THE VOICE IN THE DARK.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 142, 15 June 1908, Page 8

THE VOICE IN THE DARK.

CHAPTER VHL TEE TRUTH ABOUT THE BATTLESHIPS. Twenty-four hours later a large crowd assembled for the inquest on the body of the man who had been found murdered in Mrs. Sanderson's grounds. All Staten Island seemed to have turned out this day, for sensational events of the kind were, happily, rare in the usually peaceful borough of Richmond. Exactly how sensational this particular case was no one dreamed until the inquest began. There were four witnesses present. Mrs. Sanderson, Nora, Bashi, and the Jap who had been captured in Staten House. The evidence of Desmond Sanderson had been taken in an afiidavit, two eminent New York physicians having certified that an exposure to daylight, even with bandaged eyes, would militate against the cure he was taking. The coroner opened the proceedings by reading the affidavit, which was a detailed statement of the attempt on Nora's life, a circumstance deemed to have an important bearing on the case now befere the jury. As he read, all eyes were fixed upon the Jap, a repulsive-looking object standing between two officers. He was handcuffed, and his parched face was green rather than yellow. Bashi was the first witness called. He came up with his never-ceasing smile. He told the jury that his name was Loki Bashi, and that he had come to Mew York some years before to earn money as a servant; that Mrs. Sanderson had engaged him through an employment agency, and that he was now in her service at a wage of seven dollars a week. He told how he had discovered the open window in the dining-room at Staten House, but stoutly denied that he had seen or heard anyone prowling about either before or after his discovery. He answered every question easily. There was nothing suspicious in either look or word, and presently he was dismissed. Mrs. Sanderson was next called. In trembling tones she told the story of her romantic meeting with Nora Heller, and of subsequent events connected with the girl's sojourn in her house. , Her evidence was listened to with breathless interest. It was like a chapter from one of the evening paper serials ■ —only more absorbing, since the heroine was before them in flesh and blood. And when at length Nora herself stepped forth in answer to her call a thrill ran through the crowd. Every neck was craned to obtain a view of her. Artists began to sketch and journalists to describe her. .". She was dressed in deep mourning, and a more [ forlorn and pathetic creature had not been s»en in public for many a day. Yet it was easy to see behind the haggard lines something of her beauty, and the gold of her hair shone out i against the sombre black of her hat. As she stood up her eyes fell upon Mrs. Sanderson with a pitiful, imploring look, as though invoking her sympathy. The elder womans' heart melted. Her lips, which had not softened for days, now smiled, and as Nora saw the smile a' wave of colour swept over her wan features. It seemed to give her the courage she «o sorely needed. ° She drew herself up and faced the coroner unflmehingiy. Mrs. Sanderson leaned forward A red spot glowed on either cheek " The knowledge that this cross-examination must reveal Nora's secret, at last, filled her with intense excitement. The coroner began his questioning "What is your name?" ° " Norah May Heller." " Are you the daughter of the deceased man?" "I am," answered Nora faintly. "Speak up," said the coroner. "Was this man your father?" 'Yes," said Nora, more loudly. "I understand that you were the first to discover the body in the garden of Etaten House. Is this so?" "Yes," said the girl. "How did you come to find it?" "I saw it from my bedroom window at six o'clock in the morning. I thought it was my father, and I went out to m__ e certain." "Describe what you saw." Nora did so, every word cutting her like a blunt knife. ' ° "What did you do then?" asked the Coroner, "I went back to the house and told Mrs. Sanderson, and she sent for the police." "When did you see your father alive last?" "The day before," answered Nora, came over from New York to .Warn mc that I was in danger." "In danger of what?" . I "Of my life." "Did he mention any one in particular?" r | "No," she faltered. j "Answer mc carefully," said the coroner. " When your father gave you that I. vvanung did you not understand whom i he meant?" i "Yes," she confessed. I "Who was it?" j' "I cannot tell you the exact person," eaid Nora. "I knew simply that I was in > danger from the Japanese." , "And did your father include himself -i in the same danger'" , 'Yes." S * "Do you know why?" "Yes," said Nora. C . US / demande d the coroner. Nora glanced around her huntedly v The: handcuffed Jap looked over at her I wi.h the eyes of a lvn-s ««, t j c from them shuddering I * "Why did you and your father fear '■ the Japanese?" repeated the coroner " "Come, we are waiting." ° CT - |n " My father had been working with— i with a Japanese company," Nora stam ' . meed out. " And he had left them ! . against thtir wishes." "Man^ "What kind of company?" ! s Nora gazed at the corner helplessly. \ i "What company was it?" he asked t her. : " Something to do with ships," desper-! f Btely replied Nora. j " Where were their offices? " I, " In Lower California." \. "In what capacity was your father?" ; "He was—l don't quite know," she fal- .'; tered. . I '- " Yon are .hiding something from us," ' «declared the coroner sternly. " But you - must understand it won't do. We must get at the truth, and it is your duty to .. aid us as far as possible." "I do not intend to hide anything," said : :f_e girl in a low tone, "On the con- !

A Tale of a Mysterious Castaway.

BY SIT SEAIIBY.

trary, I have come here to tell — th« truth." ; "That's better," said the Coroner, mors amiably. " Now we can get ahead. Sup pose, Miss Heller, you tell us the trutl in you own way first." She drew herself up suddenly. " Yes," she agreed. Her face hard ened with determination. "t will —■ must! For it means not only avenginj my father's death. There are lives t< be saved," she went on dramatically "and it is for that I must speak." She swept her eyes over the jurymen "Gentlemen," she said, "my fathe: was murdered because he refused to g( on helping to destroy American battle ships—because at the eleventh hour hi repented of his sins." She paused to control herself. Then was not a sound from the crowd. Everj eye was riveted on the slender girl Every ear was strained for the nexi word. In low, clear tones, Nora told tin story of her father's life. Five years before, John Heller hac been a well-to-do builder and contractoi in San Francisco. From his boyhood however, his main thoughts and ambi tions had been centred on a submarint which he had invented. Having at last perfected it, be spent his entire savings and mortgaged his business to build his model, and then of fcred it triumphantly to the United States Government, in the certainty that it would be hailed as a valuable addition to the navy. The government, however, refused' tc recognise anything extraordinary in the submarine, and Heller was left stranded—a bankrupt. His wife died in want, and his young daughter, then a girl of fourteen, was growing thin and pale from the lack ol proper -nourishment. Torm with grief and self-reproach foi having staked so much on his invention and enraged at his country's blindness and want of enterprise, he turned his back on America and went to Japan, leaving the girl with a friend. The Japanese government were quick to see the good points in the submarine, Heller soon came to an arrangement with them whereby his future was assured. He returned to San Francisco and took up life once more with his child, whom he loved devotedly. Money was no longer scarce, and four years he and the girl lived in the lap of luxury. No one knew, not even his daughter, I what he had done, nor why he paid ' periodical visits to Japan, to return even weathier than before. At the end of the four years Heller announced to Nora that they were leaving San Francisco. He told her that he had purchased a mine on the coast of Lower California, and that he was going down to direct its development. They left San Francisco in a small steamer which Heller had bought, and they took with them sufficient stores to last some months. Nora had longed to travel, and the circumstances seemed to her full of excitement and adventure. Her feelings received a considerable check, however, when she landed, for the place was desolate enough to strike terror into any one, let alone a delicately nurtured girl. In a small landlocked harbour, which was hidden from the open sea, two or three small sailing-ships and a tug were anchored. Heller explained that he had chartered them for the purpose of keeping the camp supplied with fresh water, which had to be fetched from a port several miles down the coast. Nora had no suspicions, even though she and her father were the only white people in the camp. The remainder were all Japanese. She knew nothing of mining, and believed implicitly every thing John Heller told her. She noticed, however, that her father spent most of his time with his submarine, and that the supposed minors seemed more occupied with their ships and the submarine than with the land. Heller was out in the submarine for long spells. The girl grew lonely. She yearned for the companionship of a white woman, and soon tired of the merry little Jap girls who looked after the domestic arrangements of the camp. She begged Heller to let her go with him on his trips. A voyage in the submarine was something for which she longer night and day. Her heart leaped at the thought of darting under the seas, and Heller's submarine was capable of remaining beneath the surface for as long as he might choose. She begged continuously to be allowed to accompany him, if only once, to be met with refusal always. One day as she stood on the shore regarding the submarine with longing eyes an idea came to her. She went on board, examined the interior carefully, and noted that there were one or two places in which a person might be safely concealed. She knew that her father intended going out that day, and her desire to taste the excitement of a submarine trip became too great to quell. Why should she not hide herself until the boat was out to sea? The worst that could happen to her would be a severe scolding from her father, and she lid not doubt that she could soon earn lis forgiveness for her prank. And while she was hesitating she ieard Kirn and his men approaching, and •ealised that if she wished to carry out ler plan she would have to act ins tanty. Quickly she slipped into a small dark loset wherein Heller kept his clothes, t adjoined the little saloon. Very soon afterward the submarine ras put to sea, and Nora tingled with xpectation as she heard the swish of he water above. She waited half an hour. Then a feelig of stiffness made her decide to show .erself and brave her father's wrath. She was about to open the closet-door, phen she heard voices in the saloon. U the same moment the subniarinei fhich had been traveUing at a terrific peed, came to a stop. John Keller was debating with the lapanese sailors, and every word fell distinctly on Nora's horrified ears. It was then that she learned her ather's secret. The Japanese government had purchased Heller's invention. They had Uso purchased the inventor. And John Heller was gyving himself and his submarine to a terrible scheme against his own country. fe a ' uls Japan was on the eve of declaring war with the United t or S der to weaken __ne.rica's position and thereby strengthen their own, tlicv had conceived the idea of (Wi-ovinff many as possible of the lv:t->d States battleships on the Pacific coast

Heller's submarine had come to them as an inspiration, and i_ his bitterness against his own country, he had been easy to win over. And it was with his invention and under his personal guidance that one after another of the warships had been sunk and their crews destroyed. Nora was stupefied with horror, and long after the voices ceased she remained in the closet trembling and wondering what she ought to do. Her father found her. Instead of anger, she met with abject terror on his part, and swiftly she learned that her presence in the submarine was fraught with the direst peril to herself. For the fact that she had learned the secret was sufficient to make the regard her as an object to be got rid of without any delay. Heller marshalled his faculties together rapidly. He had but one thought —to save his child. That night, aware that one of the coasting-steamers was due to pass that way, he contrived, unnoticed, to put Nora off the submarine in a canvas boat. There was a short hurried farewell between them. Nora entreated her father to abandon his fearful work. His only answer was an injunction to keep watch for a steamer, which was her one and only chance of life—for on the submarine she was as good as dead. The instant the boat was afloat Heller sent his submarine flying through the water, and Nora was adrift on the high seas—alone. The night was warm and beautiful, but to the unhappy girl it was the most terrible that she had ever spent or dreamed of! Her rescue by the City of Tokyo followed a few hours later. For her father's sake, she kept the secret, but she determined never to go back or to have any communication with him. Mrs. Sanderson's offer of a home solved the problem of her immediate needs, and she started on the new life, endeavouring to forget the past. Every fresh war-ship disaster, however, increased her belief that she was doing wrong in concealing what she knew, and at length she decided to give the facts to the public at any cost. No sooner was her decision made than a message from her father reached her through the medium of the newspapers. She went to meet him, to learn that he had cut his tics with the Japanese for the sake of reunion with his child. They arranged to leave America within a few days and then publish the truth about the missing battleships. The Japs, however, suspecting Heller of treachery, followed him to New York, ascertained where the missing Nora was, and sentenced them both to death. Her story came to an end, and, half fainting, she sank down on the chair which was pushed toward her. Not a word could be drawn from the I captured Jap, but it was not difficult to surmise the rest. John Heller had presumably paid another visit to Staten House in a last endeavour to save his daughter, was followed, and was killed in the grounds that night. His murderer had then broken the diningroom window and entered the house, in order to find Nora. Her singing in the dark room had led the Jap to believe that she was alone, and he had found his way to her. confident of being able to carry out his design unhindered. A verdict of wilful murder was rendered, and the Jap was led away to await his trial. Nora's evidence produced the utmost sensation throughout the States. Needless to say, however, no Japanese or other kind of camp was discovered on the Lower Califomian coast—though the obvious remains of one in a lonely and desolate spot testified to the truth of Nora's statements. The subject of the missing battleships, and of the prevention of further disasters in the future, is one which is bein" closely attended to by the American Government. Meantime, Mrs. Sanderson is watching —and not altogether regretfully—the rapidly developing love-affair of" Nora Heller and her son. The great German doctor has again visited Staten House. "I think," he said after his last examination of Desmond's eves—"l really think, in spite of all, I can promise yon the use of your eyes in a few weeks. The treatment has been most successful." "Then," said Desmond,' "I shall be able to see Nora." And this, after all, was the one ambition of his life—to see Nora's face, as he asked her to be his wife.

(THE END.)