THE BLACK SHADOW.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21132, 15 March 1932, Page 15

THE BLACK SHADOW.

BY JOHN IRONSIDE. Authof of " Chris," " Lady Pamela's Pearls," ** The Crime and the Casket," etc., etc.

(COPYRIGHT.)

A GRIPPING STORY OF MYSTERY, ADVENTURE AND LOVE. y

CHAPTER XIX. ON TUB BRIDGE. After dinner Ann threw a scarf round her shoulders and, with Judy in attendance, she set out for Dr. Ablett's. She had already rung up Pat from a telephone she found had been installed in her big bedroom during her absence. She had asked for one months ago, for all the other principal rooms had them, and she had been met with a curt refusal. So her father had remembered, and yielded in this small matter also. That, was significant and encouraging. It was .a lovely Juno evening, with a chill in tho air a as is usual in theihills when the sun goes down. It had only just set, and the light was still strong, every ireo and shrub and the outline of the hills standing out. with the peculiar distinctness always seen in the interval bofore twilight beging to fall. She went lightly and swiftly across (lie park, Judy gambolling ahead, till she came in sight of the bridge across tho gorge.

" She's charmed with Ohelcombo so far, as I honed she would be," said Dr. Ablett, gallantly. Pat laughed, but glanced involuntarily up at the bridge and the dark trees abovo it, in black silhouette against the palo sky. She had indeed been delighted with Chelcombe so far, but now, after Ann's story, there suddenly seemed something sinister, and menacing here, in this wild, beautiful park. They chatted for another minute or two, and then separated, Peter and Ann climbing the path in silence till they reached the bridge. There he took her arm protectively and she made no motion to release it. With ono accord they halted and leaned on the rail, where sho and Dorothy had stood a few minutes before, and looked down at the rushing river, where the white foam gleamed ghostlike in the darkness. " Do you think there's anything in the girl's idea?" asked Peter. " Yes, I do. if you'd heard her you'd have thought so, too. But I know so little about it. really. Only what Abby told mo over the 'phone." " Same here, except that he told me more. ITo was puzzled by tho injuries, but, of course, I couldn't give any opinion, as I hadn't so much as seen tho poor chap. Bnt, if tho girl's right, it accounts for everything!" 110 peered at t,h o bush and again at the depths below, and, as Ann shivered involuntarily, tightened his comforting clasp on her arm, and drew her away. " Come along, dear. It's a bit eerie. Not so cheerful, as good old Hyde Park, eh ? Though it's going to be all right — for all of us. I say, where's Judy?" " I'm sure I don't know. She came out with me. She must have gone off rabbiting. Judy!" Sho raised her head and whistled. There was an answering whimper, and Judy appeared from behind a tuft of bracken, a few paces from the bridge, waited for them, and fawned on them, very subdued and apologetic, then with a manifest air of relief, trotted on ahead, glancing back now and then to assure herself that they were coming. " Peter, she knows, Judy knows!" Ann exclaimed in a, hushed tone. " Sho wouldn't go over the bridge, or go near it, even with me. I've never known her do such a thing before. They say dogs can see more than we can." V Not very sporting of Mistress Judy to desert you if she did see or scent anything uncanny," said Peter lightly. "It is a bit queer, but let's try to forget it. What sort of a run did you and Jimmy have?" " Ripping, and he and father seem to hit it off together wonderfully." On such safe topics they discoursed desultorily, till they reached the terrace. Peter declined to come in, saying he woijld see the others to-morrow, but they lingered in the deepening dusk. " Don't go back over that horrible bridge, Peter," she urged. " Look here, let's go round and get Smart to run you down. Ho won't have gone to bed yet.' " Nonsense. It's perfectly light. Won|t be dark at all to-night. Look, the moon S up!" „ " It's always dark here! And —and— • " Do you really care, Ann ?" be asked softly. " You know I care !" Quite an unnecessary question and answer, for they had discovered the interesting fact two days ago, in that inn garden near Dorking. They meant to keep it to themselves for the present though, if possible, and Peter, at any rate, was profoundly grateful for Sir Alfred for butting in so unexpectedly and prevailing on Ann to return home. Nor do I believe Ann would have surrendered to her father so readily under any other circumstances. fceter laughed her out of her fears—quite a pleasant process that took a considerable time. Ihey could actually see tho bridge from the" west corner of the terrace, and there eventually sho waited, watched him cross swiftly and safely. He turned and shouted cheerily, then disappeared down the path, and a few minutes later she heard, through the still air, the bang of tho door in tho wall, find a final distant shout, from the road. He would have to leave the door unlocked, but that, wouldn't matter. Reassured, she went in. (To be continued daily.)

Tho overshadowing trees created a patch of gloom there, through which the bridge gleamed, for the whole of it had now been painted white, though a second handrail had not been added. There was really no need for it, as, with its new white surface, tho bridge was almost startlingly visible. Someone -was standing there, leaning on the rail, a woman in a dark dress. Judy sped toward her, barking, but, us she reached the bridge, crouched down, whining, and went no further. An incident Ann did not notice at the time. The girl had turned, and was hastily dabbing her eyes with her handkerchief. " Why, it's Dorothy Prebble!" cried Ann, noting with surprise that she wore the livery Sir Alfred had chosen for his fomala servants, a dark green dress with frilled white apron and mob cap. " Yes, miss, I'm up at the Court now, second housemaid under Kate. We're all very glad to see you back, Miss Ann," she said tremulously. " Then you've left the inn ?" " Yes, miss. Uncle didn't want me to, but I felt I couldn't bear to bo there, after what's happened. And they would keep on talking about it. About my Bert—or Thomas, as you called him up at the Court." " I see. I was so terribly shocked to hear of it, and so very sorry for you, Dorothy," said Ann, wondering at tho same time why, if the girl found it too painful to hear her lover's tragic death discussed at the inn, she should torture herself by coming here, to the very scene* of it. She couldn't resist saying so, very gently and compassionately, slipping her arm through Dorothy's and trying to draw her away from the spot. She resisted the kindly pressure, and said vehemently: " I know, miss. But I can't keep away. It's as if something draws one to the place where he was murdered." "Murdered!" Ann echoed, horrified. " Yes, miss, murdered. They all think I'm a bit touched, but I'm not. Bert never missed his footing, as they say. How could he ? For he was as sober as you and me, when we parted, not five minutes before it must have happened. I don't care what anybody says, I'm as sure he was murdered as that we're standing here! It was somebody as had a spite against him, and laid in wait for him!" There was something so convincing in her suppressed passion that Ann could only murmur, awe-stricken. "Who—who could have done it?" Dorothy turned her white, tear-stained face toward her. " That I don't know, miss—yet. But I shall some day, if I have to wait and watch till I'm an old woman. Ile'll come back again, to this very spot, if there's any truth in the saying that a murderer is always drawn back to the place, sooner or later, and then I shall know him. That's where he waited, behind that bush, there, just by the post. It's dark there already, and would be black as pitch by that time. And he came ont behind him, just when he got, where we're standing and struck him down from behind. Just you stay here and watch." Fascinated, Ann obeyed, watched her cross to the further side, slip between tho post and the great yew bush beside it, and vanish, to emerge a few seconds later. "There! If you hadn't seen me go in you'd nevor have believed there was anybody there, Miss Ann. As my poor Bert never thought of such a thing when he came up the path that night. But that's how it was." " Did you say this at the inquest. " No, miss. I was so upset then that I can't'quite remember what I did say, nor they didn't ask mo much. Besides it only came to me afterwards, like a flash, when 1 was standing here, tho night of the funeral. I've never seen a ghost. Miss Ann, nor I didn't hear anything. But it was just as if Bert told me—without speaking, if you know what I mean. And that's the truth." They stared at each other in silence. Ann's face as white as Dorothy s, and the shadow fell on them both. The silence was broken by a cheerful hail from tho path below. " There she is. Hullo, Ann?"

Dorothy retreated, hurrying hack toward the Court, and Ann went on toward Dr. Ablott, Tat and Peter, strolling to meet her. " Here's the dear runaway, whom we've missed dreadfully, ' said the old man, delightedly greeting her. " But what n. little white face. London's stolen all our imp's roses." "It's not London!" Pat protested, embracing and eyeing her anxiously. " What's happened, darling 1" She told them, hurriedly, and with the dramatic touch natural to her. "Plow distressing!" exclaimed Patricia, genuinely sympathetic, but with the detached, impersonal sympathy of a stranger. " And such an upset for you, dearest! That poor girl! Sho must be nearly out of her mind, for I suppose there can't be any foundation for such a dreadful idea, can thero, Dr. Ablett?" "We must keep an eye on her," he said gravely and evasively. " I'm sorry she's at the Court. She would have been better elsewhere. Don't enconrago her to talk about it, Ann, and don't you worry about it, my doar. It was a tragic thing, but nothing whatever to do with anyone but the poor chap himself, and the sooner it's forgotten tho better. Let's just see you home." "Do we have to cross that bridge?" asked Pat, dubiously. "We do, my lady. It's absolutely safe really " " I wasn't thinking of its safety " " Suppose you two go home, I'm going back with Miss Stone," Peter intervened, suddenly. " Yes, don't come any further to-night." said Ann. "Wo only wanted a glimpse of each other, and we've had that. I hear you're nil coming to dinner to-mor-row. How jolly. Shall you be at church in the morning, Pat?" " Rather! I'm longing to see the inside. The outside looks lovely