A Race With Ruin

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 88, 13 April 1904, Page 9

A Race With Ruin

By HEADON HALL. Author of '-Guilty Gold,"' "Queen of the Night," etc." CHAPTER XXVIII. CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS?. About the time that Sir Charles Roylance and Mr Inspector Croal were being apprised by Mrs Bremner of Nance's j disappearance, Tannadyce sat in the priivate room of his offices, in close conference with his satellite Skinner. ' "\ou are quite certain," he was saying, "that the fellows carried out -instructions to the letter? There is no doubt that the brougham reached the Rook's Nest without any fuss?" '"Quite certain, sir; I .'.as hid 5a the bushes by the entrance gates when they drove in." was the reply. "Good! Well, now J have another commission for you which ought to be congenial, for it is directed at once and for all suppressing Lord Hooligan without the unpleasant consequences -to our-.-iivcs which would ensue if he were ar- ; rested." "I'd do pretty nigh any tiling to get quit of the brute. ,, said the groom"l've never had a moment's peace of mind since " "•Since the discovery of that body on the Down.-;.-' Tannadyce helped him out. "I can understand that it is not nice to feel that you had driven his lordship down on tha-t occasion, but there is a more serious view of the case, Skinner. If Hooligan is ever brought to trial it will all come out —lie is just t.he cur 'o confess it out of spite—tha-t you, at my instigation, acted as the bogus registrar who was supposed 1o have niarri.-d him to Bessie Beekfoid." "It was rough of you to make mc do thai, sir." said tiic groom with a shade of resentment. '■L'nfortunately, it was unavoidable in tho interests of my business.' 5 the money-lender retorted coolly, "li Lord Hooligan had not bcr-n disposed of in tha-t manner just then for a few months, he would have been annexed by an American heiress who I knew was after his title, and his liabilities to mc would have been discharged—whereas fore closure on (lie remains of his estate paid mc better. I explain this to you. not because .'. am compelled 'to do' so, but because you have .served mc faithfully." "\\ hail is it, 1 am to do now—cut his lordship's Uiroat?' , a-kod Skinnrr with unwonted warmth. "Because I'll tell you straight, sir, that it isn't a job I'm taking on. I'll do anything in reason, lint you mustn't ask mc to break the law again.' , t Tannadyce laughed soothingly, and hade his faithful follower keep an easy mind. The task before him \va:. " ; 'l 'ii the lea-,!, formidable and entailed ii:> breach of the pe-u.ee- merely consisted in cultivating friendly rela tiuiis witli the brother of the uiurderr 1 woman and nf finally hinting to him that ho could indicate not neoessarilv the guilty party, but the man who ran oil with Bessie Beckford. "1 know the brother to speak to, sir—Tidmarsh his name i»," replied tho groom. "You'll remember I came acrnso him in a pub at. Islington the day 1 followed" the young lady from FleetMreet for you. He knows I'm in your service, too. 1 think, from that, clerk at Nathan's." .«.. Tannadyce drew figures on his blot-ting-pad in deep meditation. "That need make no difference,'' he said presently. "In fact, it i> an advantage, .■■s it will lmd colour to my ultimate dealing with .Mr. Tidmnrsh. For you must b; , very careful only to oxriJo him and sound him a. , , yet. .Air Nathan, who defended him in a police court case yesterday, informs mc that he is very bitter against the slayer of his sister, nnl 1 want you to find out io what lengths he would he likely to go if lie could lay his hand on the man." "I'm not to mention Lord Hooligan or Miss B-«iuehanip or the Rook's Xest'. , " ".Not by name, my dear Skinner, only by innuendo. 1 wiil enlighten him more fully when you have ascertained his frame of mind," Tannndyoe replied suavely. "Pose as a hug of mystery that may be induced to open after further consideration, and make another appointment witli him for that purpose on Monday. Stay, though; I had forprottrn the utility of this c'.erk of XaIhans— Bremner is Vis name, isn't it? Weil, you may drop a hint especially if Bremner is in the company of Tidinarsh when you tackle him, that Miss Beauchamp has run away voluntarily to the gentleman who at one time showed a preference for Tidmarsh's sister. That is only a slight stretching of the truth, and nred not trouble that sen-ii-conscience of yours. Skinner. <eh?" The servant knew his master's playful mood, and read the deadly purpose underlying that bland smoothness. Up in a Norfolk village there was an old ■'gco.-ly,' going to church on Sundays in a r.-vl cloak, who w.is the mother of this smart London groom, and owed her snn.s cottage and romfnrtahle. life to her son's remittances. That was the secret of the steady, silent young map's devotion to a service which he hated—the postal orders which he re-milt.-d monthly frnni Baylon tho Great to that c|iiict haven on the Eastern coa«t----"1 sre what is required, sir Mr Tidmarsh is the tiger who is to devour the jackal," raid Skinner, allowing himself an unusual latitude of speech. "I will got up to the Union Tack'at once." Tannadyce nodded dismissal and smiled darkh when his minion had departed. He knew nothing of the old woman in Norfolk, but he knew that some hidden chain of mutual interest bound this young man to him, and he meant to avail himself fully of Caa bond. "That's a lucky chance that the fair Xanr-c'.s landlord should happen to be a fniirtid of Tidmarsh," ho muttered. -The worthy bookmaker, when he has been properly stuffed by Skinner, may be trusted to pass on his news to Bremner, who, in turn, will " pass it on to Sir Charles—if that eraiarant lover makes inquiries for his lady love. She'll find it hard work to substantial- her version of the .story i*n f.ico of preeineeived ide.is." He rose from his chnir and walked across the thick pile- carpet to o:ip of "■tin? handsome windows ovf-r-looking the broadening thoroughfare. The afternoon traffic was- at its height, and the moneylender stood gazing meditatively at the crowds of fashionably dressed people streaming afoot and in carriages up to Kegent-street—.po many of them his pre-y. Suddenly hfs brows contracted and he fell back a p:iee behind the curtains as his gaze settled on a hansom that had

jii3t set 3own two fares on th-e opposite side of the way. One was Sir Charles Koylance, the other was Mr Inspector Croal. '"Those two in combination, -eh? Croal lias been quick —very quick,"' Tannadyee murmured softly to hinself. •'Fortunately that had. been foreseen and is provided for, but it is as well to be aware of it. The knowledge that,Croal is on the right scent consoles ane that 1 haven't taken a lot of trouble for nothing. Ah, they seem to be at loggerbeads. What now, I wonder?" For Cro' 1 ":ad laid a restraining hand on the I net's arm and a heated dlscussion sec i d to be taking place. Then Sir Charles, Hushed and excited, broke away and crossed the road towards the ollices., leaving the inspector planted on the kerb-stone and evidently in two ■minds whether to follow or not. Tannadyce waited Long enough behind the curtain to see Croal walk rapJdly away in the direction of Xew Scotland Yard, and seated himself at his table in time to rise and bow courteously a3 his page announced Sir Charles Eoyhince. Sir Charles entered with an air of haughty hostility. ".No, Mr Tannadyce, I don't shake hajids with you," he said, avoiding the jewel encrusted fingers extended to him. -Xot, at least, till you hare given a straight answer to a straight question. Do you know where Miss .Nance Beauchamp is?" "Miss Reaueliamp?" the usurer repealed, puckering his brows. "Ah. of course, pardon me—you refer to the young lady whom till quite recently I knew as Miss Parker, of the "Lightning Finals' in Red Lion Court. Xo, I have not the sligßtest idea where she is— unless she is at her lodging in Islington. I believe their business premises have been shut up since the attack on the old man the other day." ■'You admit, then, that you know Miss Beauchamp, and her connection with that wretched business?" said Sir Charles, taken aback by the other's cool impudence. "Why shouldn't I?" Tannadyce smiled. "It is permitted even to one of my profession to admire a pretty oman. I suppose. But why this tone. f<it- Charles?" he added with a quick change of manner. •'Won't, you sit down and be amicable? When you came in just now I was under the impression that you wanted to pay out that little judgment of £10,000 that 1 have obtained against you —or possibly to jrive notice of the redemption of the mortgages. 1 had no idea we were .rivals in a hopeless cau.-e. There is really no reason why we should quarrel about Miss Parker—l beg your pardon. Miss Beauchamp—because I fear we have both been outpaced by an outsider in the favours of the fair lady." Black as a thundercloud grew the Daronet's boyish face. He believed this man was lying, but ho could not pin j him to tho lie through all these plausible admissions. ]f he had been of the Lord Hooligan type he would have taken him by the throat and strangled him, but, curbing the impulse, he. forced himself to put the question— "Then you deny all knowledge of Miss Beaueharnp having been lured from her lodging last night by a false messn:;e from tho hospital about her father?" " ' "Is she missing from her lodging?" said Tannadyce. and his tone of semilirvdMTrrcnt annoyance was masterly. "Well, on the whole. I am not surprised, i could make no headway with the girl—owing, I thought, to a predi-' ifWToil for sonic young fellow who' was her father's partner." "That is a base calumny, on a par with your scoundrelly conduct in sending that same fellow into their office to spoil my market," the baronet retorted, white with anger. "Miss Beauchamp is not the sort to intrigue with any of your parasites." Tannadyce smiled the smile that is in itself an exasperation. "Really, Sir Charles, you are going a little too far,' , he protested with careless tolerance. "Did she confide to you the name of this man whom you accuse mc of introducing into 'Parker's Lightning Finals'? Because, if so, I should be vastly obliged if you would give it to mc." Sir Charles was too agitated to perceive that under the apparent insolence of the question there lay a real desire to ascertain if Nance had divulged the mysterious partner's name. Too agitated nl>o as he to note the gleam of relief which shone in the usurer's eyes at his scornful denial of all knowledge of the partner's name. •Miss Bcauehaiup didn't think it worth while to soil her lips with the brute's name, and that alone is proof of the falseness of your vile insinuation."' he exclaimed. And then, realising the futility of pursuing his quest in this headquarters of deceit, he turned on his heel, but paused at the door to (ling back at his enemy the quivering taunt: "1 cannot hold my own with such as you, thank heaven, in tonguework, but there is another way of dragging to light the secrets of guilty men. Xight and day henceforth, till Miss Beauehnnip is found, you will be watched by the police, so that if you know where she. is yon won't, be able to go to her without giving us. our clue. Wherever you eat or drink or sleep there will bo a detective at hand to note cxl aclly where you go, what you do, and with whom you consort. It will oven be known from whom you receive letI ters and telegrams. You will be living ( in a house of glass, Mr Leopold Tannadyce, till this matter is cleared up." "Is that so?" sneered the moneylender. "1 ;;a\v you getting out of a cal) with Inspector Croal just now, and 7. gathered from his manner that he thought you wrong in coming to see mc. Anyhow, give him my compliments, and tell him that if he likes to waste his time he will find a man with an easy conscience a very easy man to shadow. About dinner-time I am generally to be found at my restaurant in the Strand, and I invariably wind up at the ItazzleDazzle Club. Good-bye. Sir Charles, and a better temper to you" When his harassed victim had finally disappeared, Tannadyce leaned back in liis chair and grinned. "That last shot about the Raz/Je Dazzle Club will hurt," he chuckled. "And this shadowing business bids fail to be amusing, since I have isolated the i Rook's Nest as effectually as a smallpox I hospital—till I give the word." lie rose once more to gaze abstractedly from the window, his lianas thrust deep in his pockets, jingling the golden coin?. • - And that word must be given not later than Monday, for I cannot expect Mother Fury to control that crowd longer than that," he muttered pref-ont-ly. "Then matters should come to a head on Tuesday night at both places. Nathan's people will collar Starlight at Epsom, and—well, there'll be the devil to pay at the Rook's Xest." be continued daily.)