"GREYMARSH"

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 46, 24 February 1927, Page 22

"GREYMARSH"

By ARTHUR J. REES. Author of "The Mystery of the Downs," "The Threshold of Fear," etc. CHAPTER VI. Next morning we drove over to Grevjntarsh early. From the car Grey went j i:.rough the gates to :he tower, leaving mo to go alone to the house. I was £::o\«u ir.to a morning room looking out lon the river, and Linda Liskard came to !me there. >be wore Mack, and looked ' vale. J though:. She gave me her hand I asked afu-r her husband. She lifted I her Lead v.-ith a smile. i "11-.- is better, Mr. HaMhsm. decidedly ; hotter. I am clad to jay. Dr. Kendall ;.-a~s he will recover now—with care. If lirr smile faded. She broke ofT abruptly aid looked away, iier slender fingers ' j laying nervously with a goM chain la.'-o'.it her ne-k. I guessed the thought ««> ja-sir.j through !.-r mind, i'rtter :iian at.ycue si.e kr.i-w the menace 'which lurked in wait i<~>r her husband's . re-t- ration to health. '• "I am verv c'.ad to hear he ;« letter, i La-iv Liskard." j "Thv..k you. Mr. Haldham. Has yu.r I frier Mr. Grey. discovered anything j yet I Her voice charged. Her eyes were : dark with suffering and unhappiness. "He is making investigations,'' I replied gently, "hr.i they are not complete: yet. Y--u ]>i',i!-t be hopeful. and ■aait. Gr.-y v\ ii; !o-k into all the circumstances tii'.: •. jy. you may lie sure of I that. He i- going to Norwich soon. tn j see ore of your f. r-r.er guests. I heard , him say -o yesterday." j j She lv.-ked uii quickly. j "'Ure of my former guests! Whiifc'• one—did you hear him sav?" "Ye-." 1 answered. "his name is Lir.t-I I oil. He is a iter, I understand." I I I had jerfornic i iny task disingenu- 1 ;C-usiy. yei with s-me reluctance, too. But I was certainly not prepared for the effect of my words upon her. Her fingers gra?ped the thin ihaki tightly, ar. 1 her j fate went suddenly white. "H-- is goini: in Mr. I.intweli? D" to': kr.o>v \v :-at f• r " >iie spoke huskily— almost indistinctl_v —a- th question? tame with h-'-.td. and r-turned qui k'y. glad to be *.•> answer with truth: j "No. I di-1 not. Hut Templetor. vas tell- t | incr vis- that Mr. Lir.twell made some amateur invert ir.it ion= p--»' i • - 1 : rv, V T ha" " "Anl what iias ti.is to do with Mr. Grey'" >i.e s-'oke with a sudden anger that caused r.ie to !o.>k at her in surprise. "He is here f-• r that purp^•"■>." I rer.'in.ied her. "to tlirow licht r.pc-n thidark tragedy, if he can. My r.ncle wanted him to make independent investigations. He asked us both to Norfolk f"r the purpose, in fact.*' "True. I had forgotten for the 1 element.She spoke with returning com-p-'-ure. but beneath i: I climpse-l strange v:">t;b:s and fears. "And do you think Mr. Grey will succeed —do you suppose } •> wj'.l discover anythin™ at all'" ; "Hp has made some discoveries al- ! readv." I ar.»-At-red: "though I cannot i vet tell you what thev mean. And wna*i ever has t-"-:n hi hieti he v ill discern j sooner <~t l.iter. you can feel quite cer-; j tain of that." 1 "You seem t-"> have great faith in him. \V- nt n:akc« u.n feel so surob' | "That he will discover what has been I hidden —and much has been hidden— about Henry Liskard's death! Because I have never known him to fail. Becau-e ' r 'i hi? ?r>ecial rifts."' j "I realised it the first moment I saw him. I think that I feared him at once.'' ; There was a tinge cf fear in her voice , .a: that moment, and I turned over her admission in my mind. I would have j liked to ask her'in what way sbe feared i him. but 1 resisted the impulse to speak There was a moment's silence. i • -if—" I j Her voice trailed off. There was silence : B_v.in. Yet in that single word all her j fears, ail her doubts, stood expressed. | And. when 1 spoke, I sought to reach ■them and answer them in a manner she ' could tindery* and. 1 have no-.'r.ing to fear from Grey."' il said: "he will be able to heip you, '.I you need it. \ou can be sure ot thai, j ' She did not answer immediately, but sat still, her fingers or.ee more playing with the thin gold chain. At length I she looked up. ; "Thank you. Mr. Haldham." she said ! earnestly. '"I thank you for telling me i what you have, and I wu.l think over j what you have said." We rose, and she held out her hand. | But as I turned away 1 had the feeling j that it would not be long before I sailer arain. I waited outside near the gates for j Grey, for I had no inclination to go ito him in the tower. And presently he ! came, walking through the grounds with J swift strides. As he drew near I observed I that he held something white in his j hand—a sheet of relied paper. I thought. He saw my eyes rest upon and held it out to me. "Look a: it. Haldham." he said. I unrolled the sheet and saw a crayon drawing of a girl's face, boldly, yet delicately dore. From the rougn surface of the drawing paper the sad little face or Avis Ormond started out. and seemed :to look up at aiv with dark, st-eaking eyes. T.ie likeness was wonderful; there I Could :>e r.-i two opinions on that. | "Where did you find it!" I asked. "Among a litter of finished and unfinished stud'es m the studio." Grey j replied. "There was a cupboard full ! of tnem. and I found this near .he botj torn o: t.ie heap. It is silent additional j te?timony that the bond between this I pirl and tne dead man was as close as | I nejd :ne picture in my hand. It j moved me. , n some inestdicable wav. !As Ijianced it back I said: j "V, aat are you going to do »"ith it V' I Grey put ilc .ittle picture away. [ r w;.l wa.k over the mar-hes to ■ c-ttasre ccj tne c..:Ts this afternoon, .-i-.w::am. r.e saiu. "I had intended to ! Avis Ormond to-dav in anv case I - . . * . " i - —. t . : i> jfwn-.j w;i: maKe it easier j .o. Sr? to teJ tne t—utn. Perhaps it j — a ~ not r>e wanted at all."'" . He put it carefully away. We went I tn.-ough the gates, and walked across I tne sand toward- the car. j you tell Lacy Liskard about ;L:ntweil!"' Grey asked. ' - 1 di 'V. ar '- appeared startled— j a.most frightened, in fact. But I told her she had nothing to fear from vou." He nodded thoughtfully, mat afternoon Grey and I went over tne hiils from my uncle's house towards the ec*ast. On one side of the marshes ]a y Grejmarsh, w.-.h its hich land, its ground-, and dominating tower, while on the ot_er the marshes swept to the distant elm-. V. e threaded our wav towc.r-1- thfin. to w iier- an-tiier path ran to tiiem from a canal. As we drew j

| near the channel we saw a numan figure, | j silhouetted, like a shadow, in the mist, jit was a girl, standing motionlesi by' | the plank whjch formed a bridge. 1 'knew her instantly. It was the g.rl we i had set out to seek. ! ' As we ap; roacned she saw us, and ! moved away from t!v> flimsy bridge to lot us cross. But Grey halted in the path and stoke. ! "Your name is Ormond—Miss Avis Ormond, .s it not!" he asked. •! She turned towards us quickly, surprise written on her face. "Yes," she said nervously, "why do l ' .you ask 1" . "Because we were cr. our wav to your home to see you," Grey re: lied. t "To see me'"' she rerouted, with a ' fluttering voice, and a startled look in : rer -oft dark ryes. "Why .... Wl.v , • . . . her voice laded away. "I want to a-k you a few questions." Grey explained gently, "if I may. j Vuey'.ions about Heury Liskard, whom | 1 think you knew." j stool silent, with hands tightly ! i and her head turned a\*av. But I had set-n that her eyes wtte full of t-. ars. "I have nothing to tell you,"-she murmured, after a pause. " I "I am here to st-rve justice." Grt-v ' went on: "to find out the n.urderer Jf Henry Liskard. n I can. An innc>cer.t person is su-pevted—the brother of the • man who was killed. Vou would nut like the innocent to suffer by voui yiit-nce—l am sure of that." 1 knew by her quick look towards him, that he had taken the rizl.t line. With Lis subtle appreciation oi type:-, he had read hrr guileless nature at a glance. "No. ' she answered slowly. "I should not like that." j "I a'-o know who shot him." Grev ' j went in. "But—if it is any consolu ' tion for you to know thir-—the one who . di-1 so wiil never be brought to trial." j She seemed to liear him wondering!v ; Grey went on: I "Le: me show you something —.t will interest v ou. I think. Look at this picture-—your portrait, is it not V , He tc-'-k the cray-in drawing from his pocket, and placed it in ber hand. She . xann.-d it timidly for a moment, ti.-n : 5 and--; it back. of n,-. ." "Drawn by Henry Li.-kard—is that ( vc: '■(. "You knew him we".'., then' D.: y-u • see hnn often —will you tell rnc- that;'* i "I used to meet him sometimes «>n ' he won: -ut painting." she hesitatingly . replied. "He -p >ke to n.e first on the 1 mar-he l , ar. i *j« very kind to tr.e. 1 liavo been very unhat py, since—since i.e died." Her lips quivcrel. There was pitv in ' Grey's eyes. "When did you see him last'" "It wa- that last aft-rnoon —the dsv <"'f the tide." sbe answervd sadly. "I had been sitting with him ui» the river— vvat-i-hir.g him while he sketched. "And when did vou leave him*" "On tie i-ridce —n-ar '■he faintly, as thotigh at son.e hidden thoti«ht. "It was nearly dnsk 1 tii'-n an i 1 hurried heme a r-.-ss the I mar-hes." 1 ; "And you 5S w yjrjj again V Sbe burst into a sudden passion of j tear*. • "No." she said, "'never a rain. 1 But that night, when the tid" <"-verj flowed the marshes, I felt afraid for i 1 him—oh, so afraid. Something seemed : :to tell me that he was in dar.z'-r. When the water vvas li-i.ng I would have gone etross the marshes to warn them at Groymarsh, but George Rudsham came ; out ar.d saw me. and would not let me 1 go." | i* She was eryin™ quietlv n«w. Grev b-'kt-d at her thoughtfullv for a n:-"-- ; n.er.t. then said: i second mate of the Perseus, is he r.ot!" | She ] "And lie h. a .«* sm--e rone Itark to tea c-r , gone away. • V.ieve*" i I "\es." sue said. "He had to rejoin his! I ship." | "Were you sweethearts, you and he - J Were you going t'~> marry him!" "Not real sweeihe-aru?." she answered | diffidently. "George always wanted to, marry me. but I : -.*.i n.m 1 uidn : love : iiim enouEii. "And was he jealous of Mr. Liskard! Did he know about you and him!" ! j 1 sue s-aid faintly. "He foundou: that night. He >aw me savins good-night to Mr. Liskard, in tiu- du-k on tlie bridge." I • - ?->e gave her answer quite trankiy. but 1 couid see she was on the rack- i "George Pvuds-ham was ancry. I eup-pc«-e. when he eroke to vou tii3t nirht!" She bowe-d her head. "With you. and w.;h Mr. Liekard as well 5" j "On. yet : very angrv. ' ' said crue! things alo.st the difference' in our positions. and that no. goo-d could come of our friendship— tbmgs like that. Ge-orge wanted me toi promise him not to meet Mr. Liskard again, and when I refused he became angrier than ever, and epoke dreadfully then. I was a little trightened of him. j I think." I She ma le this reveiatinn simrdv. ar>-; r(■ nk. \ vi;. \i x. & *iv 3r c o 1 11*? s«n tc r • , i impor;. j ■J "And after mat —I heard Grey; . quest i--n h--r ag-in—"nlia: happened ; [ , then»" r ! "Nothing-—' her hps tremoi-.-l . slightly—"except t'aat they m.ssed as. • indoor-, anl father sent out Creeke vv.tnj ! a ligh: to s-ee wba: kept us s-d lon j | My father, who is blind, stood in t.ie ■ i oj>en doorway, but Georze would not co ; back to tne house to s3y gocd-night. He • . set out for h.s walk arrc-ss t..e hills. 1 | He had some miles to go. and wa. i j join hi' ship the next day." ■ ; "And Lave you Lear] from him since 1" 1 ! Avis heard this question with surprise ! . "Ob. no!" she said, "why do you ask' that "I thought you might have expected a 1 letter from him." j > "No." -he responded cuietlv. "Georr- , . would not write. He knew- it was aii > over between us alter w hat he said that . I night. Ee understood that. I feel sure, i ■ ; I never expected to hear from htm—cr j i to see him —again. It would be useless | —as he knows." :j the was silent, standing motionless i 1 as before, in a attitude of listless j ' apiathy, facing towards the sea. Grev, . looked at her and sp>oke. j "1 am grateful to you for answerine' ■1 my questions." Le said, "and I have, 1 nothing more to ask. Would you carc ' j for this little sketch!" • 1 Her dark, uplifted eyes answered him. i and he placed it in her hands. i j "Thank you." she said softly. ' We tumrd away. On the other sid-' !of the little bridge I leaked back. >he 1 ! was standing where we had left her. Iv j the brink of the canal. And her head ■ i wa — l»ent over the little in !>.-r I j Land:. | (To bs continued daily.) i