THE SOLUTIONS OF RADFORD SHONE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8990, 27 November 1907, Page 2

THE SOLUTIONS OF RADFORD SHONE.

CoMJM'XK'ATKI) TO AND >: I>l II: 1 > TiV MIL&IM&M is i s;i,.

[Pudlisitep By Special Aurangfment.] [All Eights Reserved.]

CHAPTER-HI. — Continued

"The fame of the sahib has reached me," I said, speaking now also in English, but adopting the phraseology of the East. "1 could not resist, worm under his feet that I am, crawling into his presence to feast my eyes on the learned pundit who solvej all problems." "Do you hear that, Martin?" said Shone, pompously. "The magic of my methods has impressed even the dull wits of these native?." "Why not?" I .vent on, "It is because I am an unenlightened idiot that I venture to come into your presence. A dream came to me last night, showing how it is planned by the base robbers to despoil His Highness of Goojerate of his gems. First I said that I would go to His Highness and sell the secret for many "thousand rupees. Then I ask myseif what use, wnen the great Shone Sahib knows already by other means. No, I say; I will go to Shone Sahib and give him the secret for nothing —to see if it agrees with bis. Then, if it proves to be the same, he will reward his humble servant, so that he may keep a still tongue." Shone's prominent eyeballs fixed me wrathfully, but he swallowed his gorge, and though no*, 1 suspect, a .humorist, he t lought he saw the funny side of it, and laughed. ''All right," he said; "if you can tell me anything I don't know already, I'll give you a hundred rupees when it comes off." . ,"My dreain was of a bomb, Sahib," ] replied eagerly. "There was a vision of a tall, thin man trying to blow up the Nizam so that he might run ■off with the big diamond." Shone rose wrathfully from the settee,, made as though to spurn me with his foot, thought better of it, and sank down again. "Go," he thundered, once more -adopting what he thought was the luuny side of it. "Go, Mr Native Dreamer, with full leave to come back and claim your hundred rupees when you have proved your bomb." And as I fled from the billiardroom with every show of alarm, I -heard the great man sigh. "Curious creatures, these niggers, JVlartin. We didn't win our spurs by dreaming, did we?" I thought to myself that they must have won them easily if it was by loafing about a hotel when there was •serious work to do.

It was nearly dark when I aproach■ed the camp of Mr van Cortlandt, the unwitting host of the callous villian whom I was pledged to thwart. Though night was now falling on the teeming canvas city, I had no difficulty in steering a straight course to my goal. A string of Chinese lanterns, shedding fantastic rays in the gloom, was a sure guide to the pitch of the opulent American. As I drew near, fumbling in my cummerbund for the bogus testimonials furnished by the hotel proprietor, J saw that several people were lounging in front of the central pavilion, through the flops of which gleamed the snowy linen and silver of a wellfurnishccl dinner - table. Mr van Cortlandt from his lounge chair was declaiming to the ladies and gentlemen—all iti evening dress —on the extent and splendour of the vast assemblage. "Buffalo Bill's Wild West ain't in it, with this circus," he was saying as 1 entered the circle of lamp-light. "And what in thunder have we here?" he broke off on catching sight of me. "A Begum or a Maharajah, 1 sruess, dropped in friendly like for a bit of dinner. And I can't speak a word of the blessed lingo." Approaching him with a deep salaam, I explained my business, arid he was to pleased to find that I spoke English tliat he engaged me there and then, forgiving me for not being a notable, and not troubling to examine my credential?. "You can wade in right now and wait at dinner," said my new employer, rubbing his hands over his acquisition. "Smartish feller, ain't he, Sophy, with that red sash round his waist?" The elderly lady addressed, whom I afterwards discovered to be his sister, had just agreed that I should "come in handy," when-a cultured voice behind me said: "1 do trust, Mr.van Cortlandt, that I have not repaid your hospitality by keeping dinner waiting. I was delayed by the business that took me to the bazaar—business connected with my scientific researches." It needed all my nerve to prevent me from wheeling round, for the voice was that of Doctor Nightingall, the .same which had conversed with the Americans in the verandah of the hotel. "Liberty Hal], doctor, Liberty Hall," responded the genial millionaire, rising. "We'll rake our corn now, though, for I'm getting peckish. Here, you, what's your name?" he added, clutching my arm and twirling me round to face 'Nightingall. . "Manajee," 1 answered boldly, though I was seized with fear lest the burn; '? eyes which looked into mme shoulc .•'cognise me. "Well, Manajee, one of your duties will be to wait on my guest, Doctor Nightingall," van Cortlandt went on. "He'll do to fill your tub and brush your clothss, 1 reckon, doctor. '' Had the crisis really passed, or did it only seem to, in the carelessly murmured thanks which my terrible adversary tendered to his host? There was an unctuous suavity in Lis tone and a crease at the corner of his cruel mouth that inspired an uneasy doubt, though a general adjournment to the mess-tent and the necessity for schooling myself to my j new duties as a waiter relieved the j tension. Atleast.it was reassuring ] to find that my disguise held good with rr:y half-dozen turbanned fellow-

BEIXC. NARRATIYKS BY OFFICERS OK I'HK CUIMINAT, INVESTIGATION PEPARTMEX'T. AND OF THE I'ROYIXOIU, I'DMCK, IN RESPECT 01.'' DEALINGS WITH THE KMIKKKT KXI'URT, Mil HAH FORI) SHONE,

ervitors. ■ When the soup had gone round, I f l had leisure to size up the other members of the party, and I quickly " gathered that the pretty girl, Minna van Cortlandt, was the millionaire's daughter, and an obvious attraction V to the two well-groomed young men. These were, respectively, Charley 0 Vanneck, a New York broker, and , one Don Ignacio Gomez, a solemn ~ lank-haired, yellow-skinned Mexican ranchero. To the latter I took an e instant dislike chiefly because Nightingall struck me as cultivating 1 him assiduously, and because as a suitor for Minna the lively young . New Yorker seemed infinitely pref ferable. Standing behind Nightingall's I chair, I was wondering whether he meant to utilise these chance acquaintances as innocent instruments £ in his scheme, when suddenly at a little distance, there arose an uproar J that, swelling into a mighty volume of sound, caused the still air of the J. Indian night to quiver and vibrate, ' bringing Mr van Cortlandt to his I feet with the startled inquiry—"What in the thunder's that?" As a two days' dweller in the , place I could have told him, but I left the answer to the obsequious Eurasian messman, who informed his | master that the noise was only the trumpeting of one of the state elephants in the Nizam's camp. Mr van Cortlandt reseated himself 1 with a sigh of relief. 1 "His Highness'elephants are very , fine," the messman supplemented his information. "He is going to ! have a dress rehearsal to-morrow of the procession, leading it himself, 1 and wearing all his jewels. It will pass our camp, sir, so you will have | a fine view." I glanced down at Nightingall. He showed no sign of interest, unless a curious twitching of the muscles at ' the back of his neck could be taken as such. It was Minna van Cortlandt who commented on the announcement, merrily suggesting that they should humbly offer the Nizam's elephant a bun as it went by. "I am afraid the common or garden bun isn't a product of the glowing East," laughed Vanneck. "Ah, that's only an excuse," the girl rejoined sharply. "You are just frightened to do it, I guess. I'd love to do it myself—if only to get a longer look at the famous diamond." At this, after a sidelong glance at Don Ignacio, Nightingall looked up quickly. "If I were younger and more agile, my dear young lady, you would not have to accuse me of la:k of gallantry in the matter," he said, in those bland tones that had earned his sobriquet. "Alas! I fear I should be trampled before I could get out of the way." "That's what Charley is afraid of," snapped Miss Minna, coquettishly determined to pique her favoured swain. "I am sure that Don Ignacio would do it if I asked him." The sombre Mexican opened bis mouth to speak, but old van Cortlandt, who evidently preferred his fellow-countryman as a suitor for his daughter, rapped out: "Well, you haven't asked him and there ain't any buns, so there's an end of the matter." After dinner, having helped to clear the table. I went out into the f open, where under the Chinese lanterns Mr van Cortlandt was entertaining his guests with stories of his early struggles. Nightingall being among the audience, I slipped away to (he range of sleeping-tents that flanked the large pavilion. I wanted to seize the opportunity of looking round the sham doctor's tent in his absence, and having been told oft' to valet him, I had an excuse for doing so. The tent had been pointed out to me by the messman, and unperceived, | as I hoped, I drew aside the flap and 1 stole in. An oil-lamp, on the pole | shed a feeble light, bringing into | relief the scanty furniture and two -jj portmanteaux. The. suspicion was | strong upon me that Nightingall 1 would turn to account the Nizam's 1 | dress rehearsal, and I had decided if | I could only lay my hand on the bomb | to thwart him by simply bo'ting with | it. | I bent over the portmanteaux, and g was not surprised to find them both 1 locked. I was about to use a pick- H lock which I had on my pocket-knife, when I heard a step approaching. Catching up an empty water-can, 1 j made for the entrance, there to run f full into Nightingall himself. He I pushed me roughly back into the | tent. I "What are you doing here?" he j asked, with ominous calm. "Come to fetch Sahib's bath- 1 water," I replied, with what non- | chalance I could assume. | (To bfc continued). 1 Myrtle Grove Cigarettes are ob- | tainable from all Master ton 1 obacco- | nists.* I