THE STOLEN MASTERPIECE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20600, 26 June 1930, Page 20

THE STOLEN MASTERPIECE.

By T. C. BRIDGES. .

CHAPTER XIX. THE NEW r.G. To a fisherman there is no water more enchanting than a moorland brook wherp trout aro rising. A chalk stream holds larger fish, a Highland loch may provide a bigger basket, but a little moorland river breaking down in falls and runs and deep swirling pools has them beaten a mile. On this August day the. moor was at its best. Soft clouds moved slowly across the brilliant blue of the sky and chequered tho purple hills with soft shadows. Along tho brook itself tall clumps of purple loosestrife bloomed, and tho steep banks were covered with a wealth of deep green ferns. Tho white scuts of rabbits flicked among tho tall bracken, and birds wore everywhere. Meadow pipits, wagtails, summer snipe, while now and then a water ouzel flitted from rock to rock. Overhead the curlews wheeled and callod th«jr wild, plaintive cry, and more than once a wide-winged heron flapped up from a shallow pool. It was all so perfect that soon their troubles fell away from Nance and Jim, and they enjoyed themselves like two children. So as not to bo separated, they took tho pools turn and turn about, and Jim soon found that Nanco could lay as straight a line across the water as he himself. Tho little brown trout wore rising well, and though some were so small they had to go back, tho creels soon began to grow heavy. Mid-day found them two miles from tho house, • and both of them hungiy enough to thoroughly enjoy their luncheon. Nance found a big flat rock, and then they spread their sandwiches and cake, while Jim cooled the bottle of cider, which he had carried, in a little spring of icy water. They finished every crumb, neatly buried tho paper in which the sandwiches had been wrapped, and Jim handed his cigarette case to Nance. " Two Turkeys in the corner." he said. " I put them in on purpose for you." ." You really are the most thoughfal man,", smiled Nance, as she put one between her lips and took tho lighted match Jim offered. " I caught it from you," replied Jim. " You aro always thinking of other people, so it's about time someone thought for you." " It's very nice to be thought for," said Nanco softly. Jim looked at her. " I'd ask nothing better," he said. " I would like to think for you always, Nance." Nanco made no pretence of misunderstanding him. " No, Jim," she said gently. " I could not allow that." "Why not?" urged Jim. "Nance, you do like me ?" " I like you very much, Jim." said Nance frankly, " but—but that is all." Jim went rather white. " Is—is there anyone else, Nance?" ho asked. " No, Jim, there is no one else." " Then cannot you give me any hope, my dear?" " I—l do not know," said Nance uncertainly. " You—you must give mo time, Jim."

Jim's face relaxed. "If that's all—" he began, but She stopped him. " Jim, do not misunderstand me. Ido not know whether it is all. I have told you there is no man 1 like better than you, but I should never marry a man just because I liked him. It would have to bo something better than that." Jim was not at all discouraged. "Of course it would, and I'm not going to put up any silly arguments on the subject. All I ask is a fair chance, Nance." " 1 can promise you that much, anyhow." Nance answered with a smile, as she threw down the end of her cigarette and put her foot on it. Then she rose and picked up her rod. " And now I think we had better fish back," she said. " Mr. Ayimer will probably be in by tea-time." " He'll be back sooner than that," said Jim, as ho pointed to a car which had just topped the rise, the very same risa, by the bye, where ho had first seen Maurice appear, chased by Midian. Nance turned and shading her eyes with her band irom the sun, gazed at the two-seater which was coming rapidly down the slope. " Yes, it is Mr. Ayimer, but—but there is someone with him," she said, and then a look of dismay crossed her face. "It must bo Major Hallam," she exclaimed. "Major Hallam," repeated Jim, puzzled. " Yes, our new p.g. In all the excitement of yesterday I quite forgot that he was due to-day. Jim, this is terrible. His room is not ready, or anything." Nance looked positively tragic, but Jim only laughed. "The best thing to do will be to stop them, and get them to give you a lift," he said, and without waiting for her consent, ran forward, shouting. Ayimer saw him and pulled up, and his companion got out and walked down the hill to meet Jim. Jim crossed the river by jumping from rock to rock, and hurried up tho opposite slope. As ho camo nearer he saw that the stranger waS a well-set-up man of about thirty-live. Not a bit the type of the retired major, for he was lean in tho Hanks, broad-shouldered and remarkably well-dressed. Good-looking, too, though in rather a hard way, with pale-blue eyes, bleak as a winter's sky. " Major Hallam ?" asked Jim. " Yes, and you are Mr. Coryton, aren't you'!" "I'm Coryton. Can you give Miss 'J'remayne a lift back to the house?" Instead of answering, Hallam sprang forward and ran past Jim down the slope. At the same moment there was a faint cry followed by a splash. Jim turned just in time to see that Nance, attempting to cross the river by tho stones, had missed her footing and gone sideways into the deep pool below.

CHAPTER XX. JIM IS JEALOUS. Tlio pool was small but deep and tlio. dark wale: took an ugly spin under tlie high bank of black peat. As Jim raced after Hallam he saw Nance's head rise in the centre of the pool. She struck out at once, but the swirl was too much for her, and the under-tow dragged her down. Hallain reached tlio bank ahead of Jim, and without waiting even to fling off his coat, made a big jump and struck the water, feet first, quite closo to Nanco. He vanished for a moment, then came up witli ! his right arm round her. " It's all right, 1 Coryton," ho shouted. " I've got her. iNo need for you to come in." 110 struck I out down stream, and in a few strokes I came to the lower end of tlio pool and ) found his feet. ! " Well, lam a silly," said Nance ruofully, as she swept the water from her eyes with her hands. Slio looked up at, Hallam and smiled. " What a dreadful | introduction, Major Hallain! What am 1 to do, apologise for spoiling your clothes l or thank you for pulling mo out?" I " Neither," replied Hallam. " The best thing you can do is to get into my car as quickly as possible, roll up in my overcoat, hurry homo nnd change." Ilis hard face relaxed as lie spoke and his eyes warmed. Nance was not one of those girls who owe their charm to rouge and lipstick and even in her dripping garments was attractive as ever. Jim folt a nasty little jab of jealousy as ho saw tlio admiration in Hallam's eyes. " There does not seem to be much choice," replied Nance, " for I certainly cannot go on fishing like this." She turned to Jim. "What will you do?" she asked. " Walk back," Jim fold her. " You are sure you are none the worse, Nance ?" " Not in body," 6aid Nance with a laugh Mentally, I am humiliated by be- , ing so stupid as to tumble off those stepping stones." "We all get falls, oven without beingproud." smiled Hallam. " And anyone might slip on those stones for they are smooth as glass. Come, Miss Tremayne. , If you stand talking any longer, you will j catch cold. Let me carry your creel up I the hill."

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" I shall seo you at tea, Jim," said Nance, as she started lightly up the hill. Jim watched Hallam help her into the car and saw thorn drive off. For him the joy of tho day wjis gono. He started fishing again, but his heart was no longer in tho sport, and presently he reeled up, fixed tho tail fly in a ring and, leaving the river, climbed to the road and tramped back towards the Roost. Poor Jim—ho was in a very bad mood. In tho first place he felt that he had blundered in proposing to Nance. He ought to have known it was too soon. A girl like Nance, he told himself, was not the sort to give her heart to a man whom she had only known a week. On top of that ho had let her fall into the river and allowed another mail to rescue her. That was not his fault, but all the same it rankled. And Hallam was so infernally good-looking —just the sort to catch a girl's fancy. ' . All the way home ho kept chewing the end of bitter thoughts*end gradually sinking deepor into a slough of depression, so that Pip, meeting him at the bridge, and noting tho gioom on his face, got quite a shock " Good gosh, she s turned him down!" was Pip's thought, but ho was much too wise to givo it utterance. Instead he said cheerfully. " Hulloa, Jim, how many did you get ?" " About a dozen and a half." " Good man. You've earned your tea." "Is Nance all right?" Jim asked. " Bless you, yes. Right as a trivet. She's looking after Hallam." Jim's lips lightened. " What do you think of that chap, Pip?" " I've hardly seen him," replied Pip, in somo surprise. Bit of a shock, his turning up like this." " Pip," said Jim in a lbw voice. "Seems to me I've seen the fellow somewhere, and can't think where." " Nothing wonderful in that, old man. A deuco of a lot of people must come in and out of that bank of yours." Jim shook his head. " I don't think I saw him in the bank. I wish I could remember where." " I shouldn't worry. Anyhow, what does it matter?" " I don't suppose it does matter." said Jim slowly. " And yet " Pip slapped him on the back. " You've got the blue devils, old man. Your liver must be out of order. \ Come and drink a dish of tea and you'll feel better." j Tea was on tho lawn, as usual in fine weather. When Jim came, out after a Wash lie found everyone around tho table except Maurice, who was still in his room. Hallam had changed into light grey flannels and looked extremely smart. The cut of his clothes, the excellence of his brown shoes, the costly seal ring on his left hand, all went to prove that he was a rich man. Ho was chaffing Nance as Jim came up. " For a lady who declares that she has forgotten her guest, you do things pretty well, Miss Tremayne. Confess, it was all pretence." " Indeed, it was nothing of the sort," protested Nance. " I had quite forgotten that you were coming to-day. But as I told you, I had somo excuso for my forgetfuiness." " Indeed, jes," replied Hallam with sympathy. " Yet surely it is very uncommon for burglars to visit so remote a house as this." " That depends on what they were after," said Aylmer. It was so unusual for him to speak that the rest stopped to listen. " These, however, wore not ordinary burglars," he continued, but came to «teal a special object." He turned to Nance. " I hear they succeeded, Miss Tremayne." Nance looked a little embarrassed. It seemed as if she had not quite counted on tho loss of the picture becoming public property, yet after a moment's thought she appeared to realise that it could not be kept secret from guests in the house. " Yes, Mr. Aylrner," she answered. " They have stolen the picture." " Too bad," said Aylmer slowly, " but I understood it was hidden in a place where it could not- be found. " So wo thought," said Nance ruefully. " but we were mistaken." "Of courso you have informed the police?" said Aylmer, but Nance shook her head. " My cousin did not wish us to do so." Aylmer nodded. " Perhaps he is wise." he remarked and relapsed into his usual silence Hallam had laid down his cup and was leaning forward with an expression of keen interest. Nance saw and laughed. "Go on, Major Hallam. Ask any question you like. I know you must be dying of curiosity." " I am." Hallam confessed. " Only perhaps you would rather not speak of this matter to a comparative stranger." " Since everyone else in the house knows all about the matter, it would bo unfair as well as inipolito to keep you in tlie dark," she said. " Tho picture is one that was bought by an American collector in Italy and smuggled out by my cousin. We were to keep it until its owner called for it and we have failed to do so. lhat is all." " Who are these burglars you sneak of?" Hallam asked. Jim, watching nim, wondered a little at his keenness. " Wo believo them to have been employed by a man named Sharland," Nance told him. " That, at least is the dpinion of my cousin." " And who is Sharland ?" " A bad lot, evidently, but that is about all I know," Nanco answered lightly Hallam picked up his tea cup. " Have you any proof that this Sharland is the thief?" ho questioned. " None," said Nance. " The whole thing is a complete mystery.'' Hallam was not yet satisfied. " One other question, Miss Tremayne. Where did you keep the picture ?" " Nance shook her head. " That is the ono question I must not answer," she said gently. " I should not have asked it," said Hallam. " What I am going to ask is that you will keep your promise, to show mo over this wonderful old house ol yours." "Of courso I will," said Nance brightly. " I am ready now." (To bo continued daily.)