HER LADYSHIP'S COMPANION

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 10, 12 January 1934, Page 13

HER LADYSHIP'S COMPANION

Of THE WEB OF FATE _ Author of ijpr By _ "A Day of Beckoning, , ' , etc HEDLEY RICHARDS

CHAPTER XIII. A Woman's Weapon. At that moment the butler entered, and, not seeing Lady Jane, who was in a little alcove near the window, he informed Miss Tempest that the Inspector of Police wished to see her Ladyship. As he spoke, Jack Collinsoii, who was still standing so as to prevent his sister seeing Lady Jane's face, whispered to her: "Pull yourself together, for -.God's sake!" She gave him a swift look of gratitude, and, making a desperate effort to control herself, she said: "Bring the Inspector here, Grey." Then; as he left the room, she stepped out of the glass door that led on to the. verandah, followed by Jack. "You are not going to avoid seeing him J" he said anxiously. "No. But I must have a breath of air. I feel as though I'd been stunned. Yesterday he used me cruelly, and to-day lie is dead! You don't know how often I've wished he was dead; yet I feel sorry for his fate." "Hush! Don't say that. Didn't I tell you the man had been murdered?" "Yes. It's an awful thing!" Jack interrupted her. He had something to "say before the Inspector saw her. "Lady Jane, I would not tell the Inspector you knew anything of this man, save that he had been your drawing I master." "Why not?" Then something in his face, some fear that he dare not give expression to, caused the blood that was slowly returning to ebb from her face, as she exclaimed in a tone of horror: "You think they may suspect me?" "The police never see further than their noses. Here he comes. Brace yourself up to meet him." Lady Jane turned, and looked across the Park, only conscious of two things— the man she had hated was dead, murdered, and she might be suspected of the murder. It was a hateful thought. It stung her pride, and helped her to regain I her self-control. I "Jane, the Inspector is here." She followed into the morning room. Hβ was standing waiting for her. "I'm very sorry to trouble your Ladyship; but I wanted to ask you a few questions. Did your Ladyship know the murdered man, Victor Dumarsque?" She felt inclined to shudder at the words; then she remembered the Inspector's eyes were on her and she answered quietly: "Mr. Dumarsque was the drawingmaster at the echool I was at near Paris." "How does your Ladyship know that this Dumarsque and he are the same?" "Because Miss Collinson, who was at school with me, met him in the village a little time ago." "Oh!" And the Inspector turned quickly to the othor jjirl. "When was that, miss?" he asked. "A few weeks ago. He told me he was staying at the White Swan; that he had given up teaching, and gave his whole time to painting pictures. He wanted to be allowed to paint some of the pretty bits in the Park, but Lady Jane would not consent," said Esther. "It seems he did get into the Park. I suppose your Ladyship refused because you do not care for strangers wandering about the place?" . ;, "No; it is objectionable," she said. "I suppose neither you nor Miss Collinson would know anything about him— who his people are?" "His cousin was one of the teachere in the school, but Mr. Dumarsque told me she had left, and gone to wait on his mother, who is an invalid," said Esther. "She is dead. I found a letter on the murdered man, dated a fortnight ago, from his cousin, Mademoiselle Dubois, saying that hie mother had died suddenly." Lady Jane started. Was there any allusion to her in that letter? she wondered. At that moment the door opened and Ronald Stapleton entered, and as he cast one quick glance round he saw that Jane looked, cold and dignified, Aunt Sarah troubled, and Esther Collinson deeply interested in what the inspector was saying, while Jack watched the young mistress of the Hall with a look of anxious love, that revealed much to Ronald. The inspector turned quickly and saluted tho squire, who returned it. Then ho shook hands with Lady Jane and the others, "I heard about tho man being found dead In the park, so I came over to aek if it was known who ho was?" euid Ronald as he seated himself. "His name is Dumarsque, .and at one time he taught these young ladies drawing." "Dumarsqun! The man—" Tlion he stopped suddenly. "Do you know him, Mr. Stapleton?" asked the inspector quickly. "I know he was—as you eay—.my cousin and Miss Collinson's drawing master at school and that he wanted to bo allowod to sketch in the park. What's the poor fellow died of?" he added quickly. "It is a case of murder," said the inspector, "Murder! Murdered in the park?" he exclaimed. "Yes, the doctor says death took place eomewhere about midnight." "About midnight!" Lady Jane echoed In a startled tone. Tho inspector looked curiously at her. "Yes, my Indy, about midnight." "Had there been any struggle, or how did it happen? Was he shot?" asked Ronald. "No, sir, he was stabbed," and the nspector looked from one to another. "Stabbed!" exclaimed Esther, and Lady Jane echoed her words in a startled tone. "That's not an English way of committing murder. It puts one in mind of the Italians. I wonder if the poor fellow had an enemy," said Ronald. "He must have had an enemy, and that enemy has been a woman," said the inspector. If lie had thrown a bomb into the midst of them it couldn't have produced a greater sensation, and the first to speak was Aunt Sarah, who said: "Really, inspector, I think you must be mistaken. Tho women about here don't do that kind of thing; it'a not the East End of London.". "No, madam, but human nature is much the same in Lynton as elsewhere, and sonie woman has wanted him out of the way. In the letter I found in hie pocket his cousin says, 'I was aroused at your signing yourself The Superfluous Man, but it is true, , she will find you that, and the. superfluous man will have to be reckoner! with. , " h

"Poor Mr. Dumarsque, so there was a mystery in his life, that seemed so prosaic," exclaimed Esther. "If that's all the ground you have for thinking tho murder was committed by a woman it's not much, inspector," said Ronald shortly. Something indefinable in the man's manner had annoyed

3 "No, it's not much, and I.shouldn't have ventured to aseert the guilty person was a woman on an extract 3 from a letter unless it had afforded very much more conclusive proof, but only a ' woman would have murdered a man in > such a fashion. He was stabbed with a hatpin." 2 "Stabbed with a hatpin!" Lady Jane cried out in amazement. "Yes, my lady, with a woman's hat- , pin, and it i>icrced the brain." "Good, heavens, what an awful thing . for any woman to do!" exclaimed - Ronald, "I don't bolicvo a woman could do 1 such a brutal thing," said Aunt Sarah. "Madam, I have known women do I awful things in a moment of frenzy, and it is a woman's weapon. Sec," and he took something out of his breast coat pocket and held a jewelled hat- , pin so that they could all see. It was studded with pearls, and at one end was a largo ruby. , "Why, it's your hatpin, Jane!" ex ; claimed Esther. '•'Yes, it is mine, but I don't underi stand how it comes to be in the inspee- • tor's possession," and Jane regarded him i J with surprise. ' "it was with this pin that the man Dumarsque was murdered." "He was killed with my hatpin! Oh, no; it is impossible," exclaimed Lady Jane. "Well, my lady, the .doctor says he , was stabbed with just such a pin, and this one was found among some ferns at a little distance, and there is blood on I it," and tho inspector held the pin J towards her. Lady Jane shuddered as J she saw the gold was coated red with the blood of Dumarsque. "It's horrible," she eaid with a shiver. "When did your ladyship see it last?" he asked as he put the pin into his pocket. • "I don't know. I have several hatpins. Then suddenly she remembered that she had taken it oil" the dressing table tho preceding night and stuck it through the motor hat she wore when ehe went to meet Dumarsque, and it must have fallen out while she was talking to him, and she realised the necessity for concealing the fact. "When did your ladyship wear it last?" asked the inspector, who had been watching her keenly. "I really cannot say. It might be yesterday or the day before. I was in the wood yesterday." "Yes, I was with Lady Jane, close to where the body of tho man was found," said Jack Collinson. "Then, of course, you may have dropped it there. I suppose your ladyship's maid would not be likely to wear it, as this man was seen in the park late at night, some weeks ago, when he was staying in tho village, and ho got out of the way of the keeper, who wanted to stop him, and it is possible he might be meeting one of the uppereervants." "I am sure my maid would not think of wearing my things, and she is not the kind of girl to meet a lover on the sly; in fact, she is engaged to the upper gardener's son," said Lady Jane. "Perhaps your ladyship would allow mo to question her and tho other servants?" said tho inspector. "Certainly," and as he withdrew she sank back in her chair, looking white and tired. "It's very dreadful that the murderer should have used your hatpin," eaid Aunt Sarah. "It puzzles me what tho man was doing in the park at midnight," eaid Ronald. "No doubt the police will get at tho truth," eaid Esther quietly. Jane roso and passed on to the verandah, followed by Jack ColHneon. "Come on to tho lawn," he said, and in a minute or two they were pacing the lovely groan sward. Then Lady Jane looked full at her companion, as. she said: "Captain Collinson, you saw how that man treatod me yesterday; you know that I" bad reason to fear and hate him. Do you believe it was I who killed him?" she said. "No, a thousand times no," he exclaimed emphatically. "I'm glad you don't think I did it; I'm sure the inspector suspects me; perhaps, if I'd boon a servant, he would have arrested mo on suspicion, but, being Lady Jano Tempest, he dare not risk getting nto troublo with his superiors. If he can mako a case it will mean promotion for him, so he will try to secure evidence against mo, and —and, oh, it's too awful to think of," ehe said in a tone of bitter agony. . ''Never mind the inspector, no cannot hurt you; tho fact that your -hatpin was lost in the wood is now explained. I can prove that you were there yesterday morning." "You don't know all. I told you I must meet Dumarsque again, nnd I did; I met him in the wood at midnight, and fastened my motor hat with that pin. Now do you believe I am innocent?" (To bo continued daily.)