“THE SKELETON FINGER."

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16416, 3 May 1921, Page 2

“THE SKELETON FINGER."

Bv

HEA DON HILL

(Author of "Millions of Mischief,’’ "The Crimson Honeymoon,” "The Man from Egypt,” Etc. Etc.)

CHAPTER XXXIT. STRAW AND PETROL. j After bis exciting interview with Mrs Coning.-by. as witnessed and overheard bv Wraggc from the Whispering; Gallery- Sir Dudley found time drag heavily. It is true there was a brief interlude of activity when Mr ommerslev rang liim up from London and ! begged permission to film th© old mill- ! So magni licent was the impudence of ! the request that the baronet’s sombre ! mood yielded to the humour of it and j he allowed himself to be amused. But I as soon as he grasped tho meaning of | the trunk ©all h© saw the advantage to I himself, and he answered it with the ; lofty air of patronage which we listened i to at the other end. the intrusion of th© Amphibian Film i S'ndicate into tho Beech wood coverts ! that night would suit him very well. He i had intended to burn the ruin down ; anyhow, and it would rave a lot of ! harassing explanations if he could show j that the fire had been a mere incident • of the great kinema industry. i There Owere still certain precautions' | 1.0 be taken, however. John Gripies was ' the difficulty. The gamekeeper knew 'of his “guests" at the mill. Ho had been able to deaden the man’s scruples ! by playing on his loyalty to the Glenisj ter prestige, but John Grimes would, i never stand passively by while the i daughter of his former master was being i done to death in the flames, Sir Dudley | hoped that it would not come to that, ; hut the lire would have to be lighted in ! auv case. That other menace to his weJ!_ ! being. Norman Slater, had to he obliterated vvhetJier Kathleen sought safety ! ’“flirousiiout the afternoon, so dwvly i did the, time pass, Glemster kept, Hinkler on 1 1.0 I rot. bringing fresh syphons mul orn-e n fresh bottle of brandy. The butler’s band trembled as lie drew fn« j c«rk, but o ghuioe at the fiercely sub j len face of.his employer forbade the i half-jocular protest he would hare been I „ri-il e „ed to raise if Sir Philip had | I broken*out like this in the happy by- j S °wiieu'ilusk fell Sir Dudley wept out j into tho ball and opening the green | brib/.e door at the far end stood listen- j i,m A distant chatter told him that , tea was going on in the servants room. I iletrcating stealthily, lie took n cap from the stand and went out of the j front door, again acting as one " ; would avoid observation. bk \ r I t ' / ”f t , bio j house, ho went re"™ l , to tbf ” yard, where aDo was the garage. I.UT- I ’ mo cured a bundle of straw and a tin of petrol, ho dodged round toe, lawn, keeping m thm shadow of the , Ti-f-f-s and concealed his but den .n a j bash near tho opening of tho footpath , Uiat struck out into the woods. I I talk of ! ihi a few hours. He Wt that he coJll ! r elv on the silence of Grimes an 1 j i « \\ : n who were both too deepb irnph- j ! whatever the keeper might do hi lor. SSB&y sure j Indith Hi lines he cepte d the post j T l ,a ib?Jr with' a nvst that promised the , i I °M»l\ Tliabet.” he said with a; i throal'v laugh when the old servitor ap- . .Ve-n-ed " I sholt not want a icgular ; P ,,n - ’• -j,, i , v ;it ]iave sonic cold j dinner • * ic.p, C;UI be served at I “y ° r “am launching out new I o sec that they don’t exceed he h.mt V„. .riven them leave, dent you Low to* lo unite « hit of funny tricks, ; know .xo uii m rwvudnc*- what merry but there is no knowi mg their ! hell they might got up own.” Thidlev ” was the i •* Verv good. v -ir uuoie> , rrnlv ‘“I will I«.V a ©loth for VOU m [ho dining-room and have something "fcS£i3F.Si*BM the doorway, though the trouble had changed to a senile grin. , • •Be‘ r "ing vour pardou, fail- ne said “Ton would give me a rare treat if I might come along and see the fun. I always go to tho pictures when f get a chancc.° It's a mystery to me how tbev make the things." The request called a scowl to the baronet’s darkling face. “ T pay yon to wait on me-—not to amuse yourself,” he thundered. “ Chit away aiid attend to your work. T never hoard of such impudence.” Mumbling an apology, Hiukley bowed j his head meekly and retired. But when a few minutes later Sir J Dudley sat down to his impromptu meal I the butler was not in his usual place, j A footman stood behind liis chair, with a par'! ou mi id to assist at the sideboard. ; “Where is Hiukley?” demanded the I master. , | “He asked me to say that he is not { very well, sir, and that he has gone to j bed,” was thfe reply.' “He hoped you’d I excuse him.” _ ... j i “ 111 excuse him if I so© his silly old ! sheep’s head again. lies sulking because he couldn’t have iiis own way with I me.” j The two young servants exchanged scared glances, not knowing that their i master's displeasure veiled a secret ' satisfaction. Bed was the best place for | the dotard that night. was the i thought that lay behind Sir Dud--1 ley’s undignified outbreak- Ho ! wanted no prying eyes on his • comings arid goings, no accurate J timing of his movements by a reliable , witness who, if there was any hitch in 1 his dreadful programme, might be ask- | cd questions on the morrow. i On leaving the dining-room lie return- ' ed to the library, filled a flask of brandy ' from the bottle that had done duty during the afternoon, stuffed a. handful of cigar/3 into his pocket, took In’s hunt- ; ing-crop from a corner and left the • house by one of the French windows : without ’re-entering the hall. He had • been in two minds about confiding the ; ostensible object of his expedition to : £] lo servants who had waited on him, • }) U t lie had come to the decision that he : had adequately explained himself about ; the kinema people. If tliat staid and • sober veteran bad been tempted to go • s ight-seeing the juvenile members of the j household might br*eak out of bounds • without so much as asking leave. I (To be continued').