A Runge in to the Unknown

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 288, 25 February 1928, Page 19

A Runge in to the Unknown

" A V wL

Author ot - A Wild Wager,** •* Loved tor Herself* “The Erringtcn I’earls Mystery.” ** The Power of the Purse.” &c.. &c

• Charlies. D. Leslie

CHAPTER IX. —Continued. “No, sir, I have not” —answer and acceptance were equally prompt. “Is any lady staying with Mr. Berlyn?” “Mr. Berlyn is just behind you, sir.” “Answer him, Masters,” requested Arnold. But the liftman’s voice took a hostile note. A loyal liftman in a modern flat is the equivalent of a loyal retainer in the feudal ages. Masters liked Mr. Berlyn, who, moreover, tipped on a lavish scale, and he now saw that his part employer and the stranger were at feud. “Here you take your money back, I won’t have it,” Masters first proffered, then flung the coin theatrically upon the stone floor. “No, he ain’t got neither lady nor gentleman, staying with 'im haven’t Mr. Berlyn.” Lord Boulton turned away. Punctiliously he lifted his hat to Mr. Berlyn. “Till to-morrow, sir,” he said, and left, not without dignity. “I’m sorry, sir,” said Masters, “as I answered ’im. I wasn’t aware ’im and you was at variance, so to speak. But 3 told the truth. There hasn’t been no | young lady in a yellow opera cloak ’ere to-night.” Arnold laughed. ] “That’s all right. Masters, I know I the lady isn’t here.” Arrived in his flat he made direct to the telephone, sought and fouid Mrs. Tourmaline’s number, and presently got into communication with the house. “Is that Mrs. Tourmaline? Who’s that speaking? The butler? Have the ladies returned? Just in? Both Mrs. Tourmaline and Lady Boulton? Oh ” he broke over the conversation by hanging up the receiver, leaving the butler to speculate who he was, and why an unknown person desired to know if both the ladies were back. Infinitely relieved that Eva Wantage was safe and sound under Mrs. Tourmaline’s roof, Arnold lit a pipe and subsided into an easy chair. Late though it was, he sat an hour and more indulging in a sentimental reverie in which a pair of blue eyes and a pleading voice played a leading part. Tomorrow he would see Eva Wantage ! again; nothing in the world was of | more importance than that. Strange! | when he had so absolutely forgotten I the girl. Meanwhile an infuriated husband ; was walking home, or rather not so much infuriated as dazed and bewildered. Half way home Boulton stopped. He was even now by no means certain that his wife was not at Aramis Mansions; how could he, as a selfrespecting husband, go tamely home while close by Eva and the man who had helped her to escape from him were together, perhaps laughing at the way -hey had foiled him? But the cool night air dispelled the worst of his suspicions. Berlyn was lot his wife’s lover; at the bottom of his heart he knew Eva too well to believe it. But the mystery remained, and it was hard to have to wait till next day for Berlyn’s promised explanation. Bit-

was mistress-less and a perplexed and | disconsolate husband entered it using | his latch key. Francis went straight into the study, a room on the ground floor at the rear, the window overlooking the back garden. It was a comfortable, essentially masculine room, nevertheless it was full of memories of Eva. She sat in it a good deal, using it, in fact, more than her special sitting room upstairs. It was she who nearly always gave him the glass of whisky and soda he drank before going to bed. The tantalus and syphon stood on a side table as usual, but there was no Eva to pour it out. He picked up the decanter. The sight of the spirit reminded him he had already drunk more than enough that night. Those whiskies and sodas at Portland Place had something to do with Eva’s escape. Frowning at the recollection he drank a little plain soda and lit a cigarette. A tap came at the door. Baldwin, the aged family butler entered and the sight of him recalled a jest of Eva’s. In fifty years’ service of the Boulton family the butler s hair, what was left of it, had gone white; one of the innovations Francis had j intended a year eaiiier was retiring Baldwin on a pension. But Eva

opposed it, guessing it would grieve the old man to go. And to her husband she flatly declined to believe he had been all his life with the Boultons. She declared he had escaped from a travelling theatrical company playing ‘The Silver King’’ or a melodrama of similar type. Everything was a jest to Eva till — “What is it, Baldwin?” “I beg pardon, my lord. Her ladyship has paid us a visit this evening.” Francis controlled himself. "Do you mean she’s now in the house?” “No, my lord, she didn’t stop five minutes.” “When did she come?” “It had just gone half past eleven.” “When?” Baldwin repeated the words. Francis stared. From half past eleven till half past twelve Eva had been in Portland Place, as no one knew I better than himself. Baldwin was lying. Baldwin who had never lied to him in his life. CHAPTER X. —IN GROSVENOR PLACE. No, Baldwin had never lied to him in ; his life. But the man was lying now; his stupefaction over, Lord Boulton saw that clearly. Eva had called earlier. : and for some unaccountable reason had told Baldwin to say she came at lialfl past eleven. His anger grew against > the elusive wife who had corrupted the s aged and faithful Baldwin. He frowned. “You’re not speaking the truth,” he i said. i “Master Francis'” ejaculated the old 1 man reproachfully, unconsciously ? dropping into the address of twenty t years ago. 1 “You’re not! I know her ladyship is 2 in London, but she wasn’t here at halfpast eleven. She told you to tell me c that, but ” 1 “Master Francis —my lord, I mean—e may I be struck dead if I’m not telling •, you the truth. I’m too -old to start ; telling my master lies. Three generaI tions I’ve served ” ? “But, dash it all, Baldwin, I had her x I under observation myself from half-

past eleven till half-past twelve in a house in Portland Place.” “Her ladyship?” “My wife. I suppose you'll grant I’d know my wife if I saw her?” Baldwin stared at his master, and all the wrinkles stood out in his pale face. "It was her ladyship I let in at halfpast eleven,” he repeated doggedly. "Tut, tut, man!—you dreamed it all. Nobody else saw* her, I’ll be bound.” “Mrs. Parr saw her,” asseverated the butler. "I was alone in my pantry when I heard the front door. I’d let Hobbs have the evening off (Hobbs was the footman), so I answered it. I opened the door, and there stood her ladyship on the step. I was that surprised you might have knocked me down with a feather. Of course, I stood o’ one side, and she walked in. ‘Well, Baldwin,’ she says, ‘how are you?’ ‘l’m very well, your ladyship, I says, and I was going to say respectful, very glad to see her again, when she says, ‘ls your master in?’ ‘No your ladyship,’ I said; ‘he’s at the New {Sports; I can get him on the telephone.’ and she said quick, ‘No, don’t; you will, of' course, inform him of my visit, but I don’t wish to meet him to-night.’ And with that she walked past me and up the front stairs. Mrs. Parr was coming down and met her, and she calls out, ‘Your ladyship!’ being as surprised as I was to see her. I went back to the pantry, but I felt restless like, and stood in the doorway watching the hall. And five minutes later her ladyship comes downstairs again, walks straight to the front door, and lets herself out. And ” “Stop!” said Lord Boulton, and rang the bell. “Stay here, Baldwin.” A maidservant came and was bidden to tell Mrs. Parr to wait upon the master of the house. That good lady promptly obeyed, being, indeed, in expectation of such a summons, otherwise she would have retired, for it was long past her bedtime. “Mrs. Parr, please tell me exactly what you know regarding the alleged visit of my wife here to-night.” Mrs. Parr, the housekeeper, was, like Baldwin, an old family servant. But her service was a mere 25 years com-

pared with the butler’s 50. And. more- I over, it was not continuous. She had i left service to marry, returning a childless widow five years later. In appearance she was a stout, comfortable woman who looked her 50 years. She i opened wide eyes on her employer. “Alleged, my lord?” “I may as well tell you that I have good reason for knowing my wife did not come here at the time Baldwin states. So don’t start corroborating his story, for I don’t believe it!” “I beg pardon, my lord; I don’t understand. Her ladyship came at half-past eleven and went at twentyfive to twelve, as Mr. Baldwin and 1 | agreed, talking matters over after she > left.” “You’re both lying,” roared Lord Boulton, jumping up. but the housekeeper faced him aggressively. While she had no particular desire to retire, her savings, well invested by a nephew, made an independent woman of her. and she took such language from no man. “My lord, I beg to resign my post from this moment. Never have I been so insulted! Me called a liar! Your late father, my lord ” “Look here, listen to me”—her independence and anger had an undoubted effect on Lord Boulton. "From halfpast eleven to half-past twelve Lady Boulton was at Mrs. Bickson-Bickson’s in Portland Place. I saw her there with my own eyes.” “And I saw her ladyship with mine here at half-past eleven, and. moreover, I spoke to her. Bid you speak to her ladyship, my lord?” Francis made an impatient gesture “Tell me exactly what took place.” “But as your lordship has informed me in advance that I won't be bebelieved ” “Mrs. Parr, Mrs. Parr.” said Baldwin, “don’t you see his lordship is much upset? Tell him what occurred.” (To be continued)