The BLACKMAILERS.

Lake County Press, Issue 1065, 21 May 1903, Page 3

The BLACKMAILERS.

B Stirring Romance of Cnglanfc ant) Hustralia.

By W. Murray Gray don,

Author of "The Thirlstones of London," "Heaping the Whirlwind," &c

SI'MMARY of Opening CHAPTERS. Malcolm Frazer, a squatter, is standing at the door of his homestead, in the wilds of Western Australia, when his overseer, Jim Connop returns from the nearest settlement with letters and papers. While they Tiif talking- together, a stranger, hatless and bootless, with mere rags about his emaciated frame, staggers up to them, and appeals for help. He is Charles Travers, who has accompanied Sir John Vallenger on an exploring expedition. The party has been given up for lost. Sir John dies in Fraaer's house, after making a vrill in the presence of a local J.P. leaving an annuity to his nephew, Osbert Challoner, and the rest of his wenlth to his adopted son, Laurence Douglas Vallenger, whom he had prcviously disowned in favor of Challoner. Challoner, ignorant of the tragic happenings in the bush, but hearing that the expedition had been lost, enters into possession. Laurence, or Larry, turns up from Australia and establishes his claim. Then Challoner and his friends hatch a conspiracy to blackmail the new heir to the Burlingham estates. Hearing of his engagement to the daughter of Colonel Lovering, they produce a woman, alleging her to be Larry's adventuress wife, whom he believes to have been shot dead during a fight with bushrangers, to whom she had betrayed her husband. Larry thinks he recognises her. His confession is overheard by the colonel, and a scene follows. Larry however, convinces the colonel of his bona fides, and the old officer becomes his best friend. Larry goes to keep an appointment with one of the conspirators, Teddy Margrave, and as he approaches the rendezvous, a shot is fired in the dark, and Margrave is killed. The police arrive, and suspicion points to Larry : The story proceeds with * CHAPTER XVII. SUSPECTED. A few seconds passed in silence. "Jt is to my interest to give you nil possible assistance in tracing the murderer," said Larry, recovering his self-possession when he realized his need of it. "I distinctly heard him running away, down the road, just after the shot was fired." "If his motive was robbery," remarked the inspector, as he examined the dead man closely," ho would hardly have fled empty-handed. Yet he evidently did so. Here is a gold watch and chain on the body, and also a well-filled purse. Margrave, you said was the name of your friend ? Was he staying in the neighborhood ? " "Yes : but I can't tell you where." " According to law," said the inspector, "the body must be taken to the nearest inn on the road where it is found, and in this case that will be the Gorgon's Head at Acle." "And the next step in the proceedings ? " asked Larry. "The inquest, Mr. Vallenger. It will be held to-morrow, and your attendance will be required." "Of course, I know that," Larry onsen ted. He shrank from the ordeal, wondering in what light the coroner and the jury would regard his statements. Larry started after his horse, which had wandered nearly to the bridge and Inspector Bamfield, repressing an impulse to call his companion, contented himself with watching him keenly until he began to retrace his steps. Just at this moment a gleam of white caught his eye, and approaching the spot, the 'inspector picked up the lost letter, 'which he thrust into his pocket, after giving it a hasty glance. • *•••• Tidings of evil travel rapidly, and the news was not slow in reaching Burlingham Manor next morning, where Teddy Margrove was, of course, well known. Larry, when he came down to breakfast looked distressed and haggard from sleeplessness. He silently ate a few mouthfuls and sipped a cup of tea, and as he rose from the table, a sealed note was handed to him. He opened it in the library, and had barely read the enclosure, when Colonel Lovering was announced. " You have heard then ? " Larry asked, as the door closed. "Yes, I have heard. Vallenger, my dear fellow, what does it all mean ?" "Have—have they found the murderer yet ? Larry demanded, anxiously. "Not yet ; there is no trace of him so far," the colonel replied. "Tell me all, Vallenger, so that I may advise and help you. My knowledge is at present limited to vague rumor." The two sat down, and Larry, who was deeply grateful for the offer of assistance, confided the whole story unreservedly to his companion. The lines of care on the colonel's face grew more marked as he listened. "I am satisfied that it was an ordinary crime," continued Larry. "Some prowling ruffian followed Margrave with intent to rob, and when resistance was offered, he shot | him in self-defence. Naturally the j fallow, hearing my approach, would I take to his heels without thinking of plunder." I can't help agreeing with you. ; And yet—has it never occurred to you, to suspect the inaj), Garnet ? " : By Jove ! not till this minute, j colonel. Do you believe that UonV Garnet i« the murderer ? " "IX we assume that Margrave in**nrte«) to betray som.- important K»eei«?t io you—something thai would iOTure hie follow- blackmailers- it in ' poesHue thai Caruot tracked U,o ! pooi feflu* ttuwn he,.- .uni killed * im r,n l hw other the theory i i* mo«t UAJiAutly—of ik. Uttl* tas>srV- !

I ance at the present stage, that the blackmailing case need not be dragged into i hi' inquest if you can kev-p it out. And Garnet, thorough-paced grounded though he is, would hardly risk putting his neck into the hangman's noose." I "Moreover," supplemented Larry, "what information could Margrave have possessed that would drive Garnet to such an extreme as murder ? None that 1 can see. Garnet did not dread exposure ; he knew that my lips. wore scaled. And the \\ man he produced was undoubtedly my wite." The colonel gave a slight start, and then for three or four minutes he spoke not a word. lie ignored his companion's presence, and he was turning something over and over in his mind while he stared with apparent interest at a bronze paperweight on the writing-desk. "1 am firmly convinced," he said, I abruptly, "that Margrave had a | valuable secret to impart to you." "Then what could it. have been ? " "I don't know, and it doesn't mat- : ter—at present. Hut to my mind the | fact is irrefutable." | "Colonel, you are coming iound ! again to the presumption that Gari net is the guilty man." "If he is, Vallenger—and 1 don't ; deny it —rest assured that he has j covered his tracks with consummate \ cunning. He won't be caught :he • won't leave any evidence of guilt behind him. And to bring him under j the shadow of the law, even with the help of the cleverest detective talent, would possibly require [ months of time—and we cannot spare j weeks." "But if it is my only chance to"— j began Larry. "It is no chance at all my dear i fellow. The hazardous possibility of Garnet being the murderer is far removed from your theory, which is tenable and reasonable. Look here, Vallenger ; I have a fairly clear course of action mapped out ahead in the event of circumstances developing, as they may do. I want you to put yourself entirely into my i hands, unconditionally and unrcserv- ■ edly. Will you promise ? " : "Willingly Colonel." 1 "On those terms ?" "Yes, on the stated terms, strict though they are. But I should like i to know something of your plans." . | "If I told you what was in my mind," replied the Colonel, "you . would consider it chimeric and i visionary, to say the least. Trust me, Vallenger, that is all you need ; to do. And now 1 must be off, for j 1 have some very important matters to attend to. I will see you at the j inquest. By-the-by, I had better wire to Hardesty in your name to be | present. A solicitor should certainj ly watch the proceedings in your be- ■ half." i Larry assented to this, and he I looked a trifle more cheerful as he j accompanied his visitor to the door. "Well, good bye," said the Colonel j "until two o'clock. Hope for the : best, but don't be unprepared for the : worst." "The worst ?" exclaimed Larry. i "By heavens, 1 can't bear to contemplate that." "In this case, Vallenger, the worst | may turn out to be the best." • With that oracular saying, Colonel j Lovcring climbed into his waiting \ trap and was rattled away. He i scowled at the two ferret-faced men ' who were lounging about the park I gates, and drove at a tearing rate of speed to Upton, stopping at Acle ■ long enough to send the wire to i Jasper Hardesty. "There is a lot to be done," he said to himself as he ncared Burelands, "and very little time to do it in." * CHAPTER XVIII. THE INQUEST at the GORGON'S HEAD. Never before within the memory of the oldest inhabitant had Acle beheld such an assemblage as gathered there on that dreary September morning ; never before had the pretty little town by the marshes been roused to such unwonted excitement. Promptly to time, amid great solemnity, the inquest was opened in a gloomy room on the ground floor. The identity of the deceased was established, and the doctor gave evidence as to the cause of death. The landlord of the Hermitage told what he knew. Mr. Margrave, he said, had arrived between ten and eleven o'clock on Thursday night, and had expressed his intention of stopping until the week-end. He brought with him some fishing tackle and a small travelling bag. "Did he do any fishing," asked the coroner. "No, sir." was the reply. "How did he spend Friday ? " "He went for a walk in the morning, and all the rest of the time, except when he came down to dinner and supper, he was in his own room' "How did the deceased leave the house ? " " By his bed-room window." Further questioning related to the f finding of the body, and then the coroner called : "Mr, Vallenger." In cool and steady tones, with perfect self-possession, Larry told of the appointment by letter, how he had ridden on the Friday night to the j rendezvous, and what he heard and j saw when he reached the fatal spot, j Cioss-examination had no effect j whatever on his story, and so far he | , had made n. favorable impression. J "Will Mr, Vallenger tell us why"— \ , l>cguii on* of the jurora. I. "<>ru' moment, sir, if you please." : Iho coroner interuptod He took an.i 1 «uv*lo[m- from hie pocket aiid held its ' the witness. "Mr. V alien-

ger," he added, "is this the letter you refer to ? " ! "It is, it must have dropped wken i I took my handkerchief from nay p pocket." I And is this your revolver?" ■ Taken now by surprise, Larry visibly started. i 'Yes, it is my property," he answered, after a brief hesitation. "It fell into the creek, last night, when 1 was bending orer to wet my handkerchief, and knowing the depth of the water I made no effort to recover it. The circumstance had slipped my mind until you recalled it." "Are you aware that one chamber | is empty ? " j "1 am, sir, I was using the weapon to shoot at a mark yesterday morning, and after reloading it. lired one \ shot." I Constable Jones gave evidence as j to the finding of the revolver in the : creek with a drag-net. When the ; constable sat down, a. pin might have been heard to drop as Dr. Sel- ' wyn was recalled. "You recognise the revolver ? asked the coroner. " Yes, it is the one that was handed to me for examination this morning, by constable Jones." "Describe it to the jury." "it is a weapon of American make known as a Smith and Wesson," ! stated the doctor, "and it fires a 32j calibre ball. Five of the chambers were loaded, and in the sixth I found an empty cartridge." j "You extracted the bullet from the J body of the deceased," continued the coroner, "riease tell us what calibre it is." : "Number 32." I "The same calibre as the revolver in evidence ? " "Yes, precisely." "And the ball fits the empty cartridge shell ? " "It does." "Thank you, that will do." The doctor stepped aside, and a I low murmur of voices rose from difI ferent parts of the room. Colonel 1 Lovering pulled nervously at his moustaches its he turned to whisper to ! Jasper Hardesty, and Larry, sitting • j with white and rigid face, could hardly restrain his pent up emotions I as he realised the terrible net of evij deuce that was closing around him. j Hardesty jumped to his feet. "I am here in behalf of Mr Vallen- | ger," said the solicitor, "and I adj vise him to say nothing more. If j you have finished" "Mr, Vallenger is excused from 1 I further attendance, if he so wishes," ■ j the coroner interupted. ! Larry gladly rose and left the I room by a rear passage. Colonel ■ I Lovering followed, but Jasper HardI esty, to whom he spoke a few words i remained behind. At the same mom- ' ent, in response to a quiet signal ■ j from Inspector Bamfield, Constable ' I Jones slipped out unobtrusively by a I side door. Larry's head swam, and he reeled j slightly as he emerged from the close I atmosphere into the air. He instantly recovered himself, however, and i walked steadily across the courti yard. The colonel overtook him as | he was directing the groom to bring ; his buggy. | "Well, what do you think of it," : asked Larry. i "Bad enough," muttered the col- | onel. "An ugly, chain of evidence—i circumstantial evidence. Good heavens, Vallenger, how could you have been so careless as to lose the revolver ? And the letter" ! "It was stupid, 1 know. But an innocent man dosen't think of such j things. Had 1 been the real criminal, I should have taken proper precautions. It is unfortunate that the j pistol that killed Margrave should i have been of the same calibre as mine. Perhaps by this time, colon|el you have had reasons to change I your mind. And I should be the j last to blame you." The co/onel put his hands on Larj ry's shoulders, and looked keenly into his unflinching eyes. "My dear fellow, my opinion re- , mains the same," he replied. "Were i the evidence ten times stronger a- ; gainst you, I would still believe in j your innocence. And if these fools i yonder knew anything of human natj ure and character, they would no j more suspect you of Margrave's nruri der than they would the man in the j moon." j "You put fresh courage into me," 'said Larry. "What am Ito do now jhe added. "I was going home, but j if you think had better wait for the ! result" "No, no. Go home at once, by all means. It is the best thing to do. Hardesty is stopping to watch the proceedings, and I am going to drive over to Burelands for half an hour. Then I return here, and later I will be at Burlingham Manor. As for the inquest, that will likely be carried over till to-morrow, to await the arrival of Margraves father. They won't finish to-day." "Then they are likely to" "Much may happen in the mean time," interrupted the colonel. "I'll keep you posted. I propose to see you through this scrape, and I'll stick to you to the end. Don't forget that you have put yourself unconditionally into my hands. You are bound to follow me to the north pole if 1 give you the word." "I am afraid you are powerless to help me, except in one way." "And that ? " "Find Margrave's murderer." "I wish to heavens I could, Vallenger. But I assure you I shall do the next best thing." The groom had the trap ready and Larry took his seat. "Good-bye for the present," said the colonel as he turned away. It was close on four o'clock, and as yet not a word of the proceedings had leaked out of the closed room in the Gorgon's Head, where the jury sat in solemn judgement. Larry drove home at a rattling pace, and had he glanced behind him, would have seen a vehicle, in which two men sat, following at an equal rate of speed (To lp ceptisued.) i