A PLUNGE INTO THE UNKNOWN.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16608, 4 December 1919, Page 8

A PLUNGE INTO THE UNKNOWN.

FASCINATING STORY OF POPULAR INTEREST ——

BY CHARLES D. LESLIE.

Author of “A Wild Wager,” “Loved for Herself,” “The Errington Pearls Mystery,” “The Power of the Purse,” etc., etc. CHAPTER XXl.—Continued. They , say they must, see you. Sir,” said Peel, descendant of Adam, witn an air that declared ho was the victim of circumstances, and washed his hands of all responsibility. The visitors were, as the reader hat. no doubt guessed, Mrs. Tourmaline anc Mrs. Dickson-Dickson, temporarily bound in the bonds of friendship by an emotion to which daughters of Evt are proverbially prone—-curiosity. Perhaps this emotion had, too, something to do with the mildness with which Arnold received the nows of then visit. Ever since summarily' dismissing the detective ho had been repenting that precipitancy. But the temptiition in his misery of spirit to score cm the man who complaisnntly stated he was on the track of tho necklace had been too much for him. Tho ladies might have news. Ho rose then in chastened mood and repaired to the drawing-room. , News they had indeed, nows of <■ quality' which shook tbc hearer almost as much as his amazing discovery the night before. Nield, the vanished Nield, had returned, a penitent to her mistress, confessing the theft and telling an amazing story of having been robbed by ber accomplice. “She came back this morning, hysterical and . revengeful, totally unaware I had the necklace. She nearlyfainted when I showed ifc to her. Hei story amazed me. About a month age she went to a dancing hall in the Edgware Road, where ‘select dances art given, tickets one shilling and sixpence each. Nield isn’t much over thirty and looks younger, but I’d never haw dreamed of her frequenting such places, however select. But, persuaded to ac company a girl cousin, go she did. aiu. they became acquainted with a Mr Ransom, whom they understood war tho proprietor of a motor garage. Ai any rate, ho had command of a car and took the two women for outings. Ho acquired an extraordinary' influence over her. Nield says lie must hav< hypnotised her. At any_ rate she was so fascinated that on his promise t' marry her if she would steal the necklace, she actually did it. She dropped it, to him out of her bedroom window on the night of the party. Her accusation of Miss Wantage was an after thought, just ns you said, Mr. Berlyn. “The arrangement was, she was to meet him at one o’clock at the Paddington Registry Office, where they were to be married; then sm was to return to me. They were going to let a week elapse before leaving for tho Continent, and selling the necklace in Amsterdam. But befor'' she left my house yesterday Nield knew herself suspected. A strange man, win looked like a detective, had. been hanging about, and making inquiries about her. At the Registry Office, of course, her lover never tuned up, but sen . a note by a boy messenger, saying be had Tost the necklace and, that circumstanced as he was, he couldu marry her." . . . . “Nield made some attempts to find him; Sailed, (spent the night in r small hotel In Paddington, and tin - morning decided to conic buck anc throw herself on my mercy.” ' “And what are you going to do te her?” asked Arnold, not that he care' in ‘ the least concerning the deluded confidential maid’s fate; but it war. necessary to say something. “I haven’t decided,” confessed Mrs. Dickson-Dickson, "I can’t keep her. but I can’t turn her nut into tho vrorlfl ” sbo knows too much, was the lady’s unspoken thought. ■

“What wo really camo about, Mr. Borlyn,” said Mrs. Tourmaline, “was Miss Wantage’s address. She has left Highgate.” Arnold regarded her blankly. “You soo, Henrietta came to me with Nield’s story, and wo talked things over and decided to go to liighgato and tell Miss Wantage. Wo owed her the light to know tho news immediately. So wo went after lunch, but the flat was empty. Then we gathered from the woman in the flat below that Miss Wantage had left, bag and baggage, at noon, giving this woman tho key of tho fiat to give to the owner and saying she would not return.” Two pairs of eyes wore curiously scanning Arnold, tho confession could be no longer delayed, “I don’t know where she’s gone,” he said.

“But, Mr. Borlyn,” Mrs. Tourmaline’s voice expressed polite incredulity, “you were there this morning. The woman saw yon, and knew who yon were because she served tea to Miss Wantage and yon yesterday. Didn’t Miss Wantage tell ” “No.”

“But,” Mrs. Tourmaline, in her bewilderment, positively stammered, “we thought, we quite thought, both of ns, forgive our presumption, wo expected, from your manner and hers yesterday, to hear of an engagement ” Peel opened the door at this point and addressed Mrs. Diekson-Diokson: “Your butler is here, Madam, asking for yon.” And the butler followed “There’s a gentleman from Scotland Yard,” he told his mistress, "who says he must see yon at once about tho stolen necklace.” tContinued daily.) /