THE BLACK YACHT.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 422, 19 May 1904, Page 2

THE BLACK YACHT.

COPYRIGHT.

CHAPTBB lll—(Continued.) At tb • T6T7 door of the To war I wsa met S Sri Marshend, haggard and red-eyed. • literally darted forward to grip my jacket with both heads. She was a tall, fair woman, as a rale placid in the extreme, bat now changed by grief and rsge into a vary Menad. At the moment I eeali hardly blame her for accusing me ef this kidnapping. 'What hare you done with my child V she cried, shaking me in the vehemence of hj» feelings. 'Why hare yon waited down yonder to carry away my Lilian P' 'I knew nothing afeoafc it, Mrs Marchand. On my honour, I am completely in the dark. If anyone has taken away Lilian it is Fenwiek.' Ten wick V Bhe clutched at her throat an if to choke down her rising hysteria, and simply dragged me into the house. As we passed into the sitting-room I noticed carte faces peering round the comer. They were those of Lydia, Bax, and the maid of all woik. Evidently they were carious to hear our conversation. Bat Mrs Harohand closed and locked the door before she permitted me to sit down. When I was established in a comfortable armchair she faced me with a look of mingled anger and inquiry. 'What do yon mean by accusing——' ' One moment, Mrs Marchand,' I inter- ' rupted, quietly. 'As yet I know nothing, save that Lilian has disappeared. Tell me the particulars, and I will then say what I nave to say about Fenwick.' •Captain Fenwick again? Why not yon, may I ask ?' * Ask yourself/1 expostulated. • What had I to gain by carrying eff LilianP Nothing! Saa loved me, she wished to marry me; so why should I have robbed her of her fortuna by forcing her from this Tower. On the other hand, Feswiok—' * Yes, yes! I see what you mean,' she ■aid with a gasp; 'he inherits should Lillian fail to carry but the provisions of the will. But why!—but why! I wanted him to marry Lilian. He would have had the money in any case.* 'And why, pray, should you wish such a blackguard to marry Lilian when you knew that she was in love with me, and that we were engaged ?' * I disapproved of your engagement, as you knew,' replied Hrs marchand, wrinkling hex brow, 'and I wished her to marry Fenwick because—because—oh Y she cried, springing from her chair. 'I can't trust my brother:, he may have made a second will leaving' everything to the Captain, so I thought to make thiEga doubly rare. I don't—l can't—believe he would carry off Lilian like this.' *lt is significant that his yacht is no longer there!' ' I know, I know,' she said, with an impatient motion of her hand. ' But what of that. He intended to sail this morning ; he sail gcod-bje to as last night. Why should he come back like a thief and steal my Lilian ?" ' He wants the money.' * He could have had that, and Lilian too.' *So you say, but Fenwick knew better. He knew that Lilian would never be his wife while I lived. Therefore he carried her off, and he intends either to force her into marrying him or to keep her away from the Towers for b'x months, so ss to prevent her complying with the terms of the. will. In fact he raid to me last night.' ■Li st aight P Where did yoa see him P' 'He called upon me at the ' Bed Herring." * Ah!' she exclaimed,' yon were hiding there, I suppose—hiding to eteal my treasure!' •I w»s doing nothing of the kind. I did not eteal her.' 'Swear it!' The ooßversation was becoming almost as unreal aad theatrical as had been that of the previous night with Fenwick, bat in the tope of quieting Mrs Marchand I took formal oath of my innocence. She was scarcely herself at this moment I could see, else she would never have forced me into so ludicrous a positionBut, like most Englishmen, I hated a scene, so I humouied her. She seemed convinced then, bat only then, that I was innocent, for she smoothed her hair and arranged her dress aad sat down quietly to relate to me an account of the matter. This rapid trasition into the realm of sobriety waa remarkable and very welcome. ' Lilian sleeps in a room some little distance eff mine, she explained; 'it ia on tha ground floor, and has a window which overlooks the sloping sward. When we retired last sight I saw nothing unusual in Lilian's manner, except that she complained of a headache, so I feel coEfideiit that she did not leave of her own free wilL This mominr, about nine o'clock, I was awakened by L di», who c»:ne to me with the newt that Lilian had disappeared. I hastened to her at once. Sae was aot there. We searched the Tower and the groui is; we went -'own to the village, but all 10 no purpose. She had vanished —there w:.s no tt;v:e of her. At first it struck n>e tl »t she Lad eloped with yoa, but your presence here gives denial to that Now tell me, Mr Waicott, what do you make of it f * Before I answer, I should like to see bar room.' ffn*»n requested to ba shown to Lilian's room Mas Varchaad rose from ber seat, unlocked the door, aad led me to the chamber lately occupied by Lilian. Here I Sound Lydia and Bax The former was wesaaa. She seemed to me ?-.

By Fergus Hume, Antkor of « The Mystery of a Hansom Cab," " The Third Volume," " The Vanishing of Tern," « The Lone Inn," «For the Defence," &c., Ac.

all ribbons, giggles, and graces. I took an instant dislike to her. There waa an < evil light in her eye, which oaly too plainly revealed her character. B»x was old and bent and silent; he was dressed in rusty black, and hie wrinkled face was framed in luxuriant white hair, fine as ppun silk. Despite his crabbed looks his expression waa by no means repellaut, and although he habitually kept his eyes on the ground, I noticed that he took stock of my personal appearance by a swift glaace. He puzzled me somewhat. • Sush a misfortune, sir 1' wept Lydia Barber, her handkerchief to her face; ' I don't know what the Captain will Bay.' ' Never mind the captain, Lydia,' said Mrs Marchand sharply, 'we must get Lilian baok.'

' Oh, yes, yes, indeed we most,' gashed Lydia; 'it would be a thousand pities if she weie to lose her fortune.*

I heard a subdued chuckle as she spoke, and turned to see it was from Bax. Bat the old man's face was set like a mask, and with one hand carved behind his left ear, he was listening intently to the converaatiou. Thinking I was mistaken, I set myself to examine the room. ' Has anything been touched P' I asked of Lydia, ' Oh, no, sir. It is all as I found it at nine o'clock.'

The window was open, and I looked out for any trace of footmarks on the moist tarf. There was distinct evidence of them, and, moreover, I noticed two deep dents close together. These latter I pointed out to Mrs Marchand. ' A ladder/1 said, tapping the window; 'and see, the snick is broken. A steel instrument has been used to force it from the outside, These who carried iff Lilian knew what they were about.' 'Do you think, then, that there were more than one P' asked Mrs Marchand. 'I am certain of it Look at the trampled grass. Do doubt Fenwick brought some of hiß sailors to hold the ladder while he entered the room.'

' Lor, sir!' cried Lydia, with an indignant glance,' you don't think that the Captain *-—' ' Never mind what I think. I'll call you if you are required. With an angiy tosi of the head she marched oat, and Baz shuffled at her heels. I trusted neither of them, and more than suspected they were in the pay of Fenwick. Mrs Marchand seemed to share my suspicions, for she glanced significantly at me when we weie alone. Bat her first remark was in no way relevant to the departed pair. 'I cannot understand why Lilian did not scream/ she said; 'she is sach a light sleeper, the least sound wakes her.'

'Did she drink anything before she went to bed ?'

' Yes; some lemonade/ ' That would not make her sleep/1 muttered. ' Was there anything in the lemonade ?'

Mrs Marchand hesitated. 'I must speak plainly/ she eaid, after a pause. 'Lilian complained of a headache, and Ciptain Fenwick offered her a powder, which she refused to take. He then gave it to me and advised me to administer it should the headache continue. Lilian suffered so much that I determined to give her the powder, and knowing her aversion to medicine, I put it into the lemonade without saying anything about it to her.

' And/ said I, bitterly,' in doing so you have unconsciously played into Fenwick's hands. I need no further proof of his guilt, Mrs Marchand. Lilkn was drugged.' 'Drugged! Impossible! It was merely a phenaoetin powder/

'So Fenwick said to deceive you; but I believe it was an opUte, and so rendered her an easy prey to tho scoundrel.* ' Mr Walcott, do you really think he has carried eff the child ?' 'I am certain of it. His conversation with me; his need of money; his use of the drug. Yes, Mrs Mtrchani, lam convinced that Lilian is now on board the ' Negress/ bound for some unknown port.' •My child !—oh ! my poor child!' moaned Mrs Marchand; ' shall I never see you again. 'I think you will/ eaid I, with a calmneeß I was far from feeding, * but it will be as Mrs Fenwick. That ought to please you/ I added, bitterly; ' you approve of the match, I understand P' Mrs Marchand brushed the tears from her eyes and seised my hand in a fierce grip; the strength of the weman was extraordinary. ' I approve of ber marrying that wicked man V she cried. 'You do not know me. I would rather see Lilian dead than his wife, now that I know his true character. Find my Lilian and she shall be your w.fe.' * You promise that F' I My son/ she said, using the term with solemnity, ' restore her to me. and these bHUtJe -hall place her in your arms.' Want could I do but promise joyfully to wit that rich reward!

CHiPTER IV-ON THE TBACK. As the first step towards the desired end, I made exhaustive inquiry in the village. Garrett placed himself at my disposal, and together we searched far and wide for the missing girl, for although satisfied in my own mi;d that she had been kidnapped by Fenwick, T judged it wise to txplore the neighbourhood on the chance that I might be wrong in my presumption. Sympathising with the loss of Mrs Marchand, the fishermen assisted in the search, but to no purpose. Lilian was not to be found on land, bo there only

remained the deduction that she waa on board the' Negress.' On tbe second day of our loss my theory received unexpected confiimation from the owner of a smack which had lately returned from the fishing grounds. On the night of his departure—that on which Lilian had vanished—he had passed an open boat making for the yacht. Therein he had seen a veiled female who had been taken aboard by two men; two hours later the vessel had passed him heading down the Channel.

(To be continued.)

De Borem; ' Too are very kind, bat I’m afraid you are not sincere.' Mies Caustic: ‘Well, wouldn't yon rather I’d be kind than disagreeable P’

Mr Jones: ' That young SnodgraßS seems like one of the family.' His Only Daughter: • How so, papa V Mr Janes: ' Why, he looks; scared whan your mother's anywhere neai.'