A DESPERATE GAME

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10134, 3 November 1910, Page 2

A DESPERATE GAME

(OUR SERIAL.*

By OWEN MASTERS, Author of "The Master of Tredcroft," "One Impassioned Hour," "The Deverel Heritage," "When Love Rules the Heart," "Captain Emlyn's Bride," etc.

CHAPTER XXXV.—Continued. | And all of this I, alone in my cell, or sustaining the weary formality of the magisterial hearing, knew notlii„o-; but when Foster Price called \ora Hardcastle, and when I saw her moving slowly down the court, I knew that the crucial moment had arrived. „, '•You are Nora Hardcastle?" Lostor Uricc began. "I am know by that name, was the reply, "hut my full name is Nora Hardcastle Casterman, and am the wile of Andrew Casterman." '•You will kindly cast your memory back to the night of the Vanneck murder," Price went on, "and you will tell your recollections of that night without question or prompting ; from me." j Nora told her story in cold, clear tones, hut she went into no details outside the actual incident of the murder. She said, for example, that she was employed as a domestic at Mr Vanneck's house, but she did not say why, nor did she make any reference to" her husband's previous story. Her narrative of the murder, however, was all that was excellent in the way of being concise and vivid. She admitted Mr Ephraim Turbutt on that evening, she showed him into, the dining room, she brought her master there and saw the two men together, she heard a shot, and she saw Ephraim Turbutt rush through the hall towards the door. This, of course, is only a brief summary of her evidence, but it will suffice to show its nature and trend. "And where?" asked Foster Price, "is Ephraim Turbutt nowi "He is dead." 'Dead?" "Yes, I saw him yesterday, and on learning what I had seen, he committed suicide by taking poison." To everybody's astonishment except, perhaps, that of Foster Price, the prosecuting lawyer declined to cross-examine. "Call Andrew Casterman," said Foster Price, and the next moment my cousin entered the room with his left arm in a sling. "You are the husband of the previous witness? ' "I am." "You were present at Mr Vanneck's house on the night of the murder?" "T. was. "Tell in your words the story of that episode." Andrew was as clear and concise as Nora had been, and to the smallest detail corroborated her story. "Where is Ephraim Turbutt?" Foster price asked, as Andrew concluded. "He is dead." ■ "Where vou present when he : died?"

"f was present when he committed suicide—yes."

"Was it in consequence of the hearing of the story of the Vanneck tragedy that he took his life?"

"Yes." "Was there anybody else present except yourself and your wife." "There were three others, Mr Maynard Drew, Mrs Drew, and Vanneck."

Again the prosecution declined to cross-examine, and Foster Price called "Constance Vanneck." The next moment 1 saw my love come slowly into the court, leaning heavily on the arm of Margaret Drew. Her face was white, her lips trembled, and she was clad from head to foot in black; she looked a sweet and pathetic figure of sorrow and desolation. But as she passed the clock wherein I stood she lifted her eyes and for a moment held mine with a glance that thrilled me through and through, so full was it of anguish, of renunciation, and of love. Foster Price rose as she drew near.

"The lady who accompanies Miss Vanneck, your worship," he said, "is also a witness in the case. It is informal that she should enter the courtroom, but I ask that she he allowed to stay in order that Miss Vanneck may have the assistance and support of her presence." Then it was that the prosecuting attorney drew himself slbwlv to his feet. "I think, Your worship," he said, "that I may with propriety intervene here. Since the opening of the court this morning, the police have received information that enables them to withdraw the charge against the prisoner. The facts as stated by the two witnesses, Mr and Mrs Casterman, cannot be controverted. Undoubtedly, certain persons visited the man Ephraim Turbutt, and undoubtedly he committed sui,cide on being accused of the murder of the late Mr Vanneck. I understand, also, that Miss Vanneck is able to identify Turbutt as her father's visitor on that night. The police, no doubt, with the previous record of the prisoner in connection with the Coyton jewel robbery ' "A charge we shall also disprove, but in another place," Foster Price interposed smilingly. "But in view of the latter information," the other went on, paying

apparently no heed to Price's interruption, "the police feel that a mistake has been made, and that they have no option but to withdraw the case, which with your worship's permission, they propose to do, in the opinion and view that the prisoner is innocent in this particular charge. Under these circumstances I think we may spare Miss Vanneck the painful ordeal of giving her evidence."

There was a long, intense silence, broken first by the magistrate. "The prisoner," said he, in the unemotional, unconcerned accents of one to whom the most pregnant drama is merely a matter of daily routine. said,fiw.Mato

routine, "the prisoner is discharged."

An hour later I was in a cab with Andrew, Maynard and Foster Price, hurrying towards the railway station en route for Hindhead.

The adjourned inquest is to-mor-row," Foster Price said, "and we must carefuly talk it over. Anything that will help in the matter of the Coy ton jewel robbery must be brought out." "You believe that I was innocent," T said, with a little catch in mv voice.

"Oh, yes; and so does everybody else that knows anything about it. But the difference between belief and proof is enormous. If we arc to prove it, and I won't say I am too hopeful, Ave must leave no stone unturned. And that reminds me—what of Turbutt's affairs? One of you will be his next of kin, and——" "Oh, he had nothing worth worrying about, except my father's money," Andrew interposed, "and that returns to the trustees. They have already decided what to do with it. They are going to divide it equally between Ronald and myself. So that," he added, with a pleasant laugh, "you are sure of your costs." "It is well to be sure of your costs in a wicked world like this," Foster Price replied sardonically. "Where are the ladies?" "They have gone on by an earlier train ,the three of them," Maynard said. "They will meet us there." Foster Price looked at me with a curious admixture of doubt and sympathy I could not analyze. "That is what we have to discuss," he said. "The ladies?" Andrew asked the question, a little surprised. "No—yes, that i?, one of them, of course. How far arc wo to use Vanneck's 11 amo in connection with the Covton affair?"

"I don't quite understand," Andrew said.

But I did; I had given too much thought to the point not to comprehend his meaning. "You cannot prove my innocence without involving Vanneck?" I asked.

"No." 'c "And you think his disgrace will act upon Constance?" " 'The sins of the fathers shall be visited on the children oven unto the third and fourth generation.' " "Were it not for the Coy ton affair we could dispose of this inquest without blackening Vanneck's name?" "Yes." "And absolutely prove my innocence of the murder?" "Yes." "Then she shall decide. Constance shall decide." And with that we left it and began to talk of other things. (To be Continued.)