Scandal at Barons Court

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19903, 4 June 1936, Page 4

Scandal at Barons Court

CHAPTER 11. I'i‘he dinner started very successfully. Sir Bertram F‘oulkes, who had spent several years in the army before his marriage, was an upright, military—looking man grim rof countenance but actually generous and friendly. His hair was more white than grey, al- - it was the only real sign or his ‘ age—he was. Evelyn knew, sixtyseven, A man of affairs. and an acI knowledged leader of county society. he did not abuse his position and was extremely popular. His sister, Agatha, sat on his right. Seven years her brother's Junior. Agatha Foulkes ‘had never married. although the-re was a rumour that she had been engaged, nearly fifty years Thefore. It was generally believed that the man had died, and Agatha had [been true to lhis memory. A. small thin woman. she had a pair of merry, twinkling brown eyes and despite her age ’she was undeniably good—looking. A downright character, like all the Foulkes, no-‘one in want. ever went. ‘ without-help from Agatha Foulkes. .anher right zsai. Colonel Everard,

winn Jenny Lea between him and Conway Sewell. A rather plain woman in a simple navy-blue dress sat on Sewell's rlght. Howard knew her fairly well, as Agatha's companion-secretary, Paulne Vines. She was very efficient, he knew, but she was of a very retirlng nature, and Howard knew very little about her. Nor, for Uhat matter. did Evelyn. Howard sat between Paullne Vines and Evelyn. who was next to her "...... “.... .. .. .l

uncle. Wll-h one exception, all the players in the grim tragedy that was to come were gathered round that table. Slr Bertram was in a talkatlve mood, and Jenny Lee’s laughter rang‘ out even more frequently than usual.‘ Right in the middle 01‘ the conversation, the front door Ibell clanged, breaking off everyonc's words. There “as a short ellence. and the footsteps I 11“ Cleeves, the butler, echoed from the]

Jlmll into the dining—room. Sharp \oires followed almost immediately. I Howard glanced at Evelyn and Jenny ll.ea, ,Both women were White—faced. All of the party, in fact, know what had happened. Uleeves entered the room, a moment Later. to confirm it. Like the excellent hel'\2lllL he was, he murmured something for Sir Bertram's ears alone, but several of the others heard it. “Someone from Greym‘oor Hospital. sir. asking for you." Sir Ben-tam pushed back his chair.“I'll come," he said. There was a slrulned silence over the table while he was gone. All of ihem realised the enjoyment of the meal was spoiled. Sir Bertram came hack. after ten minutes, and he was looking wont-Ll. He cleared his thoat.

“Someone's got away from Greymonr." he said, (IS casually as he could. "ch headed this way. it‘s thought. and Hzc \val‘clers are anxious that we keep .: look—out for him. Er—it will probably the best if no-one 3025 out alone lo—nigm. Nasty, but best to take precautious."

IL was not until the ladies had left ”:0 table, and before the men J-olned them for coffee—~sll- Bertrum was a. stickler for Victorian convention, in many ways—that he spoke more seri—ously.

"Rather worse than usual, I‘m afraid,“ he said. “The escaped man‘s a homicidal maniac. Bandy Towers—you remember that case?“ Colonel Lane \vnistled, and Howard nodded. "lie murdered a man and two girls a few years ago," said Sir Bertram, for Conway Scwell‘s benefit. “His name‘s Towers, and they call him windy for obvious reasons. He's aleOiumly murderous, when the Ilt's on |lllll~ 1 don‘t need to ask you all to watch the girls very carelully." "We'd rbctler have some more indoor golf," said Conway Sewell, with nis slow smile, “to keep them cheer— Iul.“

The others agreed, and for that night at least Barons Court and its -oc—cupanls were free from the nervousness at the knowledge of the escape. llut ion Lll9 following day, Howard sensed the tension. Evelyn told him she had seen a report ‘0: the escape in Hue daily paper‘s. “He's a terrlble man," she said, with n little shudder. “It's horrible, Howul‘d."

“He's probably miles awgy from here," said Howard, with a laugh and a confidence ‘he did not feel. Jenny Lea was nervous, too, although Howard believed she was worried as much by her own difficulty as by anything else. He felt sorry for her. She deserved her happiness, but it was impossible, while Lester Brice was alive. Nevertheless, ‘he wished the complication from Jenny Lee and Conway Sewell had not been brought about. The couple added to the tension that -\ as abroad, unknowingly, perhaps, but very definitely. It was towards noon on the second day after the escape of Bandy Towers t‘orm Greynloor that Howard saw Jenny and her lover walking through the woods towards the river, Sewell was looking angry and grim. He was a man capable of almost anything, Howard t-oid htmseit‘. Half an hour later he heard the .\merh‘an's voice. very low—pitched but eotnilng very clearly, carried by the wind. “if i once not my hands on Lester 311112. th said, "Hi put him out of the way for ever!" “thrill" Jenny's wire was louder. tilh-il with tour. “You musn‘t do anything like that. Promise the you won‘t l" .\‘r‘well luughetlv a little harshly. " l‘m maul. I suppose. But l'm so terribly in love with you, Jenny. It's like living in hell! lle‘s u thorough: rogue, illltl he does nothing but worry you "' “ lie i'lon‘Sn’tl" protested Jenny. “1‘ never hour from him, till, it‘ only 1 Cutlill divorce him!" { “it‘s either tlml," muttered Sewellfl “ or —" ‘ He stopped. suddenly. ”UH‘Xll‘tl.‘ grim—tinned, \\()ll(lt‘l'i'|l why, until he‘ saw at gardener walking towards lllo‘ river. Hbviously the Amnrieun had heard his :ipprunrh. llnwdrt‘l wished lm lliltl not over—heard tlhit conversation. Ilnnwhy Sewrll was capable of killing Brim, and llowhrd was willing to admit, that the man deserved death. Brice was an unsavoury character in many ways. But murder. and talk of murder, was senseless. if Sewoll was talking like that to Jenny, no wonder she was wor~ rierl out of her life. .\i lunch—time, however, Jenny was as sa}; as ever, and Comm; Shy-"ell we“

by ALAN GREY. An Unusual and Powerful Mystery Story.

more talkative than usual. His pas—sion seemed to have died down. Pos‘ sihiy, Howard thought, Sewell had been talking for the sake of talking. It was often best to let off steam. Yet, slowly, the shadow of tragedy was closing on them. It was nearly three o'clock when Howard walked towards the river. He was thoughtful, and he felt the happiness of the past few weeks was spoiled, through no fault of his, or o! Evelyn‘s. Evelyn was helping Agatha Follkes with some charity work. and Pauline Vines was in the house with them. Conway 'Seweil and Jenny had left the house just. after twu ’olock, and Howard guessed they were taking their favourite walk, along the river bank. His father had left in the morning, for London, intending to settle one or two points of business, see his doctor. and get back to Barons Court by the evening train. Sir Bertram Foulkes, Howard knew, was making a visit to a tenant of one 01‘ the estate cottages, and for an hour or more Howard was left to amuse himself. He lit a cigarette, and dropped to the ground, out or temper with things i in general. He heard footsteps nearby, ‘ but took not notice of them, _until net

saw something that gilnted in the sun, drop to the grasp some thirty yards away. He heard a muttered curse, and saw a hand pick the thing up. quickly. He could only see the olher man from the knee downwards, for thick leaves hid the man‘s body from view. But he knew it was Sir Bertram quikeis. . And he knew, too, that the thing that had glinted grey was an army revolveri Howard Lane felt his blood racing. What was Sir Bertram doing there, with a sun, when he had announced his intention of Visiting a tenant who lived over a mile in the opposite direction? There was something sin- ‘

lister about the older man’s presence there —— 1 Then he laughed to himself. Sir Bertram was his own master andi could, if he liked, change his mind. He might be practising with the gun—he was. Howard knew, an expert marksman, and proud that he could shoot as accurately as many a man half his age. Five minutes passed. Howard felt drowsy, too lazy to draw at. his cig‘arette. He might have dozed off for a few minutes; he was hardly sure; but he jumped up suddenly, alarm written on his face, every muscle in his body tense. For, very loudly and distinctly. the sound of a revolver shot had echoed through the woods! Pauline Vines went stiff with fright. She turned round. As She did so. a. man sneezed. For a moment. she could not see his face, but as she stared she saw him—and she saw his eyes, staring gla'sslly, but not at her but at something just behind her. She ‘ had never seen him before; so much was certain. She stood there. petrified. The glassy stars dld not alter. The man was staring like—like a mad”an—

Very slowly, she saw one his arms move. She fancied his legs moved too. Ten-or surged through her. With a stifled scream she ran from the summerhouse. sobbing, stumbling, terrified. She ran blindly towards the river, without seeing the man and woman who were nearby.

Jenny Lea and Conway Sewell saw her, but did not attract her attention. Not until afterwards did they admit they had been there, and confirm the times she stated to the police. But for the moment. there was nothing in Pauline Vine‘s mind but a real, unreasoning dread—-

She was two hundred yards or more from the summerhouse, now, and the building was out or her sight. For the first time she stopped, drinking in great gulps of air. At first, she heard nothing of the men's voices, and the loud rustling in the undergrowth. but suddenly the report 01‘ a rifle made her jump round in alarm. , Then she knew the truth. Three men in uniforms and naming rifles were racing from the woods, in towards the river. Not twenty yards from Pauline Vines a men was racing, a little, bow-legged man, whose eyes were staring—glaring— Peuline Vines didn't see the bullet that bit into his leg, and the way he staggered and almost fell. She was conscious only of those dreadful eyes, with their awful glare. With a little cry, she dropped to the ground in a dead faint. The bow-legged man came on at break-neck pace towards the river. The werders, behind him, were hampered in their eflorts to shoot him by the low branches of the trees, and a fear 0! hitting the unconscious woman. With a Wild Screech, Bandy Towers reached Pauline Vines, hesitated for a moment, and then turned round to glare at the rushing werders. Mad though he was, he had the sense to realise he was caught. With a snarl, he left the woman, and made i for the river. The crack of a rifle—shot rang out. On the hunk of the Lee, that beautiful stretch that Howard had been ad—miring a few days before, Bandy Towers threw up his arms, screeching, and then plunged downwards, into the flowing waters. llis cries (lied to n surgle as the water closed over him. The three wardcrs slackened their pore. it little its they upproarhed the bank. it was sleep, and difficult to climb. The river, at, that point, was deep, and there were treacherous Ilitii't‘s where it was almost impossible to swlmi " Careful,“ muttered one mun. “Handy \mn‘t do any more harm, that‘s it incl, and we don't want to drown ourselves“ - “ ’l'herc‘s a bridge, a hundred yards bank,“ said the soronli man. “(lot over it, Tom. and then hurry along the apposite imuk. Dick and mc'll follow him up this side. lie ain‘t a man to take chances wllh, ain't handy Towers." The. three men split up. but they were soon convinred that Bandy was drud. Ills body lionlml Sillg‘glhiliy‘ downstream, and they had no (hill—ruliy in keeping pnrc wilh. .-\i. last it‘ caught, (Against :1 bank of mud, and,‘ working cautiously, the wardcrs ‘ rilmin-d to the wniors edge, and pulled i the dmll man to the bunk. His face: was blue: his eyes were wide-open and staring. (To be continued). .__—_._._ .