THE BARRIER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15262, 28 March 1913, Page 4

THE BARRIER.

•* 'A STORY OF SOCIETY.SINS AND - \ 'SINNERS. BY E. ALMAZ STOUT« COPYRIGHT. CHAPTER XXXII. IN THE NICK OF TIME. Form hours Ivan Jay unconscious on the floor, with all his own servants within reach, if only he had been able to call them, while the precious minutes passed, which might have spelt freedom and life for the man counting his last hours in the great dreary gaol. Dawn was breaking in the winter sky when he came to himself, stiff and exhausted. For eome minutes he lay, his brain swimming, ' while be tried to realise what had happened, where he could be, that he felt so cold and sore and stiff. After some time he remembered, and, (with a , heavy cry of utter despair, he tried to sit up.,

How much time had gone by! He had Only had a few hoars at most to do a great deal— many of those precious hours had already flown? With shaking fingers he drew out his watch. A few minutes to six.

A few minutes to ax! And at eight o'clock the sun of Richard Frampton's life would set for .ever unless he could stop the' carrying' oat of the dread sentence. Frantically he dragged himself across the flow and managed to ring the bell. "Boris!" he gasped, as the trusted servant who had admitted him and Eleanor the previous night appeared in the doorway. "Help me!"

With a low cry of horror the man ran to his master's Bide.

" What has happened, beloved master! iWbo has done this?"

44 Never mind. Only help me, quick. I must go out ;at once.' ' ." Impossible, my Prince I must send lor the , doctor."

" There is no lime. Yob have helped me before and bound up my wounds on the battlefield. There is nothing serious.' I; fancy. Get water and bandages and help me out .of these clothes. They are stiff with^Wood." ' With hands gentle as a woman's, occasionally giving a little pitiful cry .of distre«, «Mi»did as * his master told him. It was the work of a few roinutes to cut off ike-stained,, stiff evening, clothes and lay • bare ' the wounds : which were■ far less •erioue than they might have been. The knife had pierced the fleshy tissue, causing heavy mm' of blood, but had touched ' mo vital "organ.. % While Boris waa bathing and . dressing the wounds his master was giving him strict orders to say nothing of the occurnam* to the other -members.of the houseIHHL/V ■ ■ . • . **T trust you as linybrother," ho. said simply. 7 * V l, will find sane excuse later 'on to account for my being ill. But first x 1 have much to do. A man's life hangs * «naw&ving the house "at once. There ..." would be no one at the Home Office. I nust go dimct to the prison; it ,is the only chance." « ' A 1 1 Bnt with all the haste they made' it was ; after,, seven before Ivan, assisted by his V.> man, got ;into> the- car,, and gave the order ; - to ,the chauffeur as to the destination and % ■ &Jd \ hfcu driw like'fury." ■ v t3i©y; ■ • . t3^>pruo«k^ -• • nor could not, be disturbed. iHa was eni gaged ou most urjjent and important busi'sM Ia vain the , Prince Stamped and swore I I and relapsed into , his. native Russian, !f-■„ 5 while the officials r looked on stolidly, oon- . vinced that a ltmaiio had strayed into their midst. iigppitiS^^ Prace, realiaing that the ;• fatal hour of eightWaa about' .to atrie, turned to one of them. . r• " For pity's sake, man, if. you. have a lleab fe, yow bodyvShow me the way to V: J the yard. Aninoooent man is about to to ; you if you . For ooe ihttTOfc the man hesitated. ?' Then Ivan dragged out his pocket-book and thrust a note into his hand. 4 *Aflright, sir," he .said suddenly. • 4 'But ff ,it oosts :ae my job, I : shall look ■ 11M to you to put mo right" 1 And, making a •; |< little rush, before his fellow. officials could stop him; he drew out a key and, opening a side door, flung it wide open. . mßreathless, | almost , exhausted - with «xIH citement . after the terrible experience of ; , f the last twelve hours, Ivan rushed out, pfejshouting, "Stop! f For heaven's : sake, : stoprv With frowning face the governor advanced. ■ " What is t the meaning of this , outrage, sir? Who are you who dare to ;' . fern your way in - such a manner at such » moment?" The Prince staggered, for he was almost Sgldone, and Boris rushed to his master's aide. 1 "My name you will doubtless know. I am Prince Kresoff. Thank goodness, I '/* , am' just 'in ; time to prevent. an awful tragedy* This man ia innocent. The woman who Jdlled Gerald Donnithorpe has. confessed!'' i f#' {' Great heavens, sir, dp you know what you ; tire saying?" The governor's faoe .was eager. He had never grown used to seeing' any'' criminal, however' hardened, banged, and Richard Frampton was a man ' of his own class,' a man. until . the accusa- • tion of murder was hurled at him, of un- » blemished' reputation. " You have proof ; Of. what you say?" "My word ■is all I bava. If you will stop this 1 Kbrrible miscarriage of justice, ' I—l will tell—" ; He staggered and would have fallen iiad not Boris caught him, V ; The . governor; strode up to the chaplain and ; held a; hurried consultation. Then tie turned to the warders.. ,' • , v "Take the primmer back to his cell. ; There can ■be .no - execution this ; morning. This is most, irregular, as I have no orders from the Home v Office, bat in face of what this gentleman, whose name I know well, has just said, I dare not proceed until I have examined his story. Frampton," turning to him, "if this story proves ; a mare's nest it will be a cruel thing for you, for it, will mean facing this morning s work \ a second time. If he can clear you, well, it will be my pleasure to shake hands with a man who was rescued only just in time, with barely a second to spare." . With a bow and a flood of hope and excitement in his face Pick turned and retraced his step# to his cell, which he had thought never to see again, while the governor ; walked up to the Prince, lying half-fainting in : his servant's arms. "Garry the gentleman to.my room," he said, "and summon the doctor. If this thing is a hoax, it is the cruellest thing that was ever ! done, and 'he shall" pay bitterly for it."

CHAPTER XXXIII.

A WOMAN'S CUNNING. Half m hour later the governor was sitting staring at Prince Krepoff with puzzled eyes. _ ' , , "And that is all .you have to go on, * the' mutterings of . a -strung foreign woman, when she was under the influence : of.ft drugged . cigarette and the fumes of .ft powerful narcotic? : our story will want strong corroboration, Prince Krepoff." ; "It mtofc have it/' he answered hotly. 'It ■ must have it' from the girl herself. 71 imSl tfkV;yora; tocher/ and you can test the jtory for yourself. ; "Should I be likely Mwfci »"t tale.'. or I would she be ' told; you, • - of powerful a > Cfime ■ often ■8 told you, a powerful crune often WhtL<i. > tmritnlft. .

It was some time, before the governor returned, arid then he was looking worried and anxionrf.': . "I have been having an unpleasant quarter of "an. hour," he aaid grimly, to the Prince. "The authorities obviously don t believe a word of the story I have repeated to them, and they ask me if I am in the habit of disobeying orders from the Head Office on the hysterical word of a partisan of a prisoner. Unless you can prove your story it -will bo unpleasant for both you and me." >/ , "Of course, you must be prepared for the girl to deny it now. U But it should bo simple enough to prove, with the confession, which I believe in absolutely, in our possession." ; ■ " Humph 1" returned the governor, as he put on his coat, / obviously . smarting from his late telephonic communication. ' In a few minutes they were being whirled along to Thornbrook Road in the Prince's car. The day had turned out badly, and a cold penetrating drizzle was falling fast, while a bitter wind swirled round the street corners. The governor shivered as he drew his collar up closer about his neck. "What weather!" he said. "It would take a good deal of natural optimism to feel cheery on a day like this." . The car drew up at a point agreed upon with the governor and the Home Office to pick up an official from Scotland Yard, and then proceeded to the Pannellis' house while the inspector was put in possession of the facts of the case. i The Prince got cut slowly, and was followed by the governor and Inspector Baines. "Now to see what story the girl puts up to-day," remarked the latter. ' They knocked loudly, but there was no answer. They knocked again and rattled the handle, but there was dead silence. 1 "Of course, it's what we might expect;" Krepoff said with a frown. "One could hardly expect her to sit down and quietly wait to be arrested when she had a chance to escape." Their repeated knocking brought one of the neighbours to her door, and the Prince doffed- his hat. "Pardon me, madam, but can you tell us anything of the movements of Mrs. and Miss "Pannelli?' "I haven't seen Miss Pannelli since yesterday afternoon, but I saw her ma go out this morning. I was going to speak to her, but she seemed in a great taking, so I didn't stop." "What time was this?" asked the inspector. ' "About half an hour ago. But, bless me, if that ain't Mrs. Pannelli herself coming this way, gentlemen.') It. was indeed Jus. Pannelli, red in the face and untidy as usual. When .she caught sight of the Prince she made a little wan at him, only to be stopped by the burly form of the inspector. ■' "Oh, it is you, is it? You've got the face to come to a respectable woman's house after what you've done or tried ..to do, you black-hearted scoundrel!" "Keep a civil tongue in your head, ploasfe, ma'am," said the inspector goodtemperedly. "This gentleman has a serious charge against your daughter." ''Against my - Eleanor, has he? It's a serious charge I've got against him, and I'll make him pay for it, even if 1 am • poor, lone widow I", i . -For goodness' sake let us get inside," said" the Prince, in a low voice. "We don't want the' whole street listening." "Here, you open the door and let- us talk : inside," 'said v Baines, . wLj tteemed to have taken control of the situation. "We're all freezing out hen." ' She glared at : him doubtfully and then drew v a big \ doorkey ; from : her capacious pocket. " . "Come in, then. I haven't done with him yet," pointing to the Prince, "even if he baa got a scratch'or two, which he. richly deserves." i She led the way into the little, parlour, which ii had been Eleanor's constant endeavour. to turn; into a •'* drawingroom," and then stood,' facing the three men, her arms akimbo and her black bugle bonnet then," proceeded Barries, " will you tell us where your daughter is?" 1 ''No, 1 , won't, because 1 can't; - but ' I wouldn't if I could."! I'mnot > going 'to have my girl - bothered -and badgered "because she'd got the pluck to defend her own honour, even though it did mean giving this fine gentleman that calls himself a Prince a knock or two." : - "Look her*. Mrs. Pannelli," the Prince said authoritatively, moving , forward, we've -hid'' enough of this. Your : daughtor lias c cot to be found—the " polio ' will see' that >Ii will be the simplest thing in : the end to tell us now where she is. Of oonrse,i we ; can. all understand :' that, as a mother, yon want to defend her, but—" h " Defend her? -v I should jolly well think I should, especially against brute® like -yob as have forced her to leave he* home and mother. I never heard her come in last night, nor go out again; only I know she did because of her clothes > being changed and because of ! her letter." Here Mrs. Pannelli became tearful and collapsed on a chair. V* There, don't take on bo/'said' the in? spector, patting her shoulder. " Just tell fine what the letter said." "Here, you can tead it for yourself." And diving into her pocket with a husky sob' she: prodrioed a crumpled sheet of paper. Baines handed it to the governor, who beckoned to him to read it with him. lien when-he had finished the governor turned to; Krepoff, drawing himself very upright. j ' 7 " Bead that, sir; it points to your story being what -1 ' thought it was all along— a hoax on the part of a friend of the prisoner to delay justice having its, course. Unless you can amply refute what is contained in that letter you will only have done your friend an incalculable injury by making him face for a second time the worst ordeal a man can be called on to face." "He is not my friend," retorted the Prince. " I have only met , him twice." ' " Then why did you take all the trouble you have already . explained to me you have been taking?" f: r " Because I felt convinced "that Richard Frampton was innocent, and the various small indications I have told you of all seemed to me to'point the -same way— the guilt of Miss Eleanor Pannelli, whose admission last night—" ■ "For which we have only your word," interrupted the ■ governor. " Bead that letter and the serious charge the lady brings against you in that. V You will' have to refute every point in it ; befogs you can expect us ■to ' credit one word of your story." • • " What charge?" ' said the- Prince furiously. • "Of being a ■ black-hearted, deceiving scoundrel shouted Mrs. Pannelli, shaking her fist at him. (To be continued daily.)