The Greatest Thrillers of Edgar Wallace. Edgar Wallace

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      The convict led the way to what was evidently the window through which the girl had looked with such longing. The bars had been removed; the window sash itself lifted from its rusty hinges; and in another second the three were standing on the grass, with the stars twinkling above them.

      ‘Mills,’ said Mr. Reeder, and his voice shook, ‘you came here to “bust” this house.’

      ‘That’s right,’ growled Mills. ‘I tell you it’s a cop. I’m not going to give you any trouble.’

      ‘Skip!’ hissed Mr. Reeder. ‘And skip quick! Now, young lady, we’ll go for a little walk.’

      A few seconds later a patrolling constable was smitten dumb by the apparition of a middle-aged man in shirt and trousers, and a lady who was inadequately attired in a silk petticoat.

      *

      ‘The Mexican company was Bracher & Bracher,’ explained Reeder to his chief. ‘There was no John Baston. His room was a passageway by which the Brachers could get from one room to the other. The clerk in the Mexican Syndicate’s office was, of course, blind; I spotted that the moment I saw him. There are any number of blind typists employed in the City of London. A blind clerk was necessary if the identity of de Silvo with the Brachers was to be kept a secret.

      ‘Bracher & Bracher had been going badly for years. It will probably be found that they have made away with clients’ money; and they hit upon this scheme of inducing foolish investors to put money into their syndicate on the promise of large dividends. Their victims were well chosen, and Joseph-who was the brains of the organisation-conducted the most rigorous investigation to make sure that these unfortunate people had no intimate friends. If they had any suspicion about an applicant, Brachers would write a letter deprecating the idea of an investment and suggesting that the too-shrewd dupe should find another and a safer method than the Mexican syndicate afforded.

      ‘After they had paid one or two years’ dividends the wretched investor was lured to the house at Dulwich and there scientifically killed. You will probably find an unofficial cemetery in their grounds. So far as I can make out, they have stolen over a hundred and twenty thousand pounds in the past two years by this method.’

      ‘It is incredible,’ said the Prosecutor, ‘incredible!’

      Mr. Reeder shrugged.

      ‘Is there anything more incredible than the Burke and Hare murders? There are Burkes and Hares in every branch of society and in every period of history.’

      ‘Why did they delay their execution of Miss Belman?’

      Mr. Reeder coughed.

      ‘They wanted to make a clean sweep, but did not wish to kill her until they had me in their hands. I rather suspect’-he coughed again-’that they thought I had an especial interest in the young lady.’

      ‘And have you?’ asked the Public Prosecutor.

      Mr. Reeder did not reply.

       The End

      The Daffodil Mystery or The Daffodil Murder (1920)

       Table of Contents

       I. An Offer Rejected

       II. The Hunter Declines His Quarry

       III. The Man Who Loved Lyne

       IV. Murder

       V. Found in Lyne’s Pocket

       VI. The Mother of Odette Rider

       VII. The Woman in the Case

       VIII. The Silencing of Sam Stay

       IX. Where the Flowers Came From

       X. The Woman at Ashford

       XI. “Thornton Lyne Is Dead”

       XII. The Hospital Book

       XIII. Two Shots in the Night

       XIV. The Search of Milburgh’s Cottage

       XV. The Owner of the Pistol

       XVI. The Heir

       XVII. The Missing Revolver

       XVIII. The Finger Prints

       XIX. Ling Chu Tells the Truth

       XX. Mr. Milburgh Sees It Through

       XXI. Covering the Trail

       XXII. The Heavy Wallet

       XXIII. The Night Visitor

       XXIV. The Confession of Odette Rider

       XXV. Milburgh’s Last Bluff

       XXVI. In Mrs. Rider’s Room

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