The Councillors of Falconhoe

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 78, 2 April 1923, Page 9

The Councillors of Falconhoe

By FRED M. WHITE

CHAPTER Vlll. WHILST THE FATES SLEEP. A few golden days drifted on in that remote paradise beside the Xorth Devon sea during which time the Kates appeared to slumber, a way they have before the happening of great 'events. The womenkind came down from their eyrie amongst the sleepy wood*- where the long white cottage stood amidst. its wonderful greenery, looking down 'he glades of fern and heather with the mountain stream brawling noisily to tlie -beach, where it fell in a glittering cascade to the sands.

They played tennis, they bathed, and lingered in the sunshine as it there was not a -single care in the world. To Niel Nelson especially it was a wonderfully happy time. -lie was saying as much to Lady Joan one afternoon when they had wandered along the fringe of woods l>v tlie cliff path towards lleddon's .Mouth.

"1 suppose you can't quite understand what tow is to mc?" 'he asked. "1 shall wake up presently and hud myself back in that confounded restaurant again. What a life!"

"Yes, poor boy, it must have been dreadful." Lady Joan smiled with the sweetest sympathy. "Do you know, I think Fate has been particularly unkind to us. I was looking forward to settling down in that lovely old house of yours "

"Do you think yon will ever settle down, Joan" Nelson asked.

"Of course 1 should," Lady Joan cried indignantly. "With a house like yours, and the hunters you used to keep, what could any girl want more? But we have one consolation at any rate —you haven't sold that old place, and things may come light even yet. I 'hope you won't think I am impatient. Niel."

" I hen you are going to wait lor tile Nelson asked

Of course 1 am. I don't care how lung. Well, perhaps that is not quite true, but you know what I mean. There was never anybody else but you, Xicl, since we were kiddle* together. And perhaps these wonderful adventures which we are embarking upon will make our fortunes. 1 don't exactly know how, but perhaps we shall come upon some buried treasures. 1 hope we ahull have to go to Russia. Why, there must be as much treasure buried there as ever the old pirates buried in the islands of the old Spanish Main. It sounds like a book, doesn't it? You and I together go through all sorts of adventures, perhaps bearding the Bolshevik leaders in their den and getting away with a bushel of diamonds. • don't think .1 should be quite content with less than a bushel. Then you could turn the tenants out of your house, and we could go back there and be happy ever afterwards. That is my dream."

"■And a very beautiful one It is too," Nelson smiled sadly. ''But you never know."

They sat there in the sunshine building their castles and oblivious of the flitght of time. When they got back again to Falconhoe, the tennis was suspended, and the conspirators were having tea on the terrace in front ot the house. Something apparently had happened, for the tea party seemed to be under a cloud, and Inez. Salviati especially seemed depressed. There was no sparkle in thot*e wonderful eyes ot hers, and every trace of vivacity had vanished from her face.

"What on earth is the matter." I>ady loan cried.

"Alas, 1 have to leave you," Inez explained. "I have just had a horrible telegram. It appears that almost at the last moment they are changing the opera wilh which the season in -Madrid was to be opened, and I have to go over there and rehearse at once.. To-morrow morning I turn my back upon tli ir* wonderful place, which seems to have almost got into my bones."

••Then you really will be sorry to go away?" Jelicorse asked.

Inez flashed him a glance which conveyed nothing to the others, hut which .Jelicorse understood. He had known this beautiful creature ever since hor 'eighteenth year, when he had met her in Mexico on his secret mission six years ago, and when she had come to him a sort of social revolutionary, aflame to take her part iv the struggle for the world's freedom. Then she had been no more than a little singing girl on the vaudeville stage in Mexico City, with the world before her and <*uite alone. I'm her father had been dead some months, lilid she had to tight a lone hand for herself. .Jelicorse had smiled at first. hut not for long. Ho footl came to realise the amazing intelligence and courage underlying that frail, graceful body. Noboth* but himself knew, or ever would know, what Incx had done for the Great ('mis.*. In Mexico, in Xew York, and after that in European cities, she had played her part, travelling as a singer in opera companies with her neutrality never for a moment suspected. And gradually a wonderful understanding had sprung up between these two. though no word had been said on either side-but they knew well enough that when the trouble was all over, and the world had settled down again, Inez' career as a public singer would finish. And now she was going ofT hotfoot to Madrid, with a little secret at the back of her mind which she had not confided to the man whose opinion she valued above all things. Why she had nought to conceal from him the story of the uncut emerald Jelicorse did not know. but he had a very strong suspicion that was leading him to look months ahead, as a born diplomat should. He was not annoyed or hurt, because he felt that the incident was an innocent one. and that lie would hear all about it from Inez in good time. • -So lam going a way.'* she said. "I have been so happy here that 1 almost wish I had never come. What a glorious place it is. and what wonderful air. Hut. alas. I have other things to think of. 'Jo-morrow I shall he miles away."'

"And so we all shall.'' Lady Peggy said. "We have stayed here too long already. I tell you what we will do. Inez, we will take you as far as Taunton in the ear. and see you safely into the train. The holiday is over."

So it fell about the following morning that the little party broke up, and the Councillors of Falconhoe with their new assistant went sternly back to work

again. "Not that we shall be here very long ourselves." Enderby remarked. "Certainly not longer than another fortnight." "Yes, I ran guarantee that." /lelicorse put in. "Unless I am greatly mistaken, things will begin to move just before the opening of the new Opera House in

Madrid. Never mind how 1 know it, but I feel it in my bones. However. everything is absolutely ready, and we shall be a hie to start at a moment's notice. And now, I want you to listen to something I have got to say". I have had a letter specially sept over from Lynton which contains rather v good offer. It may take us a week, but certainly not longer. Do ymi fellows, think it safe to take it on. I mean, do you think that we can risk the chance of a week's delay in the other business ?" "Is it worth while A r'arncombc asked. "From the vulgar mercenary point of view, yes. There is the best "part of a thousand pounds hanging to it. The Grand Duke Sven "What?" Nelson cried. "Svon? Why, I thought he was dead. 1 thought he had perished wilh all the rest of them.' 1 ''Nothing of the kind." .lelicorse went on. "He was one of the very favoured few who escaped by wav of Siberia and Vladivostok to America. 1 think he must have got awiiv by the skin of his teeth -indeed. 1 know lie lost everything he had. and when he got over to the other side, he fell in love with a Miss Pair, the only child of Peter Kail*, of tho Fifth Standard Bank, and married her. The old chap died about a year ago. and the (.'rand Duke and his American missus are now settled down in I'al'k Lane. Surely you must have heard all about tlmt.'Xiel?" "Indeed I didn't." Nelson protested. "I had not the remotest idea the man was alive. You s.*e. 1 have been so busy the last two years scratching about in the underworld for a bare living that I have lost sight of ray own class altogether. Lord. 1 have done, all sorts of things, driven a taxi, been out with a busking company on Margate sands. 1 can tell you that I was quite tlie fashionable tenor amongst the proletariat, and I should probably have gone on with it if the manager had not sloped one morning with all the taking-. And so the ftrand Duke Sven is actually alive, and as well ofT as ever he was. Well, it's a funny world. Do you know that man's Russian estates march with my mother's? When her father died. Sven became her trustee. Really, I must contrive to see him. because he may be able to give mc some information with regard to a very sad and anxious time. 1 don't want to dwell upon it, but you chaps know exactly what. I mean." "Well, il" we decide to take this matter up. you will have every opportunity," Jelicorse said. "In fact, I propose to ask him to come down here.'' "What's the trouble with him?" Enderby asked. "Oh, it is a matter of jewels again. We don't seem to be able to get away from that sort of thing. There is not too much information in the le.tUr, but from what I can gather, the great man is anxious to recover the family gems. It seems that his wife is set upon it.and| from all accounts it was a fine lot of stuff too. Historic for the most part, and therefore having a sentimental interest. So far as I can make out. the gem of the collection is a pearl necklace which has been traced into the hands of a certain English merchant called Hornmany—Samuel Hommanyb' "Oh. T know all about him." Tarn-ron-ibe cried. "A scoundrel if ever thenwas one. A sort of half American who took out naturalisation papers in Kngland some fifteen years ago. and has been suspect ever since. Sort of chap that the foreign Office keeps a keen eyel on. Very rich, of course, and worth' five times what he was when war broke, out. lie had branches in Merlin and l'ctrograd. and did business of an! extremely shady nature. lie belongs In that poisonous class of men who own to no country and boast of no patriotism. 1 and who play for their own hand entirely. Two years before the war broke out. we very nearly laid him byi the heels in connection with some drawings that disappeared from Woolwich and found their way to Berlin. We couldn't ilnd out during the war that he was actually trading with the enemy, bin we knew perfectly well that he was, and 1 can vouch for il that he was in Russia for more than a year after the treaty between Russia and (lermany was concluded at Brest. You may bet your life that llommany was baud in glove with all the poisonous Bolshevik scoundrels who were gathered round Lenin and

Trotsky for their own ends. Of course, you know- perfectly well that not one of them cares a d about Russia. They are after the loot and nothing else. Why. I could tell you where scores of them keej) their English banking accounts, men who before the war were ready to cut anybody's throat for sixpence. They are a shrewd, cunning lot. who know perfectly well that the day of reckoning is coming, and when it docs they will leave Russia like so many rats -fat. greasy rats with plenty of food stored away for the rainy season. Now. at a guess, I should say that llommany went out to Russia with a trunk full of English Treasury notes and bought up looted gems right and left. He would probably get them at his own price, and no doubt the famous pearl necklace is 1 amongst the rest of the loot.' Oh. I know the brute, sort of man who we]-! corned the war, and regarded it as a gift from Heaven anil a machine for! trebling his wealth." j "Xo doubt you are right, hut |],«, question is. .shall we take it on? What' does the (Jrand Duke want us to do?" j "Well, as far as I can make out. lie wants us to steal the necklace." .lelicorse said drily. "lip doesn't propose to pay llommany anything for it, because it. doesn't belong to tlie blackguard. He regards llommany as just l( receiver of stolen goods, li he takes proceedings, then there will be a lot of f„ss and scandal, and perhaps ihe Court will decide against the (fraud Duke after all. So it is up to us i„ l av a ij,,*,, trap f(lt l Houuuany and got the necklace back. When he realises that it is gone he will put up with the loss all right, and all the more so because his wife and family are beginning i„ .-limb socially. Now.'what do you chaps say?" j "We'll take it on." Knderhv spoke for' the others. "But if „-c do. 'it m, w be done at once." i (To be continued daily.) I