CJLAPTER LAJ. MARION COMES BACT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 13909, 12 March 1909, Page 6

CJLAPTER LA J. MARION COMES BACT.

Tho police hud moio or les^ t;ike. po^esaion of lla\ eii'-pur. They uei everywhere asking questions tluit Tchigorsky took upon hinifcoli' to answer. As he had expected, the note cm riod by Vora and deposited in th« farmhouse gardt v had been found o; one of tho .bodies. The inspector 'o. police was an intelligent man, an<l he fell in with everything- that Tchi gorsky suggested. "Of course you can't read this book, 1 said the Russian as he handed ove, "but there are one or two Oriental scholars in London who will boar out my testimony. Have you any doubt?' "Personally not the least," the inspector replied. "You say it is impos sible for That woman to get awa\ .•"' "Absolutely impossible. She is sal' for days." "Then in that case there is no m i>< to arrest her. That w ill have t come after the inquest on the^o iihm> which we shall hold to-morrov. . \.n< what a sensation the case 1 will mak" If I had read this thing in a book i should have laughed at it. And .io\ we must have a thorough search fo those electrical appliances." Lt was long past dinner-time bofor the police investigations were finished Aided' by Tchisrorsky a vast amount o mechanical appliances was found, in eluding the apparatus that was to d< so much harm to the Ravenspurs, an. which had ended in wrecking th schemes of their arch-enemy.

''Inquest at ton to-morrow, sir," tli< inspector remarked to Ravenspur. am very sorry, but we shall not troubl' you more than we can help." Ravenspur shook his head sadly. H< was not particularly versed in the way.of tho law, but he could see a Ion; case ahead; and he was beginning t< worry about Marion. It was nesrl\ ten o'clock now. and the girl had no* returned. It would be a sad home-coming fo the girl, but they would all do wlur they could for her. Everybody aj peared to be duly sympathetic exeop Ralph, who said nothing. Tchigor.sk seemed to have obliterated himself er tiroly. Geoffrey had retired to the 'billiard i"oo.m, where Vera followed him. The started a game, but their nerves w<»i in no condition to finish it. Ciuwere flung down and the lovers stoo before the fireplace. "What are you thinking about?' Geoffrey asked. Vera looked up droainingl.V. Sh touched Geoffrey's cheek earossin^h She looked like one who is ha pp. and yet ai the same time ashamed a her own happiness. "Of many things, pleasant and othvi wise," she "said. "I am still utterl; in the dark m,ysolf v but tboso w-h Knew tell me that the shadow has lif to ' for ever. That in itself is so gron. a that I dare not let my mm dwell upon it a"s yet. To think Lhr we may part and meet again, t think But I dare not let my mm dwell upon that. Hut what liad Mrf< May to do with it?" Vera was not behind the srenes v. yet. Still, within a few. hours th thing must come out. What the famil regarded as a nurse had been procure for the. invalid, a nurse who reall was a female warder in disguise, an. Rftvenspur had sternly giwn . :»trit orders that nobody was tb go nca that /room. He vouchsafed no ivr son why ; he gave the order and i was obeyed. Then Geoffrey told Vera everything He went through the whole story fioir the very beginning. Vera listened a one in a dream. Su<-h wickedness wa beyond her comprehension. Awful v the cloud was that had long hung oVo tho house of Ravenspur, Vera had no' imagined it to be lined with such de pravity as this. "And so that inhuman wretch i Marion's mother ?" said Vera. "TV child of a creature l who deliberate, murdered a husband and tried to dc stroy his family so that she could g( everything into her hands! No w:» der that Marion has been a change*. creature .since this Mrs. May has boej about! How I pity her anguish aiu condition of mind! But had Maiioi a sister?" "Not 'that I 'ever 'heard of. Why?' "I Mas thinking of that other girJ tho girl so like Marion that you \wr< talking aJbout ju.st now . What ha' become of her?" Geoffrey shook his head. He hac 1 forgotten that most mysterious pe>v sonage. It was more than likeiy lie explained, that Tchigorsky woulc" know. Not that it mattered much The two were silent for some little time, N then a peal of laughter ,fioir the drawing-room caused .them to smil<\ ''Mv mother." said Vera. "I have not heard her laugh like 1 that iloi yoars. Does it not seem fnnnv t< loalise that before long we shall h< laughing and chatting and moving witl the world once more. Geoff.? I should like to leave. Ravenspur and have r Ioug;, long holiday on tho Continent Geoffrey .stooped and kissed her. "So you shall, sweet," he said. "\Vr ciin bo married now. And wWn we eomo back to TJaverispur it will bo the dear olrl homo I recollect in my childhood's days.,. Vera, you find I vnr.l' ho tho happiost coniplo in tlio world. 1 ' They wont back to ] tho drawing-room again. Hero tho ciders were conversing quietly yet happily. • There was an air of cheerful gaiety . upon thorn that tho house had not knowifor many a long day. Gordon Ravenspur was impressing up')ii his father the necessity of laokiny more sharply after tho shooting. The head of tho family had before him some plans of now farm buildings. It was mnr vpllous what a ohango th (> last few hours had wrought. And tho author of all the sorrow and nnguivh was upstairs guarded by ,oyos ■that never tired. "How bright and cheerful you look, ' Vera said. "It only wants one thin«_r to make tho picture complete. You can guess, dear grandfather." "Marion," Raven&pur said." Marion, of course." "She will come back," Ralph murmured. "Marion will return. Wo know now that no harm could come to tho girl. T should not wonder if slio wore not on her wr.y home tliit very moment."

Hall" mi hour pn >- "<l. •" '■ l' ()IK < > l"P-»^ ! m:(] v<'t do AL.j-ioii. l'l.> v '•< i ( . ;i); i ) .•.■•itinu, uu<av\ l.'.it h\:l]M)._ v\'i't ) ,. t, ch-!j ■i.-'dix in Ins rh;Mi. r f!i<'i! {].••■■ ' \ a-, a cominot'on out^idt 1 , Hi' 1 (I(l >'< j c[)i'i!<-(!, and Mai ion ' mii" ri. , S'.i,* looK<hl ]):iK» an<l uti'\'i^ - M:« ulajicTl li-om-oiio t<> th<> other \ it!, :'!LMten<-(] v\v\. ' It w.is o»\'> '<> '" i'i-.i hhv uas'm'crll) iih)\hl and. n.ei (<wm, 1 '- no* sure n>- to the w^rniti' i i her reception. H" 1 sil ° Jlii - 1 t iiaw i •mule lier mind vrs\ on th.'t i,con\ Ailj ] >>M i to Vi< leome her. "M\ dear, dt<ar child. ''^ <-m ct led ■V\ here ha\ (> you h< en .-'' Nor.) Ihittoicd iorw:ml and took oil Mpi ion's doak. All to hv delighted. Mnrioii chopped liito r chnir w ith (jui\orin.; smil<\ Iv^iph iiad i'( ii !)-s v,-,\ .un>* to I.' 1?'1 ?' ?n" stoed h\ the side i f Ikm' cl'.nir. "1 lai'ei.vi 1 had made a d^covev.\ , --he said. "It occu-nd to i:w \u-r-hnps \)u\ don't let us talk about in\se]f. U->s anvthinu. haj^^iK'd hqre '-' '"Much.' 1 «ali)h <>■'<«'• '',V :< '' 1 things. Tlu> n»-s{ ■■>!•/ i l . solved. "SnJvody" Marion i^isix'd. '' » 'H ; have found tl-.o culpi-itr"' "The culprit i-. i" tho Loum . r. l is Mrs. Maw I prefer lo call h. ' Princess Zaro : and yet a^'im ! m.Jit call her Mr.s. Haveii-pm-, \. ilc^oi t.,e lato Jasper Ravenspur. Mai ion. have found your mother." Marion said noiJnn-. Her head #.i-id fallen fcnvaid and »ho sw.tmu'a ii» her clnir. There wa^ a hard x<4 pleading look in her o\r\s. Hnlpli \, m down and drtnv her none too tenderly to her feet. "The sho-ivnlf is yonder,- the cuh is here," he cried. "\r<> >o« Wto spoak or .shr.l! I toll tho/toryV Spoik, or let me do so." Ravenspur sprang forward anpc:;.!.^ "Whnt are you doin^." ' he crioci. "To lay hands on that nu^el — - "Ay/ said Ralph, -"an an-<d tiuU hut a" fallen one— Lucifer in the du.-t.

(To be continued.)