CHAPTER XII. THE CHEQUE GIVES A CLUE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1893, 23 August 1884, Page 5 (Supplement)

CHAPTER XII. THE CHEQUE GIVES A CLUE.

WittA" the corpse of the mnrderar Johnson was conveyed to the outhonse, the pockets were searched by direofcion of Colonel Gotten. A little silver, and some old «6rapi of letters first came to light. At lft«t they found 6 piece of paper, rolled np, which, on investigation, proved to be a cheque in favor Of bearer, for one thousand pbunaS, drawn by William Edmonds, An the Jj»ndon and Westminster Joint Stock Bank, head branch. This document was taken to the Colonel, who handed it to Falkland. The young man's Gje3 glistened as he looked at it. * "White will know how to use this," he exclaimed. "Edmonds bankers are sure to know his address. I will send the cheque enclosed in a letter to the deteotite, and it the line is repaired, a telegram eaft be sent at once to him to watch the bank. The scoundrel cannot do without meney ; and he will probably withdraw his account And seek to escape after this affair." The groom sent with the letter and telegraphic message returned with the information that the line would be in working order before banking hours that morning. He had also been directed to enqnire whether any person answering the description of Edmonds had been seen at the Exeter siation late that ni o 'ht. No such person had made his appearance ; nor had the horses hired from the Bull by the two scoundrels been returned. " One of them we can account for," said Cotton, pointing to the avenue, down which some men were carrying the carcase of the horse stabbed by Edmonds. " But I begin to hope your friend has run down the villain at last." Cur son rode over early next morning, and stated that he had remained watching on the platform until daylight, but that Edmonds had certainly not been there. The meeting between Kose and her lover vas a most affecting one. When the first excitement and agitation had passed away, Falkland did his best to cheer up his be- , irothed. In spite of the color which the stirring events of the previous night had brought to her cheek, Falkland saw that the jpoor girl had suffered deeply during his absence. But he knew that she was a true Falkland, possessing all the pride of name | and spirit of her race ; and after a consultation with Mrs. Cotton, he told Eose the whole of the circumstances connected with his visit to Australia, and of the terrible legacy which claimed priority even over his affection for her. She wept bitterly as he related the persecutions which bad blighted his father's life, and led to his suicide ; and when he pointed out the nececesftity for securing the document on which the good name of Sir Eustace depended, he speedily discovered that he had struck the right chord. " Would that you had told me of this at j first," she exclaimed. " Our family name at stake ? It's honor at the mercy of a murderer ? I would have been the first to bid you go, not to return until you had «ucceeded in wringing the document from him. Ah, Frederick, at times I could not help fearing that a far different motive prompted your absence." Falkland vainly tried to obtain from his cousin an explanation of her last remark; but he subsequently ascertained that Eose, with the sensitiveness of her sex, doubted his affection for her, and believed that during his long absence in London he had formed another attachment. And it Was, therefore, not very remarkable that when Bose at length became fully convinced of the sincerity of his love, the careworn expression and pallor of her cheeks rapidly vanished, until she became, as Colonel Cotton expressed it, " his rosy little Eose once more." The county police authorities, after receiving information of the attempted outrage at Falkland Court, proceeded to work with all the deliberation and dil&toriness for which the rural police of England are renowned, j For a couple of days bacon-fed village constables, and Exeter guardians of the law but little superior in point of intellect, tramped with heavy blucher boots over the delicate carpets, knocked down costly specimens of bric-a-brac with their clumsy shoulders, and devoured h«avy dinners in the housekeeper's room, seasoning their repast with doll speculations as to "who could ha' done it." Though it was, of course, impossible to keep such a grave matter as the death of a burglar from the knowledge of the authorities, th« Colonel and Falkland gave no aid towards identifying the criminals. If the police were once placed oh the trail of Edmonds, and succeeded in running him down, Falkland knew it would be impossible to preserve his father's secret. So he left the authorities to their own devices; and very little progress they made, even when assisted by a brace of detectives sent from London. Those worthies, .after inspecting the dead body on the day before, it .was buried,, pronounced him a stranger, who did not' belong to any of the

achoels with whiob ihey were acquainted. A.fter this, they employed their time principally in sauntering about the grounds, flirting with the housemaids, and otherwise enjoying thoir country trip. In the meantime, the Australian detective had not been idle. On hia return from a visit to his veteran tutor, Forrester, White found a letter and telegram awaiting him. " Well, this would be plain enough if it was a police job," he muttered. " There would be nothing easier than to put an estoppel, as the lawyers call it, on his bank account, and grab him or watch whoever he senda. But this is quite another pair of Shoes. I'm not known here, and the Bank wouldn't mind I what I said. I'll go and consult John." , With this resolve Mr. White returned to Hammersmith, where his ancient preceptor resided. This celebrated detective, the Yidocq of England, who died in 1872, at the ripe age of 80, had retired from the service, and amused himself in his latter days by rural pursuit?. But he was always glsd to see any of hisyroier/ci; and his counsel was invariably at their service. " Want to trace your man privately ? " he said, when White had explained matters. " That will be easy emugh. Fetch a cab, and come into town with me." The result of Forrester's interview with the manager of the Bank was that White was installed as a nominal clerk behind the tellei's desk. For three days he found his new occupation a sinecure. Oh the fourth he caught > up his hat and followed a boy who had just received cash for a cheque which the ledger- | keeper previously showed to the detective. That evening Falkland received the following telegram from Fowler : " White has run him down. He is dying. Come at once 1 "