IN THE GRIP OF THE UNSEEN

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 161, 9 July 1932, Page 8 (Supplement)

IN THE GRIP OF THE UNSEEN

By KATHLEEN RIGG J

CHAPTER XIX. Sybil leant now against tho wall in Uio dark eliop, Ler epirit crushed, her face ghastly, and her feet bleeding. A cold shiver of despair ran through her as tho liidiau turned on her his hard, relentless eyes. There was not time- to brook delay or disobedience. She must do hie will, and, quickly, he rellected, or their entire plans would fall about their ears like eo many falling bricks. "I, Dhannu Dal, know at last," he began, in a sharp voice, "'where my third diamond is, Meesy Sybil. Things have been going on in the town of which you may have heard," ho continued with an evil grin, "and soon, I, Dhannu Dal, am to have the great success which, now, is partly withheld from me. Once the third diamond is in my hand though, beauteous lady, nothing anyone can say or do, can shatter my supreme power, and it is you who shall obtain the third diamond for me, even aa you havo obtained the others." Sybil leant helplessly back against tho Avail. . "I can do no more, Dhannu Dal," she panted. "Take my life—do what you will. I can bo your servant no longer." Tho man's face tilled with rape- as he listened to her, and it would have pleased him to kill her where eho stood. This foolish, little crumpled, thing was "rowing useless, was ehe? But, still she must not give way at this point. lie must keep her alive for a little longer. When her work was done, it would not matter if her body lay lifeless on the ground like the bodies of those other English who had lain lifeless during tlic last few hours. But that was not to happen yet.

Fixing his eyee on Sybil, ho endeavoured now to convey to her k. etill greater share of hie own will power. ° "Listen and grow strong, and do niy bidding," he commanded. "Tho third diamond, beauteous lady, is in tho kandti of Captain Dalton, who loves tho fair Memsahib Darvell. You know of this love J"

"I know nothing about my friends' affairs that they do not toll me," put in Sybil, with sudden disgust. "If you cannot get this diamond fur me yourself, the Mcinsaliib Darvell will "ct it for you," said Dhannu JJal fiercely. "Hβ will give her anything, for his love is beyond all counting; anyway, you shall bring it to me before tlio light f-oes to-morrow evening. Now, no added quickly, "you can go, Meesy Sybil, but remember if you try to light my command, I, with my power, can break you utterly, in mind, in body, and w A few minutes later Sybil was in the street again and, with no difficulty, now found a gharry to take her back to Henry. The etreet3 wcro much quieter, and it was plain that tho disturbance had been quelled to a certain degree, though those in authority wero etiU vaguely anxious, for, as yet, they Lad not been ablo to get at the root of Uic trouble. Though Sybil felt it now her firat duty to go to the spot where she had hidden Henry's re,wrt and to hand it in yet she was utterly unable to do that until she had gone back to see how Henry hlmeeU fared. Her heart was full of horrible feare as eho wae driven to the place where she had left him. "Would she find him still alive?" she asked herself, with an agonised heart Reaching the spot where he had fallen, she looked hastily around, but there was not a sign of Manfleld. The only sight which wet tho girl's eyee was the body of the Indian, lying where Henry had shot him down. His eyes, open, were staring blankly and hideously up to heaven. The girl looked away from him with a shudder. "But where can Henry be?" she- wildly asked herself again, tortured now beyond all bearing. The possibility that he had again been attacked was too awful to contemplate, and Sybil, einking to her kneee, began to sob desperately. The "harry driver stood looking at her with quiet, liquid eyes, which made the Malay have- a semblance to a patient kind of dog. Sympathy oozed from him as he watched her tears. I. hough he did not understand her dilemma, he knew enough to guess that, just then, thcro was much to make the linglish

Pulling herself together at last, and getting into the gharry again Sybil allowed the- man to drive her back, until, reaching the broad highway eho had traversed earlier in the evening, ehe dismissed him. As she did so, she saw lights coming through the trees from an English bungalow, and knew that eome bra°ver than the rest were returning to their homce. The fact was reassuring as a si"n that things were growing quieter. Hurryin" onwards, she reached the spot where Henry's report lay hidden, seized it in shaking hands, and half an hour later it lay securely in the hands of the Government. Dead weary, and with her head in a maze Sybil, "late as it was, turned her steps towards the Darvclls' bungalow, hoping that they might have returned, and would give her shelter, arid, more important still, tell her if there were news of HeJiry. Sick and giddy, the girl stumbled up the drive, and up the verandah stepe, and, with a cry of relief, threw herself into the arms of Kitty, who, that evening, had returned home with Doggy. "Sybil," cried Kitty, her face a picture of consternation as she stared at the girl's bedraggled appearance; but there was a look of intense relief in her eyed, too, as she held on to her, and knew now that she was eafe. "My dear, where have you been all this time?" she began wonderingly. Sybil's answer was to drop into a chair beside her, and burst into a storm of tears. Her strength was spent, her heart wae eick with anxiety about Henry, and over it all hung the dark curtain of Dhannu Dai's evil power over her. She waa completely broken. "My dear, what i.s it? Something dreadful has been happening to you. Oil, my denr, let me hell)," ''egged Kitt.y, her cyce filling with tears too, <ih she noted her friend's distress. Sybil was able to breathe only one word: "Henry!" Kitty looked at her, and in that moment read the story of her love. So that — was how things were, thought she, and now over her there swept remembrance of Henry's own behaviour on the diiy she had told him of Sybil's marriage. "Oh," she cried to licreclf fiercely, "how I have !,-""'■■,' >:.-p~\"

Her eyes were filled with unhappincss as elio turned to speak to Sybil now. '"Wo still liavc no news, Sybil, about Henry. It —is—terrible—this suspense, I know. Boggy lias done all lio could, and yet—we hear—nothing," she said miserably. Trying to regain her self-command, Sybil now related what she knew about Henry's ghastly experiences, and about the important work he had entrusted' to her; then, as all her other troubles surged over her, becoming more than she could bear, the girl poured forth into Kilty's dismayed and sympathetic ears her wretched story from beginning to end. Nothing was hidden, and soon Kitty was made acquainted with everything which had happened since Dhunnu Dal stole her lock of hair and held her a prisoner. Kitty, her hands tightly holding those of the trembling girl, and with eyes amazed, listened carefully. To anyone as practical as herself, tlie story in parts seemed alinoet incredible, and vet it was not the first timo she had heard of such indescribable and uncanny power. There was that other friend of hers in India, who had told her a tale very similar—the tale ehe had once told to Sybil hereclf. Much as she would have liked to scoff at such a hateful story, she know, as she looked at Sybil, and heard what she had suffered, that to do that was impossible. But there was one thing of supreme importance to both of them now, as they sat together that wretched evening, and fear of Dhannu Dal and his diamond and all the rest, gave way to it. They must try, at once, to find Henry. That he could bo alono and suffering was, to those two who loved him, well nigh unbearable. "Mow, come, we must plan what to do," cried Kitty bravely. "And Doggy will soon be here again, and kill help us," she went on confidently. "That heaven, things seem to be quieter now, and wo ought to feel fairly safe. So a fig for y° llr wretched Dhannu Dal, Sybil," finished Kitty, trying to turn the whole thing into a eort of joke. "The man must clearly bo brought to his senses at once." Sybil tottered to her feet. She felt sick with fear and bodily weariness. Her head reeled. "You do—not know—Dhannu Dal," camo from her, hopelessly, and, before Kitty could reach her, pho had crumpled up at her feet in a dead faint.

CHAPTER XX. In the Toils. It was a long timo before Sybil regained consciousness, and when at last she did open her eyes, Kitty, who had been bending over her with a face- of the utmost anxiety, trying to bring her round, recognised thu fact that the girl was going to bo seriously ill. Soon she wae rambling hopelesely, talking vaguely of Henry and Bob and Dhannu, of diamonds and letters and so ou. Oiico or twice, raising herself from the bed, where- they had laid her, eho declared wildly that she must go and do what tho great Dhannu Dal had told her. "I must go—l must go," eho persisted, and it was all Kitty could do to restrain her. \t last eho became a little- quieter, and, tired out, Kitty went on to tho verandah, where sho discovered, to her relief, that Doggy had come back. "Oh, Doggy darling, I was getting so terribly anxious about ydu," she whispered, throwing her arms impulsively round his neck. "My dear, nothing ever happens to folks like me," ho told her, holding her face between his hande, and looking tenderly into her eyes. "But I hated to bo so long away, old thing. Things arc quiet now, of course, but ono never knows. I don't trust those blighters for a second. If they saw a chance theyd burst out again as hot as ever." "But thev won't get a chance, it 1 know anything," returned Kitty sensibly "The Government have the thing well in hand, haven't they? and nothuig will bo relaxed. But is there- any news of Henry, Doggy ?" She paused and searched her husband s face anxiously. "None, my dear," ho responded hopelessly. "It seems as if the very earth has swallowed him up." "But I've heard something." And Kitty went on rapidly to tell him all she- had "leaned from Sybil that evening. _ "Sybill was heartbroken to leave him, Kitty continued, "but Henry insisted that sho should go, and, of course—of course, it was right. It was just splendid of them both, wasn't it, Doggy?" "Probably," said her husband, slowly, "someone, camo along and took him to tho hospital. Tho H.A.M.C. areb usy down at ono of the wharves, are fixed up with stretchers, a dressing station, and all the paraphernalia of war. It's just possible that Henry may be there. We must ring up and sec, but — Oh, curse it, of course tho-wires arc cut," finished Doggy impatiently. "Well, I'll get along instead, Kit, and see." "Oh, Doggy, is it safe?" sho put in anxiously. Before he could reply, a cry came towards them from Sybil's room. "What's that?" inquired Doggy, sharply, looking around alarmed, for the cry was pitiable to hear. Kitty rose at onco to her feet. "It's Sybil —Sybil Carroll," she thrust in hastily. "She's terribly ill, Doggy. All this has been too much for her. We ought to try to get a doctor. Oh, I'm frightened for her!" And sho poured forth as much of Sybil's story as there was time to tell. Doggy scoffed at the whole thing. "Pack of confounded nonsense," was his comment. "And we'll see tho fellow dead before he can go on with it. A girl will, 'pon my soul, ln-licvc anything. He's scared her out of her wits, of course; but as to his having any hold of her — why, it's tommy rot from beginning to end," ho went on flatly; "but, all the same, it's tommy rot that has jolly well got to be stopped. Why didn't anybody think of doing that before? The police, where are theyV What's the good of 'em, I ask you? What are they there for?" Kitty turned away, too tired to argue the matter further, but she knew that there was nothing tho law could actually touch. "The whole thing makes one rage and nifje, because one is so terribly j helpless," thought Kitty; and she hastened back to Sybil, as Doggy went out Olico more to eoc if any thin ~ could be heard of ManlHd. Tn the oarly hours Doggy returned, but it was with no good news. He had gone down lo the hospital.on the wharf, but Henry was not there, and he could hear nothing; of Mm,

He sank down wearily on a chair, saying nothing of tho horrors he had witnessed, or of the many friends who, lie heard, had been killed or wounded. Hβ felt fairly certain, in his own mind, that neither he nor Kitty would see Henry again; but they had to keep their pecker up, whatever happened. It would never do to give way. There was still probably much to do, "and if things were not healthier in the morning he would insist that Kitty and Sybil went back to the harbour. The Government would insist, too; they didn't wish to have the responsibility of having women about, and from what ho gathered, things were not going too well. A bit quiet for tho moment, "but they were none too safe, say what you like. Ho went to his room to lie down, urging Kitty to do the same, but she shook her head. It was impossible to leave Sybil. In the morning they would try to get a nurse. She was simply raving. Daylight brought no more, disquieting news, and the Darvells were able to obtain a nurse to help with Sybil, who now could never bo left a moment. She was crying pitifully, and often insisted on getting up. In her dreadful delirium she seemed to be struggling with Dhannu Dal and his influence, and telling him of her fierce refusal to do his bidding, but her cries would always end in piteous sobs when she found herself defeated. "She cannot live if things go on like this," said the nurse. "There's evidently something on her mind. Can't wo case, her somehow, Mrs. Darvell? Tell her, you know, that " Tho nurso paused, feeling that Kitty might know something of Sybil's story, and be ablo to help where she, a mere professional, must fail. Kitty went on to tlio verandah with a desperate- face. She had not been ablo to rest all night, and was unutterably weary, but still she could not be prevailed upon to lio down. Surely there was something they could do to savo this little friend, she asked herself wretchedly. Could she herself do something; go and tackle Dhariuu Dal himself, for instance?

Sho might fail—oh, yea; but she must try what could bc done, slio decided, and set off on her mission. If Doggy had been at homo (ho was out again trying to get news of Henry) it was certain ho would not have heard of her madness; for, though ho scoffed at tho Indian's mystic power; he knew he was dangerous. Dhannu Dal waa much astonished at her visit, and furious, too, at Kitty's scorn, and it would havo given him satisfaction to havo killed her, as with eyes glaring and her words stinging him, sho faced him in his shop. Ho hated tho whole English race every day more bitterly, and it was his destiny to destroy it. "But my day has not yet come," he decided, cursing this intruder under his breath. But what was she saying? That he must givo up this little lock of hair?

"[ give it up? Never, memsahib," he Riiid, bending low in cuiiningr mockery. "It is very beautiful, and tho little E"?Icesh girl gave it to Dliaimu Dal, and ho honours it beyond all counting." "It's a liu!" was Kitty's fearless answer. "And you don't realise that you must give it me. Tlio littlo English girl lies very ill." Tho man's evil eyes flashed. "When tho diamond is mine, memeahib, I trouble her no more," he said. "Dhannu Dal will call ho longer." Kitty glared at him contemptuously. "If you want this diamond so badly," sho thrust in, "why, in tho name of fortune, don't you go aud ask Captain Daltou for it yourself?" "Because," returned her hearer loftily, "that is not my will. Tho littlo English girl will got it, or you, perhaps, may be led to do it for her," ho went on mockingly; "for do I not know that tho sahib can deny such a lovely lady nothing?" Furiously Kitty turned, and her cheeks crimsoned. "I shall give you one more chance, Dhannu Dal," sho etruck in, looking towards tho man again, and utterly ignoring his offensive remark. "I think, you know, you had better listen to me, or it will bo the worse, for you. Give* me back the lock of hair." "Tho memsahib is pleased to threaten, then," camo imperturbably; and at last Kitty, with patience exhausted, had to turn and away with tho knowledge that her visit had failed. But, all the same, they would fight the man yet, sho cried furiously to herself as she went home; but that night she knew tho chanco of saving Sybil was growing more and moro remote. As tho afternoon wore on tho girl could hardly be held down in bed. Her cries were awful to hear, and always it was tho saino old story: She must get up at once and get the diamond. Who were they to keep her back? Who were they to restrain her from working tho will of tho great Dhannu Dal? Didu't they know how great ho was? Didn't they know sho must do as he told her? Didn't they know (To bo concluded Saturday Next.)