THE ROCKWELL COMBINE

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 105, 3 May 1917, Page 8

THE ROCKWELL COMBINE

By CHARLES FROCTOK. rAnthor of "Thou Art the Man," "The Smoke of Judgment," "The Dice of God," etc., etc CHAPTER XXV. THE TRUTH AT LAST. '"There is nothing for it now 'but to see Grace," imuttered Julian, after a period of deep and anxious thought. "I must put it to her -point-blank—ask her to tell mc 'frankly if she caused my father's death. If she admits the crime, then 1 suppose Deidreich must he allowed to go unpunished, for ifear the story should come out. But I believe now that the scoundrel has cheated and deceived Grace as he did mc. However, I mean to get the truth now at all costs." lie slipped the cashJjook and the cheque counterfoils into a handbag, and "went hastily from his ofliee. Hailing a taxi-cab, he was driven quickly to Peter Ormsby's, only to find the establishment closed. A porter who was pulling down the last of the roller shutters informed 'him, in answer to his inquiry, that Miss Ormsby and ilr. Deidreich had both gone home. ''Awkward!" muttered Julian, as he went back to the waiting taxi. "Well, there is nothing for it but to go and see Grace at her home. I am not sure what kind of reception I shall get. but this is a matter which will admit of no delay. Perhaps I imay find Deidreich at Sydenham, too. and we can have the whole thing out." Jle re-entered the cab, was driven to London Bridge Station, ami caught a train for Sydenham. Within little more than haK-an-hour he was knocking for the first time at the door of Peter Ornishy's residence on Sydenham Hill, and, in spite of himself, lie felt agitated. ''Is Miss Onrnsby at home?" he inquired of the maid who opened the door. and who seemed to him to be somewhat surprised at the question. "Yes, sir, but she is at dinner," the girl answered. "What name, please, sir? Will you step in and I will tell Miss Ormsby." "Thank you," said Julian, as he stepped into the hall. "Please tell Miss Ormsby that Mr. Julian Rockwell would he glad if she would spare him a few minutes in regard to a matter of great importance." "Mr. Julian Rockwell!" repeated the maid, her eyes opening wide, for she had heard the name mentioned frequently by her master. "Yes, sir," she added hastily, and hurried away, leaving Julian standing in the hall, trying vainly to convince himself that he was quite at ease despite his thumping heart. He heard the murmur of voices in what he surmised was the dining-room, then the servant re-a-ppeared, and ushered him into the drawing-room. "Miss Grace will see yon in a few moments, sir." she announced. "Will you please take a chair." She could have added that the announcement had thrown Grace and her (mother into the utmost consternation, and that the former seemed almost panic-stricken. As it was, she glanced so curiously at Julian that he felt uncomfortable, and was quite annoyed with himself because of the fact. He set down his hat, gloves, and handbag and seated himself, wandering, now that the crucial time had arrived, how best he could broach the subject that had ■brought him post-haste to Sydenham; and he was still fidgetting and rehearsing his opening speech when the door opened and Grace entered the room.

Her face was very white, her lips wore compressed as if she were putting a strong check on herself, and her blue eyes were feverishly bright.

"Good evening!" she said in a forced, 'but curiously quiet voice, and paused, waiting anxiously.

"You are wondering why T have come here to your house"—.Julian had sprung to his feet as the door opened—"and perhaps you resent imy visit, but I assure you the matter would not admit of delay."

"I cannot imagine," began Grace, then her voice failed her, and she sat down, motioning to Julian to do likewise.

All day she had been working fever-' ishly, trying not to think of tbe morrow, of the hateful marriage and the hideous future, hoping against hope that Deidreich would relent or that something would happen to save her. And now, when the strain of the day was over, when she had given up all hope, suddenlyJulian Rockwell had again appeared oil the scene. She felt scared, startled, the prey of a score of conflicting emotions, and it was little wonder that she all but collapsed.

"Please explain," she added with an effort, pulling herself together, and trying to stifle her fears.

"Perhaps I had better start at the beginning," said Julian slowly. It was not at all the speech he had planned, but he recognised that all was not well with Grace, and his heart went out to her in sympathy. "I beg of you to hear mc out, and assure you I am here for your good, that I have called because I am anxious for your safety '!''

"My safety?" Grace had regained her composure to some extent, and looked at him in surprised fashion.

"Yes," Julian nodded, and proceeded quickly. "You called on my father shortly before I found him dead in his office, and Carl Deidreich immediately jumped to the conclusion that it was you who shot my father."

"Carl Deidreich!" ejaculated Grace faintly, and again Julian nodded.

"He urged mc to inform the police of your visit and to have you arrested, hut at first I declined to believe you were guilty. Then he called on you, and reported that you admitted having shot my father, but still I refrained from giving any information to the police— perhaps you can guess why—and you were not called at the inquest. Almost immediately afterwards Deidreich left mc and took up a post as your manager."

"Stop!" exclaimed Grace breathlessly. "Is this true? Do you really mean that Carl Deidreich told you—professed "

"It is all true—l swear it," answered Julian gravely. "Do you not know it to be true? But allow mc to continue. Soon afterwards I heard of your engagement to Deidreich, and was angTy, susjpecting a plot. I called on you, and you l defied mc, told mc you regretted nothing when I referred to the death of my a_rni, r .- and - : that to be an hS?_ta2? f rf your * uiU ' But again I Uving fun Uk ' n .H aeti °n as regards M! I *. P ° HCe; in " «<*s and eom~iV__V ßßk " P • YOUr h,lsi - mercy." pel y° u to appeal to mc fo] .

He paused for _, „ put up her hand* to Cthr'__? d Grace

sincerity, but it was all so strange to her, so contrary from what she believed to be the facts, that she felt dazed and bewildered. "I accomplished what I set myself to do as regards your business, and you sent for mc, but it was not to ask for mercy, but threaten to denounce mc as the murderer of my own father, - ' Julian continued. "You did not carry out your threat, nor did I denounce you ill spite of my resolve to do so. That is how matters stood until Saturday, when Carl Deidreich called on mc to offer to sell mc the business you have been running on your father's behalf. I refused to buy it from him—much to his surprise—but yesterday I rang you up with the intention of opening negotiations, and you astounded and somewhat annoyed mc hy informing mc curtly that the business was not for sale." "Is this true';" demanded Grace again. "You swear this is true —that Deidreich did offer to sel you the business?" "Perfectly true," replied Julian. "What object do you imagine 1 should have in telling you a falsehood? Certainly all I have told you is true, and now I want the truth from you in return, for tonight it has come to my knowledge that Carl Deidreich has been guilty of a crime." "A crime!" "Yes, forgery nnd embezzlement, but I do not intend that he shall escape unless punishing him means punishing you, too. 1 have tlie proofs of his guilt here in my bag and can have him arrested at once, but my only fear is that if I have him arrested he may tell the whole story of my father's death, and you also will be arrested. I understand you are engaged to him, are soon to be married, and if you ask mc to allow him to go free, I will do so for your sake, and for the sake of the days when you and 1 were—something to each ot_*-i

(irace had risen to her feet, her clenched hand pressed convulsively to her cheek, and she was staring strangely at him and breathing gaspingly.

"It is no use concealing the fact, Grace," said Julian. "1 spared you because I loved you, although I believed you did shoot my father. And now I want to know the whole truth without any evasion. You may tell mo everything frankly; and remember that you and Deidreich are completely at my mercy."

Grace parted her lips as if to speak, but no words came, then suddenly she dropped back into the chair from which she had risen, covered her white face with shaking hands and buret into tears. And Julian, his heart suddenly leaden, looked on, believing that this meant that Grace was about to admit her guilt. Even as he rose to his feet, however, Grace dropped her hands from her face and flung out them towards him.

"Julian!" she eried —and the name slipped out uneonseioaisly—"Oh, thank God — thank God you came! 1 swear to you I am innocent —I left your father alive that day. Carl Deidreich lied to you. I never admitted anything. What he told mc was that you had killed your father and wanted to throw the guilt on mc. Oil, if what you have told mc is true, as you say, I implore you to have Deidreich arrested —have him arrested tonight. I hate him and mistrust him, but I have promised to marry him tomorrow, and he. may force mc to keep my promise. Please save mc. from him. Surely you don't believe what he told you?"

"No, I don't 'believe It, Grace, and 1 thank God I know the truth at last; said Julian quickly, and caught her outstretched hands. "But you don't realise what it really means yet. My father was shot, was murdered, immediately a,fter discovering that Deidreich had embezzled £200. Don"t you see "

He 'broke off with a sharp exclamation, for before- he could complete his sentence the door of the drawinp room was thrown open unceremoniously and Carl Deidreieb. strode into the room. (To be Concluded.)