THE RIDDLE OF THE FROZEN FLAME

By MARY E. and THOMAS W. HANSHEW

Author of "Cleek, the Man of Forty Faces," "Cleek of Scotland Yard," "Cleek's Government Cases," "The Riddle of the Night," "The Riddle of the Purple Emperor."

WITH FRONTISPIECE BY WALTER DE MARIS

A.L. BURT COMPANY
New York
Published by arrangement with Doubleday, Page & Company
COPYRIGHT, 1929, BY
DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I. The Law
CHAPTER II. The Frozen Flames
CHAPTER III. Sunshine and Shadow
CHAPTER IV. An Evil Genius
CHAPTER V. The Spectre at the Feast
CHAPTER VI. A Shot in the Dark
CHAPTER VII. The Watcher in the Shadow
CHAPTER VIII. The Victim
CHAPTER IX. The Second Victim
CHAPTER X. —And the Lady
CHAPTER XI. The Secret of the Flames
CHAPTER XII. "As a Thief in the Night—"
CHAPTER XIII. A Gruesome Discovery
CHAPTER XIV. The Spin of the Wheel
CHAPTER XV. A Startling Disclosure
CHAPTER XVI. Trapped!
CHAPTER XVII. In the Cell
CHAPTER XVIII. Possible Excitement
CHAPTER XIX. What Took Place at "The Pig and Whistle"
CHAPTER XX. At the Inquest
CHAPTER XXI. Questions—and Answers
CHAPTER XXII. A New Departure
CHAPTER XXIII. Prisoners
CHAPTER XXIV. In the Dark
CHAPTER XXV. The Web of Circumstance
CHAPTER XXVI. Justice—and Justification
CHAPTER XXVII. The Solving of the Riddle
CHAPTER XXVIII. "Toward Morning ..."

The Riddle of the Frozen Flame

CHAPTER I

THE LAW

Mr. Maverick Narkom, Superintendent of Scotland Yard, sat before the litter of papers upon his desk. His brow was puckered, his fat face red with anxiety, and there was about him the air of one who has reached the end of his tether.

He faced the man opposite, and fairly ground his teeth upon his lower lip.

"Dash it, Cleek!" he said for the thirty-third time, "I don't know what to make of it, I don't, indeed! The thing's at a deadlock. Hammond reports to me this morning that another bank in Hendon—a little one-horse affair—has been broken into. That makes the third this week, and as usual every piece of gold is gone. Not a bank note touched, not a bond even fingered. And the thief—or thieves—made as clean a get-away as you ever laid your eyes on! I tell you, man, it's enough to send an average person daft! The whole of Scotland Yard's been on the thing, and we haven't traced 'em yet! What do you make of it, old chap?"

"As pretty a kettle of fish as I ever came across," responded Cleek, with an enigmatic smile. "And I can't help having a sneaking admiration for the person who's engineering the whole thing. How he must laugh at the state of the old Yard, with never a clue to settle down upon, never a thread to pick up and unravel! All of which is unbusinesslike of me, I've no doubt. But, cheer up, man, I've a piece of news which ought to help matters on a bit. Just came from the War Office, you know."

Mr. Narkom mopped his forehead eagerly. The action was one which Cleek knew showed that every nerve was tense.

"Well, out with it, old chap! Anything to cast some light on the inexplicable thing. What did you learn at the War Office?"

"A good many things—after I had unravelled several hundred yards of red tape to get at 'em," said Cleek, still smiling. "Chief among them was this: Much English gold has been discovered in Belgium, Mr. Narkom, in connection with several big electrical firms engaged upon work out there. The