A YULETIDE ADVENTURE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9115, 21 December 1907, Page 2

A YULETIDE ADVENTURE.

(By JOHN K. LEYS.) Author of "A Bird of Prey," "The Lady's Luggage," " The Spy/ etc. [All Eights Reserved.] ' I was lost. There could be no doubt of it. I had refused to acknowledge it to myself as long as possible, but at last I had to confess that I neither knew where I was nor in what direction I was going. The night was pitch dark, and the rain was coming down in torrents. I was cold, in spite of the number of miles I had walked since nightfall, and I was faint with hunger. And it was Christmas Evel Three days , before, my father's old friend, Sir Join Witherington, had met me in the Strand, and on parting had said in his bluff offhand way, " Come down and spend Christmas with, us.' 1 I hesitated. "If you have another engagement, of course " " No, Sir John, it's not that/ I answered. " But don't think me impertinent if I ask you a question: Is Mrs Oldridge to be one of your house party?" " Oh, the widow would be an attraction, would she?" "Don't chaff me, Sir John.. You know very well what I mean/ I returned, feeling myself grow hot all over. "Yes, my dear fellow," said the kindly baronet, passing his arm through mine, and walking with me a few paces. "We were all very sorry when we, heard that Lilian had refused you last summer. But you needn't be afraid. She and her mother are not to be with^ us this Christmas." " I felt it might be a little awkward — she might think I was persecuting her, following her about, and that is the last thing I should wish to do. But as things ate, I shall have great pleasure in going to you for Christmas." . " That's right. We shall expect you on Christmas Eve, and you must stay over till the New Year if you ©an. Longheath is the station — don't for- £ et!" Like a fool I had fallen asleep in the train, and had been carried past my ■station, and a good seven miles farther than I wished to go. On that Temote branch line there was no return train that night; nor would there -be any next day, being Christmas Day; and no conveyance was to be had at the lonely wayside platform at which I had alighted, so there was nothing for it but to trust to my legs, leaving my baggage to be sent back on Boxing Day. I got very carefully detailed direc-. tions from the . stationmaster, but part of the way led over a moor, and tnere, I fancy, I lost my bearings.. At all events, I did get lost, and although I struggled on for two hours longer, I failed to arrive anywhere. One thing rather worried me, I knew that the sea could not be very far away, on my (right, and I was afraid i of falling over a cliff in the darkness. In fact, I was so utterly done up, that if it had not been for the rain, I think I would have lain down under the lee of the first big boulder I came to, to wait for morning. Suddenly a bright light flashed upon the night, like a friendly star that had taken compassion upon my misery, and had come down from heaven to cheer and guide me. So thica. was the darkness of that rain-drenched night that 1 had come close to a house without knowing it. I soon found the main entrance, groped for the beli-puli, .and gave a Hearty tug. , As I waited I could hear the sound of -the waves, as they beat on the rocks) for the house was built on the very edge of the cliffs. After a considerable delay, the door was opened by a man-servant in evening drees — a man of medium height, with short, black whiskers and a high, bald forehead. "I want a night's shelter," I. began;.---"I have got lost on the moor, and am half-dead with fatigue and hunger. Will you kindly ask your master if he will succour a fellow-creature in distressP" " I'm very^ sorry but I don't think I could take it upon my6elf to do that," he began, but stopped abruptly. " Nonsense, man," I expostulated. "This is not a night any decent man would turn a dog away, let me see your master for one moment, and I'm certain he will, at all events, give me some food and a' guide to Polperran " I started and peered forward into the man's face, on which he drew back sharply, as if anxious to avoid recognition. " You are not." I gasped — "you can't be Grant Hamilton?" "Whatever, could make you think such a thing, sir?" asked the man in so admirably disguised an accent that if it had not been for the smile which accompanied his words 1 should have been completely deceived. But his voice, when he had not been co completely on his guard, had a familiar ring about it, and the smile settled it. "You are Grant Hamilton, or I'm a Dutchman !" I *ried. " Hush !" cried the butler, with a Beared glance over hi 6 shoulder. " You must forget that name — forget that you ever knew me, ever saw me before, or I can do nothing for you." I 6tared at him, still scarcely believing the evidence of my ears. I knew Grant Hamilton well as a respectable and fairly-prosperous young solicitor, from whom I had had an occasional brief. To find him masquerading in this fashion in a country house in Cornwall was more than extraordinary. "Come in," he said abruptly, and pulled me into the shelter of the porch. " You must wait a bit," he ' said hastily. " I've been away too long already." He shut and locked the front door as he spoke, and hurried away leaving me standing there like a fool, the water running from my clothes and making a puddle on the floor. My friend had Switched off the electric light before ne left me. "but had forgotten to shut the door leading into the > hall, co that I heard clearly a voice which came to me the next instant : " What the deuce have you been about all this time, Fleming? Was that a rins: at tne front door?" "Yes, sir. A tramp — at least, a man who said h© had lost his way and waited to be directed. I think he was rather tipsy, and I had some difficulty in getting rid of him, sir." " Why didn't you let loose Tiger and the other brute?" "It didn't occur to me, sir; but, Beally, it wasn't necessary." "The man has pone, thenP" " Oh, yes, sir. He must.be half-way down the avenue by thi6 time." "You had better attend to your work, then." I never heard a man lie more neatly, more readily, or with a more ooii-« viheing manner. But my own situation was not only embarrassing and ridiculous, but positively humiliating. To sneak into a house in that fasmonjunknown to the master; to eat and drink at his expense — why, it would be stealing 1 I actually had my hand on the handle of the door in front of me, to step out and declare myself ; one idea only hejd me back. It was plain that my friend the butler had grave doubts as to whether his master would receive me and give me the shelter I craved. He had risked something in taking me in upon his own responsibility. It would be " playing it very low down " upon him, I reflected, if I were to step for-^

ward and save my self-respect at thf) cost of giving him away. . No, that would not do. I decide^ that I must remain where I was; .M least till I had an opportunity of spelUK ing with my friend again. /•■«• It was far from pleasant to stand there in my soaking clothes, shivering and faint for want of food, listening to the loud sounds of feasting in tttt warm, well-lit room only a few yardi off, and snuffing up the savoury odour* that floated ont into the hall. If th« etorm had abated, "or if there Had been any other refuge within reach, I would have slipped out of the house; but even as I stood there I could hear the wind howling dismally outside; and I *c* solved to remain where I was. ; Half an hour went by before the fit* ncr door swung open, and my friend; appeared- "You had better com* into my pantry," . he said. *.' There's* fire there, ana no one will disturb yoa^ Come along." \ ," . ■ — He walked swiftly away across th« great Turkey carpet that covered Him Hoor of the. hall, and I followed. My quide v dived down a narrow pa*. sage behind the dinurg-ropm, and fin* ally ushered me into a small but cosylooking apartment. ■■•-.■ " I wish I could go and get you com4 dry clothes," he said, "but I daren't so Jong away till I hare handed round the coffee. Then I shall goto supper, and I can, manage to attend td you." " I'm very sorry," I began, but a bell rang angrily, and my a host homed away, a warning look in his eyes. As I crouched over the fire, trying t<{ get some warmth into, my shivering limbs, I tried to think what Gran) Hamilton's object could be in posing at, a butler. That he had an object, 4 definite and important one, I could not doubt/ As I looked round on the quanditferf of 6ilver-plate around me a crossed my mind, but it came only t« be rejectea. Grant Hamilton, one of the most *e» spectable members of the Law Society* an associate of burglars! It was in>» possible. And besides, .if he had any designs upon his * master's plate: , of jewellery he never would have admitted me to his pantry. ; ' .. , But why in the name of all' that xnf sane, should he not have reported my visit to his master? Why smuggle ma into the house as if I had been a thief r, Why all this secrecy? It looked very fishy. And yet, the) question t Why burden himself with if stranger, a witness, if anything' ne» farious was afoot? had no answer. In a few minutes my friend re* appeared, bringing a plate on whiofai were heaped in/ delicious confusion slices of beef, potatoes, an entree, o? two, and a leg of a fowl. In his qthe* hand was a platter with a loaf of bread. These he set before me, and almost before I could find words to thank him he had handed down from a shelf -a clean glass and a decanted filled with daret. : " Get you some clothes— soon as ,po»* . sible," he muttered, and was gone ill a moment. . • I fell to and made a hearty meal, v and by the time I had finished, my friend brought me some spare clothes of his own, which I donned with the. liveliest satisfaction. .My wet garments I hung up before the fire, and I was just won* dering when and where I could find opportunity for a. pipe, when the silence was broken by a great noise and scurry in the hall. This, it may be remeaiJH bered, lay at the other end of -the passage, that led to the room I was sitting in. There was loud laughter, mingled with half-subdued feminine screams, and the noise of people tunning herd and there as though they were engaged in a game of blind man's buff. Curiosity made me wish to knoj^ what was causing the disturbance, so I switched off the electric light and stole aldng the passage, which was un« lighted. Peeping through the swing door at the end of the passage I soon made out that some men of the party had got held of pieces of mistletoe and were chasing the. girls about the hall" to exact the time-honoured penalty. It sounded dreadfully vulgar, and I was surprised that the mistress of a house like that shouldTdlow guests of her own: sex to be treated in that way. And then it struck me that most of them did not seem to feel very much insulted and indeed appeared rather to eri joJl the fun. With one girl, however, it was differu ent. She held her hands up before he* face as a protection, and ran swiftly for the grand staircase, but her puff* suer, a tall, insolent-looking fellow, with black hair parted in the middle, plastered over hjis low forehead, headed her off and forced her into the corner by the door. Unable to reach the stairs she made straight for the swing door behind which I was standing, and I had barely time to Tetreat along the dark passage when she came flying after me. Behind her sounded the quick steps of hef pursuer. I darted into the pantry and stood silent in a corner by the door. The lady did the same. So close were we that I could have touched her dress, without even stretching out my hand. The man came blundering along, feel* ing walls, but the fire was very low, and my clothes hung olose to it and ob« scured the faint light so completely that the place was in darkness. Thinking, apparently, that he had stumbled into the wrong room, he went away. Then I must have made an involun* tary movement, for the girl cried, out in alarm and edged away from me. With a swift movement of my hand I switched on the light, and saw — Lilian I So amazed wera we both that w« stood for a second or two gazing at oni another without a word. " What are you doing here?" aha; gwsped. \ ' ' In a few words I told her. "The butler? He is your friendP'v she said in a tone of surprise. *• Yea, and a good friend he has been: , to me But what he is doing as btrfcc ler here " I stopped, horrified a| my own indiscretion. •'Never mind," said Lilian, seeing that I did not wish to cay more. "I thought Fleming somehow looked difiV orent from other butlers. But it's nq business of mine." "Mrs OHridge is here^ I suppose f 1 * I, asked. : ?• Oh, yes. But she is not very well to-night, and did not come down ta dinner* x . ; " I don't think much of the-mannertf of your fellow-guests," I eaJQ. . . "Neither do I. Indeed, sometimes, the manners of one of them have been. 60 unpleasant that I have been on tha point of appealing to Mr Grosvenor, our host, for protection." " Why don f t you leave the houseP 1 * " We «»n hardly do that. Mother » chaperon to the unmarried ladies of the party." "I could see by Lilian's embarrassed manner that it would be indiscreet to be' too curious in this direction, bq I said : "GrosvenorP I don't' 'remember hearing that name in this neighbour* hood,' r . " They are new-comers," answered Lilian. "Mr Grosverior only took Cliff Towers last spring. He is a banker in London, I believe. We met him in a country house in September, and he was 'very kind and attentive to mother, so when he asked her to act the part of hostess to his guests in Christmas week she agreed to do so>{ but she is sorry enough now that eh* did." V . • , t "WhvP" -V.^-» " Well, some of tho people staying here are not very nice, zou have fMH( that for yourself.'*: ,- ■■ ~ > -~

" I have. Who was that cad that Chased you in hereP" " His name is Diokson. . But I must go bow. Would you mind looking out A> see if the way to the stairs is clear?" " All clear," I Teported. " And is iis good-bye, Lilian?, I ought to be it Polperran. ' How I wish you could je there too!"' In the pleasure of being near her kgain all else was forgotten. She >lushed a little as she laid her hand for ' ira instant in mine, then picking up the brain of her dress with her other hand ihe turned and slipped out of the room;, i I turned toff the light once more, and Bat 'down before the dying fire— sat there so long that the red cinders paled and went out in darkness. But Grant aamilton eeemed to have forgotten me. [ was longing for bed, and had no ioubtf he would be able to provide me with a couch of some sort; but he did not return. . As my own clothes were dry by tins Km© I put them on, and then sat and lozed uneasily in my chair. A clock jn the mantelpiece struck eleven, then twelve, then one, but no one came. •Suddenly, In the stillness of the tight, a crack, Hk* the loud crack of fa waggoner's whip. A revolver shotl ffhen immediately a second and a third. T'l started to my feet, now fully Wake, and listened intently, but no further sound reached my ears. I was more than uneasy. The profound silence seemed to me, sinister, knen'acing. If there had , been voices, lighte the sound of hurrying feet, that j#ould' have been natural. What did (this silence mean ? > ' ' i Then I reflected thattf the people in Jfche house, might not have heard the fehots. My impression was that the bound had come from below. I was on jthe ; ground floor. People upstairs might Inot-have heard it. ../ . But what did it mean? • Not burfelars, for in that case an alarjn would Save been given. Unless Hamilton tiad faced an attack of burglars alone and had been fired at and killed. lhat< jyrbuKl explain th© silence'; » Afraid that^some danger bad" overtaken him, I made tip my mind to extolore the lower regions of the house. If he had been shot by burglars -who fcad decamped, he might be lying some•where bleeding to death and unable to cry out 'or help himself. . Without i pausing to think what 1 phould say if Mr Grosvenpr caught me torowling about the house at night, I Blipped off my boots and crept m my jstockings along the passage. A door in the passage gave upon a fehort staircase- I pulled a box of vestas from my pocket, lit one ? s and peered jdown. It was like looking down /the Whaft of -a coal- pit. But I heard somejfching—the sound of footsteps. i Not one man's footsteps. There must ! |iave been three or four at least. "TKis is the nearest pay^-come "Wong," I heard a voice say— the voice tl had heard when I was standing in jfche porch Mr Grosvenor's.Like a flash I blew out my match. , 'Had the glimmer of: it been, noticed ? I hoped not. ' . ■ \ Mr Grosvenor and ms friends were jDoming to the foot of the narrow staircase at the top of which I was standing. Should I await them, tell them jwfiat ; I had heard, and ask them to help Ime find the butler? • > ' . That would have been, under ordinary circumstances, the natural thing to rK But I>was a stranger— an intruder, might expect to be treated Vas a burtelar and lodged in gaol. So I decided, 'to retreat: , , ' ,-: Noiselessly I stepped backward along the passage, and as I reached the door '.pf the pantry I. saw a gleam from the lantern which one of the party carried. It lit «P tha corridor and part of the koom where I was standing; then suddenly it went out. The man who car/jried it had passed out through the jiwing door at the ehd of the passage. Their quiet behaviour alarmed me.If a shot nad been fired in anger, why, Hid they take matters so coolly ? If the shot had been' an afceident, what ihad become of Hamilton? I waited for five minutes and set out fence more. Fortunately, neither, the floor at the top of the stairs nor the We at the' foot leading directly to the tellars was locked. But the various jceiiars each, had a door and, two of them were locked. The Key, had been Jeft in the lock of one of them, and es I bent down to turn it I heard ift heavy groan. ' Turning the key, I struck one of my -few remaining vestas, and thtire was poor. Hamilton stretoned in a corner, Inotiionlees as a dead man. "That you, Churchill?" he said faintly, as I "bent over him; "thank God you have come in time I The villains believed they had done for me ; but I cheated them. They--—" >: ; ■ ■ ."•■■ His voice suddenly ceased. He had fainted. ~ ' 1 fetched some water from' the J>antry and bathed his face with it, and in a minute or two he came back to ' „ ' v "My leg ifl broken," he whispered, *•• and I have one, if not two, bullets In my body besides. They. caught me Spying on them. Now, you get out. of rite house as you best canj and run hit to Liecawen for the police. You , ihust be back before morning if you nope to see me again, alive. Bring all /the men they have: Say there has been ■^burglary, and I have been shot, and six men will be needed. They will fcearn the truth later. Run, my dear •fellow. If you could get a horse at Ihe stables— but, I don r t see. how^ you leould manage that. And tell %em to bend a doctor." "But" shan't I wake someone,* and fcell them how badly you are hurt?" I Wsked. : v j- ■ y ' "No, no, nol Not for your life, I lean hold on till the morning, I should l I managed to put him into an easier jbosition, and made a coat into a pillow for him.' Then I put a. tumbler of ; . Jinater at his side, and was about to leave him when he called after me : f* r There is a loaded revolver an a Drawer in-'tKe pantry — better take it-'* (7 I - found the revolver and slipped it Into my pocket, and then opened a {window at the back of the house and Bet myself drop on the ground outride. I tried the stable* as a forlorn hope, and found,- as I expected, that they were locked up, but I came upon bn old bicycle in a shed, and it served |ne splendidly. I had a general idea of %m, direction In which Liscawen lay; and^ in spite pf rain* and wind, I got there in less than two hoursv The winter dawn was .breaking as a Bog-oart, drawn by a powerful^ horse and bearing four sturdy policemen, turned in at the gates of the house on the cliff. I came Trambly jogging after on my prehistoric bicycle. At the main entrance of the mansion-rhouse stood a large motor-car full of people,, pnd no sooner did we come "into sight bhan the car was put in motion. Down the drive it came, gathering speed on its way. "Stop l"' yelled the constable in Ijharge of the party, but he might as t SroU have tried to stop an „ express train bytehouting at it. It came right tin, as if intending to run d*>wn the log-cart end its crew. The constables jumped, to save their lives, and as the oar rushed by me 1 paw, lying back in the car, a white, piotionless face — the face of the girl I Joyed! In an instant I had drawn my revolver and fired it — not at the chauffeur, for h& was hidden by the body of fche car, nor at the car itself, for I have killed my darling, but at tone of the broad pneumatic tyres. "It exploded with a bang louder than the '•revolver's, and immediately the car Jbegan to bump heavily over the ground, tend we all went plunging after it. I We soon overtook it, and the party kvpre constrained to return to the Jbtduse. \ There, still lying helpless in the jfeellar, we found Hamilton, who told va

that Mr Grosvenor and his companions had been engaged in the manufacture of forged Bank of England notes, which Mr Grosvenor negotiated through the medium of his so-called bank. My friend the butler had a friend who was a director of the Bank of England, and he saw his way to make his fortune if he could only put a stop to the forgeries. All the banks had a share of the forged .notes,, but Grosvenor and Co. more than any of t*he others, and from some hints he nicked up in the city about the! private character of the head of the firm, Hamilton thought it pos- ; sible that Grosvenor himself might be the forger. So he managed to get j engaged by that gentleman as his i butler, and soon saw, from the char- \ acter of the banker's guests, that fee was on the right track. Under pretence of a Christmas party, . the various persons engaged in the conj spiracy had assembled at the house to I finish printing the notes, and mature their plans for disposing of them. The engraving was done in the cellar, and Hamilton, venturing too near, was discovered, shot by one of the party, and left for dead. He was not mortally injured, however, and was ready to give evidence at the trial of his former master. His evidence was not necessary, as the prisoners pleaded guilty, and were sen- . tenced to long terms of penal servitude. ' The fear that the butler was in the pay of the police l had driven the gang to instant flight, and they might have got clear away if it had not been for the infatuation of one of them for Lilian. They had literally forced the child to go into the car with them. 1 took her and Mrs Oldridge to Sir John Witherington's on morning, so Lilian and I spent Christmas together after all. And if I add that before I returned to London Lilian had, of her own accord, reversed the verdict she had given six months ago, need any one be very much surprised?