A DEEP GAME. OR THE HONOUR OF THE TREVELLANS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10564, 21 February 1912, Page 2

A DEEP GAME. OR THE HONOUR OF THE TREVELLANS.

OUR SERIAL,

By Mrs Da Y/Inter Baker, Author Protegee," .'For

CHAPTKIi XXXV—Continued. "Hound by the oast wins,'/ shouted Cole ai:d set off again in Eric's wake. Soon their progress became impeded bv outcropping chimney stacks, and it behoved them to go warily as Catsone false step, and they might be dashed to an unrecognisable pulp on the oravcl drive a hundred feet below. ° They came to a spot where it was necessary to crawl along the embrasured parapet itself, without support on either side. Colo drew his breath with a sharp hissing sound, as the young baronet ahead of him dislodged a large fragment of mortar, and sent it hurtling to the ground. "Keep your eyes up—don t look down, whatever you do," ho yelled. Eric was imperturbable, however, now that a suitable outlet for his energy had been provided. This was what he had been inwardly seething for—action—risk of some sort. Moreover, there had come to him a flash of intuition as to the nature of Cole's theory In his brain the idea had taken permanent root that something was going to happen, though he could not say exactly what. Slowly lie crawled on, breathing hard, but perfectly cool and collected as long as he was moving. . In:a minute the danger was safely passed;' The two men jumped down from the parapet and stood on a clear part of the roof. For the first time now Eric caught sight of something white fluttering around a chimney pot close at hand. Already Cole was swarming up the base of the chimney stack. He now reached the red tile vent and pulled at the yam that held the bag. With a whoop of success ho slithered back to the roof again, almost falling on Eric who stood immediately below and was gazing excitedly up. Together they examined the bag. it smelt of gas, They read the name of the baker then tiicire<iit over and looked atthohaek'/.if'''■"■. '. ■' ~.- --..-■

Eric's shout, yell, call it iyhafc'-you will, awoke a thousand echoes in the surrounding woodland. It is not possible to put down what he said exactly here. In moments of extreme stress, your real man of action generally choose one of a bare half-dozen words, all equally unprintable. Then the eyes of the two men met. "My theory!' said Cole.

"Hang your theory. Howare we to get to her?" Eric never waited for an answer to his question. He clambered madly up onto tho brickwork of the chimney. Cole turned his back and looked over the parapet. "Lettice—Lottice—hallo there-" Instinctively Eric fell into the jargon of the telephone, placing his ear to the tchimney for an answer. But shout he ■never so loud, no comforting word -fo£ reply was wafted back to him up I-{that narrow, pitch-black shaft. I ~;,■ Quite a long while he remained up vfherc, shouting and listening alternately, until Colo interrupted. If. "Hold hard, old man. Let's get outfits to work. We have to be deuced about this business, for unless ~l'ni vastly mistaken, Ave're up against .our old friends, Omer and Jason;.'' i "Jason and Omer?" Eric's face -went white with anger. "Come'on, -then. Let's get at gled to free' himself from his friend's sudden grip. , . "; "No —that's not the way to set to I work." It was Cole who was cool and. calculating now. Eric could c hardly bo restrained, and Cole had to hold on "Ito his coat for dear life. ,; "Don't ho an idiot, Eric. If you rush ciown ? and start firing questions pointblaiik at Jason a lit! Oiner they will see that it's all up, and will either bluff ;you liko the very dickens or else close np tighter than an oyster; Yon .won't get a thing out of them, and will be as 'much in. the dark as ever," I • "But—hang it all man—slic didn't I? answer when I shouted. She may be lying there unconscious. Every minute is precious. Why, she must have been shut up there for the best part of a week. How can I stop and listen to you?" Eric Avrcstled like a madman to get aAvay. Cole realised that it Avas touch and go. It Avas absolutely imperative that Omer and Jason have no idea that their villainy had. heen unearthed, and in his present condition Eric Avould assuredly spoil everything if he were alloAved to go in quest of n them. There was only one way of I .keeping him out of mischief. Cole I. took it.

'■' Get back to the chimney and keep shouting as loud as you jolly Avell oan C V' ho' commiaiided abruptly. "I'm 'going down "beloAV but will bo back as soon as 1 can." "What are you going to do?" "Xever mind—do as I toll yon."

The'command to do something, however trifling, diverted Eric's thoughts for a moment, as Cole thought it may dp. He urged his chum toward the chimney stack and waited till he had began to repeat his urgent cries. Then he turned and Acav like a hare toAvard the parapet, crawled along tho danger zone, and dropped clown to safety at the corner, and ran at full speed toward the head of the spiral staircase. There was a door at the top of it, and the key was in the lock. Slamming it behind him, Colo turned the key, and put it in his pocket. With a little gasp of relief ho bounded down the stairs. Eric was safe for a time at least.

CHAPTER XXXVI. THK WIXGS OF FEAR. Grace Onior hurriedly descended to tiic underground tunnel in search, of Jason, after seeing Eric and Cole depart from the door of the Black Room. She must warn him that Eric's friend looked dangerous. His attempt to cuter the Black Room was too serious to bo ignored. Passing along the low tunnel she met Jason coming toward her from the direction, of the chapel. He was swinging a. lantern. He hung it up on a. nail, and together they entered the sitting room in which Lettiee's farewell note had been forged. "Danger," she whispered. "That friend of Eric's. Have you seen him?" Jason nodded. "I have just locked the chapel screen. We don't want visitors prying, do we? Why did you let her ladyship consent to this fellow coming here?" "I aiever knew anything about it!' replied Omer. "Eric asked mo to take a message to her ladyship, and I told him I couldn't because she was ill in bed. I never imagined that he was proposing to invite a, friend here'.' "Then he must have invited this fellow on his own. But why do you suspect danger?" Rapidly Omer recited liow she had found him and Erie trying to get -into, the Black Room. Jason listened with increasing nervousness. Could Eric have got wind of their secret and hired a detective to come down in the guise of a friend, ho wondered ? The- thought caused a shudder of fright to pass through him. To have been a successful villain up till now, and to be confronted for the first time with a stronger power—the power of the law-=-was .altogether too no vol a sensation to be appreciated by him-. Already hia:warped a',nd twisted old brain-was." at Work corijtiring aip'iihcomfortable visions of a narrow 'cell, .a hard plank bed, a.ud a, severely-re-stricted diet ,of bread and "skilly." Such conscience as the cliaplain had was quite enough to make an arrant coward of him. . 'lt was characteristic of liirn, toe, that through Omer's ! recital of her suspicions to him, ho thought only of his safety. If it became necessary for him to leave the castle in a hurry he certainly, was not going to bo hampered iby a petticoat. When Omer ceased talking his face, was pasty with fright—but his mind was made up on one point—he must

not let his companion in crime share his suspicions with him."

"The only thing to do is to keep an eye on this fellow," ho said, with an /assumption of coolness that he was far from feeling. "I really don't think we have anything to fear." Oiner thought otherwise but "tho chaplain set himself out to allay her suspicions, and presently dismissed her with renewed instructions to keep her eyes open and report to him if she saw anything fresh. As soon as she had gone Jasoi rose with an air of determination. Ever since embarking on his career of villainy he had been prepared for emergencies. Going to a cupboard in.the underground parlour he drew nut a bag, ready packed and strapped, also

j,a black japanned cash box. With a l grim smile he counted out the contents of tho latter—a goodly sum i-i notes and gold. Putting a small amount. back, ho transferred the remainder to his pocket. : Then setting all in order withii the room, he carried the bag along ;o the door of Lettiee's dungeon. Creeping in quietly, lie found the prisoner apparently fast asleep on the couch. He was about to retiro again, when he was arrested by a muffled noise, proceeding, as it seemed, ifrom the fireplace. Stooping to listen, 'he heard the noise repeated, and he plainly recognised a man's voice-—Sir Eric's. . "Letticc—Lettice —hallo there!" Crash —bang—the door of Lettiee's cell was closed and bolted. She neither woke nor heard tho noise; Picking up the bag, Jason flew like the wind totho hollow pillar it; the ehapol, He shook like a jelly as he ran, and his teeth chattered. Fear plucked at his heart —snapped at his heels.

CHAPTER XXXYLI. • AX TJNDERGROUXD WORLD. Leaving the spiral staircase; Cole, lmrried round to the castle front. Scouting cautiously, he entered the hall and dashed upstairs to the o.ist wing. His plan was hoav fully developed. His objective was once more the Black Room, and he av«s dcterm ivied to gain admittance this time ,no matter how. (To be Continued.)