“THE TURN OF THE TIDE.”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17216, 6 December 1923, Page 10

“THE TURN OF THE TIDE.”

OUR SERIAL.

By FBED if. WBITfi. CHAPTER NIX. IN THE LABORATORY. Jack Ellis looked clown into the pretty pathetic face of his companion with a sudden feeling of uneasiness. He was half inclined to smile, but the appeal for sympathy in Vera’s eye checked that impulse, and he kissed her instead. She must have been labouring under some delusion—she had been badly frightened, ho doubt, and her mind was not yet back to the normal. The idea of Major Langley, that helpless paralytic invalid, in the role of '» burglar, was absolutely ludicrous. For some years now the man had not moved from his chair, and no one knew it better than Ellis, who on several occasions bar! been a guest in Patricia’s cottage. And even if by some wild stretch of possibility l»e had the physical power, it seemed equally impossible that Langley should creep in the dead of night into his old homo on some predatory expedition. He had never even seen the place since that fatal evening in the library when lie had collapsed utterly after an interview with Mortimer Croot. But what that interview had been about Ellis bad never learnt, for Croot was exceedingly reticeut on the point .and bad declined to give any information. He bad hinted distantly that something had been very wrong in the major's affairs. and that be himself had gone out of his way to silence slanderous tongues. It had been rather cleverly done, and had had precisely the effect that C’root had in'teuded.

Do von realise w hat you are saving’r” Ellis asked. *’ Oh". I know it sounds like a nightmare." Vera replied. k But lam not mistaken. Jack. T couldn’t be. 1 saw the uigjor as plainly as T see you at the present moment, and the recollection of his face has haunted me ever since. That is why T n m so glad you came hero this afternoon. Oh. you can't understand the relief it is to me to tell somebody about it. T am frightened. Jack T am afraid something dreadful is going to happen." “ Oh, well, let us hope not. T take ib from what you say that you haven't mentioned this matter to anybody." “1 dared not do so," Vera whisper- “ Ah. there I think you are wise. You had ebtter leave it to me. I think that Pat ought to be told, but if you will be guided by me, vou won’t say anything to your father." Ellis said this somewhat hurriedly, with a feeling that he was skating on very thin ice. AYith his knowledge of what was going on behind the scenes, the last thing he wanted for the moment was for Vera to know anything of the truth. He must conceal from her as far as possible tile knowledge that her adopted father uas suspected of being engaged in those desperate enterprises which were taking place upon the river. Jf he were. Vera would have to know sooner or la.ter. and be removed from the sinister influence; but if she once had the slightest inkling of what was going on. then inevitably she would say or do something which would put Croot upon his guard.

‘ : T think you had better leave this to me,’’ Ellis said. * * In the first place I’ should, like, to consult Geoffrey Rust. After that we will decide what to do, but.in the meantime you had better say nothing about it to Pat. I will see Rust Ho-morrow. It was two days, however, before Ellis contrived to see his friend again, and . in the meantime a good deal bad happened. Rust was just as puzzled and perhaps quite as incredulous as Ellis had been. Meanwhile, he quite agreed ihat Vera’s discovery should be kept a secret, except so far as Pat was concerned, and lie promised to take an early opportunity that afternoon of taking her into his confidence. All tho same, he was quite sure that she would tell him that Vera had been strangely mistaken. • I can t believe it," he said. ‘ You know what the major’s condition is; you have seen him in the cottage lots jof times. Some days he is better j than others, but for the most part I regard his condition as quite hopeless ! 1 wpiildn t say as much to Pat for the | world, because she is looking forward j the day when the poor old chap will be hims*elj again. She argues that he is barely forty-fire, and still in the prime of life. She talks like this on the major’s good days, when he is quite sensible, and understands all that is going on. But 1 say nothing." V hiclt is quite the wisest plan." Ellis agreed. ** We had better leave it at that. You tell Pat all about it. and meet me here at luncheon tomorrow. and wc will go into the matter further. Meanwhile, Lock has sent for me. and T believe we are going as tar as. AVimpole. Street to have a consultation with Professor Pbillipson in his laboratory. So long." Ellis jumped into a taxi and hurried

off to New Scotland Yard. There ho found Lock awaiting him. ‘ Well/’ he asked, ‘any news of the foe? Anything doing tho last two or. three days?" £! Oh. I think .so." Lock smiled. We seem to be getting on. But it’s a long business and we have far to go before we reach the daylight. But we shall get there all right. Now. last time we met that it might he worth our while to drag the bed of. the river for that ga,s apparatus. That was a very good idea of youiv. and we have acted on the suggestion. The unless I am greatly mistaken, we have found the thing we were looking ior." Good." Ellis cried. But how di d you man age it?’’ Ah, that was a little inspiration of Professor Phillipson’s. AN hen i fold him what, had happened on the lighter the night those furs were | stolen, he made an excellent sugges- j tion. Instead of using drags, we fished for tlie thing near ihe spot where ! the lighter had been anchored up with j a powerful magnet at the end of a J wive connected with a battery. The | professor rigged il- up for us. being ! quite convinced that you were right i when vou said that those chaps had a ! gas cylinder concealed on board the ! lighter, when they would naturally j throw overboard when they had finished j with it." “ And you found it?" Rust asked “"m ’Think so.” Lock said ”Wc | found a score of thing?, one of which ! ' B«r T don’t, want to ro into that j What, do you think of this?" (To be continued/