DR.BURNEY'S GREATEST CASE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 244, 15 October 1925, Page 20

DR.BURNEY'S GREATEST CASE.

BY SZXOX KAYE. /■ CHAPTER XXXVII. The police officers stood about watching the motor boat as it rose over the ■waves, making for the Lincolnshire coast. An old eailor came up and joined them. "They'll never do it," he cried, "and I told "'cm so. It's all right in the Lynn Deepe, but look at them waves rolling in from the sea; no open boat"' —or "bort." as he called it—"could face 'em. They'll be swamped surelie."' Even as he spoke, a great wave met the boat and broke over it, sending a eohiDin of water high in the air. "Better to be drowned than hung," commented the Superintendent, as he turned away to the chauffeur, who was fitting the spare tyre. The grey car was still serviceable, and one of the constables who could drive took charge of it. The Superintendent mounted into it. "Is there no hope for the lady?" he asked Gilbert. White and grief-stricken, Gilbert eat beside the still form of Cora, holding her hand. "I fear she is beyond hope in this world," he replied. Then a thought seemed to strike him; there was just the hope. Could Sir John Rufford save her if here was a spark of life left? he asked himself. "If she is the victim of the Indian's vile druge, Rufford ie the one man in England who knows them and theii antidotes.' . The thought revived hope and energy in him. He carefully covered Cora from the storm of rain and wind which still prevailed. "I propose,"' said Superintendent Thompson, "to drive into Lynn and get in touch with Scotland Yard; then \ shall know what to do." The car moved off, and during that short drive Gilbert formed a plan oi action in his mind. He would get into communicatiot with Sir John Rufford by telephone with, out delay, and act upon what he ad vised. The hotels were just opening as tht big grey car ran into Lynn. Superintendent Thompson was dropped at police headquarters, but came run ning out before the car moved off again "The line was clear, and I got on tc Redborough at once," he eaid. "Ole Mrs. Williams has been found gagged in her room. She recognised the twe men who bound her as Lord Helmore who had visited the Manor severa times, and Mir Abdullah, the Indiar doctor, who, before Miss Westcliffc came home, lived there for long periods.' Gilbert took Cora to the principal hotel, telephoning at once to the hos pital for a nurse, who arrived in a few minutes, the hospital being close at hand. Leaving Cora in her hands, Gilben went to the telephone-box, and, giving the trunk call to London, chut himsel. in. The line was clear at that time it the morning, and he was through almost immediately to Sir John Rufford. "Yes," came the answer from the great specialist, who was eyidentlj speaking from his bed, "who is it?" "I am Dr. Burney, :, Gilbert answered "I am speaking from King's Lynn ir Norfolk, and I have a very special cast to submit to you. Miss Cora Westcliffe whom you know, was abducted frarr Morton Manor House last night by Lore Helmore and Mir Abdullah, the Indiai doctor. I followed them with the police to a place called Terrington Marsh, neai here, where Miss Westcliffe was founc in an abandoned motor car, apparently dead. She is in the exact state in whlcl I found her last year at Morton Manoi when I consulted you about her state What am Ito do? It appears certaii to mc that she has been the victim o! the Indian's vile drugs, and that h< intended to kill her by the large quan tity of poison which he injected. Then are two punctured wounds in her arm.' Gilbert could plainly hear a char] intake of breath, such as comes from a person whose emotion* are keenly aroused. There was a long pause before anj answer came; then it was in the low broken voice of an invalid. "Has she shown any signs of life?' Sir John asked. "None whatever," was the answer "She presents the aspect of a person wh< is lead." "Was she found in an open or .' closed car?"' was the next question. "In an open racing car,' , Gilber answered. Sir John gave an exclamation of satis faction. "That is good," he said, "it is al in her favour."' Then there was another pause, an< Sir John spoke again. "Bring her straight to mc here ii Civendish Square," he said, "in an opei car, and see that nothing obstructs he breathing. In addition," he added, "taki down the prescription and inject it a once and every hour after." Gilbert listened attentively and wrot down the prescription as Sir John spoki it; he recognised the principal ingredien as a drug referred to in Sir Johnn Ruf ford's books on catalepsy. Overjoyed at the hope of restorin; Cora, Gilbert promised Sir John to star at once, and went off to get the prescrip tion made up. At the big garage in the town he engage. a powerful open car to take Cora the 10 miles to London, then returned to th hotel to make preparations for th journey.- There he found Superintenden Thompson. "On instructions from the 'Yard." he announced, ''the people at the ai station at Great Yarmouth are sendin out a plane to search for the moto boat in which Lord Helmore and th Indian embarked. The wind is fallinj and I expect the plane is here hy now If they can discover the boat their win less will soon tell us where she is, an if she has survived the stori i the caj ture of the fugitives will be a simp] matter." Gilbert and the police officer were ha famished for want of food, and th breakfast awaiting them was very we come. This finished, they both prepared fc the road again. The big car hired by Gilbert arrive* and Cora was carried out and carefull placed in it, wrapped in fur rugs, i care of the nurse. With a grip of the hand of the polic officer. Gilbert followed, and the ca started for London,

CHAPTER XXXVIII. Gilbert had administered to Cora the injection ordered by Sir John, but with no immediate result. To all appearance she was dead. But yet Gilbert was full of hope; he had seen her in this stage before, and she had recovered. Why should she not ' do so again? | What was this awful drug? he asked himself, as the ear sped onwards over the perfect road to London. Was it known to Sir John? And, if so, how many people knew it? The thought was appalling. They had reached Cambridge before he gave Cora another injection, but he became almost beside himself with joy when, as they ran into the suburbs of London, he saw a slight fluttering of Cora's eyelids. lie took out his lancet and made a slight scratch upon her arm. Yes, to his groat thankfulness, there was a slight trace of blood upon the blade. Cora was not dead! ! The nurse, who had been obviously I very dubious that Cora lived, now took heart again; the case became of intense interest to her. As the car ran into Cavendish Square and stopped at the great physician's house. Gilbert was full of hope for Cora's recovery. A servant brought out the address of a nursing home in a neighbouring street, where Cora was to be taken, with a message from Sir John that he would follow them there almost at once, j At the nursing home Cora was carefully carried in and laid on a bed. Beyond that -slight trembling of the eyelids, she had shown no further sign of life. Under the strong light of the electric lamp, (iilbert watched for any sign of movement till the physician came. At last he heard his footsteps in the hall, and went out to meet him. He was horrified at the change in his appearance; he had aged ten years since he had seen him last. He looked an aged, broken man. "Any new symptoms?" he asked briefly. Gilbert recounted the movement of Cora's eyelids which had occurred on the journey, and mc test for blood. Without a word, >Sir John pushed his way into the rom in which Cora lay, and, going to the bed, bent over her. He made a close examination, especially of the muscles of her arms and neck. When he had finished, he turned to Gilbert. "She is not dead," he said. "There is no reason why she should not recover. The journey in the open air has saved her." Gilbert's hand trembled as he thanked him, and the tears stood in his eyes. "But I had forgotten something," Sir John said, feeling in his pocket. "This telegram came for you just as I left." Gilbert remembered he had given Superintendent Thompson the address to which he was taking Cora. He tore open the envelope and read the message. "Motor boat discovered by an aeroplane capsized off. Boston, Lincolnshire. Thompson." Gilbert briefly explained the embarkation of Lord Helmore and Mir Abdullah in the temptestuous sea, and handed Sir John Rufford the telegram. He thought he saw a look of thankfulness and relief come over the old man's face as he read it. "So they are gone, I expect, ,, he commented, thoughtfully. "I wonder if by any chance they have been picked up," he added, thoughtfully. "If you had seen the sea they put off in," commented Gilbert, "I don't think you would entertain the thought rive minutes." The old physician stood looking down at Cora for a few minutes, giving further orders for her treatment, then walked out to the door. "You will remain in London, I suppose?" he asked Gilbert, as he stood on the doorstep. "If you are doubtful on any point, come to mc." That night, to Gilbert's great joy and relief, Cora opened her eyes and looked at him. Her eyes were fixed on him for a long time, like those of a baby seeing something wonderful for the first time. Then her lips moved. "What has happened, Gilbert?" she asked, in a low, e weak voice. For answer, Gilbert bent and kissed her very lightly on the lips. A little sweet smile came to her face, and she asked another question. "Was I at Morton last night?" she asked, and a troubled look came to her face. "Don't think of it," he said. "And where am I now?" she asked. "You are with mc," answered Gilbert, "and that is enough. , ' She smiled the little faint smile back at him. Yes, it was enough! (To be continued daily.)