“VIPER’S VENGEANCE”

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 123, 26 May 1936, Page 12

“VIPER’S VENGEANCE”

SERIAL STORY

by

RALPH TREVOR

CHAPTER XXVII (Could.; “ Take a right turn here, Super,” directed the Canadian, ‘and then another right, wheel when you can’t see any further. The gate’s still open. At least it was when I left it.” Adcock drove carefully, and it was as well he did so, because the gate was closed, and on either side was a wall with broken glass along its top. “ Well, I’m for crying out aloud,” exclaimed Deering, scratching his still perspiring head. “ I’m all for crying out for something else,” was Adcock’s grim 'comment as he climbed out of the car. ‘‘Any good at climbing, Deering? ” he asked. “If I were three stones lighter I wouldn’t be askin’.” Sergeant Deering surveyed the tenfoot wall speculatively. “ I guess It’ll be a bit. of a scratch,” he said, “to say nothing of the stuff on the top, but if you’ll give me a leg up . . .” He broke off suddenly, for both men had heard a familiar sound. “Aeroplane!” spat out Adcock breaking Into a laboured run along the lane. “Come on!” The roar of the aero engine grew more insistent, and so did the superintendent’s breathing. “ You don’t reckon on catching a flier? ” panted Deering at Adcock’s side. “ ’Cause if you do I’ve left my wings at my hotel. Holy goofahs, what d’you know about that!” Both men had hailed abruptly and Sergeant Deering's latter ejaculation was hurled at an aeroplane which was barely visible above the top of the wall ami flying; so low that the fuselage seemed less than twelve feet from the gv und. Adcock stood and stared fixedly at the machine. He knew something about flying, and realised instantly that ; lhe ’plane was not gaining height, a- ■ it most certainly ought to have done. j “ He’ll never make it,” he muttered, I nodding in the direction of a slight I tree-studded elevation less than a ' quarter of a mile distant. i The machine was obviously in diffi- I cutties. Adcock judged that her petrol load was too great. “ Come on,” ordered Adcock, “we'll probably have, to lend a hand when the crash comes.” And the crash did come. The aeroplane lost rather than gained height as it neared the elevation. The pilot appeared to be making a last desperate effort to turn lhe machine from its course, but lacking altitude the ’plane was not responding to the controls. Fascinated, the two men watched. As the trees came nearer the pilot made his final effort. The burnished j nose of the machine lifted, tout it did not lift enough. The under-carriage might have escaped the topmost branches of those twisted oaks had it been retractable. There was a crash. The machine crumpled like a shot partridge, and a tongue of flame leaped upwards along its entire length as it plunged nver among the trees. When Adcock arrived with Deering the machine was a crackling furnace. “And we just can’t do anything,” moaned Adcock, as the pair stood at a comfortable distance. e- .f: * * When Adcock and Deering eventually arrived at the house, they were met by Sergeant Peter Mathers. “Sorry ] was too late, sir,” he apologised, “but I knew it was too late to •chase after that machine.” Adcock was silent. He never rebuked an offleer in public. That was | one of his maxims. “ What sort of a dive is this? ” he ' asked, surveying lhe open doors of i the underground hangar. “ Gute idea, though,” he admitted. “ It’s rather an interesting place, 1 sir,” smiled Mathers. “A sort of rural j Bastille, 1 should say, though I haven’t quite completed my search. I stopped when I found . . .” “You mean they’re both safe? ” interrupted Adcock, for interruptions conformed to no laws with him. Mathers nodded. “ Yes, sir. They seem to have had a rough lime. The young lady is at the moment receiving lhe not unwelcome comfort of a young gentleman.” The superintendent’s mouth had drawn itself into a severe line. “ I want to have a word with Mr Bayford,” he intimated as he strode towards the door Mathers had left open, “and I’ll oblige you, Mathers, if you will take the young lady out of hearing.” The story that Ronnie Bayford told Superintendent Adcock was the most extraordinary one lhe policeman ever remembered listening to. He found himself, too, appreciating that young man’s point of view. “ Rama Singh is the most extraordinary man I've ever met.” was Ronnie's opinion. “If he’s not, how do you account, for the fact that my bullet did not kill him ? They were real enough.” Adcock indulged in a smile. " From what you have told me, young man,” he said, “I incline to the theory that Rama suspected Miss Vare, and that he actually did anticipate that she would attempt to set you free. He was 'astute enough to know that she had a revolver. So I imagine that what Rama did was to tamper with her revolver beforehand, amt that he substituted the first charge for a blank, knowing that, as likely as not the | weapon would be used against him.' When that actually did happen he had no qualms about inviting you to kill I him. It, was a remarkable piece of I stage management, don’t you think?” 1 "By jove! I believe you're right,: superintendent. All the same,” he . added, reluctantly, " I don’t think ! you’ll doubt but what he was a firstclass hypnotist. One look at his eyes and you’re ‘sunk.’ ” “ You’re right there. He was clever ; in that respect, and a menace, I™. ' However, if you’re feeling fit I’d like . ' you to come along with me to the! wreckage of the aeroplane, just to see if you can identify anything.” , 1 The wreckage was in charge of * number of constables. I was a mass : of charred ruin. But they had sue- j ceeded it seemed in dragging out th® incinerated remains of two men. < Ronnie realised how difficult it was j to identify either of them, but suddenly he saw that the burned corpse ' liad a ring on the little finger of the E left hand. A curious bronze-metal ‘ ’ing fashioned in the form of a snake. c “ Rama Singh wore such a ring,”

’ ■ he told Adcock, “so I don’t think there • ' can be any doubt about it. Who his > ’ passenger was 1 can't, say. Probably i, ’.he little man who was with him this morning. There were others, but they ; 1 must, have scattered.” • j “ We’ll find them soon enough,” Adi cook told him. Just as they were turning away a ’ • constable approached them holding 1 something in his hand. I “We found this thing among the . ■ wreckage, sir,” he intimated. ■ I “The Viper!” exclaimed Ronnie. . I “ I don’t think there can be any doubt , j now-. And to think that one of lhe • last filings I remember Rama saying was something about the Viper's ven- . geance. I should say he got it all i right.” i Together they walked back to (he house, hut this time Adcock had the Viper in his pocket. CHAPTER XXVIII. Happy Ending. i Cara Reynolds fussed around the artistically laid-out dining-table with the intimate concern of a hen for her newly-hatched brood. Hugh stood by smoking a clragelte. “ You’re quite sure you ordered the tiquers, Hugh?” she asked for the seventh time. Hugh nodded. It simplified conversation. “ They’re here,” she trilled, like an excited child, as the flat bell tinkled. “ Not a word about Vipers," warned Hugh as his wife scurried away. And no word about such things was mentioned until the llquers were served and the little party of four were gathered .around the electric fire in the lounge. I Ronnie Rayford was happy, but he i was just the least bit scared. He knew [ that Cara’s tongue, was even more I dangerous than lhe viper tie had seen I raise its head from that basket a week I ago. • As for Valerie Ware, she fell that she could adore Cara Reynolds indefinitely. “ I think it must have been awfully thrilling,” laughed Cara, blowing smoke rings and glancing across the fireplace at Ronnie and Valerie. Hugh kicked his wife's , foot rather harder than he intended. Valerie saw it and laughed. “ That’s quite all right. Mr Reynolds. Cara’s quite right. I may call you Cara, mayn’t, I? It has been thrilling, but I'm used to thrills. I’m afraid it wasn't much fun for Ronnie.” “There, what did I tell you, Hugh. I Of -course it must have been thrilling, and to think that both of you have succeeded in stopping India from being snatched from us. 1 think it's perfectly wonderful, isn’t it, Hugh? ” Hugh nodded again, but this time he was smiling. ' “And fancy you hiding the image in a Kleanquik. That was brilliant of you Ronnie.” “ Well, where else could I have put , it? ” asked Ronnie. “ You might have given it to me for the mantelpiece,” suggested Cara. " 1 simply adore images and things like Hugh said: “ J m jolly glad he didn’t. I never did like •snakes.” There was silence for a moment but Cara soon broke it. “ You know, my dear,” she went on, < leaning across in a confidential altitude towards Valerie, “ Ronnie was | terribly jealous of that tall EaslcrnI looking fellow you were dancing with at, ‘ The Twin Moons.’ Weren’t you, i Ronnie ? ” It was out now. He knew Cara's I longue was worse than any Viper. 1 “'Of course I was,” he laughed. . “Who wouldn't have been?” Valerie felt her face colouring, and Cara’s watchful eyes lost none of its significance. “ I think Ronnie's been simply splendid,” was all she said. “ Ry the way,’’ asked Cara, “ I think I ought to telephone that uncle of yours. Valerie. I think we ought Io toil him." Ronnie fell, thoroughly alarmed. " But he’s busy.” he protested, that’s why he couldn’t come.” Nevertheless Cara did telephone, bul what she said none of them knew. Fifteen minutes later Sir Gilbert Grantham arrived. He was smiling happily. " Congratulations, both of you,” he announced, kissing Valerie and shaking Ronnie's hand. “ I haven't, been able to thank you ye I. for all you did < for Valerie, and now- that Mrs Reynolds has just lot me into a secret, 1 thought I’d belter come around despite my mountain of work." Valerie laughed. So did Ronnie. He turned to Cara. “ Now what have you been saying over that telephone?” be demanded. I just said that you and Valerie were going io be engaged to be married. That's true, isn't it? You ’ don't mean to tell me that I don't know the symptoms. You've been itching to tell us since dinner, now haven’t } ou ? ” Ronnie looked at Valeric. Their eyes met. “ I don't know how you guessed,” smiled Valeric, happier than she had felt in the whole of her life. Hugh looked across at his wife, I marvelling. Then he went into Hie i dining-room to fetch the glasses and tins I upper lhe bottles. The End.