THE MYSTERY OF A MARBLE MAN.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 367, 7 June 1911, Page 7

THE MYSTERY OF A MARBLE MAN.

By the Author of " The Castl# Mystery," etc., etc..

SOLVING THE SECRETS OF A SHEFFIELD CRIME. Being a Strange Chronicle froffl the Note-book of John Lyon, Elucidator, Known as the " Lion of the Law."

• i "- 'V PART *l. v , • CHAPTER VI. THE DREAMS OF AVARICE. The mystery was deepening as he endeavoured to probe it. The casket held a marble statue —the nude figure of a man. It was' a classical subject life-size, representing Eurvbiades the Spartan, and was exquisitely sculptured. Upon the forehead a series ol defacing marks caught the elucidator's eye. They were imprinted in Indian ink, apparently inscribed by hand. As he bent forward lie "saw that the words were in Hindustani dialect, and that they represented the familiar phrase : "He holds him with his skinny hand. 'There was a ship,' quoth he !" Lyon drew a deep breath as he dropped the lid and stepped backi.

" Great Julius Caesar !" he exclaimed, emphatically. " I think it is about time I retired and grew artichokes for a living. I can't make head or tail of this !"

The detective was not given much time for reflection.

Momentarily forgetful of his position, he was kindling a cigarette when a section of the white washed wall glided away before his eyes, and three men appeared in view, bearing a third coffin-shaped box between them. By their general appearance he had no difficulty in deciding that they were the three whom he had seen in the road previously.

Before he had time to see more they had awakened to his presence and initiated an attack with vicious promptness. Lyon had no time to draw a weapon.

Ere he could do more than raise his fists the three men were upon him, swearing furiously as they hit at his legs and body. He was a good boxer, but had little opportunity to put his skill into effect in such close quarters. With one man clinging to his throat, a second hanging

at his knees, and the other making wild blows at his head, he was soon overcome. As he went down with a crash, the frowsy man came staggering down from above, and joined the conflict, which could end only in one way. Two minutes later the detective was bound hand and foot, and as helpless as the proverbial newborn baby.

"Serves you right for a silly old meddler," the frowsy man snarled, feeling his damaged jaw delicately, as he rose from Lyon's prostrate form. " I'd soak you one or two if you wasn't so helpless."

" Silence !" one of the others sibilated in a whisper, not too low to reach the detective's ears. ' How came this fellow here, Jakes ? It's the Lion of the Law."

"I did my best with him," Jakes grumbled. "He sloshed me one on the jaw, curse him, and then broke into the cellar on 'is own 'ook. Is he wise to the game ?"

" I think not. He saw Marie when she signalled, and has been prying about ever since. He will pay the penaltj for his accursed curiosity. We will carry him over to No. 23, and leave him in the fire." Jakes shuddered.

"I don't like it, mate, but it 'ud be too risky to let him live. When do we fire the place ?"

" Within half an hour. The marble man is ours, and wc must be out of the country to-morrow." The four men vanished into the secret tunnel without deigning to cast another glance at the prostrate detective, who was left prone and motionless on the floor. He remained in deep thought for■ some time, well aware thrtt the situation was desperate. It would require all his wits and coolness to meet it." " Help !"

A faint, muffled cry interrupted his hurried reflections, and stifled as it was, he recognised the voice as that of Mary Temple. Her tones were particularly low and sweet, and would be unmistakable in any circumstances.

By a supreme effort he managed to roll over upon his back. The conspirators had not troubled to gag him, and he answered in a hushed but penetrating whisper. " Who are you ?"

For an instant only, the hiss of his own whisper answered the question.

Then the girl's voice sounded again clear and confident. " I am here, in this chest. Who are you ?" " I am John Lyon. You threatened to shoot me a little time ago," " I am sorry," the muffled voice responded with a quiver. "I took you for sometyody else. Let me out." " Wait a minute."

The girl's precarious position had set Lyon's brain to work with redoubled energy, and he thought he saw a way out of bondage, if only he was left time to carry it into operation.

Rolling over and over, he succeeded in reaching a corner where the gaspipe was secured to the wall by a series of iron clamps. By a series of muscular efforts he worked himself into a sitting position and proceeded to chafe the rope which hound his wrists against the edge of one of the clamps. The metal was sharp, if rusty, and in less than five minute 9 his hands were free. Instantly he drew his penknife from his pocket, and with a few slashes freed himself entirely,

There was no time to be lost. Springing up he hastened over to the box which imprisoned the brave girl, and with a few powerful kicks removed the lid. Then the knife came into use again ; the scoundrels had bound her securely before placing her in the living coffin, and a gag which still obscured the greater portion of her face told that they had tried to silence her also.

However, she kept her pluck to the end.

She smiled prettily as Lyon helped her. up, and showed no sign of fear as he laid a finger to his lips in token of caution.

" I have not won the fight yet," he said in an undertone. " Perhaps you can help me. What have you to do with these men who —" " They are my enemies—mine and Jim's," she interrupted hurriedly. " And who may Jim be ?"

A rich wave of colour dyed her piquant face. In spite of himself Lyon noticed that she was freckled bewitchingly ; if the old poetic explanation of " sun-kisses " held good he felt that he could scarcely blame the sun, that orb being of the masculine order. He rather envied the unknown " Jim " at that moment.

"Jim Austin is my lover," she explained hurriedly, a smile in her berry-brown eyes. " The secret of the marble man was left to him and to him alone."

" You are rather young to talk of lovers," the detective observed inconsequently. " I do not think so," she said with a characteristic shrug of her shoulders. "People think that one is not capable of passion at eighteen, but I think they are foolish. Old people can be as cynical as they please,but I believe if we all married our first loves if would be a happier world."

" You are quite a philosopher. But I fear we are straying from the point. Interesting as it maj be to a lass of eighteen, this is scarcely the time and place to give a dissertation on love."

She shrugged her shoulders again. " Love is interesting at any time and place to a lass of eighteen," she rejoined. " But you want to know why we are all chasing this marble man ?"

"I never wanted to know anything so much in my life," the detective made answer. He had closed the secret door, and was keeping watch at the foot of the stairs, every sense on the alert. "If you will tell your

story quickly and calmly, I may be able to lay hands on the guilty in this mystery." "It started in Spain. Jim was in the service of a rich Spaniard, who, when he died, left him a packet. On opening it Jim found a confession, with which we have nothing to do, and a plan revealing the hiding-place of a marble figure containing a priceless secret —no less than a document showing where the treasures of the Incas were to lie found. This plan was left unreservedly to Jim, who had for some time been a sort of bodjguard to the Spaniard, who was persecuted mercilessly by scoundrels who were aware of his secret.

" As you can guess, the marble figure was in a coffin-shaped box, and buried in a secret tunnel between this house and No. 21 opposite. When Jim arrived in England he took No. 21, and set to work to find the marble figure. " Five others were aware that the secret was in his possession. These were a Spaniard named Don Ramon, three Englishmen and a woman. Before a day had passed they all turned up in Sheffield and proceeded to act as spies. Four of them were leagued together, and the fifth—Don Ramon —had obtained the aid of two shady detectives from London. "It took Jim two or three days to dig up the floor of the tunnel and the precise spot where the figure was buried was not indicated. During that time Don Ramon had taken the house next door, whilst the other four villains managed to bribe the tenant of this house into letting them have the run of the premises. Perhaps I should mention that I am living with my mother at Attercliffe, very near here.

" At last Jim unearthed the statue or so I have guessed. The four men, however, managed to decoy him away to Rotherham to-night, with a false telegram saying I was dying. "Fortunately I called this evening and overheard a conversation between the four villains. They had found the marble figure in an unopened chest, and had also found four other boxes, precisely similar, which the old Spaniard had buried at intervals along the passage. " Their plan was a simple one. Whilst Jim w 7 as away they meant to substitute another figure, bought at a pawn-shop, for the real one, and make him think that the document was untrue while they fled with the figure.

" I determined to forestall them, and hid in the house while I waited for them to go. They were in the act of changing boxes when your entrance interrupted them. I took you for one of Don Ramon's detectives, and, as you know " she blushed again at Lyon's quizzical glance—- " refused to let you leave. I meant to keep you a prisoner until Jim returned. But the best-laid plans go awry, and I confess that mine was a very poor one. I think you can guess the rest."

" All but the pass-word, or whatever it may be," said the elucidator grimly. •" He holds him with his skinny hand —" May interrupted with a laugh.

"That was in the old Spaniard's document. He said those words were inscribed in a foreign language upon the head of the figure, and Jim and his friends agreed on it as a sort of signal." " And it fell into the hands of your enemies. I see."

Lyon rose briskly and inspected ttu chambers of his rftvolvefs with a keei eye ere turning to the stairs. " I will see yon locked into a par lour before the next act in thi; drama," he threw back over hii shoulder. " There is going to b» pistol play, and although I admii that your nerve is matchless, il would scarcely be a scene for £ lady." Much to his relief the high-spirited young lady made no objections to his plan, and he had aoon locked her ir a place of safety. With the assistance of the polic( and " Jim," who tHrned up in hof haste at the critical moment, all the conspirators were secured without e blow being struck, and ere the dawn had come they were safely lodged ir gaol. As Lyon had surmised, the man who declared himself to be Maj Temple's father was none other than the elder of the two detectives whe were assisting Don Ramon. His partner had been murdered by th< four rivals, and carried across tc No. 21, which building they had meant to involve in the holocaust ol flame for which preparations had been made in the house next door. But for the intrepid courage of May Temple their machinations woulc probably have rrxet w T ith success, for it was her presence that had so delated them that the Lion of the Law witnessed the passage of the box containing the murdered detective's body.

The conspirators, one and all, suffered in proportion to their misdeeds, two of their number expiating their crimes on the gallows. As for Jim Austin, when last heard of he was spending his honeymoon on board a yacht which had been fitted out tc recover the Incas' treasure. And his charming young wife, needless to say, had once borne the name of Maj Temple. THE END. > >