THE SILVER DAGGER

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 172, 26 August 1914, Page 2

THE SILVER DAGGER

S2HI By R. A. J. WALLING I=°e Author of "Flaunting Moll," "A Sea Dog of Devon," &c.

[COPYBIGHT]

CHAPTER XXIV. (continued). IN WHICH MISS TORFREY COMES HOME. Pudifin had been there in the morning, and had told her to send a carriage to the station for Mr Torfrey. He had told her to keep watch on Mr Radford's movements, and if there was any sign his departure to dispatch a telegram to Westport, and to send Tom Gannett to him on the island. Mr Radford came to the Yilla Zamora soon after noon, ,and then left, walking towards St. Maurice. She had sent Tom Gannett to the island and taken up the telegram herself. She had not seen anything of Mr Radford while on the way to the village. She returned about one o 'clock. About two Tom Gannett came back, and declared that Mr Pudifin was not on the island, and that there was no living thing there but the seabirds and the *abbits. She had been at her wits' end ever since.

f '' Why did Pudifin go to the island?" Cfranger asked. ''l think I can answer that," said Hoskings. 1 ' Of course, -when we were at Southampton I had heard nothing of Miss Torfrey, except the supposition that she had been -taken away. From tfhat I had gathered on the yacht, I had a suspicion they had a close and secret hiding-place there, "therefore I Suggested to Mr Torfrey that we should ask;Pudifin to search the island closely. He did so. Doubtless that was why jPtidifin went there to-day. ' ''l think we had better go at once imti see whether we can find him," Granger remarked. ' "Oh, yes, yes—at onde!" said Lucy. "I think"—Granger looked round the xoom—"that four of us had better go. Mr Hayland will doubtless remain and look after the ladies."

"Of course," said the squire. It was past five o'clock. The dusk "was setting in, and the sands were dry ■when the four men started on their short journey. At Granger's ' suggestion, each had been provided with a lafctern from the stable, and they took Tom Gannett with them. The island arose dark against the evening sky; there ■was not a sign of life upon it as they approached. They left Tom at the entrance to the caver,n, with instructions to remain there unless he heard a shot or . a call. At Granger's request, Hoskings had gone to the chapel to keep guard over the secret exit from the chamber there. Granger, the Chief, and Torfrey) t£red the passage beneath the cliff;' ■with lighted lanterns, walking in the order named. Granger stepped with

confidence now, for the way was almost familiar to him, and they s«on reached the door that gave access to the first cell.

"All is quiet," said Granger, in a whisper. "Gentlemen, if you don't mind, I will go in first. I don't quite know what to expect." The Chief and Torfrey pulled up and remained outside the door. Granger entered and looked round. His first glance was at the wall against which he had posted Diego Holmes; he could not have said, probably, just what the fear and suspicion he entertained were. The cell was empty. Granger stepped back to the door. "You can come in, gentlemen," said he, aloud. Immediately a voice came to them, loud and strong. '' Is that you, Granger ?'' "Pudifin!" croied Torfrey and the detective together. "He 's in the other room," added the latter. And he called, "Yes, Mr Pudifin, I'm coming!" Granger ran to the hole in the floor and let himself down. The others were following. Before they had climbed down the slide of broken masonry, Granger turned upon them. His face was white and his eyes were dilated. "Back! Back!" he cried. "You can't look at it; yo.u mu'stn't see it yet!" CHAPTER XXV. IN WHICH RODRIGO GOMEZ THROWS SOME LIGHT ON THE SUBJECT.

The three men clambered back into the upper cell. "What is it? What's amiss, Granger?" asked the Chief; "it must be something terrible which alarmed the coolest of men." "Time to.think," said Granger, passing his hand over his forehead. Then he stepped-to the door, and called loudly for Tom Gannett. The man came rushing and stumbling along the passage. "Go up to the chapel, and bring Dr Hoskings here —quickly, quickly!" said he. "Now, sir," he observed to the Chief, "if you'll come with me, we'll see into this matter, and leave Mr Torfrey to bring Dr Hoskings down when he comes."

The scene to which Granger introduced the Chief in the lower cell was a little altered. The lanterns were not wanted. The place was fairly lit by two candles guttering upon the floor. In the centre was a coffin, upon it lay a black pall. Pudifin was kneeling beside it, holding a revolver in his hand. In the far corner was huddled what appeared to? bet' a ' body —-that of an* old man with a white beard.

Both the officers trembled a little as they looked. Pudifin's back was turned

to them. He was gazing at the body of the old man, and pointing his revolver at it. "Is that yon, Granger?" he said again, loudly. "You're a long time." '' Here I am, Mr Pudifin, and help at hand," said Granger, advancing, and touching him warily on the shoulder. Pudifin sighed, and looked round. The arm that held the weapon dropped to his side.

"At last," he groaned. "What has happened?" asked Granger, looking him in the eye. He seemed like a man in a trance. Granger shook him. "Wake up, Mr Pudifin!" he cried; "you are all right now. We have plenty of help." "What's the good of it?" Pudifin spoke in a dull, moaning way, as he rose from the ground. <' He's had a great shock,'' the Chief whispered. "Come, Mr Pudifin! Everything's safe. We're all back, and waiting for vou at home." . " "All back? You lie!" said Pudifin, aud pointed to the coffin at his side. "What of that? Oh, I see!" Granger's mind was illuminated by a flash of light. "Who's this?" He pointed to the figure in the corner. Meanwhile the Chief walked across and bent over it. "Granger!" he exclaimed, "this man's alive!" " Ah! " Granger heaved a sigh of relief. '' Then you haven't killed him. Is that Radford?"

"Yes," replied Pudifin, in the same dull tone. . '•'Come, wake up, Mr Pudifiu," said Granger again. But the curate shook him off, fell forward with his faee upon the coffin, and burst into a fit of wceping. "That will do him good," the Chief said low to Granger. "What a scene! Ah, here comes the doctor." There were footsteps in the other cell, and Torfrey's voice could be heard. Granger ran to the opening. "Only the doctor, please! " said he. Hoskings came in. He gasped at the sight presented by the cell. "We won't talk," said Granger. "Just have a look at that over there." Hoskings went to the corner of the cell. He started back with a look of horror. "Radford!*' he cried. He knelt beside him, and gently pulled him into a sitting position. '' Why, what's the matter here ?'' said the doctor. "You're not hurt, Mr Radford." , "Not hurt! " cried the others, closing round. Granger's drawn face relaxed. "If he's not hurt," he said, "he'd better get up. We shall want some explanations from him." He pulled at the old man's arm. ' * Take your hands off me, whoever you are!" said Radford. "What are you lying there for? What are you doing here, anyhow?" "I've been sitting here for hours, looking down the muzzle of a revolver held by a raving madman. That's why I'm here."

" Hotv did you get liere ?'' asked Granger. "What's that to you?" w r as the reply. "It will want explaining. We know why Mr Pudifin is here, or we can guess. But you, sir?'*' '' I presume,'' said Mr Radford,

"that I have as good a right here as any of the party. I was walking about the island, found a cave, walked into it, and at the end of it discovered this place, with Mr Pudifin keeping the company of a corpse in a coffin. I think there are other things that wili want explaining at the proper time besides my presence." "Very good," said the Chief. "We will have all the names taken, and the circumstances can be examined at the inquest.'' "Are you a police officer?" asked Radford.

"I am at your service," said the Chief.

"Then my name is Henry Radford; I live close by. You can find me at home any time. lam well known to Mr Torfrey, and I shall be glad to say all I know about the business. I wisTi you a very good evening." He stooped to the ground and picked up something; he attempted to pass towards the exit from the cell. The officers were a little nonplussed by his coolness.

'' Stop!'' It was Pudifin's voice that rang out. Ho had risen, and came into the circle. '' Stop!'' he repeated. "You say you are Henry Radford?" "You know me well enough, Pudifiu." Mr Radford started back. "You are a liar!" cried Pudifin. "You are not Henry Radford." He leapt at him and clawed at his hair and beard. The others endeavoured to pull him back. There was a brief struggle, and when it was ended and the curate had been dragged away from his victim, Mr Pudifin held in his hands a fine white beard and a fine white wig. Where the venerable Mr Radford had "stood was an athletic young man, dark and full-eyed, with closely-cut black hair. '' The cheat is exposed,'' said Pudifin. "There is not Henry Radford but Rodrigo Gomez, otherwise Richard Wilton.'' The others had drawn back in great astonishment at this sudden turn of events. , "Arrest him!" cried Pudifin. "Manacle him, or he'll slip through your fingers! I charge him with fraud, with conspiracy, with robbery, abduction, murder! And to crown his crimes—there, there! " Pudifin gasped the words out as he pointed to the coffin behind them. "There? —what is there, Mr Pudifin?"

"Are you blind? Is it not the body of Lucy Torfrey? What else?" His companions stared at him as if in doubt of his sanity. Mr Granger was the first to speak. "My dear Mr Pudifin," said he, "there has been a mistake. You are wrong. Whatever that shell contains, it is not the body of Miss Torfrey." "What, then?" said Pudifin. He looked hard at Granger, and seemed to gain something from his eyes. He staggered a step or two towards him, labouring under a terrible emotion. "Don't play with me, Granger!" he implored in a harsh whisper. '' What do you mean? What do you know?" "Be steady, sir. Miss Torfrey escaped from this place with me. She is not dead. -On the contrary, she is in perfect health and waiting anxiously to see you." "You are not lying, Granger?" Pudifin 's face was deathlike as hj« spoke, and he swayed and fell.

The three men bent over him, and Hoskings unfastened his collar. As they were endeavouring to revive him, there was a sound of scuffling, and Tom Gannett and Torfrey appeared in the aperture of the wall, the former holding Gomez by the shoulder. '

"You didn't want this gentleman to leave, did you, sir?" said Tom. "Thank you," said the Chief. "He will be wanted. Don't let him go." '' Let go,'' cried Gomez. " You are too many for me. I shall make no attempt to eseape. I shall face all your enquiries; you have nothing against me." The Chief pointed significantly to the coffin. "That? Beneath that cloth the cause of all. Here—read!" He knelt down and lifted the pall from off the coffin lid. It bore a silver breast-plate, and was inscribed: — "Elena Gomez: morio Oetub're 12, 18—" Granger read it out. "The senora! " cried Torfrey. "The senora! Yes," Gomez repeated. "And how," enquired the Chief, "did you know anything of this, Mr Gomez?" The Spaniard slowly rose up and stood back facing them with his hands behind him. All save the two police officers seemed bound as in a spell by the strangeness of the scene. Gomez looked around upon the little group. A strange expression came into his eyes, and he fell silent for a few moments. Then he drew himself up. '' Where is Torfrey I'' said he. '' Let Torfrey come forward. I have something to say to him." Mr Granger edged over to be nearest of all the party to Gomez. Torfrey stood in the centre of the ring, facing him.

"Torfrey will remember," said the Spaniard, "that in his library one day he told me the interesting story of the foundation of his house and fortune—' a very pretty story of robbery and spoliation committed with impunity under the shelter of the law. It was the story of the dispossession of the family of Gomez of that which was tlieirs by a villainous lawyer whose blood runs now in the veins of Torfrey himself, and of his blasphemous and wicked passion for the woman whose body is in that shell." He nodded towards the coffin round which they stood. One of the two candles guttered out. The Chief brought into the circle the lantern Torfrey had carried, and placed it on the grouml. lie remarked:— '' Remember, Mr Gomez, that all you will say will be noted for future use." "A fig for your formalities!" said Gomez. " What Torfrey was not aware of was that I knew that story a great deal better than he did. What Torfrey did not know was that in the bizarre Torfrey shrine was not only the cursed skeleton of the scoundrel that built it; but also the remains of the Senora Gomez —the unhappy wife whom he widowed, the unhappy widow lie had: hounded to Listen! " ii His dark eyes Hashed upon them as!; he spoke. "When I was a boy in the distant: hills of Mexico, I was told of the fair' valley in England where a villain, pro-' 1 curador had robbed my family of their:, own; I was told of the curse that.! Elena Gomez had laid upon him and his house; to me was committed the sacred duty of avengiug her, or if fortune did not smile on me, of handing on the venganza to those who followed md.' "There came a time when fortune did smile, and riches accumulated beyond my wildest ■■ thoughts. I -hoarded them for thfe day when I should set foot in this place. I trained my brother Diego 'in the school of vengeance, too; I devoted every thought and every moment to the realisation of that dream. I sent him to England before to get:into the confidence of!

the sons and daughters of the house of the usurpers. How well he succeeded! —how he is repaid for his —devotion! "The time was ripe. I came. I meant to leave nothing undone, 110 money unspent that could wreak upon the descendants of the proeurador the punishment of his sius. I spent money like water, as you say. I left no cloak unbought that would conceal my identity until the day when I should stand in the Villa Zamora that my fathers built, and look upon the acres that they owned, and say to the son of a scoundrelly race that all these were mine again, that he might go out and face ruin as mine had gone, that the bones of his were desecrated as the bones of mine had been, that his were dishonoured as mine had been dishonoured. How near was I "

The voice of Gomez was risnig; his speech was quickening. Mr Granger edged yet eloser to him. "Had he a fortune? It should melt and disappear, and reappear in my pocket! Had he a wife 1 ? It should be said that she mourned the day when she married him! Had he a lover? She should be weaned from him! How near was I "

Torfrey's face grew grey, and he clenched his fingers. "I found him a fool!—yes, a soft, pliable fo6l. The task was so easy that I relaxed my caution. The very instrument through which I sought to punish him most was my own undoing. I was softhearted. True"—he smiled with a curl of the lip—"the lady who was to be Torfrey's wife is my wife; that cannot be undone. But too" great a task was that I placed upon myself when I had known her and destroyed her image of Torfrey, for I found her trenching upon my vengeance. I delayed the stroke—it fell, but it did not kill. I was too merciful, too chary of life, too chivalrous."

Gomez had relapsed into a monotone. He seemed to be musing aloud. "Curious that the cause of failure in a scheme so perfect should be a miserable parson!—prying and peering and whining, after his kind. Strange that I did not crush him like a worm —iso many chances were mine! Strange that at last I should be trapped in a hole by him! Let him look on his work! " The speaker roused himself jj.gain. He kept his hands behind him still. ■

" Let him think that he has spoilt the work of my life, that I am crushed instead, caught like a rat, foiled ai)d baulked. Let Torfrey look, too —sfiri of a dog! Let him take one look, and then —let the curse of Elena Gomez decend upon him! " . ' He drew his hand from behind his back, and stretched it forth. In an instant Mr Granger struck up his arm,' a shot rang out, and a cloud of dust descended from the roof of the "cell. , r Amid the smoke and smother, Granger; leapt at" the Spaniard, who* 1 struck out alt him, aiid;stepped back to'.the wall. : '' Adios! *' he cried. ' Salvador de ni alma!" He raised the pistol to his forehead and fired. He stood a moment rigid against the wall. Then he fell forward with a. thud upon his face. (To be Continued.)