"The Moor End Mystery,"

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 441, 29 September 1904, Page 2

"The Moor End Mystery,"

6HAPIBB I.—THE SLEEPWALK 88. (Narrative of Dr. Thomas Triag.) I am asked to tell all I know about" «£> what the papers insist on oalling the 'Moor 2nd Mystery/ by which they mean th« case of Tobias Lott and another. MjsteryP Nonsense I There is no mystery about it. I said that from the int. It all began one Sunday evening early in August. I had dropped in for a pipe with KentlanjS, whom I like, although he talks colonial slang and wears a hat with a blue cotton handkerchief twisted round it as if he were some kind of bushranger, He has something to do with mines, too — gold mines, which are the worst sort; but he la a very good fellow in spite of it. When I got to k's rooms that night I found Lott there, Tobias Lott was a stockbroker $ one of the kind called ' outside brokers,' whatever that may mean. I disliked the man from the very first time I saw him. He was one of those little sallow black-haired .parsons who look as if they suffered from hapatic troubles. And he had a large rsoneydealing nose of the regular Throgmorton Street pattern. Bat his eyes were the most remarkable feature of his face. They were blaak and piercing, and yet shifty somehow. I found Kentland and him in the midst of a dlsouision on mesmerism. I am sot going into the details of the argument that followed. Lott maintained that what he called ' Will-foroe' could be exerted at a distance. I denied it, and called for proof. His reply was curious. ' Do you know Hiss Oliver P'-he asked. 0! course I knew Dorothy Oliver. I had been the family physician for years, amd had. in fact, known hex from her etilieat boms. Then Lott went on to explaia that he had been trying mesmeric experiments at the Olivers', and had found Miss Oliver exceptionally susceptible to what he called ; Occult Forces.' At the mention of her name Kentland, who had been yawning during our argument, sat suddenly up, And as Lott went on he began to frown and look uneasy. 'Now/ continued Lott, quietly, 'if I bring her down here now, will you believe that there is truth in what I say F It was juat the sort of proposal I should have wpected from the man; but of course I knew it was mere talk. ' Impossible!' said I; «absolutely im- ... possiblel' 'Nevertheless it can be done/ said he. Then before I could reply Kentland flashed cut. ' I don't believe it P he cried; 'bat even if it were true I think it would be a lowdown blackguard thing to do.' Lott smiled'—as acrid a smile as ever I have seen. ' Not at all. It would be a harmless little experiment/ he said gently. ' Your language, my dear Kentland, is over warn.' I thought Kentland would have kicked the man then and there; which he could very will have done, fox though not big he was well-knit, as tough as leather. I saw hk weather-beaten face flush under ths tan; bat he controlled himself. ZJ Anyhow it's all bunkum,' said he, ' so it's no good talking about ii' After that we spoke of other things. But I noticed that Lost was unusually ailaat and sat with cue hand partially covering his face, and a singular set expression is his eyes, gasisg into one corner of the room. About half-past eleven I rose to go, * I'll let myself out/1 said, and Bidding them good-night, went downstairs. I had just put ob my hat when a ring came at the front-door bell. I knew the housekeeper was in bed, and to save Kentland the trouble of coming down I opened the door. It waa a moonlight night. And there against the white road stood the dark figure of a woman. Before I could say a Word she swept into the house. The gsß was low In the entrance, but the light from the staircase fell full on her faee, and I almost oried out, for the woman was Dorothy Olivet, Sostazgered was I by this apparition, and by the recollection of Lott's impudent boast, that she was half-way upstairs before I recovered my presence of mind and rushed after her. * Doro—' I began, then thought of the mistake of awakening her suddenly in that place, and cheeked myself. I sprang op the staircase just in time to see Kentland open the study door to come down. They met face to face. ' Good God!' I heard him say. Then ho turned as if he would fly at Lott. I heard a low laugh fzem the study. Next mooe&t I was by the girl's side. I signed to Keatlwd to keep quiet, and taking htr firmly by the arm, turned her and gently led her downstairs. Ha followed, and we three passed out together into the silent street. ; Kentland would insist on taking the girl home himself. I told him not to be a young fool, but he was as ebstisate as a mule ab.-ut it, and go he did. I wasn't goisg to Btop to argue, so west with him. The Olivers' house is not mere than hal;-a-mila from Ktstland's. The girl walked ob in eileneo like an automaton, which indeed for the time ehs was. / saw that she was is tie Bjmnarabulistic state, though how Ehe oame to be in that condition I had no time then to consider. My chief wish was to get the girl safe turns without her absence being noticed. At the Olivers' gate we stopped. * lou had belter go back/ I whupered to Kentland. * I'll see her safe inside. You must sot be seen.' But he was obdarate. ' No,' he said, he must see her home himself. Now, I could have managed the girl far better than Kentland, but it was no use trying to r-.«u_>n witt him. and my rule has alwajti tneu, never to lj,j-k twica 15 daaung with &n obstinate usw If ycu <h.mi-'.t imake him do what you want, Ist him go his own way and tti.a the consequences. So I let him go, asd btood uadsr the ahadow of the trees just inside the gate to await Mj return. romF where I stood I could see the comer of the house, and I watched them take the tide-pats. But I was surprised to see Chat Dei, igiiesd Q* goisg round to the

By Victor, Waite, . Author of 'Cross Trails,' &c, &c.

COPYRIGHT.

back door, stopped in the full moonlight right under the corner of the verandah—which was a double t ne. A moment later she began to climb straight up the trellis that closed the end. The girl did it as if she were quite accustomed to the work. She mounted inta tiia balcony above and entered her bedroom window like a steeplejack. I knew, of coujb9, that somnambulists do feats they would not attempt-in their waking hours; bat the sight of the girl climbing that breakneck place I confess completely astonished me. As I stood there in the shadow suddenly a mas came out of the bashes on the other side of the path and passed silently out of the gate. The full moonlight fell on his face, and 1 saw that it was Sharlow Now, I don't think I have yet mentioned that George Sharlow was eEgajed to be married to Dot Oliver. He was a tall, weak-kneed man, with a big yellow moustaohs and watery bine eyes. He had money; and Mrs Oliver had managed the match from the first. Dot was little more than a school-girl, and net quite ' out of her 'teens,' and of course liked the honour and glory of an engagement. I knew it was a mistake from the first, and said as much to Mrs Oliver. Bat what is the gcod of advising a woman P Wall, Sharlow did not see me, but walked off down the road, and even from where I was I oould see he was in a white passu n. ' Well, I said to myself, as I taroad to follow Kentland, 'here's a pretty compound fracture!' Sharlow had evidently beea in the grounds, had seen the two young people together, and had drawn his own conclusion a. It was Kentland's own doing. I had told him he ought to let me go, but he would have his way, and a nice mess he made of it. ' Well ?' I said as he came up in a great hurry, * what on earth are you running off to do now P' ' Going to talk to Lott,' he said Between his teeth. •Are youP' said I, and thought to my. self that I had better go too, as my professional services might be required after the interview. •What do you want to see him for P' I asked, feeling anything but benevolent. 'To take the hide off his sneaking little carcass for this business 1' he growled. ' Why ?* 1 inquired. «What has he to dowithjtP «Do with it P' he oried, angrily. «You heard himl He brought her out here with his hypnotism and devilish tricks 1' 'Fudgel' 1 replied. 'She war sleepwalking. I.know her temperament—nervosa exoit&ble. Somnambulism? Just what she would do,' But Kentland would not be convinced. And really, looking back, I am not much surprised. It certainly was a strange coincidence. Next day I went up to see how Dot Oliver looked after her remarkable nocturnal escapade. Mrs Oliver was out, but I was told that Dot was in the drawing-room. Just as I reached the door it was flung open and Sharlow rushed by me, his face as white as a sheet, and his forehead puckered in a frown. He did not even notice me, but hurried from the house. I entered the drawing-room, There stood Miss Dorothy Oliver in the middle of the room crying esergetically. Before her on the floor lay a valuable sapphire and diamond sing. upon which at the moment of my arrival she had jost begun to stamp *ith considerable vigour, and with the ill precision obtainable with a high, heeled slipper. ' Whaf a this P What's all this P' I said. •Go away,' cried she. 'Go away. I won't see you.' : And therewith ehe gave two or three throaty gasps, screamed feebly, and otherwise showed signs of a hysteric fit. The afternoon tea-tray stood on the table. I seized the hot-water jag and advance<i towards her. 'Mies Oliver,' I said sharply, 'if you don't get well this moment 1 shall pour this hot water over your head. It will ruin your dreßS, but will save unpleasanter remedies,' She sank limply upon the sofa, weeping freely, but shoving rapid tokens of recovery. I stood by with the jug in my hand. Presently she looked up. 'Do put down that jag,' she said sharply, 'l'm quite well now/ It had happened aa I had expected. Sharlow, instead of going and tacklisg Kentland, had come Btraight to D >i ; had acjosed har of being out with Kentland at midnight; and had demanded an explanation. Dot denied it utterly. He replied ft at he had sssn her himself. She loet her temper; he lost his. Then ahe had told him that if he did Hot trust her he could have back his promise and his lisg, and had in the most approved fashion hurled the same at his feet. ' What did he mean P' she sobbed. ' Ke said he saw me walking with Mr Kentland that I c-c-limbed in by the w-w----window I What did he mean P is he m»dP' I laid my hand en her shoulder in a fatherly fashion. A fatherly method of dealing with young persons of the opposite sex is of vast importance in the medical profession * Now my dear young lady,' i said, '■ jast tell me in confidence, were you out las! night ? Did you not really—just for un, you know—climb out of your bedroom window ?' ' Of course I did nothing of the kind!' she said with a snap o£ her little white teeth and a flash of her big brown eyes. She really was growing up a remarkably handsome girl, I thought. • Well, my dear/ 1 etid, patting her hand very paternally, ♦ I must say I saw you walking about is the lane last' nigLt mysslt; but of course if you say j you wore sot ' j 'Taen ol couisa jou were not." | 'Oi coues-j nut '• Uov culd IbeP I was asleep/ CHAP'rEB lI.—AGAINSr THE QUEEN'S PEACE. (Dr. Tring's Narrative, Continued.) la ths evening of that Monday I went &own to meet Kentland, who I knew would be at hem a. I reached his house juat in time to see a little comedy enacted,

At his garden gate stood Kantland, engaged in a fierce altercation with Sharlow. So heated had the quarrel become that just as I arrived Kentland reached out with Mb fiat for Dorothy's fiance, and that young gentleman found himself sitting in the dusty road. 'l'm not going to strike you again,' Kentland said, contemptuously, 'You need not be afraid. But I'm going to talk straight. You're a fool—a blind fool 1 You say you hare broken your engagement to Mfsi Oliver P Well, go back, and beg her pardon; and ask her to forgive you for your insulting suspicions.' Sharlow gathered himself up and without a word slunk off. ' Whaf s all this about P' I asked. «Oh, that thing there wanted to thrash me, it seems, because he saw me with Miss Oliver last night. She's too good for him. If he wants to horsawhip somebody why doesn't he go and rip the hide off that scoundrel Lots P And if he baa a grain of sense he'll go and marry the girl and get ber out of the fellow's way.' He paused, and then said thoughtfully. • Bat, anyway, I den't think Mr Lott will try on any more of his games.' •WhyP' «Well, I've had a talk -with him.' • No violence, I hope!' 'Oh, no. I only told him I'd put a bullet through him if he didn't promise to let her alone in future. I got his promise, and he has mine, too!' On the Wednesday evening following I had to see a patient at a little distance from the village) lam a heavy man and need exercise, so I walked. lam not one of the people who depise the two good legs God gave them, and like to paddle about on wheels. I saw my patient, and on my way home went round by Green Lane intending to drop in and see Kentland. It was a bright moonlight night. The air was still, and the gnats hummed in the dark shadows of the hedges. At the top of Green Line there is an open green called Four -Lane Ends, and just as I emerged into the moonlight space from the left another mas did the same. lat once recognised Kentland, and he was coming from the direction of the Olivers' house. We met by the fingerpost. ' He's been at it again!' said Kentland, abruptly. •Who?' • Lott.' ' What do you mean P At what ?' 'Simply this: I found Miss Oliver wandering about heraia thelaaes towards house,' be said savagely. 'She woka when I stopped her, and wbb horribly frightened, and I had the devil and all of a job to get her into the house without wkking up the servants. Hsd to get a ladder. She was afraid to climb the way she did the other night. I'd like to get my hands on that villain ] Bat anyhow she's safe now, whatever be does!' «What do you mean V 'I told her if Lott hypnotised her again—' he began. 'You told her she was hypnotised P' I cried.' (To be continued.)

An ingenious Swiss mechanic claims to have invented an automatic baby-nurse. The ajparatua Oajs the 'Family Doctor') ia attached to a cradle. If the baby cries, air waves cause specially-arranged wires to operate a phonograph which sings a lullaby, while Bimult&naously clockwork ia released asd rocks the cradle. When the crying cease 3 the vrire fails to vibrate, and the ciadle stopa rocking. A duel batwe.n two 12-year-cld bojs over a love afl»ir ia reported from Bansmourel, a village in Granada. The two fought with long knives and without seconds in a wood, until finally one was killed by a stab in the heart. An infant requires wishing all oves from tbe top of the head to the sole of the loot, night and morning, every day, .„ .. .. - -