"THE WEB."

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8865, 28 October 1907, Page 2

"THE WEB."

CHAPTER XV.—Continued. "Never mind the danger tome/' said Jack impetuously. "Afcajl costs, at any cost, we must discover the man who killed ity father; till that is do:ie, life will have little ch<um for me. She believes lam innocent, but 1 could not ask her to wed a social outcast. 1 What nonsense am I talking 1 , Medhurst? he added, blushing deeply. Medhurst smiled quietly, and deftly turned the subject. Be explained in detail to Jack the scene he had witnessed from the window in Hampstead Road. Strangways listened with the intense interest of a youth who loves excitement to his artistic description of the changing fortunes of the fight, and complimented him heartily on the ruse he had adopted to help out the under dog. "But what was the fight all about?" he asked. "That's the best part of it; they weye quarrelling over a girl, and when there's a woman in these things, the business always looks mors hopeful. So long as men work together, it is _ very difficult to trap them if they know the business. So soon as we get women mixed up with crime, then we get our chance. One of the women is .pretty sure to turn soft-hearted at a critical moment, or, if by good luck one of them has a pretty face, some of the men are sure to begin quarrelling over her, and when thieves fall out you know the jest." *'vone of the women is sure to turn soft-hearted at a critical moment." Jack repeated these words mechanically. Why did they remind him of recent events? At the critical moment a wemin warned him on the moor. GpoJ heavens, could there be Ho walked hurriedly to the window and paced up and down the room for several minutes without speaking. His servant watched him .closely out of the corners of his eyes, j .and said nothing until his master spoke to him. "Do you know anything of these women?" ne asked at length. " I have seen one of them at least, I imagine she is one of them. -She went into the house I have been . watching late this afternoon, and I've a pretty shrewd idea the fight w.is about her." j "Can you describe her?" Medhurst smiled indulgently. The idea of a detective having any doubt about being able to describe a person whom he had had occasion to watch was a new one to him. "She was just the very sort of a woman I should like to have on my side in a hunt like this. A smart, neat, bright-looking girl, well dressed, but not overdressed, simple enough to gain anybody's confidence, but with a business-like look that shows she has her head screwed on the right way." "And her clothes, describe them, what was she wearing?" Jack was becoming agitated, the disquieting suspicion was growing stronger and stronger within him. "Neat, well-fitting travelling costume, matie in America, I should say," and he went on to add further details of her appearance, conjuring up in Strangways' mind a complete picture of the visitor to the house in the Hampatead'Road. "The very same. What mysterious chance brought us together in that way? Do you know, Medhurst, the girl you describe answers exactly to a lady I have been entertaining at -The Gappe,' who was in the railway accident, and who was introduced to me by Mr Theodore Beeton, the American millionaire, and a personal friend of the Duchess of Knaresboro'."

"Yes, they generally do like to have millionaire sand cluches»es for their friends," said Medhurst drily. "I suppose .«he was making up to the millionaire, and if you will pardon the observation, i dare say she made herselt very agreeable to you. This —begging your pardon, sir, but this is a serious matter and we must talk plainly—this isn't .the lady you were talking to yourself about just now, I hope?" , "No, no, of cojrrse not," replied Strangways with some confusion. "Miss ReiitouJ certainly .took a kindly interest in my troubles, .and she warned me of coming danger. By the by, Medhurst, I ough 4 : to have told j'9U before, only wc seem to have so much to tell each other, that we don't know which to say first.: I was shot at by one of my own servants, or rathei a man who hc,s only just laft my service, on the moor, and but for the timely intervention of Miss Rentoul, I might have nut been here to talk atuut it." "Oh, she's turned soft-hearted." "No, Medhurst, I don't believe it of her; I think you are wrong, I really c'o. There is some mystery about the girl, but I don't think she is as bad as that; besides, Theodore Beeton is a straight fellow, although he is ia bit cracked now and then. He has a strong dash of the blood of the Old Pilg. Im Fathers in him, and I don't belies he would take up with a girl unless he bought she was perfectly straight. Don't judge too hastily from what may be <i ineje coincidence." "I'm not judging at all, sir; 1 haven't made up my mind. I should like to see more of the girl before expressing an upinion, but it is befit to keep every "possibility in -view. Innocent or guilty, there can be no doubt she is mixed up with one of the hottest gangs in two continents. She may be the sweetheart of an American millionaire, and the friend of a duchess, but, if it is the same girl as I am thinking of, she walked this afternoon into one of the warmest little corners of fraud and crime in London, and that's saying a good deal." "Atl I'm going there, too, said

PAUL URQUHART.

[Published sßy* Special Arrangement.] [All Eights Reserved.]

Jack, springing up with a sudden inspiration. He could not explain why, but some intuitive force within him told him he had a duty to this girl. It was not that she had enjoyed his hospitiality, or that she had shown a sympathetic interest in his troubles She had left the ' Gappe in a most unceremonious manner, calculated to bring scandal on his not too reputable name, yet something he could not define ur£ed him on to prove her innocence, even for the sake of allaying his own suspicions. "We must see her; we'll go at once," he said. "We have no warrant," replied Medhurst with official caution. "Warrant be hanged; I'll indemnify you against all risk of that sort. Warrant or no warrant, I'm going to linci my way into that house tonight. I'm going to see if this is the girl who is supposed to be on her way to America via Southampton." Unable to restrain his employer's eagerness for this new adventure, Medhurst rapidly made arrangements for getting to Hampstead Road as quietly and quickly as possible. Leaving Strangways in the room, he went out for this purpose, murmuring to himself as he went — "I'm not so sure this isn't the one he was muttering about, although he won't confess it. It's my belief hooked him sure, although he doesn't know it yet himself. If that's so, ihere'll be a fine mix-up before we've done."

CHAPTER XVI. . It was getting dark when Medhurst and Strangways reached Hampsteacl Road. People passing and repassing, with that casual lack of interest characteristic of the Londoner, took no notice of their efforts to open the garden gate. "That's one good thing" said Medhurst, as he tried the lock. They haven't come back yet. They locked the gate after them when they went out." "They,may have locked it again when they went in," replied Jack, priding himself oil having tripped up a professional man. Medhurst laughed softly and pointed to a tiny piece of matchwood inserted just above the lock. "This gate has not been opened since I stuck that in, or it wouH have tumbled down." he said. "I think we may pretty safely venture in without reinforcements, only come this way, it will be better than disturbing the gentleman's garden path. You don't mind climbing over a wall, and stumbling through weeds and dirt, I hope." Without waiting for an answer, he set off round the back paths and side roads until the two men stood under the brick wall at the batik of the house. There was no door in it; it was one of those houses where the kitchen door was reached from the front, and the'back wall was built up plumb to other property. It happened to be a rough I space cleared by a speculative | ground landlord who was holding it I waste till the price went up, and they were tolerably safe from interruption, although they were virtually trespassing. In a very few minutes they wei*e at the back of the house, and clambered over the scullery roof. "I have reckoned up this particular window," explained Medhurst, '"and when you insisted oncoming ! here I got just the sort of instrument that world slip this catch. Let me lift you 'through and then you can give me a hand. Wait a minute --down thern quick!" . As he said this the ex-detective got his master by the shoulders and forced him down flat on the roof, lying close beside him, and hastily pulling the old piece of carpet over them both. Jack wondered what on earth the man was at. A second or two later he understood. The heavy tramp of a man walking methodically round the adjoining garden wall fell on his ear. "Don't move the shake of a feather," whispered Medhurst, putting his mouth close to his employer's ear. The carpet was barely enough to cover them both completely over, and from out a little opening at the corner Jack saw tha fitful reflection on the wall of a bull's-eye lantern which was being flashed round the adjoining garden. The two men held their breath as the rays of the light fell here and there on the sides of the house. The practised ear of the exdetective had caught the sound of footsteps before his master detected it. The next self-contained house to them was obviously temporarily empty, and, after the manner of Londoners on holiday, the tenants had arranged with a policeman to make a periodical inspection of the place. (To be continued.)