SOLITUDE LTD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18937, 6 December 1929, Page 16

SOLITUDE LTD.

“ STAR’S ” NEW SERIAL.

BY

JOHN HASLETTE VAHEY

Author of Fiddlestrings, “Down River,” “The Storm Lady,” “Up North,” “ Payment Down,” etc. c

CHAPTER XIV.— (Continued). j “I see,” said Tony, out of breath with this news, and conscious of a new glow. “I must congratulate you then, Mr Donovan.” “You must think me a fool, blabbing all this to someone I never met before,” said Terry ingenuously. “But perhaps you know what it is, Mr Chant, when you take the plunge and come up with—with ” “A pearl in your hand?” said Tony, smiling. “No. Personally, I haven't taken the plunge yet, though I never know what may happen to me.” “It’s great,” said Donovan. “Great! If you’re still at The Ness when I come over, I’ll introduce you to Hettie.” “I shall be delighted to meet her,” said Tony. “The Ness will be my home until the end of October.” Terry Donovan smiled. “D'ye golf, Mr Chant?” he asked. “We might have a game or two if you’re staying here for a few days.” “I should like to very much, hut I haven’t brought my clubs, and I am leaving to-morrow.” You made up your mind quickly.” Tony shrugged. “ I have just remembered some business I ought to have seen to.” “ I suppose the old house at Mulcree is just what it was?” said Donovan a little later. “Old Driscoll there still?” “ Yes. By the way, what sort of a fellow is he?” Donovan reflected. “ It’s hard to say. They used to call him a sore wasp down there, but that was on account of his temper and surliness.” Tony nodded. “He looks a dour specimen. I wanted to get some information from him about the caves in the cliff, but he shut up like an oyster.” “ I don’t think there are any caves,” said Donovan. “ Barring a very shallow one on sea-level, I never saw any: Of course, I never took the trouble to explore, but I never heard of any, either.” “ What are the crevices that the. pigeons nest in?” “Just what 30U say, cracks and crevices. I’ve often sailed past, and T never saw an opening that looked more than a couple of feet high.” Tony was disappointed. Driscoll might be disinclined to give information, but there was no reason why Donovan should hide it. When they separated and went to their rooms before dinner, Tony was more puzzled than ever. But he was immensely relieved, and his spirits rose. Terry Donovan was not a rival and there was no need to make a scene with him now. Obviously, if the young fellow was waiting for an American bride, who was already on her way to him. he had no interest in making Tony’s stay at The Ness dangerous or uncomfortable, and the real culprit must be looked for elsewhere. No one could doubt Donovan’s sincerity, or his naive delight in his love affair. Now that seen him face to face, he was also able to decide that the man had a frank and amiable face. Apart from his hereditary temper, he did not look like a fellow who would stab his enemy in the back, or employ ruffians to attack him while he himself remained in safety. So Mary Farrar was still within his reach. That was a tremendous point with him. “ It’s sometimes better to find a mare’s-nest than a dragon’s! ” he reflected gleefully as he descended to dinner. He and Terry Donovan played billiards together that evening very amicably, and when he left for Londonderry next day Terry insisted on seeing him off. “Not a word to the Farrars,” were his last w’ords, as the train began to draw out. “ Don’t say you saw me.” “ I’ll remember.” cried Tony. “ The best of luck, and don’t forget to call at The Ness when you come.” CHAPTER XV. PREPARATIONS. The desire was strong in Tony when he reached Derry to put up there for a night or two, on the chance of seeing Mary Farrar home. But he decided against it. In the first place, he still intended to explore the face of the cliff, and he thought that would be more easily effected if Mary was away from home. He knew that his talk of descending a rope in the dark had alarmed her, and that was the last thing he wished for. At the same time, the night was the only time when he could move about without being overlooked. lie stayed long enough in the town to buy some carriage-candles, and a short candlestick with a broad and heavy foot. He also bought a refill for his torch, remembering that he had perhaps used up the old one when in the bog, on the occasion of the attack. Then he left for Fahan. Forge, of course, would be another ■spoil-sport. He would either wish to accompany him or try to dissuade him from venturing. But Tony wias very keen on the job. If Terry Donovan had neither written that threatening letter nor paid the ruffians to set upon ;HIIIIIIIIIIIII!lllllilll!lllll|llllllllllilillllllllllilllllliil||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

him. there must be another behind the affair, and the most suitable scapegoat appeared to be Driscoll. It was all speculation, of course, but Driscoll had been averse to him the moment he showed himself at Mulcree, and it was quite on the cards that Driscoll had removed his boat while he was taking tea with the ladies up at the house. In that case Driscoll did not wish him to go boating that way, and something underlay his attempts to prevent it. All that was clear enough, though the motive was not apparent. The disappearance of the boat, the ruffianly attack on him in the bog, the anonymous letter, and the rope across the road leading to the grouse moor, seemed to hang together. All that, of course, spoke of spying and information which could not be done by Driscoll alone. There must be others in it, and those others were at Rossard. where no one would sell or hire a boat, but had attempted a mild boycott. As the train racketed along. through the lonely country, he was endeavouring to recollect the terms of that anonymous letter. It appeared at first sight to be relating to a rivalry which was impossible with Driscoll. Had Driscoll hoped by writing in this way to make it appear that the man who composed it was Terry Donovan? That was quite likely. He knew Donovan was home, he was aware that the fellow had once been a suitor at Mulcree, and endeavoured to hide his own operations behind the screen provided by the innocent Donovan. Tony remembered now that the postmark on that letter was Bundoran. Well, if Driscoll was anxious for any reason to prevent him from exploring the cliff, that should be his first duty. Tf he could get rid of Forge for a day and night, he could arrange it. “Did you bring the plugs, sir?” asked Forge, when he arrived home. “I posted them, or asked that they should be posted,” said Tony. “That was yesterday. Haven’t they come yet?” “No, sir. Perhaps they have been stolen, or gone astray.” “That’s bad,” said Tony, who now saw his way clear. “I don’t want to leave the car out any longer on that road. If they don’t come first thing to-morrow "you must go to Derry for them.” Forge started. “Can’t I wire again, sir?” “No. I'tell you what. Londonderry is a city with great associations and historical interests, Forge. If you never saw a real walled city, with the gates still intact, now is the time to see one! Call at the garage and ask if the plugs were sent; then at the post office to make inquiries. If it is all right, I want you to stay the night. There are several hotels. Make a little holiday of it. You deserve it.” Forge thanked him. To tell the truth, the last day and night had been wearisome to him, and even a small town might provide a little amusement. “Very well, sir,” he said. “If you don’t mind, and can spare me.” “I am anxious for you to go,” said Tony truthfully, and felt in his notecase. “Take a fiver, and don’t bring any of it back unless you want to get into trouble!” He was thoroughly tired with his journeying.?, and went to bed early that night. The next night would be spent in a more uncomfortable place than bed, and he mifjht as well get all the sleep he could. “Perhaps you can get an old bicycle to take you to the station,” he said before retiring. “I imagined I saw one in a shed at the back here. But don’t mind me. Get off in time for the train, and ask old Callaghan to bring my breakfast up. I shan't rise too early, I can assure you.” He was a good sleeper when he made up hi.s mind to it, and it was ten before he awoke next day. Callaghan served his breakfast, told him that Forge had gone along before to the station, and asked him had he any orders. “None,” said Tony, “except lunch, tea and dinner at the usual times. Pass me that box of cigarettes and begone!" There ‘was in Tony Chant that mixture of recklessness and stubbornness which makes good soldiers but bad generals. Even if he had not had some experience of rock-climbing in the fells, he would have attempted the cliff, once he had made up his mind to it, without considering the dangers. They were greater than he knew, for the cliffs in the dark had many perils, and he was not really sure of the spot he wanted to find. His reconnaissance by daylight had been too short and not sufficiently thorough. But the memory of the man on Beachy Head, risking his life on a poor and muchknotted rope for the sake of sea-gulls' eggs, made him think lightly of his own venture. He had an excellent rope and was in good physical condition. He pottered about the house impatiently most of the day, and was immensely relieved when dinner came After that he left the French window of, the drawing-room ajar, and told the Callaghans he would not need them again that night. (To be continued.) Iillllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllillllllllilfllllllllllllllllllllll||||ill||||!llll|||||||||||||||||||||||