OCR SERIAL STORY HER DEAREST WISH

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 122, 9 May 1911, Page 9

OCR SERIAL STORY HER DEAREST WISH

(Continued.)

“Is tluire any place you could spend the night in — undisturbed, Lord Gaunt? Will you come home with one of us?”

(jaunt thought for a moment. Thank you very much : but 1 don't think time would bo wise of you. Wouldn’t it be rather unprofessional, harboring a . criminal? 1 don't know anything of the law regarding such matters, but Pve an idea that you would run the risk of an unpleasantness. No, thanks. I’ll go to Alorlet’s. ■I hey know me. and--” lie smiled, , ,"bi give me shelter lor to-uiglit. I o-morrow I will give myself up; after breakfast if 1 am permitted to through that meal in liberty.” I he partners assented to this. W have got Sir James, Lord Gaiint.” said Mr Belford, “and I need scarcely say that he will do all lie ’■am l>e j s t] )c v <> r y Ixust man. By the nay, Air Boskett appeared against us at rhe inquest. He was retained by Air Mershon.” Gaunt had heard of the famous Old Bailey barrister. He smiled grimly. “1 understand,” he said. “But do you,” demanded Air Belford desperately, “do you realise the -—the awful position in which you stanu, Lord Gaunt?” (jaunt got up i rom the chair ami lit a fresh cigarette. “1 think so,” he said. “At anv rate, 1 know that you will do vour best lor me, Air Belford; and 1' am gi ate! nl. 1 will now. You said that Miss Deane was—vas better?” Aeh yes, ' iepJicd Air Belford, impatiently. “We will go with you to the hotel.”

"No; do not,” said Gaunt. “You are lH;tter known than I. am and might attract attention ; ami, candidly, 1 snould like to spend to-night in a comfortable bed, even if 1 do not Je.'p. Good-night. Come to me in the morning. If lain arrested before ,'<iii come, 1 wi|| send for you.” He shook hands with them ami went., with his light, firm step, down the. stairs. The two lawyers gaped at each other in blank dismay. 1. ahi.iys >aid there, was madness in tlu- I a mile I" exclaimed Mr Behind. Hi* takes it. as coolly as if il it were a case <4 a mouth or torly shilling-;. I doti t helicAe lie did it.' ’ remarked Air Lang.

“Thon who did?'’ retorted Afr Bello rd ; but Air Limy e.mld not answer. Gaunt wont down into tin* st root. Hi,-! coolness had been quite free from : alfeciation. Now that Deci ma was : bolter, it did not matter in the least : looroe -a hat liiounc of him. The' lamps had been lighted and the i rti-eots ol the largest and wealthiest

| n ‘ "orld were wrapped in Iti< ii u.-.iiai gloom. I hat gloom is one | ot the things uJik-h fill the intelligent ’ j o-reigner, visiting our land for the! first time, with amazement and <iis-!

I IHPV. 1 . ■” lor. ■; ir.dk from Bel- ■ m... am, 1.. :o g,,.,Het’s, Inn I Culiiit V. 'X! ~1 , ■ | . , ‘ ‘ 1 J Oi- n;,i, 1,1110 : Ito think. _>!r Dobson, not withstand- , ■ mg the evidence against (taunt, had : men so assured of his innocence, that | he had tried, with flattering eagerness Ito dissuade (Jaunt irom rot inning to j lymland and ijvi no- himself up, hut 1 ! Gaunt had rotun d lo he dissuaded llw Cmmts. haievi’r their sum, and, as a tainilv il,e\ were peculiarly rich ui Ihm Hsjx.t. had never lacked' eotir:»ge; and Gaunt had resohed to face ■ the music.

Do nested upon Mr Dolison maki mg lor Southampton, and Air Dobson ' had at last, dm on to n Jn entieaties , and ai 2.Unif >h ts. coitsrntvd.

. As 1o the rcsiiit of his sui render ! (jaunt. «.is perleeth indifferent. H<‘ | ihis w eum ol the gam<- w hicli we label < I ■Diie ; and though he would have |prelmred to finish it at some other' |.place than the scaffold, ho did not I <;nre rers much, so that it were fin- I lb. hail lo.t Dec.ma for exor j and, for him, hie m ith all its possi- I i mlitios was over. Belford ami Lang's offices ■ ie a alked s!,;u ly and thoughtfully toward AJorlet’s hotel. ' I J "’/"'/"'J the corner by Berry’ •s U'et, lie almost ran against a manMils slouching along the pave-’ ment 'J’h c wns walking wit)i a ; P’lmliar draggmg gait, ami had his! oat-<odar turned up and his hands' thrust m dgcU+q ip poults. lor an m-i Aant u struck Gaunt that there was I sornethiim tamdiar to him in T ] lc manner of the man. au d he muttered! as J>e l„ ok< . d an< , r hitn ■ Ihe man made no response, and l naUed on. Presently he heard ! lootsteps behind him. ! “A detective ” 1,0 + i ■ ,< T , n ’■‘-‘•m Ju. said to fiirnsolt. < . nail not sie.-p m a r-ornfmtable bed ’

: :!Pai ' ‘' h ilUt he btlJl walk ' I L<? t >oTst< ps behind him grew ''lo-ei, and (Jaunt, almost at the en--raiK’P to Model A, pnffid up short am. elam-ml round. The man vho had H’en following him puffin !; p a, diortb. and the t«o look, ,1 at cm h otlim 1 -n the light of if,,. | amp (jaunt iciognised the “shadeV :<'<-! uas t Ju. h r . >t tl , slx ,. lk

-J«< . saKl Gatuat ! lhe man stinted, hung his head then taiM’d it, and looked at Gaunt . ■>itn j. duh, vacant intensity. ' "Ahv. it is urn. Jackson”’ said ’ ■ ■a«<it. "ibm did mm come here? i m glad to see von.” ’ . Mr Jackson’s lips mover! as if ffi i ound it difficult to articulate. 'j 1 I thought it Ma> \ o , b ai j so _ 3 °"od, he said. "I landed | it Loitsmuuth this morning, j ol)ly I cached London this afternoon.” ' I (To be Continued.) 1