FOREWORD

Although I agree with those critics who condemn the building of imaginary towns in actual countries I must confess that there is no Middleton in the North Island of New Zealand, nor is “Middleton” a pseudonym for any actual city. The largest town in New Zealand is no bigger than, let us say, Southampton. If I had taken the Dacres Comedy Company to Auckland or Wellington, Messrs. Wade, Packer, and Cass, to say nothing of Dr. Rangi Te Pokiha, might have been mistaken for portraits or caricatures of actual persons. By building Middleton in the open country somewhere south of Ohakune, I avoid this possibility, and, with a clear conscience, can make the usual statement that:

All the characters in this story are purely imaginary and bear no relation to any actual person.

Cast of Characters (in the order of their appearance)

Roderick Alleyn Of the Criminal Investigation Department,
  Scotland Yard.

Of the Carolyn Dacres Comedy Company

Susan Max, Character Woman.

Hailey Hambledon, Leading Man.

Courtney Broadhead, Second Juvenile.

St. John Ackroyd, Comedian.

Carolyn Dacres, Leading Lady.

Alfred Meyer, Her Husband: Proprietor and Managing

Director of Incorporated Playhouses Ltd.

Valerie Gaynes, A Beginner.

George Mason, Meyer’s partner: Business Manager,

Incorporated Playhouses Ltd.

Ted Gascoigne, Stage Manager.

Francis Liversidge, First Juvenile.

Brandon Vernon, Character Man.

Of the Stage Staff

Fred, Head Mechanist.

Bert, Stage-hand.

Bob Parsons, A dresser.

Gordon Palmer, A bear-cub.

Geoffrey Weston, His leader.

Dr. Rangi Te Pokiha, A Maori physician.

Of the New Zealand Police Force

Detective-Inspector Wade

Detective-Sergeant Packer

Detective-Sergeant Cass

Superintendent Nixon

Singleton, Stage doorkeeper at the Royal.

CHAPTER ONE

Prologue in a Train

THE CLOP AND roar of the train was an uneasy element somewhere at the back of the tall man’s dreams. It would die away—die away and fantastic hurrying faces come up to claim his attention. He would think “I am sure I am asleep. This is certainly a dream.” Then came a jolt as they roared, with a sudden increase of racket, over a bridge and through a cutting. The fantastic faces disappeared. He was cold and stiff. For the hundredth time he opened his eyes to see the dim carriage-lamps and the rows of faces with their murky high-lights and cadaverous shadows.

“Strange company I’ve got into,” he thought.