A DESPERATE GAME.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10126, 24 October 1910, Page 2

A DESPERATE GAME.

(OUR SERIAL..*

By OWEN MASTERS, t Author of "The Master of Tredcroft," "One Impassioned Hour," "The Deverel Heritage," "When Love Rules the Heart," "Captain Ernlyn's Bride," etc.

CHAPTER XXVll.—Continued. I did not get into bed again, and I did not lower my revolver, but stood angry and startled, only prevented, I think, from shooting him by the easy and careless way with which he regarded me, and by his evident atitude of waiting. "Get into bed," Normington," he said again. "What the devil are you doing here?" I demanded. "What does all this* mean? And who was that at the window?" "It means," he said, with an air of smiling tranquillity which I found so irritating, "it means that but for me, you would have been in Heaven now, or on the way thither. You thrust your head into a hornet's nest when you came down here. It was a fool's trick to play."

He went to the window, and swinging lnmself through the half OjH'ii casement, descended by means ot' the ladder which the other man had apparently left. I watched him remove the ladder from the wall, and replace it carefully as if he knew whence it had been taken. Then he plunged into the thicker darkness among the trees.

I. was hurriedly dressing, having had quite enough of bed for the night to suit me, and being desirous of meeting him on something like equal terms.

"Be as quiet as you can," he went on; "we don't want to rouse the house, though for the matter of that, these country people sleep like the inhabitants of a cemetery. Have you ever heard of Curara?" I gaped at him in astonishment. To break into a man's bedroom at night, and tfien to open the conversation in this tranquil, nonchalant style, was not the least amazing phase of an amazing night. With an effort I fell in with his mood, and answered in tones as calm as his

I CHAPTER XXVIII. | EPHRAIM TURBUTT RENEWS HIS OFFER. I returned next day to Poplar, not because I intended to remain there, or in any way to relinquish my search at Hindhead, but because I wanted to invoke the aid of Constance. I had determined to visit her atMaynard Drew's seaside cottage, and to go in my own proper person, leaving my disguise for the one day behind me—excepting, of course, my beard, which was too useful to remove. I can hardly say why I did that—why I suppressed Chibnall, I mean. Possibly something of sentiment entered into it, nor did I regret it at the moment, when I saw the reception that was accorded me, a welcome that certainly would not have been accorded to Mr Chibnall.

own. "I don't know that I hare ever heard of Curara," I answered. "Is it something to eat, or is it the name of a ballet dancer." "It is, my dear cousin," a poison," he replied. "I spent two years in South Africa, and there I have seen it made, and seen it used . Its basis is a plant called Curari, but the Indians of Central America mix the juce, extracted by infusion and compression, with red and black ants, and the pounded fangs of a venor mous snake. The result is an exceed'-' ingly bitter paste, a tiny piece of which, on the point of an arrow would kill an ox." "An interesting little, lecture," I said; "but what relation does it bear to " "Merely this," he responded, holding up a small fragment of cane, to which was fastened a keen hollow blade.'"This knife has been smeared with Curara, andean incision with that on any part of your body would have have meant death in from six to ten minutes." "Good God! But- " 'The man at the window," he went on, "had fastened the blade to the end of a fishing rod, and no doubt I

She was seated in the porch, reading, but as her eyes lit on me, she rose to her feet and stood gazing at me for a moment or two evidently in some bewilderment. But as soon as I spoke her name all doubt disappeared, and with a little cry, part surprise, part joy, she fluttered into my arms, and remained there, clasping 'me tight, and lifting her sweet lips to receive the kisses I showered upon her. We spoke no definite word of love, nor was such needed; we had come to a far clearer understanding than we could have possibly have arrived at by the lengthiest of orations.

"But, dear," she whispered, when slie had drawn me to a seat by her side. "Is it safe for you to be down here." "As for safety I neither know nor care," I replied; "but it is very pleasant. If you only knew how I hungered for the sight of your face." "And I, too, dearest," she whispered, blushing prettily, and taking my hand in both of hers.

meant to pierce you with it in the face or neck, or any part of the body that might be exposed. This room is not large, and your bed is no more than three or four feet from the window, being, too, only some four feet wide, so that even had you been laying, on the opposite side of it you would have been at the most only seven or eight feet from the : window. The. stab might or might not have awakened you. Probably not r though even if it had, he calculated that you would be for a minute or two too dazed to be able to think clearly. Long before you could have followed him the poison would have begun to act. In the morning you would have been found dead." "Good Heavens! What a fiendish plot!" I cried. "As it was," I added, "I was not asleep, and in five seconds more I should have shot him." "If you had you would have regretted it all your life," gravely returned. "Why?" "Because " He took from'his pocket, a long narrow metal box, and in this he carefully placed the blade and its fragment of cane. "Because," he went on, "the man who tried to rpurder you with that Curara was the man who took the Coyton jewels and the man who murdered Richard Vanneclc!" "You know him. Was his name Rogerson ?" He rose to his feet with a quick motion. "What do you know of Rogerson?" he demanded. "Something—not much yet," I responded. "Not so much as I shall know." "H'm! You may be right, or you may be wrong. But now, take my advice. Leave this neighbourhood and get. back to Poplar, and there await a mesage from me. You are on the track it is true; but the nearer you get the greater grow your risks. What clues brought you to Hindhead. I do not know; but, as

"But why shouldn't it be safe as well as pleasant?" I asked. "Don't you know—what they say —of you—that you " "That I—killed your—your father? But, darling, saying a thing, and proving it are not always one and the same thing. You know it- was not I."

"I know it, yes. I hear his voice."

"Ah! and that brings mo to another point," I interposed. The door of the cottage opened as I spoke, and Maynard and Margaret both came out, giving me the warm-

est of welcomes, though with an obvious undercurrent of restraint, which betokened doubt, fear,, or anxiety, or all three. Curiously enough Maynard's greeting to some extent echoed that of Constance. "I am delighted to see you, but—but is it safe?" ■

you have seen to-night, death lurks in the path. I can go where you can not, because I know what you do not. And now I have other work to—" "You told mo to come here," I said. "I told you?" "Yes, to sec Ephraim Turbutt." "I had forgotten that—l was an

Margaret made no comment, but she bent and ,kissed Constance's blushing face with womanly sympathy and intuition. "Why should it not bo safe," I' said. "I am not staying long here, and " "Because the police have been here making inquiries, and at Coyton, too." "Well, if they find me they have to prove their story, and they haven't found me yet. I have eluded them so far, and may do it again and again. It was on that very matter I came here. I have found Nora Hardcastle." "Found her!" The exclamation was from all three at once. "At all events I have seen her, and have found the man—a man with whom she holds some sort of relationship." They listened breathlessly. "And I have an idea," I went on. "Constance heard the murderer speak on that fateful night—and if shq could hear this man speak." "It is a good idea," Maynard said thoughtfully; ' 'but what reason have you for suspecting this man?" "None, absolutely none, except that Nora Hardcastlo visits him, and that—he—tried—to—murder—me!" "Great Heaven!" "I went down to Hindhead in disguise," I continued, "posing as a private detective. He heard of it somehow, and " "Tried to murder you!" Constance gasped, liar pretty face white with horror.

"It socms likely," Mavnard said; "it looks as if you really liad a clue at last."

ass." "But now that I am here, what about " "Go hack again." "Will you tell me nothing?" "Nothing yet." "Not even how you came here tonight?" "Nothing at all. And no wdo not forget my advice. I am your friend,

"Lot lis go to Hindhead," Constance said, clasping her hands. "I should know his voice again, I am sure. To try and murder you,- too., When can Ave go?" 1

"Ronald and I must talk that over," Maynard said gently. "'lt must he cautiously done." (To be Continued.)

and if vou trust me all will be veil."