CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

Inspector Beddoes was a sanguine and resolute officer. He did not consider the possibility of failure so much as the results of success, if he should become a prominent instrument in rooting out a gang on whose tracks he had been for the past two years, with no more result as yet than that Tony Welch was behind prison bars for a number of years to come.

If we contrast his conduct with the hesitations of Inspector Combridge, we must in justice observe that he had no more than a subordinate responsibility, that he had not the burden of two mistaken arrests on his record in this case already, and that he had more to gain and less to lose than his superior officer, whose brilliant record could more easily be sullied by conspicuous failure than brightened by one additional triumph.

Finding the aerodrome to be in a condition of activity unusual for the night hours, he had no scruple in surrounding it, and placing everyone he found on the premises under detention while he commenced his investigations.

He was told at once that Captain Morgan was in control, and he proceeded to question him.

“I understand that you are in charge here?”

“In Colonel Driver’s absence, yes.”

“You have had a young man here named Francis Hammerton?”

This was a random shot, which was lucky to find its mark, and Inspector Beddoes had additional cause for surprise when he received a frank and affirmative answer.

“Yes, if that be his real name. He came here under that of Vaughan, with a young woman named Garten, with whom he appeared to be on rather intimate terms. He wanted to hire a plane, which I was unwilling to let him have. I should say that Miss Garten is, more or less, an acquaintance of Colonel Driver. She’s been here before, and no doubt it was she who brought him.

“I learned that he was a convict with a bad record, and though he said he was out on bail, I had no confirmation even of that.

“I made excuse that we must have a large deposit before letting him have a machine out, and though he offered to pay it, it was by cheque, which I said we must have time to clear.

“I suppose they knew you were on their track. Anyway, they’ve stolen a plane, and bolted only a few minutes ago. I expect you saw them as you came, heading out to the sea.”

Inspector Beddoes listened to this explanation with a face which gave no sign of his thoughts. He said only: “I expect I shall have further instructions by morning. In the meantime, I am taking charge here. You can all get back to bed.”