"THE TRUMP CARD,”

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 46, Issue 14143, 15 June 1920, Page 7

"THE TRUMP CARD,”

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT.

By FRANK MAYNARD, Author of "Forgotten Days,” “A Mill Girl's Wooing ” “The Ironmaster's Daughier, ” “Queen in Clogs, etc.

(COPYRIGHT.)

CHAPTER AXIV. —Continued. Elliott’s lips twitched into *smile. •‘You wore saying, 'Major?” he interrogated. 1 * Blow me it' 1 know what 1 was saving.” returned Greg-all, with a baleful look at Sibble. “I think you mentioned a Manchester detective named Darn ley my •double’.” Elliott reminded him. “Ah, yes, certainly; you're just like him in looks and. build. .1 was at. a trial once where he gave evidence. ••] understand,” said Elliott. “Well, I suppose I shall have to tolerate the existence of this fellow Danilov so long as I’m not called upon to pay his debts and stand responsible for anythin** that doesn’t;.suit me. But we’ll drop” that matter, gentlemen, and tackle a more congenial .topic. We will drink to our meeting! '’ “A noble sentiment, and one worth honouring,'' said Dregall. Elliott ordered a bottle of eliam-pa-nie, and for some time the four men conversed on general topics, the Major and Mr Martin dibble bo.ng lieliied to a generous share of the champagne by Elliott, who. along "i i W,el borough, 'drank but sparingly. . “I'll tell you what I’ve been think, in«c. Welborough, old chap,” said nMajor eventually. “Perhaps -or do not know that since we were up at Shady Nook together our friend 1 mh» ard has met with an accident dropped something heavy on his foot, and he s tied indoors for a spell; under the < o tor, and so on. Well, that being so he’ll be feeling lonely, and a bit of jolly company would be just the thing for'him, ami what I propose is this; That the four of use here drop m a"" see him in a day or two ami kill a low of his dragging hours. Of course lie doesn’t know vour pal Elliott, but that is no drawback; he’ll make him welcome on the score of his being your pal. What do you think. “I think it. is a good; idea," said Welborough, who had been observing Elliott’s face as the Major put / forward his suggestion. “And I have no objection to meeting this Mr Packard,” added Elliott. “My time's my own for a week or two" and to get amongst' good company is mv aim. When do von propose we shall pay the visit. Major Gregall?” : , “It’s now Wednesday,- and' turni„,r to Bibblc —'“you and me will be busy in Manchester for a couple ot days.” . “Perhaps longer,” said Sibble sontentiouslv. _ “I don’t think so,” said Grogan. “Anyhow, gentlemen, suppose we four meet here at ten o’clock on Saturday morning, and in the meantime 1 d diop a line to Packard to say he. can expect us during the forenoon ! “Agreed,” said Elliott and Welborough, giml Sibble nodded. . “Then it’s settled,” said the Maior “and bless me if we don't have a pleasant- time together.” With this he glanced at the clock on the mantelpiece, and, rising, remarked to Sibble that unless they hurried they would miss their train. “The thing is as good as done, Air Welborough,” said Elliott, as the Major and Sibble, after shaking hands with them, made their departure. I know both Major Gregall and Mr Martin Sibble, but under other names, and this meeting with them is the best thin" that could have happened, ± am anxious to draw the net tightly over the whole shoal of them, but that can best be done after 10.J0 next Saturday morning. ’ ’ CHAPTER XXV. the SHADOW REMOVED. During the Thursday-and Friday Cicely gave deep consideration to the matter of her sympathy towards Mrs Packard, her pity for the man who caused her so much terror and uneasiness and the. outcome of her meditations was her decision to pay the visit. She cSmmunicatcd her intentions to Mrs Jepson soon after she arose on the Saturday morning. “But nothing my aunt may say will induce me to remain at Shady Eook, she added. “I am satisfied that 1 can never be happy with her-. , “Then yo’ mean, to just go up an see ’em an’ then come back hero, lass?” said Mrs, .Tepson. “Vo‘re not gooin’ theer to stop?'-’ “No,” said Cicblv; “whatever happens T feel I cannot make my home at Shady Kook, and until I obtain a situation' elsewhere T will stay with you —if you will have me as a boarder, i have'still a little, money left, apart, from what is due to me from my aunt, and although I. am aware that what you have done for mo has been out <>l the goodness of your heart, T cannot accept your hospitality in the future without making some return. However when I have visited my aupt 1 shall be able to come to some definite arrangement with you.” _ “That’s the postman p knock, said Jennie, going to the door. ‘‘ Tli r postman again!”, ejaculated her mother. “By gow, but- we seem to be folks of importance just latchJennie accepted a letter from the postman, aVd after a glance at* it- remarked: “It’s for me.” “For yo’ again?” said her mother. “Yes,” said Jennie, as with tremblin" lingers she sought-to tear open th<Tmissive. “I can tell the Handwnti„„ too; it’s Tom Sutton’s, and it was posted at Naples, wherever that is, M f “] think l can enlighten you, Jennie,” said Cicely. “Most of the steamers plying between England and Australia touch at Naples, and mails an* sent overland from there, making it that letters reach England some ' ,|.,vs before the stehmer enters port. My father explained the matter to nu; soevral yehrg ago." _ Jennie was now perusing the letter. Suddenly she looked up from it, and her/glance fell, upon Cicely. “(That’s a funny thing,"'she • sai'.. ‘ ‘Listen to this, itiss Hildreth. Afte. telling me that he has written this letter as they are entering the Bay of Maples, he goes on to sav; “T am not returning to England as 1 i e ft, it —aolne, without a friend to talk ‘(i, y’m coming ba< k with two men who 1 fell : n with as soon as T get on board. One is named Hildreth and the other Welborough. They have been to Die diggings, and like me, they have been lucky. Hildreth is a fine fellow, •is open as the dnv, as we sav in Lau--••a.shire-; and Welborough. who is. a Manchester man. has many g6od points about him. But the poor fellow has not long to live, and be knows it. | Last night the three of us were togeth-

er in a nook on the second deck, and Welborough told me a. tale about Hildreth and himself that kept me awake for hours.

“Hildreth, it. seems, got amongst some bad eompanv, somewhere in London, and he was under the impression that he had killed a man who was trying to rob him. Out in Ovpnge, Australia, he fell in wth Welborough, and it came out that the man who- ‘had committed the murder that Ilildretli thought himself guilty of had paid for Wei borough’s passage out to Australia as a sort'of ‘hush money.’ It was while Hildreth was musing Wei boron eh through a fever he got at Blue Leak Gorge, while they were chumming in, that the true title came out, and now Welborough only wants to reach England to prove Hildreth innocent of what he calls the i Bowes Baric Murder,’ and to bring the real murderer to justice. . . He talks a great deal about a brother of his whom he has deeply wronged, and who he wants to see before he dies.”

Jennie paused in her reading ot the letter, for Cicely had uttered a cry and stepped close- to her side. “Oh! you're ill, miss,’,-’ said Jennie, catching her as she tottered back, again. “I shouldn't have read what I have done, but I didn’t know what was coining; if was only the. name being like yours that caught my eye. Why, the man is very likely that brother of vours you’ve told us about.” “I fray heaven that it is so,” said Cicely in a weak voice. “In fact, it must'be so, for I have always had that terrible crime of Bowes Park in my mind in connection with Harry’s disappearance/ And the letter - says he is innocent —he is coming back to England to be proved innocent by a man by the name of Welborough! If this should be the brother ol !

Cicely was now sobbing, and as her tears welled forth both mother and daughter gave way to sympathetic emotion. . - “1. must go to London and meet Harry when lie arrives,” said Cicely presently. “That’s only nat’ral,” said Mrs Jepson, “but from what I can make out‘he’ll not land for nearly a week yet; an’ between now an’ then many a thing might happen. Do yo’ intend to go up to Shady Nook this mornin’, now this news has come to yo’?” “Yes,” said Cicely, rising. can go there with a better heart than ever now’; and, in any case, 1 won’t be long away, Mrs Jepson.” (To be Continued.)