TRUANT FORTUNE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21142, 28 March 1932, Page 15

TRUANT FORTUNE.

BY ELLIOT BAILEY Author of " The Girl in Yellow." "The Japanese Parasol." "Jewel, of Malice." e'ie.

(COPYRIGHT.)

ENTHRALLING STORY BY POPULAR WRITER.

CHAPTER V.—(Continued.) Tubby was silent. In the ordinary way j; S might have doubted this story, which Light well be a genuine illusion engendered by the girl slipping and striking fyer head as he had suggested. But he • Ibought of the dead'man ho had just left. p uee r things were happening at Roma Cluft morning. In one case it jeemed as if murder had been done, so not attempted murder ? lie gazed leewards as if half-inclined t-o swim out fco the wreck and inspect it, but, apart jfrom his indifferent swimming powers, a glance at Phyllis' wan face told him that ft would bo well to get her to the cottage. Her assailant, if there was one, juust. wait. " Where did that dog come from ?" jtfarjorie asked as they moved off. " Adopted me along the beach," Tubby pmswered, feeling somehow full of deceit he said it. " Expect we shall lose it in (the village." He was right. The terrier, which had (followed him qnit'e contentedly, with only b glance back now and then at the spot [which had resounded with its frantic larking, now raced ahead of them as if it j-., -id dismissed the reason for that barking from its mind. Charging up the steep cliff path, it disappeared, doubtless to its j,ome in search of breakfast. Leaving the girls to tell their story to £) r . Cottle —a doctor of unfortunately, not. of medicine —having regard to Phyllis' injury, Tubby hurried into his clothes, and avoiding the others, slipped out again to the police station, where, as haw seen, he evoked the majesty of (he law in the person of P.C. Dodson. [For the present ho said nothing of the attack on Phyllis, rightly judging that Roma Cleft's one-man police force would Jjave its hands sufficiently full as it was. As he left the house ho heard Marjories Jincle telephoning to a Dr.. Harley at Clovellv, there being no resident medical piau at Roma Cleft. It- was doubtless on JPhvllls Laleham's account, but 'lubby jmade a mental note that lie must be asked Ho view the body of the man on the shore, obviously beyond human aid though that unfortunate individual was. When the sombre little procession reached the tiny cottage, which a plate vith " Devon Constabulary " on it above the door raised to the status of a police station, buxom Jennie Dodson showed that her'bark was worse than her bite, and full of concern for the dead man, busied heigelt in clearing a space where he might lie under the concealing blanket. Her husband betook himself to the telephone, returning to announce that an inspector and a police surgeon would conic over from Bideford .as fast as a car could bring them. ' Jimmy, chilled from his long sojourn in his clammy bathing dress, did not go a? far as the'police station, turning in to Cliff Cottage to restorexhis circulation •with a hot bath and a vigorous course of physical jerks. *On lubby s return he iound the whole family at breakfast. Phyllis had wished to return straight. io the Manor House, but. Marjorie and her uncle had insisted on hoi staging until she had been seen by Dr. Harley, and a 'phone message to her employer, •which was taken by Cartwrigl.it himself, apprised him of he'r whereabouts. She had. Dr. Cottle explained, met with a slight accident while bathing, but would be back soon after breakfast. Oart-•v,-right's surly response expressed no concern, couveying the impression that he didn't care when she returned. A place had been reserved for Jimmy next to her. For the first time, she was able to thank him warmly for her rescue but for some reason both of them seemed a little tongue-tied until, seeing that she was on a fair way to complete recovery, he launched out into a recital of the gruesome discovery beneath the boat. Wheieat she looked" at him with startled eyes "Good heavens," she ejaculated, ' I was told before coming down that nothing ever happened at Roma Cleft. It seems to me, though, that going to be a somewhat exciting place. ' " What brought you down here . Jimmy asked pre?ently. Her eyes clouded, and she hesitated. " Necessity," she said shortly, and fceemed about to amplify the reply when there came an interruption. Dr. Harley Was announced.

CHAPTER VI. pronounced cheerfully—lie was a cheeriul young man —" thanks to thick hair (><?•% I said hair, not head), and a glancing blow. A hit of a headache for a few hours, perhaps, and then you'll be all right. Dr. Lottie here can see thai you keep quiet for a hi'-" , " I'm afraid he can't," Phyllis snnled. t'l'm only an intruder here, you sec. "Oil, where d'you live?" "At the Manor House. I'm Mrs. Cartjrright's companion." "Oh!" It was an abrupt exclamation this time. The doctor_ seemed to stiffen. "Been there loqg ? ' - " Only since yesterday. Mr. I artyrright engaged me in town and brought me down. I got permission to bathe before breakfast jthis morning, though hesitated about turning out when I saw how misty it was. Anyhow, I did, haying been told the coast was perfectly eaffl—and this happened." Dr. Harley's attitude slightly relaxed. "I see. Like your job?" Phyllis hesitated. , "Well," she- answered, "I've hardly liad time <o find out yet. Mrs. Cartwright seems a dear old thing, though rather helpless." "And Cartwright ?" " A bit of a bear, but I think he means Well." "Humph!" said Dr. Ilarley. •"Humph!" He seemed about to say more when something, professional caution perhaps, restrained him. " Anyway," he went on ambiguously, "you seem to have friends, if you want 'cm. As J say, just keep quiet for a day or two and you'll be well. Now I must be off—urgent case. ..." " One minute," interrupted Jimmy, and told him of their second thrill that morning.

fr. Harley stared. "Well, I'm blest," l»n niurmiireil. "We consider ourselves at (-lovdly 11 lit tin metropolis compared with I>oma Cleft, but, dash it, for sheer excitement you've got ns beaten to a frazzle, "i es, I'll take a look at this fellow, though from what you say he's dead as mutton, and, of course, it'll be in tlmpolice surgeon's bands when he comes. Phyllis took advantage of his departure to insist on returning home. Jimmy and Tubby promptly volunteered to accompany her, and the four of them walked as far as the police station. _ lh". Harley ttent inside, and a few minutes latci came out shaking bis head. " Nothing can be done. ' be said. '* It's ;i clear case for the police. Shaking hands with them, he returned to the motor-cycle which he used in pieference to a car, and the other three ietumed their journev to the Manor House. As thev took the pathway through the ttoods which led to the house, Jimmy turned to the girl. "If I were you I should inform the police about what happened on the Wreck." But she shook her head. "Oh. no, I've made enough fuss about it already. It, was probably only some ■illy youth who meant to push ine in o the water, and .then, seeing what he na done, got frightened and hid, or peihaps 'owed away in a boat. I " *hat Mr.' Cartw right thinks. I've ( hac! •nough excitement for one morning.

So slio said, unaware that they were upon the fringe of a third event, significant in its very lack of significance. It is said that incidents, good or bad, run in threes. It certainly was so now. 'I hey had almost reached the iron gates of the Manor House, the low stone bulk of which could be seen at the end of a straight drive flanked by shrubberies and trees, when suddenly amidst the latter, they heard a man's furious voice, followed by squeals and cries and the ~thud of blows. Phyllis clasped her hands. Oh," sho cried, " he's beating that poor little puppy again. He did it last night." Like a shot from a gun, Jimmy plunged through the gate and along a, narrow path wlreli wound its way into the shrubbery, with Phyllis at his heels. Not quite so quick, Tubby Baring was about to follow when a man rushed out from a lodge on the right-hand side.of the gate and danced tlie latter in his face. " You stay outside, mister," he growled. " Us don't want trespassers here." Then, shouting, he lumbered in pursuit of the others. For a moment Tubby paused, nonplussed A wall, r.ome ton feet high, flanked the gate on cither side. 110 eyed it for an instant and then executed a surprising leap for one of his build, drawing himself to llic top with tautened arms, to drop over on the other side and set out after the lodge-keeper. 110 caught him up in a few yards, and the fellow turned on him furiously, though evidently amazed at his arrival. He was a typical ex-bruiser, low browed, brutal and dangerous. The glint in his small, tierce eyes warned Tubby of his intentions, and then it was that the latter showed the real stuff that was in him. He did not wait to be hit first. A swerve took him past the lodge-keeper's clumsily raised fists, and a perfectly timed left stretched him on his back —out to tho world. Tubby regarded his handiwork with half-rueful triumph. " I'll be in the dock for this to-morrow, as sure as eggs are eggs," ho muttered. " Trespassing and unprovoked assault and battery—this certainly looks like being some day in the annals of Roma Cleft!"

Stepping over his fallen foe, he plunged on until the path merged into a small clearing, and there he checked himself with a grin. "Oh, well done, Jimmy!" h© murmured, "well done! Now we'll both be in the dock together!" Unaware of what was happening in his rear. Jimmy had readied the clearing unchecked—to como upon n sight that made his blood boil. If there was one thing lie could not stand, it was cruelty to animals, and tied to a tree by its lead was a spaniel puppy which George Cartwright, his face suffused with anger, was thrashing unmercifully with a heavy whip. Jimmy's long legs took him across the grass, and his hand, falling on Cartwright's collar, jerked him back out of reach of the dog. " You infernal brute," he said, in a voice that was dangerously calm. " Stop it—d'you hear?" Cartwright turned upon him in a fury. " Who the devil are you 1" he shouted. Then all at once lie seemed utterly to lose control. " I'll teach you to drag me about," he yelled, and flew at Jimmy with upraised whip. < It descended on empty air. Jimmy s knowledge of the noble art- of boxing transcended Tubby Baring's. He stepped aside and then took the law into his own hands, with the result that, like his henchman, Cartwright lay stretched upon the ground. "Oh, good egg!" camo Tubby's ecstatic approval. " Really excellent e ££ ! " • , -i Cartwright rose glowering, his hand to his face. " Kelly!" he called, " Kelly!" Whereat Tubby smiled. " If Kelly's the warrior at the gate,' he observed, " he won t be moving about just, yet—l saw to that." For a moment or two longer Cartwright continued to glower. Then, after some incoherent mutterings about the law and his solicitor, he turned suddenly and lurched away. Jimmy's eyes met Phyllis'. She had snatched up the whimpering puppy in her arms, and the tiny thing was cowering to her breast and licking her face as if imploring protection. " I'm afraid," he remarked, " this won't make things easy for you." " Never mind," she flashed. " You did quite right—the man must be a brute. Then all at once through the trees there came a gentle, plaintive voice. " Miss Lnleham," it called, " Miss Lalelmm."

" Mrs. Cartwright," the girl said hurriedly, " I must go." Her glance aL Jiinmv's face expressed even more than her words. " Thank yon," she almost .whispered, " thank vou bo'h—for everything." Next instant she was gone, the puppy still in her arms, and the two young men turned back toward the gate they had so unceremoniously entered. Tubby was in high fettle, and Jimmy, although thoughtful, was conscious for some reason of a queer inward elation. There was no sign of Kelly. He had picked himself up and taken refuge in the lodge. Evidently he required no further encounter with them, for the gate was now unlocked. Thf-v passed through it without sighting him, and as they did so heard the screech of a distant motor-horn. The police from Bideford, Jimmy guessed, arriving in answer to Dodson's S.O.S. - . ... " Well, well, partner," lie said, ' ISowadays us do see life!" (To he continued doily.)