Novel.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 406, 18 February 1904, Page 2

Novel.

CHAPTEE XlV.—(Continued) 'By all means, agreed the customer. 'So long as I see what raits me, I don't tare whare I sea it/ - Mr Binnie lad the way to the back of aha shop, showed the stranger into his room, followed nim, and closed the door. 'WeUP he said. ' Well P'the other returned. 'Are you surprised to see me?» * You coma too Often,* said the jeweller. ' What are yon doing over here again so SOOUP' •I wanted to hear how things were going on,' said the other j 'if there were any ward of any of the jewels being traced. The money, of course, is gone.' 'Ho, we're safe so far, and most of the things, of course wouldn't matter, If s that pearl.' •* The visitor nodded. *lf s lucky the emerald wasnt there. But still, if the people who've got the other aren't born fools, they'll keep it dark for some time to come.' 'Unless they think it safer—' began Mr)Binnie. •Saferf* broke in the other. 'lt couldn't possibly be safer to try and get rid of it; aadifsa fortune in itself and worth keeping any length of time.' * Perhaps,* said the jeweller, do nbtfolly. 'But if Philip should take it into his head to plead guilty—to confess——' 'Philip won't plead guilty. Never fear!' •I don't know. He's just the sort of fellow that— And the chaplain's at them* all the tuna, too, in prison.' 'He's a clever chaplain if he persuades a mait to put his neck into a halter. Why, guilty of the robbery means guilty of the 'murder or I den't know a British. jury, and'l never knew a man yet who confessed until the day before he was hanged. *l wish now I'd said nothing about Philip/ the jeweller said, getting up from his chair and pacing the room. ' It waa hardly a good move,* the other agreed. .' 'I wan hard driven,' jou see. The whole thing upset me; I didn't know how bast to get out of it; and I lost my head a little, I suppose.' 'The worst thing a man can lose,* observed the visitor, a trifle eententioualy. 'lf ■ all vary well to talk,' said the jeweller, with acme irritation, * but if it had been yon. if you had bees in my place, J don't know that you'd have found st tush an easy situation/ 'I warned you, you know/ the other said; • took the trouble to send you that note. I knew something of what Willow waa made of, and if you'd only done ae I said and kept away for a week you'd never have got into the situation at all' ' I wish I had now, I wish i had. But I waa haunted by the thought of the jewels; and I wondered it hadn't occurred to you thai they might have been stolen.' 'Thought I was a fool, in fact Bat I knew that if they were gone the only way was to say nothing about It I can be bold enough when there's any use in it »? you know. I believe in boldness, because ——* The man's voice changed, and he spoke half to himself—«because of my star/ * You're an odd mixture/ Mr Binniar said, locking at him curiously. «You believe in—* 'Neither God nor devil ss they are ordinarily understood/ the other broke in, 'and yet I believe in my lucky star. Quite tu?, I do, and I'm all right j I knew I'm all right, so long as I play bold encuzh. Only in this case boldness wbb no got d.' 'You're over bold again now. I think/ ■aid the jeweller, somewhat uneasily, 'in coming ever here again so eoon. By the way, are you known to be over V

'la the character of a respectable ~ householder, doyoameanP Not I, I'm net an re where I am just now, I only kao w I'm sot here. Teat's why I'm your customer this afternoon. And besides, the old tray of communication ia hardly safe at present, so there weald be no point ia patting: is an appearance.' 'Ho, no; better keep away for some tone to come. When yon do leave V 'Tomorrow night. Is there anything totake?' • Yea—Bos that is to say there would be by then, bat I can't give them to yon new.' It'HotnereF' eh* Kb, and I don't ice— Ton mustn't come here again,* „ 'Not as I am, perhaps but—— -' 'Ho, not anyhow. I couldn't bring people in here two days running. ' You're too cautious. But have it your •wn way—if you're got any other way at all, that's to say.' Mr Binnie reflected. 'lll tell yon what,' he said:. 'lll bring them to Ohartng Grose to-morrow evening, and meet yon there before the train starts.' 'All right Nine o'clcck it is. I'll be there ten nunntea before. 'AaP 'As Msysard, probably. I'll sw. I shall walk op and down the platform, and you'd better use the word in any case to make sore. Anything good f' The jeweller's e*ee grew brighter. ' TouTl see what you think. But there ate two that must be k pt is the dark for a white. They're recent—lces.si andtco well know* to be trifled with.

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COPTBIQHT.

•Whore were they P* Mr Binnie lowered his voice and gave his answer in a whisper; then, speaking somewhat louder, 'You'd b3tter be iff now. he said, 'You've been here long enough.' , ! Welt good-bye. You shall have, news later on? : . The two returned to the shop, and the old gentleman walked towards the door. .talking volubly. ' Yes,* he said • you shall hear from me later on, if I find I can come up to your price, Mr Binnie, but times are hardfames are very hard, jou know.' And Mr Binnie followed him, bowing deferentially,

CHAPTER XV.—THE SIGNAL WOBD. When Muriel had sent off her telegram, she returned to Vyner Street to see if her aunt were still inclined for the shopping expedition which she had arranged to make with her at four o'clock that afternoon ; but it was now after five, and Mrs Ellison, finding that Muriel had not returned, had set off by herself, Muriel was too restless, in spite of her fatigue, and too eager to relate her afternoon's experience, to stay alone in the house, and she resolved to set out once more and see if she could not find her aunt at the shop in Eegent Street which she knew to be her destination.

She took an omnibus as far as Bond Street, and there got out thinking she would have time to walk the rest of the way, and preferring the active movement to the slow jolting of the omnibus, which fretted her jarred nerves; and, besides, Bond Street had a morbid fascination for her. More than once she had stood outside Mr Binnie'e shop, looking in at the glittering window, and wondered whether it would be possible that the owner had no doubt about Philip's guilt, and whether it would be any good to go in and plead her lover's cause, and see if his uncle could do nothing to help hire. A foolish ides, she knew; for things had gone too far now for Mr Binnie'a good or ill will to make much difference; yet the jeweller's shop attracted her in spite of herself, and thought that she would soon come to it gave increased speed to her steps as she walked down the street. She had reached it now, and" she paused as she-had often paused before, and looked through the thick plate glass at the jewelled ornaments beyond, and asked herself once more if Mr Binnie'e evidence could by any possibility be at all different at the forthcoming trial from what it had been at his previous examination, and how far the evidence,, as she knew it, would be likely to affect Philip's fate. As she stood thinking and fearing, Bhe became aware that two men were standing at the shop door, and her acute sense of hearing made what they aaidf ally audible toner.

•To-morrow evening, then,' the one said, in a low voice. «Yee,' came the answer, • to-morrow evening, nine o'clock, Charing Cross.' Surely she knew the voice, full and penetrating in spite of its subdued tone. She looked up quickly, yet with intuitively cautious glance, feeling, before she could reason, that it were well not to seem aware of what her eyes or her ears revealed to her. Who was speaking P The momentary glance was puzzling yet suggestive. It showed her the elderly gentleman whom she had seen coming out of the public-house that afternoofi, and whom at die first glance she had taken for -—-. A thought flashed into her mind. Could it beP Had the man she had waited for so long passed her bv Boon after her watching had begun P And why was he hereP What did it mf ""ll 5 man weie the man she sought, the thief she supposed him to be, why was he here on terms of familiarity and confidence with the man ho had robbed? Her mind Bhrank back confused and giddy from the problem, and as she turned and walked slowly down the street thoughts; the first was but an aspiration, an intense desire that Inspector Willow were back in London; the second repeated SSJ?^^™**" 08 Bhß hßd w lately overheard: To-morrow evening, nine c clock. Charing Cross.. And this last S™ 8 «*J"£°? FlOf lO had ***** le »cted Vyner Street, had crystalled into a resolve. «I wdl go,» she said to herself. few *i & WM , a Botae what hard cue for Muriel, being a day of struggling purpose Mrs Ellison when she had heard all that her niece had to tell, tried hard to dissuade her from carrying ont her plan '^ hat « jan y° u do if you do go to Charing Cross?' she B aid. 'You know the sppeataace of the man you suspect, and you know the dieguue he assumes if, indeed, the old gentleman and the younger man are indeed the same person—and with your mind running on the one subject as it is just now, I must say I think your fancy might be apt to mislead you. What more is to be gained ? You cannot arrest the man yourself, or give him in charge on mere suspicions, which are your only evidence at present.' 'I may learn whether he has any further disguises,' answered Muriel, and I can find out at least where he is going. Nobody knows what eke I may discover. And in any case,' she endedup with an air of decision, which did not lose in strength from the half-imploring tone of her voice, 'I have made up my mind to go, ' Don't, Aunt Annie, try to persuade

me not to! I should never toigiTa myself if I let even the very smallest chance goby.' ; , BLb Ellison gave up the contest She was a sensible woman, witha considerable amount of ttot and perception, and wu wise enough to abandon argument and opposition whoa she saw that both would be useless. She made only one stipulation, sad one which Muriel, after a moment's hesitation, was not aorry to agree to; that she should acoompany the girl to' the station. " At half-past seven o'clocx they' set out for Charing Cross. Muriel was feverishly anxious to be in time, and Mrs Ellison, having agreed to the main part of the plan, was in no mood to quarrel with the details. As it happened, they were not much before their time,, as they walked "most of the way, and-ifc was half-fast eight when they reached the station. Muriel looked anxiously about her. There was no sign of the elderly gentleman she had seen in Bond -.Street, nor of in > younger man she knew, and no sign ofMrßlnnlefi* - °

«We will walk up and down in front of the ticket office/ she said; 'and, yes, Aunt Annie, yon can buy an evening newspaper. The bookstall ia an excellent place to watch from, , - Bon't choose one tod quickly, and I will look about while you are buying it' > ~ W ? ■ Mra Ellison did as she was bidden, and occupied heisalf ia reading as many of the headings in the various papers spread out on the stall as she could without unfOichfegTShem before deciding which one she would bay. ' Escent jewel robbery. Efforts of the police. Description of the article* Her eyes were on the words when she. felt a slight pressure on the arm, and Muriel's voice spoke low and hurriedly, •Qaick. Bny something at once and cornel'

Mrs Ellison made a dive into her pocket, put down a penny, and seized a ' St. James's Gazette'; and then Muriel, putting her hand within her aunf s arm, led her along the platform. € Where V Mrs Ellison began, but Muriel out her short. . 'Don't say—don't ass anything,' she whispered. 'Speak as if were travellers, about the train—the weather—anything.' Mrs Ellison could not see the girl's face for the thick veil which covered it, but she felt that the hand upon her arm was trembling.' ' T

'Yes,*said Muriel, speaking somewhat more loudly, but with a strain in her voice which made it unlike her own,' I've got the bag and the tickets. Ido hope it will be a fine night.' Mrs; Ellison noticed then for the first time that the girl really carried a smallbag, and that a shawl hung over her arm. - ' Bid you bring them on purpose P'she ventured to ask in a whisper.. ' I thought it better/ Muriel answered; ' but don't, don't seem as if you had anything particular .to say. Stay,' she added, in a louder key, 'sit down here and rest, and you will take the shawl P' She deposited her aunt on a bench outside the ticket office as she spoke, and, turning away, walked oil down the platform.

A small man in an overcoat was strolling up and down in front of a train, already half-filled with people. He wore a thick muffler round his throat, and carried inhis hand what looked like a plaid rolled into a bundle and secured by straps. Muriel knew him for Mr Binnie, although the hat, pressed down over his brow, and the muffler drawn well up abont his chin concealed a considerable portion of his face. He strolled up and down, glancing carefully into the carriages as he passed, and Muriel's glance followed his. It might be that the man she watched for had already arrived, was already seated in the train. She stopped as she passed a porter. 'ls this the—what train is this ?' she asked, * The down train, Mies, for Pariß.'. 'The nine o'clock?' . ' Yes, Mies. Do you want a seat P Any luggage?' * No, if s all right, thank you. I—l'm. expecting to meat somebody/ stammered Muriel, and she passed on, her eyes searching the crowd, which was now streaming along the platform She; soon found the muffled figure in the overcoat: he was still alone and still looking carelessly into the carriages as he passed. The time was getting en sow. Only ten minutes till the train started. Amidst the greater number of people, Muriel felt that she would not be likely to be noticed, and -she drew near to the jeweller and walked close behind him, while her eyes sougnt out the taller figures amongst the advancing passengers.

Was this the man she looked for coming nowP No, hardly; and Mr Binnie, who was also evidently keenly on the watcb, passed him without a sign. This looked more like him now; the one with the tweed travelling cap aad the somewhat jaunty air; but his hair was fair abd curling, and he wore whiekeis and no beard. He came on down the platform, looking apparently neither to the right nor to the left, but as he approached the jeweller, he Blackened his pace, and Muriel could see rather than hear that he said something, a single word it seemed, as he passed. The man with the muffler made no sign that he beard, but after walking on a few paoes, he turned and followed the other. Muriel turned too and walked after him, and as he came alongside of the man in the tweed cap, she heard that he spoke; joat oneworcL as the other had done; a curious word,'that she-could not catch. But the man he addressed answered at once by repeating it, and this time she heard it plainly. The word was ' Fralaya.' Then, immediately, Mr Binnie spoke in a nttaral voice. 'Ah,' he said,' I have been looking for you. Hera is your wrap. NoS such a cold night after all.' 'No,' returned the other, ' and going to be calm, I think.' > He took the bundle as he Spoke. What was in itP If she could only know! Muriel thought. It seemed to her that everything connected with this mysterious man must be connected with the murder, and that this parcel might contain a clue which might bring the guilt nome to the guilty. That it was important she could not doubt, or why .had Mr Binnie himself brought it to the station F And why the precautions to avoid aay mistake in deliverisg.it? r (To te continued.) ;