A SENSATIONAL CASE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 2919, 15 September 1908, Page 2

A SENSATIONAL CASE.

By FLORENCE WARDEN. Lady in Black," "An Infamous Fraud," "For Love of Jack," "A Terrible Family," "The House on the Maish,"

CHAPTER XXVll.—Continued. Both men were talking guardedly, md both knew that their words were only playing over their thoughts. Suddenly Waller sprang up. "Of course I know what you mean, said he, with suppressed excitemsnt in his tones. "I know why you want me away. But you don't understand —you don't understand, I tell you. I don't pretend, at least, I won't pretend with you, that I have a very high opinion of the two gentlemen who are joint proprietors of the —of the club, I suppose we can call it, up-stairs. Or that it is for their 3ake that I stay here and allow myself to be fleeced." "Fleeced—yes, that's the word! interrupted Hugh. "And they don't stop at that," he went on impetuously. "Now that they have got all they ca'noutofvou alive, they mean to find profit in your death. If you don't leave this place at once, you will never leave it alive." Waller grew a little paler and was silent for a few moments. Then he shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know that I care," said i.e. "But you ought to care; you've got to care. Where is your father? Where are your friends? Where did you live before you came here?" "I lived in chambers. My father is abroad travelling, I believe. He never answers my letters. As for my friends, I don't know that I have any, except Salinsbury, and Sam Teale." "Don't be ungrateful. You have more friends than those; and, even if you had none, that's no reason why you should let yourself be snuffed out like a candle for the benefit of a couple of rogues." . , ~ ~ Waller looked at Hugh with affected amusement and admiration. "1 didn't think you had it in you to get as much excited as that over anything," he said. "It's beautiful to see you. Seriously, though, it's all right. They're not poisoning we as ' una would almost think you meant to imply." Hugh was examining the medicine-bottles which stood on a « small table in a corner of the room . "I caught cold while I was out dnv- ' ing with Hilliard, and then I had pneumonia, and dangerous complica- ' tions, whatever,those am. Nothing ' in the world to be suspicious about." > "I don't know that," said Hugh : emphatically. "You are liable to I cold, while he's too fish-blooded to ' be liable to anything. Who is your j doctor?" ~ ' "A man named Pemuerton—lives at t is corner of the road; I haven't ' much faith in his medicines." "I should have more if they were not adminiitered by Mr Hilliard," '• said Hugh, who was still examining : the bottle of medicine. Then hj? ; 8 rode over t) the sofa. "Look her , - v/aller,'" he said, in a very emphatic tone, "you must get out of this. Take i my advice. Let me call a cab and ' take you straight back to town again. < You can stay with me; and even if j you run some riik in moving at all, ' it's a lighter one than that of remain- • in* here.'' ( But QziulA began fc> tremblj while < tha Dlood rose in his pale face. "I can't—l can't go away," ha an- j sw'cred, in an unsteady voice, "until —until Hilliard comes back." ' A light flashed into Hugh's mind; ] it was Waller's manner of keeping 1 his eyes down which enlightened him. "Is he going to bring back his wife with him?" he abruptly asked. , ' Gerard's manner betrayed him < even before he answered: : "He said so. But, then, he always * says so." Hugh took two or three turns up and down the room. Then he stopped short beside the sofa. "And doesn't that open your eyes? Doesn't that prove to you the sort of cur you are deal'ng with? The brute make* his wife's beauty and charm just a counter in the game. Don'r you see that ho is getting you entirely under the thumb by means of her? That it is degrading to her as well as to you for this state of things to continue? Where will it end? Ask yourself that. How can it end? Pull yourself together; put an ,end to this once and for all. Remember that you can do her no go.d, but tint you might do her untold harm. Waller betrayed the agitation in to which he was thrown by this exhortation, by a hundred restless movements, by the suffering in his face, the burning brilliancy of h s eyes. When Hugh had finished, he started up from the sof?, stag gen d and fell back again, only saved from falling by the quickly outstretched arms of his friend. He affected to laatsh as he tat, trembling and leaning on Hugh's should jr. "I'm a pretty fellow to move," said he, as he passed his handkerchief with a shaking hand over his forehead. "Can't you see that I'm not in a fit state to go to town, or anywhere els?, to-day? 1 would gf, I give you my word I would, if 1 could do po with salety. You're quite right, of course I know you'ic quite right. I ought to go, I mutt go. But—well, you don't want to have nn invalid on your hands, and you see what I am i>ow." Hugh was much troubled. He could see for hinn-df that to move Gerard at ence would be a risk, and he knew that if hj were to ask the doctor's opinion it would be adverse to his wishe?. He considered a moment, and thrt risked abruptly: "When is fliln ru comi. g bacK?" "On Tuesdav. I believe." This was Friday. Hugh's face brightened. "Well, that gives us three dayp," said he decidedly. "In the meantime, don't take any more medicine unless the doctor brings it to you himsslf. This is really a necessary precaution, while you are in such questionable band?." A fiatp. a stilled shriek, a sound of iarioua small' articles of furniture

falling with a crash, and Hugh, looking round quickly, saw that Mrs Collingham had entered the room, and that a great commotion and upheaval had been the result. She had overheard the last words uttered by Hugh; and, although the unlucky man did his utmost to persuade her that the "questionable hands" he had referred to were not hers, his arguments were all in vain. He appealed for corroboration to Waller; but, unhappily, the invalid was so much struck with the fun of the situ* ation chat he was helpless with suppressed laughter, and, before he was in a condition to render his friend effective assistance, the amateur nurse had bounced out of the room, speechless (at last) with indignation. Hugh was distressed beyond measure. He sat in an attitude of despair, while Waller laughed till the tears ran down his face. "The dear old thing thinks you suspect her of poisoning me!" he cried, as soon as he could speak. But Hugh was deeply annoyed, because he saw that Mrs Collingham was not the sort of woman to keep silent upon the incident. However, there was nothing to be done, and meanwhile Waller was rejoicing that he should at last be left in peace. Hugh thought that he had better leave the house, as his presence in it would only serve to keep alive Mrs Collingham's anger. With a heavy heart, therefore, he was going down the staircase on hia way out, when he noticed that the footman, who was waiting for him in the hall, was looking up at him with the expression of a person who has an .important message to deliver.

It was the same man who had opened the door for Hugh on his arrival. He was one of those discreet servants who, knowing many of the secrets of the household of which they form a part, "take sides" and follow their own choice loyally. He hated Linley, who treated him like a dog, and Moseley, who was little better; and he would have none out of his way to serve cither Mrs Hilliard or Mr Waller. And he coupled their names together as being the representatives of light against darkness. "I should like to speak to you, sir," he said, in a low voice as he opened the door between the inner and the outer halls. "Excuse me for mtntioning it, sir; but Mrs Collingham went straight from Mr Water's room to Mr Moseley, and he gave me a telegram to send off to Mr Hilliard at Hastings, sir."

"Hastings!" exclaimed Hugh, in spits of himself. ' "Yis, sir," answered tne man. "Not Bournemouth, but No. 209 Seaview Parade, Hastings. Excuse me for troubling you, sir; but, we are all anxious to know that Mrs Hilliard is well."

Hugh said nothing to intimate that his communication bore any significance to him, but, as a matter of fact, it interested him deeply. He had fully made up his mind that Linley had taken Netelka away with jo:r.e sinister intention, and it was eviJ:nt that th.3 discovery of this addrass was an important one. But ihvre wcr: difficulties in the way of making U53 of this piece of know--1 dge. He dared not go to see her himself, and he had not sufficient proof of his suspicions of Linley to pat the matter into a lawyer's hands. It was in a mood of perplexity, therefore, bordering on despair, that ho passed through the gates of "The Firs," and glanced instinctively at the windows of "The Maisonette" on bis way to the station. (To be continued.)