A DEEP GAME. OR THE HONOUR OF THE TREVELLANS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10567, 24 February 1912, Page 2

A DEEP GAME. OR THE HONOUR OF THE TREVELLANS.

OUR SERIAL.

By Mr* Da Winter Bakir,

CHAPTER XL—-Continued. | Cole, finding that his questions, far , from mopiniMj: confidence, merely re- j duced the girl to a condition of stam- | moriiip nervousness, departed again, j ccon-siiK' himself in the smoking room, to put into practice those pow- j ors of deduction upon which he prided | himself Jiot a little. I There were one or two obvious tacts j that stared him in the face . First, i Mark Jason and Grace Omer were brother and sister. Secondly, the fact that the "-irl had been so carefully concealed a,ndU>a,t Jaion had tied directly it was discovered, suggested but one thing to Cole's mind—blackmail. He determined, however, to wait for Eric's return from his interview with Jiis mother, when doubtless the whole story would be related. Meanwhile it occurred to him to go to the station and see if Jason had gone by train. It might be useful to know to. where he'hud hooked: Taking up his hat he sallied forth to .be met ibya small Iboy with a telegram for Eric. 'Norman took the message and dismissed the lad. He was about to turn back to the castle when it occurred to .him that it might be something to do with Lettice's sister, Adelaido Lascelles. Ho opened it and saw that this was indeed the case. Miss Lascelles wanted to know urgently why she had received no answer to her letter, and whether anything more had been hea.rd of Lattice. 1 Cole now hurried off and answered the wire, briefly informing her that Lettice was safe within, the castle, and that a letter would 'bo written later on, explaining everything. He signed tho wire in Sir Eric's name and went to the railway station. His investigations here were nob without result. Jason had indeed left by train some hours ago. Where had jhe booked to? Paddington. Cole now I examined Eric's notebook again, and proceeded forthwith to the little village from where Eric and Jason had j both dispatched their telegrams. Here • he presented himself once -more at Mrs Carew's establishment. Assuming an air of the utmost importance he requested Mrs Carew to produce her file of telegrams dispacthed. "But," Mrs Carew demurred nervously. She stopped as lie proceeded to wipe away her objections with , a lordly sweep of his hand. "I am a detective!' he whispered. I A detective! Mrs Carew's heart ••fluttered within her. Theso were ii--1 deed exciting times. Jl "I'm a detective, and I demana j'iybur assistance in the name of the law,' said Colo pompously. "It may ' Shortly be my duty or the duty of tho police to arrest a man who sent a telei'! gram from here on Wednesday, July 15, at 10.30 a.m. I want to know to whom that wire was sent. Please let mo seo the file.' ! His official manner earned the.day. Mrs Carew, trembling visibly, dived in- - to'her inner apartment and produced a file, of .telegrams. In a minute or so j fie had founudu wuhuatu uhueu.uwau [ho had found what;he was looking for, and bidding tho postmistress a very I'ipleasant good-day, he left her shop, j repeating: "William Omer, 10, Pigeon Allev ,Aldgate, London." "Omer—Omer— .surely I have heard 'that name somewhere before," was his comment, as he strode back to the castle with a hroad grin on his face. To his surprise Eric had not yet 1 come down when he returned. Assumino- that ho still closeted with the dowager, Colo asked the butler to bring°him' some tea into the smoking toom., and sat down there to consider what his next step would be. - It had been an energetic day for tue detective and it was not to bo wondered at that when ho had drunk ms tea and learned from tho hutler that Lettice was still asleep, he should in-clined-'to doze off himself. ; He wished that Eric would uurry up .-lid come down with the latest news .about Omer and the girl Margaret. ; And -wishing -ho fell off into a doseunder the country air combine i with a tiring day. . He awoko with a start to find tho butler standing over him with a note on a silver salver. . It was addressed to "Norman Cole, Esq " and he recognised Eric s hand- , writing at once. Tearing ft op-on, ho read: . . . . "DEAR NORMAN : Tins is to wish you bood-bye and to vl- wis you for Tour help. Some terrible news lias been reveaiod to me this afternoon, and I can no longer remain Here. Now please do not think me rude of I ask you *o go hack to London, and not to Wlnr your head any moro about, the mystery of Trevelian Castle. Gaud'^•^Ckai, -"EMCTREVELAN."

CHAPTER XLI A BITTER BLOW. Lettice awoke from a deep, refreshing sleep with a start. Tho blinds were down and the room was dark, and for a moment she thought she was in tho dungeon. The next instant Mrs Parfitt was at her side. In an ecstasy of .sheer delight tho girl threw hcv arms round tho housekeeper's neck. "There—there." Mrs Parfitt -soothed the excited girl. "You aro quite safe now, miss. Seo—l'll pull up the blinds—it is quite light outside. You poor lamb—how you must have .suffered !' She flooded tho room with tho daylight while Lettice blinked in a

dazed fashion. The cool evening air came in the open window and the girl breathed deeply. "Oh, thank God for light and fresh air again,' she cried. "How did I come here? Who rescued me? Tell me all!"

Quietly, so as not to overexcito tho girl, Mrs Parfitt told her of all that she knew of the rescue from the underground regions. Tli o colour returned with a rush to her cheeks when Eric's n-aras was mentioned.

"Can I seo him, Mrs Parfitt?" she said, sitting up in her eagerness. "I'll run and see, dearie," replied tho housekeeper. She was already at the door when Lettice called her Lack. "Hairbrushes and handmirror," she said with a pretty Mush. Mrs Parfitt smiled and handed over the necessary articles. It was plain that Lettice had recovered very quick rrom the results of her imprisonment. Mrs Parfitt seemed to be gone for ages, and when she returned it was with reluctant gait, as though'-she was half afraid to enter the room. "What is it, Mrs Parfitt ? Ah ,tell me quick—there's something wrong — I must know. Something has happened to Eric. What .is it?" Her eyes caught sight of a white envelope in the housekeeper's hand. She uttered a frightened cry and the hair brush fell from her nerveless fingers. "You are not strong enough, miss. I daren't tell you. I can't.' Mrs Parfitt was as much, if not more distressed . than Lettice.

"He's gone?" gasped Lettice. "Yes—and left this letter for you." "Hand it over —at once. lam quite strong —please—you must." Lettice almost jumped from the bed, and Mrs Parfitt was obliged to hand the letter to her,. With feverish fingers she tore it open. "Dear," she read, with straining eyes, "some terrible news has been revealed to me to-day that makes it impossible for me to marry you—impossible for me ever to see you again. The mystery of Trevelian Castle has -been .solved. 'Margaret' the girl you saw, ;as been kept here for years and years underground. She is Omer's daughter. The girl's father—God help me—was the late Sir Thomas Trevelian—my own father. 1 have seen letters. I can say no more. My mother has kept the secret all the time. As regards the awful fate you hay© suffered, you will of course lay a charge against Omer and Jason, and tho story of the Trevelian scandal must come out in court. This is why I am telling you everything now—bidding you good-bye If you "want to know more of this hornbjtvstory, my mother will tell you Although it is insulting you, I must telTyou that I shall never, never cease loving you. I shall love you with all my heart, Lettice dear, though it is a broken heart I love you with. "Good-bye. God bless you, and give *-ou a speedy recovery. "ERICTREVELLA^."

Twice Lettice read the letter right through, while Mrs Parfitt stood by ready at any moment to catch her if she should faint.. But Lettice did nothing of the sort. She dropped the letter and turned to the housekecpr with wonderful composure. "You said just now that there was a gentleman staying here—a friend of Eric's—who helped to rescue me. Is he stillfhere, do.you know?" _ "Mr Norman Cole—yes, miss. « saw him a few minutes ago," "Well —plea.se ask him to come and sec mo at once." "But—miss—a stranger?' Mrs 1 arfit* was taken aback-at the. request. "Please do as I ask, Mrs Parfitt! "Yes ,mi.ss. But what ahout Sir Eric?" , . "Eric has gone to -town on business for'a while," Lattice replied calmly. "I am goin" to go up to London immediately to join him. Please ask Mr Colo to come up."

CHAPTER XLH. LOVE'S FAITH. Having scarcely recovered from the Shock of receiving Ms friend's farewell letter, Cole was very nearly bowled out altogether when Mrs Parfitt asked him to step np to Lettice's bedroom. "Bu—but I don't know the young lady,' ho stammered. "I told her that, sir, hut she insisted ©n it. She seems quite strong again, *ir, and won't take no for an answer." , , , Norvouslv ho followed the housekeeper upstairs seeing there was no way out of it. He found a vision of beauty—a trifle white of face, _ but quite calm and collected— awaiting him Lettice's golden hair hung in bealty—a trifle white _ of face, but hira with a radiant smile. (To be Continued.)