THE ARNCLIFFE PUZZLE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14632, 18 September 1909, Page 2

THE ARNCLIFFE PUZZLE.

A ROMANCE OF THE NORTHCOUNTRY. BY GORDON HOLMES. Author of " A Strange Disappearance." CHAPTER XX.—BRADSHAW "MAKES. GOOD." Warren's mad-<frive>liad:not passed altogether unnoticed. May Mannering, wMi-a growing appreciation of tho qualifies of the groom, Wilson, was waiting /or him in the quietest 1 lane leading out of Arnclific. 'Llio lano which led: to Fox Gill Moor. I She had seen Warrcifgo past w:it h a companion, whom sho could not recogniK'. Sr.t her quick eye had taken iii'lhe-bundle wdrx tiio leather apron, and it seemed to her that there was a projecting foot which could not possibly- belong to either Warren or his companion. She had practically given up all hope of bringing Warren back to his allegiance, and tho production of a bank book, showing a credit balance of close on £200, made Wilson, distinctly a persona grata. So, of course., when Wilson arrked, she told him what she had seen, and l the; groom, s-tiU intensely jealous of WaTren,, was only too delighted to put, a*bad construction on the incident. "Up to some devilment, you may belt" he said, yet really thinking nothing of tho matter. Between Bradshaw and Lester the-close friendship which sprang up, although they had known each other r or so short a time, was in noway weakened by recent events. Next morning, when Hie, American learned that Lester had not been in the inn all night, lie was geminely disturbed. His first idea -was thal-the young doctor had returned to London. But. the, presence of liis baggage, supplemented by an inquiry at. the local station, effectually disposed of that theory. The individual who combined within himself tlie post of booking-clerk, ticket collector, and station-master, at Arncliffe, said-emphatic-ally that Lester had not been near the station during the past three (lays. Obviously, lie .nuiflt have gone-up to the liall and stayed tl»re. To the hall BradKhaw went without any' delay. Iu the grounds he mot Phyllis Harland, who rather expected him, and who had arranged a special curl on her forehead for his benefit. Miss Harland knew perfectly well that lie would ai'rivo early. She had made a very gratifying conquest in a record tiftic, and the only thing which troubled her was a " nasty, mean, unfair " habit, to use Jier own adjectives, the American had of making her do as lie told her. She was always planning how slie would bring him to hi« knees, but somehow her plans just failed. He knelt metaphorically, and pleaded as nicely as siie could wish ; nevertheless, his plea always seemed a com--jnand. It was intolerable. Poor Phyllis had tried demurenass,. , Eaucrness, and trustful dependence, witli•out attaining that tyrannical ascendency over hitri which sho wished to establish. 'Now,.as a last desperate resort, she tried being ■ natural.

j "How arc you, Mr Bradshaw?" she| <=aitl, holding out her hand, and looking at [ lii-m with frank, honest eyes. !, "1 am very well, " said Bradshaw, " but I iat the same lime very worried. Dr Lester has disappeared mysteriously, and ifiis neighbourhood appears to be so unhealthy that I am rather afraid he may have struck trouble of some sort." "Oh, dear!" exclaimed Phyllis. "Poor Edith!" "Poor Edith," cried Bradshaw, curiously. With true masculine density, he had not realised that there was any sort o! •tender feeling in existence between his friend and the young mistress ot Arncliffe. " How silly men are! And I think you arc the silliest of all of them." Well, but ' began Bradshaw, rather ruffled. " Silly j Silly! Silly!. Come and tell dear Edith about- Dr Lester. I am quite sure the news will nearlv kill tho poor fgirl." " Well," said Bradshaw again, mildly. " Why should it kill the poor girl ?" "Oh "—Phyllis was quite out of patience —" if ever I have charge of yon " She stopped in iutt«r confusion, and made what Bradshaw would have called a "bee line" to the hall. The American, alternating between 1 effulgent joy and intense gloom, walked at her side. He was wondering whether Edith would relent and accept his proposal. Had it not been for that now appalling possibility, he was quite capable of prostrating himself at the feet of Miss Phyllis then and there, although he had only known her three days—and, be it confessed, Miss Phyllis was quite capable of accepting him. She had met what she urgently needed, a man of whom she was afraid. Edith, sunning herself on the balcony, ,gave them a smiling welcome, delighted, ;though, it may be, a little surprised, to ■see the pair such good friends. " Well, young people?" she called out brightly. Phyllis was full of lic-r news. She adored Edith, but there was a breathless joy in telling of Lester's disappearance ■which overcame all other considerations. She arrested Bradshaw with an imperious gesture. ' " Stop there!' 1 she said. Then, rushing to her friend and clasping her in her arms, she poured forth a narrative from which little w;iis to be gathered, saye that some calamity had befallen Lester.

Edith stiffened, and drooped her head. The situation justified a fainting fit. But she was -not the fainting type of woman, though she bad faintod once at the inquest, under deep 1 stress. Besides, there was Biadshaw looking on. " My dear girl," she cried with a forced laugh, "Dr Lester is not a child. You must not-think that because ; there have been two extraordinary incidents iieie, the place is abounding in murderers and brigands."

Yet, she had become exceedingly pale, and her mouth was quite awry with what sho meant to be a smilo of indifference.

"1)1 course," said Bradshaw, coming to the rescue. "Lester's all right. So far as I could' judge him, he is a man who could easily lick his weight in wild-cats. At tho same time, I'd feel pretty good if he'd put in an appearancc."

" Do not lot ns worry ourselves about Dr faster," repeated Edith. He is, 1 am sure, quite capable of taking care of himself. If you will come in, Phyllis, I will give you some of the loveliest chocolates you have ever tasted." Bradshaw, slightly surprised by her, seeming flippancy, strolled away with Phyllis toward a lliglit of steps leading to (lie verandah. But, when they reached the top, Edith had quitted the garden to see Wilson, who had sent an earnest request for'an interview. Edith was beloved- and respected by all the servants— respected all the move because, whether as Lord Arncliffc's paid secretary or as the mistress of Arncliffe Hall, she had always treated them with the same unfailing and kindly dignity. "Well, Wilson?" she asked, as the groom stood twirling his cap uneasily in liis hand. " What is it?" " Why, miss, I—l—of course it may be nothing, but I thought it my duty to tell tou. I heard down at the inn that Dr Lester hti-s not been there all night, and., something has come to my knowledge which makes me think rt- possible the gentl?mau has met foul play." . . " Yes," said Edith, wondering what ,there could be behind all this mystery, " ves, go on!" "Well, Miss, there's.a young lady I—l am keeping company with, and, last night she saw Master Harry driving like mad with someone in the gig. There seemed to be a sort of bundle under the apron, and she's pretty sure that there was a foot sticking out at the side of the; trap. I know it is not my place to speak against Mr Warren, but there are some queer rumours. Anyone could see that Master Ilarry was jealous of tho doctor " "that will do, Wilson." interrupted Edith haughtily. ."You will remain liere until I return." She walked back to Bradshaw and Phyllis, outwardly calm, but feeling that every onward step was a miracle. The pair were laughing together, but Edith's haggard faeo arrested mirth. She told theni what she had heard from Wilson, calmly, as she thought and without emotion, but her mouth was quivering, ami her hands, when she unclenched them, trembled pitiably. " What, do you think, Mr Bradshaw?" she concluded, looking up at him with eyes of anguish. " I think," answered Bradshaw, still dense, as men always arc where women are concerncd. "I think that things look very black for our friend Lester." " 01), no, no!" cried Edith, clasping his hand between hers and forgetting ovcything save that her lover might be in peril. "Oh, no! But you will save him, won't you? Yon are so good and brave and strong Oh! for my sake, save him!" " Why, sure, I'll save him if there's any saving to tie done. Can you give me a horjse?" "Oh, yes, of course. A dozen if you like." " Never could ride more than one at a time," said Bradshaw, cheerily, pretending not to notice her emotion. " Perhaps, under the circumstanccs, Miis Harland will go and order it for me, while 1 arrange matters with you. And, say, Miss Harland, just tell that groom to fix up a horse for himself. I want him to show me where Mr Warren was driving thatpeculiar load." Phyllis tripped away elegantly. She would be elegant on the Bay of Judgment. And when she had gone, Bradshaw turned took Edith's hands in hit. " Little girl," he said gravely, " I think I had better withdraw that proposal of mine. You told me a dreadful fib. There ■is another man, after all. What are you going to do if I bring him back? Will you promise not to say any more nastv things to me about Lord Arncliffe's money?" "1 will promise anything," said Edith fervently. Wilson cantered up, leading a horse for Bradshaw, who turned to bid faiewell to the two gk'ls. "Don't worry, Mias Holt," he said. " Ten to on 3 Lester is all right, but if he isn't- I will sej him through the game." " Hut you won't run any risks!" pleaded Phyllis, with the nearest approach to real nr-xiety she had ever exhibited. When an Englishman boasts, his hearers put him down rightly as a mere braggart, but it- is dangerous to judge an American on the same lines. He may boast, but, in his own language, he " makes good." "Say," remarked Bradshaw confidently, " there aren't any two men in the county who aro going to get ahead of me when I spiead myself" Ho swung liimself lightly into the saddle, took his hat off, with a kindly smile to Edith and an ardent glance at Phyllis, and cantered off with the easy swing of a horseman bred oil the Western prairie;;. On to the village; two minutes of hasty chat, with Inspector Kobson, who, according to custom, had gone down to the post office, and then onward, accompanied hy Wilson, until he reached the point where May Mannering had sctn Warren drive past. "That will do," said Bradshaw. "I will play a. lono hand row. Keep your month shut, partner, and yon aro liable to earn money." Tho American trotted slowly along the narrow road, scanning every inch as he went. There was no trail that it was possible to fallow. But he was not looking for tracks on the road. There were altogether to many of them. What he wanted was an indication of trucks leaving a road. And presently lie found them. The iine of the dog-cart over the moor was so distinct that he conld follow it at a hand-gallop. To a man who hail ridden the prairies the inequalities of the ground offered no obstacles. He just hung his rein lose and left matters to the horse. He hold on until he came in sight of the deserted shooting-box, a place built almostlike a Martello tower. Ue pulled up his horse. " I guess," lie murmured softly, andthen, as the face of Leigh appeared at one of tfie windows—" Surest thing, you know "—still very quietly. And, without further ado, lie tethered his horse to a stump and walked briskly towards tho door. Leigh met him. Bradshaw had expocted him to meet him, and the two men stood a little apart- eyeing each other warily. " Now," said Bradshaw, -in placid eelfconmuining, " if I didn't have a little gun in my pocket, .38 calibre, self-cocking, safety trigger, I'd git licked out of my socks. I wouldn't fight that man in a square rough-and-tumble for eleven and a half million dollars." Leigh, however, did- not seem inclined to fight, He had often seen Bradshaw at the inn, and he made a clumsy attempt to pass matters over." "Good day, sir," he said pulling at hin greasy cap. " I know," replied Bradshaw. " Bin whore is Dr Lester?" Tho gipsy started, and then stepped forward threateningly. "You know too much, maist-er," -lie growled. " Not a bit," said Bradshaw cheerfully. " ou can never learn too much. But you had better show me up to Dr Lester, who, I presume, is partaking of your hospitality at the present moment." Leigh cast a comprehensive eyo around; ho saw that Bradshaw was alone. The American's loan figure seemed to amuse him. "Maister," ho said, "1 am either going to put you with Dr Lester up there, or else I am going to hurt you. But, if I do that, it- will be your own fault." Bradishaw smiled grimly. " Partner," he said cheerfully, " there aTe two notches on the butt of my gun, and they represent- two men who are probably complaining of the drought at this very moment-. Throw up your hands, quick." And now that .38 was covering the burly figure of the poacher. "1 am giving you a little license because people don't seem to know how to get shot in this Gcd-forsakcn country, hut I'll surely kill you in a minute," cried Bradshaw again. He was indeed right when he said thatEnglish people did not understand getting ehot. Leigh did not realise the peril of a pistol pointed at him by a man who meant to shoot, and he ran forward like a bull. Bradshaw, cool as ice, took quiet aim at his antagonist's body. lie was going to hit him in the solar plexus—that spot beloved of the prize fighter. If you 'tit a man t-hena he eoes down, and, iu

addition, there is always the pleasing possibility of cutting bis spine in two. And so Bradshaw pulled the trigger of his pistol. The hammer dropped, but no report followed. He palled the trigger again, but tho hammer did not answer, Tha't beautiful .38 "gun," which had faithfully killed two men, had gone out of order at one of the most crucial moments of his life. Bradshaw- dodged away alertly, still pulling the trigger in desperation, though lie knew well that it was hopeless to expect any result. Then lie llung the useless weapon at his adversary and bolted. It was not a retreat, but merely a strategic retirement. He could set clearly that Ik must lie worsted in a hand-to-hand fight witli the gigantic poacher, and lie was looking around for some weapon with which to equalise matters a little. He lighted presently on a gnarled stick, a fair enough cudgel, and returned to the fray with set teeth. Leigh sent the disabled .revolver spinning through the air to liini, and greeted this new attack with a burst of Homeric laughter, "Don't do it, Jlaister," he cried. "You're a rare, plucky 'mi, but there's nobody on all the border that can stand against me. old as I are." "Isn't there';'' said Bradshaw, dangerously ca.lm. " I don't belong here. The only border-1 know is the Mexican border, ami down there we see things through to a finish." He was still advancing, and Leigh, realising that in the matter of activity he was at a serious disadvantage, stood (irm, watching for an opening. .He began to understand that this lean, wiry young man was a formidable antagonist. Still Bradshaw came 0n,.50 slowly'that the suspense became wearying. Ten feet. Nine feet. Only six feet. " Look here, sir," began the poacher. Bradshaw sprang forward, his stick-Up-lifted to striki'. It was just the soft of foolishness Leigh looked for, and, while one arm went- up like a flash to ward the blow, the other was swung forward to clutch tlio American in a grip that would hold him helpless as a child. But the blow did not- fall as Leigh expected. The heavy stick swished through the air, and an instant afterwards Leigh was 'lolling on the ground in uncontrollable agony from the swift stroke that had fallen on his knee-cap. As Bradshaw explained. afterwards, there was no " fair fight " nonsense aboiahim. He know that in a moment Leigh would be up again, envenomed by his sufferings, and for that reason more formidable than ever. So he very coolly stepped over the prostrate man and draft him 9. vicious blow on the head, not extremely particular whether it might prove fatal or not. "I guess, partner, you've miscalculated on borders this trip," he muttered, looking at his fallen foe, from whose head • there ran an ugly trickle of blood. "And nbw for Lester." Ho strode into the house, and instinctively made his way to the upper rooms coming at length to a locked door. "Lester!" he shouted. "Lester!" There was no aJiswer.

" Good Lord! they've wiped him out: I must go and see if that old border champion has the key," He went down again, and to bis surprise fount Leigh sitting up and 'rubbing his head, a little dazed, but apparently not much worse for his injuries. Bradshaw was frankly a little afraid even now of this man with the sinister face and enormous chest- development, but lie went up to him with all the arrogance of a conqueror. "Now then," he said sharply, "whereis Dr Lester. No, no—sit quiet-, my friend, or this time I'll kill you for keeps!" Leigh was thoroughly cowed. He had not forgotten that merciless, blow, dealt him when lie lay helpless on the ground. This slightly-built man, with the thin mouth and unflinching eyes, was a revelation to him. "Don't be hard on a poor chap," he whined. " The doctor is upstairs, as well as you art. I'd just t-akeii him a bit of grub when you came." " You're a liar!" was Bradshaw's unretort. "I've shouted myself hoarse without obtaining any rtplv." Leigh almost chuckled, "By gum!" he cried. "I told Mai6ter Warren the doctor was a real gentleman! He gave his word lie wouldn't utter a sound if wt didn't gag him, and I trusted him." " Here," said Bradshaw, "go tip ahead of me and let him out. No nonsense, mind, or I'll brain you." Thus politely adjured, Leigh led the way to Lester's prison-room, and in a iniiiiite rtscued and resuer were clasping hands. "Why-ill thunder didn't you answer when I called just now?" aske'd Bradshaw " 1 could not," answered Lester simply. "I had given my word." "Say"—with some disgust—"yon are too good to be t-rut. However, it's all right now, and the sooner I restore you to I your sorrowing friends the better. Do you know that Miss Holt is worrying about you just a million times more than you deserve?" " Miss Holt?" " Vts, of course. Miss Holt. But come along—you can ride behind me on my horse—and tell me about things on the way. .-As for you, my friiied "—to Leigh, —" I gut,ss the British policeman will get hold of you whenevtr you are wanted." "I give up, sir," said Leigh, calmly. " 1 saw Mr Warren knock the Old man on the head, and he's been bribing me ever since to ktcp quiet-. But I've got the books he did it for, and I'm ready to hand them over whenever they're wanted," " I have settled all that," interpostd Bradshaw. " I suspected you directly Dr Lester disappeared, and by this time Detbctive Hobson has. been through your place with a search warrant. Anyway, you can vamoose now, but, if you take my advice, you will stay and face the music." Lester and Bradshaw mounted the horse and left Leigh to consider tlit situation. Their mount was a fine upstanding aninial, and quite capable of carrying double weight for at least a fair portion of the journey. Luckily, howevtr, they fell in with a farmer driving into the village whtn they reached the main road, and so Lester was given a lift. Bradshaw was naturally eagtr for details of the kidnapping of Lester, but, strangely enough, the subject- seemed utterly uninteresting to the young doctor, who kt.pt delicately engineering the conversation round to Edith. What he heard filled his heart with happiness. Edith was true after all. And then came the despairing thought—would she forgive him? Phyllis was quits,- right. Lester was going to be abject indeed. CHAPTER XXI.—MRS WARREN IS SURPRISED. Detective-inspector Hobson fidgetted up and down the broad drive leading to Ai-n----clili'c Hall. True' to his instincts, lib. lurked more or less among the bordering bushes. To do him justice, lie acted so that ho could see without being Gten. That humiliating experience with Leigh had not- been lost upon him. But when he caught sight of Lester and Bradshaw approaching tilt Hall there was no necessity for concealment, so he rati out and waved them a triumphant greeting. " I've got him !" he cried. " I've got him!" "Got whom?" asked Bradshaw, as they came up. " Have you indeed tracked the fell mare of night to her nest at last?" "Oh, you may chal'f, sir," cried Hobsou cheerily. "Anyway, I have laid by the heels the man who knocked Mr Aingitr on the head, and I think 1 have got hold of the man who murdered Lord Arncliffe. He is one and the same person—Mr Harry Warren; and if Harry Warren does not stretch a ro.oe pretty soon you may call nib an idiot!" "But," said Bradshaw, mildly, "I have called you an idiot all the time. No doubt- you are right about Warren; at the same time, if you are so sure of your man, I want to know why in thunder you cast suspicions on Miss Holt?" Hobson smiled in what- he thought to, be a supbfior manner. "My-dear sir," he said, with a touch of condescension, "you don't ,understand the methods of the Force. I simply pretended to suspect- Miss Holt in order to throw Warren off his guard." " Thi.n you ahvay's believed him to be i the real culprit?" " I never had a doubt from the first. The trouble was that I hadn't a scrap of evidence to act upon." " Hobson," said the American earnestly, "yon are wasted in an effete country like this. Come with me to New York. I'm. a big man there—bigger than you'd guess,—and I'll guarantee you'll be bossing Polict, Headquarters inside of six months." " But," murmured' the other deprecatingly, " wouldn't the appointment of a foreigner like me cause a. lot of jealousy?" "Foreigner! My dear Hobson, an ivrtist-ic perverter of the truth like you cannot selfishly be claimed by any one country. He belongs to Humanity." The detective's inordinate vanity ko often led him into the traps prepared for him by Bradshaw that he had ceased to acknowledge compliments of the sort with anything more than a- sicklv .smile. "Never mind, Slier.lock," continued the New Yorker, patting him on the shoulder. " I once met- an easier mark than you— in Sacramento,' about 10 years ago. Tell us bow you got on." " Splendidly, sir," answered Hobson, glad of an opportunity to show himself in a favourable light. " I obtained a irearch-warrant and went- to Leigh's cottage— accompanied, 1 don't mind telling you, by P.C. Fox, who is as strong as i bull, for that .poacher would be a deitced nasty customer to tackle." " Easy ! " criod Bradshaw oomplaeent.ly. " Dead easy!" He intended presently to allow the full details of his bat-tie with Leigh to be dragged from him. " However, there was no need to produce the warrant," went on Hobson. " There was nobody in the place excepting an old woman who might have been a hundred. And she was as dead as a doornail! " "What I expected,'' interposed Lester. "I might have staved it off for a time, but when I told Leigh my opinion he thought I was -woi'iang for mv own ends, and he would not- believe me." " Well, gentlemen, we made a quick search. There was not much furniture in the place, yet nothing turned up at first. There was an old iron-bound box, and in it-, if you'll believe me, we found a .stocking with nearly a, hundred pounds, some of the money dating bank lo George III." "Of course," said Bradshaw, with a little cough, " P.C. Fox, as your subordinate, cannot expect to share " •' Oh, do let him tell his storv, there's a gcod chap," interrupted Lester -earnestly. "Tliiii is a- serious matter, and considering what it- means to -uiss Holt " Bradshaw shrugged bis shoulders. ''If f can't infuse innocent joy into the proceedings, I will dry up," lie said. " Procoed, Vidocq." " So,", continued the detective, " we moved the poor old woman eventually, and searched the bed. And there we found what we were looking for—Lord Arncliffe's private 'account book, and his pass-book as well. Alt-hough the;items in the private liook had all been checked, they did not

tally with the pafs-bcok in dozens of cases. I should judge, speaking roughly, that there is a defalcation of at least £3000.'' "But Itow dots (hat incriminate Warren?" asked Bradshaw, aware that the detective was unaware of Tester's exciting adventure, and wondering how Hobeon had reached his conclusion. "Wait a minute, sir. I telephoned the bank at Alnwick, and learnt that Warren had a small account there. Ami, from the dav he opened it, he has never once sent in his pass-book to be made up." Lester, thinking abstractedly of Edith, had scarcely assimilated half the conversation, but he dropped in a question. "What do you gather from that?" " Well, sir," replied Hobson, with the. dignity of the man who has " arrived," as'the French say, "I can't bring myself to call people ' fools 1 and ' idiots' and 'beasts.' like soma others I could mention. But, if I wanted to be rude, I should say anyone was very densa who could not-realise how Warren had robbed Lord Arncliffe and kept things going with a false pass-book." "You've bit it, Hobson," agreed the American heartily, " and I take buck all I've said—l didn't mean 5 par cent, of it, anyway. Just listen to tliits " —and ho ran rapidly over the details of Lester's kidnapping and subsequent rescue. "Now, where is Warren? Have you got him in the calaboose? " So far as I know, sir, lie is down in the village, visiting the various publichouses. When I said I had laid him by the heels I did not mean that I had actually arrested him. lint it will come before the day is out, and nothing will be lost by a liltlo delay. Meanwhile Fox is shadowing liiin, and if he attempts to cscapo lie will be arrested at once. What I want to do is to net his mother, too, a? an accessory after the fact." "But this is simply outrageous!" oxclaimed Lester, indignantly. "Wo yoj think any judge would fentence a mother. for endeavouring to shield her eon?" Hobson ceded the point for the moment. It would not bo his fault if the Arncl-iffe puzzle did not attract widespread attention in its ultimate solution. (To be continued.)