LADY LIL.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 178, 28 July 1913, Page 10

LADY LIL.

EHSATIONAL STOSY Or A SOCIETY BEAUTY, A ROAIANCE OF LOVE AND THE SALVATION ARMY. (By ARTHUR APPLIN.). Author of "The Chorus Girl," "The Girl Who Xaccr His Honour/ "The Btago Door," etc. etc. CHAPTER XXVIII. Lady Lii feared that she was lo=t. Soft, sensuous, unhealthy, the doctor nevertheless strong. Vet lie began to realise that he hail almost met his match in Lady Li!. Slenderly and delicately bnilt, without an ounre of superfluous tiesh, with muscled clean and healthy, she successfully kept the brut<: a: bay.

But he only laughed, and bis laughter was more terrible to Lil than a '-urse. It mia-nt that he uas bound to -win in the end. It meant that in lighting her lie was only torturing her. It amused him to tire her out gradually. To watch, and to feel her failing strength. To see hatred turn to terror in her eves. To eventually hear her pray and plead. Though there he made a mistake. The Duke of Tawciouth's daughter would never plead.

Lil knew if she once ceased struggling, I once allowed fear to get mastery, she ; •would probably lose consciousness and faint. Then indeed her doom would be sealed. Knowing tlrat she was lost, realising in the end she must be overcome. there was armoirt. a temptation to give upit.be dreadful struggle and welcome •"""stare's anaesthetic—the steep from which, perhaps, there would be no ttwake-niug. But lil was made of such stern stuff thai, whole she had life submission was impossible. They might break, but they could not bend her wtD. She-no longer seresßned; she wanted all her strength, all her .breath for the struggle. Suddenly she felt the- doctor's lingers strafing- towards her throat. "Give in, my beauty," he hissed. "No one will come to your rescue. You're alone here. You're deserted. You belonc to mc. Fvo bought you!" The fat, fleshy ringers tightened their grip. Lady Lil tried to wrench them free. She had been forced back. A terrible weight was pressing on her chest. She saw the doctor hovering above her crushing her. She could scarcely breathe. She screamed again—twice instinctive!".-, a last desperate cry for help she Irne-.v could not come. A must rose before her eyes. There was a dreadful throbbing in lier ears. Then she felt herself sinking down into unknown depths. A great weight pushed her deeper and deeper. Vet she sti'l fought.

Then suddenly the throboinfr in her ears ceased. The weight which was flushing her down disappeared. Her lungs filled with air again. She heard a queer noise that to her distraught senses sounded like a crash of music.

Her eyes were still wide open; she strained them to pierce the rose-pink mist which surrounded her. She took another breath, and using hex arms—free now— lever, she sat upright.

Through the mist she saw a huge, shapeless mass leap through the window, over tbe dressing-table on to the ground. Jt hurtled towards the doctor, wtio had turned to the door

The mist began to clear. Lil struggled to her knee*. With one hand she groped for the electric-light switches beside the bed. She found them, and the room was brilliantly illuminated.

Before she could see haw it happened, t the doctor was lying on the floor, and she c saw Kurt the Bully, blood streaming from his face and amis and hands, kneeling on '■ liiru. holding him. down. Again over tbe t dressing-table, scattering the remaining c silver ornaments and feminine toys, a _. man leapt. The next moment she was in. this man's arms, lifted from the bed . and carried to the oilier em" of the room. ••Lil, my dear, my littie one! Lil. speak—tell mc you're safe! Tell mc that , we're in time! Speak, my dear one!" She could not see tie man's face, but 1 she could feel his heart beating against her own. the tender pressure of his anas. Her rambling lips tried to answer him. She knew she was safe now. She knew she was in the arms of someone who loved l her. The voice was sweetly familiar. It ' carried her back to the days when she teas : ixee—at home -with her father. She lost exinsxaousness, sbe felt herself : slipping away, but she no longer resisted. ' Hex lover, the lover of long ago, held her tenderly in his arms. She was safe. Her eyes closed. She slipped peacefully into the sleep of Tmcanseiousness. Peter Allen raid iier on xhe chesterfield. Joe Savage was standing beside the dressing-table, quite still, taking no part | in anything that happened, just watching ' as one who had no interest and do part ; in. the affair. "Some water, quick! She has fainted!" "Allen cried. i "Then leave her." Savage replied, cold- ' 3y. '"She's all right, (iet her out of this I place before she recovers." Tend a hand here, hang you," Burt ; roared irom the door. ] Savage and Peter Allen leapt forward. 1 They dragged one of the sheets from the i bed. tore it into strips, gagged the doctor, j and then bound him hand and foot. i Footsteps hurried along the corridor 1 outside. The door burst open, and a man and a frightened woman tumbled 1 into the room. Before they knew what j ■was happening. Burt had seized them by the scruff of the neck. He flung them into a"corner as if they bad been bags of flour. "If yer moves or squeals I'll give yer both a ucn-stop single ticket to the next w>r!d!"'" He turned to Savage. "Pull them shutters over the window and draw the curtains again. Stop 'ere and keep quiet. 11l have a look round—we ain't through with it yet.." Stepping over the prostrate body of the doctor and giving it a playful kick, Burt left the rrrom. He signed to the shivering servant-- to follow him. lie was not absent live minutes. "Drawn blank." he said laconically. "The other servants 'aye locked theirselves in their rooms There's a couple of the doctor's pytients iipstair=—l advised 'em to continue their beauty sleep! I listened at the front door; it seems all qniet outside. | Better slip awye. quick." Joe Savage glanced at Lil. "Before' sbe recovers!" "Yer caj't carTy 'er down the street, ohi 'urepback." Burt cried, wiping the blood from his face and harms. "She'll : avo ter walk ii yer don't wnnt a crowd, and the perlice asking questions." He strode to Lady Lil's side and looked at her. There -was a 6hort silence. "AingeV-fice? Open yer peepers! Ifs Burt. 1 said I was yer-mm if yer-wanted one. Aiageificey * - t '

Lady Lil stirred. A little colour was slowly coming into her pale cheeks. Her lip-, parted, and then her eyes slowly opened.

"That's al! right," Burt nodded his head approvingly.

He looked at j'eiter Allen, then at Joe Savage. "Yer called 'er Lady Lil," he said slowly, a puzzled frown parting his great brows. "I don't know anything about that. All I knows is that she's a hit of orl right. There's a job wyting for mc 'ere. so one of you fellers must tike 'er 'ome.'' He hesitated, then turned to Lil: "Which is yer pal, aingel-fice?" Lady Lil's eyes fell on .loe .Savage. She shuddered. Then she looked at Peter Allen and she smiled. "(io on. tike 'er,'' Burt whispered. -'Tike 'er 'orae. 'Kre's 7ier bag and everythink. Tike 'er 'ome!'' A peculiar smile parted Joe Savage's lips. He waited while Allen took Lil's arm and helped her rise. "Where can you lake her':" And Allen remembered. The police had a warrant for her arrest! He in turn looked at Savage, but the latter smiled enigmatically. "Take mc home, please, to Bronnington Gardens,"' Lil whispered. "Do you realise what will happen— to-morrow?" Allen asked. Lady Li! nodded. "It's no use trying to escape the inevitable any longer." Allen led her towards the door. "You'll only find the servants there. I believe your husband is staying at his club." Lady Li! bowed her head. At the door she turned and held out her hand to Burt. He was standing with his back to the fireplace, and he did not move. "We shall meet again," she whispered. "Tell Air Savage where X can find you." Burt nodded. "Yer git. 'omp quick," he said, hoarsely. He looked at Savage. "Better go with 'em, 'unchback. Don't go for calling a cab: wait until yer finds one." Savage looked down at the doctor. "What are you going to do with—that?" Burt the Buiiy ripped his shirt open. No need to explain to Joe Savage the meaning of the great red weals across his chest. ""'E wants a receipt for that." Burt croaked. "I'm goin' ter give .it to 'im, before i goes." Savage just nodded and Tollowed Allen and Lady Lil out of the room. Burt stood at the top of the staircase and listened until he heard the front door close quietly. He did not retrace his footsteps at once, but waited a little while in case the servants came to investigate. Silence reigned. But just as he made his way back to the room a door on the lower landing opened, and he saw a woman wrapped in a purple kimono mounting the stairs. When she saw him she stoped. It was the girl with the white face and raven black hair called Rosa. "Who are you?" she asked. "I thought the police " "Not the per.ice," Burt grinned. 'Tike my advice —go back to yer room and lock yer door." '"They've taken the girl, Miss Smith ?" Burt nodded. "Where's the doctor?" "*E's wytin' for a receipt I've got ter give 'im," Burt said.between his teeth. "Perhaps yer would like ter come and 'aye a look at J im, seem' as 'ow yer an interested party. But yer'll 'aye ter keep ver mouth shut."

The girl Rosa, followed him. They entered the room and Burt shut the door. There was a lock concealed near the handle which he found. He walked to the fireplace and stirred the embers until they blazed. He left the poker to grow hot" in the flames. Then he turned to the doctor. "You was top-dog the other night, now it's my turn. Life's a gime of piteh-and-toss, ain't it?"

He waited. The doc-tor's eyes rolled he tried to shift the gag from his mouth.

""What are you going to do?" the girl Rosa whispered. "Somethink yer mightn't likp ter see," Burt replied. "Yet I guess he owes yer a bit. too. Yer life ain't been one o' the easiest."

The girl put her hands up to her face. "I've been lucky. I've been left here. But they come—and go. Yes, his slaves are everywhere—England, France, Germany, America. Who are you?" Burt shrugged. "I'm. just a nobody; the feller down Ln the drains —the drains where the rats "ide." He prodded the doctor with his foot. "Vermin—that's what yer calls : im. ain't it? But folks don't know, and don't care. *B 'ides 'is business behind a nice shirt front, a diamond stud, and a pair of pytent boots." At iast the doctor forced, the gag from his mouth. His face was wet with the sweat of terror. "I've played a dirty trick on you, Burt, I'll own it. Bnt you interfered the other night, and —1 lost my head. Stop this foolery and let mc go, and I'll square up with you. 1 swear it! On my honour ." He rolled his eyes on the woman pleadingly. "I've always treated you fairly, Bosa—given you everything you wanted. Tell him I treated you fairly." The girl was silent. "You're one of the boys—one of the gang," the doctor continued. "How much do you want. Burt ? Say the word and I'll pay you. If the police come " "The perlice won't come?" He °ianced over his shoulder towards the fire. The flames roaxed cheerfuly. "Vermin, that's wliat you are," Burt Si»id again, as if he relished the word. "There ain't no wye for your silly prey to recognise yer. 1 'appened to see in the piper the other dye. somcthink that tickled my fauey —somethink a noble earl ■said in the 'Ouse of Lords. Jt was a great idea—l guess they do 'aye great fdeas there, sometimes! Dyer know wh-jrt it Tvas, Doctor?" The soft, thick lips of the miserable brute moved. But fear paralysed them now. No words came. "'E said, this noble earl, that it weren't no good loekin* vermin up, or even 'whippin' 'cm. "E said they ought to be branded jest- as them farmer chaps brands cattle, so that when they're all mixed up, the sheep and goats, so ter speak, yer can tell the. latter from i ie former. Set a mark on 'is forehead — dyer tumble!"' Again the thick lips moved inarticulately. "I'm goba' to set a mark upon yer bloomiu' forehead that no amount of soap won't never eradicate, not so long as yer bloomin' well lives. Yer won't grow no hair there, and yer can't buy a hat big enough to cover it. When yer goes inter yer fiverite bar ter 'aye a ' drink, and a=ks yer poor victim across the counter for a drop of old port she'll ' see that mark I'm gain' ter plice on yer • forehead and—well! yer won't get no old port! YerTl be ashamed ter walk 1 the streets by dye ar.d there -won't he -no

plir.e for yer to show yer fice in by night. The moat, yer I '] he able to "ope for will he to find yersclf in the hands of some nice, quiet 6irffracrfttte—ye.T"ll find Vr gentle after what the others' '11 be! Are yer ready?" "Walking- over to -Che fireplace he. wiihdrew the poker. It glearmcd. -white with heat. j A homble-'shriek escaped the Doctor's He-found ins Toice now.

"Listen, Burt. For pity'G sake wait! Pre got money, cash—in my room next door—a hundred pounds in caeh! Its yours. To-morrow you shall have five hundred—a thousand—l swear it; as Heaven's my judge, I 6wear itr" The red-hot poker hovered a foot above I the wet, terrified face. The heat scorched hie head. Burt hesitated. "'.Show us the cash!" With one hand he unbound the Doctor's legs. "Lead the wye —and don't look round." •He beckoned to Eosa to follow. The Doctor led the way to his room, reeling and stumbling Tike a drunken man. Burt switched on the lights. The Doctor told him where to find his keys, and pointed to a drawer in the bureau, which Burt unlocked. "Every penny T possess in the house is there. Count it." "One hundred and five pounds," Burt 6aid. laconically. iFor a moment he hesitated as if he were going to divide the money. Then he handed the whole lot to the girl Rosa. "It belongs to you,"' he said -with an oath. "Take it." He pushed it into her hands, refusing to listen to what Khe paid. "Loosen my arms." the Doctor mumbled. "I'll write you a cheque." "I'll write mine first," Burt said. •He forced him back inio the room •where he had found Lady Lil. Tripping him up. he calmly bound his legs again. •He inserted the poker in the fire until it was at white heat once more. "Shut and lock that door," he 6aid to Rosa. She obeyed. She stood with her face to it. not daring to look round. Burt knelt on the Doctor's chest, and holding his throat with one hand he slowly lowered the gleaming iron rod to his forehead. He branded wiuh a steady, Temorselees hand one dreadfnl letter!

A horrible cry of agony-echoed through the house. Rising, Burt flung the poker across the room. He opened the door. "So long, Doctor: your friends and victims will [know yer now! And they'll 'lint yer — as vermin ehould be 'unted!" He pushed Rosa ahead of him. "Go on, girl. Tike yer money, an' clear out!" •He walked down the thickly carpetpd etaircase.. through the hull, and opening the door stepped out into the cool, clean night. Down the empty street a police-con-staide slowly and noiselessly padded. He flashed his bull's-eye in Bun's direction. {To he continued daily.")