AT CUPID'S CALL

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 303, 21 December 1921, Page 14

AT CUPID'S CALL

By MAY CHRISTIE :\uihur nf -For Love of Hetty,-' -The Marriage nf Anne," and "Hclcne's Married Life."

\X\ 11. -.MAKY RECOVERS. Mary «nkc to i'on« - iousncs», with Vanduvecr and IJuk Calardin bending o\er licr. Hear head ached dreadfully, Uii-k < ulardin had an arm about her shoulders, ami Vandaveer \va-s pouring something with a queer, burning taste bit« ecu her lip.-. "I'gh: Where am 1! What's happened." she whispered faintly, stating blankly up at the two men. Her gaze travelled beyond them into the gloomy shadows underneath the trees. How dark it looked ill there, out of the radius of the kindly moon: She shuddered. "You slipped and struck your forehead against the bonnet of the ear. I think," said Vandaveer glibly. "Calardin and 1 were tinkering With the engine—you ran forward suddenly—you must have missed your footing on the. pavement's edge!" Mary looked blankly at him. Curious that .-lie hadn't the faintest recollection of anything of the sort! Only—this man filled her with an actual repulsion! She didn't like him—even feared him. "Swallow a little of this, my dear." Dick took the flask from Vandaveer and held it to Mary's lips. "It'll do you a world of good!" Mary obeyed. She would have swallowrj anything if Dick had ordered her to do so—so great was her belief in him. She hated the taste of brandyhorrid stufT! — but it was for her good— Dick had said co—Dick must be right! She struggled slowly to her feet. "I—l'm feeling better—only my head hurt? a lot!" She put a hand up to her curly hair. And (hen she gave ,n stifled cry. "0-oh! There's a, lump here! 1 can't, bear to touch it!" Young Calardin looked immensely anxious. "Please let mc look at it. I'll be awfully careful. I understand a little about these things. Out in the wilds I've often had to do a bit of surgery."' He flashed the electric torch on Mary's brow and hair. "'Whew! Quite a nasty knock!" He touched the injured spot • with very tender fingers. "Hold on! Xo bones ■broken, and it doesn't bleed at all. Well, that's a blessing, isn't it?" He turned to Julian Vandaveer. '■Wo can't stay out all night on this blessed road, tinkering with this infernal car. Miss Drew ought to get home to bed immediately—she really ought to see a doctor. I'll drive home—" "And leave mc stranded here?" quoth Julian Vandaveer. "Well, I like that!"' With a might}' effort Dick suppressed his rising temper. How could a fellowthink about himself and his own convenience when Mary Drew waS ill— in urgent need of medical attention? "I'll tell you what —I'll tow you," volunteered the other man. "I've got n rope in the other car. It's about three miles to the nearest garage, I believe. We can leave my machine there till the morning and I'll come out for it tomorrow. /The three of us'can drive bac-k to town together in the remaining car.. His feelings as he looked at Mary Drew and Dick Calardin were very odd. The blow he'd aimed at Dick had literally fallen on Mary's inoffensive head. He'd quite forgotten her existence when he planned the blow. Mary had suddenly appeared from out the shadows' on the roadside and had. thrust herself between Dick and his assailant. Dick—his back and busy tinkering with the engine— hadn't seen Vandaveer's raised arm or Mary's movement. As Mary fell Dick had turned round —and noticed that she slipped down heavily, striking her head against the, bonnet of the car. Vandaveer—alarmed at the miscarriage of the blow —had. sufficient presence of mind to slip his loaded stick behind him and to make an immense fuss over what he termed a stupid "accident." In the excitement of the moment it never dawned on Dick to suspect Vandaveer. XXVIII.—"THAT CURSED DIAMOND!" Vandaveer's anxiety over the girl had seemed tremendous—as, in a wav, it was. If Mary died, who knows" what mightn't happen at the" coroner's inquest? They were awkward things, these public questionings. If: the whole facts came to light—as probably they would —then tht verdict would be one of "Manslaughter." And, on the other hand, if Mary didn't die, the position would he highlyawkward, too. She would tell Dick CalardJn of the blow she had intercepted. She'd probably give the show away at once—scream —become hysterical —shrink from the man who'd injured her—denounce him there and then. No wonder, then, that Vandaveer's face was anxious when Miss Mary Drew "came to." But, to hia utter astonishment and relief, Mary did nothing- of the sort. The blow "and everything connected with it seemed to have quite escaped her memory. He'd heard of cases of this sort, of course. Immediately, then, he invented a plausible explanation of the accident — which Mary and her escort evidently believed. But—how awkward it would be when Mary's memory came back to her.! Well, there was time enough to think of that eventuality, later on. Tt behoved him now to be as nice to the voting frirl jis possible. He helped he,- into the front scat of the oar that they'd been working over. Dick climbed in beside her, and took the wheel. Vandaveer then attached the broken-down car to the other one. and started to "tow" the machine and its two occupants towards the nearest. His feelings weren't enviable. Oh, what a fool he'd been! When he had attempted to strike Dick, he'd really thought that Dick waa quite a10ne.... He had forgotten Mary! "That cursed diamond!" he muttered under his breath, as cautiously he drove along the road, drawing the other car behind him. "I was fool enough to think that fate had at long last delivered it into my hands!" Here lie applied certain expletives to Mary Drew, who'd foiled his "game." "Moneys the root of every coil —and blessed if I didn't nearly- ■tommit manslaughter in iU name!"

The diamond would be worth—how much? Oh, thousands! He knew its reputation. Jt was the prize, pet bauble of the millionaire who—dying— hud bequeathed it t»> Calardin. Hound Kimberley it was spoken of as priceless. Oil, well, he wasn't going to give, up all hope— not yet! He was going to visit Carrington Bella irs, whose country home would afford many opportunities of meeting Dick Calardin. That young man was staying ut the "Barley House" —Vandaveer had ■ learned that fact— they would surely meet quite often! He knew, of course, that Calardin heartily disliked and distrusted him. Cut, then, that didn't matter. Vanda- i veer had trusty "cat's-paws," who would ] work his will.' j Kismet, for instance. Kismet was a wily Cingalee. who for years had done his master's bidding. The Oriental servant literally adored his master. For years, on all his wanderings, Kismet had accompanied Vandaveer. The Cingalee had once before—in distant Kimbevley—made a desperate attempt to steal the famous diamond. Ho had broken into Dick Calardin's room nml almost strangled him. Dick even now—here Vandaveer gave a cruel smile —bore round his neck the imprints of that life-and-death struggle. But Kismet had been frightened oft, just when success was well within his grasp. That was the complex character of the Oriental. Vandaveer's thoughts came to a temporary stop when they reached the local garage and towed the broken-down car inside its courtyard. "I'll call for it to-morrow morning,"' he told the sleepy owner of the place. "The magneto's petered out. I'll bring a new one with mc." Then.Vandaveer turned to Dick and Mary. Tlie girl was looking very white and ill. Dick spoke.. "Have you a doctor in the village?" The garage-owner scratched his head. '"Doubt if he'll sec patients at this hour." "Confound the fellow! What's he here for?'' cried Dick Calardin. "What's his address? I promise you I'll rouse him up." The address was given. In a short time the trio reached the place. The doctor looked at Mary's head. He was sleepy—and this belated "case" was "boring." . . . An older, wiser man would immediately have diagnosed the injury as a 'blow. He would have asked certain questions—insisted on a satisfactory reply. But the young village doctor only wished to return to his warm, eosv bed. This unexpected motoring trio irritated

him. 'Probably they'd been "imbibing" he told himself impatiently. The girl had slipped and fallen—as quite natural, under the circumstances. Ko, there was nothing he could do for her. "Get home and take a couple of days' rest. Then you'll be as rig-ht as rain. No—it isn't at all serious." This in reply to Dick's anxious interrogation. "Stick a little iodine on it if it hurts." And the motoring trio departed on their way. XXIX.—BACK IX TOWST. "I'll drive the two of you," Vandaveer volunteered with unexpected graciousness. He told himself that it was just as well to keep "on the right side" of these two. . . . "You can occupy the back scat of the car. Miss Mary will have plenty of room there to rest her head." He flung a knowing wink at Diek — which that young man deeply resented. He longed to jninch the head of Vandavecr. He hated him and his insinua-

tions. I Vandaveer climbed into the driver's seat. l>ick and Mary ensconced themselves in the rear portion of the machine. The big car started forward. '•I'm so anxious about you. sweetheart." whispered Dick -solicitously. "I feel as though this miserable business was all my own particular fault!" "Ah—don't be foolish!" whispered Mary in her soft, traily voice. Though her head ached, she felt a curious happiness steal over her. "I — I wouldn't have missed this evening, anyhow, in spite of everything." Dick beamed. He slipped an arm about her, drawing her closer to him. "Rest your head upon my shoulder, dearest, then you won't feel the motion of the car so much." They glided along the smooth, white ; moonlit roads. Vandaveer was rather reckless in his driving. Hut "traffio was so sparse now that it didn't really matter. A great, deep peace crept into Mary's heart. Gone was the loneliness of life! She'd met a man now that she loved —and who loved her! J-ove was the greatest thing in <ill the world. There was nothing else that could make life half so glorious. Success, money, ambition, beauty—-what were they? The counterfeit of love had some'ime* come her way. She'd always recognised its lack of value—and had spurned it. A.h! She had been guided, guided to this moment. Dick's tenderness, his solicitude for her, were very. dear. He could be as gentle as a woman. He wrapepd the big rug round her knees, tucking it about her as though she were the merest baby] Her head lay on his shoulder—his broad shoulder, that was going to carry all life's burdens for her now. Oh, it was glorious to be loved like this. The sinister figure of Vandaveer did not disturb her now. Her thoughts were all of Dfck—the future. "To-morrow may I came and see you. sweetheart? You must let mc have your home address." Dick's cheek touched hers.

Her home address? A little rueful smile hovered round Mary's pretty lips. '•J —[ haven't got a home. I live in a rooming house. It isn't a very attractive place. I.don't think that you'd care—" ''You foolish little jiirl!' , Dick kissed her tcmlerly- "As though it made a scrap of difference to mc where you live! You must stay in Tied all day tomorrow —I'll send in some flowers to cheer j'ou up—and then, when evening comes, if you feel better, maybe you'd get up and lind a room where we oould talk? I'll call around to see you, about seven o'clock." '"Yes—please do," said Slnry, softly. After all, her pride was foolish. Dick <arod for her—not for her "entoura^t , ." Shabby surroundings couldn't kill his love. The bijT car 'bowled into the outskirts of the city, then aiTois a ferry through a deserted business section and then to the street where Jla-Ty's lodgings were located. It was a dreary spot, thought Dick, as the ear drew up before a tall, gloomy house, in an equally gloomy Kven the radiance of the moon failed to soften it, "flood night, my dear —sweet dream?. Take every care of yourself until tomorrow night. And don't dare to go near that wretched oflicc! Rest's the word!" He ki<.*c<l her surreptitiously. Ami then he helped her down. Mary gave a cool nod to Yandavcor. a swift. *!iy smile tn Dirk, and hurried tip the steps that led to tile front d'*ir •>f her abode As she fitted her key into the lock, a neighbouring clock struck half-past twelve. iTo Ik- eon!inned daily.)