THE BURCOTT TREASURE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16943, 31 August 1918, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE BURCOTT TREASURE.

|fllt# m , H. DE VISME SHAW. '"-',

I." {COPYRIGHT.) -. '. , ;-' CHAPTER XL—(Continued). .\ Wi:%» falters handed back tholfAe'que, noticed for the first "-time; that the felsan before him wore Hugh's well-known 1 signetring. This and the fact that the ,;' : cheque had been ready fori him left nc ■ yooin in his mind for further doubt that H&e aror. of the ring could possibly b« y' anyone but Hugh. ~ ( vj.::' £ , "I must draw another in favour/of mj sister," _ the _ other said as he tore th« - cheque in pieces and dropped them into jUibe waste-paper basket. . "Then <; what rapP it you wished to see me about?" .'? /.'•■;v "About signing a paper, sir," Walters " " answered, drawing the envelope from his pocket, "only I didn't have the chance of saying so. What I came over for was to bring you this from Miss Burcott. ~....„ says I have to witness your signature :; to fie agreement and take it back with M Opening the envelope Walters had handed him, he slowly read the letter IMf and agreement. The faint anile that came SlijSinto. his face did not escape the, little i ,\ ' pan's notice. _; ! — He flung the end of his cigar away Impatiently. " What arrant nonsensel' 1 ■ fce exclaimed. Aro you aware of what Ijfvjll in the agreement?" • » ffifelt was read over, to mo, sir." liflP™ y° u in Miss Burcott's regular now, by the way!" i'"lt was read over to mo, sir." I ."Are you in Miss Burcott'a regular y employ now, by the way!" ||pywi Sir." ; , "In what capacity,, may I ask?" R^ a confidential capacity." , ."Have J m been made aware of what ... has passed between my siser and myaell ■■:%. in the matter with which this aereemenl dsaler ' • ' ■'."I know nothing, sir, beyond what it 'stated in the agreement." y.'tV- ; -He skimmed through Hespera's letter again. ■■; What are your duties in this ,oOtffldontial capacity?" he asked suddenly. i; :: "BeaUy, Mr. Burcott," Walters ant ;wed, nettled in spite of himself by what I V ! he'could not but regard as an insolent ; question, "it is not lor me to tell any/.body what my duties are. If vou wish ; to know, you had better ask Miss Burv •at*." tiMh right, Walters," he said, givinn IltiuHe right, »Nothing he said, givinn a toft laugh. "Nothing like loyafty t'i en's employers. Well, now, about thin agreement you want signed. The whole ,;-I|oceeding « really absttrdj. seeing that 'my London solicitors have already subnc^Hftw^. » ■ statement -of my willingP|^v" v to :;> compromise on ' the ' one» third basis.. However,.l do not in the - least mind signing the paper a* my sister, s|9'j<* perhaps I should say her lawyer) wishee me to; Bat I must let my own solicitor ,y'Jiere ran through it before it is signed. iWUI you look in the day after to-morrow : at the same time?". y' With pleasure, sir." •' r% J.' •" Very welL leave me your address so , 'fiat-1 can write making a fresh appoint--11l Best in case by any chance I find myself enable to keep this one." " >•-, ;'.- -v ,; •■ Walters, elated by'bis success up to the present, made his way at once to the telegraph office, and despatched the following message to Hespera.«— ' ?:.. ♦'Mit to-day. *' He is your brother. signature, day after to-morrow." 'J; .''■--. The : he returned to 'his hoteL He had found that by. writing at,once ho' could catch the English mail, and thus make -, Hespera acquainted with what had passed " ' at least two-days earlier than hie earliest f ? fosrible return : to: Burcott Steeple. ' The ; letter tan i— A- ;■,•■■; ' . ->■ • .y;- ! M Dear 1 Madam,—l am writing a letter to follow the telegram I have just sent off, to tell youi in a few words jwhath* hap§y- pened up till now, so that you may know , ft sooner, than you.would if you had to • wait till I got bajk, aa: thk letter, ought to zeach England two or three days before . I °*, I ™'anappbmtm,nVhß"sc)on-M ,- - possible, after I reached Winnipeg, and'l ■'• > #S|sL|N , Sf*-**-iB. affloe to-day. He v. JutiWtea beard ? and )is .very" tanned, |fe;W A*» F* "outer i than • when I fused.' to %S-i 5 1 ] i* 1 * 3 '/ but there is not? the s - v ®l doubt about : *"» being you? $^!w»T2il^ had even god '» fiLeque foi -H&K drawn and. signed reudy to give m« , frieturn for the money he made me put sm™ ane . Reach mine, but tore it uj jy-iiafte* I told him yon had already given mi Jue aoaey back (for which I" shallow . thank yon . and for all your other; kindr; ■•■l,l and • said she ; would f draw ■ anothei .iiee in your favour.. He was annoyed at J fast about : being asked to sign the agree 'Bent, and said it was arrant nonsense, 1 £ ~; } WW , .' he . ; will.sign ft the da- aftei ■mpwmm when I call at Bis office". iUEi 'iA*»"te to let his solicitor run through it ipWftre he rgns it. - I shall catch the Very .. Kit boat back aftei ft is signed ; and wit ; / :my best respects to yourself and • Mr.Roper.—l remain, ; dear Madam, youi ;jH«t servant, "'■:: ''■•"",,. ' •-, "■■■■. Woh'' - , "JCHK WA^TBtta." ..jiving sealed and - ; stamped vth? envep|jJß?>ha left the 1 hotel, intending to post w.vtt* letter.at ; the - nearest '.- post : : office, and i|««; have his dinner at a small : restaurant ;ji Be had visited the previous day. '',' \\ V A * *? B ™ n S n Vity along; the 'almost y, .deserted ;«jde street, thoughts of Hugh ; : ;u and Hespera chasing one another through t||||&pnd;;i h° tripped suddenly ? and was MgjW.ed headlong with crashing force npor k He could never' tell clearly it happened; it felt to ; him aa though MIJSSt'* : * "*d • caught 5 one '■ of :-.. his % feet '-. m r tin handle of { a stick from ; behind, and :.'i;jt .the same moment had given him a vio- .-."..- switr' push on the back. - ' "",;.■>•. :. However if Lanpened, he remembered MPw.more till he found himself with 11$*" wain and bleeding face in the acci;;;«pt ward of the nearest hospital. v'.., H%/'' CHAPTER. XIX, '' SHI JtESTTNO W THE fWJMS.'' ,-;.,;>:, |IM^len' began *° ask rambling quea-P»^y6u-can. talk afterwards," the nurse £«•« kindly. " You must rest just for a - -tune'now. : ;;'.;^-'-'-;'■' v. ■.■ ■■■ l:-)'if. V fe When at last he was allowed to speak, a PiKj: questions elicited 'all that was known : : 7"out what had happened. ■ : No one actually saw'; the accident occur. ■ym some ; way :or another he appeared to a?*^ tm ''"PP possibly, ; the'police >&ii^ nk » by a dog which, might have run f B * wee u hi legs, as a large dog was seen round him when he was first no |M!Ji**j*« he lay upon the pavement. "At Wm ,4 thought that the doe \ be§||!jAged to him. Certainly no one l had as>f|Wted him with the object of robbery, ;'.?r* £i* watch v and chain : had not ; ; been No, the, police had not .men?*'iw a?? etter he was carrying at the a e accident "was quite a'mysterr.,. K%»he nurse said. But it appeared' no ■yrtery is his own. mind. : _ Ass that he had been, he told himself, to Plpp? 6 letter in his hand!' Doubly an PlpiSWr, the warning Jarrow had thought Ptefary, to give him.' ''". 'I,^' ...;.,: '.■£i: tt <*u, seemed as clear as daylight' to |PP:M he lay them ..Hugh had guessed, might have known he would having just time to .catch the lliWi^, 8 , lWould ak onoe write to Hespera M her the result of the interview..' i iSir^ir 66 of the contents of the letter lliwnlL/ 6 •"' considerable 'importance. either Hugh or his manager, S°IJWg shadowed him, and seen him i!fa!l .'«ave ' the telegraph .office, had back to the hotel,' and seen Tea ? pear on ty a si ol * time afterwards |SB«f in his hand. Seizing a fav#,t^i^ mo raent;. the shadower, whoever ||W'have.been, had tripped him/and iIJS^,^ 1 ' ' a .t' the same'moment, as he W&&■v he had been tripped and pushed HKgkflalthen picked up the letter arid Effij his pocket. .-.., .v----?$&Mt«" was able to leave the hospital a li'.i- w honrs later.' Beyond'having B!-.,^headache, he felt -thor«i-: was iflPWe the matter with : him; > y Btrai S ht from the hospital ito iM-Kyo;station. The official whom;.He |||P|p«! throw, no., light t '•»'»^ , k!! ere foun(J Blunn «d on tho'.pavefes^|wßaid.'',;." Information IliigslMSi o !: °"'r men by an; errand | boy, P«SW'.reached the. spofthero/wasva EitiaWßS straight from the once taken *ion. The official whom he W throw,no : further-light 'er.ce. ./ 'found stunned on tho paveid. " Information was car--1 our men by an errand boy. •ched the. spot there/ was- a 'ou. I'ou were at once taken • P,t al '• on •' an ambulance. : The r^^K^l^>?Ff ; report ? suggests ris gSEt P- : Were - tripped up •by . a big • dog B **. n beside you when you.were lying there unconscious. |Kp.•*•• fllolou from you, was it ?'! ■•; •

% *J id J «ything of value?" W« kl *? only * letter Bui it migl JSw •U*°'/ mport ? nce to «omobody 8 i S^l^ a 3!.« n « Med that I had written «pa was going to post it." ' i • U"I am afraid it would be quite uselei Si* Mr. Walter*. ■- : G^'\ as^ted you either saw tl person who assaulted you/nor did ani XT! Wltn^; the assau Yon will ha\ to make the best of an unpleasant advei S i V 4 Pos^bl y 5 some stranger picked u the letter and posted it." , j Walters rewrote,the letter inmost w<» ™ T,'\ 5 mn ? in addition » short a< count of' the circumstances which ha caused his loss of the original He though Perhaps the. next mail after the one h Bad missed might take the letter to Ent land before he himself arrived there. A all events further delay was quite possibh iftis time, the letter was kept securely bul toned up in his breast pocket till h reached the post office. ■ lie* .next morning his thoughts wer busy with an idea which had occurred t Jim during the night. He might fail i: his purpose-fbut it he were successful i • would be of considerable satisfaction t [ him to b!..able to place such evidence ii Hespera s hands. Entering the slop of a dealer in photo graphw appliances, he asked to hav shown to him a small pocket camera, am to have the method of using it fully ex plained. He quickly mas>„ *ed the neces sarv knowledge. Then he » M forth am took a number of experimental snapshot of people and other moving objects, ant returned to the shop for the purpose o having the film developed. Contrary t< expectations every photograph turned. ou a success. . At the„appointed time the following daj he again entered Hugh Burcott's office, Mr. Burcott is expecting you,' lie man* ger said. "Please step into hit-room." He did • so— found him busilj writing at his desk. In a. few second! he put his pen aside and looked up. " Good morning, Walters. Been in the wars by the -look of your face. How did you manage it?" ; • "I tripped .in. tie street, sir, the day before yesterday ,and bruised myself a bit." "A nasty fall, I should think, by the look of you. Well lam very busy, so we must '.gate through' with this matter at once. My solicitor says," he continued, after pausing for a moment to take the foment from a pigeon-hole in his desk, that although he considers the request for my .signature to the document both unusual and unnecessary, there need be no hesitation on my part ?.'■ jut signing it-which I.will do now." * * ' Taking up his pen" again, he wrote the signature, Hugh Burcott, at the foot of the agreement. - Walters, added his own signature; as witness, and put the document in his pocket.''" ['; , " And now," the other said, rising from ms chair, "I must; finish '•>. up whas, ha* been a very busy" morning's work. I am sure you will excuse me from having a chat when t I say that I have to leave Winnipeg on a' longs'.railway, journey in lees than an hour. Good-bye, Walters— md good luck to you. If ever you thought of settling> in Canada and care -to drop me a line I'think I could find a detent billet for you' cut here.' >■• Walters thanked him as he took the band he offered, arid then left the office.. ; But he 'did not wander from the vicinity rf v the :-. building. "'After walking up and down' two or* three : times he stationed liimself against a lamp-post.- from which oomt of view, anyone coming, from the Norway of ; the : building would— sunlight falling -4 full ; upon him— in in ideal situation • for' a ? snap-shot giving ill possible detail. VI \ '■■■■.„- . He had not long to.waitr-not'five miriites. The very first person to appear at ihe > door way 7 was the man who photograph he wished to take. He paused on the ihreshold for two or three seconds to scan he" addresses of : some letters he held-in lis hand. '<$ It gave Walters ample time to :ake one snap-snot, in profile, and to make aimself ready;' for a. second, > .This second iras taken in a flash as he looked up and law Walters bending over the. finder of the camera which was' levelled at himself. AHe glanced to right and left. No one was : within a hundred and fifty ; yards. He strode up (to Walters— put the jamera behind \ his ? back. His face was white with anger. '; Seizing the little man) by the shoulder he swung him round and ranched the camera > from his grasp— threw, it on ; the pavement and crushed it jnce, twice, three times beneath his heel, then, without a word, : he turned and Called away leisurely down the street >

£ V Nothing of importance happened in 8ur- ,;.;.; cbtt .< Steeple': till ) the "i day.: when \ Walter* j kept hie \ first ■ appointment at \ the office a of Hugh Burcott, Estate Agent. : .-i * Vajentine arrived u usual at Burcott $ Hall iooo after Hespera, had finished £. breakfast, and accompanied her while she t took her basket of flowers to replace those d of yesterday. on her father's grave, Gooch lt was sitting in his regular place on] the ■i. bank, watching for them to leave the )t hall gats. He touched his hat thej jj passed, but did not speak', '>■; . -', jj , As" they regained the road after leaving a the churchyard they; again came' face to „ face.with the old : man. "I want'just a y word jj with you, Miss ■ Burcott and Squire n Roper," he said, supporting himself upon n his crutch.' }] ;;•>---. _.••■;-' d " Wefl/Gooch, what is it now!!' Valen- ,. tine said. . [ ' , " n v; 5?" What have yon given up looking for J that treasure for, Squire Roper!— Thai's li what I want to know." = ■■->■•-v- ,-;.-, i. v;" I am afraid you want to know a good i many tilings,:Gooch, don't.you?" Valentine said with a smile.. ;,-f-'' "■:■''; ''>*' | v', i.% : Maybe I do, Squire" Roper— maybe lii would : be a -good deal better for Miss ' Burcott and yourself if I knew more than • I do how, What have you given 'up ' looking for that 'treasure for!' he' re--8 peated. ',;-, ' i "Perhaps we have not given up looking ; fijr.it ";?■?: :'{„■'■ '.;■,;, -'■;':■. %, «;>;< '.;.:, i "Where is that Londoner 'of youns, i they cali him." the'old man , asked, turning to Hespera. ;v. *,' • "He is away," she answered, '.; >. % "Is he coming back again?** •v/ » *;^4:ift/y ;; :;tl® i ""And when may that be, mis»?" t ;. "y/ithin a fortnight I think." * ... "Ah, well, it makes no difference—it ' makes no difference about your finding the ', treasure," the old man said, looking from '. one to the other. " You will never find ii i if you lire for a thousand years,, whethei 1 you have him to help you or whether yon ' don't. The other one who is after it found ' out about it in some way quite different to the, &ay you are going to work-in ' must have done. I feel I would almost give the rest of my life to find out how 1 he got to know." #»i'K "-•'». ;■ "By the way/' >aid Valentine, "ho* is : this treasure-hunter getting, on ? D< Jon: know, or think you,know, for certain that he is still on the watch, only waitinj till Miss Burcott goes away for .the opportunity of walking off with it?" "I do know for certain, sir," the old man answered, drawing himself up, as hi always did when wishing to. give full emphasis to his words. "He is still on th< witch, and only waiting the opportunity that Miss Burcott's going away would gi?< him—if he killed me first,. This it the gospel truth, I; tell you. Squire Roper. I know. Ae God is in heaven, then will be.murder— him or me—if Itfisi Burcott leaves Burcott Steeple even juei for a few days. Don't you ever forget that, miss—don't you ever forget thai it ;' will ;bo at your doOrs the blame will lie if you go away, and there; is murdei before you come' back." •''.. ■', ';.'''., 1 They turned away. ■' ' \" '*. «;v Hj :'] A sinking feeling { of depression settled upon Hespera, as it had done before Gooch had-spoken in the same strain, She never doubted now that what the old man said was true.. <; I,y ; '.<-j .- '$■ Valentine, as ', they walked ?, in ; silence down the 3 lonely lane, turned and san there were : tears in her eyei). ?■!;';.[;■('•. \v, , ''You'must not. allow what he says t( weigh on your mind, my Hespera. ' h< said gently. ' , "I cannot help it, Val; dear," she an swered.""The v old > man terrifies me. ] am f more t determined ; than , ever j that no thing -shall induce me to leave Burcotl Steeple till the mystery is' cleared up," 1.-';? (To be ocnliflued on Saturday n»xU : life- ' Mik