CHAPTER X.-CHECKED AT THE START.

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 11 March 1908, Page 71

CHAPTER X. -CHECKED AT THE START.

There was no reference whatever to the Monkswood case in the morning papers, and Norman was proportionately relieved after a sleepless night passed "in picturing to himself the horrors avowedly seen by Gloria Carrington in the crystal. Such an event as a fatal accident to, or the 'suicide of, one of the principal actors in the Monks,wood tragedy would certainly have received a full meed of notice in the press. Herriot only stayed with Norman at the hotel long enough to procure a letter of introduction to John Benjafield, and then started to catch, the train at Waterloo, promising to be back in town, if possible, in time lor dinner. "I may have some advice to give ygu as to how to behave towards your fascinating witch, and if I don't turn up in time you would do well to go out and dine somewhere else," he said. "You are so altered that you are not likely to be Tecoignised unless you purposely give yourself away." The village of Monkswood lay three miles from the station, and Herriot. after driving two-thirds of the distance, elected to finish the last mile on foot. He was particularly anxious to avoid attention in his arrival at the Blythe Arms. When he came in sight of the old inn abutting on the village green he found thatiiis desire to approach, without observation was to be materially assisted by a number of people passing in and out. Something of local interest had evidently occurred to draw the folk together. Realising that it might have a bearing on the matter that had brought him. he slipped in with the rest, and the first words he heard as he squeezed into the crowded taproom confirmed his surmise. '"Bah! 'Twan't no accident," a- burly farmer was declaiming over a foaming tankard. "It was too hot for her.

I reckon, and she just up and drowned herself to save being arrested. " Herriot drew a deep breath. The thing had happened, then, exactly as the Bond street prophetess had predicted, and Norman BlythVs sweetheart had come to an untimely end. All the detective instinct in Herriot was up in arms at once to learn whether the prediction had been uttered before or after the event. Gloria's claim to supernaHiral powers he regarded witli the finest contempt. More than ever anxious not to be identified with his real mission, he abstained from putting questions to the local busybodies, and stood back unobtrusively to listen. From the talk of the rustics he soon gathered the broad facts. A couple of hours ago Mildred Hardens hat and sunshade had been discovered by a shepherd on the bank of the river, and the man on coming to the village to give the alarm had been met by a servant from the Chase, who had been sent to make inquiries for the girl. She had only been missed that morning, but her bed had not been slept in, and it was therefore helived that she had left the Chase overnight. She had, however, been seen by her pupil. Katie Blythe, and by several of the servants as late as 10 o'clock. Herriot made a quick calculation. Norman had had- his interview with Gloria at about half-past 9, so that even had it been possible for wireless telegraphy to be used she could not Have been apprised by that means of an incident that could not have happened till consideraly later in the night. On the surface of things it seemed that the Bond street oracle had by some extraordinary means foretold th« future, not read the past. "And if she had a knowledge of what was going to happen it must have been a guilty knowledge." Herriot muttered to himself. "This girl, if she had meant to drown herself, would not have made a confidant of anyone, which points to the fact that if she has been drowned at all someone else was going to drown her. and that this dangerous creature knew it." He cast his eyes round the taproom in search of his host, and not seeing anyone answering to the description given him b-y Norman h-e «dged out into the passage. There he had no difliculty in recognising John Benjafield, deep in discussion with an excited group by the bar parlour door. Herriot lounged forward, assuming an aggrieved air. "Is there any chance of getting served?" he grumbled. " "I came in for a glass of ale and some- bread and cheese, but you seem to be running a circus or holding a revival meeting*" The innkeeper left his cronies and became apologetic. "Very sorry, sir, but there's been a sad occurrence that has caused a flush of business," he said. "A young lady has bean drowned, sir, though there's some here wicked enough to hold that she has artfully bolted from the trouble that was on her. The governess up at the Chase, sir. Doubtless you've read of her in the papers." Herriot shot a glance at Norman's foster-father, and in that glance summed him up as an honest, kindly man. And though it was not reassuring to find him adopting the gloomier view of Mildred's disappearance it was evident that he was well disposed towards her. "Well, as I am not interested in the lady, but very much in my lunch, perhaps you will be good enough to get me what I want," Herriot said for the benefit of the bystanders. "And l~ok here," he added, stopping the old man as he bustled off, "just show me somewhere, will you, where I can wash my hands and brush off the dust." Benjafield turned to the staircase, and led the way to a bedroom, muttering anathemas on the exacting visitor who took up so much time while he was busy. But once inside the room Herriot pushed the door shut and astonished him with the question : "What makes you say that you think the girl is drowned?" All taken aback as he was, the old man could only falter: "Because — because it's the kindest thing to think, sir." "You. mean that to drown herself would be a nicer and more ladylike way out of her difficulties than to place her things beside a stream and run. away?" remarked Herriot drily. "I said nothing about her having drowned herself," said the innkeeper, putting himself on the defensive and waxing sullen. "Come, come !" Herriot laughed, admiring his zealous partisanship, and appreciating honest John's loyalty to Norman and Mildred and the dilemma he was in not to let their interests clash. "I am sure you don't believe that anyone else drowned Miss Harden and carefully left a clue to the spot on the bank. And I am equally sure that you wished to persuade those wiseacres downstairs that she hadn't been faking a sham smcide, which looks to me as if you knew that she had been so doing, my friend." Our gentleman had got on John's nerves at last. "Who the devil are you, anyway?" he broke out, peering at the quietly insistent visitor. "A detective from London, I reckon?" For answer Herriot pulled out the letter of introduction which Norman had given him, and studied the broad, kindly face of Benjafield as he spelled through his "boy's" recommendation to trust his friend, the bearer of the missive, and conceal nothing from him. Surely hostility had never faded so quickly from the human countenance, the student of criminology told himself, as when the '*nnkeeper grasped the purport of the letter. " Why didn't you tell me at once, sir, that you came from my foster-son?" he said, not ..without dignity. "I could have ended .your suspense about the young lady so much the sooner." "You know what has become of her?" asked Herriot, who had already made a shrewd guess that Benjafield was in the secret of Mildred's disappearance. 'The poor girl took me, and me alone, into her confideoce, sir," the old man

replied. "She's no more drowned than I am. And she ain't run away neither—* leastways not from the police." "From whdm, then?" "From that scoundrel Paul Blythe, who somehow learned that Mr Norman was in England, and threatened to inform the police if she didn't consent to marry him."Herxiot puckered his brows in a thoughtful frown. How had Paul Blythe gained his knowledge of his half-brother's presence in England— »-by sight or by hearsay? Had he, unknown to Norman, caught a glimpse of the latter when he was prowling round the Chase on the fatal night, or had he been informed of the fact that Norman was in London by] someone who had met and recognised hint' there? In striving for an answer to these questions Herriot's thoughts- reverted to the mysterious intrusion ot Gloria Carrington into Norman's affairs, and he pounced on that seductive necromancer as Paul's possible informant. That she had, by no stra*hger means than common cunning, divined his friend's identity Herriot had not a shadow of a doubt. But if Paul Blythe and Gloria were itt league and mutually supplying each otherf 1 * with information, how could Paul havet apprised her of Mildred's intention to^ pretend to be drowned — an intentiottknown only to Mildred and Benjafieldj That -was a puzzle to which he wourf' have* to apply himself later on, as it migh* have a bearing on the- crux of the whol< business — the murder of Sir Bevys" Blythe« HTor the present his task was to take back? reassuring news to Norman about Mildred! Harden. "You will not object to tdl me.^rhera' Miss Harden is?" be said. "I should' like to see her ..and place my services at her, disposal in case- she needs assistance." "Your best way to help her will A be t<* catch the murderer of Sir Bevys," repliedl the innkeeper gravely. "I pointed outi to her that if the police find her they'll be sure to arrest her now, as they'll believe she ran away to escape them.; Mr Norman tells me in this letter that you're equal to a score of detectives." "I shan't be equal to on* if I cannotj have speech of her," eaid Herriot. "Then you shall, sir," rejoined Benjaw field, overcoming his reluctance witli sudden decision. "She is at the ' Wilder-, nees,' a longely cottage- in a clearing fa the woods, four miles from here. Myj dkier lives there, and I fixed it up withDinah to hide her away till better timea. come. Nobody ever goes nigh the place,, and she'll be safe from prying eyes, seeing as Dinah keeps" no servant and hep husband does all the work on the bit ofi a farm. Missy was to slip out <■ of the Chase late last night and make her. Wav there across the country, after leayn ' ing he* -hat on the river bank." •■> "1 had better have that snack of bread* and cheese for the sake of appearances, : and- then I'll get along to the 'Wilderness,' " said Herriot. "And I will cornel back here on my way to the station and? report progress.' -^. Ten minutes later he left the Blythe! Arms, and, following the directions given him, started for the refuge whichl Benjafield had provided for the sorely-; tried, girl. His way took him across the) water meadows, through which ran tha river, and with covert amusement he sawt a number of men under the superintend-* ence of a police inspector and a couple of constables- engaged in dragging the bed! of the stream. He passed near enough to hear their lamentations over their lack! of success. Farther on the footpath led hiffli through the great game preserves belong-, ing to Monkswood Chase, and after tra* versing the woods for over three miles he crossed, a stile into a bramble-girt carttrack, at the end of which, in a four-acrei clearing, stood a dilapidated cottage. Berriot walked up to the open door and rapped on At, bringing from the back regions an elderly dame hastily .drying soapy hands on a coarse apron. She regarded the stranger with looks of puzzled! inquiry ridiculously like those of the land"* lord of the Blythe Arms. "Mr Benjafield sent me to you," Herriot explaiped. "I have satisfied your brothetf that I am to be trusted, and he thoughtf that I could help # the^young lady wh# came to you last night." The woman's expression changed to! blank bewilderment. ' • "Lord bless us and save us!" she ex* claimed, "but you can't' help her here.' My man and I sat up all night waiting for her, and she never came at all." (To be continued.)