A SENSATIONAL CASE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3006, 1 October 1908, Page 2

A SENSATIONAL CASE.

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

CflAPffiß XXXVII.-Contimied. Lady Kenslow glanced to right and left as she spoke, at the ladies standing near her, in order to joii> them all in her message, as they were waiting, like herself, to exchange a few words with their hostess before going away. They all, including Mrs Collingham, gave assented murmurs to their speech and prepared to go when Gerard Waller, who had at once noted Netelka's disappearance, and who had been waiting for her return, went up to Lady Kenslow and spoke low in her ear. [ "I beg you, Lady Kenslow," said he, in a voice which betrayed his agitation, "not to go away until you have seen her,—seen Mrs Hilliard. Don't you see how strange it looks? I saw her go into the house looking perfectly well and bright," and do you believe she would send down such a message? And that she wouldn't want to see you at any rate?" pursued the younc fellow, growing more earnest as he fancied he noted a glance of anxiety cast by Linley in his direction. Lady Kenslow hesitated, only tor a moment. Then she became infected with Waller's own anxiety. "I think, Linley," she said in her calm, measured voice, "that I will go up and see Netelka before I go. She won't mind me, I'm sure. If her head aches top much to let her talk, I will juat give her a kiss and come away." Linley's white hands" began to twitch a little. But he did not betray himself further than by this scarcely perceptible sign ol agitation.

"As you please, Lady Kenslow," said he, as he stepped forward to open the door for her. "But don't let her talk much. You know the way upstair?, don't you? I want to stay and say good-by to the people for her." "Well, 1 don't know the way, but I dare say I can find it. You forget that I've not been here before," answered Lady Kenslow. Gerard Waller sprang forward. "Let me show you," saicKhe., And he was halfway up the stair* before Linlay could make any objection. "This is the door of Mrs Hilliard's room," said Waller when he had conducted Lady Kenslow up-stairs.^ "Let me know how she is, please," said he pleadingly, as she knocked at the door.

The lady was touched by the ar.xiety in his pale face. She shook her J head gently, but her words were kia J. •''Poor boy!" said she. " You sre uilly to tWUWe yPB? k<?ad; but-poor boy—^i -"Why Billy?"'asked WalLr 1 ly, his blue eyes suddenly flashing. "Why silly, Lady Kenslow?" "Because young men like you shonL find their friends among young girls and happily married wives." "Then, is the unhappily married woman to have ro friends?" asfc-cl. Waller, with warmth. I "None of your sex," answered Lady Kenslow; and then briefly, after knocking a second and third time in vain, she opened the door of the room and went in. A minute later she came with a perturbed expression of face. "She is not there," she said in an agitated voice. Waller's eyes bhzed. "What did I tell you?" said he shortly.-., "We must find her." Lady Kenslow agreed, and ha became the leader in the search. He painted out the door of Netelka's boudoir, and then the room Linley nad bsen using as, a bedroom, and next the dressing-room adjoining Lady Kenslow tried the handle of this last and found it locked. She had scarcely stepped back, crying out that the door would not open, when a loud cry from Harrington Moseley, at the opposite end of the house, startled them both. The next moment he came running heavily along the corridor toward them* "There's a thief in the house, a thief!" he panted out witn startling eyes. "My desk, my drawers, have baen burst open! I've lost hundreds of pounds' worth ot valuables—hundreds,of pounds!" A suspicion flashed into Waller's mind, and perhaps Lady Kenslow read it irt his eyes. " You had better call Hilliard," I said Waller, rather dryly. "Perhaps he can ha'p you to look for the thief." Waller's face had grown whiter; this one sensational occurrence had perhaps prepared him for something more tragic. He turned quickly to Lady Kenslow. "Stand hack!" he said. "Pmgoing ti burst "op n the door. Here, Moaeley, lend a hand! We can't find Mrs Hilliard, and this door is locked." Tnere wag something in his voice and manner which caused the Jew, even in the midst of his own excitement over his loss, to do his bidding. They puctneir shoulders against the door—they pushed—they forced it open. Waller was the first to see the body of Netelka lying on the floor. ""•, "He h-««J killed her" !* cried hu; and he reeled forward and fell on his knees, beside the unconscious woman. Harrington Moseley turned pale. "What, what!" stammered he. "Killed her! Killed Mrs Hilliard! Who has done it? Who, I say?" But Waller had no more words to wasti on him. He turned to Lady 'Kenslow, with a look only, but a look so full of entreaty that she understood it, at once, and, rousing herself from the momentary Stupefaction into which the discovery of her niece's apparently lifeless body had plunged her, she ran to the bell. ~ In/ a few minutes help was at hand in abundance. The servants name up; the doctor was fetched; Netelka waß pronounced to be alive, /bat so seriously injured about the bead as to be in danger. She was.

carried into her own room, and every one was shut out except Lady Kenslow and one of the oldest and quietest of the woman servants. Meanwhile Harrington Moseley was working himself into a state of mind which bordered on madness. His suspicions of his partner having been aroused by Waller's words, he had rushed town staira in search of Linley, B.m\ not succeeding in finding him had questioned the servants. Had they seen Mr Hilliard? But he got from each the same answer. No one had 3een him. At last, when he had come to his wit's end between doubts of his partner and the fear of making himself ridiculous, he heard himself called by name "in a soft voice as he was passing the drawing-room window, after a final frantic rush round the erounds. "Mr Moseley, Mr Moseley!" The Jew turned and found himself face to face with Jem, who looked pale and tired, but exceedingly pretty in a plain holland frock trimmed with torchon lace, and a heliotrope sash. 'She had been behaving beautifully* All the ladies who had any degree of intimacy with Mrs Hilliard having left the house before the alarm was given, she had been left behind by Mrs Collingham, at her own request, had taken upon herself promptly, and with a modesty which was a grace, and oftaking Netelka's place to wish thera good-by. "Mrs Hilliard had had an accident—had Blipped down and hurt herself, she believed." This was what Jem repeated, telling the best version she could of the rumour which had reached her ears. Hugh Thorndyke had been among those whose farewell she had received on Netelka's part; and she had been very cold, casting down her eyes as she held \Out her hand, and letting him feel acutely that he was in disgrace.

Now they were all gone, and Jem way lingering by herrelf in the deserted drawing-room, not liking to go up-stairs for fear she should be in the way, and yet unwilling to leave the house until she had learned more explicitly what had happened to her friend, and what that friend's condition really was. iOn hearing himself addressed by Miss Collingham, Harrington Moseley frowned; he did not want ju»C now to have to make conversation for a trirl.

"What was it that happened?" asked Jem softly. Mrs Milliard was found on the ground unconscious, with her head i"j..rcd," he answered shortly. "And —and a quantity.of property—nrrc than I thought at firaS, even"—-and

'.'.: tone grow tragic—"has ; bsen stolon fti/iK my roo.ns."

Tha young girl tJicW herself up ■q-iickly to her fill height, as if stiff-' c.:::ig with indignation. "Then why don't you go after him? Why diJ you let him get way?" she asked. "Do you mean—who do you mean?" ■j..;.] the Jew hoarsely. "Why, her husband, of course. What other man ' would have the heart to hurt her?" "But—but I don't know where he's stammered Moseley. "Go to the police, and let them find him for you," retorted Jem hotly. "He's been out of their hands long enough. I saw him sneak out of the house with a small satchel in his hand just after Lady Kenslow went up-stairs. Not even the presence of the lady sufficed to restrain the Jew from an outburst of rage against his faithless partner. (To be continued.)