DAUGHTER OF EXILE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 64, Issue 179, 11 May 1944, Page 6

DAUGHTER OF EXILE

Strange Gaelic Prophecy.

(Copyright).

(By Alexander Campbell)

SERIAL STORY.

CHAPTER XXXYI. SHANE IS CO-OPTED. Something had happened to Halford. He hardly realised yet what it was. But it was something vital. Out there on the cliff top, his whole outlook on life had changed. Previously he had despised himself for the role which he was playing. Now his disgust had grown so great that lie could not go on.

Tie crushed his last cigarette in the ash tray and twisted the stub viciously, until the tobacco smeared the copper. He was through with Wolff, and he intended to tell the latter so as soon as possible. Then Wolff could do his worst.

The paper which Wolff coveted was in the hands of Wolff’s chief enemy, General Mitchell.

Halford made a decision. He would go and tell Wolff what had happened. It might frighten the man into abandoning his schemes, and perhaps even into leaving the country. Mitchell was a powerful foe, and Wolff had a wholesome respect for his own skin. Hastily he left the room and sped cautiously down the stairs. He did not want to encounter Pelmann or the other guests.

He emerged from the house to see the doctor entering his car. He made up his mind. He hailed the doctor. “Are you returning to town? Can you give me a lift?” The doctor eyed him curiously.. Then he threw open the door of the car. “Jump in.” Halford climbed in. The -car moved off. * • * * In the library, Professor Pelmann held a council of war. It was attended by Shane and Martha. Captain Macpherson had volunteered to sit beside, the patient. He was upstairs in Heinrich’s bedroom, reading with the aid of his magnifying glass while the giant slept peacefully. Professor Pelmann sat facing Shane and Martha. He spoke slowly and carefully. His intelligent face beneath the high forehead was calm. “The time has come to take you into my confidence, Mr Shane. For reasons which I will presently explain, I have to be careful. I have many enemies. I do not know them all by sight. When you came here first, I knew nothing about you. You might have been one of them.” , So that, thought Shane, explained the atmosphere of secrecy and hostility which he had sensed at his very first meeting with Martha and Heinrich. But what was the professor’s secret?

“I am now convinced,” Pelmann continued, “that you are above suspicion. More, I welcome you as a friend as an ally.” “Scientists,” he said, “should not concern themselves with politics. I did. I believe in liberalism, in the freedom of human thought. When I saw these things threatened in my own country, I set myself to oppose those who would overthrow them. I collaborated with others, men perhaps ot a more ruthless frame of mind than myself. I believed that to be necessary. “My activities did not escape the notice of the authorities. I was persecuted, first in my university, then in my home. Some of my scientific colleagues had to leave the country to save their lives. Others ltad not been so fortunate. I saw that my turn was coming. “When my enemies pressed me too close, I decided that the time had come to start a new life elsewhere. But my enemies have a long arm. I did not want them to pursue me.

“With Heinrich’s aid, I devised a scheme to frustrate them. My house was burned. I was supposed to have perished in the flames. We even left them a body to bury —-the body of a dead man procured from the mortuary attached to the medical college of my university.’’ Pelmann chuckled. “Having- got rid of me, the authorities decided to be generous. I believe they accorded my remains a State funeral. I was, after all, a noted scientist. It would not do to outrage public opinion abroad.” His face grew serious again.

“I did not leave only because of my enemies. I left because of my friends. I believe they are sincere men, but they are also desperate men. They were seeking to plunge my unhappy country into fresh bloodshed, hoping that tlie aftermath would see them in power. “I was not so optimistic. I had come to the conclusion that the use of force only begets more force. Out of such evil no good could come. “Unfortunately, I did not break completely with these ruthless friends of liberty. They helped me in my manoeuvre to escape. One of them at least knew of my whereabouts. I shall return to that.

“Events here in Lewis has convoneed me that my deception was not wholly successful. My enemies, unrelenting, lmve followed me here. You have heard me speak of one Hermann Wolff. I believe lie is on my trail.” “What’s lie like —this fellow Wolff?” asked Shane.

“His name describes him very well," said Pelmann grimly. “He looks like an aristocrat, but he is quite ruthless. His eyes are cold and grey. When lie smiles, his teeth are small and white and sliarp. One hand was injured in the war. He is very sensitive about it, and attempts o conceal it.” Shane with difficulty suppressed a start. The old fisherman, Kenneth MacKenzie, who claimed to be a descendant of the Brahan Seer and to have the second sight, had warned Martha about the “man with the blemished hand.” And he now recalled their meeting with the stranger near the House of the Birds —the inquisitive stranger with the cold grey eyes and the sharp-pointed white teeth who had kept his hand half closed to hide the puckered flesh. Sliane decided to say nothing. He did not want to alarm Martha. Pelmann continued with his story. (To be Continued.) The characters in this story are entirely imaginary. No reference is intended to any living person or to any ' public or private company.