"The Mystic's Legacy."

Mataura Ensign, 30 November 1912, Page 9

"The Mystic's Legacy."

[Published by Special Arrangement.]

r BY W. H. MOYES,

Anchor of "Tlie Mormon's Daughter,' "The God Stone," and other serial stories. [COPYRIGHT.] | CHAPTER XXVII. "Black Spirits and White." When Boloski closed the stone door on Claude Novell, leaving him helplessly bound to the staples in the recess m the Wall, he removed the lanterns from the cellar and took his departure, closing the door carefuly behind him. j He then went upstairs to the library, where the two men who had assisted to overpower the prisoner were awaiting his instructions, one of them being the caretaker of the premises. He gave the latter some orders, ana, then turning to the other man, he said, "You have been bungling your work lately. You fastened the prisoner so badly that he got free and attacked me suddenly when I least expected it. | You also failed to secure the ancient, book when you broke into his house roi j it. I will give you one more chance or i getting the book, and the sooner you .succeed the better it will be for y°u"l hunted through the house last time, but I could not find it," was the surly reply. "He must have some secret hiding-place for the book, which it is difficult to discover." "It must be found within the next few days-," replied Boloski, significantly, "for I shall be leaving this detestable country very soon, and I am not likely to return to it. Now that we have caged that fellow downstairs, it ought not to be difficult to get the book. I shall account for his absence to his relative by sending her a telegram from him, stating that he has been called ont of the country, and before they find his body, if they ever do. until the house is pulled down, we shall be in another part of the world." iA few minutes later Boloski and his -irrvrmidoiis had left the house. The caretaker was the last to leave, and before his departure he went to the stairs which led to the cellar and listened, but could hear no cries from the victim.

"He won't live there long, without < food or water, or even enough air to j breathe," he muttered, "and if he cries j for help no one could hear him, so it's quite safe to leave him. I wish I had not come back again, for if the.house has not been haunted before', as I believe it has been, it should be after this affair.'' The idea of going to the prisoner's assistance never apparently occurred to the speaker; but even if he had entertained such an intention, lie could not have opened the door which Boloski had closed upon his victim. Therefore he went without compunction. Had he, however, returned, to the house 10 minutes later, he might have seen something which would probably have startled him, and confirmed his belief that the house was really haunted. The spectral figure of a woman seemed to glide through the huge bookcase almost opposite to the concealed door which Claude had discovered with so much difficulty on his first visit to the house.

For a few seconds the figure remained quite still in the library, then it moved to the concealed door, and, passing through it, went down the stairs to the cellar, which had been the scene of such a tragic struggle, and such a terrible termination.

CHAPTER XXVIII. "Stranger than Fiction." Miss Thurston was strangely perplexed. She was in the possession of information which she believed would be of great assistance to Claude Novell, and yet she had no means of conveying it to him, and she knew that if he <lid not receive it soon it would be quite useless. As the day wore on, and she received no letter or telegram from him or his aunt, she! resolved 'to take such action as seemed to her to be most necessary in the case.

.She was dressing for the purpose of ffbiiig out with this object when a visitor was announced, and, as she came downstairs to receive him —for it was a man whose name she did not recognise—she wondered what could be the nature of his business. She was, therefore, somewhat surprised when .the visitor said to her quite abruptly: . "I believe, Miss Thurston, that you are acquainted with Mr Claude Novell?'' "I am," she renlied. "Why do you ask?" _ ' "Are we quite alone?" he inquired in turn. "Yes; you can speak quite freely." To her amazement the visitor removed the wig he wore and revealed the identity of Claude Novell himself. But how altered he was. His face was thin and haggard. His eyes were supernaturally bright, and ho gave her the impression of having passed through a severe illness. "Whatever has happened to you?" she" asked. "And why do you come here in that disguise?" He raised his hand as if to warn her to be careful. "We must speak quietly,'' he Said. "I do not want it to be known that I am in the land of the living. I am supposed to be dead. An attempt has been made to murder me, and I ha.ve escaped a terrible fate in a way which seems to me to bo almost miraculous." "Attempt to murder you!" repeated Miss Thurston, in tones of horror. "I was afraid that something had happened to you, and, strange to say, your aunt dreamed that you had been killed. Tell me about it quickly, for I have urgent news for you." "Give me the news first. I have come to ask you whether anything has happened while I have been absent." "Very well-; but I am almost dying

to hear about your terrible experiences."

"I will replace tins wig," he said, name at present is Mr Edwards. Now tell me what lias occurred. "I have been most anxious to do so, for it is important that you should know it. 1 was just going out to act on my own responsibility when you came, and you have greatly relieved' my mind." Claude was tempted to ask his old friend to "come to the point," but he restrained his impatience, knowing that she would tell the story in her own way, and that he would not expedite matters by interposing. Settling herself, then, in her comfortable armchair, Miss Thurston began :|

"On the morning after your disappearance, and before your aunt received your telegram '' Forgotten were Claude's good resolutions not to interrupt. "My telegram!" he exclaimed "I sent no telegram. 1 was in much too desperate a position to be able to do thai." "Then you were not called away on urgent business?" "Certainly not. unless you call being kidnapped urgent business." "And you have rtot seen youi' aunt?" "No, and .probably shall not be able to see her for some days. I want you to tell her enough to reassure her as to my safety. I am obliged to act in this way for reasons which I will presently explain. But, as to the telegram, it must have been sent by someone else in my name, and evidently for the purpose of allaying suspicion with regard to my absence, and so prevent inquiries being made to account for it. But forgive me for interrupting you. I am very anxious to hear whether the information you have for me concerns the young lady who went to the Oracle about her mother."

"It does, and I will toll you about it now. Other matters must wait, but this cannot. It comes from the clairvoyant, whom the Oracle endeavored to persuade to leave England with, him. Since he discovered the young clairvoyant who is in search of her mother he has induced her to. allow him to utilise her powers for the purpose of finding her parent, and she has consented to the arrangement. | "By placing herself in a cupboard in ! the room in which she sits, Miss Elj liot —>as I will call the assistant to dis- | tinguish her from the latest intended victim of the Oracle —found that she I could overhear much of what took : 10Lace at the interviews.

"The poor girl's first words to the Oracle, when she called again to see him, were: " 'I hope you are now able to tell me what has become of my dear mother?' "'No,' was the reply; 'I have not succeeded yet. You can hardly expect such early results, considering that you have so recently consulted me.' " 'No. I suppose not,' said the somewhat dejected girl. " 'Shall I try again?' he said. ! " 'Yes; I would do anything to .find hot.' I "Miss Elliot could then hear nothing [ more for a short time, but her owu ; experience told her that the Oracle was ! putting tho girl into tho clairvoyant j state. i "After an interval the Oracle began Ito question her, but to the listener's amazement the inquiries had nothing : whatever to do with the young lady's motile?." | "The villain !" muttered Claude, j "I have something else to tell you," said Miss Thurston, "which will surprise you more than that, but if you interrupt so you will break the thread of rev recollection."

"Forgive me," cried Claude; "I will not interpose again." (To bo continued.)