THE ADMIRALTY'S SECRET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15864, 10 March 1915, Page 10

THE ADMIRALTY'S SECRET.

* BY CARLTON DAWB. ' Author of "The Prime Minister. "CUodors," "Straws in the Wind," "The Grand Duke," "One Fair Enemy," "The Shadow of Evil," etc.

(COPYRIGHT.) CHAPTER XXH.-(Conlinued.) Hie face was pale now; her bosom rose and fell rapidly. Wildly she looked round, her rare eyes gleaming. He saw that de. spairing look and smiled. These women, why would they pit their strength against a man? And all the time she was summing him up, wondering how far, he would go. There was still much about him that she did not wholly understand, though instinctively she realised that he was serious now, and that, he could not well be' otherwise.;?, ;."* 'i ' ;;■ ' ■ -»'Xt/.. "We are alone?" :.<-., >•" Quite alone. -If you screamed yourself black in the face no one would hear, ;or, hearing, 'would take no notice. "- '* Are you so sure of that?" p He laughed. "" Try it and see.''. j "Then they will not hear this." '■■■ Quick "as thoughtlshe' drew a revolver from' her pocket and pointed it straight in his face. v' "TJp with your hands," she said; "up with them, quick, or I'll shoot you like a dog!" _ 5 Instinctively bis hands went .and he stepped back a pace or two from that threatening: weapon. For a moment his face blanched and absolute terror leapt to his eyes. With a rush the conviction swept in upon him that she meant what she said. s "You devil!" ■' In epite of • himself the exclamation burst from his lips. , "Quite so. Now open that door and stand aside." - • " I'll see you—* "Open it!" '.. He flung a last desperate defiance back at her. .;; " Come and open it yourself !'*'•• • Never had the good Lafane believed himself so near his end. He could have sworn he saw, that little white finger curl more tightly on the trigger a mist swept before his eyes blotting out her, the light, the gleaming pistol. Surprised to find himself still alive, he looked at her with a mocking smile of bravado. She had not shot then: she dared not now. > \ " Why don't you shoot?" he mocked. , "Because you are going to do what I ask." *.;•'. "Am I? You don't knOw Lafane.". " Oh, yes I do. One never misjudges a coward or a bully." His brows contracted over gleaming, savage-eyes. The scar across his chin stood out vividly distinct. "Then know that you're not leaving here -with those papers." The fact that she had hesitated to shoot at the crucial moment gave him renewed courage. These women were all alike—awful bullies until you beat them to subjection. "And put down that ridiculous pistol or you will be hurting yourself." " Stand aside," she answered, firmly. "Look here, hasn't this nonsense gone on long enough? You don't suppose I'm afraid of what you could do.with a thing like that? Put it &<\r - id behave yourself like a,, sensible girl. Ask /yourself calmly if I could possibly allow you to go off with that which is of such value to me, and which I have risked so much to gain. It doesn't come into the region of probability. You wouldn't do it, nor shall I. Hand them over and you can go to the devil for all I care. It's true I have a weakness for your adorable sex, but I will part with its most lovely representative without a pang— she leaves behind that which I value infinitely more. Now put down", that ridiculous weapon—which is' likely to injure you more than anyone else —give mo those plans, and the way is open for you to go where you please.' "And suppose I refuse?" "You can't. To me-tho situation suggests no other alternative. You must do as I wish; I shall refuse to let you go. And remember you've only seen the one . side of me— pleasant. " Pleasant!." "By comparison: You are a beautiful ' woman, my.dear, .and I love beautiful women. I always have it has been my weakness, my'degradation— my glory. I shall die loving them as the only thing in this life worthy of being loved. Now do you understand ?" " Quite; but we shoot mad dogs like you." " Shoot, then Melodramatically he extended his arms and presented his breast, but all the time his lips were curled in a mocking, contemptuous smile. "Stand aside," she repeated, coldly. " I warn you that if you attempt to interfere with mo.I shall shoot you' without a moment's hesitation." " Then why don't you ? Why waste so much time?' He was convinced now that her , hesitation came from fear, and the, knowledge of his triumph showed itself quite plainly in his eyes. "Bah!"ho ejaculated, contemptuously. " I don't believe the thing is even loaded." " But I assure you it is. I took that precaution, knowing my man. No, don't come a step nearer, if you place any value on your- worthless which I rather buspect. Your way is back against the door "':■';; >' '

sideways from it. I don't like the -look .of you, Lafane; you don't appeal to me." "Don't I?" ho grinned; "what a pity. Try and imagine that I am Lieutenant Radley." . - •. t u . She flushed crimson, trembling so violently that the revolver began to wobble in the most ominous manner. "For God's sake put that thing down," he cried, shielding his face with his forearm, "or it will be going off But it did not go off, and as he glanced at it again he saw that it was steady as a rock, that her lips had hardened, and that her brows had contracted in a rather deadly frown. ' " I give you one more chance, she said. "Will you stand aside and let me go?" "I will not." "You mean that?" "Absolutely." The next moment a shot rang out. Up went his hand to his right shoulder, for of a sudden it seea*d as though something red hot was tearing through his flesh. Then he straightened himself, glared at her with desperate, evil eyes, took a step forward—and clattered heavily to the floor. CHAPTER XXTTI. . ' THB THBEE GERMANS. Bewildered at what' she had done, she stood petrified, staring down at him with frightened eyes. He lay breathing stertorously, his arms outspread, his right cheek touching the faded carpet. For a moment she feared she had wounded him fatally, and the mist of murder swept before her eyes and paralysed her energies. And yet she had taken steady aim; sho was still conscious of the cold calculation of that shot. There had been no intention to kill, and she was sure she had not killed him. Nevertheless, some dreadful seconds passed before she could move from the spot. Indeed, volition came only to her through the action of his turning ol his back, glaring savagely up at her, and muttering some violent im. precations. Realising that men who were fatally injured did not behave in this manner, she swiftly crossed to the door, opened it, pulled it to after her, and rapidly descended the stairs. Little time was there for any thought but that she must got away as swiftly as possible with the plans and hand them over to the safe keeping of Sir Rupert Almayne. What came of this dreadful business fcas a matter of secondary importance. ' Alan Radley would know that she had been true to her promise, true to him in her own perverted fashion, and just then she seemed to care for nothing else. She was even ready to stand the charge of murder if by so doing she could prove her faith, make some atonement for tho cruel wrong she had done him. Neither fear of what she bad done nor the dread of consequences appalled her. Over her swept that great passion for self-sacrifice which at times comes to all of us. She had wrought this wrong that good might com© of it, and, though others might overwhelm her with opprobrium, she knew that ho would understand. . i Pausing at the street door, she looked up at the stairway and listened intently, but not a sound reached her. If anyone had heard the shot it was plainly evident that no heed was being taken to it. In that dwelling people were accustomed to mind their own business and not to go i• • ,

assiduously searching for trouble. She believed a door had opened quietly as she stole softly down the stairs; but if this were so nothing came of it, and, realising that it would not be wiso to linger in Buch an environment, she stepped out on to the pavement. i The narrow street was still dark and silent. She paused to look up and down it, and then quickly turned away to the right, the one thought in her mind— get away, to get away and place those papers in safe keeping. That done, she might, be permitted to breathe freely once moro, but until then there would be not a moment free of doubt and terror. She, however, had not taken more than a couple of dozen paces before a huge bundle of a man lurched out of a black shadow and flung a pair of great arms round her. She struggled violently, but she did not scream— dared not. More-* over, she was not one of the screaming sort; and even had she wished to do so the opportunity was only momentary, for another great hand was pressed across her mouth, almost choking her. She struggled, bnt her struggles were useless. A guttural voice told her to keep quiet. The admonition was quite unnecessary. She was like an infant in the clutch of a tiger— and that cruel hand seemed to press the life out of her. Yet even in that last moment of consciousness she realised that her assailants were two in number, and that one of those great hands was tugging at- her coat-pocket. She made one last choking effort to'free herself, and then remembered no more. When she came to she found herself sitting on the pavement in the darkest shadow of the street with her back against the wall. She experienced great difficulty in breathing; hor neck seemed as though it had been twisted, her mouth ached sorely. Instinctively her hand went to her pocket. The papers had gone! For a moment or two she wan stunned, bewildered, overwhelmed by this new catastrophe- Then, spasmodically stagger-, ing to nor feet, she stared fearfully up and down the narrow thoroughfare, but, of course, there was no sign of her assailants. They had vanished as completely as though thoy had never been. And so all her desperate daring had ended in ultimate defeat. The plans Were now on their way to Rudolf von Austermann, and, once in his possession, it would need an army to wring them from him. The guttural accents of her assailants proclaimed the land of their origin. She had set herself to frustrate tho efforts of the great German Empire, and had been crushed in the issue. With a slow step and an aching brain Eunice returned to the King's Road and there mounted a motor-'bus which was proceeding citywards. It was cold up there on the top of that 'bus, but she revelled in it. It cleared her brain somewhat, endowed her with a much-needed vitality. At the same time it enabled her to see with fearful distinctness the deplorable end to her great enterprise. Thero was no hope for hor now, none whatever- Rudolf von Auitermann had succeeded at last, and she was ground to the dust. Sho fancied she saw the mocking smilo on those full red lips of his. How she hated a man with red lips ! He would laugh in that rough, brutal, contemptuous Way of his over her puny efforts. A woman setting herself Tip to outmatch him ! She shuddered, but it was not with tho cold. , do be continued on Satordaj next)