Boy's Cinema (1939-40)

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14 him, Pat let out a sound like a popping cork. She was just about ready to burst. "Simon," she said, "jou've been keeping something from me. Who is Viscount Margrave, and why did we have to have his suite?" Simon went over to her, took her by the shoulders, and shook her gently. "I think I told you that this wasn't to be any pleasure trip," he said. "Two days ago. Viscount Margrave was arrested in this suite for passing counterfeit Bank of England notes." Pat's eyes opened wide with excite- ment. "You mean he was a forger?" she asked breathlessly. "I don't mean anything of the kind," Simon replied. "I mean exactly what I said—that he is guilty of passing counter- feit notes. Some^oay else forged them. He was only one of the small fry." "Ooh! " Pat exclaimed. Then she began to look puzzled. " But I still don't see " Simon shook her gently again, then stuck a cigarette into her mouth. While he was lighting it, he went on : "That's why I've been sent to Paris A fellow who works on our Continental edition—the bloke'.s name is Swindon— has got a line on the big noise who runs the gang. The trouble with Swindon is that he's not too good at following thing.=. up, so I have had to come and do that part of it for him. And from all X've heard, it's going to be a tough job." Pat nodded briskly. " I enjoy tough jobs," she said. " When do we start?" Simon began to look alarmed. "I didn't say anything about 'we,'" he said. "I'm not going to have you mixed up in a thing like this." Pat took not the slightest notice of what he was saying. She continued: "I know! You took this suite in the hope that Margrave might have hidden something here. Or perhaps one of his confederates, not hearing of his arrest, might call. We'll start by searching the place." Simon nodded. "That's right," he answered. "You search the place while I skip down to the office and talk to Mac." She gave him a long, hard stare. "Simon, you're up to something," she said flatly. " And I'm not going to be left out in the cold. I'm coming down to see Mac as well." Simon threw his hands into the air despairingly. " You women!" he muttered. " Come on, then! Let's get going!" She clung affectionately to his arm as they went out together. THE LETTER! MACGREGOR, editor of the Con- tinental edition of the "Dailv Gazette." leapt to his feet as Simon ani Pat walked in. He bounded across the office and grabbed Simon by the hand "Mon, mon, I'm glad to see ye!" he bellowed, "And vou too, Mrs. Drake.' "Hallo. Mac!" Simon responded. "How's the paper going?" "Fine. mon. fine!" Mac painted to a graph that hung on the wall. "Look at the wav the circulation's going up!" "Terrific!" said Simon. "But you found .vou couldn't do without me after all, eh? Well, that's a fiver you owe me." Mac looked startled, and not a little scared. "A fiver?" he muttered. "That's right. Didn't I bet you a fiver you couldn't do without me?" "You did not" said Mac firmly. Simon sighed. "That's a pity," he said. "It would have been such easy money. Anyway, here I am, and the chief said I wasn't to woiTy about expenses. I could spend what I liked." Mac began to look very troubled. "He did. eh?" he muttered. He hated parting with money, even when it did not come out of his own pocket. " In that case, December 2ik1, I'M'.). BOY'S CINEMA you'll send in youi- expense sheets to me personally." "It'll only make you jealous—but just as you wish," said Simon, Pat coughed a little pointedly. She was feeling somewhat bored by all this talk about money. Besides, she had iust had a big idea. •■ Simon, I think I'll go for a walk while you two talk business," she said. "See you later." Simon nodded absently, and she walked out. Just as she got clear of the office, the telephone bell rang. Mac scooped off the receiver. "Hallo! Macgregor speaking," he sail "Yes, he's just arrived." He handed the telephone to Simon, "It's Swindon. He wants to talk to you." "Hallo, stranger!" said Simon into the transmitter. "When am I going to se; you?" " Can you come up to my flat?" SwindO'i replied. "It's in the Rue de la Fontaine— number 36. Make it 9.30 to-night, will you? I've got someone coming to see me at nine, but ne won't stay long." " Nine-thirty it is." said Simon, and hung up. "He wants to see me thi.? even- ing, Mac. So until then I'll push along." He turned towards the door. Mac pounded after him. "Wait a minute!" he called. "There's someone else vou ought to see. It's Inspector Holly." "Holly! What's he doing in Paris?" "Well, he's co-operating with the French Surete on this job. He'll be along any time now." "What for?" Mac rubbed his chin and eyed Simon thoughtfully. "Well, it's about a wee clue we've got," he said. Simon eyed him sternly "Mac, you're holding out on me." he said. "Come on now. What is this clue?" Mac grinned and pi'oduced a bunch of kevs from his pocket. " Well, it was something Swindon brought in this afternoon," he said. "A letter. I put it in the safe." He unlocked the safe and took out an envelope. " Yo i won't be able to make head or tail of it, anyway. It's in code." Simon snatched it from him. Mac let out a shout " Go easy, mon! " he roared. " Finger- prints !" "Mac," said Simon reproachfully, " you've been reading too many detective stories." He put his fingers into the envelope in order to draw out the paper that was inside. Then his hand froze as he stared past Mac. Well, what's the matter with ye, mon?" Mac asked. "Aren't ye going to ?" Then he stopped and turned. A man was standing behind him, an automatic pistol in his hand. Ma.' hurriedly raised his hands above his head. " Gosh! " he muttered. The ma.i reached over and took the letter, and all the time his gun was pointed straight at Simon's chest, , "I'll take that?' he said. "And if either of you try to stop me when I leave, it is going to be just too bad." Then he backed av/ay out of the door. Mac and Simon looked at each other in amazement. It had all happened so suddenly that they had been taken com pletely unav.-ares Then Mac let out a yell. "Come on, Simon! After him!" They dashed out of the office and down a corridor, but they were unlucky. The crook had got clean awa'. They returned to the office discon- solately, to find that two men had arrived in their absence. One of them was a French detective, and the other was Inspector HoUv himself. "Hallo. Mac!" Holly said as they came in. Then he stared at Simon. "Well, il it isn't Drake!" "How's things?" Simon said, and hit the inspector lightly on the waistcoat. Every Tuesday " The shadow doesn't seem to get any les.s does it?" Holly glared at him. He wassensitive about the size of his stomach. He tiu-ned his back on Simon, and said: "Well, Mac, where's that clue vou promised to show me? ' Mac's shoulders drooped. "You're unlucky. Holly,' he answered "A fellow came in here with a gun not a minute ago, and took it from me." The French detective promptly grabbed the telephone, and got into touch with the Surete. He made Mac and Simon give him a full description of the man, and repeated it into the transmitter. When he had finished, Mac said to Inspector Holly: "Well, now that's over, supposing you tell Simon something about these forgers. He's just arrived, and he wants to know things," "What's the matter with him?" Hollv asked sourly. "Doesn't he read the papers?" Simon shook his head. " Not me.' lie said, " I'm a journalist. Is there anything you can give me. Holly?" "Well, as far as we can make out," Holly said, " there's a gang of English forgers with their headquarters here in Paris. Thev make banknotes—and mighty good ones "too." "Any idea who's behind Ihe gang?" Simon asked. " None whatever. Occasionally we make an arrest—but they're not of any real importance.■' Holly put his hand into his pocket and pulled out a wad of notes. "Here are some of their .efforts. Good, aren't they?" Simon took them and held one or two up to the light. "Phew!" he said. "They're almost perfect May I keep them?" "What for?" " Well. I've been put on the case by my newspaper. If I run across any more of them. I'll be able to match them up." Holly nodded. He knew that Simon was good at this sort of thing. He had alwa.vs said that Simon ought to have been a sleuth instead of a newspaper-man "All right." he answered. '"But be careful of them. If you tried to cash them by mistake, you might find yourself in bad trou'ole." "I'll take care of them," Simon assured him. Holly and the French detective left, and Simon followed shortly afterwards. He made his way back to his hotel to see what Pat was doing. Pat was not in when he entered his; suite, so he mixed himself a di'ink and sat down to think over all that had happened. It looked as though he had a tough job in front of him. Evidently the gang wai well-informed, otherwise no one would; have known about the letter that was in' Mac's safe. He was following this line of thought when Pat appeared. She carried a small parcel. "Hallo, darling!" she said, and put the parcel on the table. "I've just been shop- ping." Simon smiled indulgently. "Well, if that's all you've bought," h( said, "it won't break us." It was her turn to smile then, foi that moment a string of bell-boys came i: They carried boxes, parcels, and pad ages of all sizes and descriptions. "Great heavens!" Simon yelled, jump- ing up. "What is all this?" "My shopping," She held out her hand. " Give me some money, darling." Simon groaned and pulled out his wallet. Then he swore. "What's the matter?" Pat asked. "Inspector Holly gave me some of the counterfeit notes, and I've got them mixed up with my own," he replied. "I don't know which are which." "Surely you can tell from the water mark," said Pat. I