THREE MEN AND A MAID.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9054, 13 February 1908, Page 2

THREE MEN AND A MAID.

[All Eights Reserved.]

CHAPTER XIV.--Continued,

Mo actor in the Hudston (irama was too insignificant to be disguised under the generic classification of the mere dramatist. Hera were no "villagers constables, servants and others." Every individual who had the remotest connection with the death of Robert Ccurthope was neatly ticketed with his or her Christian name. There were no surnames. That was peculiarity of the detective s method. ' He pretend?;.!, even to himself, that he suspected all or none until he had brought home the guilt to one or mora persons, so he refused to libel any one by giving a name) in full. An artist in such matters he carried verisimilitude to its utmost limits. Round the neck of a bold trooper of dragoons, not yet brought into the cast ox Winter's latest production, was tightly tied a small niece of whipcord. He stationed another army nurse on the crossroad bstween the Greyhound, the railway station, Lancault, and Edenhurst Court. But her face was turned toward Lancault, where her thoughts must have lain, as it was Hannah who sent Marjorie thither on the morning of the tragedv. "Felix was in the village, Archibald was in the stables at the Court, and Bennett was at Nutworth. Being a lawyer, Bennett took mighty good care to be able to prove an alibi. He went out of his way to visit a client at the Feathers Inn, and have a needless chat about some trumpery law case. I wonder how much that clerk of his, Jeffry, knows of the will? Even a thick-headed squire like Robert would be aware that a will must be witnessed. So Jeffry was one witness and Hannah the other. Did they see what they were signing? At any rate, a lawyer's clerk would recognise the nature of the document. Probably he engrossed it. Jeffry, my friend, thi's may be a serious matter for you. You must have a statue."

Winter selected a gunner, and adjusted a fountain-pen. . He found, to his annoyance, that he did not know Jeffry's Christian name. "Never mind," ha said, "I'll christen him John. John Jeft'ry is a likely sort of name. It sounds honest, and our poor mother little thought she was fondling a rascal." Then the detective opened his notebook, and read, very carefully, all he had written while Philip was talking in the Vicarage. Next, he perused Jame*' letter to Marjorie, asking her to meet him at the tower. He seemed xo scrutinize each word, each twist and turn of the somewhat bold caligraphy, as if he would extract from the mere symbols the secret thought and intent of the writer. At last, at a late hour, he put away the letter and gazed at the Grenadier Guardsman lurking behind the walls of Lancault. He picked up a bit of string and fingered it lovingly, but replaced it in the box where the toy soldiers were housed.

"Not yet," he murmured softly, "not yet; I must learn first how Jatnes proposes to get rid of Hannah. If he sees a clear road, he must be a cleverer man than I. 1 can see no way, except one, and, then I shall have to use two pieces of string on one neck. Will he dare?"

CHAPTER XV

A DAY OF SURPRISES

Startling events have a way of grouping themselves, just as colours, and numbers even, run in sequences during the spinning of a roulettewheel.

It was no shock to Mr Winter when ■a smart young constable, unknown in Hudston—who, attired aa a tramp, seemed to divid* hid time between the village street and its few publichouses—tolcl him before seven o'clock next morning, that Miss Hannah Neyland had gone to Edenhurat Couit late the previous night, and remained •there nearly an hour. But it created something of a sensation in the office of the magistrate's clerk at Nutworth when the Hon. and Rev. Oliver Isambard, accompanied by-his nephew and the representative of Scotland Yard, entered and asked that a magistrate and the superintendent of police should be sent for instantly. There was more arching of eyebrows when the detective proposed that Philip Warren, a man for whom the hue and cry of "mure'er" was out, should be charged merely with "unlawfully engaging in a duel, contrary to statutes therein made and provided,"

an offence not so serious that it should not be bailable.

The local superintendent, after a whispered colloquy with his distinguished colleague, offered no opposition, and Mr lasmbard was, of course, well known to his brother magistrate, so the suggested procedure was followed, Philip was remanded for a week, and bail bonds for his appearance were entered into by himself and his uncle. Then Winter drew his "prisoner' aside. "I did not wish you to look as if ynu had committed all the crimes in the calendar," he said, "so I did not tell you earlier that Miss Marjorie Neyiand left Hudston last night for London. Steady now! Don't get excited"—for Philip seemed to be ready to spring at him—"a train leaves Nutworth for London at 11.45, the young lady's address is Turner Studios, Finchley Road, and your uncle can procure here all the money you need. Go and find her, and bring her back to Hudston. Tell her I said she *vas to come. I left a note with Davenport bidding him send a portmanteau addressed to you at King's

By ROBERT ERASER.

[Published By Special Arrangement.]

(To be continued.)

Croa's. Now, haven't; I behaved like a father?"

When the first fierce flood had quietened in Philip's veins he was ready enough to admit that his official enemy was a friend indeed. Yet it puzzled and troubled him that Marjorie should have 'flown. Was* that proud heart broken? Would she ever forgive him? V/inter had foreseen all, forgotten nothing. To savo Philip the chance j of inconvenience at the hands of any one who recognized him (in a Yorkshire country district a man may | have acquaintances within a radius of many miles) he was driven in a closed carriage to the railway station at the last moment. He promised to telegraph that night, and say whether or not ; he had found Marjorie, while Winter undertook to reply at once if he had any further instructions to give.

So, quiet enough in demeanour, but all aglow with suppressed excitement, Philip withdrew into the cushioned seclusion of a first-class carriage, and passed out of the world which knew him. That is, he thought so. But, as he waited on the platform at York for the main line express, James Courthope saw him when the long train bustled in from the North.

Jarnes bad listened to Hannah approvingly when she told how she had flouted the detective, and had informed her placidly that, so far as he was concerned, estate business at Darlington would take him away from Hudston and its worries for twenty-four hours. Knowing his Hannah, he took care to travel by the Darlington train, which left Hudston at ten o'clock. Hannah, by chance of course, happened to be at the station, and James exhibited proper surprise at her tidings, withheld the night before, of Marjorie's departure. "1 think," said James to himself, when the train started, toying thoughtfully with the pointed end of his short beard—"l think things are going right at last. But Hannah is a dreadful person. She ought to have her tongue cut out." He changed into the London express at Darlington, still believing that things were going right, but he began to wonder if they were not going very wrong when his amazed glance fell on Philip's distinguished and readily noted form standing among the York passengers. For an instaf.t he slunk back in his corner. Then, realising that he must be sure of Philip's movements, he bounced from his seat ana thrust head and shoulders through the window. He was just in time to see Philip enter a carriage nearer the rear of the train. So his rival was going to London! The only inter-vening-halt was at Grantham, and Warren was as likely to go to the moon as to Grantham. Therefore, Warren meant to join Marjorie. This well-dressed, self-possessed young man was not the unshaven, unkempt fugitive of Fennell's Tower. He had disappeared into a first-class carriage, too, so he had money, and he had come by the local line from Hudston quite openly. Courthope's pink face grew somewhat livid. He strove now to recall each word that Hannah had said to him. What did that prying detective mean when he referred her for information to the "better-informed person" who told her Philip was in the tower?

"Will you have luncheon, sir?" said a voice behind him. James started. His nerves were somewhat on edge, but he was a marvel at recovery, and he faced round on the attendant.

"No," he said, thinking he might meet Philip in the restaurant. "By the way," he went on, "is the dining-car in front or behind?" "Liehind, sir."

"Ah." Philip would not pass along the corridor. "Bring me a brandy and soda and some biscuits as soon as possible. If you are quick you will earn half-a-crown."