A DEEP GAME. OR THE HONOUR OF THE TREVELLANS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10560, 16 February 1912, Page 2

A DEEP GAME. OR THE HONOUR OF THE TREVELLANS.

OCB. SERIAL.

By Mrs De Winter Baker, Author of "The Sin of Carina," "Sir Handford's Protegee," "For Weal or Woe, etc.

OHA PTER XXVlll—Continued

His footsteps made no sound on the soft felt as ho strode .forward. Once more he approached the Black Room. To his surprise he now hoard voices within. Some one must have entered the room since he had left it—barely two minutes ago. . At this moment ho recognised Jason's voice .and Omer's raised in reply. Instinctively he paused to listen. He remembered Lettice's advice— fight him with his own weapons!' << . . curtain certainly was not pulled back like this when I left -the room last," ho heard Jason say, and immediately Onier replied : lou must be mistaken, Mark. Who could possiblv have been dn here to pull it back?" The. voices s-eemed to he coming nearer to the door now, and Eric was contemplating flight when Ids eye rested on the -padlock on the door. Some inner prompting made him examine it again. It was as Jie had left it—absolutely untouched. At this moment tine Shandle of the inner door rattled. Instantly Eric flew back along tho corridor and turned a corner, and made for the branch passage he had recognised. Thus he came to the main staircase again. Descending slowly to his smoking room, he throw 'himself into the deep saddlebag chair and puckered up Ins handsome brow in deep thought. "Jason and Omer ,as usual,' hif thoughts ran.*" "They •ertainly never entered the Black Room by way of tho door. And the room was certainly emptv when I explored it. Now—how the deuce did they get into the room then?"

CHAPTER XXIX

AN APPEAL FOR HELP

It was almost lunch timo when a brilliant inspiration flashed upon Eric. Ho slapped his knee vigorously. "The very thing," he ejaculated, "wish I had thought of it before." All his wonted cheerfulness seemed to have returned to him as he sat down to lunch a few minutes later. Everything was panning out alright, after all, he consoled himself. Ho eyed tho table quizzically. | "Mr Jason doesn't seem to be fond of my company,' he observed to tho butler, with a dry smile. Tho lunch table was laid for one only. "Mr Jason takes his meals with Mrs Omer now, sir," was the butler's explanation in emotionless voice. "Well—somehow, I can't say I miss him very much." Erio permitted himself the levity of a wink at the stolid butler. He subsequently astounded that worthy individual by dispatching him to the cellar for half a bottle of I champagne. The sparkling, amber wine put liim [ on still better terms with himself, and : he whistled cheerily as he returned to i his smoking room after lunch. Sitting down at tho writing table, he pulled a sheet of tho crested note paper toward hini, and chewed his pen very 'thoughtfully, and presently wrote as follows:

"MISS ADELAIDE LASCELLES, 19, Lexingham Gardens, Bayswater, London, s.w. "DEAR MISS LASCELLES: Very many thanks for your prompt answer to my wire. I was afraid it would puzzle you somewhat, but I was terribly upset when; I sent it Let me answer your question and explain who I am. lam Lady Trevellan's son, and the fifth baronet, my father Slaving died many years ago. Your, sister Leittice, came down here a few days ago to be my mother's secretary. I met her in the train coming down, fell in love at first sight, and asked her to ■marry me shortly afterwards. She consented, but unfortunately, my mother saw fit to object to our engagement, so I persuaded Lettice to return to you - till such time as sho saw fit to marry me. She went off two days ago, leaving a short note, but without leaving any definite address. As I failed to hear from her subsequently I grew alarmed ; lienco my wire to you. I am glad to bo able to inform you that 1 have since received a telegram from Lettice to say that she is off to Paris to. buy her trousseau I take it she has friends over there- who will put her up. "I trust shortly to be able to pay my regards to you in person, as I shall, of course, be coming up to town as soon as Lettice returns from theconti•nent. "By the way, as you 'havo probably •never heard of mo before, I am enclosing a guarantee of my identity. It is Lettice's farewell note ,which explains why she left Trevellan Castle so .hurriedly. "Please'forgive me for what I think you will consider the abruptness of this letter, and believe me, Yours sincerelv, "ERIC TREVLLAN.'' Having expended considerable and ; deep thought on tho composition of this letter, Erio put it in an. envelope, enclosed the letter handed to him'by Omer as Lettice's farewell note, and addressed tiho packet to Miss Adelaide Lascelles. Then ho took another sheet of note paper and his pen now travelled more rapidly. Tins was the second letter he wrote. It was addressed to "Norman Cole, Esquire, Tho Albany, Piccadilly, London, W." "DEAR OLD NORMAN: I am vegetating down hero in Cornwall and feeling pretty lonely. Will you toddlo a- \

CHAPTER XXX

VILLAINS IN COUNCIL

long and spend a few days in this sylvan retreat ? Yon will be interested to hear tihat I am about to join the ranks of the benedicts. At. present 'she' is in Paris, bnt more about this when wo meet.

"What will perhaps interest yon more is a full-fledged mystery waiting for you in this castle. Remembering your successful feats of Mr Sherlock Holmes when wo were up at the House at Oxford together, I feel sure that you will come along and help me to solve the mystery about which T will tell you when"wo meet. "In the event of your accepting this invitation, I shall, of course, introduce you merely as a guest and an old pal, so that you will have a free hand. Wire your train, and I will mtet you at the station. Yours ever, "ERIC TREVELLAN."

Picking up his two letters he now set off to walk to tho small post office from where he had that morning dispatched his wire It was a fine afternoon', and the walk would wile away a. few hours. This timo Erio did not fail to pass the time of day with Mrs Carew. -

"I hope that my Albert brought the two tellygrams safe out to 'ee,.sir!" Mrs Carew had ,as a matter of fact, hoard all ahout the half-crown episode from her excited ten-year-old. She merely put the question as a sort of polite introduction to other questions, for she was determined to find out all about Miss Adelaide Lascelles and Lettice now that such an excellent opportunity presented itself. "Quite safe, thank you, Mrs Carew. By the way, will you offer your congratulations? I am going to be married yery shortly." Mrs Carew gave a little ga>sp of excitement. Although she had suspected this all along, the actual announceiment, with ali its attendant romance, rendered Her momentarily speechless This affliction, however, did not last long. "Thank 'ee sir, thank 'ee, for telling me. Taint often us gets a bit of news like that —and 1 first 'and, too! Well, well, fhe whole district will be wishing you luck presently, sir. Your good lady, too, same as Ido now. Us had a sort of kind of idea that tilings was goin' on up to castle, but no one didn't seem to knoiw for sure. Not oven Mr Jason when he came in ter smornin' ter send a telllygram —'er couldn't say fer sao-tin whether yer was fixed ter irights or not!" Eric laughed heartily at the garru- ' lous old woman's confession of the curiosity that had consumed her. "So Mark Jason was sending a telegram this morning!" His face grew serious again.

• "Iss, sir—er come in er hour after yew left." The conversation languishing at this point, Eric took his departure. But on his way to the castle he pulled out a little noteibook, and inscribed, "Clue for Norman Cole." Leaning up against a post, he remained 'busy for quite a long time, and was jotting down notes and pausing to think: The last' item on his list of memoranda ran as follows :

"Wed., July 15.—Mark Jason seut telegram ahout 10.30 a.m."

Omer and Jason once more sat in the Biack Room. The chaplain's face wore a- sulky look—'his thin lips dropped. "Lettice is as obstinate as a mule," he said "Wo will havo to try sterner measures."

"Look here," retorted the woman. "I don't care much for what you want to do True, we are implicated deep enough as it is—but —we don't want murder on our hands as well!"

"Murder? Who talked of murder? You're getting old and soft-grained, Grace. It's only a little gentle persuasion that I propose. She's a strong girl—it won't hurt her to go without food and drink for a bit. Anyway, it will bring her to her senses quicker than anything that I know of." Jason pulled at his loose under]ip. "Still I dont care for the idea I told tho old dowager that this would happen, but that was only to make her keep her mouth shut-. I never really .imagined that you would carry the plan into effect Listen —do you really want to marry tho girt, Mark? Isn't there any other way of getting hold lof this money of hers?" There was a I hint of fright in Omer's voice. i "Marry her? —heavens no. I only proposed that because it seemed the easiest plan. But can you suggest any other way of making this little bread-and-butter miss disgorge .her shekels ? Have you any other plan up your .sleeve." "Why not get her to sign a. paper absolving us from all 'blame, and promising to pay us a good lump sum \\*l\qii she comes of age, in return for her immediate release?" Jason ejaculated a sornful laugh. "What about our Jioblo young lover, Sir Eric?" he asked. "The castle would be a hit too hot for us if wo let her out now. And anyhow, I don't believe that she'd sign such a paper—willful, O'lwtinato little vixen that she is!" (To be Continued.)