June 9, 2025 • 61 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 (00:01):
Chapter five of Martin Hewitt Investigator by Arthur Morrison. This
LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter five, The
Quentin Jewel Affair. It was comparatively rarely that Hewitt came
into contact with members of the regular criminal class, those
(00:22):
I mean who are thieves of one sort or another
by exclusive profession. Still, nobody could have been better prepared
than Hewitt for encountering this class when it became necessary.
By some means which I never quite understood, he managed
to keep abreast of the very latest fashions in the
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ever changing slang dialect of the fraternity, and he was
a perfect master of the more modern and deep based
form of Romany, so much so that frequently a gipsy
who began as they own always do by pretending that
he understood nothing and never heard of a gipsy language,
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ended by confessing that Hewitt could roquer better than most
Romany charles themselves. By this acquaintance with their habits and talk,
Hewitt was sometimes able to render efficient service in cases
of especial importance. In the Quentin Jewel Affair, Hewitt came
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into contact with a very accomplished thief. The case will
probably be very well remembered. Sir Valentine. Quintin, before he married,
had been as poor as only a man of rank
with an old country establishment to keep up can be.
His marriage, however, with the daughter of a wealthy financier
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had changed all that, And now the Quentin establishment was
carried on on as lavish a scale as might be.
And indeed the extravagant habits of Lady Quinton herself rendered
it an extremely lucky thing that she had brought a
fortune with her. Among other things, her jewels made quite
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a collection, and chief among them was the great ruby,
one of the very few that were sent to this
country to be sold at an average price of somewhere
about twenty thousand pounds apiece, I believe, by the Burmese
king before the annexation of his country. Let but a
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ruby be of a great size and color, and no
equally fine diamond can approach its value. Well. This great ruby,
which was set in appendant by the Bye, together with
a necklace, brooches, bracelets, ear rings, indeed the greater part
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of Lady Quintin's collection were stolen. The robbery was effected
at the usual time and in the usual way, in
cases of carefully planned jewel robberies. The time was early evening,
dinner time in fact, and an entrance had been made
by the window to Lady Quentin's dressing room, the door
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screwed up on the inside, and wires artfully stretched about
the grounds below to overset anybody who might observe and
pursue the thieves. On an investigation by London detectives, however,
a feature of singularity was brought to light. There had
plainly been only one thief at work at Radcotte Hall,
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and no other had been inside the grounds alone. He
had planted the wires, opened the window, screwed the door,
and picked the lock of the safe. Clearly, this was
a thief of the most accomplished description. Some few days passed,
and although the police had made various arrests, they appeared
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to be all mistakes, and the suspected persons were released
one after another. I was talking of the robbery with
Hewitt at lunch and asked him if he had received
any commission to hunt for the missing jewels. No, Hewitt replied,
I haven't been commissioned. They are offering an immense reward, however,
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a very pleasant sum indeed, I have had a short
note from Ratcinte Hall informing me of the amount, and
that's all. Probably they fancy that I may take the
case up as a speculation, but that is a great mistake.
I'm not a beginner, and I must be commissioned in
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a regular manner, hit or miss, if I am to
deal with the case. I've quite enough commission going now,
and no time to waste hunting for a problematical reward.
But we were nearer a clue to the Quentin jewels
than we supposed. We talked of other things, and presently
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rose and left the restaurant, Strolling quietly toward home. Some
little distance from the strand and near our own door,
we passed an excited irishman, without doubt an irishman by
our parents and talk, who was pouring a torrent of
angry complaints in the ears of a policeman. The policeman
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obviously thought little of the man's grievances, and with an
amused smile, appeared to be advising him to go home
quietly and think no more about it. We passed on
and mounted our stairs. Something interesting in our conversation made
me stop for a little while at Hewitt's office door
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on my way up, and while I stood there, the
irishman we had seen in the street mounted the stairs.
He was a poorly dressed but sturdy looking fellow, apparently
a laborer in a badly worn best suit of clothes.
His agitation still held him, and without a pause, he
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immediately burst out, which if ye gentlemen be mister Hewet, Sir,
this is mister Hewet, I said, Do you want him?
It's protection? I want, sir, protection. I spake to the police,
and they life of me begause five days if I
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lived in London, and tis nothing but battle, murder and
sudden death for me here all day and every day,
and the police say I'm drunk, He gesticulated wildly. And
to me it seemed just possible that the police might
be right. They say I'm drunk, sir, he continued, But begab,
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I believe they think I'm mad, and me being threcked
and follied and dogged and waylaid and poisoned and landered
and kidnapped and murdered, and for why I do not know,
And who's doing all this? Strangers, sir, Strangers? Tis a
stranger here I am myself, and for why they do
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it bates me. Unless I be so like the Prince
of Wales or some other crowned head, they thrite a
slaughter me there layin for me in the streets. Now,
I misdoubt not. And for what they may thry next,
I can tell no more than Lord Mayor, and police
won't listen to me. This, I thought, must be one
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of the very common cases of mental hallucination which one
hears of every day, the belief of the sufferer that
he is surrounded by enemies and followed by spies. It
is probably the most usual delusion of the harmless lunatic.
But what have these people done? Hewett asked, looking rather interested,
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although amused. What actual assaults have they committed? And when?
And who told you to come here? Who told me?
Is it? But who but the pailer outside in the
street below, I explained to him, and says he, Ah,
you go and take a sleep, says he. You go
and take a good sleep, and they'll be all gone
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when you wake up. But they'll murder me, says I.
Oh no, says he, smilin behind his ugly face. Oh no,
they won't. You take it aisy, my friend, and go on,
take it easy, is it? And go on, says I. Why,
that's just where they've been last, a ruination and a
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turnin' at the place upside down, and me struck on
the head, unsensible a mile away. Take it aisy, is it?
You say? With all the damon's in this holy place,
jumpin on me every minute, in places promiscus till I
can't tell where to turn, descendin and vanishin marvelous and unaccountable.
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Take it aisy, is it? Says I? Well, my friend
says he. I can't help you. That's the marvelous and
unaccountable department up the stairs. Foreign enstee, mister Hewitt, it is,
says he that a tints to the unaccountable department him
as went by a minute ago. You go and bother him.
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That's how I was toult. Sir Hewitt smiled. Very good,
he said, And now what are these extraordinary troubles of yours?
Don't declaim? He added, as the Irishman raised his hand
and opened his mouth preparatory to another torrent of complaint.
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Just say, in ten words, if you can what they've
done to you, I will, sir one day. Had I
been in London, Sir, one day only and a low
Scot tried to poison me drink. Next day, some other
thief have sin showed me off a railway platform under
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a train, malicious and purposeful glory be He didn't kill me,
but the very doctor that felt me bones tried to
pick me pocket. I do believe Sunday night I was
grabbed outrageous in a dark turnin round the ground, half strangled,
and me pockets nigh ripped out of me trousies, and
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this very blessed mornin' have light. I was struck unsensible
and left a living corpse, and miludgins penetrated, and all
the thruck miss then broke up behind my back? Is
that panjandry for the police to laugh at, Sir? Had
Hewitt not been there, I think I should have done
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my best to quiet the poor fellow with a few
soothing words and to persuade him to go home to
his friend's. His excited and rather confused manner, his fantastic
story of a sort of general conspiracy to kill him,
and the absurd reference to the doctor who tried to
pick his pocket seemed to me plainly to confirm my
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first impression that he was insane, but Hewitt appeared strangely interested.
Did they steal anything, he asked, diblous stick but Medor's key,
and that they took homp and lift in the door.
Hewitt opened his office door. Come in, he said, and
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tell me all about it. You come too, Brett, the
Irishman and I followed him into the inner office, where
shutting the door, Hewitt suddenly turned on the Irishman and exclaimed, sharply,
then you've still got it. He looked keenly in the
man's eyes, but the only expression there was one of surprise.
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Got it, said the irishman. Got for sir? Is it
your thinkin? I've got the horrors as well as the police.
Hewitt's gaze relaxed. Sit down, Sit down, he said, you've
still got your watch and money. I suppose since you
weren't robted. Oh that glory be? I have it still?
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Though for how long or me own head for that matter,
in this state of besiegement, I cannot say. Now, said Hewett,
I want a full, true and particular account of yourself
and your doings for the last week. First, your name,
Leamy's my name, sor Michael Lamy lately from Ireland over
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from Dublin this last blessed Wednesday, and a cruel bad poundering.
It was in the boat too, sprake and have that
same looking for work, That is my pursuit at prisent, Sir.
Did anything noticeable happen before these troubles of yours began?
Anything here in London or on the journey? Sure, the
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Irishman smiled. Part of the way I traveled first class
by favor of the yard, and I got a small
job before I lift the train. How is that? Why
did you travel first class? Part of the way. There
was a station for where we stopped after a long run,
and I got down to take the cramp out of
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me joints and take a taste to drink. I overstayed somehow,
and when I got to the train begob it was
on the move. There was a first class carriage door
open and right fronts me, and in that the yard
cramps me hollus bolus. There was a juice of foine
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gentleman sitting there, and he stares at me umbrageous. But
I was not discommoded, beIN onun batchful by nature. We
traveled along a heap of miles more till we came
near London. After we had stopped at a station where
they took tickets, and we went a head again. And
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presently as we rips through some other station, up jumps
the gentleman opposite swearin hard under his tongue and looks
out at the windy. I thought this train stopped here,
says he. Chuck Farm observed Hewitt with a nod. The
name I do not know, sir, but that's what he
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said when he looks at me. Uneasy for a little,
and at last he says, would a small job a
good man, well paid? Faith says I tis that will
suit me well. Then see here, says he. I should
have got out at that station. Havin't particular business havin missed.
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I must send a telegrammer from Euston. Now here's a bag,
says he, A bag full of important papers for my solicitor.
Important to me, ye understand, not worth the shine of
a brass farden to a soul else. And I want
um took on to him. Take you this bag, he says,
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and go you straight out with it at Euston and
get a cab. I shall stay in the station a
bit to see the telegram. Drive out at the station
across the road outside, and wait there five minutes by
the clock. Ye understand, Wait five minutes, and maybe I'll
come and join ye. If I don't, twill be because
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I'm detained unexpected. And then ye'll drive to my solicitor straight.
Here's his address if you can read writin And he
put out a piece of paper for me. He gave
me half a crown to the cab, and I took
his bag one moment. Have you the paper with the
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address now? I have not, sir, I missed it after
the blaggers overset me yesterday. But the solicitor's name was Hollums,
and a liberal gentleman with his money. He was too
by that same token. What was his address? Twas in Chelsea,
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and twas gold or golden something, which I know by
the good token of what he gave me, But the
number I misremember. Hewett turned to his directory. Gold Street
is the place, probably, he said, And it seems to
be a street chiefly of private houses. You would be
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able to point out the house if you were taken there.
I suppose I should that, sir. Indeed, I was thinkin
I've goin there an tellin mister Olmumps all my troubles.
Him havn't been so kind. Now tell me exactly what
instructions the man in the train gave you and what happened?
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He says, you ask for mister Hollamps and see nobody else.
Tell him ye've brought the sparks from mister W. I fancied.
I could see a sudden twinkle in Hewett's eye, but
he made no other sign, and the irishman proceeded. Sparks,
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says I, Yes, sparks, says he. Mister Holms will know
tis our jokin word for him. Sometimes papers is sparks
when they set a lawsuit ablaize and he laughed. But
be sure, ye say the sparks from mister W, he
says again, because then he'll know you're genuine and he'll
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pay ye handsome. Say. Mister W says you're to have
your regulars if you like. Do you mind that? I
says I that I'm to have my reg'lars? Well, sir,
I took the bag and went out of the station,
took the cab and did it. He told me. I
waited the five minutes, but he never came, so off
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I drove to mister Hollumes and he treated me handsome, sir, Yes,
but tell me exactly all he did. Mister Hollums, Sir
says I. Who are you? Says he? Mc lay me, Sir,
says I from mister W with the sparks, Oh, says he.
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Then come in. I went in therein here are they,
says he. Take in the bag they are, Sir, says I,
And mister W says I'm to have my regulars. You shall,
says he. What shall we say now? A finnip? What's that?
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Sir says I? Oh, says he. I s'pose you're a
new hand five quid. Understand that, big ub I did
understand it an mighty place. I was to have come
to a place where they pay five pun notes for
carryon bags. So when he asked me, was I new
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to London and should I take the same line of business?
I told him I should, for certain or anything else
payin like right, says he. Let me know, when you've
got anythin, you'll find me all right, And he winked
frindly faith that I know I shall, sir, says I,
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with the money safe in my pocket, and I winked
him back congenial. I've a smart family about me, says he,
and I treat em all fair and liberal and saints.
I thought it likely his family had have all they wanted.
Seein he was so free handed with a stranger. Then
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he asked me where I was a livin' in London,
And when I told him nowhere, he told me I
have a room in Mussin Street, here by Drury Lane.
That was to let in a house his family knew
very well. And I went straight there and took it,
and there I do be stayin still, sir. I hadn't
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understood at first why Hewitt took so much interest in
the irishman's narrative. But the latter part of it opened
my eyes a little. It seemed that LEMI had, in
his innocence, been made a conveyor of stolen property. I
knew enough of thieves slang to know that sparks meant
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diamonds or other jewels, that regulars was the term used
for a payment made to a brother thief who gave
assistance in some small way, such as carrying the booty,
and that the family was the time honored expression for
a gang of thieves. This was all on Wednesday, I understand,
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said Hewett. Now tell me what happened on Thursday, the
poisoning or drugging you know well, sir, I was walkin
out and toward the evenin I lost myself. Up comes
a man, seemingly a stranger and smacks me on the shoulder. Why, Mick,
says he. It's mac lemey. I do believe I am, that,
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says I. But you I do not know, not know me,
says he. Why I went to school? Would ye? And
would that? He hauls me off to a bar Blarnian
and minodorin and orders drinks. Can ye rash me a poiplout?
Says he? And I turned to get it, but looking back,
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sudden there was an on blushing thief and the world
tipping' a paper full of powder stuff into mclass. What
did you do, Hewitt asked I. Not the dirty face
of him sore, and can you blame me a main
scut thrying for to poison a well man and stranger.
I knocked the face of him and got away home.
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Now the next misfortune, faith that was of a sort
likely to turn out the last of all misfortunes. I
went that day to the Crystal Palace, being disposed for
a sport seein as I was new in London, comin
home at night. There was a juice of a crowd
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on the station platform consequence of a late thrain, standing
by the edge of the platform at the fore end,
just as the train came in. So unvisible murder gives
me a stupendous drive in the back and over. I
went on the line mid betwixt the rails. The injun
came up and went half over me without giving me
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a scratch because of me centraless situation. And then the
portermen pulled me out nigh sick would fright sir, as
you may guess, a gentleman in the crowd sings out,
I'm a miracle man. And they took me in the
waitin' room and he investigated me, having turned everybody else
out of the room. There was no broke bones, glory
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be and the doctor man he was tellin me so
after feelin me over, when I felt his hand in
me waistcoat pocket an for what's this, sir, says I
do you be lookin for your fee? The thief's the
way he laughed and said, I want no fee from ye,
my man. And I did but feel your ribs thou
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on me conscience. He had done that under me waistcoat already,
And so I came home. What did they do to
you on Saturday? Saturday, sir? They gave me a whole holiday,
and I began to think less of things. But on
Saturday night, in a dark place, two black yards took
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me throat from behind. I choked me, flung me down,
and went through all me pockets in about a quarter
of a minute, and they took nothing. You say, nothing sore.
But this mornin I got my worst dose. I was
trapsing a long, distressful and mighty sore in a street
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just away off the strand here when I observed the
doctor man that was at the Crystal Palace station a
smilin' and beckonin at me from a door. How are
ye now, says he? Well, says I, I'm mighty sore
and sad bruised, says I is that? So? Says he?
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Step in here? So I stepped in, and before I
could wink, there dropped a crack on the back of
my head that sent me off as unknowledgeable as a corpse.
I knew no more for a while, sore, whether half
an hour or an hour an thin I got up
in a room marked to let twas a house full
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of offices by the same token like this. There was
a sore, bad lump on me head, see it, sir,
And the whole whirl was spinnin round rampages. The things
out of my pockets were lyin on the floor by me.
I'll barn the key, ave me room, so that the
demons had been through me possessions again, bad luck to em.
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You are quite sure, are you? That everything was there
except the key, certain, sir, Well, I got along to
me room sick an sorry enough, and doubtsm whether I
might get in with no key, But there was the
key in the open door. And by this and that,
all the stuff in the room, chair, table, bed and
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all was standing on their heads twisty ways, and the
bedclothes and everything else such a disgraceful smash and conglomerated
thruck as ye never dreamed of. The chist of drawers
is lyin' on its face, with all the drawers out
an emptied on the floor, twas as though an army
had been lutent sore, but still nothing was gone nothing
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so far as I investigated sore. But I didn't stay.
I came out to speak to the police, and two
of em laughed at me, one after another. It has
certainly been no laughing matter for you. Now tell me
have you anything in your possession documents or valuables, or
anything that any other person, to your knowledge, is anxious
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to get hold of. I have not, sir divil, a
document as to valuables them and me is the coldest
of strangers. Just call to mind now the face of
the man who tried to put powder in your drink
and that of the doctor who attended to you in
the railway station. Were they at all alike? Or was
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either like anybody you have seen before? Lem puckered his
forehead and thought faith. He said, presently they were a
bit alike, though one had a beard and t'other whiskers.
Only neither happened to look like mister Hollups, for instance.
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Lem started begob But they did. They'd have been mortal
like him if they'd been shaved. Then, after a pause,
he suddenly added, Holy Saints, is it the family he
talked of? He laughed. Perhaps it is, he said. Now
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as to the man who sent you with the bag,
was it an old bag? Bran Cracklin knew a brown
lither bag locked that I niver thried, Sir, twas not
my concern. True. Now as to this mister w himself.
Hewitt had been rummaging for some few minutes in a
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portfolio and finally produced a photograph and held it before
the irishman's eye. Is that like him? He asked? Sure,
it's the man himself. Is he a friend of yours?
Sor no, he's not exactly a friend of mine? Hewitt
answered with a grim chuckle. I fancy he's one of
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that very respectable family you heard about at mister Hollin's.
Come along with me now to Chelsea and see if
you can point out that house in gold Street. I'll
send for a cab. He made for the outer office,
and I went with him. What's all this, Hewitt, I asked,
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a gang of thieves with stolen property? Hewitt looked in
my face and replied, it's the quintin Ruby. What the ruby?
Shall you take the case up? Then? I shall? It
is no longer a speculation. Then do you expect to
find it at Hollum's house in Chelsea, I asked, No,
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I don't because it isn't there. Else, why are they
trying to get it from this unlucky irishman. There has
been bad faith in Hollam's gang, I expect, and Hollams
has missed the ruby and suspects Leany of having taken
it from the bag. Then who is this mister w
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whose portrait you have in your possession? See here? Hewitt
turned over a small pile of recent newspapers and selected one,
pointing at a particular paragraph. I kept that in mind
because to me it seemed to be the most likely
arrest of the lot. He said. It was an evening
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paper of the previous Thursday, and the paragraph was a
very short one. Thus, the man Wilkes, who was arrested
at Euston Station yesterday in connection with the robbery of
Lady Quintin's jewels, has been released, nothing being found to
incriminate him. How does that strike you, asked Hewett. Wilkes
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is a man well known to the police, one of
the most accomplished burghers in this country. In fact, I
have had no dealings with him as yet. But I
found means some time ago to add his portrait to
my little collection in case I might want it, and
to day it has been quite useful. The thing was
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plain now. Wilkes must have been bringing his booty to
town and calculated on getting out at Chalk Farm and
thus eluding the watch, which he doubtless felt pretty sure
would be kept by telegraphic instruction at euston four suspicious
characters arriving from the direction of Radcotte. His transaction with
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Lem was his only possible expedient to save himself from
being hopelessly taken with the swag in his possession. The
paragraph told me why LEMI had waited in Vain for
mister w in the cab. What shall you do, I asked,
I shall go to gold Street House and find out
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what I can as soon as this cab turns up.
There seemed a possibility of some excitement in the adventure,
so I asked, will you want any help? Hewittt smiled.
I think I can get through it alone, he said,
Then may I come and look on? I said, of course,
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I don't want to be in your way, and the
result of the business, whatever it is, will be to
your credit. Alone, but I am curious. Come then, By
all means, the cab will be a four wheeler and
there will be plenty of room. Gold Street was a
short street of private houses, a very fair size, and
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of a half varnished pretension to gentility. We drove slowly through,
and lem had no difficulty in pointing out the house
wherein he had been paid five pounds for carrying a bag.
At the end, the cab turned the corner and stopped
while Hewett wrote a short note to an official of
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Scotland Yard. Take this note, he instructed LIMI to Scotland
Yard in the cab, and then go home. I will
pay the cabin now, I I will, sir, And will
I be protected? Oh? Yes, stay home for the rest
of the day, and I expect you'll be left alone
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in future. Perhaps I shall have something to tell you
in a day or two. If I do, I'll send goodbye.
The cab rolled off and Hewett and I strolled back
along Gold Street. I think Hewett said, we will drop
in on mister Hollins for a few minutes while we can.
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In a few hours, I expect the police will have
him and his house too, if they attend promptly to
my note, have you ever seen him? Not? To my knowledge?
Though I may know him by some other name, Wilkes,
I know by sight, though he doesn't know me. What
shall we say? That will depend on circumstances. I may
(33:53):
not get my cue till the door opens, or even later.
At worst, I can easily apply for a reference as
to LEMI, who you remember, is looking for work. But
we were destined not to make mister Hollam's acquaintance after all.
As we approached the house, a great uproar was heard
from the lower part giving on to the area, and
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suddenly a man, hatless and with a sleeve of his
coat nearly torn away, burst through the door and up
the area steps, pursued by two others. I had barely
time to observe that one of the pursuers carried a revolver,
and that both hesitated and retired on seeing that several
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people were about the street, when Hewett, gripping my arm
and exclaiming that's our man, started at a run after
the fugitive. We turned the next corner and saw the
man thirty yards before us, walking and pulling up his
sleeves at the shoulder, so as to conceal the rent.
(34:59):
Plainly he felt safe from further molestation. That's Sam Wilkes.
Hewitt explained, as we followed the juice of a foine
gentleman who got lemy to carry his bag, and the
man who knows where the Quentin ruby is. Unless I
am more than usually mistaken, don't stare after him in
(35:21):
case he looks round. Presently, when we get into the
busier streets, I shall have a little chat with him.
But for some time the man kept to the back streets.
In time, however, he emerged into the Buckingham Palace Road,
and we saw him stop and look at a hat shop.
(35:41):
But after a general look over the window and a
glance in at the door, he went on. Good sign
observed Hewett got no money with him. Makes it easier
for us. In a little while Wilkes approached a small
crowd gathered about a woman fiddler. Hewitt touched my arm
(36:02):
and a few quick steps took us past our man
and on to the opposite side of the crowd. When
Wilkes emerged, he met us coming in the opposite direction.
What sim burst out Hewett with apparent delight. I haven't
piped your mug for a stretch. I thought you'd fell.
(36:22):
Where's your caddy? Wilkes looked, astonished and suspicious. I don't
know you, he said, You've made a mistake. Hewitt laughed.
I'm glad you don't know me, he said. If you don't,
I'm pretty sure the reelers won't. I think I've faked
my mug pretty well and my cobbler too. Look here,
(36:45):
i'll stand you anew katy strange blokes don't do that, eh.
Wilkes was still suspicious. I don't know what you mean,
he said, then, after a pause, he added, who are you?
Then Hewitt winked and screwed his face genially aside hookey,
(37:05):
he said, I've had a lucky touch, and I'm mister smith.
Till i've melted the pieces. You come and damp it.
I'm off, Wilkes replied, unless you're pal enough to lend
me a quid. He added, laughing, I am, that, responded Hewett,
plunging his hand into his pocket. I'm flush, my boy, flush,
(37:29):
and I've been wetting it pretty well to day. I
feel pretty jolly now, and I shouldn't wonder if I
went home Cannon only a quid, have two if you
want em, or three. There's plenty more, and you'll do
the same for me some day. Here ye are, Hewitt
had of a sudden assumed the whole appearance, manners, and
(37:52):
bearings of a slightly elevated rowdy. Now he pulled his
hand from his pocket and extended it full of silver
with five or six sovereigns interspersed toward Wilkes. I'll have
three quid, Wilkes said, with decision, taking the money, but
I'm blowed if I remember you, who's your pal? Hewitt
(38:14):
jerked his hand in my direction, winked and said, in
a low voice, he's all right having arrest, can't stand Manchester,
and winked again. Wilkes laughed and nodded, and I understood
from that that Hewitt had very flatteringly given me credit
for being wanted by the Manchester police. We lurched into
(38:37):
a public house and drank very little, very bad whisky
and water. Wilkes still regarded us curiously, and I could
see him again and again glancing doubtfully in Hewett's face,
But the loan of three pounds had largely reassured him. Presently,
Hewitt said, how about our old pal down in gold Street.
(39:02):
Do anything with him now seen him lately. Wilkes looked
up at the ceiling and shook his head. That's a
good job. It'd be awkward if you were about there
to day. I can tell you why never mind, so
long as you're not there. I know something. If I
have been away, I'm glad I haven't had any truck
(39:23):
with gold Street lately. That's all. Do you mean the
reelers are on it? Hewett looked cautiously over his shoulder,
leaned toward Wilkes and said, look here, this is the
straight tip. I know this. I got it from the
very nark that's given the show away. By six o'clock
(39:44):
number eight, Gold Street will be turned inside out like
an old glove, and every one in the place will
be He finished the sentence by crossing his wrists like
a handcuffed man. What's more, he went on, they know
all about what's gone on there lately, and everybody that's
(40:04):
been in or out for the last two months will
be wanted particular and will be found, I'm told. Hewitt
concluded with a confidential frown, a nod and a wink,
and took another mouthful of whiskey. Then he added, as
an after thought, so I'm glad you haven't been there lately.
(40:27):
Wilkes looked in Hewitt's face and asked, is that straight?
Is it? Replied Hewitt with emphasis, You go and have
a look if you ain't afraid of being smugged yourself.
Only I sha'n't go near number eight just yet. I
know that. Wilkes fidgeted, finished his drink and expressed his
(40:48):
intention of going very well if you won't have another,
replied Hewitt. But he had gone good, said Hewitt, moving
toward the door. He has suddenly developed a hurry. I
shall keep him in sight, but you had better take
a cab and go straight to Euston. Take tickets to
(41:09):
the nearest station to Radcotte Kettersby I think it is,
and look up the train arrangements. Don't show yourself too much,
and keep an eye on the entrance. Unless I am mistaken,
Wilkes will be there pretty soon, and I shall be
on his heels. If I am wrong, then you won't
see the end of the fun. That's all, Hewett hurried.
(41:33):
After Wilkes, and I took the cab and did as
he wished. There was an hour and a few minutes
I found to wait for the next train, and that
time I occupied as best I might, keeping a sharp
lookout across the quadrangle. Barely five minutes before the train
was to leave, and just as I was beginning to
(41:53):
think about the time of the next a cab dashed
up and Hewett alighted. He hurried it found me and
drew me aside into a recess just as another cab arrived.
Here he is, Hewitt said. I followed him as far
as Euston Road, and then got my cabby to spurt
up and pass him. He had had his mustache shaved off,
(42:17):
and I feared you mightn't recognize him, and so let
him see you. From our retreat, we could see Wilkes
hurry into the booking office. We watched him through to
the platform and followed. He wasted no time, but made
the best of his way to a third class carriage
at the extreme fore end of the train. We have
(42:40):
three minutes, Hewitt said, and everything depends on his not
seeing us get into this train. Take this cap. Fortunately
we're both in tweeds. He had bought a couple of
tweed cricket caps, and these we assumed, sending our bowler
hats to the cloak room. Hewitt also put on a
(43:01):
pair of blue spectacles, and then walked boldly up the
platform and entered a first class carriage. I followed close
on his heels, in such a manner that a person
looking from the fore end of the train would be
able to see. But very little of me. So far,
so good, said Hewett, when we were seated and the
(43:22):
train began to move off. I must keep a lookout
at each station in case our friend goes off unexpectedly.
I waited some time, I said where did you both
go to? First? He went and bought that hat he
is wearing. Then he walked some distance, dodging the main
(43:42):
thoroughfares and keeping to the back streets in a way
that made following difficult, till he came to a little
tailor's shop. There he entered and came out in a
quarter of an hour with his coat mended. This was
in a street in Westminster. Presently he worked his way
up to Tottle Street, and there he plunged into a
(44:04):
barber shop. I took a cautious peep at the window
saw two or three other customers also waiting, and took
the opportunity to rush over to a notion shop and
buy these blue spectacles, and to a hatter's for these caps,
of which I regret to observe that yours is too big.
He was rather a long while in the barber's and
(44:26):
finally came out, as you saw him, with no mustache.
This was a good indication. It made it plainer than
ever that he had believed my warning as to the
police descent on the house in gold Street and its frequenters,
which was right and proper, for what I told him
was quite true. The rest, you know. He cabbed to
(44:49):
the station, and so did I. And now, perhaps I said,
after giving me the character of a thief wanted by
Manchester Police, forcibly depriving me of my hat in exchange
for this all too large cap, and rushing me out
of London without any definite idea of when I'm coming back,
(45:11):
perhaps you'll tell me what we're after. Hewett laughed. You
wanted to join in, you know, he said, and you
must take your luck as it comes. As a matter
of fact, there is scarcely anything in my profession so
uninteresting and so difficult as this watching and following business,
(45:33):
often it lasts for weeks. When we alight, we shall
have to follow Wilkes again under the most difficult possible
conditions in the country. There it is often quite impossible
to follow a man unobserved. It is only because it
is the only way that I am undertaking it. Now.
As to what we're after, you know that as well
(45:55):
as I the Quentin Ruby, Wilkes has hidden it, and
without his help it would be impossible to find it.
We are following him so that he will find it
for us. He must have hidden it. I suppose to
avoid sharing with Hollams, of course, and availed himself of
(46:15):
the fact of le Me having carried the bag to
direct Hollam's suspicion to him. Hollams found out by his
repeated searches of lem and his lodgings that this was wrong,
and this morning evidently tried to persuade the ruby out
of Wilkes's possession. With a revolver. We saw the upshot
of that Ketterby's station was about forty miles out. At
(46:41):
each intermediate stopping station he had watched earnestly, but Wilkes
remained in the train. What I fear he had observed
is that at Ketterby he may take a fly to stock.
A man on foot in the country is difficult enough,
but you can't follow one vehicle in another without being spotted.
(47:03):
But if he's so smart as I think, he won't
do it. A man traveling in a fly is noticed
and remembered in these places. He did not take a fly.
At Ketterby. We saw him jump out quickly and hasten
from the station. The train stood for a few minutes,
and he was out of the station before we alighted.
(47:26):
Through the railings behind the platform, we could see him
walking briskly away to the right from the ticket collector.
We ascertained that Radcott lay in that direction three miles off.
To my dying day, I shall never forget that three
miles they seemed three hundred. In the still country, almost
(47:48):
every footfall seemed audible for any distance, and in the
long stretches of road one could see half a mile
behind or before. Hewett was cool and patient, but I
got into a fever of worry, excitement, want of breath,
and back ache. At first, for a little the road zigzagged,
(48:10):
and then the chase was comparatively easy. We waited behind
one bend till Wilkes had passed the next, and then
hurried in his trail, treading in the dustiest parts of
the road or on the side grass when there was
any to deaden the sound of our steps. At the
last of these short bends, we looked ahead and saw
(48:32):
a long white stretch of road, with the dark form
of Wilkes a couple of hundred yards in front. It
would never do to let him get to the end
of this great stretch before following, as he might turn
off at some branch road out of sight and be lost.
So we jumped the hedge and scuttled along as we
(48:54):
best might on the other side, with backs bent and
our feet often many inches deep in wet clay. We
had to make continual stoppages to listen and peep out,
and on one occasion, happening incautiously to stand erect looking
after him, I was much startled to see Wilkes with
(49:15):
his face toward me, gazing down the road. I ducked
like lightning, and fortunately he seemed not to have observed me,
but went on as before. He had probably heard some
slight noise, but looked straight along the road for its explanation,
instead of over the hedge. At hilly parts of the
(49:36):
road there was extreme difficulty. Indeed, on approaching a rise
it was usually necessary to lie down under the hedge
till Wilkes had passed the top, since from the higher
ground he could have seen us easily. This improved neither
my clothes, my comfort, nor my temper. Luckily we never
(49:58):
encountered the difficulty of a long and high wall, but
once we were nearly betrayed by a man who shouted
to order us off his field. At last we saw
just ahead the square tower of an old church, set
about with thick trees. Opposite this, Wilkes paused, looked irresolutely
(50:19):
up and down the road, and then went on. We
crossed the road, availed ourselves of the opposite hedge, and followed.
The village was to be seen some three or four
hundred yards farther along the road, and toward it, Wilkes
sauntered slowly. Before he actually reached the houses, he stopped
(50:40):
and turned back the churchyard, exclaimed Hewett under his breath,
lie close and let him pass. Wilkes reached the churchyard
gate and again looked irresolutely about him. At that moment
a party of children who had been playing among the
graves came chattering and laughing toward and out of the gate,
(51:04):
and Wilkes walked hastily away again, this time in the
opposite direction. That's the place, clearly, Hewett said, we must
slip across quietly as soon as he's far enough down
the road. Now we hurried stealthily across through the gate
and into the churchyard, where Hewitt threw his blue spectacles away.
(51:28):
It was now nearly eight in the evening and the
sun was setting once again. Wilkes approached the gate and
did not enter because a laborer passed at the time.
Then he came back and slipped through the grass about
the graves, was long and under the trees. It was
already twilight. Hewitt and I two or three yards apart,
(51:52):
to avoid falling over one another in case of sudden movement,
watched from behind gravestones. The form of Wilp stood out
large and black against the fading light in the west.
As he came stealthily approaching through the long grass, a
light cart came clattering along the road, and Wilkes dropped
(52:13):
at once and crouched on his knees till it had passed. Then,
staring warily about him, he made straight for the stone
behind which Hewett waited. I saw Hewett's dark form swing
noiselessly round to the other side of the stone. Wilkes
passed on and dropped on his knee beside a large
(52:34):
weather worn slab that rested on a brick under structure
a foot or so high. The long grass largely hid
the bricks and among it. Wilkes plunged his hand, feeling
along the brick's surface. Presently, he drew out a loose
brick and laid it on the slab. He felt again
(52:55):
in the place and brought forth a small dark object.
I saw Hewett rise erect in the gathering dusk, and
with extended arm, stepped noiselessly toward the stooping man. Wilkes
made a motion to place the dark object in his pocket,
but checked himself and opened what appeared to be a lid,
(53:15):
as though to make sure of the safety of the contents.
The last light straggling under the trees fell on a
brilliantly sparkling object within, and like a flash Hewett's hand
shot over Wilke's shoulder and snatched the jewel. The man
actually screamed, one of those curious, sharp little screams that
(53:38):
one may hear from a woman very suddenly alarmed, but
he sprang at Hewet like a cat, only to meet
a straight drive of the fist that stretched him on
his back across the slab. I sprang from behind my
stone and helped Hewet to secure his wrists with a
pocket handkerchief. Then we marched him, struggling and swearing, to
(54:00):
the village. When in the lights of the village he
recognized us, he had a perfect fit of rage, but
afterward he calmed down and admitted that it was a
very clean cop. There was some difficulty in finding the
village constable and Sir Valentine. Quinton was dining out and
(54:21):
did not arrive for at least an hour. In the interval,
Wilkes grew communicative. How much do you think I'll get?
He asked, can't guess? Hewett replied, and as we shall
probably have to give evidence, you'll be giving yourself away
if you talk too much. Oh, I don't care, that'll
(54:42):
make no difference. It's a fair cop. And I'm in
for it. You got me nicely, lending me three quid.
I never knew a realer do that before. That blinded me.
But was it kid about gold Street? No it wasn't.
Mister Hollins is safely shut up by this time, I expect,
(55:03):
and you are avenged for your little trouble with him
this afternoon. What do you know about that? Well, you've
got it up nicely for me, I must say. Suppose
you've been following me all the time. Well, yes, I
haven't been far off. I guessed you'd want to clear
out of town if Hollams was taken, and I knew this.
(55:25):
Hewittt tapped his breast pocket was what you'd care to
get hold of first? You hid it, of course, because
you knew that Hollams would probably have you searched for
it if he got suspicious. Yes he did too. Two
blokes went over my pockets one night and somebody got
into my room. But I expected that Hollams is such
(55:48):
a greedy pig. Once he's got you under his thumb,
he don't give you half your markings, and if you
kick him, they'll have you smugged. So that I wasn't
going to give him that if I could help it,
I suppose it ain't any good. Asking how you got
put on to our mob, No, said Hewett, it isn't.
(56:11):
We didn't get back till the next day, staying for
the night, despite an inconvenient want of requisites at the hall.
There were in fact no late trains. We told Sir
Valentine the story of the Irishman, much to his amusement.
Lemy's tale sounded unlikely, of course, Hewitt said, but it
(56:33):
was noticeable that every one of his misfortunes pointed in
the same direction. That certain persons were tremendously anxious to
get out something they supposed he had. When he spoke
of his adventure with the bag, I at once remembered
Wilkes's arrest and subsequent release. It was a curious coincidence,
(56:54):
to say the least, that this should happen at the
very station to which the proceeds of this ruby must come,
if they came to London at all, and on the
day following the robbery itself. Kettererby is one of the
few stations on this line where no trains would stop
after the time of the robbery, so that the thief
(57:15):
would have to wait till the next day to get back.
Limi's recognition of Wilkes's portrait made me feel pretty certain.
Plainly he had carried stolen property the poor innocent Fellow's
conversation with Hollims showed that as in fact, did the
sum five pounds pay to him by way of regulars
(57:36):
or customary toll from the plunder of services of carriage.
Hollimps obviously took lem for a criminal friend of Wilkes
because of his use of the thieves expression sparks and regulars,
and suggested, in terms which Limi misunderstood, that he should
sell any plunder he might obtain to himself collumps altogether.
(58:01):
It would have been very curious if the plunder were
not that from Radcine Hall, especially as no other robbery
had been reported at the time. Now, among the jewels taken,
only one was of a very preeminent value, the famous Ruby.
It was scarcely likely that Hollams would go to so
much trouble and risk attempting to drug injuring waylaying and
(58:27):
burgling the rooms of the unfortunate Limi for a jewel
of small value. For any jewel, in fact, but the ruby,
so that I felt a pretty strong presumption at all
events that it was the ruby hollmps was after Lem
had not had it. I was convinced from his tale
(58:48):
and his manner, and from what I judged of the
man himself. The only other person was Wilkes, and certainly
he had a temptation to keep this to himself and avoid,
if possible, sharing with his London director or principle, while
the carriage of the bag by the irishman gave him
a capital opportunity to put suspicion on him, with the
(59:12):
results seen. The most daring of Hollam's attacks on Lem
was doubtless the attempted maiming or killing at the railway
station so as to be able, in the character of
a medical man to search his pockets. He was probably
desperate at the time, having I have no doubt, been
(59:33):
following Lem about all day at the Crystal Palace without
finding an opportunity to get at his pockets. The struggle
and flight of Wilkes from Hollams confirmed my previous impressions.
Hollams finally satisfied that very morning that LEMI certainly had
not the jewel either on his person or at his lodging, and,
(59:57):
knowing from having so closely watched him that he had
been nowhere where it could be disposed of, concluded that
Wilkes was cheating him and attempted to extort the ruby
from him by the aid of another ruffian and a pistol.
The rest of my way was plain. Wilkes, I knew,
(01:00:17):
would seized the opportunity of Hollum's being safely locked up
to get at and dispose of the ruby. I sublied
him with funds and left him to lead us to
his hiding place. He did it, and I think that's all.
He must have walked straight away from my house to
(01:00:39):
the churchyard. Sir Valentine remarked to hide that pendant that
was fairly cool. Only a cool hand could carry out
such a robbery single handed. Hewett answered, I expect his
tools were in the bag that Limi carried, as well
as the jewels. They must have been a small and
neat set. They were. We ascertained on our return to
(01:01:04):
town the next day that the bag, with all its
contents intact, including the tools, had been taken by the
police at their surprise visit to number eight Gold Street
as well as much other stolen property. Hollums and Wilkes
each got very wholesome doses of penal servitude, to the
(01:01:25):
intense delight of Mick Leamy. Lem himself, by the bye,
is still to be seen clad in a noble uniform,
guarding the door of a well known London restaurant. He
has not had any more five pound notes for carrying bags,
but knows London too well now to expect it. End
(01:01:49):
of Chapter five
Chapter five of Martin Hewitt Investigator by Arthur Morrison. This
LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter five, The
Quentin Jewel Affair. It was comparatively rarely that Hewitt came
into contact with members of the regular criminal class, those
(00:22):
I mean who are thieves of one sort or another
by exclusive profession. Still, nobody could have been better prepared
than Hewitt for encountering this class when it became necessary.
By some means which I never quite understood, he managed
to keep abreast of the very latest fashions in the
(00:44):
ever changing slang dialect of the fraternity, and he was
a perfect master of the more modern and deep based
form of Romany, so much so that frequently a gipsy
who began as they own always do by pretending that
he understood nothing and never heard of a gipsy language,
(01:06):
ended by confessing that Hewitt could roquer better than most
Romany charles themselves. By this acquaintance with their habits and talk,
Hewitt was sometimes able to render efficient service in cases
of especial importance. In the Quentin Jewel Affair, Hewitt came
(01:28):
into contact with a very accomplished thief. The case will
probably be very well remembered. Sir Valentine. Quintin, before he married,
had been as poor as only a man of rank
with an old country establishment to keep up can be.
His marriage, however, with the daughter of a wealthy financier
(01:52):
had changed all that, And now the Quentin establishment was
carried on on as lavish a scale as might be.
And indeed the extravagant habits of Lady Quinton herself rendered
it an extremely lucky thing that she had brought a
fortune with her. Among other things, her jewels made quite
(02:14):
a collection, and chief among them was the great ruby,
one of the very few that were sent to this
country to be sold at an average price of somewhere
about twenty thousand pounds apiece, I believe, by the Burmese
king before the annexation of his country. Let but a
(02:36):
ruby be of a great size and color, and no
equally fine diamond can approach its value. Well. This great ruby,
which was set in appendant by the Bye, together with
a necklace, brooches, bracelets, ear rings, indeed the greater part
(02:56):
of Lady Quintin's collection were stolen. The robbery was effected
at the usual time and in the usual way, in
cases of carefully planned jewel robberies. The time was early evening,
dinner time in fact, and an entrance had been made
by the window to Lady Quentin's dressing room, the door
(03:19):
screwed up on the inside, and wires artfully stretched about
the grounds below to overset anybody who might observe and
pursue the thieves. On an investigation by London detectives, however,
a feature of singularity was brought to light. There had
plainly been only one thief at work at Radcotte Hall,
(03:43):
and no other had been inside the grounds alone. He
had planted the wires, opened the window, screwed the door,
and picked the lock of the safe. Clearly, this was
a thief of the most accomplished description. Some few days passed,
and although the police had made various arrests, they appeared
(04:07):
to be all mistakes, and the suspected persons were released
one after another. I was talking of the robbery with
Hewitt at lunch and asked him if he had received
any commission to hunt for the missing jewels. No, Hewitt replied,
I haven't been commissioned. They are offering an immense reward, however,
(04:32):
a very pleasant sum indeed, I have had a short
note from Ratcinte Hall informing me of the amount, and
that's all. Probably they fancy that I may take the
case up as a speculation, but that is a great mistake.
I'm not a beginner, and I must be commissioned in
(04:53):
a regular manner, hit or miss, if I am to
deal with the case. I've quite enough commission going now,
and no time to waste hunting for a problematical reward.
But we were nearer a clue to the Quentin jewels
than we supposed. We talked of other things, and presently
(05:14):
rose and left the restaurant, Strolling quietly toward home. Some
little distance from the strand and near our own door,
we passed an excited irishman, without doubt an irishman by
our parents and talk, who was pouring a torrent of
angry complaints in the ears of a policeman. The policeman
(05:37):
obviously thought little of the man's grievances, and with an
amused smile, appeared to be advising him to go home
quietly and think no more about it. We passed on
and mounted our stairs. Something interesting in our conversation made
me stop for a little while at Hewitt's office door
(05:59):
on my way up, and while I stood there, the
irishman we had seen in the street mounted the stairs.
He was a poorly dressed but sturdy looking fellow, apparently
a laborer in a badly worn best suit of clothes.
His agitation still held him, and without a pause, he
(06:21):
immediately burst out, which if ye gentlemen be mister Hewet, Sir,
this is mister Hewet, I said, Do you want him?
It's protection? I want, sir, protection. I spake to the police,
and they life of me begause five days if I
(06:41):
lived in London, and tis nothing but battle, murder and
sudden death for me here all day and every day,
and the police say I'm drunk, He gesticulated wildly. And
to me it seemed just possible that the police might
be right. They say I'm drunk, sir, he continued, But begab,
(07:04):
I believe they think I'm mad, and me being threcked
and follied and dogged and waylaid and poisoned and landered
and kidnapped and murdered, and for why I do not know,
And who's doing all this? Strangers, sir, Strangers? Tis a
stranger here I am myself, and for why they do
(07:27):
it bates me. Unless I be so like the Prince
of Wales or some other crowned head, they thrite a
slaughter me there layin for me in the streets. Now,
I misdoubt not. And for what they may thry next,
I can tell no more than Lord Mayor, and police
won't listen to me. This, I thought, must be one
(07:51):
of the very common cases of mental hallucination which one
hears of every day, the belief of the sufferer that
he is surrounded by enemies and followed by spies. It
is probably the most usual delusion of the harmless lunatic.
But what have these people done? Hewett asked, looking rather interested,
(08:13):
although amused. What actual assaults have they committed? And when?
And who told you to come here? Who told me?
Is it? But who but the pailer outside in the
street below, I explained to him, and says he, Ah,
you go and take a sleep, says he. You go
and take a good sleep, and they'll be all gone
(08:36):
when you wake up. But they'll murder me, says I.
Oh no, says he, smilin behind his ugly face. Oh no,
they won't. You take it aisy, my friend, and go on,
take it easy, is it? And go on, says I. Why,
that's just where they've been last, a ruination and a
(08:57):
turnin' at the place upside down, and me struck on
the head, unsensible a mile away. Take it aisy, is it?
You say? With all the damon's in this holy place,
jumpin on me every minute, in places promiscus till I
can't tell where to turn, descendin and vanishin marvelous and unaccountable.
(09:18):
Take it aisy, is it? Says I? Well, my friend
says he. I can't help you. That's the marvelous and
unaccountable department up the stairs. Foreign enstee, mister Hewitt, it is,
says he that a tints to the unaccountable department him
as went by a minute ago. You go and bother him.
(09:41):
That's how I was toult. Sir Hewitt smiled. Very good,
he said, And now what are these extraordinary troubles of yours?
Don't declaim? He added, as the Irishman raised his hand
and opened his mouth preparatory to another torrent of complaint.
(10:02):
Just say, in ten words, if you can what they've
done to you, I will, sir one day. Had I
been in London, Sir, one day only and a low
Scot tried to poison me drink. Next day, some other
thief have sin showed me off a railway platform under
(10:25):
a train, malicious and purposeful glory be He didn't kill me,
but the very doctor that felt me bones tried to
pick me pocket. I do believe Sunday night I was
grabbed outrageous in a dark turnin round the ground, half strangled,
and me pockets nigh ripped out of me trousies, and
(10:48):
this very blessed mornin' have light. I was struck unsensible
and left a living corpse, and miludgins penetrated, and all
the thruck miss then broke up behind my back? Is
that panjandry for the police to laugh at, Sir? Had
Hewitt not been there, I think I should have done
(11:11):
my best to quiet the poor fellow with a few
soothing words and to persuade him to go home to
his friend's. His excited and rather confused manner, his fantastic
story of a sort of general conspiracy to kill him,
and the absurd reference to the doctor who tried to
pick his pocket seemed to me plainly to confirm my
(11:33):
first impression that he was insane, but Hewitt appeared strangely interested.
Did they steal anything, he asked, diblous stick but Medor's key,
and that they took homp and lift in the door.
Hewitt opened his office door. Come in, he said, and
(11:56):
tell me all about it. You come too, Brett, the
Irishman and I followed him into the inner office, where
shutting the door, Hewitt suddenly turned on the Irishman and exclaimed, sharply,
then you've still got it. He looked keenly in the
man's eyes, but the only expression there was one of surprise.
(12:17):
Got it, said the irishman. Got for sir? Is it
your thinkin? I've got the horrors as well as the police.
Hewitt's gaze relaxed. Sit down, Sit down, he said, you've
still got your watch and money. I suppose since you
weren't robted. Oh that glory be? I have it still?
(12:39):
Though for how long or me own head for that matter,
in this state of besiegement, I cannot say. Now, said Hewett,
I want a full, true and particular account of yourself
and your doings for the last week. First, your name,
Leamy's my name, sor Michael Lamy lately from Ireland over
(13:05):
from Dublin this last blessed Wednesday, and a cruel bad poundering.
It was in the boat too, sprake and have that
same looking for work, That is my pursuit at prisent, Sir.
Did anything noticeable happen before these troubles of yours began?
Anything here in London or on the journey? Sure, the
(13:28):
Irishman smiled. Part of the way I traveled first class
by favor of the yard, and I got a small
job before I lift the train. How is that? Why
did you travel first class? Part of the way. There
was a station for where we stopped after a long run,
and I got down to take the cramp out of
(13:50):
me joints and take a taste to drink. I overstayed somehow,
and when I got to the train begob it was
on the move. There was a first class carriage door
open and right fronts me, and in that the yard
cramps me hollus bolus. There was a juice of foine
(14:11):
gentleman sitting there, and he stares at me umbrageous. But
I was not discommoded, beIN onun batchful by nature. We
traveled along a heap of miles more till we came
near London. After we had stopped at a station where
they took tickets, and we went a head again. And
(14:31):
presently as we rips through some other station, up jumps
the gentleman opposite swearin hard under his tongue and looks
out at the windy. I thought this train stopped here,
says he. Chuck Farm observed Hewitt with a nod. The
name I do not know, sir, but that's what he
(14:53):
said when he looks at me. Uneasy for a little,
and at last he says, would a small job a
good man, well paid? Faith says I tis that will
suit me well. Then see here, says he. I should
have got out at that station. Havin't particular business havin missed.
(15:15):
I must send a telegrammer from Euston. Now here's a bag,
says he, A bag full of important papers for my solicitor.
Important to me, ye understand, not worth the shine of
a brass farden to a soul else. And I want
um took on to him. Take you this bag, he says,
(15:37):
and go you straight out with it at Euston and
get a cab. I shall stay in the station a
bit to see the telegram. Drive out at the station
across the road outside, and wait there five minutes by
the clock. Ye understand, Wait five minutes, and maybe I'll
come and join ye. If I don't, twill be because
(16:00):
I'm detained unexpected. And then ye'll drive to my solicitor straight.
Here's his address if you can read writin And he
put out a piece of paper for me. He gave
me half a crown to the cab, and I took
his bag one moment. Have you the paper with the
(16:20):
address now? I have not, sir, I missed it after
the blaggers overset me yesterday. But the solicitor's name was Hollums,
and a liberal gentleman with his money. He was too
by that same token. What was his address? Twas in Chelsea,
(16:41):
and twas gold or golden something, which I know by
the good token of what he gave me, But the
number I misremember. Hewett turned to his directory. Gold Street
is the place, probably, he said, And it seems to
be a street chiefly of private houses. You would be
(17:03):
able to point out the house if you were taken there.
I suppose I should that, sir. Indeed, I was thinkin
I've goin there an tellin mister Olmumps all my troubles.
Him havn't been so kind. Now tell me exactly what
instructions the man in the train gave you and what happened?
(17:24):
He says, you ask for mister Hollamps and see nobody else.
Tell him ye've brought the sparks from mister W. I fancied.
I could see a sudden twinkle in Hewett's eye, but
he made no other sign, and the irishman proceeded. Sparks,
(17:44):
says I, Yes, sparks, says he. Mister Holms will know
tis our jokin word for him. Sometimes papers is sparks
when they set a lawsuit ablaize and he laughed. But
be sure, ye say the sparks from mister W, he
says again, because then he'll know you're genuine and he'll
(18:07):
pay ye handsome. Say. Mister W says you're to have
your regulars if you like. Do you mind that? I
says I that I'm to have my reg'lars? Well, sir,
I took the bag and went out of the station,
took the cab and did it. He told me. I
waited the five minutes, but he never came, so off
(18:31):
I drove to mister Hollumes and he treated me handsome, sir, Yes,
but tell me exactly all he did. Mister Hollums, Sir
says I. Who are you? Says he? Mc lay me, Sir,
says I from mister W with the sparks, Oh, says he.
(18:54):
Then come in. I went in therein here are they,
says he. Take in the bag they are, Sir, says I,
And mister W says I'm to have my regulars. You shall,
says he. What shall we say now? A finnip? What's that?
(19:14):
Sir says I? Oh, says he. I s'pose you're a
new hand five quid. Understand that, big ub I did
understand it an mighty place. I was to have come
to a place where they pay five pun notes for
carryon bags. So when he asked me, was I new
(19:35):
to London and should I take the same line of business?
I told him I should, for certain or anything else
payin like right, says he. Let me know, when you've
got anythin, you'll find me all right, And he winked
frindly faith that I know I shall, sir, says I,
(19:57):
with the money safe in my pocket, and I winked
him back congenial. I've a smart family about me, says he,
and I treat em all fair and liberal and saints.
I thought it likely his family had have all they wanted.
Seein he was so free handed with a stranger. Then
(20:17):
he asked me where I was a livin' in London,
And when I told him nowhere, he told me I
have a room in Mussin Street, here by Drury Lane.
That was to let in a house his family knew
very well. And I went straight there and took it,
and there I do be stayin still, sir. I hadn't
(20:38):
understood at first why Hewitt took so much interest in
the irishman's narrative. But the latter part of it opened
my eyes a little. It seemed that LEMI had, in
his innocence, been made a conveyor of stolen property. I
knew enough of thieves slang to know that sparks meant
(20:58):
diamonds or other jewels, that regulars was the term used
for a payment made to a brother thief who gave
assistance in some small way, such as carrying the booty,
and that the family was the time honored expression for
a gang of thieves. This was all on Wednesday, I understand,
(21:20):
said Hewett. Now tell me what happened on Thursday, the
poisoning or drugging you know well, sir, I was walkin
out and toward the evenin I lost myself. Up comes
a man, seemingly a stranger and smacks me on the shoulder. Why, Mick,
says he. It's mac lemey. I do believe I am, that,
(21:44):
says I. But you I do not know, not know me,
says he. Why I went to school? Would ye? And
would that? He hauls me off to a bar Blarnian
and minodorin and orders drinks. Can ye rash me a poiplout?
Says he? And I turned to get it, but looking back,
(22:05):
sudden there was an on blushing thief and the world
tipping' a paper full of powder stuff into mclass. What
did you do, Hewitt asked I. Not the dirty face
of him sore, and can you blame me a main
scut thrying for to poison a well man and stranger.
I knocked the face of him and got away home.
(22:30):
Now the next misfortune, faith that was of a sort
likely to turn out the last of all misfortunes. I
went that day to the Crystal Palace, being disposed for
a sport seein as I was new in London, comin
home at night. There was a juice of a crowd
(22:50):
on the station platform consequence of a late thrain, standing
by the edge of the platform at the fore end,
just as the train came in. So unvisible murder gives
me a stupendous drive in the back and over. I
went on the line mid betwixt the rails. The injun
came up and went half over me without giving me
(23:12):
a scratch because of me centraless situation. And then the
portermen pulled me out nigh sick would fright sir, as
you may guess, a gentleman in the crowd sings out,
I'm a miracle man. And they took me in the
waitin' room and he investigated me, having turned everybody else
out of the room. There was no broke bones, glory
(23:36):
be and the doctor man he was tellin me so
after feelin me over, when I felt his hand in
me waistcoat pocket an for what's this, sir, says I
do you be lookin for your fee? The thief's the
way he laughed and said, I want no fee from ye,
my man. And I did but feel your ribs thou
(23:58):
on me conscience. He had done that under me waistcoat already,
And so I came home. What did they do to
you on Saturday? Saturday, sir? They gave me a whole holiday,
and I began to think less of things. But on
Saturday night, in a dark place, two black yards took
(24:19):
me throat from behind. I choked me, flung me down,
and went through all me pockets in about a quarter
of a minute, and they took nothing. You say, nothing sore.
But this mornin I got my worst dose. I was
trapsing a long, distressful and mighty sore in a street
(24:41):
just away off the strand here when I observed the
doctor man that was at the Crystal Palace station a
smilin' and beckonin at me from a door. How are
ye now, says he? Well, says I, I'm mighty sore
and sad bruised, says I is that? So? Says he?
(25:02):
Step in here? So I stepped in, and before I
could wink, there dropped a crack on the back of
my head that sent me off as unknowledgeable as a corpse.
I knew no more for a while, sore, whether half
an hour or an hour an thin I got up
in a room marked to let twas a house full
(25:24):
of offices by the same token like this. There was
a sore, bad lump on me head, see it, sir,
And the whole whirl was spinnin round rampages. The things
out of my pockets were lyin on the floor by me.
I'll barn the key, ave me room, so that the
demons had been through me possessions again, bad luck to em.
(25:47):
You are quite sure, are you? That everything was there
except the key, certain, sir, Well, I got along to
me room sick an sorry enough, and doubtsm whether I
might get in with no key, But there was the
key in the open door. And by this and that,
all the stuff in the room, chair, table, bed and
(26:10):
all was standing on their heads twisty ways, and the
bedclothes and everything else such a disgraceful smash and conglomerated
thruck as ye never dreamed of. The chist of drawers
is lyin' on its face, with all the drawers out
an emptied on the floor, twas as though an army
had been lutent sore, but still nothing was gone nothing
(26:34):
so far as I investigated sore. But I didn't stay.
I came out to speak to the police, and two
of em laughed at me, one after another. It has
certainly been no laughing matter for you. Now tell me
have you anything in your possession documents or valuables, or
anything that any other person, to your knowledge, is anxious
(26:58):
to get hold of. I have not, sir divil, a
document as to valuables them and me is the coldest
of strangers. Just call to mind now the face of
the man who tried to put powder in your drink
and that of the doctor who attended to you in
the railway station. Were they at all alike? Or was
(27:22):
either like anybody you have seen before? Lem puckered his
forehead and thought faith. He said, presently they were a
bit alike, though one had a beard and t'other whiskers.
Only neither happened to look like mister Hollups, for instance.
(27:43):
Lem started begob But they did. They'd have been mortal
like him if they'd been shaved. Then, after a pause,
he suddenly added, Holy Saints, is it the family he
talked of? He laughed. Perhaps it is, he said. Now
(28:04):
as to the man who sent you with the bag,
was it an old bag? Bran Cracklin knew a brown
lither bag locked that I niver thried, Sir, twas not
my concern. True. Now as to this mister w himself.
Hewitt had been rummaging for some few minutes in a
(28:26):
portfolio and finally produced a photograph and held it before
the irishman's eye. Is that like him? He asked? Sure,
it's the man himself. Is he a friend of yours?
Sor no, he's not exactly a friend of mine? Hewitt
answered with a grim chuckle. I fancy he's one of
(28:47):
that very respectable family you heard about at mister Hollin's.
Come along with me now to Chelsea and see if
you can point out that house in gold Street. I'll
send for a cab. He made for the outer office,
and I went with him. What's all this, Hewitt, I asked,
(29:08):
a gang of thieves with stolen property? Hewitt looked in
my face and replied, it's the quintin Ruby. What the ruby?
Shall you take the case up? Then? I shall? It
is no longer a speculation. Then do you expect to
find it at Hollum's house in Chelsea, I asked, No,
(29:31):
I don't because it isn't there. Else, why are they
trying to get it from this unlucky irishman. There has
been bad faith in Hollam's gang, I expect, and Hollams
has missed the ruby and suspects Leany of having taken
it from the bag. Then who is this mister w
(29:51):
whose portrait you have in your possession? See here? Hewitt
turned over a small pile of recent newspapers and selected one,
pointing at a particular paragraph. I kept that in mind
because to me it seemed to be the most likely
arrest of the lot. He said. It was an evening
(30:12):
paper of the previous Thursday, and the paragraph was a
very short one. Thus, the man Wilkes, who was arrested
at Euston Station yesterday in connection with the robbery of
Lady Quintin's jewels, has been released, nothing being found to
incriminate him. How does that strike you, asked Hewett. Wilkes
(30:37):
is a man well known to the police, one of
the most accomplished burghers in this country. In fact, I
have had no dealings with him as yet. But I
found means some time ago to add his portrait to
my little collection in case I might want it, and
to day it has been quite useful. The thing was
(30:59):
plain now. Wilkes must have been bringing his booty to
town and calculated on getting out at Chalk Farm and
thus eluding the watch, which he doubtless felt pretty sure
would be kept by telegraphic instruction at euston four suspicious
characters arriving from the direction of Radcotte. His transaction with
(31:22):
Lem was his only possible expedient to save himself from
being hopelessly taken with the swag in his possession. The
paragraph told me why LEMI had waited in Vain for
mister w in the cab. What shall you do, I asked,
I shall go to gold Street House and find out
(31:45):
what I can as soon as this cab turns up.
There seemed a possibility of some excitement in the adventure,
so I asked, will you want any help? Hewittt smiled.
I think I can get through it alone, he said,
Then may I come and look on? I said, of course,
(32:06):
I don't want to be in your way, and the
result of the business, whatever it is, will be to
your credit. Alone, but I am curious. Come then, By
all means, the cab will be a four wheeler and
there will be plenty of room. Gold Street was a
short street of private houses, a very fair size, and
(32:27):
of a half varnished pretension to gentility. We drove slowly through,
and lem had no difficulty in pointing out the house
wherein he had been paid five pounds for carrying a bag.
At the end, the cab turned the corner and stopped
while Hewett wrote a short note to an official of
(32:48):
Scotland Yard. Take this note, he instructed LIMI to Scotland
Yard in the cab, and then go home. I will
pay the cabin now, I I will, sir, And will
I be protected? Oh? Yes, stay home for the rest
of the day, and I expect you'll be left alone
(33:08):
in future. Perhaps I shall have something to tell you
in a day or two. If I do, I'll send goodbye.
The cab rolled off and Hewett and I strolled back
along Gold Street. I think Hewett said, we will drop
in on mister Hollins for a few minutes while we can.
(33:30):
In a few hours, I expect the police will have
him and his house too, if they attend promptly to
my note, have you ever seen him? Not? To my knowledge?
Though I may know him by some other name, Wilkes,
I know by sight, though he doesn't know me. What
shall we say? That will depend on circumstances. I may
(33:53):
not get my cue till the door opens, or even later.
At worst, I can easily apply for a reference as
to LEMI, who you remember, is looking for work. But
we were destined not to make mister Hollam's acquaintance after all.
As we approached the house, a great uproar was heard
from the lower part giving on to the area, and
(34:17):
suddenly a man, hatless and with a sleeve of his
coat nearly torn away, burst through the door and up
the area steps, pursued by two others. I had barely
time to observe that one of the pursuers carried a revolver,
and that both hesitated and retired on seeing that several
(34:37):
people were about the street, when Hewett, gripping my arm
and exclaiming that's our man, started at a run after
the fugitive. We turned the next corner and saw the
man thirty yards before us, walking and pulling up his
sleeves at the shoulder, so as to conceal the rent.
(34:59):
Plainly he felt safe from further molestation. That's Sam Wilkes.
Hewitt explained, as we followed the juice of a foine
gentleman who got lemy to carry his bag, and the
man who knows where the Quentin ruby is. Unless I
am more than usually mistaken, don't stare after him in
(35:21):
case he looks round. Presently, when we get into the
busier streets, I shall have a little chat with him.
But for some time the man kept to the back streets.
In time, however, he emerged into the Buckingham Palace Road,
and we saw him stop and look at a hat shop.
(35:41):
But after a general look over the window and a
glance in at the door, he went on. Good sign
observed Hewett got no money with him. Makes it easier
for us. In a little while Wilkes approached a small
crowd gathered about a woman fiddler. Hewitt touched my arm
(36:02):
and a few quick steps took us past our man
and on to the opposite side of the crowd. When
Wilkes emerged, he met us coming in the opposite direction.
What sim burst out Hewett with apparent delight. I haven't
piped your mug for a stretch. I thought you'd fell.
(36:22):
Where's your caddy? Wilkes looked, astonished and suspicious. I don't
know you, he said, You've made a mistake. Hewitt laughed.
I'm glad you don't know me, he said. If you don't,
I'm pretty sure the reelers won't. I think I've faked
my mug pretty well and my cobbler too. Look here,
(36:45):
i'll stand you anew katy strange blokes don't do that, eh.
Wilkes was still suspicious. I don't know what you mean,
he said, then, after a pause, he added, who are you?
Then Hewitt winked and screwed his face genially aside hookey,
(37:05):
he said, I've had a lucky touch, and I'm mister smith.
Till i've melted the pieces. You come and damp it.
I'm off, Wilkes replied, unless you're pal enough to lend
me a quid. He added, laughing, I am, that, responded Hewett,
plunging his hand into his pocket. I'm flush, my boy, flush,
(37:29):
and I've been wetting it pretty well to day. I
feel pretty jolly now, and I shouldn't wonder if I
went home Cannon only a quid, have two if you
want em, or three. There's plenty more, and you'll do
the same for me some day. Here ye are, Hewitt
had of a sudden assumed the whole appearance, manners, and
(37:52):
bearings of a slightly elevated rowdy. Now he pulled his
hand from his pocket and extended it full of silver
with five or six sovereigns interspersed toward Wilkes. I'll have
three quid, Wilkes said, with decision, taking the money, but
I'm blowed if I remember you, who's your pal? Hewitt
(38:14):
jerked his hand in my direction, winked and said, in
a low voice, he's all right having arrest, can't stand Manchester,
and winked again. Wilkes laughed and nodded, and I understood
from that that Hewitt had very flatteringly given me credit
for being wanted by the Manchester police. We lurched into
(38:37):
a public house and drank very little, very bad whisky
and water. Wilkes still regarded us curiously, and I could
see him again and again glancing doubtfully in Hewett's face,
But the loan of three pounds had largely reassured him. Presently,
Hewitt said, how about our old pal down in gold Street.
(39:02):
Do anything with him now seen him lately. Wilkes looked
up at the ceiling and shook his head. That's a
good job. It'd be awkward if you were about there
to day. I can tell you why never mind, so
long as you're not there. I know something. If I
have been away, I'm glad I haven't had any truck
(39:23):
with gold Street lately. That's all. Do you mean the
reelers are on it? Hewett looked cautiously over his shoulder,
leaned toward Wilkes and said, look here, this is the
straight tip. I know this. I got it from the
very nark that's given the show away. By six o'clock
(39:44):
number eight, Gold Street will be turned inside out like
an old glove, and every one in the place will
be He finished the sentence by crossing his wrists like
a handcuffed man. What's more, he went on, they know
all about what's gone on there lately, and everybody that's
(40:04):
been in or out for the last two months will
be wanted particular and will be found, I'm told. Hewitt
concluded with a confidential frown, a nod and a wink,
and took another mouthful of whiskey. Then he added, as
an after thought, so I'm glad you haven't been there lately.
(40:27):
Wilkes looked in Hewitt's face and asked, is that straight?
Is it? Replied Hewitt with emphasis, You go and have
a look if you ain't afraid of being smugged yourself.
Only I sha'n't go near number eight just yet. I
know that. Wilkes fidgeted, finished his drink and expressed his
(40:48):
intention of going very well if you won't have another,
replied Hewitt. But he had gone good, said Hewitt, moving
toward the door. He has suddenly developed a hurry. I
shall keep him in sight, but you had better take
a cab and go straight to Euston. Take tickets to
(41:09):
the nearest station to Radcotte Kettersby I think it is,
and look up the train arrangements. Don't show yourself too much,
and keep an eye on the entrance. Unless I am mistaken,
Wilkes will be there pretty soon, and I shall be
on his heels. If I am wrong, then you won't
see the end of the fun. That's all, Hewett hurried.
(41:33):
After Wilkes, and I took the cab and did as
he wished. There was an hour and a few minutes
I found to wait for the next train, and that
time I occupied as best I might, keeping a sharp
lookout across the quadrangle. Barely five minutes before the train
was to leave, and just as I was beginning to
(41:53):
think about the time of the next a cab dashed
up and Hewett alighted. He hurried it found me and
drew me aside into a recess just as another cab arrived.
Here he is, Hewitt said. I followed him as far
as Euston Road, and then got my cabby to spurt
up and pass him. He had had his mustache shaved off,
(42:17):
and I feared you mightn't recognize him, and so let
him see you. From our retreat, we could see Wilkes
hurry into the booking office. We watched him through to
the platform and followed. He wasted no time, but made
the best of his way to a third class carriage
at the extreme fore end of the train. We have
(42:40):
three minutes, Hewitt said, and everything depends on his not
seeing us get into this train. Take this cap. Fortunately
we're both in tweeds. He had bought a couple of
tweed cricket caps, and these we assumed, sending our bowler
hats to the cloak room. Hewitt also put on a
(43:01):
pair of blue spectacles, and then walked boldly up the
platform and entered a first class carriage. I followed close
on his heels, in such a manner that a person
looking from the fore end of the train would be
able to see. But very little of me. So far,
so good, said Hewett, when we were seated and the
(43:22):
train began to move off. I must keep a lookout
at each station in case our friend goes off unexpectedly.
I waited some time, I said where did you both
go to? First? He went and bought that hat he
is wearing. Then he walked some distance, dodging the main
(43:42):
thoroughfares and keeping to the back streets in a way
that made following difficult, till he came to a little
tailor's shop. There he entered and came out in a
quarter of an hour with his coat mended. This was
in a street in Westminster. Presently he worked his way
up to Tottle Street, and there he plunged into a
(44:04):
barber shop. I took a cautious peep at the window
saw two or three other customers also waiting, and took
the opportunity to rush over to a notion shop and
buy these blue spectacles, and to a hatter's for these caps,
of which I regret to observe that yours is too big.
He was rather a long while in the barber's and
(44:26):
finally came out, as you saw him, with no mustache.
This was a good indication. It made it plainer than
ever that he had believed my warning as to the
police descent on the house in gold Street and its frequenters,
which was right and proper, for what I told him
was quite true. The rest, you know. He cabbed to
(44:49):
the station, and so did I. And now, perhaps I said,
after giving me the character of a thief wanted by
Manchester Police, forcibly depriving me of my hat in exchange
for this all too large cap, and rushing me out
of London without any definite idea of when I'm coming back,
(45:11):
perhaps you'll tell me what we're after. Hewett laughed. You
wanted to join in, you know, he said, and you
must take your luck as it comes. As a matter
of fact, there is scarcely anything in my profession so
uninteresting and so difficult as this watching and following business,
(45:33):
often it lasts for weeks. When we alight, we shall
have to follow Wilkes again under the most difficult possible
conditions in the country. There it is often quite impossible
to follow a man unobserved. It is only because it
is the only way that I am undertaking it. Now.
As to what we're after, you know that as well
(45:55):
as I the Quentin Ruby, Wilkes has hidden it, and
without his help it would be impossible to find it.
We are following him so that he will find it
for us. He must have hidden it. I suppose to
avoid sharing with Hollams, of course, and availed himself of
(46:15):
the fact of le Me having carried the bag to
direct Hollam's suspicion to him. Hollams found out by his
repeated searches of lem and his lodgings that this was wrong,
and this morning evidently tried to persuade the ruby out
of Wilkes's possession. With a revolver. We saw the upshot
of that Ketterby's station was about forty miles out. At
(46:41):
each intermediate stopping station he had watched earnestly, but Wilkes
remained in the train. What I fear he had observed
is that at Ketterby he may take a fly to stock.
A man on foot in the country is difficult enough,
but you can't follow one vehicle in another without being spotted.
(47:03):
But if he's so smart as I think, he won't
do it. A man traveling in a fly is noticed
and remembered in these places. He did not take a fly.
At Ketterby. We saw him jump out quickly and hasten
from the station. The train stood for a few minutes,
and he was out of the station before we alighted.
(47:26):
Through the railings behind the platform, we could see him
walking briskly away to the right from the ticket collector.
We ascertained that Radcott lay in that direction three miles off.
To my dying day, I shall never forget that three
miles they seemed three hundred. In the still country, almost
(47:48):
every footfall seemed audible for any distance, and in the
long stretches of road one could see half a mile
behind or before. Hewett was cool and patient, but I
got into a fever of worry, excitement, want of breath,
and back ache. At first, for a little the road zigzagged,
(48:10):
and then the chase was comparatively easy. We waited behind
one bend till Wilkes had passed the next, and then
hurried in his trail, treading in the dustiest parts of
the road or on the side grass when there was
any to deaden the sound of our steps. At the
last of these short bends, we looked ahead and saw
(48:32):
a long white stretch of road, with the dark form
of Wilkes a couple of hundred yards in front. It
would never do to let him get to the end
of this great stretch before following, as he might turn
off at some branch road out of sight and be lost.
So we jumped the hedge and scuttled along as we
(48:54):
best might on the other side, with backs bent and
our feet often many inches deep in wet clay. We
had to make continual stoppages to listen and peep out,
and on one occasion, happening incautiously to stand erect looking
after him, I was much startled to see Wilkes with
(49:15):
his face toward me, gazing down the road. I ducked
like lightning, and fortunately he seemed not to have observed me,
but went on as before. He had probably heard some
slight noise, but looked straight along the road for its explanation,
instead of over the hedge. At hilly parts of the
(49:36):
road there was extreme difficulty. Indeed, on approaching a rise
it was usually necessary to lie down under the hedge
till Wilkes had passed the top, since from the higher
ground he could have seen us easily. This improved neither
my clothes, my comfort, nor my temper. Luckily we never
(49:58):
encountered the difficulty of a long and high wall, but
once we were nearly betrayed by a man who shouted
to order us off his field. At last we saw
just ahead the square tower of an old church, set
about with thick trees. Opposite this, Wilkes paused, looked irresolutely
(50:19):
up and down the road, and then went on. We
crossed the road, availed ourselves of the opposite hedge, and followed.
The village was to be seen some three or four
hundred yards farther along the road, and toward it, Wilkes
sauntered slowly. Before he actually reached the houses, he stopped
(50:40):
and turned back the churchyard, exclaimed Hewett under his breath,
lie close and let him pass. Wilkes reached the churchyard
gate and again looked irresolutely about him. At that moment
a party of children who had been playing among the
graves came chattering and laughing toward and out of the gate,
(51:04):
and Wilkes walked hastily away again, this time in the
opposite direction. That's the place, clearly, Hewett said, we must
slip across quietly as soon as he's far enough down
the road. Now we hurried stealthily across through the gate
and into the churchyard, where Hewitt threw his blue spectacles away.
(51:28):
It was now nearly eight in the evening and the
sun was setting once again. Wilkes approached the gate and
did not enter because a laborer passed at the time.
Then he came back and slipped through the grass about
the graves, was long and under the trees. It was
already twilight. Hewitt and I two or three yards apart,
(51:52):
to avoid falling over one another in case of sudden movement,
watched from behind gravestones. The form of Wilp stood out
large and black against the fading light in the west.
As he came stealthily approaching through the long grass, a
light cart came clattering along the road, and Wilkes dropped
(52:13):
at once and crouched on his knees till it had passed. Then,
staring warily about him, he made straight for the stone
behind which Hewett waited. I saw Hewett's dark form swing
noiselessly round to the other side of the stone. Wilkes
passed on and dropped on his knee beside a large
(52:34):
weather worn slab that rested on a brick under structure
a foot or so high. The long grass largely hid
the bricks and among it. Wilkes plunged his hand, feeling
along the brick's surface. Presently, he drew out a loose
brick and laid it on the slab. He felt again
(52:55):
in the place and brought forth a small dark object.
I saw Hewett rise erect in the gathering dusk, and
with extended arm, stepped noiselessly toward the stooping man. Wilkes
made a motion to place the dark object in his pocket,
but checked himself and opened what appeared to be a lid,
(53:15):
as though to make sure of the safety of the contents.
The last light straggling under the trees fell on a
brilliantly sparkling object within, and like a flash Hewett's hand
shot over Wilke's shoulder and snatched the jewel. The man
actually screamed, one of those curious, sharp little screams that
(53:38):
one may hear from a woman very suddenly alarmed, but
he sprang at Hewet like a cat, only to meet
a straight drive of the fist that stretched him on
his back across the slab. I sprang from behind my
stone and helped Hewet to secure his wrists with a
pocket handkerchief. Then we marched him, struggling and swearing, to
(54:00):
the village. When in the lights of the village he
recognized us, he had a perfect fit of rage, but
afterward he calmed down and admitted that it was a
very clean cop. There was some difficulty in finding the
village constable and Sir Valentine. Quinton was dining out and
(54:21):
did not arrive for at least an hour. In the interval,
Wilkes grew communicative. How much do you think I'll get?
He asked, can't guess? Hewett replied, and as we shall
probably have to give evidence, you'll be giving yourself away
if you talk too much. Oh, I don't care, that'll
(54:42):
make no difference. It's a fair cop. And I'm in
for it. You got me nicely, lending me three quid.
I never knew a realer do that before. That blinded me.
But was it kid about gold Street? No it wasn't.
Mister Hollins is safely shut up by this time, I expect,
(55:03):
and you are avenged for your little trouble with him
this afternoon. What do you know about that? Well, you've
got it up nicely for me, I must say. Suppose
you've been following me all the time. Well, yes, I
haven't been far off. I guessed you'd want to clear
out of town if Hollams was taken, and I knew this.
(55:25):
Hewittt tapped his breast pocket was what you'd care to
get hold of first? You hid it, of course, because
you knew that Hollams would probably have you searched for
it if he got suspicious. Yes he did too. Two
blokes went over my pockets one night and somebody got
into my room. But I expected that Hollams is such
(55:48):
a greedy pig. Once he's got you under his thumb,
he don't give you half your markings, and if you
kick him, they'll have you smugged. So that I wasn't
going to give him that if I could help it,
I suppose it ain't any good. Asking how you got
put on to our mob, No, said Hewett, it isn't.
(56:11):
We didn't get back till the next day, staying for
the night, despite an inconvenient want of requisites at the hall.
There were in fact no late trains. We told Sir
Valentine the story of the Irishman, much to his amusement.
Lemy's tale sounded unlikely, of course, Hewitt said, but it
(56:33):
was noticeable that every one of his misfortunes pointed in
the same direction. That certain persons were tremendously anxious to
get out something they supposed he had. When he spoke
of his adventure with the bag, I at once remembered
Wilkes's arrest and subsequent release. It was a curious coincidence,
(56:54):
to say the least, that this should happen at the
very station to which the proceeds of this ruby must come,
if they came to London at all, and on the
day following the robbery itself. Kettererby is one of the
few stations on this line where no trains would stop
after the time of the robbery, so that the thief
(57:15):
would have to wait till the next day to get back.
Limi's recognition of Wilkes's portrait made me feel pretty certain.
Plainly he had carried stolen property the poor innocent Fellow's
conversation with Hollims showed that as in fact, did the
sum five pounds pay to him by way of regulars
(57:36):
or customary toll from the plunder of services of carriage.
Hollimps obviously took lem for a criminal friend of Wilkes
because of his use of the thieves expression sparks and regulars,
and suggested, in terms which Limi misunderstood, that he should
sell any plunder he might obtain to himself collumps altogether.
(58:01):
It would have been very curious if the plunder were
not that from Radcine Hall, especially as no other robbery
had been reported at the time. Now, among the jewels taken,
only one was of a very preeminent value, the famous Ruby.
It was scarcely likely that Hollams would go to so
much trouble and risk attempting to drug injuring waylaying and
(58:27):
burgling the rooms of the unfortunate Limi for a jewel
of small value. For any jewel, in fact, but the ruby,
so that I felt a pretty strong presumption at all
events that it was the ruby hollmps was after Lem
had not had it. I was convinced from his tale
(58:48):
and his manner, and from what I judged of the
man himself. The only other person was Wilkes, and certainly
he had a temptation to keep this to himself and avoid,
if possible, sharing with his London director or principle, while
the carriage of the bag by the irishman gave him
a capital opportunity to put suspicion on him, with the
(59:12):
results seen. The most daring of Hollam's attacks on Lem
was doubtless the attempted maiming or killing at the railway
station so as to be able, in the character of
a medical man to search his pockets. He was probably
desperate at the time, having I have no doubt, been
(59:33):
following Lem about all day at the Crystal Palace without
finding an opportunity to get at his pockets. The struggle
and flight of Wilkes from Hollams confirmed my previous impressions.
Hollams finally satisfied that very morning that LEMI certainly had
not the jewel either on his person or at his lodging, and,
(59:57):
knowing from having so closely watched him that he had
been nowhere where it could be disposed of, concluded that
Wilkes was cheating him and attempted to extort the ruby
from him by the aid of another ruffian and a pistol.
The rest of my way was plain. Wilkes, I knew,
(01:00:17):
would seized the opportunity of Hollum's being safely locked up
to get at and dispose of the ruby. I sublied
him with funds and left him to lead us to
his hiding place. He did it, and I think that's all.
He must have walked straight away from my house to
(01:00:39):
the churchyard. Sir Valentine remarked to hide that pendant that
was fairly cool. Only a cool hand could carry out
such a robbery single handed. Hewett answered, I expect his
tools were in the bag that Limi carried, as well
as the jewels. They must have been a small and
neat set. They were. We ascertained on our return to
(01:01:04):
town the next day that the bag, with all its
contents intact, including the tools, had been taken by the
police at their surprise visit to number eight Gold Street
as well as much other stolen property. Hollums and Wilkes
each got very wholesome doses of penal servitude, to the
(01:01:25):
intense delight of Mick Leamy. Lem himself, by the bye,
is still to be seen clad in a noble uniform,
guarding the door of a well known London restaurant. He
has not had any more five pound notes for carrying bags,
but knows London too well now to expect it. End
(01:01:49):
of Chapter five
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