MYSTERY CASTLE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 13 February 1942, Page 3

MYSTERY CASTLE

FINAL INSTALMENT (Original) SURPRISE FOR EVERYONE “What!” ejaculated the ofllccr. then sarcastically. “You don’t mean to say we’ve struck something solid at last?” “You have, sir.” returned Martin. “Now look, young fellow," interrupted the other officer. “If you’re stretching my leg a little bit too far, you’ll be severely dealt with.” “But I'm not, officer,” replied Martin, desperately. ‘‘O.K.," said the policeman, in slang. “Go on! Fire ahead!” And here they both snatched out, their note-books, ar.d wrote hastily as' Martin related their story. “You say that a chap named Carlos Maladetta, alias Horace sunebody. is the leader, and his followers arc Sam, and Bert. Is that accurate?” the officer I asked. “Yes, sir.” “Then come on. Jack. We’ve got some work ahead of us.” They wheeled their cycles up to the door of the castle, and, with the permission of Mr Skinner, they entered. That night Martin was asked to make a daring exploit. Tt was to get the keys ot the storehouse out of Senor Malatietta's bedroom while he was asleep. II was when the new moon was sinning strongly into Carlos’s room, through the wide French windows which opened onto a small balcony overlooking the sea and cliffs, that Martin crept stealthily into the room. He crossed over to the chest-of-drav/ers, and after searching many drawers full of clothes and boxes he a- last found the keys. He was just leaving the room when the panel slid open, and the burly figure of Sam stepped out. “Ah! hat” he cried, huskily. “Caught red-handed, eh! Horry! Ilorry! We’ve found a nice little shrimp in our net.” And here he barred the door —to try to get past him Martin knew would be rash and impossible. Yet, the youth’s brain worked fast. Quick as a flash he turned, darted through the open French windows, sprang up on the ledge of the balcony, and jumped over onto the lawn below. An amused smirk spread over the face of Sam. “He’s gone to his doom,” he thought, for it was almost a suicide jump. Sam leaned over the balcony, still an empty grin on his face, to sec Martin’s body lying on the lawn below. But the smile faded, and in its place was a droppl... jaw and a pair of popping eyes, for tbe twin s athletic days helped him and he used the proper jump for high levels. As Sam looked down he saw Martin darting into the plantation of trees, to meet the police officers. “Cops!” Sam .whispered hoarsely. “The keys!—l’ve got to get away from here! Ilorry! Bert l Quick! Quick! Quick!” CAPTURE OF THE SMUGGLERS The three smugglers piled into thencar, and it was not until the automobile rounded the gates at the end of the drive that the officers spied them, after they had investigated the smuggled goods, and found out for sure the leader and his followers. They leapt onto their motorbikes, Martin onto his, double-banking Anne, and tore off. It was almost a race to the finish, over the moor tracks. What a chase! As soon as they reached the first signs of civilisation. Martin and Anne slopped and rang all police-stations to be ready to catch the smugglers at the next village, ancl then resumed the chase. Their plan worked out successfully, ancl when Sam. Bert and Horace were securely bound, the leader said the following words: «‘Yeah’! We confess 1 tried to drug the ‘kids’ so that they wouldn’t reach Wales. As soon as the ferry was to reach land we were going to motorboat vou back to England. But you were too smart for that. We wanted to find the will, and as soon as Skinner died we were going to change it from the twins’ favour to our favour, and pretend t be his nephews. We want-, ed to own the castle for several rea- ! sons, (a) It was the loneliest place on the coast, (b) was just where we always landed our goods, (c) It had a (ot of underground passages, and there were only the old gent and his servants, hut they were always too scared stiff of the place to interfere, and they didn’t know the c cret tunnels. So you may guess that when the ‘kids’ came they spoilt, everything .” RETURN OF LOST FATHERS The following clay several heavy knocks were heard at the door, and the butler announced: “Some gentlemen to see you, sir.” “What are their names?” inquired Mr Skinner. “They won’t give any. sir.” replied the butler. “All right, show them in. Tbe door opened, and two strong brown men. with somewhat similar eyes, stepped into the room. For a moment Mr Skinner s face dropped, but later it was skrewn up into a crinkly empty grin, and his shaky voice burst out in an ecstasy of joy. “My sons! My sons!” he cried. "So you’ve come back at last?” At that moment Anne was descendm? the stairs, and as she saw one of the men. she ran to him, flinging herself into his arms, and saying: “Daddy! Oh daddy!’ ’ The story poured out. The man

who accompanied Mr Macdonald. Anne and Martin’s newly-known uncle, was sorted out to be the Semple, alias the' Macdonald children’s father, who had changed his name through being ashamed of it. after he had run away. Mr Skinner, also, changed his name af—; ter losing his sons, and had quietly re-j tired to the moor to spend his last peaceful days there. Mr Macdonald (senior) offered his; castle to both his sons in his will, but Marcia’s father refused, whereas Anr.e’s father gladly accepted the offer. Thus we end our story, and to conclude. I must state that the bold, fearless twins lived, after that, a life of excitement and adventure. (The End.) Meryl Page (12yrs.), Nelson.