The Scales of Justice.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8514, 20 August 1907, Page 2

The Scales of Justice.

CHAPTER XV.—Continued. "Of course I do! He was a most horrid boy! He used to break my dolls when he used to come down to Grange Court for the holidays. George, you don't mean to say— —" "Indeed 1 do, Sybil. The escaped convict is none other than old Gilbert, lie told me his story, and a very end one it is. And the rascal v-.i the* bottom of his misfortunes is the n)s:i who is head of this household. Sybil, Gilbert is in my bedroom. He niuc be got away before an hour is over to a place of safety. lam leaving- here after luncheon. Indeed, it has b:on put to me very pointedly by Beard that I could not remain. Directly lam gone, a servant will go to my room and the fateful discovery will be made. Can ycu see any way to avoid it?" Sybil puckered up her pretty forehead, and thought in silence for a minute or two. "There is old Anna, my nurse," sbe said. "Anna's cottage is secluded enough, and she would do anything for me. Besides, she would be pretty sure to remember Gilbert Doyle. Jf you could only manage to postpone your departure for an hour or two I might " "Yes, yes. But how to get him out of the house. That is what is puzzling me. lam prepared to do anything in the world to help Gilbert Doyle, but " George paused, suddenly conscious that Sybil was looking at him in a peculiar way. Her eyes were imploring hiiu to be silent. She was like one who whispers of eavesdroppers. With the instinct of danger strong upon him, George turned round. There, in the doorway, stood Bernard Beard, with a smile upon his large features. It was a noncommittal kind of smile, and told George nothing. He had not the least idea how much Beard had overheard. "Miss Drummond, I think," said the big man, advancing in his most engaging manner. "Very glad indeed to see you in my house. An apology is due to Sir Devereux and yourself. It was at my suggestion that Mrs Cameron did not return your calls years ago. There are reasons why we prefer a secluded life."

"We cannot interfere with the wishes of others," Sybil said coldly. There was? something about the man that drove her back upon herself. "We are very sorry, because my uncle knew Mrs Cameron in the old days, and had a high opinion and regard for her. I came to see my brother to-day." "Before he leaves for London? Quite right and proper of you. By ths way, did I not hear you discussing a curtain Gilbert Doyle?" George admitted the suggestion promptly. In the face of so direct a challenge it would have been foolish to do anything else. They had been discussing a certain Mr Gilbert Doyle; in fact, he had been an old friend of the speaker's. "Which is quite a remarkable coincidence," Beard laughed. "I also knew Gilbert Doyle. He was engaged to a girl in whom I took a great interest. It was not my place to interfere, but I had an idea that Doyle was not an idei.l husband for the young lady in question. I made inquiries, and investigations proved that I was correct. Gilbert Doyle was subsequently sentenced to a term of penal servitude. A short time ago he was removed from Portland to Greystone Prison, from whence he escaped last night." Beard was speaking slowly and deliberately, with his eyes fixed upon the faces of his guests. That there was some hidden meaning behind his words George had no doubt. If it was going to be a battle of wits, he was quite ready for the encounter. "You fill me with regret," he said. "So the dramatic pursuit of the convict last night was " "Was the hunting of Gilbert Doyle. It was more than strange that he shou'd find himself so near to the abode of the girl whose life he wrecked, and just as strange that he should be so close to an old friend like you. It struck me that there was the making of a strong dramatic story. The fugitive pressed by the officers of justice; he makes his way here, and finds you, his friend; you hide him; you procure food for him. Upon my word, that last was a happy hit of mine. You were in the diningroom looking for food last night?" "Let me admit the charge at once," George smiled. "Goon." He had forced a smile to his lips, but his feelings were anything but pleasant. He was quite sure now that Beard knew more than he cared to say. Sybil had turned away, and affected to be deeply interested in the bank of white flowers behind her. She had a feeling that it would be just as well to keep her tell-tale faci from Beard. "We will suggest that the hunted man is concealed in your bedroom," Beard went on, "We will— —" "Stop a moment," George interrupted. "At this point it is quite p >ssible t3 spoil the romance. We Will ask Mis:; Cameron—who has just cjme into the room, l£see. Let me you all that Dr. Beard has been s iyi:ig. A dramatic story, is it not? Bit the whole thing would be expl )ded by looking into my bedroom to make sure." "I had not thought of that," Beard sai 1 gravely. "Besides, that would b3 in very bad taste, even to the villain of the piece. If I were diplomatic I would affect to despise such inhospitable methods, and wait till my guests had departed." George gravely admitted that the point was correct. At the same time, he felt that Beard was sure of his ground, and playing with him as a cat plays with a mouse. He was telling George as plainly as possible What he intended to do after the

By FRISD M. WHITS, [Published By Special Aurangement.] [All Eights Reserved.]

latter had gone. George began to realise the full meaning of Beard's cleverness. "There is a more prosaic obstacle," Flora said. "Your door has a spring lock. if you have removed the latchkey, which is usually inside the door, we could not get in." George subdued his admiration. Flora was telling him that she had the latchkey, and that the door of the bedroom was fastened. It was cleverly managed. "I had to take precautions," George said. "Last night the door locked upon me, and I had to get in by the window, which was fortunately open, If I mislay the latchkey, you will have to get a blacksmith to open the door. But Dr. Beard has not even told me how he learnt the name of the escaped prisoner. I should like to know that." "I met the prison doctor just now, and lie told me all about it," Beard explained. "From that doctor I built up my little romance. What do you think of it, Flora?" But Flora said nothing. She had crossed the room to a writing-table, as if the whole thing held no kind of interest for her, and commenced to write a letter. At the sar.se time a footman came in with a message for her. A child desired to see Miss Cameron. "I expect it is little Jessie Marston," Flora said. "Say I will see her in a moment." CHAPTER XVI. TO THE' RESCUE. George crossed over to the French window and pushed it open. He felt that be would like to be alone for a little while and collect bis thoughts. As if to check them, Beard followed him. Directly he was gone, Flora rose and rang the bell. "Bring the little girl in here," she directed the footman. "Miss Drummond, I see that your brother has already confided in you as he said he would. You also see how pressing the danger is. Dr. Beard suspects everything, his subtle n ind has pieced it all together. In a day or two it would not matter so much, but Mr Doyle must remain free for some hours to ccme. We must find some way of getting him to a place of safety. If you cannot think of a way, I must try a little scheme of my own." "I could manage it after to-night," Sybil said thoughtfully. "There is an oid nurse of mine who would do anything for me. But she is old, and she has to be prepared. To-morrow ——" "To-morrow may be too late for my purpose. I believe that I hold the clue to the whole villainy in my hands. Still, the idea of your old nurse and her cottage may come in very useful. In the meantime, I am going to use the child. Jessie!" Jessie Marston came demurely into the room. She was sorry to trouble Miss Flora, but she had promised to lend her a copy of "The Wide, Wide World," which she was anxious to read. Her father had been talking to her about it. "I expect I have been too busy over other things," Flora smiled. "But you shall have my copy of the precious book, and I will go and fetch it for you from the library. And, after that, I want you to do something for me, Jessie." Jessie responded bravely that she would do anything in the world for Miss Flora. Flora's eyes were glowing now with the light of inspiraton. She vanished swiftly from the room and came back presently with the coveted volume in her hand. "I want you to take this home and come back again. But you are not to come to the house. It is a sort of game we are playing, but nobody is to know anything about it. You must come back and stay by the clump of trees opposite the lodg3 gates, where you can see the house. Then a man will come out with a letter in his hand, and you are to speak to him. Say you are Jessie, and he will come with you. Then I want you to take him and hide him in the woods so that only you can find him. Then you are to show the man your cottage, so that he can find his way to it after dark. There is nothing more I can think, of, Jessie except that you will stay in the house and not leave it again till tomorrow morning." Jessie was listening to all this with dilated eyes. She was quite sure there was nothing wrong in the little game, or Miss Flora would never have suggested it. Besides the child had the feeling that she was helping her benefactress in some way. "I'll do it," she said. "I'll do anything that, you ask me. Do we begin now?" "We begin at once, Jessie. Teho your book home and then return to the beech trees, from whence you can see the house. Now run along, little girl." (To be continued.)