HERITAGE

Taranaki Daily News, 12 September 1934, Page 11

HERITAGE

BY

HEDLEY RICHARDS

CHAPTER 9. Mary stepped out of the train and .looked round the little country station; the only other person who had come by it was a tall, rather aristocratic lookmg man who stared at her m a way she did not like, and she lingered till he had given up his ticket to the station master and passed through the little wicket gate. ' The station master came towards her, and as she handed him her ticket she asked if he could tell her where Mrs. , Barnes lived. I “Yes, miss, but it’s a good long way | to Elm House. You must go straight ; down the lane till you come to a sign post, brie hand points to Biford village and the other to Measey. You take the road to Biford, don’t turn off, keep straight on till you come to the village, and at the far end you’ll see another sign post, it points to Waverly, you turn along there, and after going about a mile you’ll come to a big house—Dipton House, then a quarter of a . mile further on there’s Elm House.” “Thank you. How far is it altogether., “Oh, a matter of four miles, and it’s ;a pleasant road, but a bit lonely, though it’s safe enough.” Mary went straight through the gate and down the lane, and after walking some distance she came to. the sign post and turned in the direction of. Eiford village. It was a pretty lane, primroses were growing on the banks and in the fields she could see cowslips. There was no need to hurry, she had the day before her, and it wouldn’t take long to interview Nurse Barnes, so she stopped to gather some primroses and made her:self a bunch which she fastened in her coat. As she entered the village the church clock chimed and she saw it was half-past twelve, so she quickened her steps and before long she came to Dipton House, and ten minutes’ brisk walking brought her to the gates leading into the. garden at Elm House. They were iron, and on the stone pillars the name had been put in big black letters. Mary opened the gate, then she walked into a broad winding path with well grown shrubs on either side of the front entrance. There was a porch over the door arid a couple of straight wiridows on either side, and five above. It was built of stone and had a better appearance than .Mary expected. She was going to ring the bell when she saw a 'rrtaid busy cleaning the' fan-light over ■the front door.’ ;■ • ?.- . “Is Mrs. Barnes at home?” she asked. “Yes, miss, but she’s got a gentleman with her . just, now, but if you don't mind waiting—?l

“Not at all,” Mary replied. “Then please follow me,” and the girl led the way down a rather long fairly wide hall that was carpeted. Half way down she opened a door, saying: ' “I’ll tell Mrs. Barnes about you when the gentleman goes.” Mary entered the room and the maid closed the door very quietly. She had spoken softly, it was evident her mistress didn’t tolerate noise. Mary sank into a chair and looked rtmnd. It was a small room with a window that opened like a door, the fireplace was oldfashioned, and at one side there was a door leading into another room. It was slightly ajar, and she could hear voices in the next room. She was wondering if she should shut the door when she heard a man’s voice say: “Come, it’s no use you talking about dealing with the girl, she cannot make it worth your while. Why, if she went to law we should fight and even if she won—which she wouldn’t—you might have to wait a long time for your money.”

“I don’t know, l ean prove that the girl is Mr. Hugh Dalrymple’s daughter and heiress. I fancy it wouldn’t be long .before she was at, Dalrymple Court.”

“Confound it! Mind what you say,” he said angrily. “Oh, there’s nd one to hear, both the servants are busy, but if you’re so anxious to keep things quiet you must give me my price—£5,000 down.”

“Well, I must know just what I’m paying for. You say this woman Drury died on the passage back to England, so the girl may be in the States.” “Not she. I’m pretty sure Mrs. Drury would be coming back to see that the girl got her own, she never did like the job. It was Tom Drury who persuaded her into it. I guess he’s dead and that she was intending to see your father.” Mary cautiously moved towards the door, hoping to catch a .glimpse of the speakers, but a curtain was on the inner side, and as she stood there. she heard the man say:

“I wonder if it was this girl who call? ed to see my father the night he dted? The footman said -a young lady had come by appointment.” “Very • likely, : but you can bet she wouldn’t have got anything out of your father. ’The paper said he was writing when he was shot. Who was the letter to?”

“I don’t know. All he’d written were the words: Tam coming to see you the day after to-morrow.’ It wasn’t addressed to anyone.”

“I expect it was meant for me.. Your father would want me to help him .nOw the girl had turned up. Well, now are you going to give me £5,000, or shall I make terms with her?” said Mrs. Barnes,

“Yes, I’ll promise that. How do you want it paid? I’d rather not give you a cheque.” “Oh, notes will be the safest.” “Then notes it shall be, and I can tell you it's jolly lucky you've me to deal with and not my brother Jack. If he'd got the estate and he'd learned about this girl he’d have turned it all over to her.” 7

“So he’s that sort—well he doesn't take after his father; but you're a chip Of the old block in some ways, though I shouldn't say you’re keen On business or any kind of work.’’ “You’ve guessed right, old lady. Well, now. suppose this girl claims the estate how can you help me?’’ “It’s easy enough. I’ve thought it all out, before I wrote to you. I shall swear that. I nursed Mrs. Hugh Dalrymple in her confinement and I’ll take my oath that the child was stillborn. As for the girl Mrs. Drury adopted I shall say she was the daughter of a theatrical couple. I nursed the wife, and as they wanted

(Author of “The Telegraph CAII,” “The Deputy Avenger,” etc.)

(To be

to be rid of the child and Mrs. Drury wanted to adopt one, I put them in communication.” “Yes, that’ll do, unless she happens to have the certificates of her parents marriage.and her.birth, then your story won’t hold water. All the same 11l fight for it.” “Now do you think your father was fool- enough to let Mrs. D.rury haye thope certificates?” she said sharply. “No, I don’t, if he could help it.” “He’d have got them out of her some way. and Tom Drury would have helped him. • He was- keen on getting the money that was to be paid for ; concealing Mr. Hugh’s marriage and the child s birth.” ' . Mary made a slight noise, and the young man said: » “There’s someone in the next room. As she spoke she realised that she was in danger. There was no knowing what they would do if they found she had overheard their plans, so she darted towards the window and opening it drew it to after her, then she rushed past the room in which the conspirators were, and caught a glimpse of two anxious faces and she heard the words: “Follow The path wound round the front of the house, and she sped down the drive, then out of the gates, clanging them after her. On she ran, but instead of keeping to the high road she turned up a lane a little further on. It was little more than a cart track, but it took a sharp bend, and as she turned the corner she heard running footsteps. _ If the man came that, way he would see her, and slipping through a gap in the hedge she lay on the grass hidden by it, listening intently. The footsteps did not come nearer,, they grew fainter, her pursuer had gone along the high road, and Mary-emerged from her hiding plate, and walked quickly up the lane, feeling that the greater distance she put, between herself and ypung Mr. Dalrymple the safer she would be. She hardly knew what she feared, but she was pretty sure that they ’ would see that she had no chance of revealing their schemes,' there was’ too much at stake. After going some distance the lane branched into a wider one. Mary looked round wondering if she was an y~ where near the station, but she could see no signs of it and the country was strange to her, so there were no . landmarks to guide her. After hesitating a few minutes, she turned to the left thinking the station: must lie in that direction. After walking, some distance she began to feel hungry, .and .wished she had brought , some biscuits with her, but she had . felt sure Nurse Barnes would offer her food. The lane-was a pretty one, but she was too hungry and anxious to admire the spring flowers. Once in the distance she saw the smoke from, a train, and her hopes began to rise. She quickened her steps, hoping to either reach Biford or some osher station, but her hopes were doomed to disappointment. . Still she pressed on though weary, and faint. Presently she heard the sound of wheels approaching, and her spirits revived. She would be able to learn where she was, and she might even get a ride. Hurrying forward she fell over a stone that lay on the grassy side of the road, and was precipitated into a ditch that stretched under the hedge. She fell on her face and as she turned pver she heard a voice say: “Well, I’d give a good deal to know which way the girl has gone.” Mary recognised Mr. Dalrymple's voice, and sank back thankful that the ditch hid her. •‘Yes, I wish you could find, her- To think that she should have stolen the missis’s diamond ring. Of course I didn’t see it when I tfut her in the room, and she looked quite a lady, and such a beauty, too, but if you were to tell the police they’d find her, sir.” Mary knew it was the housemaid at Elm House, that. was speaking. The trap, an old-fashioned phaeton, had come to a standstill almost in line with her, and she heard the man say: “No, we’ll leave the police out of it. Mrs. Barnes says sHe won’t be bard .on the girl; all she wants is to get the ring back. Of course you’d know her if you saw her, and we’d take her to Elm House and Mrs. Barnes could talk to her, and perhaps" if she kept her there a bit she might reform her. Well, I cannot see anything but to go on and make a circuit of the lanes,” he said as he lashed the pony with a whip. Mary lay quite still .till the sound of the wheels had died away, then she raised herself, but as she moved her foot she uttered a cry: she had sprained her ankle and it was impossible to climb out of the ditch. Luckily it was dry, but as she sat with her foot stretched in front of her she could have cried with the pain, and a deadly faintness began to steal over her; she was exhausted for want of food. Time passed, once she lost consciousness, then she ■ rallied, and looked at her watch. It was five o’clock. In less than three hours it would be dark, and she shivered at the thought of .spending the night there. At that nioment she heard the sound of a motor, and she managed to pull herself up by her hands, till half of her body was visible, then she took off her hat and waved it aS the motor approacn.cil.