“THE CUFF – PATH MYSTERY”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16904, 1 December 1922, Page 11

“THE CUFF - PATH MYSTERY”

OUR SERIAL.

BY

HEANTON HILI.

CHAPTER XXXI. f.vid’s witness. Enid’s world seemed to be tumbling about her ears, but only for an instant. The soft drawl began again, ingratiating and full of self-pity, making it appear that her enemies were the young Frenchman’s enemies. “ Mo. 1 recognise Missy’s so charming personality as soon as she come aboard.” he said. “ Thank the good God. 1. tell myself, here is the chance to win pardon for the fault so blindly committed, also to make la revanche fo-r the brutality of that gros bet© Severin. Missy, 1 assure m.vself. is an angel of mercy, whose kind heart will forgive. I behaved badly towards her my master’s bidding, but my master behaved worse to me.” Enid was herself again. “ T suppose hj gave you beaus for not shipping me' on this so-called yacht,” she replied. “You deserved nil you got.” It was too dark to See Leduc’s face, but his answer came through gritted teeth. ‘ Monsieur Severin in a tyr-rant. have me punished most hr-rutal for not making a prisoner of Missy that day. ft is for that reason that I summon the courage to speak in the hope that Missy will help me to, what-you-call. pay him out.” I would ii 1 could Pierre,” Enid declared. “At present lam not in a position to help or damage anyone, am IP” That will pass, and then Missy will he able to strike, and strike hard. Maybe the poor Frenchman could put weapon in her hand to strike with if he knew how Monsieur Severin was going on -if it is well or ill with him. Is it that he fears to be taken by the police for the murder—him and his lady i’rem ?” ‘“Ho. ho!” thought Enid. But she checked the flood of questions that rose to her lips. This young rascal had deceived her before, and she wasn’t going to be tricked again. A bargain must be? struck. T can tell you what's worrying Severin." she said. ‘‘ But 1 shall not say n, word till you have proved your honesty by telling me what you mean by'your reference to murder.” There was a prolonged pause, as though L-educ was weighing the consequences of “double-crossing” the terrible matser who had misused him—a perfectly natural pause as following this tentative bargaining. Then the Frenchman broke into voluble whispers punctuated by the s'lowly-churning screw below. “ Severin and the ladee,” lie began. they shove the feller over the cliff --same what make all that tantara in the newspapers. I sa w them do it. It was like this. Missy. 1 been sent for from I>artmouth to take instructions to the captain that couldn’t be trusted to post or wire. When I reach the hotel at Bicton they tell in© Severin gono for a walk on the cliffpath, and I followed him. A good long way up the slope I see him and his ladee meet a man who was coming down. They use a torch which show me. Then all cry out, and the ladee she push the man over the edge. Then l creep back without showing my-

Hcre was proof indeed, and from a witness prepared to testify from the most powerful motives —revenge. Enid could hove hugged the swarthy young Gascon. The risk she had run, and was still running, had not been run in vain. The Xasmyth-T.;;rramore scandal was knocked sky-high. “ Does Severin know that you saw him?” Enid asked. • Not much. I no tell him. He kill me if he thought T saw.” •• But when lie ill-treated you later why did von not- inform the ]>olic© that he was a murderer?"’ “ I no have the chance. Since I fail to catch Missy T been kept a prisoner on the ship. Not allowed to go ashore.” The explanation appeared adequate, and removed the last doubt (hat trickerv lurked behind the disclosure. Yerv well.” Enid viced her approval. “ You have certainly fulfilled vour side of the hnrgian. Pierre. Now for mine, You arc in a fair way to get tour revenge on Severin withoutlifting a finger yourself. He called up The Serpent this afternoon because he wanted to make his escape on her. He expects the farm whore lie is staying to be raided by the police during the night, and as I've put the yacht out of commission they'll probably get him. ’ ’ “Out of commission?" repeated Leduo. - I no unnerstanV* •• IVhv, I gave the captain a fake message from Severin to get. back to wherever he came from, first putting me ashore at Bicton.” The Frenchman’s chuckle was accepted bv Enid as a tribute to her cleverness. The girl could never realise that pluck rather than cunning was her long suit. •• If. pleases the good God to make me laugh.’’ Leduc excused his hilarity. “ Missv is so, what you call it. smart. Now 1 go. lest I be seen talking by some of this so villainous -pirate crew. But when the ship stop at Bicton, me, I jump overboard, swim ashore and accuse Severin and his ladee fren’ to the police. Mademoiselle, I salute veu and retire.” Enid listened to the pad-pad of the bare feet as they receded along the deck, and permitted herself to dream of coming triumph. But. her reverie would not have been so jubiliant had the fog allowed her to follow the Frenchman to his destination, which was wherever the captain of th© yacht might for the moment happen to b©. For it would have been easier for a leopard to change his spots than for this sly and supple son of France to divest himself of his prevailing characteristic—a regard for his own material prosperity. In. his revelations there had l>een more than a modicum of truth. He had witnessed the scene on the cliff path so vividly portrayed ; ho had been punished for his breakdown in the kidnapping venture; he had been kept a prisoner on the yacht so far as shore leave went. But, knowing where bis bread was buttered, he cherished no desire for revenge. On the contrary, his sole aim was to reinstate himself in the favour of the only man he knew who could bestow favours on outcasts. The lucky chance which had enabled him to recognize Enid as she came aboard had shown him the way, and he meant to take it. He would warn the captain that he was entertaining an impostor, and he would repeat the confidence he had extracted from the deceitful ' Missy.” Then he would offer a solution of the difficulty presented by the revelation obtained by his astute bargain. He bad no intention of divulging the means he had taken to make Missy talk. There was not the remotest risk that she would ever regain the freedom necessary to use the information he had thrown out a» a bait. (To be Continued.)