SIR JOHN'S HEIRESS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9686, 10 January 1910, Page 2

SIR JOHN'S HEIRESS.

CHAPTER XlV.—Continued. 'Life is indeed ended for me'! she thought. It was Victor who fired; his was the tall, familiar figure. Ah, this is more than I can bear!' The clatter of a horse's hoots on the drive fell upon her ears, and, crouching back in the shadows, she waited for the rider to pass. As the animal came into view, reared for an instant, and then dashed onward, he saw that the horseman was none other than Victor Linton! CHAPTER XXV. 'I NEVER WISH TO SEE THIS PLACE AGAIN!' Hilda regained her bedroom wet and Bedraggled, the rain dripping, from her hair. The servants had stared in wonder as she passed them on the way.

Mrs Maxwell, her kind, motherly face puckered and troubled, followed her epeedly with some port-wine negus.

'My dear young lady, why will you do such things? You will catch your death of cold! But the very atmos ■ phere of this place is iiough to drive anybody mad!' she added, with unusual candour and considerable warmth. She stirred the fire into a blaze, and begged Hilda to have her dripping hair dried by a maid. 'Please sit here, Miss Carington, ir. the warmth of the fire, and drink your wine! I'm afraid you've got a chill— you look so strange!' The girl's lips moved, but she did not speak.

All at once a disturbance was

heard in the courtyard. Angry voices revrebrated in and then there was the sound of a pistol shot. A fierce blast of wind shook the casements, and the raindrops pattered like hailstones against the window.

Hilda had started up, pale and trembling; some one was at the door.

'Don't trouble, my dear,' the housekeeper said; 'it is only one of the maids looking for me. Oh, dear me, this t pl.aee of mystery!' But not a maid. Mrs Maxwell's face turned red with amazement and indignation as she saw Bartlet standing before her. 'Oh, it's you—is it? I thought you knew your place better than to intrude here! I hope there's been no accident? she added in a whisper. 'I must see Miss Harrington!' the butler sternly answered. 'Yes, I have no doubt that she is indisposed, but that makes no difference; if she will not see me here I must come into the room, Mrs Maxwell, and you may hear all that passes. You object? My good woman, I have no reason to keep on my mask any longer! lam no more Bartlet than you are; that gentleman is at the antipodes long since. I am a detective, and my name is Perrrin. I fancy that this will be no news to your mistress, tiian to Mr Victor Linton!'

Some of the servants had crept in quietly after the detective, and in their midst was Mrs Staples-Lambert. "My reputation is ruined forever!' she moaned. 'To think that I should have come to a place like this—the home of criminals! But I will make Miss Spitfire pay for it!' 'Silence, woman!' the detective commanded. 'And you'—to the servants —'go to your own quarters.' 'You dare to call me 'woman,' you vulgar creature?' screamed Mrs Staples-Lambert. 'l'll report you to the authorities!'

Perrin followed Mrs Mawxell into Hilda's room, and slammed the door behind him; then a look of pity softened the fierceness of his eyes. Miss Carrington, was facing him, intensely indignant and befiant, though, with trembling hands, she clung to the mantel for support. 'I am sorry to trouble you,' he began, 'but I am bound to do my duty to open and read it.' 'You dared' l " she panted. 'lt is not a matter of daring or impertinence, Miss Carrington.' Perrin said respectfully. 'I regard this as a clever blind; ic was meant for me to read, and you kmw it! To come to the point, you had better tell me where the captain is hiding away. The rajah was caught while trying to escape. I had a dozen men posted about, a.id his highness could not get away; he is now downstairs. But it was not taken until he had nearly put a bullet though my head. We have also captured two foreign political spies at Llanberis railway station to-night. Both the scoundrels were coming to Woodcroft Castle. The entire gang is now in the hands of the law—with the exception of captain Carrington. If you still refuse to give him all the information in your power about him, I must reluctj antly order a search of every room and closet in the castle. It is a matter of impossibility for him to escape, and much unpleasantness will be saved by——"

He broke off abruptly, as he saw that Hilda had opened her father's letter, and, with an expression of despair in her eyes, was reading it. 'You are free to search as you

V BY F. L. DACRE, ) (f Author of "A Loveless Marriage," "A Change of Heart," § •'Trenholme's Trust," "A Case for the Court," *} Etc, etc.

1 please,' she said at length. 'I knew nothing of this—that my unhappy father resoived to kiil himself.' j 'Can you name the enemy he alludes to?' Perriii said, watching her doubtfully. Her dark eyes dilated, and there was a catch in her breath. 'Enemy? He had no one but enemies !' 'Perhaps a foe of his may have been one too many for him,' remarked Perrin. 'But we shall soon find out if that is the case; my men are searching the grounds and the lake row.' She started tremulously. 'And there may be a charge of murder against some one," he went on, with a smile. 'You wee observed, Mias Carrinetun, to leave the castle shortly aiter Mr Linton, and yuu were seen to return.' 'And you nr.ay add, 1 retorted Hilda fiercely, 'that I have wished my father dead—that I have said, it in your hearing—and if you find his body, call me a murderess! Now go, and do your duty!' She pointed to the door with a trembling finger, her eyes flashing. The detective turned and retired. 'She looks capable of it, too!' he regretfully thought. 'And I can't furget how she has haunted the lake side and asked questions about its depth. It wasn't Linton, because in watching him I lost bight of Carrington.' He stamped his foot impatiently. 'Poor girl —l'm really sorry for her!' Half a dozen men with lanterns were searching all through the night, but not a trace of the captain could be discovered. The lake waß dragged in the gray hours of the morning, but without result. Every nook and cranny of the old castle was carefully overhauled, but Carrington nad vanished as completely as though the earth had opened and swallowed him. When Hilda heard of the detective's failure, her pulses thrilled with a sense of thankfulness. Her father's body was doubtless entangled among the thick growth of weeds at the bottom of the lake. Soon after the breakfast hour Mrs Maxwell, with a grave lace, presened hero-;If before her youn<j mistress.

' They've given up the search, my dear,' she said. 'There's been six of them at it for twelve hours, and the castle's just alive with men —reporters and policemen! I'm sure it's no place for you for a while, |Miss Carrington, and the servants are packing up to leave—every one of them!'

'I don't blame them,' Hilda quietly replied 'Are you going, too, Mrs Maxwell?'

'What? And leave you, my lamb? Never—unless you send me away!' Her eyes filled with tears. 'I was going to ask you if you would telegraph to Mr Linton and ask his advice.'

'No, no!' Hilda replied sharply; then ahe added: 'We will leave Woodcroft Castle this morning, if it can be arranged; I must so to London, having matters entirely in tne hands of Mr Molson. And I never wish to see this hateful place again!' Her eyes had lighted up with sudden hope. 'Will you ring and send for Mr Perrin, Mrs Maxwell?' Perrin caine, and Hilda, meeting his searching gaze with perfect calmness, said to him: 'I have decided to go to London at oace, if you will me to to leave Woodcroft. The castle will soon be deserted, ana I have no wish to be left alone.' 'I have no power to interfere with your movements, Miss Carringon. You will certainly suffer no hindrance at my hands!'—and the detective withdrew, completely baffled. 'This beats everything!' he said to Jumaelf. 'I can have the young' lady shadowed, of courst; 'but x'll stake my word that Captain Carrington is not far off. As Mr Linton has evidently given me away, I shall s -d him no further news, and he j will get the benefit of my honest opinion! The moment he was gone Hilda gave orders for preparations for her departure to be made at once. 'lt is just nine o'clock, Mrs Maxwell,'the girl said. 'Can we get to LlanberiiS Station by twelve? There is a train for London about that hoar.' 'Do you wish me to go with you, Miss Carrington?' Hilda hesitated. "I shall be glad if you will'ask no questions and pass no remarks upon my actions. And, if you have no family ties, I should like yoj to stay with me always, Mrs Maxwill, for I have no friends.' "No friends?" The housekeeper, opentd her eyes wide, but she checked the words that rose to her lips. '1 have no family ties, my dear, 1 she said. 'My boy—my only child —is in india with his regiment, and my poor husband lies in Tooting Cemetery. If I can be of use to you, it will be a pleasure I've never dreamed of. And I pray that Heaven will lift the clond from over your young life!' TO BE CONTINUED.