Motu Wairua.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 14 October 1925, Page 8

Motu Wairua.

CHAPTER, NXVI

Feeling that surprise' was the first essential to success, George strode rapidly forward and ..confronted Chester. VSo, my fine gentleman! smuggling 'is-,your little game, is it'?”" If George expected to surprise some fear in Chester by his abrupt appearance in this secret cavern, he was doomed to disappointment, for without the quiver of a muscle the Englishman replied: •, . ■‘Ah! So the innocent little Geofgie again'appears on the scene, and this time firmly ,in the spider’s parlour.” ■ “You ,fail, to be funny, Chester; I realise iiow that my suspicion that.you are a rogue were well founded. I may its wM the game is up —you go from here to gaol.” “Dear, dear! what a dreadful picture you paint, Turner. Do you have an idea that it is : hai'dly-tfu€* r 'to life. Let me explain for a moment. I presume you' now intend to dash off to Auckland and inform the police that your partner—partner, mind; you—is engaged in the nefarious business of smuggling whisky into New Zealand,, making thereby 36s per gallon duty, plus what profit he can earn, in buying in a good market. Of course you had not the slightest knowledge that such a terrible thing was being done, and would not for a moment think of sharing his profits!—as his partner. Look here, my dear chappie, if you j ever, ifeach Auckland, if blind you, and' spun such a tale to the authorities, you would spend a number of years unpleasantly- cooped up- in -gaol as”an r accomplice—my books prove, .it—while your humble l servant, unfortunately under another name .would be enjoying the very considerable profits in some distant part of the world with •h'rs beautiful and charming wife, Geraldine.” : T Maddened by the sneering scoundrel, George lost all, restraint, and with a. savage oath closed with lii-s rival. Smash! SmashLHis left...and.xight..giot. home on Chester’s face, but . like a tiger his enemy closed with him. 1 Round and round they struggled, each man striving for some grip which would throw his opponent. Only - now - did -George -ren! iso—how capable a fighter this man was. Every tackle of his was countered by Chester, in the sure manner of a trained wrestler. Once they broke apart for a. moment and ere he could ward them Off,- swift, hard~.blows found" Turner's* face and body, making his senses swim.

Truly this was a foe worthy of his mettle, and each man realised that he was _engaged in ..a fight, to..a_.finish. T Again blows clinched, each raining stunning blows to ribs and kidneys. Back and forth ‘they struggled, neither asking for nor, expectingr;a; moment's respite. Blood flowed from each man’s face and mingled; as they now wrestled rather than fought. George was the heavier man, certainly. and had also fin advantage-yin con dit-i on over his - ence-lov-ing rival” but what, he lacked in weight gaud form, Chester more than made up in science, so George now felt that unless fie successfully mastered his man with. in the next few minutes, he would reach exhaustion point-;. With a superhuman effort he put forth all his great strength. Back and back bent Chester while his ' breath came in great sobs from his open mouth. Another inch and his back would have broken, when the two men fell crashing to the floor —Tuffner on top. , Siowlv the hand of Turner moved towards liis enemy’s throat. No thought of mercy for his foe entered his maddned brain .

“Yoiir beautiful, and charming wife, Geraldine,” he .snarled; *‘For that you die. Chester.”

Now his, fingers found the throat they groped for, aiid closed slowly, steadily, ■„ while Chester’s right arm, useless now to .ward his enemy oft, fell to the ground. There beneath his fingers, lay the heavy electric torch winch he had brought with him to the cave. , . Quickly his numbing fingers closed round, it, aitd*.as; the red and yellow nghts danced before bis.,bulging eyes, slowly he raised his arm to its. full height and with all his remaining strength brought his formidable club down op the .back of Turner's bead. With a grunt bis opponent slumped to one side, then slowly slid to the floor. • ■ _ ■ , . For a moment or two Chester lay like one dead—only, the big sobbing o'asps told.chow'his lungs fought for the breath of life. Then slowly and shakily lie el imbed ..to bis knees. 1 1 ‘That —-wasI—-a—close—-ca 1 —-a—close—-ca U—Che s ter —nry boy.” he. gasped. “Another halt minute— Ough!” as he felt his bruised face and throat. ri‘.‘Fmv' afraid poor Gedrgie has ‘gone West.’ -Well, one more" meddler out'-of the way.’'’ Hardly had he risen to his feet than down the cavern came, the sound', or cautious, :footsteps—footstep s shuffling in the daVk.' : I ~ ‘ ' '... Without- k r moment’s hesitation, Chester grasped 'a'gain the weapon ivliich juid .recently done him such good service and' s liu-ping behind a nearby barrel awaited the .approach of the newcomer.

Mike, for it stopped stock still fpr a moment, .then out. of. the darkness leame.his-wEispered voice ‘‘Cap’n, where are’yer?” f 4like,” replied. Chester in. a fair - imitation of Turner’s whisper. ‘‘Come here?”

Slowly the Irishman, crept forward, then his feet striking his fallen, mate, he bent to examine the obstacle in his path. : ... Quick as a flash, Chester raised him--self from the hiding, place, and with a dull thud the torch struck the stooping man’s bend.

• Downed like a felled ox, prone across tjhe legs of his beloved ‘(‘ap’n, fell the little man. ' , . ' Callously Chester stirred Ins latest victim with his foot. “Timt makes two,” he murmured. “This is surely my busy day.- Well, my spying friends, "you certainly had it coming to yon. I suppose the wisest course would he to dump you both into the sea. hut as I hardly feel up to it at, present, and don’t believe in liurrying a job until I’ve thought the details out, j think I’ll leave von just where you are.”

Making his way up the cavern, Chester crawled to' the shelf of rock, and peering over’;, far below spied the little boat, tied to the foot of the ladder.

“Ah! I thought as much. Well, my hearties, should yon prove not to he dead, as I think you are. I’ll see that von are ,at least safe from harm.”

Wrenching a large loose stone from the rough ledge, lie approached the

(:THE ISLAND OF SPIRITS)

By H. BRERETON Author of “The Luck of Old Harry.

edge off his knees, and carefully judging his aim,/ dropped the huge block fairly into the little dinghy. With a crash it tore its.way,-.-through the frail timbers, the boat quickly filling with" \v a ter. Then, with the ease of long use, Chester quickly descended the. ladder and untied the painter. Adrift, with a holey In her bottom, who cop id say what happened to the crew? . ~-v----(To..b.e, continued.)