THE BADGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20235, 20 April 1929, Page 16 (Supplement)

THE BADGE.

/ BY BEN BOLT.

}'■ CHAPTER XIX. Before Doirington could pick himself up and clear his foot from the entanglement, the Spain was 011 him, had knocked •him flat and pinned his hands wide in spread-eagle fashion. lie kicked and struggled to throw the man off, but the one who had first attacked him rolled clear of tlio fire and dropped on his legs. Between the two ho was quite helpless, and recognising that further strugglo was in vain and no more than an invitation to violence, he ceased his frantic efforts and lay supine. Then to his cars came a burst of evil laughter, and looking up ho saw Mailiiison / staring at him with eyes evilly triumphant. Then ho spoke to one of his satellites. " Strip that artistic eye-patch away, Emil." The man did so roughly, then Malilnsou spoke again. " One cannot expect a tinker to keep a clean face. But you have a handkerchief, Ertil! ' Yes?. . . Ono can do much with that. Just scrub off some of that sooty grime. It may iiido a treasure as docs tlio grime 011 an old master. There is viter there in the bucket." Five seconds later was drenched with water from the dripping handkerchief, and the man scrubbed his fare with a zest that was far from pleasant. "'That will do. Emil!" Mallirison leaned forward again, then laughed once more. " A perfect restoration. Tlio features como out clearly, their old beauty undirnmed!" Then his tone changed and his voice took a ferocious quality. "So Mr. Dorrington you were the tinker after all! ./. . What have you done with my ' ward—tjie little Celie to whom you play the hern?"

As Mallinson asked his question, Dorrington forced an ojaculation of surprise. "You have lost her? Heaven be thanked!" / At the words Mallinson's eyes flamed ' rat hfully. He stooped and shook his fist in the ether's face. " You rejoice," lie began stonnily, 'but

He did not finish the words. A flicker of doubt showed on his face, then 110 broke out again. " You were abroad last night. I met vou. You were 011 tho way to the mill liouse. Where were you going?" Dorrington marked the doubt in the man's face and deliberately played upon it.

Vou met me ? . . . Are you so sure of that ?" lie asked quietly. Mqlliijson evidently was not suro. Ho stood/there for a moment a lowering look on his face, biting his lips, then he broke out harshly.

" What matter ? That chit is nothing now that 1 have you! 1 shall get her egain/through you—when I care to whistle. And you have tho trump card—stolen from my house at Barking when you played the burglar tho other night. Where is it ? In the care of "that fool Major, or hidden in the house there?"

He looked in the direction of The Nook as ha. spoke and fearing that he might observe something that might inform him of Celie's presence in the house, Dorrington replied quickly and deliberately. " Neither!" "So!" The man laughed sharply. " You carry it with you like a fool! . . . Go through him, Emil." The man he addressed dropped on his knees on the turf and began to search Dorrington with scientific precision. In a Very little time he brought the bronze badge to light. Mallinson seized it eagerly examined it carefully, then his eyes gleaming with cupidity, he laughed exultantly. " I am greatly obliged to you," he said, ■weighing the badge in his hand as one might have weighed diamonds. " For seven years I have sought this talisman, and vo'u have found it for me. If it were not that you are due to be hanged I should say in sheer gratitude take my •ward " He broke off and laughed again. " But one must respect the law. And you have a reputation. The papers are ringing with your exploits. There are, I believe, several authorities desiring to renew your acquaintance. One must consider them. If I were to shut you in that house there " He waved a hand in the. direction of The, Nook as ho spoke, and Dorrington chancing to glance that way, to his great apprehension saw the girl's white face at an upper window. He was in mortal fear lest Mallinson should look that way, btit fortunately the man was absorbed in the problem before him, and' went on musingly: "But no! Your friend Darling might find vc/u before the police could arrive. And besides there is Celie. I imagine you lire the candle to which she will play moth. For the present I must hold you-" He turned to his associates. " Carry .this fool to the car. It is best that we do not linger here." The three men picked Dorrington up as if he had been a sack of chaff, iind carrying him to the car dumped him on the floor, where he lay with relief surging in his heart. "Celie is safe!" was (he thought in his mind. " Celie is safe! ' But scarcely had the relief surged when it was overwhelmed by a new teriific npprehension. " I have an idea," said Mallinson suddenly to his associates. " Darling may know of this precious bauble in any case ho knows too much. In an hour or so ho comes to seek his friend. He inteirupted himself to look over the edge of the car and laughed evilly at his victim. You did not know that, hey ? But it would be unkind to let you remain in ignorance of the Major's loyalty. esterda vho sent a telegram " I know." answered Dorrington. " I iaw it arrive." "The devil! you did?" Mallinson was plainly astonished, and Dorrington could not forego the little triumph that the occasion offered. "And I had it repeated!" " So! " A lowering look came into the other's face. " And doubtless warned him. That makes it trebly necessary that the fool should be scotched. . . Emil and 'Barbouchi you will go to that house. You ■will wait for the man till midnight, unless I send you word to return. If he comes you will secure him. That is clear, hev ? " l 'i T'arfaitmerit! " answered the man Emil. " Then go.'' The two men departed immediately, and tvhilo Mallinson and the fourth mo!i climbed into tho ear, Dorrington groaned inwarly in utter despair. The rascals entering the house could not fail to lind Celie, and if Mallinson secured her again, having in his hand what lie plainly believed was the key to Marcel Dauvray's fortune, her life he was assured was ;n jeopardy. As the car moved on he writhed in helplessness. He could do nothing, and his own fate, be was assured, was as dark as that which was marching so swiftly on Celie.

At 1 lie Nook. Cclie Dauvray, sobbing behind the curtains of the upper window ■whetv-e she had witnessed her iovcr's discomfiture, watched tlio car drive away. }'or (he moment she was stunned by the turn events hud taken and utterly cureless of herself. Then suddenly she became aware of the two men walking across the open down in the"direction of the house. Sire recognised them instantly, and realising that they were making for Tlio Nook Mas assailed by sudden terror. Did lliev know of her presence there ? It seemed likely, sitico what other reason couid they have for coming there? ller first wild impulse was to flee, and she turned sharply from the window. The next instant, however, the folly of precipitate action asserted itself. She could not lea>vo the house without the pair seeing her. True, she might run; but she did

BRILLIANT ROMANCE OF BURIED TREASURE.

(COPTIIICHT.)

nob know the district, and on that desolate countryside she would be overtaken before she could meet anyone who might givo her help. Her mind presented tlio alternative in a singlo flash of thought. Her lover hud mentioned the possibility of Major Darling's arrival at The Nook. If slio could conceal herself until ho came all might be well, and her lover saved. As the idea came to her, perturbance gave place to an astonishing coolness. Moving again to the window, and standing well out of sight, she peered through the meshes of the certain. The two men had already readied the wall of the terraced garden and one of them was in tho act of clambering over. In another minute they would bo in the house and she had little time (0 seek a place of concealment. Hastily she began lo look around. It was possible that t lie pair might never mount the stairs to the upper region of tlio house, but that was a chance not to be counted upon. She must hide, so that even if either of the two men did make a casual exploration she would go undiscovered. The room in which she was, offeied but one placo of concealment—-a massive wardrobo of early Victorian design. That might servo very well. Her thought broke at the remembrance of a door at the end of the landing outside. She had opened it in curiosity only an hour ago, and found that it was a clothes closet bung all round with a woman's dresses and smelling strongly of camphor. That would prove an ideal hiding-place, since, concealed among the dresses she would 'remain undiscovered, except in the case of a quile rigorous inspection. From below came a sharp crash of glass. The precious pair in their endeavour to opon the window, as she guessed, had broken one of the panes. She heard Emil laugh, then at (he sound of a sliding window. she moved noiselessly from the room to tho closet, and leaving tlio door slightly ajar, concealed hex-self among the dresses. Tho sounds of movement from below reached her quito plainly. Slio heard first ono man drop into the room and then the other, and a moment later heard the man Emil cry out laughingly: " Tiens, Barbouchi! We have tlio good fortune! Here is brandy, and I have a thirst." Other sounds presently came lo her, including tho tinkling of glass on glass, and she knew that the pair had discovered tho tantalus upon the sideboard and were making free with it. Tho knowledge kindled new hope within her. If only there wcro sufficient of the spirit for the men below to succumb to its potency, the door of escape would be open. Crouching in the closet she remained listening for what seemed an interminable time. Occasionally the sound of voices or of laughter drifted to tier, and once an evil jest about herself that made her ears burn. Then for a time there was quiet, qnd thinking that possibly pair had fallen asleep or had been overcome bv the brandy, she crept from her hiding-place and standing by the rail at the head of the stairs she looked down. The door of the room where the two men were was half open, an.d though it commanded the outer door, it came to her as she stood there that if tho pair were under the influence of the spirituous liquor they had drunk, it might be possible to make her way outside and intercept Major Darling beforo he entered the house. As she considered the idea, it began to attract her. It had, she saw, quite obvious advantages. If, by any chance she could meet her lover's friend, the pair of scoundrels downstairs might be left to their own devices while she carried him away to her lover's help. Her heart quickened a little at the thought, and she looked toward tho outer door with eves that grew bright with excited anticipation. Then like a cold douche came the voice of the man Emil: " Diablc! That Major is an eternity in arriving. I grow stiff with sitting here. She caught the sound of a chair pushed backward, of feet slipping on polished oak, and in the grip of sudden terror she slipped back into her hiding-place, crouching in the darkest'corner, half suffocated by the dresses which she dragged about her for concealment. Up the stairs came the noise of advancing feet. Both men, as she guessed, were ascending, and as one stumbled the other laughed a trifle tipsily.

"Steady, Barbouchi! We climb the stairs and do not make the descent." A moment or two later both men made tho landing, and she heard them halt, then sounded the voice of the Spahi: V There should be tilings of worth in a house if we could find them " "Loot!" I'lmil laughed. " Mon Dieu! We can but look. There is a door here. Maybe it is the treasure chamber."

Steps advanced on the landing, approaching the door of the closet. She heard thern halt outside and held her breath —her soul shaken by a very agouv of apprehension. Then the door was jerked violently open, and, without seeing, she knew that the man Ernil was peering in. A second later she heard Emil exclaim in disgust: "Poof! Camphor to scare the moth. This place is a mere clothes chest."

Tho man flung-to the door in disgust and she heard his steps go along the landing. She listened alertly. If botli the men passed on she might slip down the stairs and out of the house .without their becoming aware of her presence. But only one pair of footsteps passed on, and she guessed that the man Barbouchi had not moved: and a minute later had confirmation, for speaking from one of the bedroom windows came limil s voice. " There is nothing but furniture and chamber-lincn that is of value. " So!" Barbouchi's voice near at hand answered. " Maybe in one of the oilier chambers "

The remark went unfinished, but it confirmed her guess, 'lhc Spalii had not moved. He was still on the landing and seemed indisposed to move. Again the sound of feet drew near her hiding-place, then a door was (lung violently open and she heard Emil cry out with clwigi incd laughter: " Another room ol the same type. Nothing here. l>ct us return to the 100111 below. There is slill a little brandy in tho decanter." " Trues Ernil! And though the prophet forbade it, brandy is tlic elixir of life. Let us, as you say, return. She heard both men descend the stairs and enter the dining-room: and assured now thaL there was little liklihood of discovery, or of in any way accidentally attracting the attention of the precious pair, she tip-toed from her hiding-place and stood listening. Only a rumble of voices very indistinct came up the staircase, but the door stood open and she must pass it to reach the outer door. That, she was convinced, was not yet a practicable proposition, but she did not return to her hiding-place, conceiving that now the men had searched the house there was no need. Slipping along the landing she made her way to one of the bedrooms jvliich commanded the road between the house and the hill, and once inside moved to the window and stood looking forth. The mist was now quite gone and the hill slumbered in the afternoon sunshine. Her eyes travelled tip and down the rough road. It was empty cf traffic, not so inui.il as a cart showing on the hilly expause. A little sigh of hopelessness escaped her. " Will he never come?" she whispered. There seemed room for doubt upon the point. Tho most of two hours passed without any sign of the man for whom sho watched, and at. the end of that time she heard the outer door open, and watching cautiously saw the man Barbouchi slip across the road and begin lo ascend the hill. Her fust thought was that he was leaving the house for the old mill, but when she saw him take up a position that commanded the road on tho farther side of the hill, she understood. Mko herself, tho Spain was watching for the. coming of Major Darling, whilst limil waited in the house. Assured of that, tho girl censed to watch the roqd and gave all her attention to that alert man on the hill-side. (To bo continued daily.)