“Scandal at Baron’s Court."

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 194, 15 August 1936, Page 7

“Scandal at Baron’s Court."

NEW SERIAL STORY

By

ALLAN GREY.

(Chapter XV Continued.) There was a complete and stupefied silence, broken only by a sound that was hardly a gasp, from Howard Lane. Out of the corner of his eyes. Whaley was watching the younger .nan. anti he saw Howard turn deathly pale. He fired a question: “Well. Lane! What do you know <bout that?" Howard Lane ran his fingers through his hair. He looked haggard and worn. “Nothing." he muttered. “Nothing at all.” “Steady, Howard.” Colonel Everard’s calm voice broke through the silence. ‘‘lt'll work itself out-” For the first time. Whaley smiled sourly at the Colonel. He wished Howard had not the strengthening support ol his father, but the damage was done now. Howard Lane squared his shoulders. • Whaley decided it was no use persisting on those lines. ; But he was thinking hard, and he | told himself that Howard Lane prob* | ably knew’ Brice had had Evelyn’s ad- ' That suggested—Whaley realised he was assuming a great deal, but it did no harm Io look at the affair from exery possible angle that Brice had actually written to the girl, and that young Lane knew of it. There was a strong possibility there. Already he had played with the idea that Evelyn or Howard had a good motive for killing Brice, an l that each suspected the other of the murder. Nothing else j could explain their behaviour. Brice was a blackmailer; he had | written to Evelyn, and Howard had discoxcred it. That was a possible I theory. ' That meant there was something in | Evelyn Foulke’s past that laid , her open to blackmail—but it would also explain why the Foulkes were banding together so firmly, and xvhy they i would give him no help at all. He rubbed his chin, thoughtfully, and decided that it would be a sound idea to call Exelyn to the lounge. “Fetch Miss Exelyn Foulkes,” he | said Io Biison. Howard Lane bit his lips. Colonel Everard grimaced. The baronet s eyes giiUered- only Dawson and Conway ( Sewell were unaffected by that order. : Biison went out. poker-faced as usual, I and Whaley sat on lhe corner of a ' table, swinging his legs. Sir Bertram broke the silence. “Dammit. Whaley!” he protested j “Il's not fair to pester that girl at this i lime of night. It's Inhuman.” “if you’xe any complaint Io make about the way I'm conducting investigations.” snapped Whaley, “make them to the Chief Constable But while ' 1 m here I'll do as i like and when I i iike. Don't forget, Sir Bertram —this .s a murder job.” ’l'he baronet “ tchaed! ” bul made nc further protest. A faint smile curvec I Colonel Everard's lips, while lloxvarc Lane looked straight in front of him The door opened suddenly, and Bil- ! son came in—alone. Whaley frowned* “What's the trouble'?” lie snapped Bilson's face was grimmer tiiai ■ usual. She's not in her room, sir. Can' i find her in iiie house al all!" There was a moment of silence, and men Sir Bertram leapt towards the dei “Look here. Whaley. you’ve got. Io I islen to reason! You’re driving that -ill frantic by all this questioning, 'he's probably slipped out to—to kiil herself, or—” “Don't!" gasped Howard Lane. “She •an t uo that!" I Whaley was mot ing towards the i mor. speaking as he went. I "If .Miss Evelyn had nothing to i hide." he rapped, “she'd haxe noth • I ng to worry about. Stay here gentleI men. please !" I I'm coming out'" barked Foulkes. I Whaley swung round as he reached he door. " If any one of you moves from this room by the floor or window,” he rapped out. “ you'll be arrested and taken immediately to Barrington Police Station. I’ll look after everything that needs doing.” ” Does that apply Io me?” asked Colonel Lane, quietlyWhaley hesitated, and then grunted. “ Do you know lhe grounds xvell?” “ Passably.” " Then come with me- please." said Whaley. He wailed for Hie Colonel, then hurried into the hall, closed the. door behind him and turned the key in the lock. Biison and three plainclothes men were already there. “ Watch this room,” snapped Whaley to lhe plainclothes men. ‘ Find all the others, Biison, and make a line through the woods. Colonel ” he turned to Lane, who was looking more serious than had done all lhe evening - • I’d like you to guide me straight to lhe summerhouse. Will you?” Lane nodded. Without, waiting for hats or coals, out taking only two or three poweroil torches, Whaley, Lane and two others hurried to the grounds and cut across the woodlands towards the •iver. Through the silence they could hear the running water. It was a dark, moonless night, and the lights of the torches made weirdly •right pencils through the blackness”. The wind was whispering through the trees, and bats were swooping blindly n front and behind them. " Pretty grim, at night.” said Lane. “ I hope to lieaven that girl hasn’t damaged herself,’ said WhaleyLane nodded in the gloom. Whaley had an idea that the explorer was only keeping his spirits up by a great effort. He made remarkable speed • cross the grounds, and the others .ad to break into a trot at. times to ».eep pace with him. It was lucky ic'd come with them. Whaley thought, or they xvould have been forced to xery slowly towards the summeriuusc. without his help. Whaley hardly knew why, but he ell the summerhouse was lhe obvi>us place to make for. He was genuncly afraid that Evelyn Foulkes might •axe been so terrified by the suspicion ‘hat xxas hovering about her, and Howard Lane that she had decided to lake

the easy way out. , Breathing hard, they reached lhe little clearing, and saw’ the black outlines of lhe hut a few yards away. 'I here was no movement. No sound i of any kind. ! But before they reached lhe door, i something happened! Whaley caught his breath for a moment, and a terrible fear went through him. For a stab of fire broke through lhe darkness plainly through the windows of the hut. It was just a slab of flame as would come from a bullet-shot! But no sound came. And then light blazed up, inside the summerhouse, and Whaley could see, very clearly, what was happening. Evelyj] Foulkes. her face and figure glowing yellow in the light, was holding lhe flaming mass away from herbefore Whaley reached the door, the flames had begun to die down, and he turned the handle savagely. She was destroying something The door was locked. “Break it down!” snapped Whaley. But precious seconds were wasted as the two plainclothes men hurled themselves at the flimsy door. They broke through it at the first assault, bul tliev | stumbled into the hut. and Whaley, I hurrying after them, almost fell. Loloncl Lane saw Evelyn, her face set and determined but a little smile of triumph about her lips, drop the last blackened piece of paper to the earth floor, and grind it to dust with her | heel. By the time Whaley had recovered himself, the damage was done. Whaley's voice was like ice. “ You've overstepped the mark this time, Miss Foulkes.” But the only answer he had was a swift, brief smile, and a gleam of tri(Umph in her eyes obvious even in the bght of lhe torches. I _ CHAPTER XVI. ' Chief Inspector Marlin John Whalej .Knew there were limits Io cross-ex-amining witnesses, and he had preltv well reached them. It was an hour after that grim chase through the woods, and the amazing ( scene in the summerhouse. No possible trace could be found of lhe xvrit')ng on the paper (hat Evelyn Foulkes had destroyed. She had succeeded in her object, and she was satisfied, throughout lhe following hour. Whaey had flred question after question at her. He was in a small room on the second floor, with Biison and anolher I'lamclolljes man. and Agatha Foulkes. riom lime Io time Hie older woman piolesled, but Whaley silenced her aoruptly. fu'iher l ' e k " e " be da '' f ' tJ " Ol So any Kvelyn's eyes were feverishly bright, bul lhe rest of her face was absolulely colourless. n er slim bodv 'Hooped m her chair. Only her eves revealed the amazing spirit" that kept her going. \\ halcy stopped talking, at ] as t. right,” be sa id lu Agalha ' s - i-ook alter her, please. 1 ''ish to heaven.” he muttered Io Bils”i>. Inat we'd a woman agent here oidn'l Pl ° n - d *° Gloucester for one,' Biison nodded. I "Lnlii she comes,” said Whaley, nave a guard at the window and the i loor, and don't let anyone but .Miss I Agalna go in Io her room. Have lhe i ioor ajar, so that you can hear anything they talk about.” "I II see Io it." said Biison. "You’re a tower of slrength," said M luiley, with a wan smile. "By the way—we've got some relief men here, haven’t we?” "Yes. They arrived at. twelve" said Biison. Mop. Fm going to sleep in one Gf the library chairs, and you'd better come down as soon as you've given instructions.” The rest of lhe household had been allowed to go to their rooms, although, as Whaley walked along lhe passages he saw the yellow’ light gleaming beneath each door. Very few people al. Barons Court would sleep much that night. But Whaley was too experienced an officer to let his case worry him. True, he had been so near to an explanation Gn several occasions that the present blank wall was mortifying. But it was early, yet. It was amazing, in tact, that so much had happened, 'things had certainly moved fast. He look off his collar and tie, and i unlaced his shoes, the only preparations he made for his night's sleep. As he lay back in a leather armchair, his mind played, over lhe events of Hie day. 1! was half past one. he knew. He had been here just nine hours. And. he thought, with a rueful smile, he had circumstantial evidence enough to condemn pretty well every member of the household? There was no doubt that the most important thing had been the midnight visit of Evelyn Foulkes to the summerhouse. i Whaley ground his teeth when he admitted the probable import of that I xlsit. The sirl must have know the letter she had burned was in the hut, and had takpn the first opportunity she had had to go and destroy it. It was probable that Howard Lane's attempt to leave the house ‘had been on the same mission, and if that fool of a constable had not messed the opportunity up, the letter might have been discovered by the police. The most mortifying thought was that the letter must have been in the summerhouse since the body had been discovered—which meant that Whaley and Biison 'had failed to discover it in their search. Obviously, thought Whaley, Eevlyn Foulkes would not have gone to lhe summerhouse to destroy a letter she had had In tier possession, she could easily have burned it In the house. She had known it was there—outside. She had been game, Whaley admitted. (To be continued.)