THE LAPSE OF THE BISHOP

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16661, 17 February 1922, Page 5

THE LAPSE OF THE BISHOP

OUR SERIAL.

By GUY THORNE (Author of “ When It was Dark.” fitc.l TOOK 11. GHAPTER Vlll.—Continued. 11. During the rest of the afternoon Mr Manners explored the beautiful oid town, ascending to the north cliff for a glimpse at Notre-Dame de Bon Se- < ours, and attending Vespers—beautifully sung at St Jacques. Before dinner he went into the writing-room of his hotel and sketched out his letter to the Commissioner of Police. It was a little difficult, the sense of absolute loss of identity was very strong upon him as he wrote it, and he began to wonder at himself for having delayed such an important matter for so long. Had he been culpably negligent, had he behaved like a coward? These were the questions that he asked himself. It was a strange letter, indeed, for anyone learning of the circumstances for the first time, to read. But as he folded up the draft, he realised that Scotland Yard must have many communications even stranger than his own. Always in life it is those events which seem utterly trivial, which are afterwards discovered to have been turning-points in a career. If Mr Manners had placed his notes in his pocket at that moment, as he was about to do, the course of subsequent events would have been very different. But at that -moment a chasseur in uniform came into the writingroom with a blue telegram envelope upon a tray. u Monsieur Manners?” said the boy. Mr Manners tore open the envelope It was from Maisie. “ Just to send love and say I am thinking of you.” It wag Mme Girard who had recommended the hotel at which Manners was putting up. hence Maisie : s knowledge of his address. He jumped up from his seat—this required an immediate answer!—and went out into the hall, where he scribbled a reply. He had only just given it to the chasseur with money to dispatch it and a liberal tip, when the dinner gong boomed out. and without a thought of the pencilled notes he had left in the writing-room, Mr Manners passed into the salle a manger. He dined quietly at a table by himread the second edition of the Paris “ Lo Presse,” which had just arrived from the capital, and a few minutes before nine, walked towards the market place, and the house of the dentist. 111. The only unsound tooth in your head!” said the dentist, directing a ray of electric light from a bulb fastened on his forehead into Mr Manners’s open jaws. “ I congratulate you, sir.” * Then what is to be done, M. Macquart?” “ ’ Ave it out at once. It is too far gone for anything else.” By all means.” The dentist made a further examination. “It is the second molar,” lie said. “ and very firmly embedded in its cavity*. I should hardly like to extract it without nitrous oxide gas. It would be extremely painful.” “ Oh, 1 don't mind that iu the least.” “As you please, sir; but unless, of course, it is a question of cost, there is no need to go through five minutes’ agony—and it will be really agony, I can assure you—when it can be easily avoided.” “ Well, r suppose not.” Mr Manners replied; “I have never had laughing gas isn’t that what w© call it in England? —before. Still, as it is not \ question of cost, M. Macquart, as you say. I might just as well. But I always understood a doctor must administer it?” “ It’s the same ’ere as in England, v said the dentist. “ but my jvife’.y brother. who is staying with us for his holiday, is an English doctor. He is upstairs now, and would administer the anaesthetic very gladly.” “ I am putting you to a lot of trouble this time of night, but thanks very much.” The young English doctor came down in a few moments. He sounded Mr Manners’s heart with a stethoscope, pronounced himself satisfied, and attached a long rubber tube to a cylinder of gas. M. Macquart deftly slipped a couple of cork supports into his patient’s mouth, and the last thing that Mr Manners remembered was the indiarubber mask covering his nose and mouth, and a voice saying, “Breathe very slowly and deeply.” Nothing happened for a long time, or so the patient thought, and then he heard a gentle murmur, which swelled into a roar like that of an advancing train. He was in a train, leaning back in r, cushioned carriage, as it rushed through a dark tunnel, rocking and ewayiug with a wonderfully soothing effect. “ Quite a neat little operation, Jules,” said the young Jules,” said the young Englishman to bis brother-in-law, who was putting a fifty-franc note into his cash box. *'■ But did you notice how strange the man seemed when he came to himself?” “ Now that you mention it, I did notice something of the sort. He was polite, but rather aloof—but after gas they are all a. little strange.” I have seen it dozens of times

myself, but never quite like this. I tell you, Jules, I was startled. The patient seemed quite another person. His eyes were much brighter and. full of some determination or other. He hurried’ down the stairs.” “ Mary is waiting for us. We must not keep her any longer. ” Close upon ten o’clock the cassiere of the Hotel des Londres was called from her supper in the bureau by a guest who had arrived that afternoon. “ I shall be much obliged if I can have my account,” said the slim, cleanshaved man who had registered under the name of Manners. ” But Monsieur stays the night, dees he not?” “ I fear it is impossible. 3 must cross to England at once. I have half an hour only' before the boat “ Half an hour and five minutes. Monsieur, and you are not six minutes from the quai. If Monsieur is departing, 1 will older a cab at once.” ‘ It you will, please,” and the stranger paid his bill, including the charge for the bedroom he had engaged, and in five minutes had left. The caisere, with an amiable grumble about the eccentricities of the English, returned to her supper.. “Mr Manners ” took a first-class ticket for \ ictoria. A porter carried his bag up the gangway, and on board the ship. There were few people crossing to England that night, and the second steward was on deck. “A sleeping cabin, sir?” lie said. “If you please. lam not feeling very well, and I think I will go to bed at once.” The steward led the way down the steps to the main saloon, turned to the left, opened a door and displayed a private cabin. “ I wil’l have everything ready for you in a minute, sir,” he said, “ the sheets in the bunk are aired. Will you take a bowl of soup before you go to sleep?” “ Thank you, I think that would be very nice.” When the soup was brought the traveller was already in his pyjamas. He eat upon the little fresh covered seat bv the washing basin, and made a few inquiries as to the probable time of arrival at Xewliaven. “ And what name, sir. shall I enter?” the steward asked. “ The Bishop of Psalmster.” “ Thank you, my Lord; good night, my Lord.’’ End of Book Two. (Tobe continued.) MISS ff FRECKLE FACE. 35 SEN AND WIND BRING OUT UGLY SPOTS. HOW TO REMOVE THEM EASILY. Every freckled person should take enough pride in their personal appearance to rid themselves of such repulsive facial blemishes. Now here’s a chance to try a remedy for freckles with the guarantee of a reliable chemist that it does not cost you a farthing unless it jemoves the freckles; while if it gives .you a clear complexion the expense is trifling anyhow. Simply get an ounce of KintliQdouble strength—from any chemist and a few pleasant applications will show you how easy it is to rid yourself of the homely freckles and get a beautifully clear, soft and youthfully textured complexion. Rarely is more than one ounce needed for the worst case, but be sure to ask the chemist for the double strength. Kintlio, as this strength is so effective, safe and simple that it is obtainable under guarantee ot money back if it doesn’t remove freckles. 3