"FIND THIS MAN"

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXX, Issue 4870, 14 July 1936, Page 6

"FIND THIS MAN"

1 SERIAL STORY. I

I By ADRIAN DE BRUNE.

Author of "The Dagger and Cord"; "The Shadow Crook"; Gray's Manor Mystery"; Etc., etc.

CHAPTER XVII (Continued).

She stared around the wide hall, careful to make no movement. A faint light flowed in at the windows, sufficient to throw thin, gihostly shadows around. From the window at the head of the stairs streamed a single, broad ray of light, flooding the stairway down which she had come. How foolish she had been! Tihey—if anyone had been in the hall—must have seen her come down the stairs. They would have had time to hide—to watch for her to make some move.

gazed around her too amazed to move; then her eyes fell on the big gong.

A moment and she had seized the heavy gong-maul and was beating on the bronze with - all her strength. The dull rumble rang through the hall, growing louder and more penetrating to the world without the four waTls of the house. Still she thrashed at the gong, seeking some salve for her wounds in the welter of noise she was creating.

The stillness was becoming intolerable. Very silently and slowly she moved from tlhe switches towards the library door. Immediately her fingers found the light-switch and depressed it. The globes remained dark. With a sudden little run she reached the desk—to collide with something soft, yet firm, and fall to the ground. Instinctively she retained her grip on the revolver. Lying kuiescent, she waited. Now she knew tihat there was some tangible presence with her in the room. From where she lay the desk cut off sight of the farther side of the room. Cautiously she raised herself, catching at the edge of the desk. Slowly sine searched the shadows.

"What on earth, girl!" A woman's viace came from away up the stairs. With a gasp of astonishment, Ivy turned. Half-way down the stairs was Mrs. Western, holding to the banisters.

"You?" Anger flamed in the girl's eyes. Now she was facing flesh and blood; something that was not the gruesome, intangible horror born of some alien presence; bred of her imaginations. "What are you doing here?"

"Ivy!" The woman came down the £ lairs, hands outstretched. "My poor child!"

"Don't touch me!" Instinctively the girl stepped back, raising the heavy gong-maul. "Keep back, I say! Keep back!"

There was a strange darkness in the corner of the room, near the big safe. Raising herself until she was on her knees, she brought up the revolver until the muzzle rested on the edge of the desk. She waited a moment, summoning all her resolution, tlhen pressed the trigger firmly. The explosion of the cartridge was followed by a ringing sound. Almost as if it had been a signal the lights in the room came on. Ivy sprang to her feet, staring wildly at the corner of the room where the safe stood. She could see no one, yet part of the floor was cut from her vision by one of the big chairs. Physically sick, she staggered forward. Had she shot someone? What was that darkness on the floor, just beyond the edge of the desk? No, there was no body on the ground; there was no one in the room with her. She searched around her carefully; then went to the safe.

She turned swiftly. Someone was thundering on the front door. She made a step towards it, then hesitated. Mrs. Western came down the stairs and stood in the hall. "Give me that, Ivy." The woman spoke commandingly. "You poor dear! No wonder your brain is affected by all that you have gone through. My poor brother Oh, how can I say it! He was failing .... failing when he died!" You you evil woman!" Ivy gasped "You " Deliberately, but with a quick stealthy movement, the woman seized the maul-stick the girl still held. Then, with it in her hand, she went to the front door and opened it. A constable strode into the hall. ■ "Whats the matter here? What's all the noise about?"

It was open! Fox a moment she stared at it unbelievingly. When had the safe been opened? Who had opened it? She knew that she had locked it when she had placed the securities in it. Now it was open! She caught at the heavy steel door and pulled it back. Something dull and rough was on the paint. She gazed at it curiously, not understanding for a moment; then laughed. The bullet from her revolver had impinged in the safe door, splattering it with lead.

"I'm sorry, constable." Mrs Western's voice had lost none of its purr. "It was my fault, really. I should have kept better watch over her."

The man looked from the woman to the girl, lifting his eyebrows. Mrs Western nodded and touched her forehead, furtively. "Yes, poor girl." The smooth silky voice purred on. "I should have known better; but she has been so reasonable the last couple of days. And she was so devoted to my poor brother."

"Mr Sixsmith's house, ain't it, ma'am?" The man looked around him.

A rapid search of the interior of the safe showed the girl that the packet of bonds and shares had disappeared. Where had they gone to? Who had taken themj? The securities that represented her god-father's fortunte had disappeared! She laughed slightly. She had recovered received the money strangely; it had disappeared still more strangely. Now she knew that when she had entered the house that night there had been some intruder in it; someone who could move so silently and ligihtly that she had not heard them. Yet that person was not a professional thief. She knew tha't. No one but she and Mary had known that the securities were in the house.

Ivy was staring from the woman to the man, in horror. What was Mrs Western trying to infer? Why was she there, in that house, at that hour of the night. Impulsively she went forward.

"I want you, officer." She spoke imperiously. "This house has been robbed."

Mary! Where was Mary? She had been to the girl's room and had not found her there. She had ample evidence that she had left the house. Mary had disappeared—and the money! The two facts hummed through her brain. Mary and the money! The money—and Mary!

No, she could not believe that Mary had taken the money. But, where had the girl gone to ? What had happened to her? It was unlike the girl to have gone from the house without a word.

Mrs. Western nodded. Her fat shoulders went up in an unimitable shrug. She turned to the girl, every line of her ample body expressing resignation and patience. "Come with me, dear." She tried to place a maternal arm about the girl; but Ivy evaded her. "Poor dear, she is quite bad now." "Please! Please!" The girl caught the constable by the arm. "Oh, you don't believe me. But I can show you. Tell her to go away. She has no business here. This is my house —not hers. I didn't know she was here until she came down the stairs, just now. How she got in I cannot understand. Oh, take her away! Send her away and come with me! I'll show you." "Show me what, missie?" "The safe." "What's the matter with it?" "Someone has burgled it."

The man glanced at Mrs Western. Again she shrugged and shook her head.

Mary was not in the house—and the person who had stolen the money was! She knew that now. She knew that when she had entered the library on first returning home she would have noticed if the safe had been open. She was certain that then it had been shut and locked. There was no possible doubt, the safe had been fast when she had left the room: to go upstairs. It had been opened before she came down—and her purse, with the keys of the safe, had been on the desk. She had heard no movement in the house.

Ivy laughed hysterically. Almost die felt that she was being haunted; shadowed J>y some weird spectre. Then her whole nature blazed in revolt. She would not be driven and tortured. Someone should suffer; suffer bitterly for this!

In sudden resolution she dashed into the hall, to stare aghast. All the lights were on. For the moment she

"There has been no one in the house this evening, constable." She hesitated, then continued: "I thought my niece was better and late this afternoon I went out. I shall never forgive myself—but Ivy was so much better and my business was really important. When I arrived home I found that she had disappeared. You can see. She had dressed and gone out. Where on earth she has been I cannot even guess." "You wicked woman!" The girl flashed round, almost inarticulate with anger. "You have stolen my god-dad's money." "There! Hear her!" The woman's show of patience was admirable. "And everyone knows that my poor dear brother died a ruined man." The constable hesitated, looking from the girl to the. woman. He shrugged. "The young lady says there's been a robbery. Perhap's I'd better look into that before 1.g0," he remarked.

"Certainly, officer." Mrs. Western was most gracious. " Now dear," she turned to Ivy. Where did you say the robbery had taken place?" "You opened god-dad's safe." A feeling of utter helplessness came over the girl. "You took out a packet of securities that was there. Why, you've stolen more than a hundred and fifty thousand pounds!" The woman laughed shortly, a note of anger in her voice.

"A hundred thousand pounds! Poor dear. Why, my child, Basil never left a hundred thousand pence!" She hesitated a moment. "And you say, the safe in the library has been opened?" "f think I'd better have a look, ma'am." The man walked further into the hall. "Just to make certain that things are all right." "Of course!" Mrs Western had recovered her former sweetness. "This way, officer." She led to the library door and stood aside for the man to precede her into the room. Ivy followed the constable closely. Once inside the library, her eyes went immediately to the safe. She gasped and staggered. The safe-door was fast shut. CHAPTER XVIII. "Looks all right." The policeman spoke doubtfully. He went across the room and tugged at the handles of the safe. "It's locked, miss." Ivy was staring at the safe. She knew that it had stood open when she had come into the library. It had been only partly open when she had found it and she had pulled the doors fully back, while searching for the packet of securities. Now it was shut and locked. Yet, on the face of it still remained the mark of the bullet she had fired in the dai-k. She went to the safe and touched the splatter of metal. "What is this, constable?" she asked quietly. "Looks like lead. Someone must have fired a bullet at the safe." The man scratched his head, doubtfully. "That is entirely right." The girl spoke wanely. "I fired that bullet. When I came here the room was in darkness. Something brushed against me and threw me to the ground. I dragged myself up by the edge of the desk and thought I saw someone at the safe. I had my Mr Sixsmath's revolver with me, and fired. The bullet struck the safe door, making the mark you see." "But —there was no one there; the safe wasn't open." The man showed his perplexity. "Didn't you switch on the lights when you entered the

room?"

"I tried to, but the lights had been cut off?"

"Then how did you discover that the packet of papers had been stolen?" The man went across the room and picked up the old-fashioned revolver, lying close to where the girl was standing.

"The lights came on when I fired the revolver."

Mrs'- Western laughed, titteringly; a laugh of absolute disbelief. "Ivy, you had better come upstairs with me. You are upset, dear. Let me take you to your room. When you have had a good night's sleep you will be much better."

"Oh, you think I'm mad!" The girl spoke wearily. "I shall be if this goes on much longer."

Mrs Western's shrug was eloquent. The constable caught the significance, and nodded.

"Well, there's nothing for me to do here." The man spoke stolidly. "Sorry to disturb you ma'am, but you'll have to look after her better than that. Why, she almost woke up the whole neighbourhood." "I wish I had." The girl spoke passionately. "If only I could have!" She turned and faced the man scornfully. "Can't you see tlhat she is fooling you? Oh, you men!"

She turned and ran from the room, leaving Mrs Western to get rid of the police officer, whatever way she chose. At the top of the stairs she paused, drawing back into the shadows of the window-curtains, watching.

She watched the woman, followed by tihe police officer come into the hall; and drew deeper into the shadows. A sound above her caught her attention. She looked up. Charlie Western was looking over the banisters, only a few yards from her; peering down on the scene in the hall. What was that man doing there? Ivy knew that the Westerns were working some plan to take possession of the house and herself. That night she had played directly into their hands. They had told the police officer that she was mad—that her god father had been made. She, in her temper, had played the part they had cast for her.

In some manner they had gained admission to the house and had taken possession of it. But, where was Mary? From all appearances she was out of the house. Yet, at any moment she might return —to walk into some trap prepared for her—as she, herself had done. Ivy watched Charlie Western furtively, shielded from his observation by the thick curtains of the window embasture. She heard the sound of the hall-door opening and shutting, and the deep "Thank you, ma'am" of the constable. Then came the taptap of the high heels passing over the polished boards of the hall. The stairs creaked under the weight of the woman as she ascended.

"All right, mother?" Charlie bent low over the banisters. "Got rid of that fool?"

The woman laughed. "Where's that girl?" A vindictive note was in her voice. "I'd like to shake the nonsense out of her!"

"The girl ? I thought she was down there with you."

"She ran out of the library when she found she couldn't fool that policeman." Mrs Western laughed. "I thought she came upstairs. Oh, she's all right! All the doors and windows are fastened. She can't get out with those iron shutters closed and locked. Basil was a fool over burglars." "Perhaps she did, and you didn't notice her. More than likely we shall find her in her room." "Well, she didn't come up here, past me." "You'd better go and see, then." "What for?" The little fool's safe; probably crying her eyes out because she couldn't persuade that policeman to put me out of my own house. Let her be, she can't harm us. Who's got the' packet?" "What packet?" "The one Mr Kithner went to the safe to get." "Oh, he took it away with him. That was best, for if anyone found it in the house whew!" "Perhaps." Mrs Western was doubtam afraid of/her." ful. "The girl says there's one hundred and fifty thousand pounds in it." "A hundred and fifty thousand pounds!" (To be continued.)

"There, there, dear!" The lady tried to take the gitL round the waist. "I'll look after you." "I want to know what you are doing here?" Ivy turned on the woman passionately. "You have no right here. Tfhis is my house."