HELD FOR RANSOM.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 141, 16 June 1893, Page 3

HELD FOR RANSOM.

BY LIEUTENANT MURRAI

Author of 'The Masked Lady,' 'Spanish Musketeer,'' Scarlet Flag,' etc.

CHAPTER VII.

THE DETECTIVE,

In the meantime Colonel Bray had reached home and was in active consultation with bis friends. Even in London, whore he was so well known, the old officer found ib no easy task to raise the heavy sum required for his child's ransom. All to whom he applied heard his story respectfully and offered every token of sympathy except the very one which alone would meet the actual necessities of the case—money. Some insisted upon making a govern' ment affair of it and having a special demand made upon the Italian authorities for the restoration of Marion Bray. A fleet of men-of-war should at once be sent to Naples, etc., etc. Others suggested that the money should be raised and paid over and then that the Italian government be made to refund the sum. This was a very good idea, and ii these advisers would but advance the five thousand pounds sterling, in the meantime, why this course would answer the colonel's purpose. But somehow theae people, sc very ready and often reasonable with then suggestions, had not the means or inclination to advance the money itself, Many persons were for organising a company of resolute men, landing at or near Naples, and marching in a body to the stronghold of the robbers and liberating the English girl. These persons had only to be informed that such a course would cost the life of the prisoner _tc see that the business of liberation was not so easily met, except by paying the ransom. Indeed, after looking at the case in every possible light, this was at last conceded to be the only plan to pursue. Colonel Bray's daughter had been permitted to send him a letter in reply to the one he wrote to her just as he was about tc leave Naples, and this had brought com forting assurance to the father, so far at the immediate safety of his child was concerned. The letter ran as follows: 'Dear Father:—l am permitted to say that I have received your kind letter, written just as you were about to start tot England. lam made as comfortable as possible here under the circumstances, and hare a very respectable and kind peasant woman to wait upon me. I am satisfied that no personal harm is intended or will be permitted in my instance, but also that the payment of tho ransom is the only possible means of effecting my release. I hope that you will not worry too much about me, but yet 1 cannot say how earuestly I desire to be released from this isolation and trying confinement. Thab Heaven may bless and keep you, my dear father, is the constant prayer of your fond child, Makion.' This letter, after ib had passed through the hands of their chief, the brigands forwarded, and ib was received, as we have said, by the colonel. He saw at once that bis child had not been persuaded to write by tho robbars, and prompted to send such words as should harrow up his feelings. Ho divined from the missive that the banditti felt quite assured in their position, and were content to abide tho lapse of the time specified to him at the outset. The house of Woolf and Co., whose store had been robbed so systematically, as described in our second chaptor, was nob disposed to sit down patiently under thoir heavy loss without r^aking a strenuous effort to recover the value of the goods, and bring the guilty parties to justice. They, like Colonel Bray, had been busily at work, and had brought to Naples an English detective, who was afforded sucli assistance by the local authorities as he required to properly prosecute the needed search. They have no detective corp3 in Italy, but a system of police spies, which answers in some degree the same purpose. Tho professional detective is not, howover, recognised in their police organization. The London officer worked ab some disadavantago, as he spoke the language bub indifferently, though he was afforded all conveniences. Up to tho presenb time the real mystery of the robbery remained unsolved. There had, however, Ueen one discovery made, but what bearing ili might have eventually in the matter, could nob be at present divined. Ib was found thab whoever had conveyd away the valuables on the night of the robbery, had cbanced to take, among other articles a small box of white powder, an article used for cleaning silverware. This had evidently beau thrown into a canvas bag with other arbicla?, andineuch a manner as to spill the powder into the bottom of the bag. Hore it bad found a small hole through which ib bad sifted Blowly as ib was carried along, indicating for Borne three hundred yards the direction in which the robber or robbers bad gone after leaving the slore with their booty. This powder had singularly preserved its identity upon the ground, there having been no rain in the meantime, and oxi ended from the rear entrance of the store along a back lane, running parallel to the Sirada Toledo, where it suddenly ceaaed, as bhcmgh the position of the bag had there b.eon changed, or that the peruou carrying it had sunk into the ground. This was so plain and manifest) a ' brail,.' thab the English detective, who was the first one to discover this clue, dwelt) constantly upon it. This was to be followed up again and again, until it should suggest the true solution of the problem. It was argued from this pieco of evidence thut it was nob Mezzoni's band who committed the burglary, for had they been the parties they would naturally have turned, it was thought, in tho opposite direction to escape with their booty. In this instance the robbers had evidently gone into the very heart of the city with the goods stolen from VVoolf and Co. This phase being established, as relating to the case, new efforts were instituted, and now theories suggested, bub still them was nothing reliable discovered as to the thieves. One day there appeared ab the door of the Corrello palace an old and decrepit woman, bent half double wibh age, and bo whose summons Beppo responded. ' I have lost my parrot,1 said the old woman, in a shivering voice. ' What is that to mo ?' said Boppo. 'He haa flown into your back garden,' whimpered the woman. 1 There is no garden to this palace.' ' Then ho's gone into your back yard. I saw him fly.' ' There is no parrot there—go your way,' said Beppo, brying to shut the door. ' I would give gold to get my parrot,' said the old woman, in broken Italian, while at the same time sho hold out toward the servant a golden louis. Beppo's eyes sparkled with the natural avarice of his class as he saw the gold, and after a moment of hesitation, he said : ' Givo mo the gold and you may look for your bird. Bub he quick about ii—we do nob admib people here.' The old woman hobbled in and followed Beppo to the rear of the palace. ' You see ib'a no use,' he said. 1 He's lost! ho's losb!' cried the old woman, looking minutely all about her. The rear yard was narrow, and she kicked aboub the,dirt. 1 Whab aro you turning up the dirb for ?' asked the servant. • You don't suppose he's buried in the ground, do you f i■• NPi-no/abO'anßweiedr-in^B.hni'.'oxaßjia-

ing everf crack and corner. • He's lost t he's losb!' ' Welli yoi have looked long enough, 1 said Beppo- ' Come, I don'b want my master to see you.' ' Doesn't he liko to have people about 1' asked the old woman, in a whining voice. 1 No ; he'd kill me just as likely as not if be saw you here. Come along quick.' ' I'm coming. I'm coming. Oh, my parrot! I've lost my dear, dear parrot 1' Just as the old woman was making her way out, to the utter dismay of the servant, Alberto Corrello met them face to faco, and turning fiercely to Beppo, he said: ' Whab does this mean V '■ Well, y°u se 0i Bir ' • Speak out!' 1 The old woman lost her parrob over the rear wall) and has been to find it,' 'Have a care how you admit any one here,' said his master, in a tone of voice and with an expression of countenance which the old woman observed sot Beppo into a tremour. • The old woman hobbled away, and finally disappeared down the Strada St. Carloi just opposite the famous theatre of that name. Here she entered a house in which lodging-rooms were let, and soon after, if any person had been watching that door, they might have seen issue from thonce the person of the English detective, who at once made his way to the shop of Woolf. and Co., where he was seen to enter into close conversation with tho head of the establishment. ' Are you at leisure 2' •Yes.' ' Well, I wanb to ask you a few questions,' 'Very good,' • Who is Alberto Corrello ?' asked the detective. ' He is of a noble but decayed family.' ' Rich ?' 1 Hardly thai?.' 'How does ho live V •How?1 'I mean what supports him.' ' Well, it would be hard to Bay,' ' Good habits ?' • On the contrary, very bad.' ' Gambles, I suppose V ' That's the trouble.' 1 Any stories about him ?' ' Yes, there is one rather queer story about him as to hia having a jar of gold in his basatnenfc, left by one of his ancestors. Out of this jar he is eaid to replenish his purse when it runs low,' said the Jew, with a smile of incredulity. 1 Did the gentleman start this story himself ?' asked the detective. 'I cannot say.' This closed the detective's conversation relative to Alberto Corrello, and he turned and was just about to 50 out of the Bhop, when the proprietor came to him and aßked in j, low voice : 1 Why these questions about Corrello V ' Merely for information.' ' Do you suspect anybody ?' • 1 suspect everybody; that's my business,' replied the officer, as he walked out on the broad square fronting the royal palace, known as tho Plaza del Plebiscite Here, sitting on one of the public benches, he seemed to lose himself in a brown study. So anxious was Colonel Bray to be near his child that, after raising about onehalf of the necessary sum for her ransom, be left with sonio trusty friends to make up the balance, with directions for them to forward it as soon as possible to him ab Naples. It seemed to be some consolation to the father to know that he was so many miles nearer to Marion, though he could not see her. Colonel Bray's case was now well known. Indeed, if he had particnlarly desired to keep hia daughter's abduction secret ha would have found it impossible to do so. We know that he was afraid to solicit tho services of the Government, as one of the conditions of Marion's safety was that her father should make no attempt to forcibly recover his child, and he had so far kept good faith with the brigands. The English detective called upon the colonel, after his arrival, and asked for a description of the brigand chief. The colonel could only describe him as a very dark man, smallfeatured, heavy beard, and not large in body, but with a sabre wound as it seemed to him under the left eye. 'Ah, yes; I have heard of that mark before,' said the officer. ' Rather peculiar and easily recognised. Do you pay tho ransom, colonel?' 'Ot course.' ' You are right,' said the officer; ' bub \ afterward—vengeance!' 'Hush!' said the colonel. 'Just let me get my child and then we will see what can be done in behalf of justice.'

{To he Continued.)