The Colonel's Enemy.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3146, 25 March 1909, Page 2

The Colonel's Enemy.

CHAPTER XXll.—Continued. "I have already promised," Miss Walton said; "and as Mr Da ere cannot bear the idea of a professional nurse, lam goine to relieve Dora now and then, if he will let m<\" "I have no doubt he will; hs is sure to if he sees you once. Your brougham will be h?re presently, but you can let it wait lor as long as you are able to remain." "My brougham, Fred?" "Well, aunt's and yours—mine if you like; it will be at your orders every cay while we stay in London, ' and as the hire is paid in advance. you may as well use it as not. I 1 liave made several other littla arrangements for you, which you will hear of while I am away, and you will kindly understand that I do not want to hear ot them when I come home." "But, my dear Fred " "But, my dear Mary, it would Bave an immensity of trouble if you ■would once for all recognize the fact that I am the head of the family, that my actions are ;iot to be questioned, nor my word disputed. If I choose to send you a few other trifles, and a trinket or two, and arrange for jou to have a little seprarte pocket money, you must not make any remarks. Ik - ow what is best for you, or I think I do; and if I make a mistake now and then, you can set me right by and by." Miss Walton knew that it would be as well to submit. His mention of gloves and trinkets was a revelation to her. She saw his motive now for loitering at those tempting windows in the morning, and was in a measure prepared for any extravagances he may have perpetrated; and if it cost her a stiuggle to give up the independent, self-reliant spirit she had cultivated during long years of hard work and adversity, the struggle was a brief one, and she came to the conclusion that it was best for him to have his own generous way. "We have graver matters than that to discuss," he said, more seriously, when he saw that she had tacitly surrendered. "After what I have told you in regard to the colonel, you will not be surprised to het»r that I bave doubts us to the genuineness of that letter from Antwerp." "But you have seen it, and you know his writing?" "Under ordinary circumstances I should be prepared, even in a court of law, to affirm that the letter was written by him; the diction is his, the penmanship is his, but the same cunning plotter who suggested the personation which took us to Boulogne on a fruitless errand, may have found some one to imitate St. Hilary's style in every respect; and I think I have a clue, but I am not at libarty to mention it even to I you." "Do not tell me anything that I may not mention again under certain reservations," Mary said. "I detest secrets of any kind—they lower one's moral tone; and when I have to keep one, I feel as if I have been guilty of a dishonesty, and have hidden something about me that does belong to me." "Only keep the knowledge of my suspicion from Dora," the major said. "I am afraid, poor girl, that it cannot be kept from her much longer, for if our journey to Antweip has no successful result, we shall have to take such measures as will make the whole matter publicly "known, and that is when you will be wanted, Mary. You must be with Dora day and night, if necessary; you must induce her to believe that the offering of a reward, and issuing the advertisement?, are the proceedings ordinarily taken by the police authorities when anyone is missing under doubtful circumstances." "I will do my best, my dear Fred," Miss Walton said, rather sadly; "but Dora will not be easily deceived. If you have to take those proceedings, all we can do is to keep the knowledge from her as long as pos:ible; and as I do nrt suppose she ever looks at a newspaper, that should not be difficult." "But the offer of a reward will be printed on large sheets of paper, and posted on the public walls." "Yes. But chiefly, and I might say only, on the walls of police stations: and they are generally in such out-of-the-way thoroughfares that one could hardly find ?hem without a guide. And Dora is not like me; she has not been over every mile of London on foor, finding out all the short cuts and back ways, for the sake of saving a few minutes' time, or a twopenny 'bus fare. We must keep it from her as long as we can; but ihauld we have to tell her—well, Heaven help us all." The major said "amen" to that. He had been through many perils in his time; he had found himself suddenly confronted by a jungle hn had set his foot within striki'g distance of a serpent's deadly head, and his courage had not failed him in the moment of desperate need. He had looked with the lofty heroism of an English soldier at a thousand black and savage countenances, with a longing for his life in each one, but he had never quailed from them as he did from the thought of having to me-jt Dora's wistful face if he came featk alone, and she asked him for her father. He went just as he was, without eithrr wrap or a rug for the journey, to Mr Fletcher's office, and found that gentleman on the point of baving for the day. "No news yet; major," said the agent, cheerfully; "and for once in a way, after a heavy spell of work, I am going to have a rest and a littla recreation. I have had a present of a box for the theatre, and I am troing with Mrs Fletcher .t.rnl the'children." j "I :m Yfy porry for Mrs Flet-1 cher ind the children," the major '

¥ By WINTHROP B. HARLAND. 3 f Author of "Lady Elgin's Secret/' "A Harvest of / (j Shame," " The Elder Son," " Lord J) 7 Ashton's Heir," Etc. /

I said, "and it goes against me to disI turb such an entirely pleasant and ■ admirable arrangement; but, "my dear Mr Fletcher, you are coming ! with me." j "Where to, sir?" I "To Antwerp. A letter h as arrived from here, as if written by St. Hilary; and this is the crucial point. If the colonel is in Antwerp we shall find him in person or his name will be in one of the lists of passengers going out to America." "Have you been to Scotland Yard, sir?" "No, and Tam not going. I can get all the assistance we require from the authorities at Antwerp, or the English consul, if necessary; but the shipping agents of the North German Lloyds are the most courteous and obliging people in the world." "Just so-just £O," said Fletcher, who did not relish the expedition. "Nothing more simple, certainly; but the face is, major, I expect to be sent for on a matter that takes my personal attention, and if you could manage with your man " "My man is otherwise engaged, Mr Fetcber." -'Have you told Dr. De Vigne?" "I have not had time to tell anyone. I got away as soon as I could and came direct to you, expecting to find you ready at any moment to go with me anywhere." Though the major, was, to a certain extent, amused by Fletcher's reluctance, there was a stern ring in his voice, and a dark flash in his brilliant eyes that made the stalwart agent shrink inwardly to halt his normal size, and he could see now that, however, kind Lugard might be as an officer, the first duty of the men serving under him would have to be obedience, prompt and uncomplaining. There was no .want of energy in the inquiry agent when he was rnce set going, and his conduct was all that cjuld be desired when, after many stoppages and some tedious delays, they reached their destination. They went first to the Hotel de Ruyter, and there, as the major expected found that no such name as St. Hilary bad been entered on the books. They knew then that it was almost useless to continue the investigation, but the solider would leave nothing undone. He described the colonel a dozen times to as many different waiters in vain; no one bearing the slightest resemblan:e to him had taken rest or refreshment in that hotel. The major had every assistance rendered and willingly by the agents and captains of the North German liners; he saw not only the list of passangers, but the passengers themseives on one vessel that was abo»t to depart. There was only one gleam of light in the midst of this disappointment and despair; the colonel's secret enemy evidently resorted to these expedients in order to gain time, and had the colonel been finally disposed of, the motive for gaining time would have been at an end. [to be continued.]