IN THE GRIP OF THE UNSEEN

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 616, 21 November 1932, Page 12

IN THE GRIP OF THE UNSEEN

By

KATHLEEN RIGG

CHAPTER XIII. Plot and Counterplot.

It was in a pretty desperate frame of mind that Manfiekl now got into his car, and drove towards the native quarter, where he hoped to have the matter out with Dhannu Dal, and to insist that Sybil's lock 'of hair be immediately restored to him. It would not be easy, and that there was something behind all this diamond stealing he, of course, knew. The knowledge made him realise that what he was going to undertake was by no means unfraught with danger. But that Sybil must be released from the evil power which was working on her was absolutely necessary. No delicate woman’s reason could stand it. •Nearing the native quarter, he stopped, left the car by the side of the road, and walked on quietly. The streets were crowded as usual, men of every nationality jostled him as he went, but the scene was too familiar to Manfiekl for him to take any particular note of it. Arrived at Dhannu Dal’s shop, which he had often visited before (and also watched in secret), he walked in casually as if in search of something to buy, and with thoughts busy, turned idly the rolls of linen which lay displayed. A young Indian, sitting on hie haunches at the back of the counter, was engaged in reading the Koran aloud, and did not take the slightest notice of him. Both, though aware of the presence of the other, made no sign. At last the man put down his book, and Manfield. began to make his purchase. It was, as usual, a lengthy proceeding, both bargaining as to price, the Indian arguing and gesticulating, but at last the business was ended, and •Manfield came to the real reason of his visit. “I speak with Dhannu Dal,” he said slowly. The man appeared not to understand, and Manfield put the question once more in Malay, which lie expected he would know. Thereupon the man began to answer in halting English. “Dhannu Dal—he not here,” he informed him. “He go in big ship. He leave Singapore.” Manfield, staring into the man’s face, knew lie was telling a lie, and his e3’es Hashed with anger. “I—not believe. {*>end him to me,’’ he commanded. “Dhannu Dal in big ship. He—go,” the man repeated stolidly. « Manfield, convinced that this information was untrue, was in no mood to be put off. Taking the fellow by the arm, he pushed him backwards, and made his way behind the shop. Entering the room there, he looked hastily around | and as he did so, was aware of a scuttling noise which might have been made by a rat or might have been the liasty movement of a human. Rapidly he struck a match to see better, but nothing was there, and lie- strode on through an open door which led into an evilsmelling yard. The place, however, was quite deserted. Furious with anger at the fruitlessnesa of his visit, Manfield paused for a moment to think. If Dhannu Dal had indeed gone on the “big ship,” it would be the very best thing that could of course happen, for it was unlikely that in India —if that were where he was bound—he could touch Sybil any more; k but Manfield felt pretty certain that the story was a lie. Dhannu Dal was still in the colony, and, for some reason, wished to avoid him. Abruptly lie turned to find that the young Indian had stolen after him, and, |if he were not mistaken, something ,ugly and shining showed for a moment in his hand. If it were so, however, the dagger—which lie believed it to be—was soon hidden. } “Not over friendly, anyway,” was |Man field's mental comment. “I wonder if they suspect—” And his thoughts (returned to the evening when he had been able to take the paper from the ‘Malay and Carroll, a paper which now 'was in the hands of the Government, 'and was being very useful in the attempts to probe the dark secrets which !certainly, existed, and which were not (likely to stay hidden much longer if iprompt action by the British was taken. Manfield moved out, feeling that he had been wise before he set out on this ‘expedition to hide that little pistol of jhis in his pocket. jr-He stopped once more in the shop, ;and interrogated the young Indian again. The young man had now seated ‘himself as before, at the back of the ‘sloping counter, and nothing more was (to be got out of him. r “Dhannu Dal —big ship —he go,” was 'all he would say, and no persuasions or (threats "would make him reveal anything else. | Manfield, wearied out and exasperated, strode away, and reaching his car, ‘got into it and drove away. For the [moment he was defeated, but it would I not be long, now, before he could act effectively. Dhannu Dal was a marked man, for that he was dangerous in more ways than one, he and the Government were aware. And that he should leave the colony before the dastardly plots he was said to be hatching began to work was not :very likely. V “No, Dhannu Dal has not gone,” he said to himself, as he drove furiously away. “And I’ll get him yet, before lie can do any more harm to Sybil, I swear, even though I die in the attempt.” No sooner had Manfield got clear away than a board in the floor behind Dhannu Dal’s shop was raised from below, and through an unsuspected trap door came Dhannu Dal himself, his face wfet with perspiration. A look of triumph marked his evil countenance for having so successfully deluded his visitor. He walked into the shop, looked towards the young Indian, and grinned. “You did well,” lie remarked, with satisfaction. “And now, I am sure it is even as I say. Mr. Manfield did not conic to buy our goods alone.” “Sahib Manfield,” lie ruminated, as if to himself, “loves the pretty English lady and wants to get her clear, no doubt but he knows, I want only one clue to convince me that that is so. Only one clue, and the time to follow it up come.”

As he spoke, he thrust his hand into bis robe, and drew out a wallet which, a short time before, he had picked up outside the Malay huts where, from time to time, certain meetings had been held. How came that wallet to.be there? It would not belong to any of the Malays or any Indian who attended those councils. Whose property could it be?

Dhannu Dal had studied it Avhen first it had been brought to him. It was of odd design, obviously Japanese, and he felt pretty certain that it had been purchased at a well-known Japanese shop in the town, belonging to one Maratato and his wife. Though there was no mark on this wallet to show to whom it belonged, it was just possible that tha owner of the shop might be able to recall to whom lie had sold it. And if the possessor was Manfield—and Dhannu Dal was now convinced that it aid belong to him—the suspicion that he was spying on their movements would be confirmed. If it were so, if Manfield had got wind of their meetings, and knew something of wliat went on at them, their plans to strike at the English might be, for all time, frustrated. Dhannu Dal cursed furiously under his breath, then lie turned to the young Indian who was looking at- him with eyes of dumb submission. ‘Go!” he ordered. “Find &ahib Carroll, and bring him to me—very seci-etly, mind—and say the great Dhannu Dal, who soon will rule great peoples, desires his presence instantly. I have something for him to do, and he shall be rewarded even as I have promised.” CHAPTER XIV. The Indian’s Power. How Carroll had come to be a servant of Dhannu Dal w'as not to liis credit and need not be enlarged on; sufficient to say, there had been an Indian girl in the case, and to save himself from the exposure of a sordid story—and perhaps an Indian dagger—the" young man had promised assistance in the plots against his countrymen. Several months after he had been drawn into these promises, the woman died, but by that time things had gone too far, and Carroll was so deeply immersed in treachery that it was impossible to get out again. The rewards for what he did had, too, begun to dazzle him, and his infamy did not worry him until Sybil came out: then he would have done much to free himself from the hands of his alien companions, partly because shame of what he was doing did now more frequently overcome him, and also he was haunted by a horrible fear. What if these plots failed? The errand upon which he was sent now was a fairly easy one, and he entered Madame Maratato's shop to buy —so it was to appear—a present for Sybil. The little Japanese woman, who knew he had lately ben married, greeted him with a smile, and Carroll lingered in the shop, fingering silk kimonoes, gazing at frail pieces of Japanese china and at various fascinating knick-knacks which were daintily displayed. At last lie purchased a pale blue kimono embroidered with roses, which MadfKiie Maratato was sure would please the “Mem.” After that Carroll came to the real object of tlie visit, and drawing from his pocket the wallet began to ask Madame if this had not been purchased there. It had been picked up, he said, in the street by a friend who was anxious to return it to the owner, but, as there was no name on it, he was not able to do so. Perhaps Madame could remember to whom she sold it. Madame looked at the wallet careiuiiy. it was oi a curious and ratlier beautiful design, she had only had one like it, and she recalled very clearly the day that Mr. Manfield had come to get it. It was the afternoon before he sailed for England. He had bought many other things—things suitable, she imagined, for a lady, and she thought there must have been a little romance in England. “Then this wallet you think really belongs to Tuan Manfield?*’ asked Carroll slowly, turning it over carefully in his hand. Madame was sure of it. It had taken liis eye directly lie came into tlie shop, she said, and they had had a little talk about the curious design on it. He had, she thought, been very pleased with it. Wishing Madame then good-day, Carroll sotight the hot streets again, and allowed himself to be driven towards Dhannu Dal’s shop, and there revealed what he had discovered. The face of Dhannu Dal was full of fury as he listened to him, and it was not the only rage which assailed him now. There was also a sense of fear. Manfield was a man of prompt action, and, if he had gained any information 'about their secrets won,ld most certainly use it and would probably try to find out more. The Government might already know enough to upset everything. He cursed furiously under his breath and commanding Carroll to follow him, they set out for the Malay hut to hold a council of war. Carroll, now in his usual disguise, moved dejectedly on. His heart was no longer in the business, and though he had been helping it on for a considerable time, now that the moment to strike had almost come, he was turning coward. To hit out at one’s own countrymen, even for the sake of such wealth as was to be liis afterwards, \sas not so easy after all. The meeting that night was brief, and not altogether peaceful. Dhannu Dal’s compatriots, and the Malays felt that the time had certainly come to strike (though they were not as well prepared as they should be), but if things were leaking out, if Manfield had got information and was using it, the blow must be struck now or never. Dhannu Dal, however, implored the company still to wait. No good could attend their efforts, he declared, until the emblem of good fortune—the three diamonds —was in his keeping. Only a short time would elapse before be had them. The English girl had done well, she had managed to get two of them, but the third diamond still eluded him, but it should not be so for long. They must certainly, be repeated, wait a little before they struck the first blow; nevertheless, on one point they must all agree. Mr. Manfield must be got rid of. Tlie entire company nedded. Sahib Manfield must go. But how could it be done? Dhannu Dal’s dark face broke into smiles. “Why,” he smirked “we must get the little Engleesli miss again.” “What English miss, in the name of thunder?” suddenly exclaimed Carroll. N)hannu Dal swerved round, and stood before the speaker, and in the waning light, Carroll—a coward now through and through—heard the Indian’s infamous story. Growing white under his disguise, the young man looked, down cursing vehemently tlie day lie had ever 1 been brought into this company who l

respected nothing under Heaven so long as they could strike successfully into the hearts of their white masters. “By Heaven, you shall never—” choked the young man now, sick with loathing as lie heard wliat Dliannu's plans were for the future, and how he had already used the girl, the object ol his unworthy love. “I’ll—l’ll see the lot of you dead first, you fiends,” he yelled childishly, and it was as a child he felt, utterly helpless and entirely dependent.

“This is not the time for angei Sahib Carroll,” hissed Dhannu Dal, and. as he spoke, he crept nearer to him, his hand upon a dagger. “You have worked well, but we could remove you now—painfully, too, Sahib—but you would have to go as all traitors go. You have espoused our cause, and with us, Sahib you live or you die.” As he spoke, he brought the dagger & little nearer and pressed it against the other’s clothing until Carroll felt the point touch liis flesh. His body quivered, he cried out foi mercy, and shrank back into miserable submission. Manfield bad not forgotten liis boyhood love of adventure so completely as no-t to be thrilled now by his investigations into the plot against his beloved country, especially as they were being so successful. The information he had already gleaned was being used to some effect, and the following day, -by a stroke of luck, lie learnt in the native quarter other details of still greater importance. His work done, and disguised as before, he then stole towards the bungalow which he used after these secret expeditions, and letting himself into it, closed tlie door carefully behind him. Removing his headdress, he went to a cupboard, mixed himsqjf a well-earned drink, then sat down to write out his report. The code which lie had learnt and used when speaking to Carroll had been of infinite use, and by it he had been able to get into touch with many Indians and Malays suspected of being involved in the plot, which he knew now to be a A-ery daring one. The Indian regiment stationed in the colony was to mutiny at a given signal, that was a new and terribly important fact Manfield had learnt that day, Government House was to be surrounded, and all the alien population—lndians, Malays and Chinese — were expected to join in against the English. English women, he learnt, were to be spared if possible, but only if possible. Nothing was to stand in the way of a rapid blow and certain success. Manfield’s brow clouded as he wrote of what he had just discovered. He did not think, for a moment, that the farce could ultimately succeed. He knew too much of these Asiatics to imagine they would fight so conveniently side by "side, but still, things might be ugly for a time, even if only the first steps of treachery were taken. It was fairly certain, however, that now the Government could strike first before anything disagreeable happened. Manfield wrote vapidly and carefully, and his task done at last, he took off his disguise, changed into his own clothes and slipping from the bungalow, he cut through the jungle, avoiding the public road, and got away. The report lay in his podeet, and must reach the proper quarter that evening. It was now about four o’clock, and still very hot, and making for home, he bathed, then getting into clean clothes, called to the boy to bring tea. With a feeling of excusable satisfac tion about the work he had just done, Manfield leant back now in his chair, smoking. The game, he thought, was growing exciting, but what skunks and blackguards these followers of Dhannu Dal were. His thoughts then naturally went to Sybil, and his eyes clouded. He. bad not yet been able to get hold of the Indian, though he had tried again that morning, and still had been unsuccessful, but tomorrow he would try again, he decided, “But Sybil, poor little darling, how to help her now ?” he went on thinking desperately. The more he saw of Sybil the surer he was that with her was to remain the great love of his life. That she would ever be his wife did not seem very likely now, and yet he knew he could never leave her in her misery, for it would be misery, poor little soul, when she knew what Carroll was doing. He felt—and the knowledge was a glorious one—that the girl recognised now her own love for him. She knew too, that, in that impulsive hour when she had decided to marry Carroll after all, she had done something which promised to wreck her life as well as that of the man who loved her. “Oh, little girl, why—why didn’t you trust me?” groaned Manfield for about the hundredth time, knowing, all the same, the futility of such thoughts. Every hour he felt his longing for her increasing, and every hour she seemed so far away, and yet they two must stick together, he decided. He would never leave her, anyway, until he was sure she was safe from the terrors which beset her. It w'as growing cooler. Manfield, getting up at last, leant over the verandah and looked drearily over the garden. In another half-hour it would be dark, and then lie must give in his report, but not until then. Too much caution could not be taken. The hoy was now coming towards him with a note, and, taking it from him, Manfield casually opened it, and to his surprise, saw it was from Sybil. Her letter startled him, and filled him, too, w'ith still more concern. Something horrible had happened, she wrote, and would he meet her down at Keppel Harbour on tlie shore near tlie Beri-beri Hospital at six o’clock? “Please come if you can,” was written rather pathetically. “I want your help badly.” “Thank heaven,” muttered Manfield to himself, “she is learning to look to me for help!” All the same, he studied the note again, frowning. “What on earth,” he asked himself, “could have happened, and why did she wish to meet him so far from home?” The infamous plots he had discovered tjiat morning did not fill him with such real concern as this trouble, awful though they were. They, anyway, were things men could deal with, but this mysterious and uncanny hypnotism, or whatever it was, utterly floored him.’ He feared it. “God in His mercy,” breathed Man field reverently and humbly, “let me save lier.” There was nothing mortal man could do he wouldn’t do to bring about her deliveranee, but if ever Divine help wae needed, it was needed now. He looked down at the watch on lii= wrist. The light was failing, and he would be off at once, and get in his report afterwards. Calling to the boy, he ordered the car, and when it arrived, he dismissed the chauffeur, and, getting in, drove off alone.