WANTED—A DYING MAN.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 371, 21 June 1911, Page 7

WANTED—A DYING MAN.

Being a Strange Chronicle from the Note-book of John Lyon, Elucidator, Known as ths " Lion of the Law."

135 S. H. Agnew, Author of "The Castle Mystery," etc.

PART 4. He had noted the country minutely during his night ride to the mansion, and he knew it to he somewhere in the neighbourhood of Hazelgrovc". An exact direction was obtained from the first constable lie encountered, and before an hour was jut. he found himself drawing to a standstill before the big iron gates ;.[ the park. Leaving' the motor he climbed the ?atc, and crept off along the drive, munching at some chocolate that lie lad found in the car as he went. An ntense lassitude and weariness was creeping over every joint, but he steeled himself to endurance with iniomitable courage. He intended to run down Silver Nob ere he allowed limself the luxury of sleep. His heart leapt as he saw one of :he upstair windows illuminated, it be possible that the poison;r had found another tool, and was ilready prosecuting his infamous scheme ? The elucidator quickened ais step at the thought, and paused Deneath the shadow of the portico. Fortunately, the moon had passed Dehind a cloud, and the grounds ivere veiled in shadow. A momentary jxamination convinced him that he jould reach the window by means of •l passion-flower, with a main stem of tremendous girth, which covered the front of the house. To think was to act with the Lion of the Law. He mounted with the agility of a sailor, seized the window sill and drew himself up. The blinds were drawn, but they proved but a slight barrier to vision. He had a clear view of the room between the slats and what he saw sent the blood surging like molten fire through his veins.

The scene of the marriage was once more being enacted, and was this time in full progress. The cleric was reciting the service in a loud and mellow voice, and befpre him stood Ruby Foweraker and the dark-jowled man whom Lyon did not know. The same two witnesses were in the background and behind them the detective caught a glimpse of Silver Nob. his white hair glinting like glass in the lamplight. Lyon seldom gave way to passion, but for once he allowed vindictiveness to have vent. Lifting his revolver he toob aim and pullec the trigger tWice in quick succession The double report was followed bj a shrill scream of pain. Both bullets had made nasty wounds in th( clergyman's left arm, and he howlec like a stricken horse as he rolled or to the floor.

The effect on the other occupant? of the room was no less startling. The hypnotised girl wavered, anc fell in a dead faint against the table Her would-be husband fled for the door, where he jostled for a moment with the two servitors ere vanishing down the stairs. Only Silver Not stayed behind, and he glared at thf smoking hole in the window with a scornful smile and curling lips, nol deigning to notice the parson whc still writhed like some trodden worn: on the carpet. " Baultud again!" the poisonei exclaimed, shading his eyes to start into the darkness. "You are Lesage I suppose ? Better if I had made an end of you and left nothing to chance." Prompted more by humour than prudence, Lyon dashed the pistolbi*t against the glass, and thrust his head through the opening. Lifting the blind, he fived Silver Nob smilingly, resting his elbow upon the sill.

The poisoner's jaw dropped as he gazed. For a few moments he seemed unable to credit the evidence of his senses : then a terrified shriek rent the air and he hurled himself from the room so suddenly that the elucidator had no time to bring his weapon into play. "Caesar!" ho ejaculated. "3 don't want to lose the rascal bj my foolery. Ha ! there he goes !" The fugitive, descending the stairs at lightning speed, had dashed from the front door. Without casting much as a glance at the window he* raced away down the drive, and was speedily lost to view in the dense shadows cast by the overhanging trees. The Lion of the Law was after him in a flash. Dropping rather than climbing down the he sprinted in pursuit of the prisoner, who was running at an astonishing speed, fear lending him wings. He reached the gate far ahead of the detective, who emerged into the road to see his quarry, apparently carrying some large object on his back. Whatever it was the burden did not impede him in tlie least, for it was all Lyon could do to keep him in sight. Wellington Mill was in sight when Silver Nob made a last bid for escape. By some ill fortune an automobile had been left there, the owner having apparently deserted it for a minute. The engines were still throbbing and the poisoner was not slow to take advantage of his luck. He took a flying leap into the driver's seat, and the nest instant the car glided away with a couple of derisive snorts from the, hooter. Lyon let no time, slip in giving vent to his chagrin. Turning back he ran at racing speed for his own car, and was sooe spurting in pursuit. No man could on occasion drive more recklessly than the Lion of th< Law, but he had met his match it Silver Nob, who had by happy for tune chanced upon a more pqwerfu. vehicle than that driven by the de

tective. Tne rcarts were perfectly clear at that time in the morning, and the fugitive took advantage oi the conditions to the uttermost. At times his car was entirely clear oi the ground, and down straight stretches it fairly bounded over the road. Lyon, however, had searchlights ol triple power and he followed the track of the motor ahead unswervingly. Silver Nob was running towards Manchester, and they were soon gliding between long rows of gloomy houses. The elucidator found himself gaining rapidly as the road became more tricky. The car in front took time in manipulating the corners, whereas Lyon went round like a streak. As they entered the vicinity of Clayton he was not fifty yards in the rear and he raised the speed to the utmost limit, regardless of consequences. Silver Nob did not take up the challenge. Bringing his stolen conveyance to a halt, just outside the Clayton football ground, he lifted something from the back, waved his hand mockingly to his grim pursuer, and vanished over the fence which surrounded the enclosure. Amid a shower of sparks the detective forced the brakes home, and the motor shivered to a standstill with a shock that nearly broke every bone in his body. Tumbling out he ran for the fence, loosening his revolvers as he went. Dawn was already crimsoning in the east, and a wan light filled the muddy enclosure where Silver Nob had taken refuge. As the elucidator dropped from the fence he descried the poisoner half-way across the ground. Something was following him with long leaps, and Lyon uttered an exclamation of mingled surprise and horror as he perceived that it was a large ape of the gorilla species. His belief in Silver Nob's madness took concrete shape at that moment ; nc sane man would lug a huge ape with him on a cross-country flight for life But Lyon had reckoned without the poisoner's demoniac cunning. He came' to a halt in the centre of the field, and awaited the detective's advance with his hand stretched high above his head.

Cautiously the Lion of the La'w advanced to speaking distance. He had learned respect for his enemy's prowess, and he paused a good twenty yards away. " Yield !" he shouted, sternly " Move away from that , gorilla or 1 will put a bullet through you and it before you can say knife or anything else." The response was a mad shriek of laughter, and the poisoner spun or his heel, shouting as he did so. "At him, Zilla. Ha, ha, you fool! The ape is poisoned from claws tc skin before you can say knife, oj anything else." Lyon had np time to make reply even had he wished to do so. The gorilla had launched itself upon hire with two mighty bounds, its eyes glinting red in the dawnlight, its fangs bared and chattering horribly. Bang ! Crack ! A blinding flash oi livid light seared the air as the elucidator pulled trigger again an<s again, Three bullets went home in the great hairy carcase, but thej failed to check the progress of the ferocious brute. Lyon dodged as it rushed upon him and tripping over a clod went headlong to the ground. When he staggered up it was tc witness the last act of a tragedy. Half blind with fury and pain the baboon had hurled itself upon the track of Silver Nob.-. Ere he had tim« to realise his peril it was upon him with one gigantic bound and he went to earth like a pithed ox. A scream shattered the stillness as the ape fastened upon his throat. Then came a silence followed by horrible crunching as of a dog gnawing at a bone. Lyon went neairer, his pistol lifted and waiting to send another messenger of death into the brain of the great gorilla. He was too late. Even as he came within range the animal gave a grunt and dropped lifeless on the grass. The elucidator stepped over its twitching body, his eyes fastened on the face of the brute's master. Silver Nob's eyes were glazed and staring, and green foam flecked his backdrawn lips. Huddled and motionless he lay there in the dim glimmer of the dawn. He had succumbed to his own infernal art, the poison in which the gorilla had been steeped killing dim most instantaneously. The last of the Borgias was dead ! THE END.