THE BONDAGE OF HATE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15175, 14 December 1912, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE BONDAGE OF HATE.

j|j||.;'w .I i . • inn.■ i i.... 'vf TOBLISHED BT SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT.

, J ' BY, CAPTAIN FRANK H. SHAAV^ totbof of "The I/ovo Tides." "A Life's Dcto- • • >; tion," etc. . ■ .

ALL IUGHTS HESERVED.

v CHAPTER XVll.—{Continued.)

fcoait. was on her feet.; her breast was heaving beneath its lace*. The very mention of the name brought a flush to her cheeks. But then, this would bo Mr. Fred Leathani, the lawyer, not the sailor. For Bobby was in Paris— "Yes. show him in, Blinks." Ecsic throw one hand to her heart and gasped as Bobby Leatham entered the. room. Then she steeled herself to play the part of indifferenco it had suited her whimsical Boul to play • "Oh. it's you, is it?" sbo asked, with feigned disappointment. Lady Hildebrand had risen, and was holding out her hand graciously. Robert Leatham was ft man, and OS such' presented possibilities of distraction. . , . "Yes, it's me." Despite the desperate feature 'of his mission Bobby flushed and looked thoroughly ashamed of himself. It was a way ho had when in -the presence of Rosio Farquharson. But in ft second he was himself again— •i man of courage and resource, whose only weakness was a lack of self-confidence with women

•'l've come from Paris,'' he said. And then, to mitigate the announcement, "Mau,iico sent me." ho continued. And ho saw : 5 relief cross the features of the girl ho was devouring with his eyes> i "Then you may' shake hands." said Rosie, seating herself and drawing hor skirt to one side with a gracious gesture of 'invitation. Leatham struggled with words. Ho him- , self knew that what he had to tell would , banish tho half-smile from Rosie's lips with al«rxaing suddenness and he hesitated to breach the matter that had brought him in such hot hast©. He bore the stains of ! travel on him plainly, so plainly that Kosie, affecting not to notice his presence, could not but remark on tho matter. "'Yes, I hadn't much time to waste," said Bobby grimly. A short, sharp blow would he better than a slow hacking. "As ' a matter of fact. I was short of the mark when 1 said Maurice had sent me. He didn't. I want you to believe that I'd rather have lost my own life than be th© t»irer of such news as I bring. But I iv.is helpless. I've wasted two days now two good days without bringing a single fact to light. Maurice has disappeared!' ' What do you moan? If you dare to till mo that —that ( .. Ho made a little deprecatory gesture with,his hands, and a look of infinite pain into his usually cheerful face. : , ,"Bosio, don't play the fool! Sit down." Ladv H;ldebrand had shaken off her care- - lessnesa and her ennui; she was calm and / composed, true sister to Major Farquhari -ion. "Mr. Leatham, will you kindly tell us exactly what you mean by ' disappeared?' " ,V • " I'll do my best. But I must warn yon there doesn't seem to be much hope. 1 his is what has happened: Maurice seemed to think that a certain cafe in Montmartre held the clue he wan in search of. He had :<A reason to believe that the man he was . searching for used that cafe, and so he : a habit of using it, too—disguised, you know. He went there every day. I couldn't go, because I can't speak French Well enough to avert suspicion. : "He exchanged noies with me after ' each"visit; but during the whole fortnight • he got no nearer. StUl, he stuck to it for all he was —he's a determined

sort of chapuntil three nights ago. He said before he went that if he didn't draw ■ his fox that night he'd give the job up and start off on another tack. Well, he : wl-iI, and'-by midnight he hadn't re,turned. That was in itself suspicious,: , bat" I thought he might have followed ,-'Vsomeone, and 1 didn't worry overmuch. 'He was armed, and '.veil able to take care 6sisof • himself."

' . ' Are you going to tell us the truth?" " 'demanded Roeie fiercely. iv - "I'm doing my best to''get at it, if iyou'll only give me a chance," rapped . : out Bobby, and Rosio subsided. Suddenly : . she had seen a' new Robert Lea- " than the old — a man of character and de- *; termination ; a valuable ailly, one who .■would spare no risk to himself for the welfare of one he cared for. - . . Well, when Maurice hadn't turned . tip at two o'clock I got uneasy, and decided to explore. I went straight to the < v cafe, of course, which wasn't closed, even then, and asked point-blank i! the keeper fli the den had seen anything of him. I described him as he was when disguised. The woman said that he had been there, but that he had left some hours before.

S thought that was most amazing, since So hadn't communicated with me, and asked it' there wasn't a message. No, • there wasn't even a spoken word to help : Hie.

"I asked in what direction he had gone, and what sort of companions he had had. The woman made evasive replies. But as there was nothing to bo gained. I cleared out, and made the round of all the places we'd used; still no Maurice. ■ Then I thought he might have gone back to the hotel, but he hadn't; he wasn't anywhere to be seen. I spent all that night prowling about the streets and saw nothing of him, but I hoped and hoped' that perhaps he'd gone suddenly out of town and would either be writing me or firing ine. No message came. " 1 got still more alarmed, knowing What a dangerous game he was playing, fend communicated with the British Cousul. He told me that ho was hardly in a ■position to take up the matter; that it concerned the police in the main, but that he'd do his best for me. He gave me an introduction to the chief of rwlice, and 1 talked the tiling over with him; but he wasn't quick to grasp at _ significances, and lie suggested that -Maurice must have tome very good reason for his departure. " 'As for the Cafe lies Deux Freres,' he - Paid, ' I know nothing against the place, ; Except that it is a ""great meeting-place for socialists, of whom there are many in Paris.' Well, I urged him to take some steps to clear up the mystery, and he spared time to give it lrus attention, alV though there was a case occupying him even then—a man's body had been found in the Seine, stabbed through the heart." Resie was as white as death now, and

a curious horror showed in her eyes.

"It wasn't—it' wasn't Maurice?" she \ gasped. Lady Hildebrand, too, was pale and rigid; in her own way she loved her dashing brother well. "What a clumsy beast I am! 'No, it '7 Wasn't Mam ice; although, well—it wasn't possible to recognise the face. But I saw . •• the body and knew in a minute it wasn't /'• Maurice—the man wasn't his height, for | one thing, andand there were other evi--s:"_ dences. '"But a. ( was saving" —he went on i, ."lluriii.'dJy {o cover the deep gasp of relief 1 that came from Iris two listeners"M. ■ -Delafnsso agreed with me that as the Cafe des I)etix I niit's was the last place where 'i- faquiries should be prosecuted there. Homo \ - Maurice had been seen by anyone reliable, . , .time \va-s let. though, and when we got 'there we found nothing to arouse even the ;v Slightest suspicion, except in a coryer of a >[&' cellar nndevju-ath the place—a mom evidently used tot- socialistic , meetings—we '»- found a- rin;.. I found it. And it struck >t< ' i? 16 a .' li'-. t ili.ii it was the ring Maurice |isfWd in his possession—the one he had taken from lis (ire 11 foil's finger. from ';M t'.s. ("irenfolJ's finger. fJlpf 11 'The keeper of the place denied that H!s«y meeting any kind had been held in |S| ''that cellar- -■-ho protested it by all tho «ft in Inn- calendar. We'd drawn if 3 blank, and there seemed no way out of \ H tne mess. Km 1 borrowed that ring and Mowed it to Inghelto, who was on the glfetpfat of leaving Paris, and he told me, to mi', in fact, that it wasn't Mau»|jrfce' ring at all. Instead of that, it was , the real ring that had belonged to Mrs. and so tho actual < murderer of B® l ,woman must have been in that' collar some time or other after the crime, that wasn't, any help with regard to And the simple fact is he's dis,Ho dropped suddenly on the and bodjr seemed to. grow. lin»p 4

CHAPTER XVIII.

"i THINK YOtT are A'• M'V."

r "But where can he be?" asked Rosso J? arqu liaison, holding herself back, from administering womanly comfort by sheer strength of will. Her'instinct was to pass her slim fingers through the curly bailthat covered the bent head, but as yet them WaS n ° engagement between

ir> Ji W L sh & new > I wish I knew," said | Bobby heavily. ''I'm utterlv in the dark ;' |l ye tried everywhere, and there's noi nrng to be gamed. There's one man who knows where he is, and that's tho man who was Mrs. Grenfell's butler—the only man who could hav© taken the ring from Mrs. Grenf ell's finger— that man was m the cellar. I've seen liim, and I've a good memory for. faces, so I'd know him again m a crowd. Hut befofb I've searched all Paris through Maurice might oe—might be—" His voice was. " very modicalJv stron ® aco worked spasMr Leatham, how'long is it since , , or rested demanded Lady Eildebrand. Ho looked at her with a sort of stupefied wonder. then know, I've been so busy, and

Lady Ilildebrand rose to the occasion. She crossed the roonf and rang the bell. \\ lion •Blinks appeared she ordered him to serve a meal instanter. Moro titan that, sho refused to allow Bobby to speak another word until ho had both oaten ana drunk, and not until a cigar vras burning briskly did shs. put a question. Ihen : "What is your honest opinion of the thing—honest, I mean?" she demanded.

I'm in tho dark. Maurice was armed and able to take care of. himself, but he was working on a desperate case. It may be that his identity was discovered and" that he is in hiding, unable to communicate with me." "

. 'But m your heart of hearts von belief that ha is d&id ? Am I not right?" Ho bowed his head slowly. ** "I'm afraid that's the only possible solution. And yet, I don't know. Look at his . post history; he's escaped from positions where a hundred men would have been killed, without so much as a scratch. When I see his dead body I'll believe that, he is dead; only I'm so much in the dark. I don't know whether he remained at the Cafe des Deux Freres. For all evidence I have to the contrary, lie might bo over the other side of Europe by this time. v

• There s one thing to be said against his being dead, thoughno sign of his body has been found. And a dead body IS one of the most difficult things to dispose of, especially in Paris. One thing's certain, if the Paris police can't find him no one can; that is. if he's in Pari;?.'' , There seemed nothing to be don<t; the shadow had descended , upon them all; they looked into each other's faces, and read nothing there but despair. "I hate that girl!" said Rosie vehemently. "I'm sure she's murdered that woman, and Maurice has lost his life on account of a murderess Maurice! And he's worth a thousand of her."

"He wonldn'.t like you to say that," said Bobby Leatham gently.' "Ha was awfully in"love with her, you know. As much as— Hero again (his self-con-sciousness t ripped him up ; he .changed the subject. "I can't tell you why, but I fancy Mrs. Grenfell's bufler has more to do with this than we fancy. He was the man Maurice was in search of; we had a shrewd suspicion that he was at that wretched cafe;, it is possible that he discovered Maurice's identity and created trouble." , "Are you sure you would know him again if you saw him?" demanded Rosie, getting to her feet. "Is his a face that's easily remembered':'' "Oh, I'd remember him fast enough if I could only see him; trust mo for thatI mayn't be much good for many things, but they teach you observation in the navy, and I've a fine memory for faces. The* difficulty is to see him. If I could only get my hands on him— Lady Hildebrand moved from the room suddenly, and Rosie and Leatham were left alone. "Do you really believe Maurice is dead?" " The girl turned to him With flashing eyes. "I don t know what . I believe ; I'm afraid the worst's happened." "Is there a chance of his being alive? You're his friend, and you ought to know by your own feelings; if you have any feelings.' I'm his sister, and I know he's not dead—yet. I know it. I tell you; it came to mo just now' like a flash of inspiration. Maurice isn't dead, but he needs a friend beside him. Mr. Leatham, go to Paris again; please go; you may be able to help him. And—and— come back here to me until you've found him." r ,

He faced her squarely, determination written on his face; his eyes were striving to read her meaning. Then, for once, Bobby Leatham overcame his self-consciousness. He took the girl's hand and clasped it firmly in hi? own he lifted it to his lips in a curious, old-wOrld way that made Rosie feel suddenly ashamed of herself. "And if I do find him for you—for youi?" he asked- "What then?" "Coifte back ,to me," she said softly. "There's nothing I wouldn't do for you." He did not stop to dally with temptation, to take advantage of this softened mood. Another man might have done it, but Bobby was a man of action. He went to the door and looked back once. "If lie's alive, you.may rest easy; I'll bring him back to you," he said, and opened tho door. Lady Hildebrand was returning; she exclaimed as he almost cannoned into her.

"You are not going?" she began, but Bobby had no time for explanations. "Yes, I'm going to Paris," he said, and left the house without waiting for the butler. Sixteen hours later he was in Paris.

And here, as before, he found himself confronted with a blank wall. He had no single clue on which to build a theory of the case, and though he instigated the chief of police to make another search of the Cafe des Deux Freres, nothing came of it. The woman who kept the place would give 110 information; and when the missing man Huron was described to her in detailßobby's memory served him well she protested her complete ignorance of even hie slight acquaintance. Bobby went back to the hotel, where IngiioltO had stayed, hoping against hope that his friend might lie forthcoming, and fortune favoured him. The Italian medico had grown interested in the case .of Farquharson's disappearance, and had applied for extra leave of absence, which had been granted with some reluctance by the authorities. as stirring events were pending in the Mediterranean. " And you have learned nothing ?" afked liK'helto. ''You are as much in the dark us ever yon were?" " Absolutely nothing. I have got so far; and not an inch' further." . "Then I will*try my luck, my friend. I cannot promise much, but what I can do I will, for I" found a lot in Farquharson to admire. He was a man with brains and' a purpose, and there are not so manv of his breed to be found that wo can afford to lose a single ono without a struggle. But I wish I could have known more about this man Huron. Huron Huron —no, the name conveys nothing to me. You do not possess a photograph of him bv any chance?" Bobbv shook his head and attempted to crive a "lucid description of the man. ° "I am convinced that he is at the bottom of the mystery,'' said the Italian. " We iiiav lie on a false track, but it i*> the onlv • one*, and we must make the best of what we have got." In pursuance of his plan lie paid a visit, to the Cafe des Deux Freres, and ought to establish friendly relations with its proprietress with but small success, it is to be feared. • Madame was like a stone ; the frequent visits of the police had put her on' her guard; she scented a spy everywhere. Days went by arid still nothing was lfcarnt. ' , •Bobby Leatham was well-nigh frantic with "suspense. Apart from tho real affection he bore to Farquharson he had come to persuade himself that the entire happiness of his life depended 011 his bringing his mission to a successful conclusion. P.osie had told him not to return without Maurice.' and in his honest, simple way ire looked on the command as binding. Ho accompanied the police on their explorations, and in course of these- he learnt more of underground Paris than the average man knows. He marvelled at the complications that met him at every turn he despaired when one false clue after another was followed to its -logical end,.

proved only to be a chimera-. It seemed to him that Huron had undoubtedly left Paris. And all this time Maurice's murdered body might be lying in some filthy den that had escaped their observation. He spent sleepless nights in puzzling over the mystery, and arose with the dawn aware of a still greater chasm between him and success.

"1/ only "there was something to be done!" lie deplored. "If there was something real to fight against, but there's nothing—nothing. "No, wo are all wandering in the dark." agreed Inglielto. "And I fear I cannot do much more, my friend. I have my recall; to-morrow I must leave Paris. And so I am going to play what you English call a game, of bluff. I do not think it will succeed, but there is a fighting chance. Once, when I gave a description of the man Huron to madanio of the cafe I thought to see her eves flicker ever so little. To-night— shall see. I may be mistaken. I very probably am mistaken, but we cannot lose anything by trying." It was already late in the day, and after the two friends had taken % hasty meal Inghelto set about his preparations. It was a heavy evening, with suspicions of thunder in the air, a day when men's nerves are sometimes so keenly on edge as to render hysteria not far distant. • " So far I have gone as myself, a some- | what ehabbv edition, to bo sure, but tonight I shall play a part. Lend me your assistance." , He had opened a trunk and was taking forth shabby garments, a box of pigments, and some false hair. "The Camorra, a namo which is never mentioned save in a whisper, is about to gain another recruit to-night," he eaid. "If a single one of my suspicions is true that woman will know a word I know. And if I gain so much I see no Ttason' why I should not gain more." " Please God yon do!" said' Bobby fervently. " This constant suspense is playing the very devil with me. But what's your plan?'' " That I shall not tell you yet. But I should wish you to be in readiness to accompany me in a little while. You need not enter the cafe unless you like, but re"main outside, for there may be trouble." "Count on me."' Bobby produced, a heavy revolver and ran the cylinder through his fingers. It was loaded in every chamber. "I? you don't want me, to show myself you'd better arrange a whistle'for when you do want me." The Italian softly whistled the first bars of a melody from a favourite opera, and Bobby repeated it in a somewhat louder key. "Right you are, I'll remember. Now, you want this beard, I suppose; a villainous thing enough," too," The transformation was soon effected. Inghelto donned a loose cloak above his disguise and pulled a soft felt hat over his eyes. They left the hotel without ostentation and betook themselves to the Rue Berthon. At night it was a glare of light and a blare of music, the narrow street was crowded with undesirables. But neither Bobby nor his compainion attracted much attention as they passed on. An Apache jostled the sailor roughly, but Inghelto restrained him from delivering the-knock-down blow he intended to administer., whispering a warning into his ear.

" Not yetthere is Farquharsort to •be considered, Leatham. And a ecufflo now might be fatal." •" Sorry, I forgot for the moment. Here's the cafe, anyhow; I'll wait within call." He watched Inghelto enter the establishment and became interested in a windowful of unclean pictures and postcards next door.

He waited with what patience he could command, but theTe was no signal from within the cafe. An hour went by, arid fit-ill no sound of alarm. He hunched his shoulders, thrust his hands into his pockets, and slouched past the door. In a far coyier he saw a # man he fancied was Inghelto, engaged in animated conversation with the woman of the place, and went by, turning presently and resuming his watch. Inghelto,. meanwhile, was working hard. Ho had taken a comprehensive survey of the cafe, and . had seen that it was well-filled with a tough-seeming crowd, men and women in about equal proportions. But he secured a small table to himself at tho extreme end, ordered his refreshment, and sat himself down to wait with "all the patience of the Southerner, who is second to none in the art of doing nothing. Ho displayed no eagerness to attract the attention of the proprietress, which in itself might have aroused suspicion. He consumed his cognac with a nice appreciation of its flavour and rolled a succession of cigarettes, which he smoked to the end and threw aside. There was quite a heap of cigarette stubs before he deemed the moment had arrived. He held up his hand to attract the woman's notice, and when she came towards him he eyed v her shrewdly. "Another of the same," he said, indicating his empty glass. "Can you. tell me if a friend of mine has arrived? I was sent from Italy to convey a warnThe woman bent closer and pretended The woman bent closer and pretended to bo wiping the table. "Describe your friend," she said in an undertone; and went on to speak of trivial matters. She hesitated before pronouncing a certain word, and Inghelto caught his elbow in his hand and shook it. "Ah!" said the woman. Ho saw that he was on firmer ground, but he saw, 1 too, out of the corner of his eye that ! more than one man was looking tenta- ! tively in his direction; possibly they had I seen the secret 6ign. What had to be done must be done at once, for if other members of the brotherhood approached and entered into conversation he might find himself at a loss. i "I have heard; it was told to me," he said, "that this brother was under ! suspicion by the police, and that they had traced him from here to —" " Yes." said the woman, in an even voice; but he had observed her hand, that still moved over the table, check for an infinitesimal fraction of a second. ; " Yes, and the brother's name was— "We mention no names," said Inghelto, at a guess. "Take me to him. You know the brother I mean, I think— I will describe him to you.'' And he gave as clear a description of Huron at; he could from the information he had gathered. He was aware that he was labouring in the dark to a great extent; I but- it was no time to lose all by hesitation. * "Yes, I know the brother you mean, \ said the woman, "but he is not here. ! He has left Paris." I Inghelto checked a start ;he had sus- [ pected as much, but it would not do for | him to show it. ' "I thought so; then it only remains ! for mo to 3 follow him. You will understand the warning is urgent; but then" | —he affected an air of indifference—' it may be that he will report to some other branch, and receive the warning, there." "Yes, it is possible. But in case not, it might be as well to follow. He has i gone to the sea; to Marseilles." j «< Indeed. Let me see, there is a branch there? You will forgive, but, I am not, a French brother, madame." ! " No, there is not a regular branch j there'. 'lie is staying at the Petits Chats, ! waiting." ! " Waiting what? ! "I do not know; Ido not know. J hat is all I know ; he is at Marseilles, wait-

in£." "'Good: I will follow him. If he should return you will perhaps inform him that Brother Atrata desired his compliments—'' Ho had made a mistake, and he recognised it oil the instant foolishly, as he himself confessed, ho endeavoured to rectify it. "That is, Brother—" lie hesitated, at a loss to know exactly how the members of the society were known. ''You are a fraud," said the woman hotly. "And I think you are a spy." Inghelto got to his i'eef, measuring the distance between himself and the door. There were several people in the way. His lips were slightly dry, but he moistened them and softly whistled a few bars of a familiar operatic air. He assumed an attitude of coolness. _ " Madame is pleased to be facetious, he said. "Madame is pleased to be wide awake," she replied, and made an almost imperceptible motion with her hand. Six men rose from their chairs and came towards them; madams retreated to'wards- the bar and threw open the small door there. <t __ . " This way, she said loudly. This way." And above the sudden hum rose Bobbv Leatham's voice: •'■'l'm —don't worry." ,^atnxdaj^, £ nert-J