THE HYPHOTIST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17139, 19 April 1919, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE HYPHOTIST.

BY JAMES L. FDLLERTON, • COPYRIGHT. CHAPTER XXXVI. . : "help!" When Lord Reepham, accompanied by Ned, arrived, in his special at Terley, after a run that constituted almost a record for the distance, he chartered the station fly and drove straight to tho Golden Lion. At tho hotel ho found a wire from Lady Hav.-kbridge, saying that she and Mrs. Traite hoped to reach, there that night, or at latest the next morning, and hastily engaging rooms, he drove to the Mirror Office, with strong hopes of picking up a message there. The staff by this time had fallen into a condition of suspended wakefulness. "Hare you a letter here for me? My name is Reepham!" "No lerrer for name Reep'm." "I addressed a telegram," he went on patiently, "here this morning for Z4B2—" "Oh, ha and the youth lifted himself to emit a discordant bray. "Goo", thish annum? of'm. 'Nurrer 'v the men aft' employicen' o' capilthish is too funny!" Girling's impatience broke out. "Look 'ere, you drunken young puppy, this yers I,ord Reep'm, and he s on a life and death job. Just you answer his questions, and don't givo 'im no lip!" The rough speech and the information it conveyed had the effect of a cold douche. The youth flushed so red that the pimplea were lost in the general glow. "Bo' par', m' lord, 'm sure. Y'r the secon' call'r for Z wots-is-name to-day, 'n it sheemed funny." "Yes, yes, but the wire has it been given to him?" "No wire received. I've been here all day, excep d ner time, an' no wire come," "We mast go to the post office, Ned Just one more question, the other inquirer for Z4B2—what was he like? " 'Thick-set sho'ish chap, joll' goo' f'lo', dark eyes, an funny talk — joll' chap, though!" r " It's him!" said Ned sepulchrallv. "Did they meet?" "Yesh, met here, an' went out t' gerr t' ha' drink, I 'xpec'." "He's not had my wire, that's certain. We must go to the post office to find out what has happened to it, then if we can't pick him up we'll try the police station." The postmaster proved most anxious to assist, and wires were not so plentiful at Terley that one cannot be traced with ease, particularly when a well-known peer is inquiring. "I sent a message addressed to Z482, Mirror office, Terley, from London this morning, and I find it has not been; delivered." It. was quickly traced to the new messenger boy, Johnson, who came in trembling' and scarcely able to articulate. " Did you take a message to the Mirror office this morning?" the postmaster' inquired. " Y-y-ves, sir!" "What did vou do with it?" ." Q-g-gave It to the g-g-gentleman, sir!" "What gentleman?" " Th-th-tbe gentleman inside the d-door, *-s-sir !" "Where? Upstairs?" " Nununo, sir, downstairs." "What did he do?" " Opened it and read it, and said there was no answer." " But you know quite well, Johnson, vour instructions are' that messages must be delivered at the places to which they are addressed, and the Mirror office i's upstairs." The for this only the inevitable answer of youth when in £ tight place, and he began, to cry. " May I ask him one question ? Thank you !" Then, very gently, " Can you tell me what the gentleman was like who took the wfre?" inquired Reepham of the nervous lad. To the boy's eye, Hockern in the halflight had loomed gigantic, and in a voice muffled with soke, he replied, " V-v-verv tall—sir—with wu-wu-whiskers on his chin." His hearers could not refrain from smiling, which encouraged the boy to continue, "I see him again this afternoon, sir." " Good!" said Lord Reepham, who knew the description cofild not apply to Cephas. " Where did you see him 7" " I was going down to the golf house with a message, and they went down the steps off the links in front of me, him and another gentleman." " Another gentleman ?" " Yu-yu-yes, sir, not so tall, and limped a little." Lord Reepham nodded at Ned. Go on, go on." " They went across the links and over ihe hill. I see them." " You must have loitered, Johnston," broke in the official voice. Johnson saw that over-confidence had led him into error, and had recourse to the same defence as before. " Only, boo —a mu-minute, boo." Hastily begging mercy for the culprit, Lord Reepham said, " Can we drive anyhow to the place the boy mentions?" I'm afraid there's no way of driving there without going several miles round; 1 it would be quicker to walk," replied the , postmaster. "Could you spare anybody to show us the way ?" "I was just going myself 'for my after- , noon walk in that direction, and should be pleased to assist you." .* , "I should be greatly obliged if you j would." They jumped into the cab to drive to < the top of the steps leading to the links, 1 and Lord Reepham tried hard to dissuade Ned. Every moment may be of import- ] you won't be able to keep up with us, ' Ned. very moiflent may be of import- 1 ance." ' "I'm agoin'," said Ned obstinately, 1 " I'll keep up with you if I dies for it. The lad 6 in danger, an' 1 orter be on ' hand to help *im. If serbe you find me laggin', don't you wait. I'll foller on ' some'uw, if 1 have to crawl!" " You will gather," said Lord Reepham. turning to the postmaster, " that, haste , it vital'' ■ " I think I can help you there. I j usually walk fast, and don't carry much ] Uesh.' 1 ] The walk over the sandhills was silent, , grim, and full of purpose. Ned kept up ( surprisingly well, getting over the ground j with that kind of shuffle which may be ; observed any day oil road between i two neighbouring ports. 1 When they got to the beginning of the i path leading up to and around the headland, the postmaster pointed out to Lord l Reepham the outline of a wall showing < faintly against the dim light on the v her side of the peninsula. « "It would save time," he said, "to go 1 straight across there, but we might miss ' your friends if they have returned past ' that point. I would suggest that we spread out fanwise. The part to the left ' wants knowing, and I'll take that, 1 can 5 command the whole extent of the path. , You (ould go straight across, and your friend could bear off to the right; it will r pave his legs a little. If either of us sees [ anything a shout will bring the others, y Don't go beyond tho wall till 1 pick you up. there are some dangerous places." f While they were thus closing in upon c their object in one directnn, another figure was lessening the distance separate j ing him fronicHockfrn and Marriage 111 -v the rear. He was only a country police- f man, it is truf, hut a nourisher of an q idea, \\ hen the chief constable of Terley & received the wire from Inspector Sum- p mors he Sent at once for I'olice-constable fc Coatee, and gave him short instructions, h "There is a gentleman in the town—a t stranger, about six feet in height and [ burly, dark complexion, beard, about 1 fifty—probably waiting about the Mirror i office, maybe in company with another u gentlemanalso a stranger. Find the big i man out and shadow hiin. Slick to him 1 whatever happens. If you do this all t right it may be a good thing for you." t "Plain clothes, sir?" h " By all means." g Coates had done his work so far with c preat success. Not for nothing had he £ devoted his leisure to the assimilation of t detective stories, nor was his acquaintance f with a. celebrated work on scouting futile,

for it was fancifully suggested among; his mates that he could compute accurately the number of visitors from the colliery districts on a given day by. the colour (if the sea alone. Dressed as a farm labourer, a part ho played to perfection, owing to early exn? ne vj?» he had picked up Hockerri at Use : Mirror office, waiting, apparently tfozing, over a glass of ale, while Hockern sat m the snuggery, saw him join Cephas, and attached himself to; them unobtrusively. As a natural figure in the landscape he attracted no attention. Ho seemed to be engaged in the ordinary occupations of his life, at one moment piling up stones on a dry wall, at another stopping in a ditch as if clearing it out. He had kept the pair constantly in sight, without raising the slightest bus- i picion in Hockern's mind that ho was being shadowed, had watched them turn, j and, lying under a wall, allowed them to pass him, then followed at a safe dis-1 tance drawing nearer gradually as the i twilight deepened.

CHAPTER XXXVII. A GENUINE surprise.

"'Now, ai think you'll join me!" and Hockern, ending his appeal to Marriage, waited for an answer. Marriage forced a laugh he did not feel. "Thanks very much—but 1 really couldn't," he began. . "What d'ye mane?" the Devon accent becoming broader in. Hockern's excitement. "You cudden't— don't understand such feulishness. Wai, lad, there's a peerage an' half a million or moor, besides other things, an' 've cooree yeu'll join me." J 'I can't, Mr. Hockern. The Hawkbridgo matter is not news to me, and I've decided to have nothing to do with it!" "Whut? Yeu hev!" " Certainly." * I How did yen faind it .out, then?" Keepham discovered it first, and told me as soon as he was rare of it." " Geud Lord! Well, ef ai know a bigger feul than yeu tes Reepham! Mai Lourd, what 'tee to have to due with these honest feuls.' Hockern tried hard to regain some control of himself. "Well, look hero, Marriage, though that doesn't weigh with you, you're going to leave the country —wai should you interfere with me— yon leave me to carry out my plan alone?" "No, I can't, and for that reason I'm glad I've seen you! I believed you when you said you had dropped the "big deal, but you are still hankering after it, and I must tell you that I made up my mind, before I left England, to give such information in the proper quarters as would prevent you initiating the movement. It j would be a fraud on the public if you carried it through." " But why 'r you so set on interferin' with me? I've always treated you well, haven't ai?"

"I have had much kindness from you, and I would give a good deal in return, but not what you ask of me." • Hockern walked along in silence for a second or two, as if busied with reflecting on Marriage's last speech, In reality he was taking his bearings and looking with quick, side-long glances to see whether there was anybody in sight. As far as he could see, they were entirely alone, and in the dusk and evening haze were not perceptible at any great distance. There was a slight passage of faint light in the sky where the sun had gone down, and against this tho top of the boundary wall stood out distinctly. All seamed secure for his purpose, while a sullen booming, distinguishable amid the clamour of the waves, told him that he was close to the " Blow Hole," which he had marked down on his outward journey as most suitable to his purpose. He made one last appeal. " Won't you go without doing that, Marriage?" he asked. -

I "I can't!" was. the reply. | A text floated into Hockern's mind, detached, inconsequent. Without conscious irreverence he muttered _it to himself, "What thou doeat, do quickly!" " By God, I say you shall!" he hissed out the words. • ]

He was fumbling with something in his hands for a second, and, as he finished his sentence, he sprang forward, and with a. swift movement had thrust a large adhesive surface to the lower part of Cephas' face, completely covering his nostrils and mouth. Almost with the same motion he caught his arm. and with a sudden strong effort brought the hands together, fastening them with a thin cord behind the back of his. victim. Cephas struggled to escape to the extent of his power, but he wan a child in Hockern hands. • A push laid him full length on the glass, and in a second his feet were tied together, and all this was done so quickly and with so much method as to suggest hands; rendered expert by much previous experience. Then reason fled from Hockern's brain, and demoniacal passion took full command. His eyes gleamed, and he laughed a deep and hideous laugh. " I'm tired of you, young feller. Ive got t' go this time, y' hear me? I've had a few shots at you before. Ha! ha! Y' didn't suspect th.' boss, did ye? I m goin' t* put y' down that hole, an y ran tell all the folks y' meet down there 'bout my big deal. Ha! ha! ha.' Hockern stooped to lift his victim, who was so paralysed by the horror of the revelation just made to him that he was unable to feel fear of the terrible death impending over him. , As Hockern rose with Cephas in his. arms Coates, who had been approaching over the velvety turf without a sound, threw himself "forward, and, gripping Martin round the elbows,* attempted to pin his arms. _ , The effect was startling. Hockern .dropped Marriage, who fell heavily, and released himself' from the policeman s grip as though it were a child s, then, lashing out backwards with his foot, he struck Coates just below 1 the knee and sent him reeling, in intense pain, towards the edge of the cliff. Tho sense of proportion had deserted Hockern; that his crime had a witness was nothing, but Coates had uttered a desperate cry for help in the hope that someone might by chance be within hear- ' his glad surprise, an answering yell came back from Ned's lips, accompanied bv a signal to Lord Reepham, whose faint hallo was heard in the distance. Scrambling over the wall, Ned was in time to see Coates' attack, and its defeat, and as Hockern, lifting Cephas, started again in the direction of the " Blow Hole, i Ned closed in from the side, warned by Coates' fate, and in a moment a pair of long, lean, bony hands were round Hockern's throat. The frenzied man made a. vain effort to free himself from the snake-like fingers pressing on his windpipe ; clasping Cephas with his right arm, .Martin swung his left elbow free, and striking Ned across the middle of the face, sent him staggering, cursing, bleeding, and half-stunned. The way to " Blow Hole" was clear now, and Hockern stepped towards it, only to be stayed once more by Coates, who, in spite of his pain, returned to the struggle with dogged courage, and, stooping low, he three" a strong grip round Hockern's waist, trying to drag him to the ground. Lord Reepham had been coming at the top of his speed to the scene of the struggle, escaping by a miracle the pitfalls in his path, and, as Hockern dashed his right hand into the constable's face and tried to break from his grasp, the newcomer succeeded in dragging Cephas from Hockern's grasp and pulled off the horrible adhesive plaster from his face so that Cephas was able to draw a breath of fresh air, more delightful than any draught he had ever experienced. With a snarl Hockern recognised his new assailant, and, half-turning he struck with his tremendous right hand at tho face. Fortunately tho blow did not land quite fairly, though it was sufficient to send Lord Reepham heavily to earth. Ho sprang up again, and Hockern, maddened by fury, rushed on him, whilst Nod, who had regained hia senses, came reeling up behind, waving his right hand in a peculiar fashion. Twice he struck at lfockern's back curious blows, seemingly ineffective, but, as the second fell, Martin uttered a ghastly sound, half choke half hiccup, for Ned held a long thin sheathknife. They were now on tho brink of the " Blow Hole," and after the second blow Martin's agony caused him to throw his right hand out convulsively. It grasped Ned's collar, and, falling, in that death grip, the two men disappeared together, sweeping Cephas before them into the very pit which Hockern had designed for his victim.

(To be continued op Saturday next.)