INF. YOUNG ARCHDYCHESS

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16748, 1 June 1922, Page 3

INF. YOUNG ARCHDYCHESS

OUR SERIAL.

. 9 (By WILLIAM LB QUEUN) CHAPTER XXIV. After leaving Mrs Somers, Basil went round to the hotel where tiawksley had put up. The doctor had taken bis departure after installing a professional nurse in the patient'a chamber. The report was in a way reassuring. iSir Richard had recovered consciousness but there was not the slightest hope of his appearing in Court to-mor-row. In fact ho would have to take an enforced rest of two or three weeks. So much the young barrister learned from a few hurried words exchanged with the nurse outside the bedroom door. Anyway, had things been otherwise, had Sir Richard escaped this suden stroke, the case was over so far as the defence was concerned. Vincent was the last witness to be examined and Mr Rigby had the right to reply. Unless the judge and jury made up their minds that the discovorey of the three bullets had imparted to tho affair an insoluble mystery and were disposed to give the accused the benefit of the doubt, the result was certain—a verdict of guilty, fallowed by a strong petition and a commutation of the sentence by the Home SecretaryThis was bow it had all appeared to Basil Long before bis interview with the remorseful Mrs Somers. Now all was changed and he had been able to guess the reason of that obstinate silence on the part of the Colonel. The next morning ho had an interview with Ashdown in his cell. The unhappy man’s attitude seemed more listless, more indifferent than ever. Decidedly the events of that terrible night had partially, if not wholly, deranged his faculties, 4*' ought Basil as he looked upon him. Would what he was going to impart to him restore them to their normal condition?

Our case closes this morning, Colonel I have only to put a few more questions to Vincent and we have finished. Rigby will reply, Mnthieson will sum up and the jury will retire to consider their verdict. T have come here in the forlorn hope that you will say something which will enable me to help you. As you will remember, Hawksley was taken suddenly ill with an attack of heart yesterday and cannot be present to-day. The conduct of the case therefore devolves upon me.*’ “ I fear I cannot help you,” was the quiet answer.

Basil Long spoke again with great earnestness.

V, ill you come into the box and explain the mystery of the three bulletsP AAill you tel] us wliv three pilots were fired out of a revolver containing only two empty chambers? Tf you go into that box and tell the truth I can get you off.” * For a moment Ashdown looked at him with a gleam ot interest. Then the glance darkened again and he murmured in an almost despairing voice.

“ Alas, I have no distinct recollections of that awful night. In my mind’s eye there is only a blurred and confused picture.” Long rose up impatiently. “ Good heavens, man,” he cried roughly, “ are you awake or dreaming? What quixotic whim is this that drives you to the gallows? Whom are you shielding with this dogged silence?” The Colonel darted a swift glance at him, then he relapsed into his imjiassive attitude- ” Your suspicions, sir, are wide of the mark. I’m shielding nobody/’ It was an absolute lie, as the young barrister knew, and yet he could not but honour the man for uttering knowing the circumstances. ‘ Veil, Colonel Ashdown, if you please, we will cease this fencing, it is no longer necessary. I daresay you have not heard that shortly alter your arrest Mr and Mrs Somers agreed to a separation. A little later her husband was killed in a motor smash and she is now a free woman.” "For a moment Ashdown’s face worked convulsively, then lie recovered himself and spoke in a voice hardly above a whisper. ‘‘ Guy Somers dead ! His wife a widow ! Of course I have heard nothing of this/* “ I saw Mrs Somers last night at her own request. She bitterly blames herself for having kept silence so long, attributes it to tho fact that she was. sure you would be acquitted. When our old friend Vincent assured her that conviction was almost a certainty, she made up her mind to speak. Personally I accuse her of a cowardice that was criminal in hanging back so long, but some women aretmad© that way.” Ho ended on an indignant note. But in a. second he had recovered himself and resumed in a calm voice. “ She told me everything and she has banded me the note she sent you on that afternoon with your reply pencilled on it. She will appear in the witness box to-morrow to give evidence in your favour. So now, Colonel, you have no longer reason to keep silence, out of an utterly mistaken idea that by doing you were preserving a woman’s reputation She has made up her mind to risk all that-” The Colonel’s ' face was transfigured. 7 r,• rose a ml lifted up his hands and

his lips moved in silent thanksgiving. If his faculties had been numbed before he received this intelligence, they were now fully restored. “ Yes, thank heaven, now I can speak,” he cried fervently. ”Mr Long, a thousand thanks for all you and Sir Richard Hawksley have done for me. Pardon me if I have seemed churlish and ungrateful. But from this moment I am at your disposal and will do what you tell me. If Mabel is willing to stand the exposure, so am J. Let evil tongues say what they will. I always regarded her as a. daughter. “ And you will let me put you in the witness box this morning and you will tell your own story of the events of that night and tho mystery of tho three bullets?”

“ Willingly,” replied Ashdown. The two men clasped hands warmly as Long took his departure. “ After you have told your torv I shall call Mrs Somers in corroboration, I shall keep her in a separate room until she is called, so that she ca.nnot hear your version,” were the parting words of the young barrister as he left the cell.

When the court opened. Long resumed his examination of Vincent. Of course the young man was quite as good a witness as Smeaton ; he answered the questions directly and wasted no words.

Mr Justice Mathioson looked up when Vincent left the box. Was this the end of the defence, the absolute proving that three shots had been fired out of a revolver containing five chambers, out of which only two were empty? Of course, it was a very puzzling thing and Rigby had not attempted to cross-examine. The facts wer too obvious. They certainly introduced on element of doubt which it would be his duty to explain to the jury.

But there was one person who could Bolve this apparently impenetrable mystery, the aoused himself. And so far there had ben no intimation that they were going to call him. If he were going to elucidate anything the line of defence would have boon different.

And then a sensation ran through the court as Basil Long puts the accused into the box. Of course, as a matter of forqn Ashdown had pleaded not ►guilty, in spite of liis confession to the inspector at Vine Street.

Tho audience, of course, and the jury probably, coukl not follow the subleties of legal procedure. But the judge did and ho knew that something had happened between last night and that morning which had changed the complexion of affairs. H© settled himself into an attitude of attention. It promised to be a very interesting case.

Basil Long was a young man, but ho was one of the most promising juniors at the Bar, the olover son of a clever father. In calling Ashdown into the witness box, and thereby subjecting him to the deadly and merciless crossexamination of Rigbv, lie was quite sure of his ground. “ Now, Colonel Ashdown,” were tho opening words of the young counsel, “ I want you to give us a lull account of the happenipgs of that terrible night. State them in your own way and take your own time. We know you stated to the inspector to whom you surrendered yourself that you shot your son. In a technical sense, that is, of course, true, but you will ex-plain to his Lordship and the jury under what peculiar circumstances that fatal shot was fired-”

In low tones that occasionally broke and faltered with the intensity of his emotion, the unfortunate Colonel gave liis explanation.

On the night in question he had met Hugh in his study by appointment at ten o’clock. The issue between them was one of many similar issues that had arisen on the came subject since Hugh had practically been turned out of of liis father’s house. Hugh, who had his father’s house. Hugh, who hid drunk heavily at dinner, had commenced by being very abusive, not to say menacing. The Colonel had offered him five hundred pounds on the condition that be would go to America and endeavour to lead a now life out there, the present allowance to be continued in addition. “My object in doing this.” c-.ali-mented the poor Colonel pathetically, was to remove him from this country, to prevent those frenent visits which were so upsetting to liis. mother and myself. V e cculd never enjoy a moment’s peace with the knowledge that he might come down upon us at any moment with his insatiable demands.” A murmur of sympathy went through the audience. It was well known amongst them what a sore thorn in liis father’s side Hugh Ashdown had been ever since he had emerged from boyhood. Hugh had angrily refused his father’s offer. He was not going to be expatriated for such a paltry sum. High words bad arisen and he had made some, insulting remarks- concerning “a lady guest in my house, the daughter of a dear, dear friend, to whom J acted as guardian..” The spectators pricked up their ears. Was the mystery of Gerndine Torella going to be solved ? But they were disappointed. After that one brief reference, Ashdown did not allude to her again. Hugji had flung out of the room shouting in a loud voice, “ T will go to her and ask her to come here and face you.” Instead of doing what he said, the infuriated young man, now- in an ungovernable state of rage, had gone up to his father’s bedroom, knowing that he kept a revolver under the mattress, had possessed himself of the weapon and returned to the -vtudy after a brief interval. (To bo continued.)