"SHADOWS BY THE SEA"

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20112, 24 November 1928, Page 18 (Supplement)

"SHADOWS BY THE SEA"

BY JEFFERSON FARJEON.

CHAPTER IX. AT THE LILY POND. " Mr. Softon," said Jessica Fyno, after a silence, and hor voico was more than usually anxious, " I've relied on your advice up to now, and I mean to go on relying on your advico. But don't yon think —we ought to communicato with tho police ? " " I'm considering it," he answered, gravely. "It would, of course, bo the obvious course." "But still you're doubtful?" " A little." " Why ? " she demanded. " Why—if it's the obvious course? " " Because there's so much about this case that isn't obvious, Miss Fytie," lie replied. " Perhaps I'm a fool—yes, per]iaP3 we ought to rush to tho police station. I may come round to that view yet. But wo'vo got nothing really definite to tell th° polico up to now—oh, you can looked surprised, but it's true! Why, nearly every scrap of information that vo'd give them would bo based on supposition, and the police simply loathe supposition. They lovo good, solid e\itlenee." " You're not suggesting, are you, that they'd disbelieve us?" she exclaimed. " Disbelieve us?" he mused. "No, they mightn't go as far as that. But thev might attribute one-half of what wo told th,'!n to nerves, and tho other half to imagination. After all, what have we got, to tell them? Do you think your local inspector would bo impressed l,y a story about a dead man who had only permitted himself to bo seen by a email, illiterate boy? Or by the assumed theft of that small boy a notebook ? Or by a theory about a mysterious visitor ? Or by tho agitation of nn Italian waiter — " " Yes. but what about tho disappearmice of tho agitated waitor ? interposed Jessica. " That's definite enough, surely'! " " Luigi may turn up again, responded Leonard " It's inconceivable that, at this stage, the local inspector would organise a search for him." He paused, and considered another piece of information which lie might pass on to th polico station, and which he had not yet passed on even to Miss Fyne. But he had a scheme of his own for wrestling the secret of the wreck from its battered bosom and he told himself he would soon know what lay behind the uncanny locked door. He was not at nil sure that the police would do the iob better than ho could, or more quickly. " And now, Mr. Sefton," said Jessica Fyno, suddenly, with a little smile, "what is your r*al reason for hesitating (O bring the polico into it ? " " My real reason ? " he repeated. " Ye;i, your real reason. You can keep rno in the dark, if you like, but you can't prevent me from knowing that you're keeping mo in the dark." Now he smiled, too, and drew his chair li little closer. ✓

" You're right—there is another reason," ho told her, " and I haven't mentioned it before because I'm afraid of worrying yon." He turned his head, and glanced through the little office window into the lounge hall; then he continued, in a low voice, " Luigi isn't the only person I'm doubtful about in your hotel, Miss Fyne-. A feeling is growing inside me that there* are others whom it would be unwise to trust—and to alarm." "To alarm ?" she exclaimed. " I—l don't quito understand!" " Suppose, for the sake of argument, that some big scheme is afoot, and that tho disappearance of your father, and all tho other queer things that happened since, are connected with that scheme ? Thero may be more people in it here than your waiter—and if wo alarm them beforo we checkmate them, wo may lose them, or urge them to commit rash acts." lia paused, as though considering his own words. " Yes, in that case, tho situation would bo very delicate, and it would require very delicate handling." "Tt would," sha agreed, frowning. " What is your plan, then ? I supposo you've got one?" " My plan is to call in tho police the moment I'm certain it's necessary, and meanwhile to build up a little unofficial police force of our own. It comprises, so far, besides our two solves, tho worthy Jim and Miss Haines."

" I approve of Miss Haines, said Jessica, quickly. A little too quickly, perhaps, but she was anxious to kill a foolish little pang of jealousy at birth. "Yes, Miss Haines i 3 very definitely on your side, Miss Fyne," answered Leonard. "You've noth|nß whatever to fear from hor." " Of course not."

" And, in a few moments, I'm going to enlist Mr. N'apoleon Truelovo, also." Jessica raided her eyebrows in surprise " Mr. Truelove is a very nice young man," she observed, " but he's the lf>st person I'd engage as a constable!" " The last person is sometimes the best ferson," responded Leonard. " Anyway, proposo to put him on our staff—if you've no objection 7" Before Miss Fyne could reply, the proposed now recruit came quickly across the hall and put his head in at the window. " I say," ho exclaimed. "Don't let me interrupt or anything—but we wondered whether you'd liko to tootle along for a game of bridge?" Leonard turned, and regarded the newcomer thoughtfully. "Am I needed?" he asked. " Confoundedly," beamed Napoleon. '' We need your cheerful face." '• Well, if Unit's tho only requirement, I'm sura you can find another cheerful face." replied Leonard, smiling. "As p mutter of fact, Mr. Truelove, I rather needed yours." " Well, L m offering it to voti, nrn't J?" retorted the amiablo young man. " Only you ve got to coirie and get it, fx> to speak. Miss Haines is playing, and Carslndo " " Look hero." interrupted Leonard, " I wish you'll get a substitute. No, two mb.stitutes—ollo fur me, and the other for you. 1 want to talk to you." "Mo Whatever for?" He glanced at Jessica Fyne. " Have I done anything?" " No —but wo want you to do something. Docs that, old man who sits at the corner tabic play Napoleon nodded. " 'Lhen get hira, for one. And what about Miss Haines' brother, for the fourth?" " 1 say—aro you serious about all this ?" demanded Napoleon, blinking. ( crtainly, I am. Fix up the game, find then conic back, and I'll tell you all about it." " Kighty-ho," murmured Napoleon. I'll tootle off, then." "Good man!" said Leonard. "And don't forget to tootle back again after-

y.'ai'ds." Napoleon withdrew his head from tho window—ho had a long nock, and the withdrawal of his head reminded Leonard of an animal at tho zoo returning to tho back of its cago after having been fed. When ho had disappeared, Leonard turned again to Miss Fyne and asked: " Would you ring for the maid ? She may have some explanation of Luigi's disappearance." " Why, of course, she may," exclaimed Jessica. "We ought to have thought of that beforo." " I did think of it," ho answered, " but I'm pretty sure wo'll draw a blank .Don't_lot her know the matter's import<&nfc« Just u casual question you know." Jessica rang, and Florence duly reBpondec] to the summons.

A FASCINATING AND ROMANTIC DETECTIVE SERIAL.

(COPYRIGHT.)

' Where's Luigi, Florence ?" inquired Jessica. " I rang for him, but he didn't come."

'I I think hfl's out, miss," replied tho maid.

" But he isn't usually out at this time, is lie ?" .

" No, miss. There's work waiting for him to do." 'Florence's tone was disapproving. It suggested that if one engaged Italian waiters, one couldn't expect tho highest results. " Thank you, Florence," said Jessica. " I dare say he's attending to something in tho garden." As the maid departed, Nanoleon Truelovo returned. lie informed them that he had carried out instructions, and that Guy Haines and Valentino Morley were making up the table "Did you try Mr. Griddlo?" asked Leonard.

" Yes, but be said he had a headache, and was going to his room." "What excuse did vou give?"

" Oh, I just choked up the obvious, don't you know. I'm s'posod to bo writing a most important letter." He grinned. " Shall I como in and write it in the office ?"

" Yes, please come in," invited Jessica, but Leonard shook his head. " Go and write your letter," he said. " Don't mako it a long one. And then you might wander out for a smoke. Miss Fvne will be showing me the lily-pond—-you may like to have a look at it, too." " I say," murmured Napoleon, impressed. " Wc'ro doin* the thing in style, what?"

Two minutes later, Leonard Sefton and Jessica Fyne were walking toward tho lily-pond, which lay to the north of the grounds near the edge of a steep drop. The drop ended in the sea. which could bo glimpsed through a tangle of stunted trees and shrubs.

Tho light was fading, but there was still enough to see by. It. was a delightful spot, quiet and peaceful, and beside tho pond a little white seat glowed with unnatural brilliance through tho gloaming. For a moment Leonard forgot the original purpose that had brought him here, and turned to his companion with an exclamation of delight. " It is charming!" he said, enthusiastically. "Is this one of your own conceptions ?" " Fathor and I designed the garden botween us, when he took over tho place," she answered. " That is, we made some alterations and additions. This is one of them." "You deserve success!" " It's nice of you to say so. Yes, I believe —but for this. . . ." She paused. " We had to spend a lot at first, you know. That handicapped us. But you've got to spend money to make it, haven't you ?" " That is the commercial rule. Is there a way down to the sea hero?"

He glanced toward tho edge, but she shook her head.

"Oh, no! It's much too steep. We did think of it once, but it's much too dangerous. . . What's that?" she exclaimed, stopping abruptly. A cry roso up to them. Leonard sprang to the edge, and looked over. CHAPTER X. TUB CONTENTS OF A SHED. At first he could distinguish nothing, for tho tangled tree-trunks and tho bunches of stubble mado confusing black patches in tho fading light, but soon ho noticed that one of the black patches was swaying to and fro, and was of human, not vegetable, origin." "Do you see anything?" asked Jessica's anxious voice, over his shoulder. " Yes, I do," ho replied. " Somebody's down there—" The cry rose again, and this time it was unmistakable. '"Elp!" yelled the swaying black patch. "Oi! 'Elp!" "Good Lord, it's Jim!" exclaimed Leonard. Making a cup with his hands, he called back, softly but resonantly: " All right, Jim! Hold on! I'm coming." A faint gulp responded. "Mr. Selton—bo careful!" gasped Jesssica, as Leonard began to lower himself over the edge. " If—if anything happened to you —" "It won't," he assured her. " I've spent three holidays in Switzerland; and this won't worry me. Don't be alarmed." Sho longed to stay and watch the descent, feeling that the moment she took her eyes off him ho would fall, but instead she turned and ran to the shed, she seized a coil of rope from a stout hook, and returning to tho lily-pond she mado one end fast round the trunk of a tree. Then sho hastened to the edge again, and looked over, her heart sick with fear. But a littlo cry of gladness escaped her as she saw that Leonard was climbing down carefully and steadily, while tho little black patch was still swinging and swaying below him. "Mr. Sefton!" she called. "Yes?" he called back. " I've got a rope. One end's tied to a tree. I m going to throw tho other end down." " Well done! But wait a second . . Now!" She threw tho rope, and ho caught it. "Well done!" ho said, again. "I'll have that boy safo in a jiffy." Jim was not far below. Ho was, 35 a matter of fact, only a third of the way down the cliff, but when Leonard reached him he found that tho boy was hanging over a jutting branch at a spot where the sea was almost immediately beneath his swaying form, whilo one foot had become wedgecf in a hole. " Hang on, old chap!" cried Leonard, encouragingly ' You 11 soon bo on tho top, blacking boots again." If Jim smiled, only tho ocean saw it, for nothing else was in front of his face; but it is doubtful whether Jim did smile. Ho was far too uncomfortable. A few moments later, bo felt hands groping at his foot. Thoro was a sudden shooting wrench of pain, and then the foot was free. A strong arm encircled him. Tho sea changed its position below him, and disappeared. For a socond or two, Jim frankly blubbed. But hp despised tears. Ho thought nothing of boys who cried. When ho discovered, therefore, that ho was safo, he grinned fiercely, and pretended that the wholo thing was immenso fun. Ho becamo so light-headed, in fact, that Leonard had to speak to him sharply to get him to behave rationally at all. " I comes dahn arter it, yer see," bubbled Jim. "I'm sure you did," replied Leonard; " but wo'll talk about that later. Now just cling on to mo until wo reach that rope that's hanging above us. Seo it ? Good! Steady, now!" Thoy readied tho rope, and Leonard tied it. round tho boy's body. Then, by careful stages, they ascended to tho top, finally assisted over the edgo by eager bands. A minute went by, for tho regaining of breath. Then Leonard turned • o Jiin and said: " Now, (oil us how you got into that most extraordinary position! Did you fall over Jim, or what?" v * ;, . Ci note-book, sir," replied Jim. '\ cr see,l tracked it." What you tracked it to the cliff?" exclaimed Leonard " Yessir. It, was like this: When I leavps ver, I ses, 1 Loojy's took it. That's uot it is. Loojy.' 'f'os 'c saw me writ in' in it yesterday, nnd 'n wanted to 'avo a look, but I ses, ' No, Loojy, it's privit.' and e gets cross. So it was a easy bet e d slipped it from my pocket, so I goes to find 'im, hut 'e wasn't nowhere, so I ses to meself, ' 'Or! right, Loojy, yours is sizo seven, so I'll 'avo yer.' And I tracks 'is steps from the back door and along the path wot comes 'ere, but I loses 'em On the grass, but I sees 'em agin along another path and tracks 'em to tho shed. Dut 'e ain't there, and I comes back 'ere agin, and, lookin' over the edge, there's my note-book." Jim. paused for breath, and Jessica asked, after a glanco at Leonard; " Do

you mean, Jim, that your book was lying down the cliff 1" " Yes miss," answered Jim. " I sees it tliore'. And I climbs down arter it, but 1 slips, and just as Ira bendm down to pick it up, I slips agin, and the book goes inter the sea, and, K oll y> I tiiort I was goin' in arter it. But I 'its a tree, and me foot gets caught, and then I start ollerin'. And then Mr. Sefton comes along, and—and that s ori. " Quito enough, too, I think, commented Leonard. "So ( your note-boo* is now in the sea, eh ? , , " Yessir," answered Jim, in depressed to "°Ancl do you still think Luigi took it?"

" Yessir." , .. , " But why should ho throw it down tho cliff?" ~ " Spite, sir, bein' a furrenner. " I see. And after tho spite, fright! Is that your theory?" " Well—' e seems to 'avo nudo lssclf scarce, ain't 'e?" , •' Oh I dare sav he'll soon come bacK again."' remarke'd Leonard. " Meanwhile, don t worry, Jim. advice to you is to tako it easy for a I,it you've had a bit of a shakiiig-and then "to go on with your work. " Yessir," said Jim, and rose to his fret. Ho was a trifle unsteady, but he managed to draw himself up to his full height—which was not much—as ho added, "I did find out '°° 1 lfc ' sir ' didn't I?" „ . t- >' " I wouldn't go as far as that, Jim, returned Leonard; " but, anyway, you vo made a good guess, and you vo dona the job I set you." On tho point of departure. Jim enquired: " 'Avo I still gotter keep mum. " As a door-post," nodded Leonard. " And door-posts, Jim, don't say a word to anyone." Jim* smiled faintly, then jumped, as a now figure loomed near. But it was only Napoleon Truelove. It annoyed Jim, as ho walked back to the hotel, to feel that ho had jumped over such a trifle. " Now. don't lam into mo for bein' late," exclaimed Napoleon. " J spent ten minutes over that letter, and then I couldn't remember whether you said the lilv pond or the roso garden So I went to tho rosegarden—my luck's always out —and bumped into Mr. Griddle—- " I thought ho was going to his room, interposed Jessica. "So did I," answered Napoleon. 'ln fact, it was rather funny. ' How's your headache V I said to him. and ho replied, 'Written your letter?' Then we both laughed, though tho Lord knows why!

" Ho dicln't believo you'd written a letter ?" asked Leonard. " Ho had to believe it," retorted Napoleon, " 'cos I took it out of my pocket and asked if he'd como to the pillar box with me." Leonard smiled, and looked at Jessica. Sho answered his smile. Napoleon Truelove was proving himself to bo quito an astute policeman, after all. i 4 Finish your story," said Leonard. " Did you go to tlio pillar box ? " Yes. And posted the letter. That's what made me so late. It was to myself in London. I expect it will be redirected on here. * Hallo,' I said in it, ' How are you?' When I get it I shall reply, and tell myself how I am." Jessica burst into a laugh, and Leonard's heart warmed to his new reenjit. It was the first time ho had seen Jessica laugh like that; and it made him long to seo her laugh again. For not only was Jessica's laugh a happy laugh (and all laughter is not that), but it made the hearer happy. A natural spring in her nature, temporarily clogged, had temporarily flowed again. " But I'm still waiting to learn whether Mr. Griddle accompanied you to the letter box," remarked Leonard. " He did," nodded Napoleon. " Did he see the name and address on tho envelope?" Napoleon chuckled. 11 There is a line in one of Henry Arthur Jones' priceless plays that runs, ' I may be an ass, but I'm not a silly ass.' Well, I'm not a silly ass. Mr. CI riddles didn't see the name anil address, and if bo suspects mo it can only bo because ho has a nasty, suspicious nature But, look here, I What am I doing all this for ? It s time you told me, isn't it?" Napoleon's eyes grew wido with amazement when he heard all Leonard had to tell, tho last part of what he heard being related to him after Jessica Fvftp had returned to tho hotel. Under the pretext of coiling up tho ropo and putting it away in the shed, the two men stayed out a few minutes longer, and it was during thoso few minutes that Leonard briefly outlined the incidents that bad occurred at the wreck, and how ho proposed tc deal with those incidents. " It's going to be some risk, isn't it?" queried Napoleon, when Leonard had finished " That is, I mean—if there's anything in it at all—and thoso sounds weren't imagination." " If they wero imagination," responded Leonard calmly, " then there'll bo no risk." " H'in. But—you don't think they weje imagination, do you?" " I don't. But they may bavo been." " And if they weren't imagination—"—" " Its absolutely vital that tho all too solid facts shall bo dealt with. I'd rather deal with it alone " " Why V

" Perhaps," smiled Leonard, " because of tho risk. But a personal risk is ono thing, and a risk of the failure of justice being done is another. Which is why, Mr. Truelove, I suggest enlisting your assistance in the manner aforementioned." Napoleon grinned " Think we'd better drop tho ' Mr,' somehow, if we're goin' to die together," ho proposed. " You may cajl me anything you like bar ' Nappy,' which is strictly reserved for a certain person But look hero. I say, isn't it rather priceless that you should pick upon a fellow like me, when you could have selected " " I'm sure I could have selected no ono better,' 'interposed Leonard. "And, if wo make fools of ourselves " " It will bo nico anil natural that I should bo one of tho fools," Napoleon finished for him. ". Deucedly charmed, I'm sure'—Anythin' for tho sake of tho dear little red herring But look bore, I sav—what about the boat?"

" [ know where there's one," replied Leonard. " Leavo that part of it to me", and trot along and do your part. But just shove the shed door open first, will you, so 1 can chuck iu this ropo ?" " Not necessary," murmured Napoleon. " It's opening all of itself." The dooi was pushed wide, and Luigi stepped out.. If Napoleon Truelove was not. as he avowed, a silly ass, thcro were moments when lie was an ass. and this moment proved to bn ono of them. "Well. I'll lie Mowed!" ho exclaimed in astonishment, as tho Italain waiter emerged. " And where liavo you beeu hiding yourself - '" Luigi was plainly flustered by the question. But then —as Leonard pointed out somewhat severely to Napoleon, a little later—it is not usual for a guest to address a waiter in such terms, or even to know sufficient of a hotel s routine to ho surprised at a waiter's temporary absence. Luigi's agitation, therefore, could have been ascribed to quite natural causes.

"' I din" myself?" faltered Luigi. "I tio 'ide mvself!"

" Mr. Truelove alludes to the fact that we heard Miss Fyno asking for you, Luigi," interposed Leonard, quietly. siio wondered where you were—that's all."

" Si, si!" cried Luigi, liis face brightening. " 1 go Htid tell 'or." lie. looked at Leonard, as though surprised at Leonard's Jack of interest. After n moment's hesitaion. ho added, rather doubtfully, " You wonder, too, where 1 go ?" Not particularly." replied Leonard, untruthfully. " Just because 1 tried to help Miss Fvno this afternoon by questioning you about another matter, it's not my business to superviso your comings end goincs. I don't run this hotel, you know. Coma along, Truelovo—let's *bo getting insido." (To be continued daily.)