THE SECRET POWER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21640, 4 November 1933, Page 11 (Supplement)

THE SECRET POWER

By BEN BOLT Anthor of "A Corinthian's Bride," "Tha Cay Corinthian," etc., etc.

CHAPTER XVI. TJIArPKI) Breathlessly lie watched the woman cross the square and move into the shadow of (he trees on the farther side. When she. had reached them ho moved out of/the cafe and followed, tho brim of his soft hat well down over his eyes. J{o had, it appeared, not very far to £n; for the lady presently reached the square, in which stood the Hotel de Ville, beside which a magnificent saloon car was waiting. At the sight of that car. his heart misgave him. Hastily ]»■ looked .around for any fast vehicle which might be hired at a moment's notice Doubtless* there were automobiles to be hired in Thonon, but the only vehicle in sight at the moment was nil ox-cart laden with straw meandering leisurely across tho square. .With a feeling of utter dismay, he jaw Thirya Hanjar enter the saloon, and take the wheel. A man who had apparently been waiting for her hidden from his view by the body of the saloon, moved round and took his plaeo by the -woman's side. As be recognised Said Haditha, almost soundlessly the saloon glided forward and moved from the square.

to find another entrance. The wall was a high one, and it iiad a cheval de frise of barbed wire, a doublo line, supported in iron hold-fasts and sloping outwards—a formidable obstacle for a man proposing to negotiate it from tho outside Ho remembered that tho place was open to tho lake. Ail entranco could easily be made there; but there was the objection that in daylight one could scarcely do so unobserved by anyone standing at a front window of tho chateau. Unless he was to wait until dark some other way must be found.

Hd decided to explore tho wall, and began to follow it downward in tho direction of the lake; on the alert lest be should bo observed, though as the wall was a blind one, ho had really very little fear of that; particularly as ou the outside a small wood ran close up to the wall. From the shadow of the trees as he moved downward be scrutinised the wall, looking for a likely place to climb; then unexpectedly he came on _a postern door, heavily studded, and set in an arched doorwa;. As be halted to view it, he was unutterably startled by a sound of gun-shots somewhere in the wood behind liini. His first thought was that he had been observed; and he sought hasty cover behind a mass of brambles, in preparation for flight. A moment later, however, bo was

reassured by a sound of a man's voice and the barking of a dog. Tho man was speaking to the dog, apparently, and whilst Perris still crouched behind the brambles another shot was fired. Someone, it appeared, was hunting for the pot, or indulging in a litte sport; and as he reflected that in all probability the sportsman came from the chateau, it was borne on Perris that his position behind the brambles was not a good one. If the man chanced to come that way, or if the dog came snuffling round, discovery was certain. He listened carefully before changing ground. The sounds which reached him presently proclaimed that the sportsman was now lower down in the direction of the lake, and that there was no likelihood of his immediately appearing. But to try that door, or to venture inside without knowing what was beyond the wall, would bo folly, since he might walk straight into the arms of his enemies.

Dismay deepened to something like <lespair. His first impulse was to run after the vehicle; but the uselessness of that thrust itself upon him almost instantly, and he followed it only sufficiently far to make sure of the direction it was taking; which as he noted was the main road to Geneva. ' Then he remembered something and his despair died away. Going back he hunted round until he found a man with a car who, money down first, would run him all the way to Geneva. He was sure however that ho would not have to go so far to find the occupants of the saloon, and he compromised by paying the man to take him to Sciez, and live minutes after he himself left Thonon bv the Geneva Road.

The view from the high plateau was rot to be despised, but he had eyes •only for the road ahead. It was the offseason for tourists, and the road was practically without traffic. They met nothing save once a slow-moving peasant's cart; and again a motor-'bus from Yvoire which carried but a single passenger. They had no interest for him as leaning forward he waited for a view that would set before him a fair stretch of road. The glimpse was afforded, him at last, but the white road jwas blank as a wall. He suffered no ieal disappointment, however. A quarter -of an hour's start would carry a powerful, automobile out of view on most roads and he had an idea that the car be was following might already have arrived at its destination. Of that he wis sure when a few minutes afterwards, a chateau lifted into view on the lake-side with a private carriage road running from the main road, passing through a gated entrance with a double lodge, and on the landward sida enclosed by a high wall. At the sight of it his eves kindled;pointing to it. he asked the question which he had put to the owner of the launch.

Looking round, he decided to climb a tree —an easy task, since the branches of some almost swept the ground. Selecting one which seemed promising, and which was masked by others, lie swung himself on to the lower bough and began to climb. In a very few minutes he was standing in a fork sufficiently high to enable him to see over the wall, and he had just

established himself there, when tho dog barked again. From the sounds the man and the dog were ascending tho slope. Perris watched carefully. The dog, a golden spaniel, came into sight, then the man—Thenard. He was dressed in sporting tweeds, in the crook of his right arm he carried a

shot-gun, in his left hand a pair of bunnies, no doubt the spoil of his gun. He came up the hill slowly, looking burly and massive beyond belief; and when he reached the postern where the

dog awaited him, he passed the rabbits into his right hand, and turned an iron handle. The door opened, the dog bounded in, the man followed, and closed the door by kicking it with his heel. Perris' heart leaped. Unless the door closed with a spring catch the way-vim to- the chateau grounds was open.

From his high vantage he stared over the wall. The house was visible through the trees, a fairly large place with steep roofs, a pair of towers, and a multitude of rather small windows, with a great wide doorway in front of which stood a saloon car, doubtless the one in which Haditha and the Syrian woman had returned from Thonon. Looking farther he saw a tall dovecot, but with no doves flying; a multitude of outbuildings the purpose of which was only to be guessed; but 110 one appeared to be moving about the grounds, and Thenard himself had passed out of sight. But after some time a change came over the scene. Three people came out of the great doorway. Even at that distance he recognised the man and the woman but recently come from Thonon; and a second glance at the trio made his heart leap, for the third unit of it was Hannah Lindrum. She was between the two, who were either

" What is that place? " " The Chateau Fleuri, m'sieur." He knew then that he would not go even to Sciez. That was the name he had heard Baptiste speak on the DoverCalais packet, and the sudden interest in the place that he had felt out in the lake stood justified. " Who "is the owner? " he asked, striving to keep the exultation out of his voice. " Monsieur Chevanne," was the answer which for a second he found entirely disconcerting. Then the explanation occurred to him. " But he is not in residence there? " " No, m'sieur. He is an old man and resides at his villa at Nice. The chateau is let to a gentleman from Paris." " Do you know his name? " " No "m'sieur. I have never heard it, hut he is a very huge man, and the gossips of Thonon say that he is as rich as Monte Cristo which of course cannot be true "

holding her to keep her from flight, or

Perris cared nothing whether it was or not v Here was the place that last night he had despaired of finding; and which no later than breakfast-time had been somewhere in the blue; but now was right under his eyes. He thought rapidly; then he spoke to his Jehu. " After all I shall not go to Sciez! T want to see the chateau there and F thall not need you/ services beyond." "But m'sieur paid the fare! " protested ths driver.

supporting her to prevent her from falling At first he could not be sure which they wore doing; but presently, from

the slow way in which thev moved

and the girl's apparent listlessness, he decided that it was the second of these possibilities, and that they were helping her to take the air. As he thought that she might he ill, and was sure that at any rate she must be apprehensive of what might be in store for her, his heart grew hot with anger. But he could do nothing at the moment to help her, and must, he thought, wail until it was dark, or until Grandison arrived. After a little time the trio returned to the house; and then very eagerly ho watched the windows, hoping to find in which room she was gaoled. Five minutes later he saw her at an upper, balconied window at the corner of the house, a girl much distrait; for quite unconscious as she was of observation she suddenly buried her face in her hands, then moved from the window.

" And does not wish it to be returned!" laughed Perris, understanding the man feared some such demand. " You will drive past the gates at the far end of the wall where you will halt. That is clear? " " Quite clear, m'sieur."

" And there are two services you ran do me when you return to Thonon .for which I shall pay you well." "M'sieur is very generous. If he will name, the services I can do for for him."

" The first concerns a Goncvese launch-man whom you will find on the chore. I do not know his name or that of the launch, but the boat is painted green with a white line at the waterlevel. You cannot mistake it."

The action stirred liiin deeply. For a moment he was moved to march through the postern and to the great doorway, and pistol in hand demand from the abductors her enlargement. But he knew that would not serve. However angry he might be or however moved by emotion at Hannah's manifest unhappincss, he could do nothing for the present, but school himself to patience. He waited and watched an einptv garden and windows that were blank.

" No, m'sieur." " The men a waits rnv return; and toii will toll him that my i request is that he will come down the lake and wait for me a quarter of a mile below the chateau here. He does not know the name; hut you will explain that it is the chateau of which I asked a question on the way up the lake. That is dear.-' " " Perfectly, m'sieur."

From his tree he saw the green, white-handed launch pass down the lake and knew that the Tholon Jehu had kept his promise. Thereafter he listened for any sound that might proclaim (jirandison'tj arrival, and watched the lake for any loitering launch from which his friend might re reconnoitring. Me saw nothing, heard nothing. The grounds of the chateau remained silent and empty, in the mansion itself there wast no indication of activity, hut about four o'clock a light appeared in one of the rooms, a table lamp, which revealed a man seated at a table with something white before him, papers, as IVrris guessed. He could not see the mm's face, but the bulky figure left him ~i little doubt that the man was Thenard.

" You will say to hint that 1 may be here until dark; but if that should be so he is to light his lamps and wait until I come to him. You will also tell hint that for this service he shall have & thousand fraiK-x." "A lonune, m'sieur! " iSr;:rci'|ev that." laughed Perris. '' Hut. all this you w ill tell liini." " I shall not fail, m'sieur." " The second service is that you shall despatch a telegram for me." " That is simple, if m'sieur will write the message." " Good." They reached the boundary of the [bateau wall, and when the driver pullup. Perris before descending wrote n carefully worded message for (JrandiK>n, telling liiiu to make for the chateau I'leuri on the lake, west of Thonon, and to look out for him in the neighbourhood. \ v hint ol the situation was no more than lie could give: so lie *'lded. " And David went forth to meet the Philistines," which was sufficiently rryptic to tell nothing save to the man for whom it. was meant. He made the Ulan read 'lie message aloud; then ho gave him th,» cost of the message, adding a generous pourboirc; and the j inan reversed Ins car and departed oil his return to Thonon. Perris watched him until he had passed the gate of the chateau; then gave himself to his first task of discovering a way into the grounds

The window where he had seen Hannah Lindrum, though he watched it carefully, revealed nothing further, and at last," as a slight mist appeared on the lake and the dusk of evening began to darken the wood, tired -by his long vigil, he decided to leave his vantageplace. Before doing so, he made another inspection of the chateau and the grounds. Thenard was still at the table, and the dusk blurred the outlines of the garden, where nothing, moved. His eyes went to the deserted dovecot. At this hour no one was likely to visit it. and once inside a man might hide there till the moment for action arrived. But there was a risk that with the fall of evening the postern door might be locked, and if he were to make an entrance that way, now was the time. Descending the tree, after listening for a moment or two, he moved silently

:.Obvio'»s|y the gateway with its double lodge was-impossible. Even in the dark with the gates locked it was r.Ot a practicable way for one who proposed to enter the place surreptitiously; /uid it was necessary for him

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toward the postern. When ho reached it he listened again. The place was silent as the grave. Cautiously he turned the iron handle. Within, tho latch lifted and there was a slight backward movement of the door which indicated that it was not otherwise held. Very gently he pushed. Tho door opened noiselessly. Then, after a cautious glance round, he slipped inside and pushed-to tho door without latching it.

He stood again for a little time, watching, listening, then moved toward the dovecot, which was much nearer than the house. Before he reached it he heard a slight sound behind him in the direction of tho postern. Halting sharply, ho looked back, but saw nothing, heard no further sound. He waited in the shadow of a tree for quite a long time, then, satisfied that the sound he had heard had been made by some roosting bird, he prepared to go forward again.

At that precise moment a man came round the corner of the chateau whistling the air of " Maledon." He stood, an indistinct figure, looking up tho slopign ground, in the direction of Penis' sheltering tree, or so Pcrris thought. Then ho began to walk slowly forward. Discovery, it appeared to Perris, was imminent if he remained where ho was, and, with a thought that victory was sometimes achieved by retreat, ho moved back to the postern.

There he suffered a shock. In tho interval since be had passed through tho door had not only been latched, but also locked. Ho made sure of that by trying to open it, then, as tha whistling man still appeared to bo coming in his direction, lie slipped deeper into tho grounds. As he went questions thronged his mind. Who had locked that door so silently? Had his approach to tho chateau been observed? Were those in the house aware of his presence in the grounds?

He could answer none of the questions with certainty, and, amid the doubts and the apprehensions they begot, one thing only was immediately clear to him, namely, that whether by accident or design, retreat by the postern had been made impossible for him. The wall, with its barbed cheval de frise, the main gate of the chateau, or the outlet the lake afforded, were the only practicable ways of egress left to him.

But at the moment he had no intention of final retreat. His movement toward the postern had been in the nature of a precautionary action, induced by the unexpected advent of that whistling man, and when the latter, from the sound of his whistle, turned down the slope toward the house, Ferris halted to watch. There were more lights in the mansion now, one in the great doorway, and while he kept vigil he saw a man enter the house and pass out of sight, while at the same time " Maledon " ceased to sound He had no doubt that the man who had entered the house was the siffleur, and a little reassured, after a considerable wait, he decided to fulfil his original purpose. The dovecot would not only afford shelter, but would be a watch-cower from which ho could observe the house at his leisure. Moving cautiously down the hill again, he reached the tall, almost tower-like structure and found the door, which he rejoiced to discover was on the latch. Entering it, he felt about in the darkness until he discovered a ladder which ran up the wall, leading as he guessed to the floor above. Climbing this, he found himself in a storey which had a window facing the chateau, and to that he made his way cautiously, being uncertain of the condition of the floor. The window was grimy and covered with ancient spider-webs. He cleaned it as well as he could with his handkerchief and then looked forth. He had a complete view of the side of the chateau and of several windows displaying lights. Thenard, he observed, was 110 longer at the table, but was standing at the lattice staring forth into the darkness which now hid the grounds. The window at which he had seen Hannah Lindrum was among the illuminated ones, and from the height where he was he could see straight into the room, which was a large and elegant bed-chamber, and the drama for which it was the stage was infinitely disturbing. For, standing not far from the window, her fine hair glowing in the light, was the girl, while beyond was a man, whom at first sight he did not. identity, but whom as the fellow made a movement which brought his face out of shadow, he recognised for Suleiman Hamdi.

He remembered the man's reputation, and then saw that which made him suddenly afraid for Hannah Lindrum. The man was moving toward her, his hands outstretched, plainly making overtures; while the girl shrank back slowly, moving toward the window. Then Hanidi made a sharp movement forward; while the girl tottered back. The scoundrel caught her in his arms, and clearly through the stillness came a distressful cry.

Perris waited for no more. Furious with indignation he followed his first unreasoning impulse to go to the girl's help. Slipping down the ladder, in the lower chamber of the dovecot he paused only long enough to lug the pistol lie carried from his pocket; and then opened the door, and stepped out into the darkness. As ho „did so, he was grasped by powerful hands on both sides of him; and before he realised what was happening was neatly tripped and thrown forward on his face; his weapon being knocked from his hand as he fell. In 110 time at all, as it seemed, his hands were pinioned behind him, and he was jerked to his feet. Then, still dazed, he heard the bumbaililF's laughing voice. " Bon soir, Mr. Perris. you sure are an innocent abroad."

CHAPTER XVJI A MOMENT OF DESPAIR Scarcely had Perris realised what had befallen him, when overhead a lattice was thrown open, and he heard a voice in French of a quite execrable accent: " You have taken the fool F.nglishman It was Baptiste who replied, with a laugh: " Yes, wo plucked him like a flower." The man at the lattice —SutelmanHamdi—laughed in turn. " Like a flower—.a quite charming thought. There is a lady here who would like to behold so pretty a man. See, mademoiselle, there is one of your friends found wandering in the grounds ol the chateau. No doubt he is a thief who came perhaps to rob us of you." Utterly chagrined, and stjll a little dazed by his fall, which had been a heavy mie, I'erris looked in the direction of the window from which the man was speaking. Hamdi had stepped aside, and Hannah Lindrum was near the open lattice, Her shoulders a, little hunched, her forearms across her breast, the clenched hands under her chin. The light behind gleamed on her hair, but her face was in shadow not to be seen clearly, but he caught her apprehensive cry. " Who . . . who. . Emotion choked her utterance, so that, the full question went unasked; but Baptiste from the garden replied, with coarse laughter: "It is the good Ferris, mademoiselle. Perhaps he is your lover?" (To bo continued on Saturday next)