The Ringer — Edgar Wallace

The Assistant Commissioner of Police pressed a bell on his table, and, tothe messenger who entered the room a few seconds after: Ask InspectorWembury if he will be good enough to see me, he said.The Commissioner put away into a folder the document he had been reading.Alan Wembury's record both as a police officer and as a soldier wasmagnificent. He had won a commission in the war, risen to the rank ofMajor and had earned the Distinguished Service Order for his fine work inthe field. And now a new distinction had come to him.The door opened and a man strode in. He was above the average height. TheCommissioner looked up and saw a pair of good--humoured grey eyeslooking down at him from a lean, tanned face.Good morning, Wembury.Good morning, sir.Alan Wembury was on the sunny side of thirty, an athlete, a cricketer, aman who belonged to the out--of--doors. He had the easy poise and therefinement of speech which comes from long association with gentlemen.I have asked you to come and see me because I have some good news foryou, said the Commissioner.He had a real affection for this straight--backed subordinate of his. Inall his years of police service he had never felt quite as confident ofany man as he had of this soldierly detective.All news is good news to me, sir, laughed Alan.He was standing stiffly to attention now and the Commissioner motionedhim to a chair.You are promoted divisional inspector and you take over 'R' Division asfrom Monday week, said the chief, and in spite of his self--control,Alan was taken aback. A divisional inspectorship was one of the prizes ofthe C.I.D. Inevitably it must lead in a man of his years to a centralinspectorship; eventually inclusion in the Big Four, and one knows notwhat beyond that.This is very surprising, sir,' he said at last. I am terriblygrateful. I think there must be a lot of men entitled to this step beforeme--Colonel Walford shook his head.I'm glad for your sake, but I don't agree, he said. And then, briskly:We're making considerable changes at the Yard. Bliss is coming back fromAmerica; he has been attached to the Embassy at Washington--do you knowhim?Alan Wembury shook his head. He had heard of the redoubtable Bliss, butknew little more about him than that he was a capable police officer andwas cordially disliked by almost every man at the Yard.'R' Division will not be quite as exciting as it was a few years ago,said the Commissioner with a twinkle in his eye; and you at any rateshould be grateful.Was it an exciting division, sir? asked Alan, to whom Deptford was anew territory.Colonel Walford nodded. The laughter had gone out of his eyes; he wasvery grave indeed when he spoke again.I was thinking about The Ringer--I wonder what truth there is in thereport of his death? The Australian police are almost certain that theman taken out of Sydney Harbour was this extraordinary scoundrel.