A RING OF RASCALS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LIII, Issue LIII, 8 April 1908, Page 2

A RING OF RASCALS.

"TJiat of Mr Gordon Grims-haw," replied Nick. "Dear me, that's strange 1"

"Why so, Mis® Kendall?" "Well, sir, only because' my father vainly tried, during the entire weefc of Ms sudden, illness, to get Mr Grimshaw to call here," Margorie nervously replied. "Do you know for what?"

"1 do not, sir. He' appeared very anxious too see either Mr Griinsha-w, or Seth Margate, or Mr Julius Craig©, yob lion© of them responded in purson to his several messages. Eiich semt \ word, hewever, that he> would call as soon as possible. I inferred that they wore vary busy owing to the strike." "Wore all thros. very friendly with yooir father, Miss Kemdall, and in. the: habit of calling here fre«ivcoatlyi" "Oh, yee. indeed. Why, dear me, you have all tlmw of their naanea on. tiiat ruper, Mr Carter!" "Yes, ir>. your father's writing," said Nick, abruptly ri&ing to g.% "I was inclined to think his latter was to one ! of them." I "What does thh mean, sir I" I Nick turned both to her und Walton, replying impressively : "I Dm not prepared to say what it moans, Miss Kendall. I will inform ycu aa soon as lam able to do so. I hava a few instructions, however, which I wish you to follow." "We will do so, Mr Carter, I promise you," said Walton. "I want you. Walton, to !io low hero and make no mova until you Lear frcm me again. Neither of you must mention what has occurred, nor that I have any interest in your case. It must be Jcft entirely to mo. Much may depend upon ife" Both readily assured Nick of their ! obedience, and he promised to sea them later, and then hastened from j the house. That ho had finally struck \ the trail he was saetking ho now, had ' not a doubt.

CHAPTER Xni.

THE DEAD ALIVE.

"There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it — it's got to bo done ! When, you tulk of blinding and bluffiing Jack Hurley — that's all right. It's a trick easily turned. But wiierni you tiy working the sarue dodgo on Nick Carter, you tackle a dog of anothecr color. He has teeth, that bite. I tell you we're got to got him, Margata, and be infernally quick übout it. If we don't — he'll get us! That's all there is to it."

If Nick Caa"for could have saan the face and hoard the voice of the speaker, ha would. have.ncodod no Allison's letter, no statement from Walton, no doath-bed episodes of Mr Wallaeo Kendall, to have told him that ho beheld a master kna\e, and on© upon whoso track his genius was gradually loading him.

lhe voice was as bitter as gall, the faco as hard as flint — and both, were those of Mr Gordon Grimshaw.

He was seated in the billiard-room of his fine stone residencei on Halburton road, half. a mile from that of tho Kendalls,, a room on the ground floor, the several windows of which commanded views of the front street and the grounds and the drivewa.y east of the house.

His only companion wa« Sith Margate, yho was idly knocking the tilliard-balls about, the two having just finished playing. It was approaching evening, nearly two hours after Kick's inter new with Walton and Marjorio.

Both men word in their shirt-sleeves and the dark count emance of Margate* took on an cxpressdon of dciep conoern while the other so fcaxibly declared himself.

j "Get him, eh?" to replied, dropping his cue, and loaning against the table. "That's what. Setk" "Why are you so apprehensive of whit Caifcer may accomplish. l" "Because I knew of what lie is capable," snarled Grimfchaw, from a, chc-jr near the window. "Bosh ! We can head him oft 1 ". "Only in one way;" "Hew's that? 1 "By cutting off his h-iad itself, or something to that uffccV declared Grimahaw. "If we don't do it, mark mo — lici'll corner us/" "Nci-stfliso!" "There is peril in his presence," Grimshaw insisted "It was no accident, his turning up hero just at this time. It was not by chance that he showed up at the oliib-liouse last Tuesday uitornoon, in the nlok of time to ir.veetjgate that mimlea\ It's dollars to doughnuts tht ho was the man that dowsed Jim Sloper, and routed his whek- gang that night/ when it looked like « huncirod-to-ono shot that wei'd raulod Walton, aavi turned him toes up, which would have left us in smooth sailing. I tell you, Margate, lie has 1 ! ten brought luire by Jack Hurley, and put upon this case, and he's a man to be feared." M&rgate doubtfully diook his head. "It looks to m<n Grim, as if wo had tliei situation, well in hand." "So we haye — if Cart<?ir wore out of the way." "You think » "I knew, Margate, not think," Grimshaw fcaxibly interrupted.- "Wo have our' trap ready to spring, but ac long as we are threatened by thin man, barter, I dare not spring it If he's on thifl case, as I suspeat) I mua t first know what h© has up' his sleeve. (Coatinued on pog« 8.)

I've . net gone this far, Seth .to be ■ cacght napping at the finish." "You must have had some misgivings, Grim, or you'd not have sent your whole family to Europe last week," Margate- growled. "That's only a procautdom. If an unexpected crash doef> come, one in which I am destined to be downed, I want none of my family hea'3 at. tdie , timo. That's why I'm alone in the j house and eat my meals at the Albany." "Uut what in murder can, Carter discover?" MaiTg-itc now demanded. We "have .Allison silenced " "I know all abc>ut that." "And the conviction of Walton, if ho is finally arrested, is dca'l sure. The movo ho madei to avoid mo would alone convict him/ "lie's not yet under arrest." "But ho will be, sooner or later, Uiat's a cinch." "Posedbly." "Furthemore, Craige is absolutely sure that " "Oh, I'm not shaky over his part of the job," interrupted Grirnshaiw. I know that to be all right." "Then, how the dovil can Carter got points io our game ?" Margate impatiently asked. "Our tracks ara entirely cc T cred. He cannot discover anythitjr t.o show " "You ;...ow what ha did to Sloped, which qiv. . >red our deeagnri on Wajlto-D," Grime' I:■,•..1 :■,•.. impatiently, cut in. "You'd have L x as ready to s»w^ar that couldn'i dci dona 1 say, as I said in th& beginning, Seth, wei'vo got- to got that nian and turn him dawn, or he/11 do as much for us. TL.ea % e.'a no saddle coui^o. I'll not consemt to spring our trap uatil I am sure, thati ho is out of our way and no longer threat of — " "Hello i" CKo];timed Margatei sharply. "There's Polly. What the. douce sends her here?'' Hei •sta-odei to th© window while speaking, and Grimii]ia,w tuiraed to lcc<k cut. From the samb drag in which Nick Carter had serai he^ at the dub-house- half an hour after the Alison mvrdar, Polly Margate was alighting. leaping down with the easei and agility of an eapoucait of physical cultum "She's a holy terror," &aid Margate, watching her hitch tho spirited horse. "Scmci day she'll break her neck." "Or have it broken by cd heirs," Grim-shaw dryly added, with a mirthless laugh. "Shut up !" sraapptd Margate, scowling darkly. "Such a remark as that if made in the hearing of- " "Of Kick Carter, for instance," interrupted Grimshaw. "He might make suneithing of it. It's, for that rcfiscn, Margate, I say he must be turned down. In thaL lie® coir only he-pc of permanent safety. Un.less.it can be done quickly " "Ah, so you're here! What's that that's to be' done quickly?" Polly Margate.* liad entered the house without ringing. She came into the room while speakiDg. She was fashionably clad, with a dashing hat parched on, her finely poised head. She walked with ' a quick, firm stride, hop liaola meeting the floor with a firm tread, a walk that eivinctid the> extraordinary amount of tmei'gy contained in hr*r lithe, supple figure. Her cheeks were aglow, her black eyes unusually alight," and she carrif d in boa* gloved' hand the long whip she hxd brought in from tha drag. Hfudecme, dashing, sporty in th© superlative degree, carrying 1 herselt with an abendon that seamed to defy the opinion of others ; this was Polly Margate 1 . "What is it that isi to be dene so quickly, Grim ?" she repeated, addressing Grimshaw with a rude familiarity that showed there was a low streak in her natura "K<vta- you mind, Polly," with his hard features, relaxed tc a smilo. "Wha,t sent you here?" "I knew I should find Seith here, so I drove round to take him homo. It's neerly grub-rime." "Good for you, Polly," nodded Margate. "Bosides," Polly placed her hand en the billiard-table, and with a quick leap landed squarely on the edgo of it, where she sat, with her shapely feat, dangling towards tho floor, "'besides, I have a bit of news for you." That these indications of her character were not naw to her observers was obvious, for neither evinced any surprise: "News about what?" deraaiidod Grimshaw with eyes lighting. "You ought to guoss it, Grim." "Not about " "The party wo wore talking of yesterday — that's what," with a laugh that displayed heir, sharp -vh.it© tooth. "Carl or?" "Sure. It's up U. you to make good." "You donj't moan that he's done for 2" cried Grimshaw, eagerly. "That's just what I mean," assorfced Polly. "So you may come down with the dust, Grim, whan you liavs it handy. Quick work and prompt settlement— that's my motto in business. I want, a new strceit-rig, so the sooner you make good with that dust, the better I'll like 'it I'm only out I for the goods in this business, you know, along with the little runt I have at work for me." (To be Continued.) BROJGHTTO BAY are those enemies of Civilisation," Indigestion and Dyspep6ia, when Dr. Sheldon's D : gestive Tabulea are employed; 2s. 6d, per "tin. - For- Bale by chemists and storekeepers, Hawera; F. J. Gapper, .Kaponga; and C. James, Alton. — Advfc.