GRAND SERIAL STORY. JUDGMENT.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 11, 28 May 1920, Page 5

GRAND SERIAL STORY. JUDGMENT.

The Most Amazing- Story Ever PenrseeJ.

FOR NEW READERS.

SIR JOELN MILLBANK, a successful, but starn judge, quarrels with hi3 only soii, JACK, who ieaves his father's house to fight his own way in the world ; and whilst serving with the Australian — - contlngent, under the name of Dick Foster, he rueets, and falls in love with KJ'ITY, the adopted daughter of Sir Johu. Ilowever, Sir John has arrangecl for her marriage with LORD HAVERHAM. In a moment of despair, Kitty writes to Dick, asking him to meet her in the Blue Room at Rivercourt Mansions. At the appointed hour, Lord Haverham goes to the Biue Room to write sorne letters, and, unbeknown to the guests, Sir John meets him there. An aitercation arises between the: two meil, resulting in the accidental death of Lord Hav- ' erbam. Later. Dick arrives in the Biue Room, is caught and accused of murder, and found guilty. Whilst passing the sentence of death, Sir John reeognises the prisoner as his own son Jack ! A few days Jater, Sir John inlerviews the prisoner at his private residence under escort of the warders, and tells him he wiil have to serve at least three years' impdsonment. Just as they are leav- ; mg, Dick with the assistance of Kitty j makes his escape, and that night they i decide to drive into Winnerleigh ; but ! the car breaks down, and they are i'orced to accept Ihe hospitality of BEAUMONT CHASE, a millionaire. The following morning, Dick's host informs bim that Sir John had called du ring the night and taken his daughter away. Dick, believing this story, leaves that morning for Winnerleigh. Kitty goes down to breakfast, and is cross-examined by Mr Chase, but on his proinise of assistance tells him tho whole story. At a fabulous price Mr- Chase engages the scrvices of MR PELIiAM WEBB, a clever but unscrupulous detective, to find Dick Foster, and extracts a promise from Kitty nofc to attempt to see or write to her lover until a year has elapsed. Pelham Webb discovers Dick, and unbeknown to Beaumont Chase, takes him to the latter's residence where he is installed as gardener. Sir John and Kitty arrive at Beaumont Hall, and Beaumont Chase loses 110 time in asking Sir John for the hand of his daughter. Sir John consents. That afternoon j Kitty receives news that the gardener j is seriously injuued. "I will go and see him," she says. AT THE DOOR OF THE PAVILION I SUMMER- HOUSE. Kitty hurried along towards the sum- ,! mer-house, anxious to be of assistance. She wonderod whai sort of accident had happened to the poor old man. She had often seen him latterly about ths grounds, and once or twice she had thought he was watching her ; but whenevei she had approached him with the idea of questioning him he had rnoved away. She decided that lie was eccentric. He | did not appear to be a very efficient gar- i dener and Kitty wondered a little that he suculd be engagsd at the Hall. Beyond this she had not given him a ' thought till now. But the news that he had been seriously I injured turned her mind to him, and all

her gentle womanly nature urged her to go to his help. The summer-house was in a retired spot almost surrounded by clumps of evergreens. It was quite a pretentious building of the pavilion. type, standing on a raised platform, and with a verandah on three sides of it., Kitty was mounting the little flight of wooden steps which led to the entrance when a man emerged from the door of the building and confronted her. Kitty recognised him immediately, though she had seen him but once before. It was Pelham Webb, the detective, whom Beaumont Chase had bribed to let Dick go free. She recalled that terrible intervicw with the millionaire ; every detail of it came bac-k to her. She recailed Beaumont Chase' s very words. "Do you advise me to engage this person, Miss Millbank? It is for you to decide. I shall be guided entirely by you. j I will accept his terms if you accept | mine !" And she had consented. To save Dick from this horrible little creature, she had promised to become the wifo of any man whom Mr Chase might select. And all the time Beaumont Chase -was plotting for his own ends, and slio had not guessed it! Well, that did not mat- • ter now. She may as well ma.rry Beaumont Chase as any other since Dick was lost to her for ever. : She would have passed the detective without appe:/ ing to recognise him, but I he stepped in front of her and barred her ' progress. j He seemed unaccountably alarmed and ' agitated at the sight of her. | "Pardon me, miss, you cannot go in," he said excitedly. J "Why not?" she exclaimed, surveying 1 him with a look of haughty surprise on her pretty face. j With an effort, the detective controlled ! the agitation into which her sudden apj pearance had thrown him and s-poke ralmly, but firmly. "There is a man in there who has been j rather badly hurt. " "Yes, I know ! I want to see what I can do for him." "You can do nothing. I have sent for the doctor." ' 'Doctor Bradshaw 1" "No — er — I have sent for'another doctor. A gentieman with whose skill I am acauainted." He spoke hesitatingly and with some embarrassment, and Kitty was puzzled, "But why not Doctor Bradshaw? He is quile close, and if the case is urgent — " "Believe me, young lady, I am doing everything that requir.es to be done. You have no need to troublo yourself in tho matter at all. I have sent off the servants — they were only in the way, I beg you to leave the affair entirely in my hands. That, I know, would be the wish of Mr Chase." A cloud appeared upon Kitty's face at tbe mention of the name, and she rnade no answer. Pelham Webb hastened to speak again, and made a bold and determined effort to change the subject of conversation. "May I take this opportunity, Miss Millbank, of offering my respectful congratulations?" he said, without an unpleasant smirk. "What about," demanded Kitty blimtly. She was unable however, to prevent a flush of colour coming to her cheeks. "Pardon me," murmured the litte man bowing deferentially. "I trust I have not been presumptuous. I referred to your

approaching marriage with my fortunate employer, Mr Chase." Kitty gave him a quick look. "Ah, yes ! " she exclaimed. "I remember Mr Chase employed you. Have you carriefjf out his instructions ?" "I trust so." ''You have done nothing to injure Mr — Mr Foster?" Kitty's voice faltered in spite of herself. "On the contrary, I have done what I could to help him in accordance with the desire expressed by Mr Chase." "It was you who got him out of the coun try ? ' "Yes." "He is now safe?" ' ' Absolutely ! ' ' "When did you see him last?" "Just before he sailed." "Did he give you no messsage for — for anyone ?" Pelham Webb hesitated and then answered with studied solemnity. "Yes, Miss Millbank, he gave me . i message — a. message for you, But so far I have withheld it, and I think, with good reason." "You must tell me," she cried breathlessly. "What did he say? What was his message?" An eager light came into Kitty's eyes. Still the man hesitated, and Kitty became almost frantic. "You have no right to keep it back!" she cried. "Qh, please — please tell me." "If you insist, of coorse, I must obey," replied the detective. "It was only out of consideration for your feelings that I remained silent. Dick Foster's last words to me were : 'If you see Miss Millbank, tell her that I beg she will try to forgive me.' " Kitty feil back as though she had received a blow, but still starcd at the man with her big eyes wide open and her lips parted. "No more than that?" she said faintly, and there was a ptitful tremor in hja1 voice. "Nothing more," replied Webb. "I think Foster recognised that he had acted foolishly, and that he was lucky to have such powerful friends to get him out of ! the scrape. " Kitty made no answer, but turning quickly, so as to hido her tears, moved away, in silence. The man watched her until she disappeared. "I have given her something else to think about," he muttered grimly. "She won't worry her pretty head any more about old Daddy darke. At least, I devoutly hope not. What a cursed bit of bad luck this is! I am in a deuce of a tight corner, and it will need all my ingenuity to get out of it." He turned and glided back into the summer-house, closing the door after him. PELHAM WEBB GIYES ADYICE. Late that. Beaumont Chase was sitting up writ.ng in his own room, when his personal servant, the faithful Under- | vvood, suddenly appeared. ! The millionaire looked up. "Well?" he demanded shortly. "Mr Pelham Webb wishes to see you, sir." "Webb? The detective chap? What on earth does he want at this time of night." "Couldn't say, sir, not for certain. He is very reticent. Thinks it professional, I suppose. But I imagine he wants money. Shall I give him half a soverign and send him away?" Chase laughed. "No. I don't think I would do that! Show him in. 1*11 see him." "Very good, sir!" The millionaire threw down liis pen and leaned back in his chair. "I thought I had done with that rascal," he muttered. "In less than a month, Kitty will be my wife, and — " The door opened again and Pelham Webb came deferentially into the room. Beaumont Cha&e surveyed the little, cringing figure curiously. "Well my hungry sleuth-hound ! What is it now?" he said genially. "Surely you haven't come to be fed again so soon?" The little man stiffened himself, and his face wore an expression of wcurnVd dignity. "You have been very generous, sir," ^ he said coldly. "If it amuses you to make fun of me, you have purchased the means to entertain yourself in that way." The millionaire smiled. (Continued on page 6.)

JUDGMENT.

(Continued frcm page 5.) "Webb, you are delightful! B«t now agalb r/hat is it you ' "Ouly to serve you, sir, and eam rny salary." "Good ! And as a preliminary you would like me to give you — what?" "Nothing, sir! But I hope you will permit me to give you something." "Really! That's a change! What?" "Advice. " Beaumonst Cha&e laughed aloud. "Excellent, my dear Wehb, I thought it must be something clieap ! Well, fire away ! I can spare you ten minutes." "A little Ionger than that, I think," said the detective drily. "You hope shortly to marry, I believe?" "Well?" "The lady is Miss Millbank." "Of eourse." "When is the marriage to take plaee?" "Three weeks from to-morrow. The thirteenth of next month." The detective smiled a significant smile. "It will not take place on that date. Unless it takes place earlier — much earlier — it will not take place at all,** he said smoothly. "What the deuce do you mean?" cried the millionaire, springing to his feet. "Enough of this jmystery-mongering. What's wrong? Out with it and cut the cackle !" Mr Webb stepped back a pace, and sidled behind a heavy chair. He was a little alarmed at the other' s vehemence. "Please be cairn, sir, and I will be as explicit as possible, I fcring bad news. M iss Millbank has consented to marry you becaase she believes the, man, Dick Foster has lled the country, and is now safe in South America or some other distant part of the world. Is that so?" "Ye s, yes ! Well, what of it?" said the njillionaire impatiently. "If she knew that Foster was still hiding in England, it might make a difference." "Possibly !" "She is only marrying you out of gratitude for helping him to escape?" "Well?" "If he should he arrested, and Miss Millbank discovered that you had not kept your word but had lied to her from beginning to end " "What on earth are you driving at?" demanded Cliase, iri evident alarm. "Simply this, sir. The police have obtained a ciue, and Dick Foster may oe arrested at any moment." Good lord !" exclaimed Chase, staring blankly at the speaker. "That mustn't happen! Not before the thirteenth of next month, anyway. After then, nothing matters. Once Kitty is my wife, Foster can hang for all I care. Where is he hiding?" "I don't know." "You ought to know." I can t help it sir. I hav.e done my best!" "Well, what do you suggest?" Ihe detective stroked his chin and peered out from his half-closed eyelids. "Money can do a great deal," he observed significaiitly. "Couldn't you hasten the wedding?" Beaumont Chase gave a startled movement, and a bold. resolute look camc into his dark eyes. "By Heaven. Webb, you are right!" he cried. "A sp,ecial licence ! It can be done. On Thursday — the day after to-morrow — Kitty slia.ll become my wife!" (To be Continued.)