CHAPTER IV.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 13993, 26 August 1909, Page 1

CHAPTER IV.

DOCTOR BHENDON'S THEORY. Owen sprang forward only just in time, for before he reached her the girl caught sight of the motionless figure in the. revolving chair, and swayed forward as though she would fall into his arms. The result was that his object of preventing her from entering tlu> room was brought to naught. She recovered herself almost without the assistance of his outstretched hands, hut the effect had been to carry her well over the threshold — some paces into the room. Straightening herself, she stood gaz1 up; at the dead shipbuilder with an intensity of emotion in which the observant Doctor Jtrendoii thought that be discerned more pity than horror-- or even than surprise. Then her ejes tiavelled slowly over tho living occupants of the room, noting tho uniformed policemen, the quaking caietaker, and the doctor himself. Flushing ever so slightly as she met tho hitter's frank scrutiny, she finally turned to tho dead man's son, "Oh, Owen," s,lm cried in yriej'strickeu tones. "What is itY What is tho matter with dear Kir George ?" "Come away," pleaded Owen, trying to take her hand. "My noor father is dead — shot in »omo way fliat we enn't yet account for. This is really no place for you, Miss Bourehicr, just now. Ix>t me take you horne — that is," he added, "if nothing is to be gained by my remaining longer, Inspector!'" "That will bo all right, sir; we can do without you now,'' said Hurtle.

ci\ill.\. "Hut 1 should just like to ask who this \oiuifr lady is, and — moroly as a inattfi of form, in cas»c« the coroner <-lioiild want to kno« — hon she comes to b<» at tho >ard so latt* r* Her face M ¥ cms familiar to mo lately." "Very piobably," rejoined Owen, 10sciitniK what seemed to him an • impcrtinonco. "Miw Marian Bourchicr haf. been staying at hijisconibe Hall tor tho past fortnight. You inaj have s«-en her about (irandport while she was )u Ipiiig in my father's canvas. As to " : "As to how I happened on this hornl)k> .sij^ht — a higlit which will never leave mo while I live," the tjirl interxened in a voice clear as a silver bell, "the carriage came back to the H;ill « itliout Sir George and Mr. Lipseoinlie, and — and — well, as this policeman aa>s, it was late — even then — and I thought they Hero .silly not to como home after sucii a day. So I cauio to fetch them, that's all." ' You guessed, of course, that Sir (; -orge would be transacting business at his oltice!-'" tho inspector suggested suavely. "Xo. I didn't," Miss, Hourchier flashed back .smart I\. "1 guessed that he and Mr. Owen Lipscombe would be at their committee rooms, and I went tlieio fii'-t. They told me there, or lather ih,,, told the groom who drove me in the dog-cart, that Sir George had lift some tune ago— to go to his office at tho \ard. So I followed, and the dog-cart is waiting for me outside." "Ilia nl; \ou, madam, that is quite satisfactory." said the inspector, and he looked as if he expected her to re-t^-o. Owen, too, made a half motion fljuards the door, as though to signify that there was nothing to detain them further on the gruesome scene. > Jlut Marian Bourchier, spoiled beautj and heiress as she was, was not accustomed to being ordered about at a moment's notice, like a naughty chihl si«nt off to bed. A glint of something a'xin to defiance shone for an instant in her eyes, and she advanced a few p ices farther into the room. (To be continued.)