A QUEEN'S ERROR

Thames Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 17924, 27 June 1930, Page 3

A QUEEN'S ERROR

1 OUR SERIAL STORY

CHAPTER XIL ■ V-'- 1 , .'''•'•■'■ _ •'■.•■." ..- ""' '•.'?,.' y. .' S v.vi. HELD- UK-CO : •■ "Carajo! Mr Anstruther," the giant began, "| hope you are not going to give us any trouble. You don't look very amiable." - ; I simply looked; at .him and did not 'answer.' ■;>■'•'■'.'..' : : .■ ..■ V '.■■"■'• • '■■'

.';. "My lieutenant here," the chief proceeded,; "has no doubt acquainted you with my wishes. We want that little packet of yours, which you are carrying to Valoro." ; "What little packet?" I asked super ?'. ciliously., . ...'.' ' '■• '■:.}.'', '■'.' "The little packet which you fetched from your lawyer's, office just before you left London," he replied, with a smile, adding, at my look, of astonishment, "you see, we know your movements pretty well." , • i gave an impatient toss of my head and felt' inclined to drive my fist Into the man's great fat face, the only part of which L could see was. a great thick -lipped mouth with fine i white teeth grinning through a black beard.

"Supposing,'' I said, "that I refuse to comply with your demand?" •' "Then," he said abruptly, "we shall look for it. Come now, Mr Anstruther," he added, "we have very little time to lose. Give me that packet." "I haven't got it," I answered truth - fully* for it was in St. Nivel's cigar-' box: '-'... ' \-;-U ■■';•' - ,'.,:V,:':' J " ■■•'■:■ .The big man turned to, his lieutenant. ■ . : -. ■■'■'■ y '"Send in a couple of , y the. others;: strip and search him," he^said^bharpiy:,; '"' ,*'' ' " ' , '*"■,,, f.P In. obedience to a call from' .the. other, ■ two more of the gang, big, strong fellows, came in, and . : I' prepared for a str9ng resistance 'Before, however, the men touched me, Sir Rupert Frampton's face appeared in the doorway; he had evidently just got out of bed, and wore a dressing-gown. "It is no use whatever making any further resistance to these men, Mr Anstruther," he said, speaking in French. "You will probably lose your life if you do. Submit to what they demand, and we will make a claim against the" Gbvernment at "Valoro for whatever you lose. During the whole of my long connection withAquazilia," he added, , "I have only known such, a robbery as this occur twice and knowing the present peaceful and law-abiding state of the country,,l' cannot understand it." ' "Very well, then, Sir Rupert," I said, after a pause, • "I. will submit to these men;r but I call upon you to witness

my protest at} the outrage!" He nodded his head at my words,: and, in obedience to a further, request from, the giant, I proceeded to 5 undress./ , '•...-:.' When this was done, they were not satisfied to search my clothes only, but took them away with,them for a further examination. "'., After . returning me my light . 'silk undervest arid' drawers, they brought me a loose cowboy's .dress, such as they wore themselwes, and intimated, that I must put it on. , ".' It was no use demurring, so with a plaintive look at Sir Rupert, who, hardly aibl€ to repress his laughter, was still standing by, I did as I was 'wa. '' . ': ; : ; V '..•;'. .'■■' ■• ■ V.'" : "Now," proceeded the chief, "we have not; found what we want about your/person, Mr Anstruther; we must look'for it among your luggage." / He jdangled my bunch of keys' in his hand as he spoke. "Follow me, please." y .The' others closed round me and we went together to the luggage car; here my luggage, which was , fully marked with my name, was already set aside They proceeded at once ■ to thoroughly search each trunk, but replacing every article as'they, did so; loot was evidently not their object. They came at last to the end of it; and the chief turned to me savagely. i V'Carajo! Mr Anstruther," b e ' said, ■ -you are ; playing with us. Do you re'fuse'toteli us where this packet is?" "Supposing I don't know?" I replied pregparicatingly, "supposing it is out of riiy power *to tell you?" "Then,-"/ he answered with a savage oath, "we shall take you with us,

and perhaps another besides, and hold you both'as hostages until ,the packet is given up to us by somebody." After a pause I shrugged my shoulders. " "You must do as you like," I said. "Carlo," cried the chief at once, "see the fines are collected and we will be off and take him with us." ',"•'.' "Who shall the other hostage be?" asked the lieutenant. The big man stooped down and whispered something in his ear. The other man nodded and smiled in response to the other's laugh, but it appeared' to me that he by no means relished the information conveyed to him in the whisper. "Now, Mr Anstruther," remarked the big half-breeed, "we must trouble you to come with us, and don't take ; longer than you'can help, to say.goodbye to the ladies." • This was intended byway of a'joke, one which I did not appreciate. "As soon as my cashier has been round collecting the dues," proceeded the big man, "we must be off. Don't

(By CAPTAIN HENRY CURTIES). Author of ;«Th© Blood Bond," "The Idol! of the King" "Tears of : Angela," "The, Queen's Gate Mys tery," "Out of the Shadows" 'i

you think you will change your mind, Mr Anstruther, and ;give- me. that

packet? If I had my way; I would search the whole train for it, but we haven't got time, so we must take you instead.!'

St. Nivel looked up from his corner where he had sat, his hat drawn over his eyes. "Have a cigar, Senor, Capitano," he remarked to the chief, "while your man collects the cash. I have paid already." >' . . . .'•'••',' (To be continued daily.)