THE STOLEN MASTERPIECE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20597, 23 June 1930, Page 16

THE STOLEN MASTERPIECE.

By T. C. BRIDGES.

CHAPTER Xlll.—(Continued)

Jim, following Nancy down the steps, found himself in a largo cellar, walled with the same heavy masonry of which the house was built. The floor was solid rock. " What a builder that ancestor of yours!" he remarked. " I can't imagine how Master Rabb and his men did a job like this without dynamito." " This is nothing," said Nance " Wait till you see'the inner cellar." Crossing the floor, sho held the lantern against the opposite wall. " Can you seo anything, Mr. Coryton ? " she asked. " Stones and mortar," said Jim. " Not a thing else." " Watch then." As she spoke Nance pressed her fingers against. one of the Btones. At once a section of the wall about four feet high by three wide swung slowly and quite silently inwards. Ducking her head Nance passed through and the light showed a secohd room about ten feet square and seven high, hewn in the virgin rock on which the house was founded. " There, what do you think of that? " sho asked. " And it is dry as a bono and perfectly well ventilated." " It's rather wonderful," agreed Jim. "Where does the air come in ? " "Through small holes in the roof. Pipes come out in the walls of the house. The picture is here," she added, pointing to a large wooden chest made of solid oak and bound with great iron clamps. "This, I think, was Rabb's money chest," she said as she took a large key from a hook on the wall, and inserted it in the lock. " The lock, you see, is as good as the day it was made, and here is the picture." She took it from its wrappings and held it up. Even by the poor light of the lantern Jim was able to seo the exquisite blue of the Virgin s mantle and "the daintily painted landscape visible through an opening in tho wall of the stable. "Is it not lovely ? " Nance asked. " Lovely indeed," declared Jim with very real admiration. "And how Pip copied it in one day beats me completely. He turned and glanced toward the door. " But I say, is it wise to show it, with these doors both wide open?" "Why not?" asked Nance simply. " No one could come down the passage without Ching seeing. Not that there is anyono to come." " Aylmer," suggested Jim. Nance gave a little laugh. Cellars would not interest the Stately Edward. Besides, in any case, he's away. He went up to London yesterday and will not be back for some days." " That's good," Jim blurted out, and then was conscious that Nance was gazing at him in surprise. " Why do you say that ? " she demanded. " I—l hardly knew," stammered Jim. " J J suppose'l don't quite cotton to the chap." Nance looked a little troubled. " I am sorry you should say that," she said gravely. "Why?" ventured Jim. " Because " she hesitated. " Because I am not quito sure whether I like him myself." CHAPTER. XIV. two's company. Pip was painting on the lawn next morning when Jim, rod in hand, strolled up. A good night's rest had done wonders and Jim was quite himself again. He watched his friend washing in the sky for a moment or two, then spoke. " Pip, don't you think it's pretty risky keeping that picture in the house ? " he asked. Pip flicked some water from'his brush and looked up. " Where do you want to keep it ? " he questioned. " In the bank." Pip grunted. " We'd have to get it there, and if you ask me that would be a jolly sight more risky than keeping it here." " Sharland, yon mean ? " "He or his gang. We've pretty good proof of his organisation already." " Who is Sharland ? " asked Jim. " Search me," said Pip. " No one seems to know anything about the chap. Maurice has never seen nim. All we know is what Vanneck has told Maurice." "It's a rum business," said Jim thoughtfully. ' I fancy it luty te rummer before it's ended." " You mean they may tackle the house —try a burglary ? " " Something of that kind." "Then I suppose we must stay ontil Vanneck has taken tho thing away." Pip cocked his head on one side. "I'll swear that ain't worrying you any," he chuckled. " Oh, I'm very comfortable here," replied Jim calmly, but Pip had no mercy. " You old humbug, you know you'd jolly well stay if you had to sleep on straw and live on porridge." Jim's answer was to pick up Pip's jar of painting water and hold it over his head. "Pax!" cried Pip. "I'll be good." "You'd better," threatened Jim. " Another word from you and I'll make you drink it." " Why are you making such dreadful threats, Mr. Coryton ?" \ came a laughing voice, and Jim turned a delicate puce colour as ho spun round to meet Nance. " Shall I tell ? " jeered Pip. " Now you seo him in his true light, Miss Tremayne," he continuod. "A.brutal bully." " I expect you deserved it, Mr. Paget," said Nance, with a twinkle of fun in her eyes. She looked at Jim's rod. " Are you set on fishing, Mr. Coryton ? " "I am set on anything your ladyship wishes," Jim replied with his best bow. " I was thinking of going cave hunting," said Nance. " And I could do with a little assistance."

" Singular or plural ? " asked Pip, but he did not get any change out of Nance. " I could not think of taking you away from your painting just when the light is right," she answered demurely. "If Mr. Coryton will give mo a hand that will be quite enough." " I feel sure that Jim's hand is very much at your disposal," said Pip maliciously, but the others paid no attentiou, for they had already started. Pip watched them with a whimsical expression on his plump face. " Good luck, old son," he said under his breath And then, "By gum, they make a good-looking couple." " I think a rope is all wo shall need," Nance was explaining to Jim. " I have one in tho coach-house. We can get it on our way." They got tho rope and climbed tho steep hillside behind tho house. It was beautiful weather and so clear that the Welsh coast far away across the Channel was plainly visible. Tho sea lay like a Hat blue plain beneath the massive cliff. It was a very different scene from tho last time Jim had viewed it, when squalls of rain and wind beat furiously against the streaming rocks. " Hero is the place," said Nance 11 brightly. Jim looked over. " Doesn't look so bad to-day," he smiled. " I remember how puzzled I was at your interest in that cave."

" But you understand now." "Of course. You think it may connect with the cellars under the house."

" It's only a think," laughed Nance. " But you see there is a sort of path down to the mouth, or what was a p.itli." Jim nodded. " Yes. It has weathered a lot in three centuries, but 1 can quite imagine it was a path once. If we rig the rope it will be i easy going." ' I—l think we had better go back." They rigged the rope, and found the descent easy enough. "Not much of a cave," said Nance in a disappointed tone as she peered into an irregularly shaped opening not more than five feet high.

(COPYRIGET.)

A THRILLING STORY OF ENTRANCING INTEREST.

" It may not bo much, but it's very interesting," said Jim. "Why?" Nance asked. " Because caves of any sort are rare in this type of rock." " You mean it is not a cave, but an artificial passage ?" asked Nance eagerly. " No, it is natural, but, of course, art may have aided nature." " Lot us see," cried Nance quickly, as she took out a flash lamp, switched it on, and "hurried into the opening. " You had best let me go first," begged Jim, but Nanco either did not or would not hear, and Jim followed her in. Tho floor sloped and was so smooth that Jim felt certain that men had been busy on it at some time in the past. Full of interest and excitement, Nance hurried forward at a great pace, but Jim, keenly mindful of his unpleasant experiences in the old mine, was uneasy. " Not so fast," he called out, and tho words were hardly out of his mouth before he saw Nanco slip. " Oh 1" she cried sharply, and, before Jim could reach her she had pitched forward. Ho saw her shoot out of sight, then the torch clattered on the rocks and went out, and there was nothing but silenco and darkness. CHAPTER XV, / THE MAN WHO WATCHED. Jim's fingers shook so that he could hardly strike a. nyitch. When he did succeed the light showed Nanco lying flat on her back at tho bottom of a short steep slope. Two strides took him down it and ho dropped on his knees beside her. " Nance," he cried, " Nanco, darling, are you hurt?" And then tho match burned his fingers and went out. He struck another and picked up the torch and tried the switch. To his great relief the bulb was undamaged and the light came on. But Nanco was still lying quiet with her eyes closod, and Jim became almost frantic. " Speak to me, Nance," he begged. " Tell mo you are not hurt." To his intense rolief her eyes opened, and as she looked up into his anxious face she smiled slightly. " No. lam not really hurt, but I got a dreadful bump," she added ruefully. " Let me be quiet a minute, Jim, until I get my breath." Jim gave a great sigh of relief, and somothing in his face touched Nance for she smiled again, a. very tender little smile. " You poor boy," she said softly. " I didn't mean to frighten you." "You scared me nearly out of my wits," said Jim reproachfully. "What, just by a little tumble?" " It wasn't that," said Jim soberly. "I was thinking of—of yesterday." "The mine,'' said Nance quickly. "Of course. I ought to have remembered. I am sorry, Jim." The Christian name came quite naturally but it gave Jim a little throb of pleasure. "You are sure you aro not hurt?" he asked again. " I expect I have a bruise or two," laughed Nance, "but realty I am none tha worse. Now let us go on and see what we can see." , " You had much better give it up for tho present," Jim urged. " I am sure you are badly shaken." She laughe'd again and sprang nimbly to her feet. " You are not going to put me off like that," she vowed. " Then I am going first," said Jim, and started. The floor of the passage rose a little, then dipped afresh, running down at a steady slope. Jim went cautiously, holding the torch so that its light fell upon the rock some paces ahead. Suddenly he stopped—stopped so short that Nance almost bumped into him. " What is—?" she began, but when phe saw what Jim was pointing at, she did not finish her sentence. It was a pit, a great black gap extending from wall to wall of the gallery. Jim stopped and picked up a pebble, He took a step forward and let it drop from his outstretched fingers. There was dead silence for a couple of seconds, then a plop came up from the depths. Nance went rather wnite. " Now do you wonder I wa3 frightened ?" Jim asked. She shook her head. "No, Jim," she answered with a little shiver. She came a little closer and gazed down into tho black pit. " There is no way across?" she asked. ( " Not without n. ladder or a plank," Jim told her. " I haven't the nerve left to jump it." "Do not suggest such a thing," said Nance, her fingers closing on his arm. " I—l think we had better go back.'' She was very silent as they retraced their way to the opening, and when she einorged on to tho ledgo she stood still, breathing deeply. " I cannot think how you came through that mine, Jim," she said prcseuTly. " I could never have done it. I am sorry I ever took you into tho cave." " You need not be," Jim answered with a smile. " Thank goodness I haven't quite lost my nerve. Another day wo will bring a plank and cross that pit and see what is beyond it." "It goes in tho direction of the house," Nance said. " Mora or less," allowed Jim. " But it doesn't seem likely to me that there is any connection between it and your collars. That pit is natural, not. artificial, and I should think it would choke off anyone who tried to get through. It seems to mo that our best plan is to hunt for another secret door in your cellar." "I have," Nanco told him. "I have spent hours looking for one- I clo not think there is a stone in the wall that I have not examined. After all, the Plunder Pit is probably ju3t _ a legend." "I'm not so sure/' replied Jim thoughtfully. " After what you showed me yesterday I have a distinctly high opinion of your ancestor's ingenuity. With your permission I am going to tako a hand in the treasure hunt." " I hope you find it," said Nance quickly, and Jim, giving her a quick glance, decided that she actually meant it and felt strangely pleased. But Nanco did not givo "him a chauce to become sentimental. " Let us get back," 3he said. " I feel sure it is near tea-time, and Mrs. Ching has promised us saffron buns. Docs not that make you feel greedy?" " I do nothing but eat." Jim lamented. " If I stay here much longer I shall have to have all my waistcoats let out." Nance laughed merrily. " You will need a great deal of sustenance if you are. going treasure-hunting. I assure you there is nothing moro wearing." Pip .was still painting, but a table laid under a. copper beech gave promise of lea. Explaining that she really must go and tidy up, Nance hurried away in the direction of the house, and Jim stretched his long limbs on tho turf near Pip and lit a cigarette. Pip finished painfing-in a tree behind the house, and brush in hand turned to his friend. "Find anything, Jim?" ho inquired. t '< "A darned big holo which went right down lo sea'level." "No other discoveries?" suggested Pip, innocently. " None," said Jim, a liiile shortly. } " Well, at any rate you enjoyed your walk," persisted Pip. Jim sat up. "Of course. I enjoyed my walk. What aro you driving at?" " Nothing—nothing," said Pip. " But I am afraid this place does not agree with you, Jim. Or perhaps it was that thump on the head. Your temper is getting dreadfully short." (To bo continued daily.)