A WOMAN’S HATE,

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9093, 12 July 1915, Page 10

A WOMAN’S HATE,

Published by Special Arrangement.

BY A. RENDER POPE. Author of “Redcairn’s Redemption,” “Tile Wages of Sin,” etc., etc.

(■Copyright.] CHAPTER XX.—FOOTPRINTS IN THE MED. “You remember that case of the Marchamley diamonds?” said Spragg, the lawyer. “Perfectly,” Hubert Shafto replied. “It was my first big brief. By Gad! I wish I could conjure up as much enthusiasm now as 1 did in those days.” “If you are going to get your nephew acquitted you will want all the enthusiasm at your command,” Spragg remarked drily., “However, I mentioned the Marchamley diamonds because, in that instance, you undertook a certain amount of private investigation, whicn was undoubtedly the cause of your success. Now, this charge against Gerald is purely a manufactured one—that is to say, it is built entirely on very clever deduction, and it has occurred to me that counter-deduction, as it were, might upset it. Vvny not take a run down to Oxwold yourself? You have every excuse. You have property there that you want to dispose of. If you had a look around, some of your friend Holland’s precious -discoveries might -collapse under inquiry. I shouldn’t suggest it, of course, in an ordinary way. But this is not a normal case. YoUr own personal interest precludes that.”

“I don’t quite see what there is to discovery” Shafto dissented, his brows contracting with something approaching annoyance.

“You never do, until you get there,” said Spragg cheerfully. “I suppose you regard yourself as Holland’s equal in this respect? You •will do no harm m going down, and you might do a great deal of good,” “You know Holland has hoi'ted?” temporised Shafto. “I don’t see that that helps us at all,” Spragg reminded him. “Holland takes no direct part in the proceedings. He is the deus ex machine, so to speak. His part is played. All the harm he can accomplish is already executed. Seriously, I wish you would go down. I’ve got an idea that you might find it distinctly useful'.” Shafto was silent for a moment. “All right,” he said at length. “As you say, it can’t do any harm. I suppose it’s not exactly dignified, .but dignity has already been sacrificed to such an extent that the loss of a little more won’t matter a great deal. I’ll adopt the Holland methods. I’v nothing much on at the moment. I’ll run' through this afternoon.” A couple of hours later found the barrister in Greystoke. It was a damp and depressing day. A clammy mist shrouded the countryside, and the little town was in the throes of the most acute gloom. Very few people were in the streets. Those who-were paid no attention to the visitor, mistaking him probably for a commercial traveller of the upper degree. He made his way first to Jeffcoat’s office, where he found that personage deep in the mysteries of a sporting paper. Jeffooat looked and felt uncommonly seedy. His practice was stealthily evading him. Younger and more reliable men were gradually filching from him the remnants of the old-established connection he formerly enjoyed. “You are Mr Jeffcoat?” said Shafto abruptly, entering the office without ceremony. “My name is Shafto. I have come down about that cottage of mine. I want it disposed of. Is there any likelihood of a sale?” Jeffooat, discovered in unprofessional pursuits, made no attempt to cover his tracks, the eminence of his caller notwithstanding. He smoothed out the paper on his littered desk and shook his head despondently. “There is a slump in property down here,” he replied. “I have got half-a-dozen houses on my hands, and can do nothing with them. I’ll advertise the place if you like.” He looked up with an insolent grin.’ “There are Special advantages attached to this property,” he leered, “I might mention in the announcement.” Shafto ignored his impertinence. “Have you got the keys of the place?” he asked. > Jeffooat nodded.

' “They are here somewhere. Mrs Moriarty had them for a dime. but I have recovered them. Bill! Curse that boy!—where is he? Bill!—William!” A shock-headed youth, whose appearance suggested that he was prone to oho same failings as his amiable employer, responded reluctantly to the summons. “All right,” ho complained. “What are you shouting about? I was adding up them figures. You've put me out now.” ■ “Stop your gas! roared Jeffcoat, his face assuming an. alarming purple hue. “Get me the keys of the haunted cottage—and look slippy!” The youth departed, and Jeff coat turned in the direction of Shafto again. “We call it the haunted cottage,” he explained, “because no one ever goes nigh it. I’m afraid the name itself is not much of an asset.” “As a business man,” remarked the barrister drily, “you strike me as being unique. You can drop your solicitous interest in my affairs. I’ll entrust them elsewhere.” “As you like,” retorted Jeffcoat, indifferently. “I must say the connection isn’t doing mo much good. In my opinion, the best thing you can do is to have the place levelled. Here vou are —these are your keys.” Without wasting any further time on the man, Shafto left the building and set out in the direction of Oxwold. He had gone but a short distance when he met Dr Raven in a small, noisy, recalcitrant-looking mo-tor-car. The two men had not encountered one another for years—not, in point of fact, since Mrs Tankerville’s death. They stared at' one another curiously. “How do you do?” Shafto sang out, without slackening his pace. Ih© doctor raised his gloved hand, bowing gravely. • An expression 'of wonderment at meeting so famous a man in so suggestive a locality had momentarily flitter] to bis feature-. “Poor devil!” Shnfto tnu~c', ~rv eg after the e«r. “ T wriA.-- -• h; thinks < f h s caught-, r’ - , - . in t.i.. •Jrami?. In rather gi-.d : d stop. There’s going to be snmerongM handling at ♦■ho. Assizes, and he may possibly come in for some of it. 1 shall have to be uncommonly careful what I am up to down here.” He reached his cottage without further incident. As he first saw it, it struck him almost ludicrously that Jeffooat’s summary description of it was not altogether far-fetched. Certainly, as a desirable family residence it was scarcely calculated to inspire

immediate confidence. It looked aj though the blight of years of neglect had ineradicably settled upon it. He walked through the weedy, sod* den garden, and, after a brief tussU with a rusty lock, let himself into thi house. It was insufferably dirty. It "as evident to him that Mr* 'Moriarty’s cleansing hand had nob oeen active for years. Dirt was ingrained everywhere. To have lived so long in the midst of it must hava had a decadent influence on the occupants.

Ho walked into the little sitting room where the tragedy had been on* acted. It remained as it had been in Major Tankerville’s day. There was some good furniture, but in a woeful state of neglect. Piles of novels were stacked in the bookcase* An unhealthy “tang” was in the atmosphere. • With an exclamation of disgust* Shafto strode to the window and flung it open. The boughs of a thick laurel bush were pressed against the pane, and. as he raised the sash, they fell over the sill, dropping beads of moisture on the carpet. (To be continued.)