THE MANOR MYSTERY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2128, 29 February 1908, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE MANOR MYSTERY.

By FERGUS HUME

Author of “The .Mystery of a Hansom Cab," "The Jude Eye,” “The Black Patch,’’ "Jonah’s Luck,’’ “The Scarlet Bat,’’ etc.

[All Rights Reserved.J

CHAPTER XVII

"Willy to save him. The moment she heard his name she made up her mind to secure his liberty, if only to have a conversation with him. This was the Russian who had tried to blackmail .Mr. Clair, and it was more than probable that he know much about the crime. .Miss Minter shivered as she thought that a possible murderer, and a known blackmailer, was gripping her dress. Nevertheless, for Dorothy and Percy’s sake, she held herself well in hand. At any price she was determined to prevent her friend becoming Lady Newby ; and some timely information extracted from Bezkoff’s gratitude might—as Willy put it- to" herself—save the situation. She therefore still continued to lean over the gate, and smile. “Keep quiet,” she whispered. “I’ll save you."’ Hobson shot past, puffing and blowing like a. grampus, but one or two of those who followed stopped to question "Willy. “"Wo thought we heard your scream, miss,” said a respectable elderly barber. “Did you see the thief?” “I saw a man running,” said "Willy, equably, “and I screamed because his face was so wild. He went up there, where the policeman has gone. I expect he is making for Axleigh. '"What has he clone?” “He's >a .thief, miss—a thief!” shouted the barber, who had picked up wrong information from Hobson’s gasping statement. “Come on, lads,' we’ll have him in gaol in a jiffy!” And away the wholo gang went on their exciting man-hunt. “Brutes!”.said "Willy, in disgust. ‘•'Get up, Count Bezkoff, and come inside. You must answer mo a few

questions.” “I nm at vour service, mademoiselle,” said the Russian, thankfully, although he was surprised at her speech. “You have saved me.” “I am not so sure of that. You may be iu gaol yet.” “Oh, no! Shortly, when all is quiet, f can steal away to a distant railway station and return to London unobserved.” “You would be arrested in no time,” said "Willy, crossly. “Come iu hero” —opening the door of 'the tiny drawing-room—“and when you have explained things to me I’ll help you to get away. That is, if you tell mo the truth.” “But I do not understand, mademoiselle,” stammered Bezkoff, as "Willy turned up the limp, and looked at him; “von know me not.” “Oh yes I do,” snapped "Willy. “I am Miss Minter, and the most intimate friend of Miss Clair. She told me how you tried to blackmail her . father. Sliamo to you, sir!” Bezkoff grew reel, and then pale, and felt abashed before this tall, handsome girl, whose face was at once so beautiful and so severe. Miss Minter, on lier side, was secretly surprised to find the Russian so very handsome. He looked like the fairy prince from a D’Aulnoy story, and she marvelled that so good-looking a young man should behave so basely. The Russian lead quite lost liis composure, and flushed and stammered and looked confused, while "Willy eyed him as sternly as a hanging judge. She would have found her task easier had he not been so extremely like a Greek .god of the lady novelist’s creation. “AA T e have only ten minutes to speak,” said "Willy, looking at the clock, “for .1 am expecting my brother and Mr Hallon back soon. Answer my question honestly, Count Bezkoff.” “I owe you everything, Miss Minter, and I -shall answer what I can.” “Then toll me. "Who killed Richard Newby?” Bezkoff started. “I do not know,” be said, promptly. “Did, not the spy, who was watchip_g_ Sir John —Miss Clair told me aboutT'kim—that the squire had

stabbed him?’ ' ~ “The squire?” stuttered Bezkoff. “Air Clair. You know whom I mean,” said "Willy-, impatiently. “There was a spy, certainly,” admitted tho Russian slowly, “but he did not see -the blow struck.” “Yet you dared accuse Air Clair of tho murder.” “I was forced to,” muttered Bezkoff, looking down, shamefaced. “By whom?” she demanded, imperiously. “By the five heads of our secret society for the regeneration of Russia. .\h! do no-t look a-t mo so severely, Aiks Alinter. No one could have hated the task more than 1 did. But I was forced.” “No gentleman need be .forced,” said AA’illy, scathingly. "A'ou do not know —you do not understand. The, Vowel« —” “Tho what?”

“The five men who direct our soc:ety call themselves the rowels. 1 cannot explain now. lit would take too long; and, 'again, it might cost me my life. Oh, I am in earnest! .You do not know how I am compelled to obey. I joined the society unknowingly. I never thought of themethods this association would adopt; and then I had a strong reason to join, and, Miss Aliiuter”—ho broke off ontreatingly—“come to London, to this address” — : hc flung her a tml. “I can explain everything, and yon will find that I am not so base as you deem me. Suffer me now- to go ; I can escape easily. I can hide in a ditch; they will only witch the stations along the lino, and 1 can manage—that is, don’t trouble. I am safe now.” Willy placed herself between him and the door. “1 want'to know who killed Richard Newby!” slio said, resolutely. “I swear that I do not know.” "Was it iSir John ?” “I cannot say —there is no time to explain. Why do you wish to know?” "Because I don it want Sir John to marry Dorothy Clair.” "I hoard about that,” said Bezkoff, quickly, then reflected. “Afiss

Minter, when you come to see mu in London I can explain everything. Meanwhile, rest content. Miss Clair shall not marry Sir John.” “You promise that?”

Bezkoff caught her hand and kissed it. "1 swear it!” and forthwith disappeared. When she went out into the garden he was nowhere to bo seen. Like a shadow he hail departed. Willy placed a card in her pocket,

Needless to say, Willy did not relate her adventure to Ilallon and her brother. She fancied —and with some reason—that they would blame her for allowing lho Russian to escape, since, had ho been arrested on the minor charge of trespass, ho might have been forced to explain his connection with the murder. And that lie knew something of this seemed very certain, since he had threatened Mr Cliir. In fact, taking all circumstances into consideration, it was likely that 'the crime was the work of this Anarchistic Society.

Had Bezkoff been less good-looking Willy might have dealt loss leniently with him. But" for all her cleverness and self-control she was a woman at heart, and, therefore, in her relations with the Russian, the tooling of sex camo into play. Also, ho had admired her; site saw that plainly, and therefore felt confident that, given time and place, she could —as the saving goes-—twist him round her linger. This she intended to do, in order to elucidate the mystery of Richard Newby’s death, since sbo was anxious that Dorothy should marry Percy. There would bo no chance of this with Sir John in the field, and with Mr Clair on the side of Sir John, until the problem was solved. In her own heart Willy believed that the millionaire had something to do with the crime, if, indeed, he had Hotcommitted the same himself. If therefore, ho could be implicated in some way, or if lie could be proved to be the guilty person, Dorothy would certainly be set free to marry Hallon. This was Miss Minter’s scheme, and after that hurried interview with Bezkoff -she believed that he would bo -able to assist her. And in any case, as the girl reflected, hopefully, Bezkoff had promised that a marriage between Miss Clair and -Sir John -should - not take place. -How the Russian proposed to stop it Willy could not guess, unless he intended to- denounce the millionaire. She -would have to meet -Bezkoff iu London, since, after (the pursuit, lie could scarcely show himself at Bel tan with safety—and then could heir his explanation regarding liis association with the secret society. "Willy felt sure that in some way Bezkoff was not so unscrupulous as he appeared to bo, and that iit was against liis nature to indulge in blackmailing tricks. But here tlic female heart spoke, and the handsome Russian was judged guiltless by Miss Minter, w-lien an ugly man would have been considered guilty. This was weak, and Willy -admitted lo herself that her emotions were certainly not under control. But- having conic to a resolution to hear Bezkoff’s defence before condemning him —and surely tint'-was only fair —said her heart insidiously—she kept lier own counsel. Later she could travel to London and interview the Russian at the .address on his card. Dorothy still declined to receive Sir John’s marriage proposal, so her father behaved quite in a Roman way. He did not confine her altogether to her room, but said that she was not -to leave the grounds. As Newby stopped on for -a few days, and Dorothy did no-t wish -to meet him and subject herself -to -a second wooing, she stayed in her bedroom nearly all the day, and only ventured out when she knew that the millionaire was -safely engaged in conversation with Air Glair. But twice and thrice the girl wrote to" Hallon, who could not enter the grounds or call at the Alanor, and Jules Bebwy.tz acted as Cupid’s messenger. The meek little butler adored Doro-tliy, as, when ho had been ill, she bail been kind to him; therefore he was glad to assist lier, especially -as he hated Air Clair, who behaved very haughtily to the timid foreigner. Lady Panwin remained neutral, and ceased to speak -to Dorothy about Hallon or Newby. Clair insisted that his sister should point out to Dorothy that it w-as-her duty to save the House of Clair bv marrying Sit - John, but the gaunt, grim old woman resolutely declined -the responsibility. “And I -see. no reason -to speak of marriage until the mystery of this crime is solved,” said Lady Pan win. What puzzled Air Clair in connection with this was the -attitude of Newby. When he had escaped from captivity he had talked largely of hunting down his brother’s murderer, but of late his zeal had grown cold, and lie lingered for three days at tlio Alanor without making any attempt to attend t-o the business. He did not even offer a reward, and, -as the polico could not find the Soho house wherein Sir John declared ho had been imprisoned, no clue was discoverable likely to elucidate the whole strange business. Newby had walked through Soho with Swanson, in tho hope of recognising .tho house. But all the houses and the streets of this quarter were so like one another, and Sir John had been so confused when lie haul hurriedly escaped, that it was impossible to arrive at any conclusion. The prison of Newby might have been ill Cloud-Cuckoo-Laud for all the existence it seemed to have on earth.

Of course, the newspapers for a few days were full of the kidnapping, and this, in conjunction with a revived interest in the murder, set everyone talking: All kinds of theories were advanced by amateur detectives, and all sorts of solutions were offered, but no one seemed to hit upon any evidence likely to reveal tbo truth. Tho assassin, or assassins, of Iticliard Newby would not bo found, and the trail bad been covered up very cleverly. Swanson confessed that be could not see hi ; way, and Inspector Trusk, of Axloigh, declined to consider the ease furthel. Hobson had reported the trespass and escape of Count Bezkoff to Trusk, but the inspector never thought for one moment that .the Russian had anything to do with the case. Had lie known how Sir John Newby had favored the escape of Bezkoff he might have thought that the millionaire had killed his brother, like another Cain; or, if not, that he approved so greatly of tho murder, that he would not lift Vine finger to trace the assassin.