MYSTERY of MANOR HOUSE

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 34, 10 February 1937, Page 20

MYSTERY of MANOR HOUSE

He wound it up, shook it, examined it but apparently it would not go. "There's a nice state of things! I shan't know when to' get up, now, unless —he looked at Lena —" unless you'll lend me your watch?" "Why, of course I will," said Lena willingly, handing it to him. It was on the tip of Ethel's tongue to say "Don't, Lena, he only wants to ■teal it," but she refrained. With an effort she shook the man's hand and said good-night. Lena kissed him. "Good-night," he said to both the girls "I hope that you will sleep soundly, and not dream of burglars." Lena laughed as she went out of the room, and called back, "It won't be burglars that I'll dream of, but tomorrow's surprise." Marjory was already fast asleep, with Nip, half-dozing, at the foot of the bed. Nip wagged his tail as the girls entered the room. They were soon undressed and in bed, and, it being long past the usual bed-time. Lena went to aleep almost instantly. Ethel lay awake ■taring into the dark. A small camp bedstead had been put up for her, and the three girls, though occupying separate beds, lay side by side, Ethel nearest the door. It was a rule of Mr. Lester's that the girls slept with their bedroom door unlatched, and Ethel , turned so that she might see the light on the landing. Nip crawled across on to her bed, and she drew him higher up, so that she might be able to touch him. Presently, Jane popped her head in to see if the girls were alright, and then Ethel heard her knock at the nursery door as she passed, and speak to the burglar. After that all was quiet, and in spite of herself, Ethel dozed uneasily. Nip roused her by a threatening growl. She immediately put one arm round his mouth to prevent him from barking, and dragged him into bed under the clothes She listened intently, and heard footsteps. The light on the landing went out, and all the house was in darkness. The footsteps came nearer, and stopped by her door. Ethel shook with fright, fearing lest the man should enter, but he passed on, and she heard his door close with a bang.

She breathed again. Nip seemed to ■ettle, enjoying the warmth of the "bed. Ethel listened hard, but heard nothing further. She thought of a hundred things •lid wondered if Mr. Drayton was out•ide with Tiger and the policeman, and if they felt frightened too. At last, in spite of herself she fell asleep. » and E. ed a8 J i, " he *** Ble Pt for hours ttv. !"• and «n the: time she dreamt i ° bur g'arg, watches and pistols. ptart, trembling Nip had crawled out of bed/-and was ' of'Th?d^ th h n nOSe againßt the ch'nk ??! th ® . d ®? r " . He growled. Ethol called * him quietly, but he took no notice. He * tried to force the door open with his nose' *? as t0 g®t through, but fortunately I * he ra'Pet was ruffled, and prevented the ■r aoor from opening. I What was Ethel to dot Had the • s burglar escaped while she was asleep? Everything seemed quiet except Nip, an< Nip seamed very much Sh

> HOLIDAY ADVENTURE

called him again, and he answered with a low whine. Jumping out of bed, she ran to him again, and picked him up, urging him to be quiet. He wagged his tail excitedly, and licked her face, whining a little. Though shaking with fear, Ethel opened the door a little, and peeped out. There was no sound of anything. She ventured into the dark landing, Nip in her arms, and one hand clasped tightly round his mouth. If he made a she would be discovered. She went nearer to Mr. Lestere's room and distinctly heard someone moving about. Terrified, she ran back and scrambled into- bed, drawing her feet in hastily. She pulled the clothes over her head. Nip tried to poke a way out, but she held him tight, and her heart beat with a thump. Marjory and Lena still slept. Nip now lay quieter, seeming to recognise that no noise must be made, andin a while Ethel gradually lifted her head from under the clothes. A door opened and closed and Ethel held her breath. There was the sound of soft footsteps. For one second a light flashed across the doorways, and then all was dark again. A creak on the stairs convinced Ethel that the burglar was going. Now was her time to run into his room and see what he had done. He would have to unbolt, unbar and unlock the front door. That-would, give her time to warn Mr. Drayton.

Ethel jumped out of bed and picked up Nip, who whined excitedly and struggled to .escape. As she passed through the landing she could hear that the front door was being unfastened. Quick as lightning she ran into the opposite bedroom, forgetting that in the dark she would be hardly able to see if a robbery had been committed. Trembling, she walked straight towards the wardrobe, and uttered a sharp cry of pain as she- came unexpectedly in contact with an open door. She dropped Nip and put 'out her hands to feel. Yes, the wardrobe door was open, and. also some of the windows. She had turned to run to the window and give the alarm when, she heard someone approaching. It must be the burglar coming back again. Paralysed, she stood for a* second immovable;' then, with a desperate effort, she sprang to the window, flung it open and called, "Father! Father! Help! Help!" A light shone in the room, and, turning her head, Ethel eaw the burglar, hiß face, livid With rage. "You'll raise an alarm, will you?" he roared, pointing his revolver at Ethel. "Another word land I'll shoot." Ethel crouched down under the window, her face as white as her nightgown. Nip, seeing the threateningf attitude of the burglar, sprang forward fiercely and buried hi® teeth in the man's Oght hand. The pistol went off with a bang and fell to the floor. 1 Ethel knew:no more. Hearing Ethel's cry, Mr. Drayton waited a moment, expecting to see the burglar come out by the front door. For an instant there was deadly silence, and te clear ° P lßtol s^ot rang out - lmiH

With a terrible cry Mr. Drayton sprang forward. "Ward!" he cried to the policei man, "there's something wrong. Quick'." Craeh, crash, went the dining-room windows, and Mr. Drayton climbed in, followed by Ward and Tiger. In another moment they were upstairs. They were only just in time. The burglar, unaware that, he was waited for outside, and still hoping to escape without rousing the house, had struck at Nip with His left hand, endeavouring to get free from his grip. But the tenacious little animal refused to be beaten off, and only set his teeth firmer in the man's hand- Then, wondering that he Ead not done it at once, the burglar tried to strangle him, and placed hi 9 hand round the dog's neck, squeezing it as hard as he could. Nip whined feebly, and he almost lost consciousness, when Tiger came bounding in. The man fell to the floor with a thud, as Tiger, at a word from his master, sprang at him, and Nip crawled to Mr. Drayton's feet, and lay as one dead.

But Mr. Drayton had no thought for Nip just then. Catching sight of Ethel stretched out under the window, he strode quickly across the room and knelt beside her. Was she hurt? Was she killed? As she raised her head she opened her eyes, and Mr. Drayton uttered a sigh of relief, but the next instant Ethel sank back again, helpless and unconscious. "Hand me some water, Ward," said Mr. Drayton, hurriedly, "and then go in search of Jane. I wonder that the whole house isn't disturbed." Ward had, with great satisfaction, drawn a pair of handcuffs from his pocket, and was trying to coax Tiger away from the burglar ,so that he might place them on the man's wrists. But Tiger, with his forefeet planted on the man's chest, stood firm and refused to move. He had been ordered to keep guard, and guard he would until his master called him off. The burglar could scarcely breathe for the weight of the dog's paws, but Tiger remained impassive and relentless. He eyed his victim watchfully, ready to seize his throat at the slightest movement, but when Ward coaxed and . commanded Tiger growled ominously, warning him off.

Mr. Drayton smiled grimly; he knew how useless it was for Ward to try coaxing Tiger, and turning round, he said impatiently, "Leave the man alone, and pass me the water." Ward obeyed. "Now go and find Jane," said Mr. Drayton, as he# forced a little water between Ethel'sJipa. Ward, wondering how he .was to find the room, took a candle and started on his errand, his heavy footsteps echoing strangely in the quiet house. As he turned the landing he heard someone say, "Oh!" and there was a slight scuffling noise. He held the acndle high above his head, and, peering through the darkness, saw in front of him. the two girls—Marjory terrified beyond mea-; sure, and Lena, with- .a-' white fade apd scared eyes, trying to pacify her. \ The report of the pistol had wakened Marjory and renewed all her previous alarm. "Lena!" she cried. "Lena,: the gun's gone off again." Lena up. She had heard it too.. She called to Ethel, but obtained no reply. Slipping from her bed, she went to Ethels, meaning to waken her, and was alarmed to find that tie bed was empty. . "Marjory," she said in a whisper, "Ethel's not there," and as she spoke there was a sound of falling glass and afrush of footsteps up the stairs. . Terrified; Lena scrambled back to bed, that seeming to her the safest place. Then, with wide eyes staring into the darkness, and scarcely # daring to breathe, the girls listened. All was quiet, .and now the very stillness seemed more 1 alarming than the noise had been.