THE MYSTERY OF THORNCLIFFE HALL.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 16822, 21 August 1920, Page 12

THE MYSTERY OF THORNCLIFFE HALL.

EXCITING STORY OF DOMESTIC INTEREST.

. By EDGAR PICKERING, ■

Author of “The Secret Foe,” “Murder Will Out,” “Love, the Conqueror,” etc., etc. CHAPTER XXlll—Continued. OMINOUS NEWS. “My object,” the lady began explaining severely, “in wishing to speak to you, Miss Dean, cannot, be quite unknown co you. X moan you must have guessed that I had an object. I trust you understand mo so far.” • » “Indeed 1 do not,” replied Esther. “You and I havo nothing in common. You made that clear enough when you spoke to mo the last-time, and I am not" aware that anything has happened since to warrant any more being said.” “I might have expected you wilfully to misunderstand me, but I will let that pass 1 . 1 wish' to appeal to your better feeling. It is in you power to relieve a mother of a great anxiety.” “Perhaps it would be as well if you told me what you do mean,” answered Esther, leaning back and waiting for her to reply. “It will shorten matters if you tell Miss Dean what you have, heard,” and Julia interposed in the conversation again. “Yv'hether or no she chooses to clear up the mystery is another thing, but I have no wish to remain here a moment longer than is necessary.” “You have been living in a place called Thomolilfo Hail, I believe, Mias Doan,” hesumed Lady“Durrant, silencing Julia was a majestic wave of her hand. “At least so lam informed. With a Mr. Hibbert, to whom you acted as his secretary.” “Yes. Until his death.” “Until his death,” repeated Lady Durrant, giving another wove. “I do not know Thornclilfo Hall, nor have I I any recollection of having met Mr. Hib- ! bert. He lived a retired life .it is i said.”* 1 “I fail to see what this has to do with your object in questioning me in this way,” said Esther. “Unless I have been incorrectly informed,” continued her ladyship, “you and my son have maintained a ctn-res pondcnce—which on your part was neither wise nor honourable. You cannot deny it.” “Nothing is further from my intention than to deny such an untruth.” “Then how do you explain the fact thaf my son has also been at Thorncliffe Hall ?” demanded Lady Durrant, whose temper was rising. “Only by you invitation, of course. I doubt if he knew such a place existed until you went, there.” “Yes. Gerald has been to Thornclift’o Hall. Shall I tell you why he came? Would you like to hear what 1 passed between us, and the reason foi Imy coining back to London? I’ll tell you if yon wish.” Lady Durrant. shook her head solemnly. “There is no need that you should repeat all that. I know it only too well. Gerald, poor, infatuated fellow, looks upon his engagement with different eyes than mine. I am his mother. You——” “I was his promised wife,” interrupted Esther. Do you think I can ever forget that? Or that you showed me 1 was not a fitting woman foi him to marry? For your own sake don’t question me further. Lady Durrant, or X , may say something I should regret niore than you would. Yes. Gerald found mo, and it was the only happy moment 1 had known when 1 saw him Since 1 lost my home and all that a homo means.” She spoke in a tone which would have appealed to a softer-hearted woman than Lady Durrant, who continued to shake her head slowly, as i£sugh suffering a martyrdom, j ulia gave a hard little laugh, “Is it quite worth these heroics?” she asked- m an undertone, but Esther heard nor. "All that has no tiling whatever to do «ith the question,” answered the iron-featured oid woman. “You may or you may not have been pleased when you saw Gerald. With, that I havo nothing to do. But his presence was required in London, urgently required. A crisis had. arisen that needed ids presence. ' His future depended on it and iris personal attention was necessary. You can explain possibly why lie nas not been seen nor heard of from the time lie went to Thorncliffe Hail. Naturally 1 believed you could havo enlightened mo.' The peqiieof tiic'hotel at which he stayed, and of whom I have inquired, can tell me no more than that he was seen going to the Hail.” “There may be reasons for Gerald keeping out of the way,” said Julia, “that Miss Dean might not be incJinou to give.” “i. would, if it were in my power,” replied Esther. “I left ahoraciiife nearly a week ago, and had not seen Gerald for some day® before that. 1 do not know where he is.” “1 will use all my inlluence to prevent him from being entrapped into marriage,” exclaimed Lady Durrant hotly. “He shall bo rescued from an entanglement which would result in misery.” Esther got up from her chair and confronted her miuriated ladyship with n look that, byt its quet scorn, scarcely needed words to emphasise it. “The time will come when you will regret what you have said,” she rts ! plied. “You accuse me of something ! you know is not true. It- was I who broke our engagement. I didn’t do that lightly, think what _ you may, although Gerald can never bo'more to me than a friend, I shall always love him.” “Then how do you account for his following you to that place? Thorncliffe Hall, 1 mean. I knew nothing about it or it should, not havo happened. And now he is not to bo found, when everything depends on his presence. Nothing yon have said explains his absence.” “1 can say no more,” Lady Durrant fluttered again, and Esther moved away, whilst Julia, with a sudden 'hardening of her features, watched her.

“You might have expected Miss Doan would disappoint you, Lady Durrant,” ehe said spitefully.” The remark was open to whatever view might he taken of it, but it certainly 1 implied that Esther was holding back some information, and she turned to Lady Durrant. “1 have told you the truth.” “The affair is a dreadful mystery. From the tftue of Gerald's leaving his hotel nothing has been seen of him.” The thought of the fallen patli beneath the" oast iving; the dangers, known and unknown, which beset anyone unacquainted with the desolate place, that, by some untoward chance, Gerald had fallen a victim to them, came vividly. For a moment the mocking face of Julia Ferris was forgotten. Gerald might have met ids death on tho rocks below Thonieliffc Hall, and thq fear of that seemed to stop tho quick beating of her heart. “Do you think ail this is nothing to me ?” she asked. “That I have no

) feelings?” Gerald loves me, and wo should have been married, in spite of everything and everybody if I had loved him less. Julia burst into a jangling laugh. “For gracious soke don’t let us have a scene, Lady Durrant,” she exclaimed. “Surely enough has been said. Your dressmaker will be furious unless you ■ keep your appointment.” 1 Esther walked to the door, lady Durrant gazing through her glasses, but she and Julia Ferris were unheeded, for the fear that harm bad happened to Gerald made her oblivions to them. (To bo continued.)