heavy grooming with white ambrocation at the hands of Sergeant
Kentish when the landlord returned to Hewitt. Does Danby know
you've got it? He asked? How did you do it?
Danby doesn't know yet, and with luck, he won't know
till he sees Crockett running tomorrow. The man who has
sold you is Steggles, Steggles, Steggles. It is at the
(41:17):
very first when Steggles rushed in to report Sammy Crockett missing,
I suspected him, You didn't, I suppose no, He's always
been considered a straight man, and he looked as startled
as anybody. Yes, I must say he acted it very well,
But there was something suspicious in his story. What did
(41:37):
he say? Crockett had remarked a chilliness and asked for
a sweater, which Steggles went to fetch. Now, just think
you understand these things. Would any trainer who knew his
business as Steggles does have gone to bring out a
sweater for his man to change for his jersey in
the open air at the very time this man was
(41:59):
complaining of chilliness, of course not. He would have taken
his man indoors again and let him change there under shelter. Then,
supposing Steggles had really been surprised at missing Crockett, wouldn't
he have looked about found the gate open and told
you it was open when he first came in. He
(42:19):
said nothing of that. We found the gate open for ourselves,
So that from the beginning I had a certain opinion
of Steggles. What you say seems pretty plain now, although
it didn't strike me at the time. But if Steggles
was selling us, why couldn't he have drugged the lad
That would have been a deal simpler. Because Steggles is
(42:42):
a good trainer and has a certain reputation to keep up.
It would have done him no good to have had
a runner drugged while under his care. Certainly it would
have cooked his goose. With you, it was much the
safer thing to connive at kidnapping that put all the
active work into other hands, and left him safe even
(43:02):
if the trick failed. Now you remember that we traced
the prints of crockett spiked shoes to within a couple
of yards from the fence, and that there they suddenly ceased. Yes,
you said it looked as though he had flown up
into the air, and so it did. But I was
sure that it was by the gate that Crockett had left,
(43:24):
and by no other He couldn't have got through the
house without being seen, and there was no other way,
let alone the evidence of the unbolted gate. Therefore, as
the footprints ceased where they did, and were not repeated
anywhere in the lane, I knew that he had taken
his spiked shoes off, probably changed them for something else,
(43:46):
because a runner, anxious as to his chances, would never
risk walking on bare feet with a chance of cutting them. Ordinarily,
broad smooth soled slippers would leave no impression on the
coarse cinders bordering the track, and nothing short of spike
shoes would leave a mark on the hard path in
the lane behind. The spike tracks were leading not directly
(44:09):
toward the door, but in the direction of the fence.
When they stopped, somebody had handed or thrown the slippers
over the fence, and he had changed them on the spot.
The enemy had calculated upon the spikes leaving a track
in the lane that might lead us in our search,
and had arranged accordingly. So far, so good. I could
(44:31):
see no footprints near the gate in the lane. You
will remember that I sent Steggles off to watch at
the cop before I went out to the back, merely,
of course, to get him out of the way. I
went out into the lane, leaving you behind, and walked
its whole length, first toward the old kilns, and then
back toward the road. I found nothing to help me
(44:52):
except these small pieces of paper, which are here in
my pocket book. By the bye of course, this m
M Y might have meant Jimmy or Tommy, as possibly
as Sammy, but they were not to be rejected on
that account. Certainly, Crockett had been decoyed out of your
ground not taken by force, or there would have been
(45:14):
marks of a scuffle in the cinders. And as his
request for a sweater was probably an excuse, because it
was not at all a cold afternoon, he must have
previously designed going out inference a letter received. And here
were pieces of a letter. Now, in light of what
I have said, look at these pieces. First there is
(45:36):
the m M Y that I have dealt with. Then
see this throw them oh V. Clearly a part of
throw them over, exactly what had probably been done with
the slippers. Then poor f coming just on the line before,
and seen by joining up with this other piece, might
(45:58):
easily be a reference to two poor feete. These coincidences,
one on the other went far to establish the identity
of the letter and to confirm my previous impressions. But
then there is something else. Two other pieces evidently meant
left him and right away perhaps, But there is another
(46:21):
containing almost all of the words hate his with the
word hate underlined. Now, who writes hate with the emphasis
of underscoring? Who but a woman? The writing is large,
not very regular. It might easily be that of a
half educated woman. Here was something more. Sammy had been
(46:43):
enticed away by a woman. Now, I remember that when
we went into the tap room on Wednesday, some of
his companions were chaffing Crockett about a certain Nancy Webb,
and the chaff went home. As was plain to see.
The woman then, who could most easily in ty semi
Crockett away was Nancy Webb. I resolved to find who
(47:05):
Nancy Webb was and learn more of her. Meantime, I
took a look at the road at the end of
the lane. It was damper than the lane, being lower
and overhung by trees. There were many wheel tracks, but
only one set that turned in the road and went
back the way it came toward the town, and they
(47:26):
were narrow wheels carriage wheels. Crockett tells me now that
they drove him about for a long time before shutting
him up. Probably the inconvenience of taking him straight to
the hiding place didn't strike them when they first drove off.
A few inquiries soon set me in the direction of
the plow and miss Nancy Webb. I had the curiosity
(47:51):
to look around the place as I approached, and there
in the garden behind the house were steggles and the
young lady in earnest confabulation. Every conjecture became a certainty.
Steggles was the lover of whom Crockett was jealous, and
he had employed the girl to bring Sammy out. I
(48:12):
watched Steggles home and gave you a hint to keep
him there. But the thing that remained was to find
Steggle's employer in this business I was glad to be
in when Danby came. He came, of course, to hear
if you would blurt out anything, and to learn, if possible,
what steps you were taking. He failed, by way of
(48:34):
making assurance doubly sure. I took a short walk this
morning in the character of a deaf gentleman, and got
miss Webb to write me a direction that comprised three
of the words on these scraps of paper left, right
and lane. See they correspond the peculiar f's, t's and all.
(48:57):
Now I felt perfectly sure that Steggles would go for
his pay to day. In the first place, I knew
that people mixed up with shady transactions in professional pedestrianism
are not apt to trust one another far they know better. Therefore,
Steggles wouldn't have had his bribe first, but he would
take care to get it before the Saturday heats were run,
(49:19):
because once they were over, the thing was done, and
the principal conspirator might have refused to pay up, and
Steggles couldn't have helped himself. Again, I hinted he should
not go out till I could follow him, And this afternoon,
when he went follow him, I did. I saw him
go into Danby's house by the sideway and come away again.
(49:41):
Danby it was then who had arranged the business, and
nobody was more likely considering his large pecuniary stake against
Crockett's winning this race. But now how to find Crockett.
I made up my mind he wouldn't be in Danby's
own house. That would be a deal too risky, with
servants about and so on. I saw that Danby was
(50:04):
a builder and had three shops to let. It was
on a paper before his house. What more likely prison
than an empty house. I knocked at Danby's door and
asked for the keys of those shops. I couldn't have them.
The servant told me Danby was out a manifest lie,
for I had just seen him, and that nobody could
(50:27):
see the shops till monday. But I got out of
her the addresses of the shops, and that was all
I wanted at the time. Now, why was nobody to
see those shops till Monday? The interval was suspicious, just
enough to enable Crockett to be sent away again and
cast loose after the Saturday racing, supposing him to be
(50:49):
kept in one of the empty buildings. I went off
at once and looked at the shops, forming my conclusions
as to which would be the most likely for Danby's purpose.
Here I had another confirmation of my ideas A poor,
half bankrupt baker in one of the shops had by
the bills the custody of a set of keys, but
(51:12):
he too told me I couldn't have them. Danby had
taken them away and on Thursday the very day, with
some trivial excuse, and hadn't brought them back. That was
all I wanted or could expect. In the way of guidance.
The whole thing was plain. The rest you know all
about Well, you're certainly as smart as they give you
(51:35):
credit for, I must say, But suppose Danby had taken
down his to let notice, what would you have done?
Then we had our course. Even then we should have
gone to danby, astounded him by telling him all about
his little games, terrorized him with threats of the law,
and made him throw up his hands and send Crockett back.
(51:57):
But as it is, you see, he doesn't know at
this moment, probably won't know till tomorrow afternoon that the
lad is safe and sound. Here. You will probably use
the interval to make him pay for losing the game
by some of the ingenious financial devices you are no
doubt familiar with, Aye, that I will. He'll give any
(52:18):
price against Crockett now, so long as the bet doesn't
come direct from me. But about Crockett now, Hewitt went on,
won't this confinement be likely to have damaged his speed
for a day or two? Ah? Perhaps, the landlord replied,
But bless ye, that won't matter. There's four more in
(52:40):
his heat tomorrow, two I know aren't tryers, and the
other two I can hold in at a couple of
quit apiece any day. The third round and final won't
be till tomorrow week, and he'll be as fit as
ever by then. It's as safe as ever it was.
How much are you going to have on? I'll lump
it on for you safe enough. This is a chance
(53:02):
not to be missed. It's picking money up, thank you.
I don't think I'll have anything to do with it.
This professional pedestrian business doesn't seem a pretty one at all.
I don't call myself a moralist, but if you'll excuse
my saying so, the thing is scarcely the game I
care to pick tap money at in any way. Oh,
(53:24):
very well, if you think so, I won't persuade ye.
Though I don't think so much of your smartness as
I did after all. Still we won't quarrel. You've done
me a mighty good turn, that I must say, and
I only feel I aren't level without doing something to
pay the debt. Come now, you've got your trade as
i've got mine. Let me have the bill and I'll
(53:45):
pay it like a lord and feel a deal more
pleased than if you've made a favor of it. Not
that I'm above a favor, of course, but i'd prefer
paying man, that's a fact, My dear sir, You have paid,
Hewitt said, with a smile. You paid in advance. It
was a bargain, wasn't it. That I should do your
(54:06):
business if you would help me in mine? Very well?
A bargain's a bargain, and we've both performed our parts.
And you mustn't be offended at what I said just
now that I won't. But as to that raggy steggles,
once those heats are over tomorrow, i'll well. It was
(54:27):
on the following Sunday week that Martin Hewitt, in his
rooms in London, turned over his paper and read under
the head Padfield Annual one hundred thirty five yards Handicap.
This announcement final heat Crockett first, Willis second, Truby third,
(54:48):
Owen zero, Howell zero, a runaway win by nearly three yards.
End of Chapter two st
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