THE BONDAGE OF HATE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1788, 6 November 1919, Page 3

THE BONDAGE OF HATE.

[All Rights Reserved.] Ey CAPTAIN FRANK H. SHAW, Author of The Love-Tidee," "A Life's DeTOtion," etc. CHAPTER XL—(Continued.) THE WOMAN OF MYSTERY. "Then I'm off; I'll look you up tomorrow. Stop a bit, though " He halted on his way to the door. "I think I ought to tell you that I've picked up a bit of news that might concern you. Insignificant, but it's the trifles of life that count. Met a man—surgeon of an Italian battleship —we lay ■with her at Tripoli, you know. Got on talking about this murder, and he was interested. He'd seen a photograph of Mrs Grenfell, and it seems he knew her in a way when she was out in Italy. That would be before Miss Seymour knew her." "Is that all? I daresay there must be gome thousands of people alive at the present day who knew her out in Italy.'' "Yes, but when I spoke of my own association with the case, through you, lie said: 'That woman—the woman of mystery!' What do you make of that!" Farquharson stopped short in his perambulation, and fronted Leatham squarely. His quick brain had leaped to what might prove a clue in the tangle. '' She was known as a woman of mystery! I say, Bobby, what if this murder is connected in some way with her past. We know very littlo of her, except that she was rich and beautiful, and that she spent some years of her life abroad. This is a time when every little detail must be taken into account. Can I see this friend of yours?" Leatham shook his head. " 'Fraud not; he was just on the wing when I saw him—off to Paris, you know, and from there back to Genoa. He'd only snaffled a month's leave, and he spent a fortnight of it visiting British shipyards and hospitals. He's keen, I tell yon, dead keen." "And yet this man might possess some information that would throw a light on the mystery! Paris, did you Bay! And Paris is only a short run from London. Would it be possible to find him!" . "I daresay—yes, he gave me his address there. He wanted me to write to him and mention something. I've got a note of it in my book, but it wasn't very important. Why, what's the matter! You look like a man who's come into a fortune! " , "This might mean more than it would seem. I'm in a position now to grasp every trifle; and if I can find a man who knew Mrs Grenfell before —before anyone else knew her —see what I'm driving at!" Well, I'll call round again to-night. Meanwhile, I must be off." Bobby's keen v ears had caught the faint rustle of a skirt in the corridor. He moved to but' before it ,could be opened Farquharson had him by the collar. "You don't leave here before we come to some arrangement.'' "Hold on, man! You're choking me. Look here, a fair thing's a fair -" The door opened, and Rosie Farquharson appeared. Perhaps she flushed faintly as she saw the sailor struggling in her brother's grasp, but if so the flush was merely momentary. She recovered her composure, and her manner was almost indifferent when she spoke, taking no notice of Leatham. "Molly is wild, of course, but that doesn't matter. Now, Maurice, when do we start!" '' Good morning, Miss—er —Miss Rosie." Leatham was painfully confused; in the presence of the girl . he loved words always failed him. He had a fatal aptitude for appearing banal and almost bucolic when Rosie was at hand. "Oh, Mr Leatham, is that you?" She seemed to look through him, and when he grasped her hand and squeezed it/ Bhe regained possession of her -own property with an air of recovering a sullied handkerchief from a guttej. More than that, she studied her fingers with great attention. "Played th« fool again, I expect!" muttered Bobby wrathfully to himself. "If she was only a petty officer now, I'd show her! But'what's a man to do with a woman!" "We'll start at once. There'll be a train by the time we get to the station; e'an't afford to'lose any time now/ for Leatham's put me up to something that might count." . " Oh! " She studied the ruffled Bobby as if he were some strange species of reptile that had betrayed a sudden and unexpected intelligence. "Oh, is that so!" "Yes, that's so; at least, Farquharson seems to think it might be important." Bobby hastened to obliterate the bad impression he had already created. "Matter of fact, I met a man who knew Mrs Grenfell " "If the thing is urgent we ought to lose no time," said Rosie crueHy. '''l'll tie my veil, Maurice, if you'll call a taxicab.'' (To be Continued.)