The Riddle of the Mysterious LightHanshew, Thomas W.
General
The Riddle of the Mysterious Light
Hanshew, Thomas W.
Cleek, Hamilton (Fictitious character) -- Fiction; Detective and mystery stories
"It's my turn, I think," he continued. "I want to hunt--myself. From
Margot and her gang there seems to be no escape for Ailsa or myself. I
thought we should have rounded them up to-day. Instead," he added
ruefully, "they nearly got me----"
"The artful devils," muttered Mr. Narkom.
"I have a plan," interrupted Cleek. "Do not send for me for a few days,
no matter what happens. No matter what! Do you understand?"
And, as if carrying out a long-preconceived plan, he slipped from the
moving car and vanished in the crowd.
* * * * *
About a week later, about ten-thirty of a certain morning, the
well-known limousine drew up outside Scotland Yard and a certain great
detective could be seen seated within. Apparently his movements were
already known to his enemies, for hardly had Lennard stopped at the curb
than there whirred along the Embankment another car, its single occupant
a woman with white face and eyes blazing with set purpose. Nearer and
nearer it came till, obviously following a definite scheme, it drew up
parallel with the Yard car wherein was Cleek, waiting apparently to obey
the Yard's summons.
Before the few stray passersby had time to notice the presence of either
car, drivers, or occupants, the woman, no less than Margot herself, drew
her revolver, firing several shots in swift succession at the man in the
limousine. As the form fell forward, riddled with bullets, she gave a
shrill cry of triumph. Those near enough heard her exclaim in shrill,
piercing tones: "Margot got you at last, Cleek the Cracksman, Cleek the
Rat!"
Then as Mr. Narkom and a posse of police, startled by the sound of the
shots, rushed onto the scene, her car made an attempt to escape. But
this was impossible; men and police blocked its way, and in another
second a screaming, fighting, struggling figure was brought into the
building, while Mr. Narkom strove to dislodge the sobbing form of
Dollops from the body of his master. And when the gaping,
horror-stricken crowd saw Mr. Narkom take off his coat and lay it
reverently over the white-faced body, a wave of horror and grief surged
over the little crowd.
Cleek the Detective had been known and loved by the whole force, and the
tragedy was an overwhelming one.
Up to Mr. Narkom's room, the scene of so many triumphs, the little
funeral cortège went, while Mr. Narkom, putting his grief aside,
conveyed by telephone and telegraph to Press and people the news that
Hamilton Cleek, the best detective Europe had ever known, was no more.
Since the news came from Scotland Yard itself, there could be no doubt
of its authenticity, and Press and people did their utmost to show
respect to the man who had "made good," only to lose his life at the
hands of an assassin, and the papers blazed with threats and demands
for Margot's death.
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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