THE GILLINGHAM RUBIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3100, 13 August 1913, Page 62

THE GILLINGHAM RUBIES.

TEE NOVBX.XST. i?DRLisnED by Special Arrangement.]

By EDGAR JEPSON, Author of “The Girl’s Head,’ ‘ The Passion of Romance,” “The Lady Noggs—Peeress,” “The Admirable Tinker,” etc., etc.

[Copyright.] CHAPTER XV —ABSALOM DISCOVERS KITTY MEREDITH'S CONFEDERATE. tBSALOM closed the door behind it in a’ blank surprise. He j had known ever since Ids fir&t i meeting with her that she was i the one woman in the wend | for him ; but he had been very j ’firm with himself about the j matter. He was a- ([uieL j simple soul for all h’.s intelli- | gence; and he‘had the humility ot the j simple. He had accounted so brilliant and , ravishing a creature, with all her guts o j birth and beauty and friends, far above Ids red-headed self, garnished though that | red-headed self was with all his latnei a j millions. , , j He had been content, or, rather, had j tried, to be content, to be her friend. Assuredly he had never looked for more. Then, "seeing Barbara lying back in that easy chair weary, with her troubles her.'.\ ou her, the sudden, intense realisation had come upon him that for all her bright brilliance thev were after all but man and woman, that externals were the merest trifles, but their intimate personalities alone counted. In that sudden conviction he had asked . her to marry him, and the conviction had been so intense that he had noi been surprised that she not had at once and firmly refused. The surprise came now. b p to the moment lie had spoken he had never dreamed that there was a chance that Barbara could love him ; now he felt to Ins very marrow that she could love him, and she should. H ft e stumbled across the room and out into the garden in a tumult of joy and triumph, his mind whirling in an amazed confusion. He crossed the lawn, and went through the dark shrubbery of deodoras, into the thicket of larches. His mind was so full of the wonderful thing that had happened to him, so busy trying to grasp it in some of its fullness as he came through the shrubbery and the thicket along the path to the bridge above the weir, that he did not hear the loud voices till he was right at tire end of the path, in full view of the bridge. Then he awoke , suddenly to the fact that he was in the world, and the world was at the moment a very noisy place. Three figures now stood on the bridge where two had stood before. But it by no means seemed to bo a ease of two being company and three none; it seemed far more a case of two being company and three too much ; for the third figure was Jenkins, and Jenkins was vociferous in a fury. Absalom was not more than fifteen yards 1 from them, and lie had a perfect view of the scene. Jenkins stood at the end of the bridge nearest to him, with his back towards him. In the middle of the bridge stood M. Leroux in a fine attitude of severe and scornful dignity, his arms folded, his head thrown back. J 1 is nostrils were dilated, and a dark frown wrinkled | his brow. In the middle of the bridge j stood Josephine, loaning back against the j rail; and she was smiling a mocking and ! mischievous smile at the raging Jenkins. “You’ve been humbugging me! The pair of you!” he roared. “I guessed it days ago! ,All them talks you was always having together! Do you" think I didn't take no heed of them? I can tell you that Thomas Jenkins has his head as* tightly screwed on his shoulders as most men!”' “The poor, big Thomas!” said Josephine in a mocking tone. “And when it come to that lesson in coffee-making in the- droring room niter lunch, 1 says to myself. "Thomas, my buy. , you must keep your eyes open ’ “ ' | “ Such big, bright eyes, the poor, big j ' Thomas,” Josephine interjected ; and at | tile word “ coffee-making ” Absalom had M pricked up his ears. “I knew well enough it was jimt a | 1 paltry excuse—coffee-making! G—-r—r -r ! - —r!” howled the foaming Jenkins. “ I’m ; not the fool you took me for! i kept my j , eves open; and what did I sec when f \ [ come down the path?” “ Nothing that concerned yon, gross j J pur! ’ snapped M. Leroux. j . Jenkins gasped. “ ’Ere !’ What’s that ? ■ J Sav it again !" lie said. “Gross pig!’ said M. Leroux obliging i him at once. E s cabin me names now,” said i • Jenkins in a boneless voice; and he rolled ! his eves appealingly round the umespon- j sive heave:is M. Leroux twirled Ifis moustache j c fiercely. “1 have said ‘ Gross pis.’ ; mi \ [ I have meant it. It C true tli.it I might I refuse to cross < words with a footman. ; , I waive it. You need a lesson, gr- -s jig. | Ma foi! I will give it,” he sai l with ins \ j splendid air. I . Josephine claimed le v hands and cried ; “ Yon wii! trillv fight him. Adolph"? i . With swords’ In file dm 1 regular—v. itii ' , witnesses? But it is delmiops! Absalom saw her iovfnl eyes flash and , , dance in the moonlmhf. j , “Swords’ Du !’ “ cried Jenkins in a suddenly r.hakv voice. i ( “ But tndv. von have crossed mv path | : —the with of A dob dm Leroux. Aon need 1 j a lesson, and I—l shall be charm-d to j

give a gross islander a lesson. I will bath you in your blood—the blood of youi heart,” said M. Leroux with cold ferocity. “But it will be magnificent, Adolphe!” I cried Josephine. “.And if either of you j is killed, I shall wear mourning; I could do no less.” “I’m an Englishman, I am!” cried Jenkins. “ I uses Nature’s weapons, 1 do. We’ll settle this as man to man!” So saymg he advanced on M. Leroux, darting to and fro two large Acts, each more like a small leg of mutton than the human hand. Absalom stepped forward to interiere, thinking that M. Leroux’.* slim five feet four was no match for the thick six lest two of Jenkins; but ho need not have been at the pains. M. Leroux laughed a sudden, sardonic laugh, whipped out a small revolver, and pointed it at the middle of the advancing bulk. “I leave Nature’s weapons to women,” lie said. " I am of the twentieth century, I am. ” Jenkins stopped short —very short; and Absalom heard his gasp. Then he began to back quickly, crying, | “Here! Look out! You forriners ain’t to i be trusted with firearms I It’ll go off !” j ‘‘Yes; it will go off. Mcestare Jenkins; { of \‘oii come near,” raid At. Leroux. '•“You | do not light like a butcher with Adolphe I Leroux. No!’’ And he lowered the f pistol. | _ “You call vourself a man, and you're | afraid to stand up to mo with Nature's j weapons.” said Jenkins bitterly. “Oh, 1 you forriners !” I “You’ll find me quite enough of a man I when we face one anvsther with .swords on j one of these nice smooth lawns ; more ! than enough of a man,” said M. Leroux I in a terrible sneering voice. Jenkins glared at him : “I'm an Englishman ! I don’t tight no duels!” he cried furiously. “I wash my hands of you —of both of you—of you and that little “Be careful!” cried M. Lormix in a terrible voice ; and he raised the revolver again. Jenkins backed swiftly off the bridge down into the larch thicket. “The jx/or. big Thomas !” cried the mocking Joenhine. Jenkins turned on h:.s heel and canto quickly down the path. He failed in his fury to see Absalom, •*.who had stepum aside into the deep shadow to spare him the knowledge that there had been a witness of his discomfiture. Ten yards down the path, with a thick growth of larches between him and the revolver, Jenkins cried in a terrible voice, ‘‘Dirty forriners !” The mocking laugh of Josephine came ringing very clearly through the trees. Absalom came quickly after Jenkins; but noiselessly. In spite 'of his bulk he could walk nearly as softly as a cat. He was careful not to overtake him ; and he only called to him when they reached the lawn. Jenkins stopped short ; and Absalom came up to him and said, “Were you in the drawing room when Lei’otix made the coffee after lunch?” “Yes. sir,” said Jenkins. ‘‘Who else was there?” said Absalom. “That little—that little--Miss Lessing’s maid, sir. He was giving her a lesson,” said Jenkins somewhat thickly. "Thank yon.” said Absalom in a careless tone; but he went into the Blue Room with a smile of triumph on his face. He knew who had drugged the coffee, and who was Kitty Meredith’s Amfederate inside the Castle. CHAPTER XVI. —ABSALOM AND BARBARA .MAKE THEIR PREPARATIONS. Barbara went slowly up the stairs with I a tumbled face, in a considerable confu- 1 sioa of emotion. Had anyone that day, I or even ihat evening up to a quarter of • an. hour ago. suggested that she should i marry Absalom, che would have laughed j at the suggestion: it would have seemed | grotesque to her. She had lik'd him very \ much ; she had even been fond of him as | a friend. But she bad always felt herself. I 'with the true feminine lack of reason, j superior to him : she bad been inclined to j patronise him. Assuredly her feeling for j him had never gone deeper than friend- ! ship : and ehe had never suspected him j of any doper feeling for her. And now, with amazing .suddenness, everything had changed. She was conscious of a change in her Jf. a change | brought about by a change ii him. Iff 1 had changed, to her eyes at any rate, ! from tiie quite harmless, aiwi. nig. kindly, j but cranky. Absalom to someone mysteri I oils, [somewhat formidable, somewhat fasei- I nating. Something arresting, compelling, i disturbing, in his eyes and his tones, had i Doubled the very depths of her being. ■ She had iallen. suddenly and unawares, j under the spell of his personality. She sank down into a chair, and sat | verv ot:!l for a long while, staring at the ’ hand he had kissed, seeing now and again verv eh arlv his masterful eyes, in a : frowning wonder. She asked herseff wire ! she had hesitated when he asked her to i marry him. She had never hesitated over I the proiiosal of any other man. She had known her mind on the instant-. She had \ known it before lie snoke. AVhv had she | not known it this time? Could .she be j ■'n love with Absalom ? It was very odd. | At last she shook hereeif a little Im- | natieiitly. and rose. She had no more | time for the consideration -of matters of I sentiment. The Gillingham rubies claimed j Iter attention. She rang her Irdl. (tee of the Castle j maids a ns wered it. and told her that | I < e 11 )ii 1 1«? was out in the ganlcr-iS. She ] bad- her s-ed Josephine to her as soon | •is she came in. Absalom car"- into t!m Blue Room, and | sat down in Cm easy chair mar the long | windows to v'.ii.'id'-r Cm mv jJeee of : riforira - ion which Cm mere chaime of | < vet hearing a 'inane! between two jealous i swains had given Inin. Tim presence of i J. oenhine at the coffee-making in the drawing room that afternoon made her n verv lik-lv person indeed to have drugged the coffee. At any rat-, it lav beiv/em her and Leroux. and if. seemed far more

I probable to Absalom that she had hocuased I the house-party. From what- he had seen | of Leroux, and his attitude to his art and j Jenkins, he did not seem to him a man v -'ko would stoop to act as Kitty Mere- | dith’s Confederate. The chef seemed built I on too romantic lines to steal rubies, j He must certainly warn Barbara about j her maid, though it was likely that there I would be no need. lie would surely catch I the girl admitting Jasper Forbes, either j njone or with some other confederate of I Kitty Meredith. | He was sorry that it should be Josej phine. He had liked the girl, not only j because she had a pretty face, but also j because lie knew that Barbara was fond of her, and that she wan devoted to Barj hara. Well, perhaps he might get a | chance of giving Josephine a fright that j would shock her into tire straight and | narrow path of respectability. ! _ Ho was disturbed by a sudden clamour i Irom the bridge players, cries that Lord j Mectham had revoked, loud protestations | 1 tom Bold Fhetham that he had done j nothing of the kind. But the tricks were j searched, and Ins guilt brought home to 1 him. j hen lie was loud in his piotostai lions tiiat it was entirely owing to -<0 I that they were playing in the Tower j ht >oii; and not m tin* dr,.wing room. J hero was peace, comparative'peace, as j they added up the score. Then Lady Sarratt said. •• Light hundred and seventy - | two. That's Pinky's third revoke, and j w.TI all go to hotly' j J here was tile chink of coins as they j paid the stakes, and then they came troop- | mg into the Blue Room. | “It’s extraordinary. Incredible I’’ cried I the fuming Marquess. "Whenever I play j with you.. Fleetham, you revoke.'’ “it’s that poky little hole!" cried Lord F leetham fiercely. "But you revoke « every where —everyj where 1“ cried liis angry sire. “it, must be a tic,” interposed the irreveranb Absalom. I he Gtllinghams do not suffer from tics, ’ said the Marquess with icy fury. "My mistake,’ said Absalom cheerfully. I.tidy Sarratfc and .Miss Can tel tine bade them good-night, and went off to bed. The men gathered round the table, and mixed themselves final drinks. Hang it all!” cried Lord Fleetham with a suddenly-inspired air. “ That leaves four of ns. Let's base another rubber.’' "Not for me, thank you. I’ve played enough to-day,’’ said Absalom. He was feeling eager to get the ground cleared for action. “ You’d only revoke again,” said the Marquess sourly. "That’s it; rulj it in,” said Lord Fleetham bitterly. T hey drank their drinks in a somewhat painful silence, depressed by the sorrow of the afflicted peer. T hen the Earl of Tilcombe and Lord Fleetham went off to bed, Lord Fleetham bitterly aggrieved, grumbling at his luck, his cards, his part- . ners, and the place lie had played in. The Marquess rang the bell, and Jenkins came quickly, closed and fastened the windows in the Tower Room and the ■ Blue Room, and drew the curtains. .Absalom slowly poured himself out a glass of Apnllinaris, and the Marquess watched him a little impatiently. Jenkins performed Ids task and went. You can find your way to your room, Mr Homme?” said the Marquess. Yes, thank you,” said .Absalom. “ But I'm not going to it—not to stay. 1 propose to keep watch here for an hour or two —td! dawn, in fact.” "Do you think it’s necessary?” said the Marquess, awaking to a sudden uneasiness. “ Do you think that the burglars will make their attempt to-night?” “ i should say that it was a practical certainty.” said Absalom with slow conviction. " If tliev have the keys of the safe they'll act at once to give you as little time as possible to lot von discover the loss of them. When I came down this morning I expected to have two or three slays to look about me. I'm sure now that I have nothing of the kind. But tiu-re's one thing I should like to be 1 quite sure about, and that is, whether • they have really got the keys or have < merely been tampering with the lock of 1 tin* safe, if that’s what they have been doing, it must he easy to detect. They < are hound to hare scratched tile keyhole. • Now. would yon mind taking a look at the keyhole while I go up to mv room ‘ and put on a warm dressing-gown? I ! shall liave to keep ver\ ■-till, and "the hours 1 before dawn are chilly.” But won t von come and examine the | ‘ keyhole of the safe yonrs-df? Von must * have n much better eve for that kind of thing than 1 have. You’ve probably had experience of locks- that have been tampered with, and I have had none,” said * the Marquess quickly. "1 shall he charmed," said Absalom. ( " 1 didn’t care to snggi.-t it myself, for f thought you might wish to preserve c the secret of the room.” " ! don't think it is much of a secret . to von -or. for that matter, to several other people." said the Marquess gloomily. 1 He locked tin- doin', went to the left- J hand corner of the room, and pressed the -pring in the panel. It opened with a grating sound that showed Absalom that its non hinery was either worn nr nnoiled. Tim Marquess stepped through the narrow ' openintr into the secret room, and Absalom j followed him. ! j The Marquess switched on tin- electric . r lamp, and Absalom Maimed round the little ; chamber. He had expected to find its ; ‘ walls bare, nnsmoothed stone, but it was ; lined with tile same panels of cedar as 1 the Bine Room __ _ : a Hr* took out his magnifying giass and examined the key hob- of the safe carefully. : p There was not a r-eratch about it. lie had ; () not exoect&d to find one. “ That settles that. They have got the | (I keys. ’' he said confidently. j s | They came out of the secret room : the , j, Maroness closed the panel and tinned to { Absalom. j t “ F had better get n couple of men to j p k.-ep watch with u- —Jenkins and mv own j 1( man. Jenkins is a big fellow.” he said. •,

"Not on any account!” cried Absalom " I’m pretty sure —in fact, I’m quite sure that Kitty Meredith has a confederate n the house; and it would be quite im possible to get your two men into thh room without that confederate knowing it \A ell, you may be sure that that confede rate is to signal that the coast is clear or, at any rate, to signal if it is noi clear. And it she, or he, signals that the coast is not clear, they will not make tin attempt to-night; and 1 take it that wc want to catch them and have done witl: it.” Yes —yes; that's what we want,” gain the Marquess briskly. “ You and 1 between us ought to be able to give a good account of tnem.” This was not at all what .Absalom wanted. He had made up his mind that Jasper Forbes was coming back for the rubies, that lie had left the Castle and gone to Clay bury in order to be able tc return for them without suspicion; and lit was eager indeed to have the explorer tc himself when he did return. Not to put too fine a point on it. he was burning to have him to himself. The kiss he had snatched from Barbara had made him angry at the time with an anger somewhat impersonal; now that there was a very good chance that Barbara would be his. the kiss was rankling bitterly. He was suffering from the furious indignation of the outraged proprietor : and he was bent ‘on hammering Jasper Forbes till that indignation was soothed. The attempt on the rubies would give him a perfect pretext for the light for which ho was spoiling. ■ “No, I would rather handle the business alone,” lie said firmly. "I take it that yon want to preserve the rubies, that you want to stop any more attempts on them from this quarter, but you don’t want a scandal and a fuss, especially a newspaper fuss, about the matter.” “Heavcus.no!” cried the Marquess with lively decision. “Well, IT! undertake to preserve the rubies; and i’ll handle the thieves all right. The fewer people in it the less chance of a fuss. Besides, it’s much easier tor me to slip down here without the confederate learning it. than for the two of us to do so. You may be sure that the confederate is keeping a look-out for us to go to bed. And we have got to seem to go to bed.” Tim Marquess looked disposed to protest; then he said. “Very good. I’ll leave the affair in your hands. Have you got a revolver?” “N'o,’ said Absalom. “Let me get you one.” “No, thanks ; I shan’t need one. I can deal with these amateurs without weapons,” said Absalom, whose only thought was to get his grip on Jasper Forbes. “Very good; yon know best: and, of course, if it came to using a revolver there would not he keeping matters out of the papers. But I shan’t go to bod. I shall be waiting up to come to your aid. if yon should need me,” said the Marquess. "Thank von, but I'm hoping that I dian't,” said Absalom. “But anyhow you won’t have to wait up so very long. The lawn will he here in a connlo of hours; Hid they’ll do nothing after that. And now 1 think we might go upstairs together, talking, for the benefit of the confederate on the watch.” They went upstairs, talking about the Hillingham shooting. At the door cf Absalom’s bedroom they paused, still tailing, while Absalom slipped into it, caught up his dressing-gown, and slipped out ■•gain. They talked for two or three ninnies longer. Then the Marquess went ilong the corridor, Absalom said, “floodlight.” shut his bedroom door firmly, and ■an swiftly and lightly hack down the stairs to the Blue Room. As Absalom’s door closed, Josephine oftly closed the door of Barbara’s bed00m, which she had opened half an inch hat she might hear the sounds in the muse, and turned to her mistress, with a nischievous smile. Barbara lay on the sofa, reading a lovel. She looked up at the smiling maid, ind said rather wistfully, “How you do ■ll joy it. Josephine! I wish I found it uch fun.” ‘‘But yes, mademoiselle, f enjoy it. it ■xcites me.” said Josephine, and her smile ;rew brighter. “Oh. I find it exciting enough,” said Barbara. “But all the while ( know that t’s wrong; and I c-an't forget it. (t spoils lie excitement.” Josephine’s face grew a little grave, and he said, “'Then let me go and take the allies to Monsieur Forbes, mademoiselle, 'on go to hid. 1 .shall not fail. It is asv —oh. 'Din easv.” "No, I can't let yon do that,” said iaihrtra ,-Towlv. “But why not. mademoiselle? If is so asv.” said Josephine eagerly. “No; it’.i hero that the real danger nrnes i.i : and it's for me to take the isk." said Barbara (irnilv. ‘‘But I—l am not afraid! I should jve it.” said .Josephine. ‘*l do not feel wrong—not at all —no. What is it to J) a niaii a miserable man? It is noli mr— hut nothing at all.” “Yon are a misanthrope, Josephine,” lid Barbara., smiling “.And with a reason!” s.v'd Jcsephine nickly. “And this is a Marquess, on iistocr.it. a miserable aris'oerat." “But the rubies I fake myself,” said arhara in a tone pf fina’itv. “We must ive them an hour. You lie down for half 1 hour; and when I'm ready to he'dn < lilting on the disguise I’ll wake yon.” Josephine heaved a faint sigh of disinoiutmeiit. hut oh* ditmtiv she wont to big armchair, settled, herself in it. or j ] 1! her curled herself up in it. and in less ; Kin (ive minutes was sleeping the sleep j , profound innocence. - Barbara read ‘on at her novel with a < net and unflagging attention which 1 | lowed an uncommonly well-balanced tern- . ‘rainent. The hook might have been the t dv thing in the world of any interest her. She might have had nothing more ipoidaut before her than a quiet night’s t ■st. Her peaceful absorption in it was ) f so very creditable to the bonk, which <

dealt with the exploits of a voting gentleman at loggerheads with Fortune” who increased his income very much in the same fashion as she increased hors but with less skill. two or uii'ce times she glanced up from it at the clock; and at tne expiration of half au hour she laid aside ner novel, slipped oh the sola, and awoke Josephine. •Josephine awoke quite awake, took her mistress s keys from the toilet table, and opened a small trunk. From it she took one of tiiose flat japaimed-tin eases in which actors keep their make-up, opened it and set it on the toilet table. Then she took a wig box from the trunk, and from it she drew a- red wig and set it on a side table. Then she took from the trunk a tight-fitting tailor-made dress, with a short skirt, and of a greyish drab, admirably adapted to blend * with the shades ot night, and permit its wearer to get lost among them with the least possible delay, shook it out, and began to brush it. .Barbara sat down before the mirror, took, a uue brusn and a little tube of a very bright green irom the tin case, and with minute care began to pamt her eyelashes. When Josephine had finished brushing out the tailor-made dress, she took Uom tile trunk a small cap ot the same cloth and a thick, brown veil. Tnen she turned her attention to tne red wig. Presently Barbara turned and looked at her with green even. "Are they all right!” she said. "But perfect, mademoiselle,’ said Josephine. ” Mees Kitty .Meredith herself —there is no recognising Mees Lessing at all—even already. ' “ 1 thought they looked all right,” said Barbara in a tone of satisfaction ; and she turned again to the mirror. She took a hare’s foot, and began to lay Kitty Meredith’s high colour on her pale cheeks. She was not long about it; then she said, - And now the wig.” ■Josephine brought the wig and set it on her head. They arranged it carefully, and fixed it on so firmly with hair-pins that Barbara had tiie fullest freedom of action. The effect of it and the green eyes was most interesting. .Not a feature of Barbara had changed, of course, but her face had lost its distinction. She had become a girl of another type, a lower type, a girl who, if she were not already an advent ureas, could become an adventuress with the greatest case and propriety. Then Barbara took off her peignoir; and Josephine slipped the drab-grey dress on over her head and fastened it up. She put on the little cloth cap and fixed it with a couple of hatpins, and tied on the veil very firmly. Then she clapped her hands, and said, ‘Mademoiselle get* better every time!” ” Or worse,” said Barbara somewhat ruefully. “If I had to go on dressing tho part many more times, and playing it, I’m sure I should gel to feeling myself a real Kitty Meredith. 1 wonder if I should mind.” “But no, mademoiselle,” said Josephine with conviction. “ Men run after Mees Kitty Meredith just as they run after Mees Lessing—different men and the same.” “ Tou attach a great deal of importance to men running after one, for. a misanthrope,” said Barbara smiling. “ Oh, but it is right that they run after one. It is their business. And it amuses. They are- such imbeciles,” said Josephine. “ I see. And now I think that you had better be off to your own room,” said Barbara. “If anything went wrong and you were found waiting in ray room for me to return, you would naturally he accused of being my confederate, for it would make it clear that you knew of my disguise.” “If anything went wrong with you, mademoiselle, I shouldn't care about myself, no not a bit,” said Josephine quickly. “You’re a faithful soul, Josephine; but that would be merely foolish. It would be enough and to spare if i got into a . mess, (live me the revolver; and oil you go,” said Barbara in tho tone of one who meant to be obeyed. From the bottom of the trunk Josephine took a email revolver and handed it to her. She slipped it into a pocket on her right hip. It was a curious pocket to find on a woman's dress—a useful pocket. It had been made by Josephine to carry the revolver. The revolver did not show so much intelligence as the pocket. The former was of ’far too light a calibre to atop the rush of a determined man, unless the bullet struck him in some vital part. Josephine went to the door, and paused. “ I will not wish you good fortune, mademoiselle,” she said. “One should not wish anvone good fortune in love, cards, or the chase: and you bunt rubies.” “ There is no need. I know what you wish mo.” sad] Barbara, smiling at her. Josephine closed the door and stole softly down the corridor. But <die did not ■ o to her room. She went noiselessly no to he next floor and established herself at :he window of the landing. where she uould not only look down on to the lawn m which the windows of the Blue Room metied. but also bear any movement in .he house. Barbara looked at the clock. It still van ted fen minutes of the hour she ind allowed for the guests of the Marmess to fall sour. 11 v adeem Sim took on no- novel, stretched herself comfort ably in tin* sofa, and went on omctly with her ending. In the meantime Absalom was keeping .is patient watch in the Tower Hoorn, ■’coin the side window of it lie could see ,ver the parapet of the terrace, fiom which the ground fell sheer along tho side J the tower to the lower level fifty feet K-neath. He had a fair view of the lawn ifjh t to the entrance of the path through he deodora shrubbery, down which be xpected Jasper Forbes to come. He had taken off bis coat and put on he dressing-gown, and was unite warm, or the night was still hot. He drew ilia ur:ai2 but a little way a.ide so that as

long as he was careful not to let the red end of his cigar show through the opening in it he could smoke without any fear of giving the explorer warning that h© was on the watch. He had not been sitting there much more than ten minutes when lie heard the door of the Blue Room open softly. He was surprised indeed He had been sure that the thieves would not move till they had good reason to believe that everyone in the Castle was sleeping soundly. _ He rose, slipped off his dressing-gown, kicked o A his pumps, and stole to the curtain between the two rooms. It must be the confederate inside the Castle —Josephine. He had no intention of interfering with her unless she went into the secret room herself to get the rubies. He was waiting for Jasper Forbes, and he would do nothing to prevent his coming. She had only come probably to unfasten the windows for the explorer’s entrance. But he must be sure that that was all she did. He drew the curtain apart very gent.% an inch or two. To his amazement the electric light was switched on, and the room was in a bright light. He pressed the curtain outwards with his head so that he could see the whole room. By the table stood Lord Fleetham pourin# whisky from a decanter into a tumbler. Absalom murmured a word or two, quite uncomplimentary to the heir of all the Gillinghams, under his breath. He had the pleasure of seeing hyn add soda to his whisky and drink it in a very leisurely fashion. Then Lord Fleetham compared the two decanters of whisky very carefully, took the fullest, along with a syphon of soda water, and went towards the door. He switched off the electric light and went out of the room. As he passed out of the door Absalom shook an itching fist at his unconscious back. Then lie went back Ip his watch in the window seat, slipped on his dressing-gown and pumps, lighted another cigar, and sat down again. He opened the window, though he thought it very unlikely indeed that he would hear the footfall of Jaspei Forbes before lie saw him. He wts eager, but not at all impatient. He abandoned himself to dreams of Barbara. and found it a delightful way of passing the hours of his watch. For a long while nothing hapnened. Now and again he interrupted his dreams to look at his watch. It was nearly one o’clock tv lien li is quick ear caught the faint far-away hum. Faint as it was, he recognised it on the instant. It was the hum of a motor car. His pulse quickened. Things were going to happen. He slipped his arms out of his dressinggown. but let it hang on his shoulders. The hum grew louder and louder; then suddenly it grew softer. Absalom perceived that the driver had slowed down to make less noiee as lie drew near the Castle Absalom know for certain that it was Forbes. He stiffened in his seat, as unconsciously as his muscles went tarn. Suddenly the hum of the car ceased altogether, not very far from the Castle: but Absalom fancied that he could still hear the faint throbbing of the engine. Jasper Forbes had left his car by the little gate into the park, and was coming for the Gillingham rubies! (To he continued.)