THE LION TAMER'S WIFE

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14393, 7 January 1911, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE LION TAMER'S WIFE

(By Clara .Collins.)

Anthony Forbes glanced round the Club lounge and yawned; he was feeling both, and sleepy. It _ was little Wonddi k ; to a dramatic agent the pantomime season is the hardest 01 tie year. In Ills search for talent Anthony was compelled to visit every provincial panto no light task whaii one realizes that the Christmas productions of the "United Kingdom number considerably over ; a hundred* He was in ;in the afternoon ho had arranged to witness a performance at the Prince s Theatre, the previous evening he had been present at "the Theatre _ lloyiu. fven the morning hours afforded luin scant opportunity for recti ho was now waiting at the Theatre Club for the appearance of Mario, the celebnv.iid lion tamer, who had promised to look in and sign, .a Contract for a London engagement the ensuing year. Artistes are notoriously unpunctual; Mario apparently was no exception to the rule; Anthony glanced nt the clock, immediately tossed aside his newspaper, and lighted a cigarette, Sam French, an old seated on the opposite side of the blazing fire, glanced at the agent, deemed him ripe for conversation,, and ventured a remark. . ; ' . "I saw vou in the box last night, Mr Forbes/ at the Theatre Royal. Fine pantomime!"'

" Excellent." "Maro, the lion tamer, is /a firstclass specialty, and is drawing big ■ houses. He seems to have completely regained his nerve." Tiie agent looked anxious. "Did ever lose it? I have excellent accounts of his steadinessl 5 ' " He's steady enough now —a rock's soft in comparison. JJ The comedian gazed reflectively at the fire. " Still, there are not many men. who, having passed through such an ordeal> could continue the business."

Anthony pricked up his ears, the responsibility of a big London engagement rested on liis shouldars, he stood to lose an important managerial client if Mario . did not prove satisfactory. "Tell me about it!" lie commanded briefly. "It's an exciting tale; —I might well call it a ghastly one; the incident happened fifteen years ago, you must have been a schoolboy at the time," said the comedian, with a glance at Anthony's youthful, athletic figure. "I was present at the affair, and ©Ton now my blood freezes at the memory." Samuel French rubbed the palms of his hands thoughtfully across his knees, .he was a small man with a strangely mobile face, and d-eep-set eyes, that h-d a knack of hypnotizing liis audience*. "Mario's a fine specimen of hunumJty," he remarked with irrelevance. "I never saw a finer," agreed Forbes, a trifle impatiently,. <c n:u:ctes of a Saiidow and a face 1.k9 a Greek god." "His handsome face nearly proven his undoing. A tremendous contrast to Ills wife, she's -but- 'here." proceeded the old comedian, taking on a of the cigars that his companion proffered, "I'll tell you the story."

Fifteen years mjo. n. c 1 said. T was hooked for a Mowbray and ioxtv, nml found Hint Mario was bonk-rd al/o. lh» wasn't famous then., he'd only climbed a few rungs of t.'i« ladder: the expense cf conveying liis leasts about the country was pretty big. nml his salary wasn't whai> you would call princely. Nevertheless, with the sanguine temperament of an artiste, he was contemplating matrimony. His inamorata wns the love--Host woman I have ever -seen; her real name was Eliabeth Clarke, but she oallcd herself La Sylplie, and her dancing was really wonderful. Not one of the -high-kicking, cart-wheel scrt. you understand, but a statuesque dancer, her grace, her beauty of limb, her exquisite face nearlv drove the audience? off their heads —the male portion of the audience, that is to say; she created a positive furore.

Of course, she was the?' star turn; the men used to stand in a line nt the etage.door just to see li-er come out and enter Iter brougham; she received enough bouquets nightly to stock a florist's shop. The adulation would have turned a wiser woman's head; she was engaged to Mario, being; temporarily smitten by his magnificent presence, and he, poor fool, believed that she would remain true to him. Not one of her numerous admirers could hold a candle to .him as regards looks, and he was rising steadily. But she wasn't a woman to be sat ; sfied with slow Every night when they were standing in the wings it war- "Mario, dear, why don't you fret m> a more sensational feat?" or '"Mario, dear, your lion* are too tamo, t::o f-oiriplete'v under your snhiccti'in. Whv don't you get- a young beast, "re that will rnar a bit and give th- people a feu- thrills for their W-oH, he acted unnn her advire: there hnpnsnrd to be a menagerie passing through tH town where they were appearing, and Mario interviewed the proprietor. Tie secured from him a vrimg lion, recently imported from jAfricn. whom T shrewdly susnect was affording hie owner such a vast amount , of trouble that he wasn't rorry to part 1 with the creature. Mario was an ndent at Irs neculiar art. he was fearless* almost to foolhnrdiness. a-« a tracer lie, ESS unriralled; in less than

a fortnight tho ferocious young lion was seemingly —I say seemingly—as quiet and .harmless as a kitten. ;-At first it was starved into, submission, then lashed. La Syljiho used to go down to tho stables where Mario trained tI)A animal and stand smilingly by to sen it whipped. The sufferings of tho kingly beast—dragged forcibly away from its forest kingdom-r-aiTecied her 'nut a wliit. On ono or two occasions I accompanied her, and used to "think that slio looked not unlike a. member of the cat tribe herself as she stood peering through tho grating, of tho door, her ©yes v - shining with excitement, he exquisitely-shaped lips parted in a cruel smile. She seemed scarcely ablo to wait for the day when the lion was sufficiently trained for Mario to exliibit it; it was against his better judgment that he finally yielded to her entreaties -and fixed the date that was stamped by the tragedy that must shadow all his life.

On tlio eventful evening tile older .lions went quietly through their usual performance; it was humiliating to see tho fashion in which tile broken-hearted beasts crouched at the heels of their trainer. Mario wore a tunic of tiger skin, the magnificent muscles of his arms and shoulders gleaming white and polished iu tho glare of the footlights. He moved amongst his captives like a smiling young god, an example of the triumph' of man's intellect over brute strength. One of the -great cats had but to raise its paw, fell him to the ground, and Mario would have smiled no more. But they hadn't tho plnck, every drop of courage .had been drained from their hearts by ceaseless beatings. At tho back of tho stago in a smaller cage crouched the young lion as still as if graven in stone. Only an occasional twitch of the creature's tail showed that ho was alive, his head dro_opcd as though by his degradation. He, the King -of Beasts, to be dragged before a crowd of ignorant, heartless human beings, to be caged and rendered helpless when, if he wore free, his giant strength, his gleaming teeth, his cruel talons would striko terror to the .hearts of all. La Sylphe stood at the wings in the gauzy draperies of lier dance, her magnificent black hair, streaming loosely over her shoulders, but she was not-watching the performance, her frivolous mind had found food more to her taste. She was flirting outrageously with a wealthy admirer, whom a lax management and a wholesale distribution of bribes had. permitted to penetrate to •the wings. He waa a big, oily-looking Jew, and apparently had thoughts for no one hut La Sylphe, for nothing but La Sylphe's fascinations. When tho old lions had successfully gone through tlicir usual performance, had beaten drums, held flaming torches between their teeth and engaged in a sham wrestling match, tlio smaller cage containing tlio young lion Was wheeled forward. Mario entered. The beast uttered not a sound, indeed he did not appear aware of the trainer's nresenco, his sliming grey eyes; glared fixedly out ove.r the heads of his audience. Who knows what dead memories were springing to life in that sullen brain? Pictures of the past might well have rken before him, recol'.ections of long, slumbering days, of wakeful night-3, when eager and alert he roalued over broad, brecsv plains and karoos, through tracts of brushwood, scenting out liis prey, and when found, with a riiiglity spring bringing it to earth and crouching ovor the bleeding, quivering carcase.. Mario was fearlei?3, ho fired his eyes on tho lion, and with a smart crack of his whip awakened it from its reverie, and brought it submissively to liisfeet. The feat tile animal had to perform was a simple one, the period, of its training had been too brief for'it to have gained any great amount of proficiency, but the vast audience were held spellbound; they knew by the attitude of the creature that, though outwardly submissive, the lordly heart wits surging with revolt. It was Mario's eyes that held the lion in check; onoe those eyes were removed, ar»d the thread of the trainer's life would.be snapped as swiftly, as easily; •as one severs a cobweb. - .

At this lieart-gripping moment a woman's shrill laugh rang from the wings—there was the faintest sound of a scuffle. La Sylpho's companion, the over-dressed Jew, goaded by coquettish words, her provoking smile, had ! taken advantage of the shadowy wings, and had pressed his lips to hers. Mario, tortured by that laugh, the laugh of the woman he worshipped and believed faultless, forgot his danger; ho raised Irs eyes. Before he had time to even dimly realize the incident that flashed before his gaze, a'lithe, tawny body darted through the air, a mighty paw rested momentarily on his shoulder—with a groan Mario fell, and lay prone upon the ground. A fa ; nt trickle of blood dyed his gleaming flfw-h crimson, and marked with a- deeper stain the gaudy tiger skin that he wore. A groat sob of .horror rose from the throats of the people: ihe lion made no movement. lie stoul gloating over his fallen ice, the man who a moment prferion.sly had believed hims:-:If conqueror. Thi> yellow tail with ii-, black iu»'t of hair roftly lashed the bars of the cage; those gathered at the wings could see that Mario's eye,v. were oneu. their g!as\v gaae. fixed oh his enemy. The onlookers on the .stage were petrified with horror. .As for La Sylphe, brueath her rouge every trace of colour had Vanished from "hsr cheeks; 1 th* smile that .vhe li:id rlio-L at. Iter' amorous admirer seemed frozen on her lins. Ihe stage manage.;' and a couple j or others ntsh:;d for ii revolver: n'cjJ who were left behind, shuddered —we I know.that they would return too Into. Then something happened. A slip | of a girl, a novice practically, who hnd been given an early turn, in hcr : | frothy ballet sk ! rt*, on to the stage, a lorrh snatched from the cage of the other i'ons. and hnstiH* flaring high above her head. * Without a mom-ant'? pause,.she thrust the flaming brand through IJk> bars of the cage with her bare white arm right in to the uplifted face of the astonished beast.

With a roar the maddened, creature sprang from his fall-en victim, and turned upon his new assailant. Her arm was between his teeth. He drew her nearer to the cage—l hid my face. Screams rang out, screams that will ring in my ears for ever. A scurrying of feet beside me—the welcome, oh welcome sound of a revolver shot—a heavy fall —the screams ceased. They carried her away, so mauled that I dared not look at her. The lion was dead, and Mario, uninjured save for the sliVbt flesh wound in his shoulder, helped from the cage. Later. La Sylpphe went to him, but he would not see her —he never :aw her again. She married the Jew, and retired from stage: they say he her. I cannot vouch for the truth of the story. The girl recovered; it was almost a p'tv that she did, she •vp.s terribly disfigured, her flower-like little f'-ice altered beyond recognition, but- Mario married her. I fancv that

A carriage drove up to tVn door of flip club. The comedian Imrrieclly slipped (>n his coat and cup ready to <lonar f . tliou nnd lieckonrd the agent to Hie window. "Tt's Mii'-in." lie whispered: "his wifo's with li'in!"

A mnii, wcanprtl ill a ,lieavv f-ir coa+. sprang from the cnvriace. a jest on liis lins. A face, heavily veiled, appeared nn instant at- + l>" window nod snvled hack at li'tn. Plowly the old "omorlinn his hand to Irs head and r n :nf"T:l his '■> o "T off my lint.'' !\e '"--l qinet'v. "to the bravest woman in t.lie universe I"

MISS AINSLIE'S PEARLS.

(By Charles D. Leslie, author of "A Change of Isolations," , "The Confidence of Dr. Smart," "Juliet of Straker'sForm," "A Fair Deceiver,'' etc.

Among the things which Miss Ainslie did not know —and the ignorance of u. carefully-ljrouglit-up girl of niuoteen concerning the things that matter is only equalled by the oxtent of her usoless knowledge—was whether her father was rich or merely well-to-do. Ho was a solicitor, with an office in Lincoln's Inn Fields, and an old-established elientolb of solid, well-to-do families, and lived comfortably, ydt unostontatiuusly, in Hampstead with his daughter and his daughter's companion, Miss Canister, who also filled the position of housekeeper. The pearl necklace was his gift to his daughter on her twentieth birthday, and Miss Ainslie, possessing the appreciation of "pretty things" common to her sex, went into a girlish ecstasy over it. She declared it "lovely" about twenty times as she peacocked before the. mirror with the circlet of pearshaped, silvery white globules round her jieck, and slio hugged her dourloOking' father, till he stopped'.her. "There, there, what h child you are. I think, Prudence, you had better keep them iu the safe. Though I've ho doubt our servants are perfectly honest, it will be better not to put temptaion in heir way." "Yes, papa," said Miss Ainslie, submissively, and in the study safe, when not worn, the necklace reposed accordingly. It was just as get-ttt-able there by its fair, owner as in her bedroom. The safe worked by a combination of letters, and the word which unlocked it was known to her. She was very proud of the fact that her father made her his undeistudy in this matter, and that no ono in the house save he and she knew how to open it.

Miss Ainsl i© wore the pearls at two dances to which sho went that week, and at a small dinner-party at home, and the necklace was much admired, especially by her particular friend, Minnie Collard, who, calling a few. week 3 later, confessed: "I've come to ask a great favour. I'm going to the ball at the German Embassy next week. Lady O'Brian is to take me. And I've no jewellery fit to wear for such a swell function.' I shall look So much the poor relation. Prue, darling, would jpou be sweet enough to lend me ytnfr pearl neck, -lace?"

"Yes, ' said Miss Ainslie; but, b»ing a conscientious young woman, wondered guiltily, even as her friend hugged her, if she would have granted the favour had Minnie not been Jack's sister.

_ Minn:e and . Jack lived in. a flat in Cricklewood, and between Jack Collard and Miss Ainslie existed a sentimental attachment. Jack had a billet ™ a bill broker's office at & Salary of £250 a year, and vague: expectations of a partnership. ! So he remained an undeclared lover/ aad Minnie found Prudence a very useful friend; and Mis 3 Ainslie dreamt vain dreams, and fondly imagined the state of her affections wis Unknown to Miss Collard.

i, Minnie duly wore the necklace at tile lUubaSsy ball, and then- petitioned to keep it four days longer. She wanted I?; wear it at a dance iu Kensington. Bliss Ainslie retrieved it after ah absence of five days, just in time, for twenty-four hours later Mr. Ainslie Sa;d, "Wear your necklace to-night, 1 rudence. I want to show it to a friend who's coming to dinner." When she entered the drawing room that evening her father and the visitor were standing talking on the hearthrug; the latter, a thin, elderly ;man with shaggy eyebrows and very dark eyes, gazed approvingly at the sletidfer, white-robed figure that Approached.' •"My 'Me girl," said Mr. Ainslie. Prudence, Mr. Grindrcd. By the way, Grindrod, you aro an authority on pcarfe.- Give me your opinions on my daughter's necklace? Mr. Grindrod has lived in the East and dealt in pearls, he added to Miss Ainslie. The authority on pearls bowed, and expressed his pleasure on making the young lady's acquaintance; then ho smiled at the fair-haired girl with the speedwell blue eyes before him, .and said drily:

Apparently, Ainslie, your daughter doesn t think it worth whilo to wear her pearls when an old fogey like myself is the only guest." Then, in answer to lus host's interrogative stare, he added, quietly: "Miiss Ainslie's necklace is.artificial."

Artificial ! What does this mean, lrudence? Have you had a copy of the necklace •> made without consuit ; ng me?" '

pa tin, :t's—it's the necklace you gave me," stammered Mi® Ainslie. She raised her hands to, lier nock and stripped it- of it? adornment. " Oh, Mr. Grmdrcd, it bo iirtiiieiiil!" ' The expert, took ihe necklace mid glanced at it as it lav in his palm. "Not even gncd imitation nearly," he pronounced.

"Can you explain this, child?" demanded her father, with hardly suppressed wrath. "When you've not been wearing it, has the necklace been anywhere except; in the safe? Has it ever bejt out of your possession?" Under the fierce glance of his evrs Miss Ainslie trembled and lied. "No. papa." Then, to her relief, came a knock at the-door.

'•'lf.yon please, sir, dinner is served," announced the butler

Mr Ainslie bottled his anger. "Miss Can;s:er is not down,Henimj»gs; go an tell Iter wo arc waiting." and, as the man withdrew: Let us dron 'the subject, please, Grindrod. I must- inver'gattt tliis mystery later."

Witli +!ir> advent of an apologetic Mis? Canister the quartette again, wentto dinner.

"How and when could tho met amor, i phesis have taken place?" Miss Ainsl-'e asked herself. It was impossible iho substitution had taken place "white the, necklace was in her possession; What had Minnie, its temporary owner, been about? Had she been lending it to someone else? That might explain the mystery. But even as she tried to argue herself into this interpretation of it, another came, fantastically impossible on the face> of it. But the ugly oneo formulated in her brain., declined to depart. It rose from recollection of a recent talk with Jack—some bitter remarks he had dropped as to his poverty. " Riches are not -everything," The platitude had come to her lips unconsciously. "Far from it, but money is the chief ingredient in almost every Tecipo for it. Lack of money means lack of ability to catch fortune by the skirts, when she comes in one's way. Here's an instance: I was given a splendid tip the other day about a moribund private railway in Argentina. It's going to be taken up by the Argentine Government. If I only had a little capital to plunge with, I might make a few thousands. But I'm too poor to speculate. Too poor even to marry." Had .tack Collard taken her pearls and pledged them, substituting the sham necklace? Impossible, surely, for he was a man of honour —nnd yet, was it impossible? The temptntion had ronio in lus Way, and he had yielded to it. But ii' he had sinned., his love for her had been the motive. So she argued with herself.

Rut though she felt suspicion pointed to .Tnck. the lie told her father must be confessed, and at the earliest possible moment. It soon came. The ladies 11 ad not returned to the drnwing room many minutes before Mr. Grindrod cn J o v etl. onlv to take leave. Mr. Ainslie parted from his guest on the doorsten, and encountered his daughter in the hall,

" Papa, I've something to tell you." "Do you know that necklace cost two thousand pounds?" vociferated Air Ainfllio, when ho had heard hec confession. "1 was n fool to allow you to take charge of so Valuable an ornament." ... , , " Hut, papa, it's absurd to suspect Minnie."

" Well, at any rate, I mean to hear this very night what fclio has to soy about it. Put a cloak on, childand five minutes later they were in a cab bound for Cricklewood. Minnie greeted her unexpected visitors cordially, and bade tho maid who admittet them fetch Mr. Collard, who was sitting with a bachelor friend on tlio floor above. Then, recognising from her friend's face that something untoward lind brought them, she afked, when the servant had closed tho door, what was wrong. Jlr. Ainslie answered:

"I learnt this evening for the first time, Minnie, that Prudence lent you her pearl necklace a week ago, and you only returned it yesterday. Miss Collard opened lior ©yes. "Is that such a tcrious matter!"' she enquired. "No, a trivial matter, though I consider I ought to have boeti told. But what is serious is that tlio pearls are gone, and an Imitation! necklace has beeti substituted, A friend, an expert, dining, with us to-liight, detected the fl-aild."

"G<lod gi'ncloiiM" " Where did j'oli kftcp tlio necklace while iu your possession P' ! "I gave it to Jack," replied Minnie, simply. "Ohl here lie is. Jack, an jhvfull thing has happened. Prlie's pearl necklace has beett stolen and II shttm ono substituted.' Jack came forward and shook 'hands in silence. "When was this discovery made?" lie asked. Sir. Ainslie briefly put him ill possetsioti of the facts, as far as tliSy were known, pointing out lioW impossible it was any stihstitutioil could li.'lvc taken place ill his house. "It was only to-night I learnt Prudence had lent the necklace, to Minnie, Who has had it litre for nearly a week, oiity returnihg it twetttv-four lirtiirs ago. So I naturally conle to ask if Minnie or you caw throw any light on this mySterjf." "May I So the imitatloin necklace?" Jack examined it carefully before he spoke again. ' 1 Whether this is or is not the necklace t had charge Of day find night, eicepfc oil the two occasions wlien Minnie was wearing it, I'M not sufficiently an expert to sajr. At least it's marvellously like it. t But the necklace was hOt changed while in my poSsfessiori. That I will swear. I carried the case eofcnaining it iil ah inside pcroket all day, 'and slept at night with my door looked and l the case under my pillow." Theii you i «ui offer no explanation how the substitution waa effected P" "None, sir, I regrtt to say." "And you, Minnie P" Mis» Collard shook her head hopelessly. " I shult have to take the matter to Scotland Yard."

" That is the only ooiiiss to tftke, sir. I'm sorry Minnie's vanity hM involved us in the mystery of the 1099.. Personally I knfcw nothing of the loan till Misa Prudence brought the necklace here .oh the day of the Embassy ball. But I will answei 1 for my sister's innocence and my own." . Ho spoke proudly) looking the elder inutt (straight in the face lie lie did SOj and Miss Ainslie uttered a sittli <tf relief. How absurd of toef to Jiflve suspected Jack even for a moment! Mr. Aiiislie winced. The ytrang man's father had been a friend of many yeafs' standing. He blew his nosej and answered, warmly: "My deaf Jack) of course you and Minllie Are above Suspicion. Scotland Yard will be bound to suspect everybody, including Prudence and my®elf. But I assure you that I absolve you both from any knowledge of how the substitution was effected." "Thank yon, sir. Perhaps I had belter inform yeu at once that any detective nut oh the task of discovering the tliief trill be bound to /suspect me. " Why so?" ''For a reason which I acknowledge throws suspicion upon me." "And thftt is? " Three days ago I handed Abbott aid Co., the stockbrokers, banknotes for eighteen hundred pounds as cover, buying speculatively, a block of CasStrilado Railway shares."

"You did!'* "I've already 1 on paper made four thousand pounds by the deal, but I anticipate they will go higher, and the account id still owen.

"And trhere did yoUget the money ?" 14 Unfortunately, sir, I'm not at liberty to friention the name of my financial backer*" "Jack," said the solicitor in another tone, " better be frank, my boy, if joi wish to keep the good opinion of your friends."

"At present, sir, I can say sw more/' The young man turned to Miss Ainslie. "Prudence, you at least will absolve mo of beiug concerned in this mysterious theft?" • ""Oh, yes, Jack, oh, yes," she cr»ed eagerly, 'putting her hand_ in his: | 4 if you say so I know you're innocent.' ife bent and kissed her hands. "Humph I" grunted Mr. Amslie, staring at the younc; coupie with screwed-up eyelids, making a discovery of eveii more importance .than the theft of the necklace. He took Miss Ainslie away, and sat in grim silence as they drove home.

So Jack Collard loved his daughter. That was a small matter. But the girl loved the young ltinn. That made it rerious Nor was it possible t-o ignore the fart, for next day Tack tuok advantage of his luncheon hour to call on the solicitor and formally beg permission to ask Miss Ainslie to marry him.

"It won't do, Jack," said Mr. Ainslie, "even setting aside the necklace business; it won't do. I have other views for the child's future."

" AVliat are your objections to me, sir?" Thus challenged, the solicitor hesitated. and had finally to confess that if Jack had a little more money, aud if the necklace mystery was satisfactorily cleared up, and if Prudence was willing, •he could adrance no .reason why the voting man should not become hia son-in-law. At present he oointed out the three "ifs" held the field. But the suitor withdrew so cheerfully that tlio father feared they were fences he anticipated no difficulty in clearing. Meantime, Scotland Yard had been informed of the loss of the pearls, and three days later a voice which introduced itself oyer the telephone as Inspector Bungay rang up the solicitor and expressed a desire to visit in his companv his Hftmnstead home. To this Mr Ainslie replied that if Inspector Bungay would call at Lincoln's Inn Fields at five o'clock he was quite at the detective's disposal. Inspector Bungay proved to be a cheerful-looking man of thirty or eo, with an alert manner and twinkling black eyes. He explained that the case having l>een turned over to him, 1,0 had been working on it for tho last two days. Well, the results had been negative so far, but he hoped all ex--1 animation of the snfe that had guarded the necklace might yield some clue. Mr Ainslie shook liis head. " I fear ticrt'. I'm firfiily convinced Hie substitution took place while the necklace was in i ho possession of the Collnrds—not flint T siisUect either of them," lie ntided, "tliey are both incapable of the theft." . " I'm convinced so. too, sir.. Though I naturally began by suspecting the gentleman owing to the information volt rave 011 first reporting the loss. I nulled 0-.1 Mr. Collard. He very foolishly declined to enlighten me ns to the source of the bank-notes lie hadhanded over to stockbrokers earlier in the -.week. But it wag not a difficult mat-.

ier io traco. them, They vera paid over tlio counter of the London and Edinburgh JJank to old General Macintosh, who lias an account thero, and is ft shareholder into tho bargain. "Jack'n godfather 1" exclaimed Mr# Ainslie. _ , 4t I don't know: vdiy Mr, Collurd xnado sucli a mystery of the matter.'^ "But 1 can guess," &aid t-Jio dolioitor. "Tho jjoor General ia a henpecked warrior, and probably feared his wife knowing ho was speculating on the Stock Exchange, Jack had a iirst-class tip about a South American railway, and wanted a little capital for cover; he probably went to the General, who lent him tho money on the strict proviso not to mention his name in the matter. " Well, air, I have, at least temporarily, crossed both Mr and Miss Collard off my list of RUflpecta. The evidence at present points to Miss Ainslie."

■ 'Are you serioußP" asked Mr. XlnSNlie, angrily. " Qujte, sir," replied the detective, coolly, " though I iiavo no doubt the young Indy will !*> üblo to clear lierect f. SlinJl ne start for HampsteodP" On the way the Inspector chatted cheerfully on the benefits of Tube Kill], ways ana the salubrity of ftampstead, but Air. Ainslio was haughtily distant. Five minutes' walk from thn elation brolipht theth to their and by nut (if his Intdi-koy the Solicitor admitted hitnsslf and lim visitor into the house. , The study, a roomy, handsome apartment, Was on the ground floor, the windows looking into the garden, but exit *vas barred by tt deep area, for tho oltMnshibUed llDAlso contained a, basement storey. As ttiey entered the room Mr Aiiisliu called to Hommings, who appeared at the kitchen end of the hall, "Tell Miss Prudence I desire lier presence here." The detective cast ii keen, roving eye about the room, hnd let it settle on tile safe; he was still dwelling on it when Miss Ainslie entered.

' Here is my daughter. Inspector. Now kindly inform hio wliat evidence you liaVe pointing tt> her as tho purloiner of her own necklace!" Mr. Bungay, totally unabashed, bowed to the amiiised Miss Ainslie, and taking a letter from his pocket-book silently handed it to the solicitori "Good Heaven I" ejaculated the latter. "Prudence, here is a letter from yoti to Haddon's ordering a rcßlica of the necklace 1" The Cirl Stored at the letter in petriflsu horror, ere she found her tongue. " Papa, 1 never wrote it!" "It's your handwriting I "thundered hor father.

"Of a clever forgery," put in the detective, quietly. He turned to the girl with a smile. "Miss Aittsliw, nut for one moment did I suspect you. Had }'°u really de&ined to deceive your father in this mutter you would hot have written openly from this liouee ordering h replica of the jewollera who sold Mr. Ainslio the necklace. You see this letter is dated ten days ago, Sir. Hnddbrl accepted it ad |»nUitip, hnd a week later «nt the replica here by Registered post. It was ptoifcd only threo_.daya ago," "Then Jack is ole&fed bfeyand a shadow of doubt." cried Miss Ainklio, triumphantly. " Bb6 looked at her father. " Papa 1" s ], e addfcd, re>proftihfulljr, ■ The solicitor was embarrassed. " 1 beg.your pardon, Prudence; btit wlft f cWter. forgery thl» It, Who could iiafre Written 2tP fi •• Someone in the house," Baid the detective— l " Borneo no who intercepted the case from the jeweller," He paused, far Heinmings, the butler, entered at that moment with same letters on a Salter. The detective's ™V"*kl!ng black eyes raked the staid, middle-aged serving man. "Buckleyl" he exclaiined. with a sudden shout. „ M r. Ainslle we need'nt look fur* ther for the thief. With a tieket-of-leave man whose snecinlity is word combination safes in the house-—" The butler, panic-stricken, sprang at the tipen Tnndow niid assayed to jump f or iSj B «Mie as a cat, leaped and caught liim by the ankle! With a sttdden wrench the other freed himself, overbalanced, and vanished into the area below. There came to those in tpe room flhbtfo the sound of a faint thud, then Silent*. "Silly fool, ' £rbwlcd the detective, peering dowiiij "he couldn't escape." But he was wrong. The fugitive tad broken llis neck. The pearl necklace was found concealed in the butler's room. . Jack Collartl called ,On Mi*. Ainslie next day, and with the air of a millionaire statbd he could settle £5,000 on his future Wife. "Thanks to the old General's loan," commented the solicitor. He smiled at the young man, and smothered a sigh. He had never knbwn how fond he was of his daughter till he knew he was shortly to lose lifer. "I want no settlement from you, Jack. I'll do all that. Go and talk to Prudence; you'll find her in the drawing roohi, ftlid if she " He stopped twl'forcfr. Jack Collard had hastily quitted the. room; Sf.r. Aiilslie hfeard him pelting upstairs. He Sighed again. "Hang the pearl necklncel" he muttered. "I pee now tlrs forthcoming marriage was inevitable, Im'S my birthday gift has advanced it at least a twelvemonth."