CHAPTER XXlll.—Continued.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13461, 28 June 1907, Page 6

CHAPTER XXlll.— Continued.

"By the way, Mr. Beeton," said Strangways, turning to him, " I have one or' two surprises for you. In the first place, we've got those two scoundrels under, lock and key. We picked them up about forty miles from here, and he proceeded to narrate the incidents connected with the capture of the Patriarch and his companion. Beeton was absolutely amazed . "Well, that beats everything, Mr. Strangways. What on earth did that old scoundrel want to play such a rascally trick on me for. I have done nothing that I know of to him. Sold him the best molassos in the States. Done' legitimate business with him, and asked no questions when he paid me. That doesn't seem to entitle him to ( blow up my yacht in mid-Atlantic". "Perhaps he didn't like the molasses," said Miss Elders mischievously. Beeton laughed. "If you think that justifies his conduct, Miss Elders, I shall be quite within my rights in blowing up the • Wliite Rose,' supposing Mr. Strangways' lu/hch menu wasn't to my liking." "You know, 1 by the way," put m Strangways quietly, "that the Patriarch and Miss Rentoul's uncle are one and the same person?" Beeton looked at him in open-eyed astonishment. " You don't say I" were all the words he could utter. Then, suddenly, thinking of the girl he loved, he added, " Did she tell you this?" Strangwayß nodded affirmatively. "You have seen Miss Rentoul, then?" Beeton put in, the old jealous feeling again taking possession of him. " No, I haven't seen Miss Rentoul," he said, accentuating the name slightly, "but. l heard it from somebody who knew her very well." " You didn't happen to* hear how she was?" said Beeton, trying to assume an air of indifference. "You heard,, of course, that she gave us the slip ,at Southampton; left us, like yotirself, at the? last moment." " There isn't any Misß Rentoul," said Strangways, looking gravely, at Beeton. The other flushed. " I suppose you've heard all ahout it," he said. . " Miss Pollard, then— did you hear how she was before you left England?" " Miss Pollard doesn't exist any more," retorted Strangways. "She's " he paused impressively. The knife and fork dropped from Beeton'* wttatfas with a clatter on the plate, his face grew ashen pale. He stared ,at Strangways in an agony .of doubi " You dfcn't mean she's dead P.* he ssfcid, in a slow whispering voice. ' \ Strangways did not answer, for jusiJ at that moment the saloon door opened, and Alice herself came softly in/ ■

Beetoi^. who had; his back to th© door, did not hear or see her entry. Strangways' silence— rhis seeming refusal to answer his last question, convinced the young millionaire that. tKe girl he loved was no more. Ho looked at his host with a fearful despair in his eyes. " Strangways Voso from his seat. The rest of the company wore looking in amazement . at Alice, wondering what she was doing there, on /board the \ Whito Rose,' alpno in tlie conipany of its young owner. Some explanation, tho^ felt, was diie. Strangways touched Beeton on the shoulder.

' ' I want to introduce you to my sister," ho said. With an heroic effort Beoton stifled the agony in his mind and rose to his feet. Then he turned round.

Whon he saw Alice standing there he starod at her like a man in a trance for full thirty seconds. "Mr. Beeton, I am trying to introduce you to my sister, Mis 3 Alice Strangways." P!pr the life of him he could not euppre3B a good-natured grin. But Beeton' a wits had returned to him. Regardless of convention, regardless of the persons who were looking on, he bounded across the saloon floor and took Alice in his arms.

" Alice, my darling! my darling!" he cried, covering her face with kisses in the most shameless manner, and to the polite horror of the Duchess, the girl, in the most bare-faced manner returned his caresses, calling him " Theo, darling," and actually finishing up 'by crying on his shoulder.

When she had watched this scene for some seconds the Duchess turned to Strangways.

" I thought you said this young lady was your sister P" she said ioily, all the plums, prunes, and prisms of convention and outraged propriety in her tone of voice.

But Beeton had recovered himself by then. He turned to his host.

"Say, Mr. Btrangways, that watn't a kind trick to play upon a man," "It isn't any trick," laid Strangways, enjoying the joke Immensely, "But you gftvo me to understand, sir, thftt Miss Pollard wai dead, and here she is, vary much in the flash." And, fti if to impreie this point, m<X to ihow thot there wh no about the mattw, fee B*v« her a little $<jmw*», my *trtw. er. X ihouW i*?i my h»Jf^ itae*. hhm Alfa JKMiiwwtt 1 ' xi ft&fewgA to Alto fay oorroyovitjon. u ¥«s, THw, &•«, it* a fMft. You r«mamb#* I pam« to England to find my father, X found a brotbtr instead, My mother had alwayi preferred to be known under the name o! Mrs. Pollard, and so I kept that name, although my mother was really Mr*. Strangways."

Beeton suddenly burst into an uncontrollable fit of laughter. ' ' And I thought at ono time that you wore in love with Mr. Strangways," he blurted out, with boyish frankness. Alice could not restrain a blush. " I hope she is," put in Strangways, " thete is such a thing as sisterly and brotherly love, after all." Meanwhile, Miss Elders had risen from the table, and going towards Alice, gave her a hearty kiss. " I always told you it would come all right/ she said. "Oh, I'm so glad.

It's nearly as good as if Henry and I were going to be married to-morrow. Lady Violet also came up and less' boisterously tendered her congratulations. Then she turned to Beeton — "I hope you'll be very happy," she said simply, " both of you." Beeton tried to assume a lugubrious look. "It's all very well to congratulate me," lie said, " we've been engaged like this for ever so long, but she always put off the marriage tor some reason or another.' I don't know if she'd even marry me now." "You silly old stupid," said Alice, coming up to him and giving him a kiss. " I always said I would when my quest was over. And it is over now." In this atmosphere of congratulation the Duchess felt she must bow to tb.6 I inevitable.

" I think you're a very fortunate young lady/ she said. " I don't pretend to understand it all at the present moment, but you botli seem to be so happy that you mustn't mind an old woman like me appearing rather dtambfounded." 1 The steward, who all this time had been watching the proceedings with evident amazement, at -a sign from his master; refilled the champagne glasses. '* I think, Duchess," Strangways said, "thai' you won't mind my proposing a toast. Even if Mr. Beeton has lost one Alice he's got another, and, judging by hi& looks, 1 don't think he regrets the exchange." He raised his glass — r" Here's long liio and happiness to both of you!" They all had their glasses to their lips, when suddenly tho saloon door was flung open, and the' first mate, witn a very scared look on his face, rushed in. " For Heaven's sake, Mr. Strangways, come at once. There's something terrible going- on in the smoke-room.' When Strangways, followed by Beeton and the ladies, who refused to be left behind, reached the smoke-room door, he realised that the first mate had spoken truly. A fearful noise and din was going on. Somebody appeared to be throwing the saloon furniture about, for every now and again, amidst the fury and noise could be heard, the crash of glass, and above it all there reached the ears of Strangways the whimpering voice of Conrad Kicardo, battering at the door and begging to be let out.. "Let me out I Let me out!" he shrieked. "He'll kill me! He's gone mad! If you've any pity, let me out! Put me anywhere; I don't care! But take mo away from here 1" Strangways motioned to one of the sailors to open the door. When it was flung back a strange scene presented itaell before the eyes oi the little group of onlookers. The whole saloon was in a state of chaos. The chairs and furniture, everything whicn was not screwed down, lay smashed and twisted on the floor. Every globe in the room was broken ;, the glass strewed the floor thickly. In this setting of ruin and chaos, at the far end of the saloon on a settee stood the figure of the Patriarch. A wild ligfct blazed in his eyes; his long hair swept back from his torehead, showed the. 1 terrible scar, now a deep crimson, onj his brow. He was shouting some htiiatic gibberish when the door was flung open, but as soon as he saw Strangways standing in the open door he paused, and looked at him 'w,ith his deepv burning, jeyes, as if trying to' focus. tus identity in his. mind* r^To be feontinued.)

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