CHAPTER XXXIII.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIII, Issue 81, 7 April 1902, Page 6

CHAPTER XXXIII.

SINISTER PREPARATIONS.

The first person Jane met when she re-entered the house was Sarah, Mrs Schuyler's maid. Nothing Could have suited Jane better, and, as it proved, the circumstances were altogether perfectly adapted to the crafty plotter's schemes; for Sarah had met with a painful, though not serious, accident. "See!" cried Sarah, "I have hurt myself!" She held up her left hand, which was wrapped in a cloth. "I jammed it between a door and the wall," she added, faintly. It looked as if Sarah were about to become unconscious from- the pain. Jane caught her quickly and helped her along the corridor. "Come to my room," said Jane, kindly. "I have linen and lotions there, and am as skilful in such matters as a trained nurse." This was quit 1 the truth, as Sarah presently admitted with gratitude, for the pain was relieved and the hand was bandaged comfortably. ~"You must have a tonic," said Jane- "I have something that is splendid for the nerves. I am never without it, for I often find it useful. Lie still, Sarah, till I get it." She busied herself a moment at her medicine chest, and presently gave Sarah a-glass of what looked like wine. Sarah drank it without hesitation. "You must lie still for a few minutes," Jane went on, in the most motherly wry. "It will be better if you can deep a bit, even if it's only for five minutes. Sarah did not realise it, but she had no difficulty whatever in going to sleep. In a few seconds she was unconscious. Jane put the medicine chest in order, but took from it, before she closed it, a -mail parcel wrapped in cotton. In a moment she went over to the bed where Sarah lay. , "She'll do," murmured Jane, con- j tentedly, and she left the room, smiling. As she was going along the corridor toward Mrs Schuyler's apartments Bhe was suddenly confronted by a 1

man who seemed to be proceeding as noiselessly as she. Jane had never seem him before."Miss Schuyler's maid?" he said, inquiringly. "I am," replied Jane. "I am Mr Gordon's valet," he said, politely, and significantly. Jane understood the hint, but she was determined that she would not take it- , . J.,' "Well?" she responded, impatient•'Miss Schuyler's maid," said he, clearing his throat, and smiling craftily, "must understand what I want. Mr Gordon assured me there would be no difficulty or delay if I should make myself known." Jane was not only anxious to save the diamonds, but she also wanted to save every minute of time before the people should return from church. "I know," she said, "you want the diamonds. I cannot give them to you until 1 have seeu Mr uordon agaiu." With, that Jane brushed past him, j but she had not taken half a dozen ' -teps before she was halted by a few words very softly spoken, yet in a tone that was extremely significant and that completely changed her mind. "Mr. Gordon will- not like that," said the valet. Jane looked silently' at the man, and he as silently returned the gaze. She was puzzled, he confident. "That man is a demon," thought Jane, .repressing a shiver. "I shall have to let him take the diamonds now, but 1 won't let him.have them a second time. If anything serious should happen I might need them." Telling the man to wait, she went to Fannies room, and returned in a moment with the jewel case. "How long do you need to keep them?" she asked. "An hour will be ample," he softly replied. "The plaster of Paris is ready, and it won't take long to make the casts." "I will look for you in just an hour," said Jane, shortly, and the man bowed low. He went at once towards his master's quarters, but Jane lingered some moments in the corridor, fearful that he-might be stealthily prying her movements. When she was satisfied that he was paying no further attention to her she went on, and in a very short. Urne had accomplished what she wished. At the exact moment when the hour was up, she was again in the corridor, and the valet was equally prompt. He bowed low as he handed •her the jewel case, and they parted without a spoken word on either' side. -''"■' '" J"' Jane was nervous. 'She feared that some trickery had been practiced— that the gems had already been j®** '■ moved and replaced by worthless glass—and she hurried to her room to investigate. i She smiled as she saw that Sarah was still sleeping, and then locked herself in Fannies dressing-room. -It took hardly more than a glance to satisfy her that the diamonds were unharmed, but she lingered some minutes, gloating over them and calculating their value. '•;;.-.. "No!" she whispered, as she put them away at last, "we must not let these out of our possession, not for two Donald Gordons!" She returned to her own room to await Sarah's awakening, which happened a few minutes before the party was due to come home from church. Sarah looked stupidly around a moment and tried to rise. "Dear me!" she exclaimed; "I'm dizzy!" . "Of course you are," she said, cheerfully. "What could you expect after such a shock to your nerves? Here, drink this, and in half a minute you will feel ,as well as ever." . Sarah unhesitatingly complied, and shortly pot up, saying that she never felt better in her life. She went at once to the room of her mistress, and Jane laughed scornfully after she had gone. "There's a stupid!" she. muttered. "If I had been in her place I should have known that I had been drugged, and I should instantly suspect that somevmischief had taken place in the room where I ought to have been while under the influence of the stuff! Thank goodness! ■ I have at least my share of brains!" • Fannie came in soon. She was glowing with elation, for, on the way from church, Gordon had played his part with such effective gallantry that her silly heart was persuaded ' that he was in earnest. After a moment she told her mother all about the scene on the lawn jn which Hilda had had a share. Jane listened intently, and her blood chilled at thought of the narrow escape from exposure. "My darling," , she gravely said, when the account was finished, "do take a lesson from this. Never take anything for granted. A summerhouse! you should have suspected that somebody was concealed there. I tell you, you must be-cautious. We have need to be." "Why!" exclaimed Fannie, startled by the tone, "is anything else the matter?" . . "Did you see," asked Jane, impressively, "a short, white-haired woman in a black dress?" "Yes. She asked me about Mrs. Schuyler." "That woman was Hester MillId urn! l Fannie sank into a chair, breathless and pale. To her it seemed, as if the end had actually come. Jane told her. everything in great detail. , „,, , "Why didn't you kill her?" demanded Fannie. fiercely. "What! by daylight?" "Well, later then. You will, won t you?" • ' The girl was furious. Having tasted the pleasure and power of great wealth, and having bound to her the man she loved, she could not now shrink from any step to retain what had been gained. Jane slowly shook her head. • "Why not?" cried Fannie. "You wanted to kill Jack—-you tried to! Let's be rid of this woman, without the risk of the trouble she can make."

"Little trouble she will make,"-* said Jane, coolly. "She can harass us; put us on the defensive." "Oh, no. She will find herself on the defensive. What's tue use of killing her when we can so manage that her attempts against us will prove her Own undoing?" "But can we do that?" "Sure!" Fannie sat back and waited for her mother to explain her future proceedings; but Jane did not choose to speak of them, at that time. Instead, she narrated her meeting with the valet, and told how she had drugged Sarah. . "I begin to see," said Fannie, slowly. "Voir wanted to find the confession?" "Certainly! I drugged i_arah. that I might be free to make a hunt for it. I meant to do it somehow when I. entered the house, by fair means or foul, but luckily Sarah's accident —" "Yes, yes! but did you find it?" "I did. Now perhaps you can see why it was advisable to have duplicate keys made." "Yes. Well?' "It was in the secretary, in" Mrs 'Schuyler's -boudoir, just* where an evil-minded person would be most likely to look for it, and the easiest thing in the house to steal." ■ "And you took it?" "What! I? I should say not! The real Hester Millburn may steal it if she thinks it will serve her," and Jane g*ave the girl a most significant glance. "I'm afraid I don't understand," said Fannie"You don't need to. Just wait. Be thankful that I found the confession." "I am. You have given me confidence, in spite of the fact that I hardly know how you can proceed. What do you expect will happen next?" "Why! that -tester Millburn will call some time to-morrow, early probably, and that she will go away hopelessly defeated." "Good. I believe it." "There are only two things for you to do," said Jane- "You must first let Mrs Schuyler know that I have had' an encounter with a crazy woman. That will prepare her for the interview. Then you must stick to Mrs Schuyler. Don't let her out of your sight, for I want the interview to take place in your presence." "What about Donald, mamma?" "Nothing about Donald! . He's no longer dangerous. Your wit has saved us fiiom him. Don't think about him more than you can help. You must get ready for dinner now." And thus abruptly the important subject was dismissed, both feeling confident that the morrow's crisis would be met successfully. (To be continued.)