RIVEN ASUNDER. OR, BERYL GRAYSON'S ORDEAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8399, 13 April 1907, Page 2

RIVEN ASUNDER. OR, BERYL GRAYSON'S ORDEAL.

A HOMANC.E OF TUB SAN FHANCMCO JISASTEfi

CHAPTER XXXV.—Continued

"Who was it gave that scream? asked the captain. "Was it the woman you avo trying to liml?" "No-another one," answered jsjelt. "Berilyne was attempting to murder her, I believa; she. says he fled up the stair,3 when 1 broke down tliA door; but h<? ianotup there-no one is up inure."' . "Doss the woman know v.'..ietner vour wife is in this building? . "No. However, liwHyno bhere; We must run the treacherous scoundrel to "earth, "'We will <so what, we can,' of Course," was the reply, "but this is i one of the worst holes on this side of the bay. Many a time we have tracked a criminal here, and have had •him vanish under our very gaze. The first thing to do, if possible, is to get our hands on Marm Kinney, the old hag who runs it." With this object in view, they searched thoroughly the whole lower part of the house. There were evidences of occupancy below as well as above, yet not a soul was to be 3een. Every one in that ill-omened place had disappeared, even with a cordon of officers drawn about the outer ■walls. It looks a3 though -.ve have been fooled," muttered the captain. It is a pity the earthquake didn't tumble this old shack down about Marm Kinney's ears!" "Look, look thoroughly," cried Neil. "I am confident that that blackhearted scoundrel is around somewhere, and he must be arrested and brought to justice." The captain went one way, and Neil another, both continuing the search and recognizing the necessity of doing it thoroughly. The captain went to the rear part of the structure and Neil to the front. The latter was just entering the room where he had found Irma Lee when her voice floated down to him from upstairs. "Come here quick, Mr Preston!" He returned hurriedly to the second floor. Irma was in tha front room, where Beryl had be>:n confined. The room was in some confusion, 'and lrma stood in the centre, pointing to one of the walls. "Look!" she exclaimed. What Neil beheld was the corner of a gray shawl thrust, as it seemed, out of the solid plaster. Hastening forward, he caught the corner of the shawl and pulled at it. A panel yielded under the 'pressure, opening slightly and showing a black void beyond. "A secret door!" cried Neil. "But this shawl —is it Marm Kinney's?" "It was Beryl's," returned Irms. "Beryl's!" gasped Neil. "No, no!" he exclaimed. "She had no shawl of this kind!" "You are mistaken, Mr Preston. I Jhave seen her since you have, and, when we were last together, she had a shawl like that. She has been carried through that door by Berdyne. In his haste, Berdyne did not notice that the shawl caught in the closing panel and was lift behind." A furious cry escaped Neil. If Irma spoke the truth—and he had no reason ,to doubt her —Beryl had been a prisoner in that room, and Berdyne had fled with her. He hurriedly

opened the panel wide, and stood • • <'looking"down into the murky depths. As his eyes became somewhat familiar with the gloom, he could see a flight of Jnarrow stairs leading downward. Ah! here was one clue to the mysteries of that house of crime! As he was on the point of clashing down the steps, something dashed up out of the blackness, glittering in its flight. There followed a sharp impact, and Neil saw a knife quivering in the woodwork at his side. "Be careful!" warned Irma. "You are among those who are eager for your life, Mr Preston!" "I care not bow many dangers confront me!" he answered in ringing tones. "My darling wife is somewhere in those murky depths, and I will find her and rescue her!" A moment later and he was swallowed up in the blackness. Irma Lee followed him, the panel closing behind her and throwing the secret stairway entirely into the gloom. "Aye," she muttered to herself, "you are eager to find your wife, and I —l am equally desirous of once more meeting Berdyne!" CHAPTER XXXVI. IN THE OLD GARDEN. Neil stumbled down step after step into the fearful darkness. Not a ray of light pierced the gloom which, for all Neil knew, hid desperate foes lying in wait to destroy him. The closing of the panel at the head of the secret stairs rendered his position more secure, inasmuch as his form was not thrown out for a target against, a background of light. He heard a light footfall behind him, and imagined that Irma was following. "Go back!" he whispered, "You must pot endanger your life by coming here." She made no response, but he could hear her still descending. At last Neil reached the foot of the stairs and moved gropingly across a level place. liis hands encountered something, and he paused, his heart in his throat. His fingers had rested on warm, pulsing flesh; they entangled themselves in disordered tresses, fine and soft as silk; they encountered a chair, and rope, and a bandage knotted about the lower part of someone's face. Heedless of danger he struck a match with trembling fingers. "Tonita !"|Jhe gasped. 2 The light struck sparks fromjthe

By Jislia Edwards, Author of "The Little 11 idow," "Sadie, the Rosebud'•J J ye:thst oj /'II." "Stella Sterling," "Laura, Hrayton," etc.

great black eyes of the Mexicans; she tried to speak, but only incoherent sounds came from behind the bandage. "Who is it?" asked Irma, coming to his side. Ho had dropped the | match and was busy with t'n cbth j that covered Tonita's lips. "Oh, what vile treachery I:; here!'' ' groaned Neil, as he worked. "It is Tonita, my darling's truest fvier.d I" "senop Preston!" cried t^e itexicmnV i'n6nlont she could speak, "lose not an instant. Beryl is in j awful danger! Descend the next 1 flight of steps-follow Berdyne, who lis carrying her away! Oh, hurry! hurry! Do not stop to me." Neil did not pause to question, but, leaving Irma to undo the cords that bound" the girl to the chair, he groped his way forward to the top of a second flight, then stumbled down and down, his heart beating fiercely and his brain on fire with anxiety. Once more he reached a level space, with a black wall in front of him. To his right, his groping hands assured him that the way was open, j Ah! the secret stairs led to an underground passage, and this passage trended away from the house. Now he was beginning to understand how it was that Berdyr.e and Marm Kinney had vanished su mysteriously. On and on he stumbled until, I finallv, he saw a ray of light far in the distance. Here, at the end of the passage, he came to another stairway, leading- up. He heard voices, too, as of men in wary and in- , tensely earnest conversation. Slowly he crept up the aiaira, straining his ears to listen. "We must get to that launch now, without a moment's delay, and cross the bay to Sausalito. It is our only hope!'' "We can't take the gal! How in blazes are we goin' to get her through the town an' to the water-front? It ■ j isn't possible, noways!" I I The first was the voice of Berdyne: ■ the second, of Gorsline. Neil recog- { nizecl them instantly. Carefully he 1 ' lifted head and shoulders through the ■ j opening at the head of the stairway, and found that he was emerging from | the tunnel into a sort of crude pa- '. vilion, or summer-house. All about him was a dense tangle of trees and shrubbery. Plainly the pavilion was ' the centre of an old garden, long since abandoned.

Beyond the pavilion Neil saw the forms of Berdyne and his confederate ; and beyond them —ah, the sharp pang that shot to his heart!—was Hargreaves, clinging to the despairing form of Beryl. The valet held the poor girl in a grip of steel, preventing outcry by smothering the little mouth with one of his hands. The sight was more than Nei] could bear. With a cry of wild fury, he leaped into the summer house, and stood face to face with the astounded Berdyne. "Preston!" gasped Berdyne, falling back. "By the Eternal!" gritted Gorsline, "my chance has <ome!" The latter drew a revolver and quickly raised it. "Not that, not that!" warned Berdyne. "The noise will draw the officers. Finish the work, and be quick!" "Courage, my darling, courage!" cried Neil, as his helpless wife renewed her struggles and attempted to cry out. Ah, what a meeting for those two devoted lovers, after the many trials they had undergone! Poor Beryl, unable to move a hand for her dear one's defence, was compelled to lie where she was and witness the tragic scene which was quickly enacted. She could not turn her head, or close her eyes; a horrid fascination held her gaze upon the fearsome spectacle. She saw Neil turn, and, with a terrible blow, knock the revolver from Gorsline's hand. "I'll have your life, my buck!" exclaimed Gorsline, his face writhing with passion. "Trenwyck ain't here to keep me from doin' what I will with you!" "Scoundrel!" cried Neil. Then they met in a deadly embrane, as once before in that house in Sutter Street. Now, however, Gorsline had no knife. And love is stronger than hate. Neil was fighting - for his darling, and love endued him with the strength of a giant. The ruffian struggled with terrific fury, now and again giving utterance to fierce oaths. But he fought in vain. Neil overthrew him, bringing him down with a sickening impact upon the hard earth, and pinning him there with a grip of iron. ' (To be Continued).