“THE CLIFF – PATH MYSTERY."

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16907, 5 December 1922, Page 11

“THE CLIFF - PATH MYSTERY."

OUR SERIAL.

BY H2SANEON HULff CHAPTER XXXU Continued. “leaving me out of the questio-u, you see what a hole it puts you in?” fjaift Tliorpe, in the unemotional tone of one talking to a friend. “Vm no lawyer,” growled the Scotchman. “ Well, I happen to know something of the law, and i will explain,” continued Thorpe gently. “If Severin is guilty of the clifF-path murder so are you—as an accessory. Your harbouring him -here as a fugitive would be quite sufficient to secure your conviction and probably a life sentence to penal servitude. Of course, if you aggravate that offence by actively helping him to murder me you would be hanged. In any caee, as I said just now. your occupation as a blender of illicit spirits is gone. If 1 stood in your shoes I should chuck it and turn King’s evidence. Should you so decide. I have enough influence to seo that you get off with -a caution.”

The hitman countenance was an open book to John THorpe, and on the page before him he c-ould read both fear and irresolution. But, suddenly the tremulous lips stiffened and a baleful light flickered in the furtive eyes. MacAdoo had just remembered that Dot only was this the anno who threatened and tempted him in a breath, fighting for his life, but that he was the lover of the merry hoyden whom Severin had “ promised” to him. The answer which trembled on his sensual lips was probably a refusal of the proffered terms, but before he could utter it there came a scarcely audible tap on the diamond paned window of the parlour. ' Better sec who it is. hadn’t T?” This was from Thorpe, who. coolly turning his back to the pistol, stepped to the window, drew aside the curtain and opened the casement. The interior light streamed on the brown face of Pierre .Leduc?, beaded s with the sweat of fast running. The lamp being behind Thorpe, he did not at once recognise him as one of his former patrons on La Petroleuse. and he had never met -MacAdoo, their different duties in the Sever in combination having kept them apart. Suddenly Leduo caught sight of the pistol in MacAdoo’s hand, and its aim being at him as much ns at Thorpe he raised a squawk of protest. “Me not police,” he said. ‘‘.Don’t shoot, you at the door. I have news from the yaoht for the boss.” After softly closing the door MacAdoo advanced into the room. “ I am Mr Severin'. l * manager,” he announced. “He is engaged at present. but if you will tell me your news I will judge if J dare interrupt him.” Leduc, weighing this answer, found in it a proof of good faith. Well he knew that the owner of The Serpent was not one to be interrupted with impunity. This manager gentleman was evidently what he claimed to be a head man in the gang. So, with a light heart and a keen eye to his own restoration to favour, he opened out : “ Mees Raven, she is on the yacht. Oame in a row-boat and wa« pick up in the fog. She tell the captain he to go back to port, and captain, he completely fooled till I recognise Mees Raven. She dressed like a man and had a little boy with her in the boat.” • Yes. ves.” said MacAdoo in a hoarse whisper. “ What next?’* The lamp shone on Pierre Leducks sly smile. “Then I do the fooling,” he went on. “ T turn Mees inside | out, and then I, go to the captain and tell him who the young feller-me-lad j really is-—same what we tried to pinch j and couldn’t—and what she say about police coming to the farm. Captain, he send me in motor launch to bring the boss off to the yacht and as many of his pals as La Petro-leuse will hold.” “ Where did you leave the launch? ” demanded MacAdoo. “ In Ladram Bay, hitched to a rock at the east end.” With frowning brows MacAdoo pondered this. Then, quickly brushing Thoipe aside, but still menacing him with his pistol, lie climbed out of tha window, Leduc falling away from it t-o make way for him. “I will report to Mr Scverin,” he said, and vanished into the darkness of the night. Thorpe had to think of quite a number of things, with very little time to do it in. What mischief was that repulsive Scotchman up to that he should take an almost flying leap from the window, when his shortest way to his chief would have been by the room door and along a short length of passage? The solution flashed clear on the , screen of his mind. Mr Judas Mac- i Adoo was a traitor, selling his master ; for the possession of Enid Raven. The remembrance of the licentious glances cast by MacAdoo on the girl occurred to him. bringing the horrible revela J tion. MacAdoo had bolted for the 1 shore, intending to steal the launch | left there by Leduc, board The SerI pent... and play his own devil’s game .is I opportunity might offer. IWitli Thorpe to be sure of his facts was to act quickly. •• Pierre.” he called softly from the \ window “ don’t you know me? ” ®*The Frenchman's face appeared tim { idly from the gloom. Thorpe hai - turned to the lamp so as t-o accord j recognition.

_ “flaw... “\Vhy i! is mv honoured patron, Monsieur Thorpe.“, “as the shameles= rascal’s glad reply “ But. me,—l very stupid. and I no :mnerstan’ how you ifi the same housa with the 13053 anfl friends with him ’3

" And Iherc is no time to explain But that, man who has just run away is an enemy of your boss. and he 11w; gone to sum! your launch and 50 prevent, Sm'erin': escape. 11' you are

quick yin; mnjr f'utK'l'l him and stop him before lli‘ go'h‘ awnv with if “ Tho Sllfl‘l strut-l; ‘ (HYWM Indus stood 216-1 on the urdor 0: his going but went. burning with an unholy zeal tu baulk IlH' Law t-wlmn who had dared to in‘tcrl'c-rv \rilll hi“ plying. Hi 9 not in l'r'ason why Nlnnsieur Thorpe was in the camp of hi< former enemies: his but to spef‘rl “om.“ tliv fields tn the shére and Save Ly: I‘Ptrnlousp from the infamong hawk of ll)» brave little craft’s wmxlrlhc— purloium‘. Thorpe closed the rasemont and drew the curtains \victfully. He, Would have gladly taken tho Frc‘nchman’s place in “19,1200 for the beach, but he lmrl quicklr realised that he was' ignorant of the ground to be traversed, and that his charms of Overtaking UacAdoo in the dark would have been small indeed. It was better to yield precedenoe; to Induc‘ who might he trusted i 0 deal as sternly as he would himself with the mam whom he believed to be a fra-ifor 10 his employer. All that mattered ‘ was that BlaeAdno should be prevented from reaching The Serpent in the launch" ‘ - _

(I‘o be Continued.)