THE HOUSE OF THE WICKED.

Thames Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 17763, 10 December 1929, Page 3

THE HOUSE OF THE WICKED.

iQ OUR SERIAL STORY

CHAPTER XVII.

DONE IN THE DARK

In the passage he met his sister returning from the front room.

"Well, what is it? ' he asked inj a whisper. . "We're trapped, Henry; what shall We do?" , •"Don't te a fo6l, Ada. Go and get your things on as quickly as ever you can, and bring duwn the old bonnet mid cloak for the girl. We'll dp them yet. You're sure tberejs onlj one fellow in the garden?" "Sure; but there mi'gfib 1 be mors about."

"Then be off. We shall have to get out of this sharp," and he hurried to the front of the house and examined matters for himself.

By this time Guy had got the log, land was trying to batter in the door. "Go on, go cai," muttered Harr.s to himself. "You'll do no harm at that game except knock the paint off," as he passed his hand over the bolt and hinges, and found them secure, and then hurrying back to the kitchen, he cried: "Yes, Mrs. Bingham,' I'm. afraid we' shall have to go at once. The men locjk like detectives." "Oh, yes! yes! let us go; let us go. I'm quite ready," and she started from her ser.it. ;

"But the difficulty is that you may be seen and recognised," he continued.

"Whoi would be likely to know me in Cornwall? I've never been here in my life before."

"There may be others on the watjh. I must disguise you." "Yes, yes; anything. I don't mind. Only let us get awv.y, for Guy's sake."

■ "You might go as an old lady suffering from her eves, and I could put an eyeshade across them, thus hidiug half your features. I have an oldfashioned bonnet and clunk which a client of mine left here, if you would not mind putting them on." "I'll put them on. Yu u do as you think best, and I'll follow your directions to the letter. Only let u s get away. Will the nurse come with us?" "Certainly. Stay here, and I'll tend her to you," and again he left the room.

"It's all right," he said. "She'll go like a Limb. Bemember, she thinks it's all for her husband's sake, and I've told her it's the detectives who are hammering at the door. Get her ready ins soon as you can. You've got all the things you want to take. You'll have to carry them, so don't have too many. I'll be with you directly,'" and Harris went again to the front of the house.

Guy had left the door, and was now busy on the bars' before the window. Harris stood watching him in silence. "Confound him!" he muttered. "He'll get in before long, but whether he ever gets out again is quite another matter." and he chuckled gr'mly to himself. "Now, Mrs. Bingham," he exclaimed a moment or two later, entering the kitchen with an eyeshade in his hands, "if you will "let me put this across vour eyes yqu can have your bonnet put on, and/we can. make

By WILLIAM LE QUEUX, (Author of "The Man from Downing Street/' "The Under Secre- ■ ■■? >.. -A-£■■<:,'-.i r , ... - tary,!' etc, etc. ~..-.. ,i-

start. Those .wretched detectives are still trying to get in." He spoke in a jaunty tone, to give Lindni a confidence m his powers to help her to escape the seeming terribble: peril to which, she imagined she was exposed. ' "I'm quite ready. Do what you think best, only let us get_awa.y from this house." <" '

He placed the old green shade deftly over her eyes, and as his sister pat on the bonnet, he said: "You'll promise me not to try and throw oil' your disguise Until I tell you you may?" "Yes, I promise." "You shall not wear it a minute longer than is necessary, I promise you," and then with a whispered word or two of instructions to his sister, who caught uj> a small hand-bag, he preceded the two women to the back door, which he quietly unlocked and opened. "Are you not coming, too?" asked Linda, missuig' the sound of the third pair of footsteps. "I shall catch you up in a few minutes. I have ta get one or two things."' and. as he clo>ed the door behind them, they stole away into the sli daws.

' Before he returned to the front part of tue luu.se H.rr.s entered the bacK kitchen, hi one corner of which stood a large heap of faggots, used .for kindling. These he quickly removed, exposing a space from which one or two rows of red bricks with which the place wis paved had leen removed, and which were "piled up against the wall. , They had evidently rested on some old boards, which were_damp and mildewed. These he raised, and left a dark cavity, the depth was utterly hidden in the prevailing glcom. A wooden bowl coutylining wet clay stood in the sink close at hand.

With a glance round he left, the place, and, arming himself with a life-preserver, he again sought the front room.;

He was only just in time. Guy had wrenched away the third of the bars, »nd was struggling through the opening. Keeping close to the wall, he crept round towards the window, by the side of which he stood, hidden in the deepest shadow, as Guy sJO-eedel in drawing himself completely through and stood panting within the room. The next moment he lent down to recover the position of the iron bar which lay on the floor. '•The moment had come; his head was lowered and exposed. In a second Harris raised his weapon and Irought it down with all his might upon the skull of the unsuspecting man. "That will teach you not to go house-breaking again, whoever you are!" he muttered with a hoarse laugh, and seizing the unconscious form by the legs he dragged it frcm the room, and then, remembering it might leave marks, he seized it in

hi -i arms and staggered with it to the hack kitchen, where he let it slide down into the cavity he had opened. Working with energy, it took him but & short time- to replace the boards, and on them he laid the bricks in rows, filling up the interstices with the damp clay from the bowl, and pressing it down with a piece of stick. When he had finished he stood a moment listening, and hearing, no sound he struck a maitch and examined his handiwork. He appeared satisfied, for he commenced plajcing the pile of faggots over the spot, pausing every now sind then to listen. _ I

Having finished, lie rinsed out tbe bowl, and rinsed the clay from his hands, and then, with a'wet piece of rag, went back along ' the passage, striking a match on the wall as he passed, and looking to, see if there were any blood-spots, which might serve sis a trail. But he could discover none, and he smiled to himself at the neatness of his work. In the front room he drew the edge of hfs boot here and there across the boards, as though there had been a struggle. He wa's thus engaged when he heard voices in the distance. In <a second he had left the room, and hurrying, down the passage, seized a cloak, sft felt hat, and a small black bag, which he had placed ready, and with a glance into the back kitchen as he passed, he unlocked the back door and passed through., looking ft behind him. {Crossing the small yard and creeping through a hole in the wooden fence, ho gained the centre of a tall quickse;, hedge, and here paused and listened.

(To be Continued.)