THE GREAT LAROCHE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 253, 6 August 1937, Page 7

THE GREAT LAROCHE

SERIAL STORY

By SYDNEY HORLER.

:: Copyright ::

CHAPTER XVI. Jacquard hesitated for ju9t one fatal second. He did so because of the girl around whose body he had thrust a protecting arm. And, hesitating, he was lost; a terrific blow descended on his head from behind, and then a horde of men, rushing downstairs, threatened to engulf both him and Susan Renton. The latter had sense enough to draw the fainting Frenchman aside in the nick of time; that was why she., and Jacquard did not become personally involved in the wild melee which followed. If there had been an opportunity to escape she would have taken 'it—rushing outside to get aid which she could lead back into the place for the rescue of the man who had taken such a chance in endeavouring to help her —but the fairway was blocked with the bodies of fiercely-fighting men, and she would have been crushed to death if she had made the attempt. Still, she had to do something—she had an unconscious man on her hands now and the knowledge that whichever side won in this turbulent struggle her fate was destined to be unthinkable. The words she had heard the leader of the raiding party utter a 9 the Frenchman and she had reached the foot of the staircase, was convincing prdof that Laroche had organised this attack. If she fell into Laroche’s power . . . ! The revolver had been snatched from Jacquard’s hand whilst the Frenchman had started swaying backwards. With that gun she might have done something, but she was powerless as it was—powerless to do anything more than try to fight off with her bare fists the figure of sheer horror that now rolled up to her. This "was a coalblack negro possessing only one eye—the other, Susan decided, must have been sacrificed in some dreadful afffair of blood and slaughter in the past. This frightening apparation whose thick lips stretched into a wide, malicious grin, as he caught hold of both of her wrists, had evidently singled her out for his particular attention. “You come along with me, honey,” the creature chuckled; “the Boss—that’s Mr Laroche I’m speaking about, honey—the Boss he says to me.: ‘Kuhn, you big black devil, you go along with the boys to that Horst’s place and bring hack Missa Susan Renton—and you’se that young lady ain’t yerF” She could not speak; for the first tirqe since she had been a prisoner, terror engulfed her. She was like one paralysed. So great, indeed, was her sense of fear that she felt the ground slipping from beneath her feet; the next moment she had the sensation of falling into what appeared a pit that had no bottom.

• Laroche was jubilant. His thin face twisted itself into a mockery of a smile. “I’ve every reason to congratulate myself, I think,” he said. “Life—no doubt you have noticed the fact yourself, my dear Jacquard?—is very much like a game of cards. First you may be dealt a bad hand and the luck would appear to be all against you. But if you play long enough good fortune quickly comes. So it is, too, in this case; who would have imagined, for instance, that within a. comparatively few hours of you working that trick (and I frankly admit it was cleverly done) off on me I should be looking at you now—and thinking what special kind of end would bring with it the most pain, your cursed Frenchman. The speaker’s lips parted in a snarl, as he snapped out the last three words. Then he switched back to his former manner of lighthearted banter. To Jacquard, who was watching him intently, following every shade of expression in his enemy’s face, this mood was as dangerous as the openly vicious one. Laroche’s further remarks went to prove this. “I said just now that I considered I had every reason to congratulate myself. To begin with Paul Marve is a dying man. Consequently, whatever value, this invention may have had to this nation —an avowed and bittei 'enemy of the great country of Ron.stadt—now will be negatived. “That is an important point to be Considered because (and I see no reason why I should not admit it) there was tlie danger of my being criticised rather severely over the Marve affair. Major Oscar von Staltheim—you will recall the name of course, my dear Jacquard?—was highly incensed. However, now that Marve can be counted out ot 'the game, wo must concentrate on bther personalities—yourself amongst ''chem, 1 venture to suggest. “Your case interests me, Monsieur 'Jacquard—as it will interest certain other people at Pe, unlessl am wrong in my surmise. Crosber the Chief of the Secret Police, for instance—how interested he will bo to see you! And Kuhnreich, the Doctator of Ronstadt Imagine the questions lie will be burning to ask you! Especially when he recalls that you are a prominent member of tlie French Counter-espionage Corps! “And I must take particular care that you reach Po safely, my dear Jacquard; there must be no ‘accidents’ as unfortunately was the case with young Peter Renton, to whose aid you have twice come so chivalrously. Otherwise, my reputation will suffer. But, excuse me, I think I heard someone outside. /’.Ah!” as a guttural voice was heard uttering oaths. “It is our mutual friend, Major Oscar von Staltheim!” The next moment the Ronstadtian

Military Attache to the Court of St. James’s strode into the room. “This is an infernally awkward place to find,” ho exclaimed to Laroche. The latter motioned with liis hand towards Jacquard. “Allow me to introduce Monsieur Rene Jacquard of the French CounterEspionage Corps,” he said. “Major Oscar von Staltheim.” The visitor walked across to the Frenchman and spat in his face. “You swine, to make me look such a fool!” he roared. “As for the woman you employed if ever I see her again >) “Since we are talking about the ladies,” interrupted Laroche, “it will interest you, I feel sure, Major to learn that I have on the premises at this particular moment two worthy representatives of their sex in the persons of Susan Renton, sister of Peter Renton who has been so infernally interested in ,0111' affairs, and Elsie Norris, the niece of the inventor, Paul Marve.” “Good!” grunted the other, “it is time you repaired some of your mistakes, Laroche.” Behind the speaker’s broad back the criticised ex-priest made an expressive gesture indicative of contempt. To Jacquard it was the one bright spot in tlie .proceedings. (To be continued.) The characters in this story are entirely imaginary. No reference is intended to any living person or to any public or private company.