“CAIN”

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LX, Issue 11043, 17 February 1933, Page 4

“CAIN”

CHAPTER I. —Continued. “He . . .I have told you. He lias received a . .a shock.” * “A shock?” F “Yes.” The solicitor hesitated. “Do you understand, now?” A slight smile broke on the‘girl’s compressed lips. 1 ' Slightly taller than the solicitor, sho looked down on the man. For a moment she gazed straight into the steel-blue eyes that held Almost a hint of fear, ’ Martha moved suddenly, catching the solicitor by the arm and swinging him to one sideC A couple of quick steps and she was standing beside the desk. “Mr Banke!” The man did not look up. For an instant the girl waited', fear growing in her heart. Shaking herself, mentally, she reached forward a hand, to touch the man; to have her wrist grasped, firmly, by Alec Kemp r ton.

“Mr Kempton!” ‘“Miss Tayne; you must not.” ; “What is the matter with Mr Banke?”

’ “I have told you—a shock.” “Then he should be attended to.” A quick movement brought Martha to the side of the desk. Kempton made a feeble attempt to detain her but she wrenched her arm free. “Mr Banke!”

The man seated at the desk did not answer, or even change his position. The girl looked down on him, in perplexity. . .. ,

, Something was , wrong .in that room; Something was wrong with the man seated at the desk. He had pot moved since she had come into the room. He had taken no notice Of her presence: or of her questions. Tentatively, hesitatingly, she stretched out ,her hand, again, towards the man. This time the lawyer grasped her wrist, firmly. “Mr Kempton! How dare you touch me?” “Mis Tayne!” There was entreaty in the solicitor’s tones. “I am asking you to be careful —to leave this to me. Please go back to your office.” -

. “I refuse.” “I assure you that if you interfere you may accomplish irreparable harm,” “I think Martha hesitated. “I think there is something wrong here.” Her words came slowly. “What do you mean?” Kempton stared at the girl, .his face greying. ; “This” With a sudden movement the girt released herself. She caught at the seated man’s ami, jerking it sldweays. “This, Mr Kempton . . This man is not Luther Banke!” CHAPTER 11. Mechanically, Martha repeated herself. “This man is not Luther Banke.” She swung to face the lawyer. ‘“Mr Kempton, where is Mr Banke?” The lawyer did not answer. He was staring, moodily,,, at the man behind the desk, a dark frown on his florid face. “Mr Banke came in here this mornin, early.” The girl continued. “He has to pass through my room to get to* this office. On his way in he stopped at my desk and told me he would be ready to deal with the overseas mall within an hour. I replied that I had the details all ready for his attention; he nodded and smiled. I know he did not leave his office after he entered it.” “Perhaps you did not see him.” The # solicitor suggested, uneasily. "If I had not seen him, I should, have heard him.” Martha continued quickly. “The door between my office and the- shop is fitted with an electric bell that chimes immediately it is opened. You know that, Mr Kcfaipton. One day you remarked ou the bell to me.” “There may be other ways of leaving this office ...” The man’s uneasiness showed plainly. “There are no ‘other ways’ out of this office.” The girl interrupted, quickly. ‘ "Mr Banke . ~ ’’ Again Kempton hesitated. ■ , "Mr Banke came in here this morning.!’; A flush oL excitement stained the girl’s cheeks. “He spoke to me as he, passed my desk, as I have told you. ; I followed him in here. As I left his room, the bell on the other door rang, and you entered. I held the door of this hoom for 1 you to pass through. Mr Banke;was then seated at his desk. You mentioned ,his name as you entered. I closed the door, leaving you alone with him.” Martha paused,* then turned angrily on the mari. “Mr Kempton, .where is Mr Banke? Who is this man, seated in his chair, at his desk?” For a ’long moment there was silence in the room. Then, the unnamed man behind' the desk rose to his feet and stretched, lazily. “Interesting isn’t it, Kempton?” He stretched, again. “Seems to me, this-young 1 lady has father busted things, eh?” i ■, “Who are you?” Martha turned to face ihe man. ;!, What are you doing -here?”,: “Me?” The man laughed, almost rioiselesslly. “Ask him!” He pointed to the lawyer.

'The girl was bewildered. What did it all mean? She knew that Luther Banke had not gone out of that yet he was hot >in it. She glanced around the room * again. There was no place there where a

. man could hide. With a swift movement, she crossed to the windows and flung them open. The massive ironwork protections were intact.

Again she.turned to the room, to face the two men, now regarding her) curiously. Some silent message must have passed ’ between them while she Wad been at the windows. Now they appeared more composed. For a moment the girl regarded them steadily, then went to the door. "

‘ “Where are you going, Miss Tayne?”- Kempton asked, suddenly. “To summon the police.” The girl half-turned in the doorway, to -answer the man.'

'.‘'l don’t, think you had better.’’ • (The stranger spoke’in a languid drawl. ’’You might find yourself in trouble, .y’know'.” “Trouble?” Martha spoke passion* ately. She turned to the lawyer ig* •'noring'the man at the desk. “Mr know the trouble that

Dy JOHN MORRISS,

can take place here. Why, in that shop is over fifty thousand pounds worth of jewellery.” “Not to mention the Montgomery emeralds.” The attranger interjected. Again Martha did not reply. The Montgomery emeralds! Were they the key to the strange happenings of the morning? , , The emeralds we re on her desk. Instinctively, she made a step towards her room, then stopped and laughed. The emeralds were well protected. No one could enter either of the offices without ringing the bell attached to. the door between her room and the shop—-and that bell had not rung since she had left her desk. She went to the door, from where she could see the long, narrow jewelbox, on the corner of her desk. A little sigh of relief escaped, her lips and she turned to again face the two men, silently regarding her; curiosity showing on both their faces. “Mr Kempton' ...” She made as if to re-enter the inner office. Her words bought the solicitor to action. In a couple of steps lie reached the door and passed through, into the outer office; Martha retreating before him. He shut the door firmly and, inserting the key in the lock, shot the bolt. Withdrawing the key from the lock, he laid it on the corner of Martha’s desk. “There is the key of Mr Banke’s door.” The solicitor spoke coolly. “You may retain it; until he returns. Perhaps then, you will be able to offer a satisfactory explanation of your conduct.” Martha hesitated a moment, then slipped into the chair before her desk. Kempton watched her, shrugging slightly. He turned to the door leading to the shop. “A moment, Mr Kempton.” Martha spoke quietly. "What of the man you have locked Ln Mr Banke’s office?”

“Well, what of him?'’ “Is he to stay there until Mr Banke returns?” Kempton shrugged again. “I suppose so,” he replied, indifferently. “Why do you ask?” “Mr. Banke’s private safes are In there.” The girl spoke significantly.; “What of that?” ' “Only that those safes hold quite a valuable Collection of uncut and unmounted gems.” “You tested the windows and found them secure?” “I did not see Mr Banke leave his office.” “What do you mean by that?” “Is there necessity for me to answer that question?” Martha passed her hand before her eyes, weai’ily. She allowed her hand to drop into an open drawer on her desk. KemPt on waited some . moments, then came a few steps further into the room. Martha smiled, quietly and the muscles of her arm tensed, Her left hand slipped under her desk and the sharp ears of the stout solicitor caught the slight click of metal on metal. A startled look came in his and he glanced, hastily, towards the door. “You are quite right, Mr Kempton.” Again the girl smiled,,‘‘That door is now fastened. I have a switch under my desk that controls a Secret bolt on that door. The sound that startled you was that bolt, being shot home. Now, if you please, what of the man in Mr Banke’s room?” “What of him?” Again the man gave question for question. He waited a moment. “Oh, I have no time for your heroics. You will hear more of this when Mr Banke returns.” “The door is fastened, Mr Kempton.” ; - ® ■ (To be continued).