THE WRONG THAT WAS DONE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20556, 6 May 1930, Page 18

THE WRONG THAT WAS DONE.

BY JOHN IRONSIDE,

SYNOFStS. 'After years ol self-sacrifico in order thai lier orphan niece. Nan Nevill, might have a good education, Kate Kennedy is onioying easier circumstmces. Nan help 3 with her incomo derived as a teacher of dancing, while ■Kate is the pianist at, a local cinema, One afternoon Kate i? taken ill at, tho end of a matinee. She manages to stumble across to ier customary cafe for tea, but is followed by a tall, darft man. He confronts Kate, and she is startled to seo Arthur fteviu, Nan's father and a sometime convict, whom Bbo had thought dead. Nevill demands to nee Nan, but Kafe denies knowledge of the girl's whereabouts, and he departs. Nan is accompanied home from the dancing school tbe sumo night by Bobby Johnsou. Nan finds her aunt unconscious. she is able to command Bobby's help, Tn the morning Kate has made an improvement and is able to read a. letter. It informs her that she has inherited from a forgotten cousin a cottage known as Jack 0 f Oluns and an annual income of £I2OO. 1 lie cottage is in Nymphswell. Somerset, and both women are overjoyed, Kate because it aUorcis on escape from Arthur Nevill. On leavins Kate Kennedy in the eafe, Nevill give 3 instructions to his chautleuicompanion, Dick Timms, telling him to rcStiaiu in Birmingham while ho goes on to Bristol. Timms proceeds to the cato vacated by his "boss." where he identifies Kate and phadows her. When the evening performance js over, Kate feels really ill and 13 glad to have his escort tp her flat. He stays on long enough to read a letter lying on the mat,. Ho has succeeded in Ins taik— that ot discovering the address of Kate. Lingering an the street, Timms takes cover as Nan and Bobby come up, and is struck by tho remarkable likeness between Nan and his "boss." who goes by tho name of I\orton. Tho chauffeur catches an early train to Bristol and reports. _ While journeying to ,"Weston in the car, Ncvill locates Nymphs.veli on a map. After a month's convalescence, Kato is fible to move to Nymphswell. They aro to ptay at tho Blue Anchor Hotel for a day or two. CHAPTER V. THE FIRST ADVENTURE. Nan immediately " clicked " with Mrs. !Lee. By the time they had washed off tho dust of travel, auc! sat down to the high tea. the good lady had prepared for them, they were on excellent terms. She plied tho landlady with eager questions, which were answered loquaciously. " No, you can't seo Jack o' Clubs from here," Mrs. Lee said. "It lies up over beyond the Spur, along the road and then a stiffish climb." " 1 shall go and have a look at it after

tea." " Don't 'ee try to do anything of the Sort, miss," Mrs. Lee advised. " The moon will be down early, and it'll bo dark and dreary. Better bide till morning, when Martha Ilidd will be there, with fires arid all ready for 'ee. Martha used to do for Mr. Kennedy, and has had the keys all along," she a'lded, turning to Kate. She's a good sort, is Martha. Not much look at, but honest, as the day. She's' hoping you'll keep her on. Mr. Kennedy thought a deal of old Martha/ " You knew my cousin, Mr. Kennedy!" fcsked Kate. Knew him ma'rn ? Why he was down along most nightSj tlio life anil soul of the Blue Anchor, till he took ill." " Why did he call th& cottago 1 Jack of Clubs?' " asked Nan. " Lor' bless you. my dear, he didn't. It's been ' Jack ; of Clubs ' for hundreds of years, after the man as built it, along in the old smuggling days. You'll hear lots of tales about Jack o' Clubs. ' lie was •famous all down along the coast. He was killed in a fight with the 'cisemen, so they sav, on the beach- beyond the Spur, and the story goes that his ghost walks there to this day— '* "A smuggler's ghost! Ooh, wouldn t 1 just love to see it," interrupted n-'-'Have you ever seen him. Mrs. Lee?" ' "Not me!" said Mrs. Lee, piling the last of the crockery on the tray. " I don't believe in ghosts, but there's a many that 'does. .You won't find a mart in Nymps'ell so brave as to walk along the beach beyond the Spur," when the moon's down—no, nor even to ran his boat in, though it's good landing, most tides—for fear of Jack o' Club's ghost. Pack o' nonsense I call it!" Kate moved to an armchair by the fire, and crouched there. She felt utterly .weary, utterly dejected. " Byes for S' OU » darling,"- Nan said authoritatively. " We're both' forgetting you're still on the sick list, and must be absolutely done up. Come along." Kate made no demur, and Nan dutifully helped her to bed, tucked her in snugly ■with hot water bottles, administered a couple of aspirins as a precaution against sleeplessness, and retreated, quietly annexing her travelling coat after she had put cut tho candle.* She slipped the coat on, and stole downstairs. There was no one in the passage, but -from the taproom and bar-parlour she heard soft Somerset, voices. Outside there was no living creature in sight. She hesitated between the little 6tone jetty, close .by, and a slip beside it, leading down to the beach, chose the latter, and found herself on the sands, almost as firm and smooth as a cricket pitch. The full moon was still.fairly high in the »sky, flooding sea. and land with radiance. ■Down the beach tho tide was splashing in, with little playful burst, of silver spray, and in the 'near, distance one little fishing boat* cruised serenely before the light breeze, its, sail black against the moonlight. Glancing landward she discovered that the had passed the rocky foot of the Spur, the headland that ran down, enclosing the little bay, and was on the further beach that stretched southward, out of sight. Tho haunted beach, shunned by ,the " Nymps'ellites!" Involuntarily retreating before the advancing tide, Nan strolled shoreward, staring upward at tho range of hills that rose abruptly, still visible, but with shadows falling and deepening as tho moon sank. The scattered lights of the village were hidden by the Spur. But a moving gleam, which she judged to be a bicycle 3amp, indicated that a road ran along near the edge of the cliff. Above, almost on -a line with her, as she stood, she discerned a long, low, white house, show-ing'ghost-like in the weird dusk among the dark trees or shrubs surrounding it, ;while above it the hill rose against tho [darkening, starry sky. That must be Jack of Clubs, and if so, ,what a splendid - view would bo theirs, jright out to sea! , She turned to retrace lier steps, realised at last how rapidly the light was failing, hastened toward the point, and stopped phort in dismay. She had forgotten the' incoming tide, bud now it had swept in, far beyond tho .place where she had come rcuind. Ihe rocks at the foot wore already in deep, swirling water, throwing up a, cloud of spray with every wave that surged and .broke on them. There was no*getting back that way, and everything seemed changed. The sea had become dark, threatening the friendly moon was rapidly sinking into a bank of clouds.. Surely there must bo some other way back, Up the cliff she hurried, peering through the increasing gloom, halted, fearing to stray farther, and shouted aloud. Tho cry came echoing back from the cliffs and"was followed by a queer sort of shriek that startled her, till a. whirr of ,wings above assured her that she had merely disturbed some seagulls. Ono more desperate shout, and this time there was .an answer. No echo or pea-bird's cry, but a man's voice. She sped toward it, calling once more, fend again came an answer, simultaneously .with a beam of light that flashed in her face from an electric torch. The man iwho held it appeared only like a darker shadow, but. she liked the sound of his .voice. Indeed, any human voice was jwpicomß at that moment. " Nov/ what on earth are you doing Jiere at this time of night, young lady?" She explained rapidly and merrily, her fcourago restored*

(COPYRIGHT.)

A BRILLIANT AND THRILLING LOVE ROMANCE.

" Lucky I happened to be within hail, or you might, have been hero all night, ho "said. " Rather a foolish—even dangerous freak, Miss—- " Ncvill, Anno Ncvill." , " Mies Anne Nevill." Ho repeated the name softly, as if ho liked tho sound of if. " You see, the Nymphswell folk never come on this beach after darj—"l know!" she interrupted. llic y say it's haunted bv Jack of Clubs. I thought vou might bo ho when you first called, and jolly glnd I to hear J' ou " Which is the way:" ' He had switched off tho torch and they stood together in the dark. t nable to distinguish his features, she wondered if his face was as nice as his voico. He was very tall. She herself was of average height and he towered above her. " You can't get up the cliff. " Why not? I call, if you can, and 1 suppose you were going to, as you must have come down it just now. M "Impossible! In tho dark, anyhow. "You have your-light." " That would bo useless. No, wo must find some other way. I know! Strongs out there in his boat, I saw him -while the moon was up. He may bo within hail. Let's try." ,- Ho strodo down to tho water s edge with Nan flitting besido him. flashed the torch thrice, sent a mighty hail, " Strong! Ahoy there! Strong!" booming over the water, and again flashed the signals. There came an answering hail, and they waited, ho flashing the torch at intervals. "Is that Mr. Strong of tho Well House?" she asked with interest. " No. His stepmother and brother live there," " Oh. And do vou live here, Mr.— ? " No. Here he is. Hallo, Strong! This way!" Again he flashed the torch, and they saw the boat ghost-like, making straight toward them. Someone aboard hailed. "That you. Norton? What's up?" " Found a lady marooned here—cut off by the tide. Can" you beach the boat and take us off?" Norton shouted. "Righto!" sang out Martin Strong, and shortened sail with a creak and clatter, as the little craft came aground on the sand, a few yards beyond. " I shall have to carry you," said Nor-

ton. "Not likely!" Nan declared. I can wade out. Half a minute while I f;Vke off my shoes and stockings." " Don't bo foolish, child," ho retorted, picked her up as though she were a child, and splashed into tho water alongside the boat. Nan laughed aloud. How strong he was. How beautifully he held her. She hadn't an idea, of course, of his age, though she didn't think he was young. Somehow she felt as if she might have known him all her life. A queer idea, doubtless induced by tho glamour of the night, and of this exciting adventure. CHAPTER VI. NOISES IK THE NIGHT. " Ready, Strong ?" asked Norton, and swung Nan into the bat. Martin Strong steadied hereto a seat in. the stern, and turned to Norton, who jumped aboard and helped to push the boat off. "Who is she?" Martin murmured. Norton answered aloud, as one who makes an introduction: " Miss Anne Nevill, allow me to introduce Mr. Martin Strong. One of your new neighbours." Strong did not take the hand she extended toward him, nor did ho speak one word. Nan liked the look of him, a graceful, athletic figure in his close-fitting fisherman's guernsey and cap. Norton took the tiller, but, as she was quick to note, placed himself at a safe distance, from her. His clothes were drenched. " You're wet through! All my silly fault!" she. said. " Don't trouble yourself, child. I shall cadge a change from Strong. Look here, I would like you to promise me something." . There was an almost caressing tone in his voice that thrilled her with a strange sense of familiarity, and that she never dreamt of resenting. So might her father have spoken, had he lived, and come back from the war.

" I'll promise, if it's a promise I'm able to keep." " Good. Give me your word that you'll never go again on that beach after dark, looking for 'Jack of Club's ghost, or anything else?" "Yes, I'll promise that. I didn't do it. on purpose you know. I just went on without thinking that the moon might be sinking and the tide coming up. But I shall soon be moon-wise, and tide-wise, and won't do anything so foolish again ! I can't expect you always to be at hand to rescue me." " I wonder how you'll like living here ? ' Ho was steering for the lantern, hun? as a guiding light at the end of the little jetty, brought the boat cleverly alongside some .steps, and Martin Strong lowered the sail and made fast. helped Nan up the steps,' and as they appeared on the jetty, the light of a lantern shone- from the other end< a woman's voice hailed, and two dark figures came toward them, one bearing the lantern. , "You'll be all right now," ho? said. " Here are the Lees 011 the look-out for you. Good-bye, child. Take care of yourself." " Oh, but I shall see you again !" Nan exclaimed. " I haven't properly thanked you yet, Mr. Norton. Won't you call and see my aunt—Miss Kennedy—to-morrow ? She'll want to thank you, too." " T shall be far away to-morrow. Goodbye!" said Norton, released her hands, which he had held in a close grip, and disappeared down the steps. "Good-bye!" called Nan. " Good-bye, Mr. Strong, and thanks awfully!" There was no answer from Hie boat. Turning, sho went toward the approaching lantern. "My dear maid, wherever have you been ? I never had a. bigger fright than when I found you'd gone out!" cried Sirs. Lee. " I'm so sorry," said Nan contritely, and again rapidly explained, adding: "When did you find out, Mrs. Lee? Is my aunt awake, and frightened ?" " She wasn't when we came out, half an hour ago. After closing time I peeped into the sitting-room to see if everything was all right, and as the lamp was burning and yo t u not there, I thought you must have gone lo bed and forgot it. But something or other 1 old mo to make sure, so I peeped into the bedroom, quiet like, and saw your aunt sleeping like a baby, and your bed empty. That fair scared me. and I ran down to Lee—-this is my husband, Mr. Lee, miss—and we've been up along to Jack of Clubs, to see if you'd gone there after all. But 'twas all quiet there. We'd just got back and wondering what to do next, when we saw Mr. Strong's boat coming in. Well, thank goodness, you're safe.. Though, 'twas a foolish thing to do. my dear. Anything might have happened to 'ee!" "That's so!" said Mr. Lee. "Come along into the parlour, miss, and have something hot." Nan accepted the hospitable invitation. !Now that the excitement was over, she did feel cbld, hungry, and -tired. In the parlour behind the bar sho knelt on the hearthrug, warming her hands at the embers, as Lee mixed hot port wine and water for her, and glasses of grog for himself and his good wife. " Whatever was Mr. Norton doing down there at all, at such a time of night?" she asked. " I don't know any more than you do," said Nan. "He told me he didn't live here, and should be far away to-morrow. Who is he, Mrs. Lee?" (To be continued daily.)