HELD IN BONDAGE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10509, 22 December 1911, Page 2

HELD IN BONDAGE.

OUR SERIAL.

BY L. F. DACRE

Author of "Sinbad'u Valley," A Phantom of the Past," "The Shadow of Shame," "Sir John's Heiress," "A Daughter of Mystery," etc.

PHAPTER XII —Continued

fig/ht it all right, and tihare is no part/iou'lar hurry. It may be all bluff," lie added hopefully. "Jfc wall be time enough to give Margaret's address x o t!he otiheir side wihen tihey dhow their teetlh. Otherwise tlhey will serve her by newspaper advertisement. I won'tworry you any more now."

"Glad to find you disengaged, sir," fiSe saijld HaxvaLy. "O): course I am talbing to Mr Alfred Maxwell?" "It is 'lake yowjr infernal cflieek," snapped Alf. His kness were shaking for all! that. "Who are you ?" "There is my aJinthority—Tom Weddon is my name. lam sorry that the business i® so unpleasant, butt if you take my advice yorn will give as little trouble as possible." "Oever!" sneered Maxwell. "Show your hand. You cain't soft-soap mi| My profession, has put me in toucn with others of your kidney." "Where is M;rs Aston 1 —nee I'horntJ.tn|3 You fetched h;>r from h: ,| r fnrhe|r's (house ait- midnight in your motor and brought her to No 94, Bilico-ms-bury Crescewt. Is she there now?" "A parcel of lies. I clon't> knoiw u tilling aibout her." "lib is -not-a bit of use, Mr Maxwell. Miss Jaiuon has confessed everything, 'and we have the evidence of Miss Sanson's aa;rpta.ker, amilkrhan, aHdta pi.-; lice officer." . • Maxwell leaned ore- the-table, hi.v •face in Oiis hajids. His brain was throbbing to bmating point. "Lies! lies!" he Shrieked. "Rotten lies!"

The detective got up from the chair he tad been sitting in. "Y<yu 'had better see voiir legal man now," he advised. "You will hear from our ?ide in. due course. If refuse Mrs Aston's address, we will ] -know what to do, and will make it the J worse for both ef you." "I don't know where she is, and if X diid I would net tell that brute of a George Aston." "Mr Aston has done with his wife in the way you mean." "Oh!" exclaimed Alf blankly. - ''A suit!" "TJwiifc is it. My evidence is complete enough. Divorce." "But it's unthinkaible, mail. My God, I'll shoot tihe beast. Look lieit VWeldon, let us go to tlhe Olaolian and "have ia drink. lam as dry as a lime kiln. I will teH you all :ibout it —irutlh—a.bsaliuite truth. Of course we can upset Aston, but the exposure ? I:don't care for myseilf, and the c.'ise sJhal go by defiaiult. A,ny way it will free Margaret from that brute." He crammed on his hat. and dashed* out'ef the office with tihe detective iHis miod was distraught, his brain seething, liis eyesight blurred. At the bottom of the stairs the detective placed a. restraining hand on the young fellow's shoulder. "I shouldn't advise, you to have anything to drink, Mr Maxwell. See your lawyer and be led by him " j > "'Ofh, it's easy for-you to preiadh. fYou have gained your own, ends, and can afford to be magnanimous. Bdt I don't blame you, Weldon; you are flfyinjT what you are paid for." He engaged the first taxicab he saw to take lwm ..to Blwmsbury Crescent. : ,*nh.k business -was almost as sefieu-i )for Edith Janson as it .was for hiinpelf, and lie was wondering how "she "took He was fortiunate in 'fiiMiing ait™ hiSae," -but. ncrti<sd that shk •ftids muoh paler t9iSn her before. .

I He walked across to the Ol'adhan, in I Chancery Lane, <amd fortified himself | watli a- libetall dose of oognac. The liquor spread tilirouiglh Ims veins and even quickened iris lieant and imagination. He-opened tihe lerbter and read it through. A Broadside in very truthl, Thj© lawyers were instnic&ed by' George Aisitoh., >rvd the. typewritten were .full of terrible possibilities. C<»and :.. Aiyl tliQ W ibis'legal V detmaauded. Would He prefer to personiallly accept service or proceedings? He crushed the letter into lius pocket witih an oath, and became aware tShlat he was l>eiing intently regarded by a middle-aged, clean-shaven man, seated on tihe otJher end of the louaige. He scowled, amd th« stranger got up and stood in front of Imm.

"Rougih luck!" he sadd. "Aston is determined to go tihe whole hog. His man has been to see you ?"

"Yes." ( ' Says his evidence is complete. S lit to fallow." "But tSlie wlio'k tilling is Lnfa-nous. Editlli quavered. ".I am rather wet though.'' "What do you advise? V>u are usually so level-beaded." "Advise?" flashed Editili. flie question be argued? Tfc ' ie ejasy to prove tfhe man's Avicked m:il-

"Mr Alfred Maxwell?" "Yes. Let's liave; it." . The stranger smiled. "I've got n*t3un£ for you, sir." '"Eheii wfiuit- do you Mvx weM asked furiously.

ice "I don't know. It cuts both wavs If we let it go, Margaret will lie free." Cut the stigma upon her charnc ter," Edith retorted witlh utting sconn/ "Margaret : free —'but- tot for you. Are.you absolutely blind?, Do ywu forget that you_ are tfbe rocffc of the whole trouble? Margai-et avouW have found headway to me wtMiout your help! You ii&ve armed the enemy ant! witl. 0i vengeance! And now you ta'!: of slinking away like a cowardly cur !'

"I followed yoiv in 'here from the Temple. I know you are a.t loggerheads 'with a. main named Aston; and 1> : may be able to help you a,ga,i.nst liini. Mind, I give no cxjffjlal promise, but t'here is a figjitinig indiisoreafc young ass, and a guardian would be useful to yoai. My name is Danks —Harry Banks; I man no longer attar tiled to Scotland Yard, but I oft.-m work .wditJh tdie people there. At present I am representifig the Russin.ll police."

Maxwell's face was anguished. lie stflaiiglhtened himself in his dhair. "You are very comforting, I must say Look there: give me Margaret's address and I will talk it over with Jier."

"Oil! Very illuminating." 'Remarkably so,'" smiled Danks. "Of course you-wili] part up a go/d fight?" * "Ml ends up. My governor ir ready with tlhe money—any amount. I am off to see my lawyer now." '•'Good!" IMilis said Jieai'tiiy. ' I wanted to feel satisfied 011 tihat-poiot. I want the wise to be investigated an open coaint, aaid tlie j asifc life of George Aston piV/bed to he very bottom. Wlier. your couaiseil is ready, drop me a line. Here's my card. Good morning!"

"I will not. I intend to 'jo:isuit a lawyer myself, and fslhall follow liis advice. Msni-garo-t will have nothing to, do with von."

"Attid have you also turned against mfei? Good Lord, I must bo dream-

illg." He bent his face over liis lilauids a#ain, and tears trickled between 'lis finders. "Whore is your spirit, if you ever Iliad amy? I am ashamed of you, Mr Maxwell. You, wfho are the cause of all the trouble —you, who call yourself ia, man '' "Here, I have had enough of this. I a.m not going to forfeit your esteem — and I believe you like me a. little bit. You know how hornihly disappointed 1 1 am, and tlhe worslt cut of al] is MegV ' indifference —or perhaps worse. we'll

(To be Continued.)

"I am utterly"disgusted. I had Mar garet's fatiher here yesterday, and I skill do sometilmig desperate if you uliiue and cry. Don't forget that I have to earn my living, amd I am unfit for work to-day." "I wish .somebody would kick nie. Shake hands, Miss Jo:\h>u. Now, I'm going to sh'oi.v you i: I ;un made of stern stuff . I'll figvit i'or you, ns well as for Meg and myself. Now- I'm going to mo:o.r to ••.y.-t' Clayford.„ arid put tllrings nglrt wtiui my people. This gover.noi;'s. written'. to niej- but- T have, not dared to open tllie letter. I shall i be back to-morrow, but I won't bother ! you unless you send for me. Goodbye." Ho was as good as his word. He made la flying''visit home, and was at. 1 his dlia.mbers cgain the next* morning. At last he realised tfhe liapeilessniess of dreaming tlnart Margaret would ever caire for iiim,..and saw all his fplly in all its lvideousness. "Wilia/fr a ridiculous figure he would out in the eyes ' of all, sane people! And Margaret actually blamed him for lier misfortune, and despised him. He turned <Sver the morning Letters with an almost craven fear at his .hoair.t. A tailor's bill, another letter from his father, heartening him somewhat this time, no doubt, for they had come to an understanding at last, afI ter a- storm of fiery words. And the I third letter ? He turned it over and t over. There was a monogram on the ! flap of the envelope—the initials of a famous law firm. He thrust it into his pocket, and went dcvrti into .'the teeming street. His heart lay dead withir. ■him. So George Aston was playing t«c j gaime of -bluff. He knew intuitively tthat the letter was a broadside fired a;fcross his bows^'to'bring lwm to action.