“THE SKELETON FINGER.”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16424, 12 May 1921, Page 4

“THE SKELETON FINGER.”

By

HEADON HILL

•x (Author of "Millions of Mischief,” «i " The Crimson Honeymoon.” 4 " Tho Man from Egypt.” 4 Etc. Etc.)

CHAPTER. XXXVl. —Continued; “ [ am sorry to intrude. said Vrnggo. addressing the keeper and his wife. “ 1 am a detective officer from Scotland Yard and T want to ask vonr daughter two question-. 1 hu\e nothing whatever against her personally.” •John and Judith Grime?, wmspcrcct te. ©a©h other r.nd stood aside. “ It’ll rase her conscience, mayo©, if she’s riving” said th© keeper. AYragge stooped down and put hi? questions—only a few words to each. Tho first was answered at once with a. nod and an impudent smile. The second required longer reflection and .a painfully whispered sentence or two “Thank you, madam,” said the detective. rising. “‘Ami. have, greatly aided the cause of justice.” “ A fat lot l care, about that,” rejoined Miss Blair. ‘‘l only want t«*» square accounts with n blackguard. And now \ou can run away and play, littleboy.” she added- “ Vfit-li any luck you may b© in tim© to see Sir Dudley’s burning mill. T export th© loony and his fir© expert are. about somewhere.” "Willi wbh?h she fainted. John Grimes had been chafing her hands, but lie dropped them and stood upright. His feature were convulsed with horror. “ Eire ai 111© mill house?” he nun muied dully. “Do you know what she means?' He turned fiercely on his v ife. But Mrs Grimes shook her grizzled head and mouthed a denial. “That man-lnonkex shall tell me.” cried tho keeper, and lie strode from the cottage, followed, hy Wragge. who unobtrusively all ached himself to Mr (’©in© again. Wonimersley answered Grimes’s questions with ingenuous candour. Y cv. certainly, he admitted, there was to be a fir© at the mill. Sir Dudley (<"lenister. having no further us© for the ruined structure, and being financially interested, had v©r\ kindly placed it at the disposal of the Amphibian Syndicate for tlie purpose of a film. They had been expecting their generous patron to turn up ©verv minute, and could not understand the delay. “ May God forgive me!” groaned the keeper with a. sincerity that wan remembered to his credit afterwards.* “ 1 thought 1 was .-erring the family •not. a, fiend. He has got his cousin and her sweetheart shut up there. T know, because he persuaded me to help him.” ’I he deluded worshipper of the Glcni?ter tradition started •to run across the clearing, with "Wommcrsley’s troupn at his heels giving tongue like a pack of badly broken hounds on a false scent. In the turmoil caused hv tlie accident to the leading lark- the electrician had omitted to switch on flulight. and tho mill stood stark and silent, rt ghost-haunted rnemorv of other day=. in the artificial glow. Wraggo glanced at if. and decided^hat, tlie stalwart game-keeper was competent to deal with a situation Ibal had not yet arisen. Just now his dutv lav nearer to hand the hand that had once more taken quiet possession of the Cabinet Minister’s arm. IT© looked sideways at the refined and clever face that was almost che©k-hy-jowl with his own. ft was all sagged and drawn into unaccustomed |j|( rs -hat indicated tremendous emotionemotion suggesting a well,nigh overwhelming dread under a control strained to snapping point. Yet Wraggo had looked on that face and quailed h©tore it at integrals during th© worst moments of his life. If© would have been less Ilian human if n not© of triumph had not ©rent into his voice “ Mr Colne.” h© said. “ 1 ani under the disadvantage of holding no warrant, but I will take tho responsibility of arresting you on suspicion for the rmirder of Mr George Glenhter on the 7lh of dime. 1919 a. T need not in your case use the formula of advising you that anything you may say to me will lw> available for the evidence that will I>© produced against you.” lor a few seconds Mr Colne did not answer. Ile seemed to be intent on watching tho progress of .John Grimes, who by now had almost reached the stepping-stones. The l-.cepor had chosen that route to the mill as the shortest from the cottage, overlooking flic tact that, it would take more Lime to traverse Ilian that across the top ol the dam. Tho stepping-stones were m darkness, whereas the dam was in the lull glare of Mr AYornmerslev’s electric projector. The great statesman had the silver tones of his beautiful voice well under control when at last he broke the Mint of yourself, Wragger” lie said quietly. “ Have you counted the cost of the action you are proposing to take? Ibe records of your early lapse from the straight path arc siiil iri being, remember.” ” 1 have not forgotten, sir.” replied the inspector gravely. Then he, laughed a little and added: “There being no witnesses present. I do not mind contesting that .1 am hoping for great things from those records now that 1 have completed my case against you The authorities will hold" it to mv eredit that I have arrested a highlvplaced criminal in spite, of the “ laet ihal lie had this pull over me. My lapse, as you call it, was a mere trifle, compared with .yours. Mr Colne, and I have atoned lor it hv Years of faithful service to ihc State.” • 1 see.” sneered Hie Cabinet Minister. ") on funked mf pull over fou till you obtained a greater one over me. What a homily I should bo able to deliver to Parliament on ihe moral rectitude of the police force. But sec here, AYrngge. as man to man. if you really intend to brave the perils ' of your past, will ten thousand pounds and tho Chief Constabfeship of » countv indue© you to abandon the idea? Mind, you, this ofier is without prejudice. T could put up a very good defence to the, charge you ore making against me on th© evidence, of a. light woman who is obviously not in a normal state of mind. ' " Not on your life, sir. I have Loo many ignominious years of bullied and browbeaten by you to wip© out,” responded Wragge. ‘ “There is no bribe you could offer which would recompense me for forgoing the pleasure of seeing you hanged.” Air Colne sighed as one who deplores the tolly of a, feebler mind. Then a short, gasp broke from him, to be echoed in a. deeper exclamation from {•he detective. Preoccupied as they both were, the same thing had obtruded on their senses and distracted their attention simultaneously. An;u beyond the mill-rac© another' light, had broken out which was not the steady glow of th© Amphibian electric. Red flames wer© shooting from the door of the mill-house, licking tongues of fire struggling with a belching cloud of smoke. John Grimes and his motley followuig had vanished in th© darkness that enshrouded the stepping-stones, but a mighty roar from the keeper's lungs proclaimed that he knew he was too late. Wragge’s grip may hav© relaxed owing to the diversion. Be that as it may, Mr Colne wrenched himself free and. for a man of his years, ran with amassing swiftness towards the cl am • Mime ho had covered some twenty yards h© halted and called back’: “ I hero are lives to he saved. I shall 1 do my best.” Quickly realising that. Ah rough whatever motive, he had lost his. nri

soner, the detective started in pursuit, but th© suddenness of the escape had vielded such a good start that Mr C olne was crossing th© dam while his pursuer was many paces behind. "When he himself reached th© giddy causeway over th© mill-race, \Yragge, mindful of his own foothold. gained only a confused and fitful vision of what was happening on the farther bank. The mill was ablaze, and. in tho weird blend of smoke and fire round the door human figures were moving wildly, as in some fantastic dance. Y\ ragge could not distinguish one. from the other as ho trod the slippery masonrv-. and when at last his feet firmly planted on solid earth again tlie Right Honourable Stephen Colne had vanished into the heart of the elusive picture<To fie continued).