"The Runaway Wife,”

Wairarapa Daily Times, 24 June 1930, Page 7

"The Runaway Wife,”

(Copyright)

CHAPTER XlX.—Continued,

What could it be, lie wondered? Moses's manner was confident, but Derek knew him for a trickster, and steeled himself to acute disappointment in case the little man’s cupidity had impelled him to some fantastic tale' too flimsy even to bear scrutiny. Mr Moses wanted that money so badly. In sheer pity Derek felt like giving him enough to get to Kenya, anyway, no matter what this great secret of his turned out to be. ; 1 I . i

At last the laboured scribbling was over. It covered four sheets of the little notebook, and contained amongst other things, names and addresses. Derek’s eyes devoured it eagerly while Ben Moses’s dwelt upon him with a like avidity. All was still in the next room. In a whisper Lolette said to her husband: "Now you and me, we are asleeji, too —ya-as. Wo do not talk any more.’’ Moses nodded, without taking his eyes from Derek Humphreys’s face. The latter had sat down, and was reading the statement over again. His lips twitched painfully and several times lie ran a shaking hand over his head. Finally —it seemed ages to Mr Moses —he looked up, then- quickly wrote, "Is every word of this true?’’ » Ho tiptoed over and sat down on the bed beside Moses. The latter nodded emphatically and made a significant gesture with his forefinger across his throat. Then, as if even at such close quarters he thought it was wiser not to risk speaking, he wrote: "You can prove it.’’ He pointed to one of the addresses he had written, and added: "Telephone them to-morrow morning.” "I’ll take the risk that it’s ttue,” wrote Derek.

He began to fish in a pocket for his letterease, while Mr Moses watched him with bulging, greedy eyes. Slowly Derek counted out ten onehundred pounds notes, which was a sum he had provided himself with in case Janetta had been needing such assistance and willing to accept it from him. In a way he had not anticipated, he was actually using it as part payment for Janetta’s 1 ransom.

Even now, he was not wholly convinced that Ben Moses’s statement was anything more than a cleverly circumstantial fairy-tale, although it was quite likely that one person ho had specifically mentioned did exist. Silently he handed over the notes to Moses, who gave vent to a faint moan of gratitude. Lolette, with her hgnds on her hips, smiled rapturously. Then they all three listened with breathless intensity. It seemed, it sounded as though the man in the next room was sleeping heavily, but one would be rash to take that for granted too soon. Moses grabbed the pad and wrote, "We must wait a little longer.” Derek nodded, and moved back again to the arm-chair. He sat with a hand shielding his eyes, going over and over again that curious, that most amazing statement which the Jew had set down in black and white.

Lolette, wearied of the play now that the most important part of it was over, slipped off her shoes and curled up on the bed.

It was now about one o’clock arid Ben Moses’s thoughts were occupied with the serious problem of how he was going to get his guest out of the house without attracting unwelcome attention. Ho was unaware whether or not the hotel ran to the extravagance of a night porter, but he rather imagined it did not. All the residents' had their own latchkeys and on one occasion when Lolette and he were out very late, having been to a night-club, there had been a light in the lower hall when they returned, but no sign of anybody in charge.

As both Derek and ho were fully clad in evening clothes, Moses began to prepare a story in case they should encounter anyone. It would be simply that they had been out and returning late he had invited his friend up for a drink.

Still it was best to wait a little longer. So they went on waiting, and dawn was beginning to filter through the curtains before lie gave a cautious signal. By that time, Lolette, herself, was fast asleep and her lord and master decided that it was just as well not to waken her. He switched off the one shaded light which had been left burning, open the door with a noiselessness that bespoke considerable practice in that art, and with a box of matches in his hand, beckoned Derek to precede him into the dark corridor. It was a very ticklish moment, indeed, and Ben was sweating under the stress of it. Kran’s door was very close, and the possibility of its opening so preyed upon Mr Moses that he felt lie would certainly drop dead if a stair so much as creaked under his tread. He lit one of his matches and led the way to the head of the stairs. In the well of the foyer it was lighter than in the corridor. There was no one in the lower hall. Derek pressed a finger to his lips and motioned Moses to stay where he was. Ho could let himself out, and did. The little Jew nearly sobbed with relief when he heard the faint click of the Yale lock and knew that whatever happened now, the worst was over. After that it seemed child’s play to get back to the shelter of his room, lock the door and undress stealthily. He left Lolette as she was, merely covering her with the eiderdown and crept into bed after tucking his wad of banknotes under the mattress. * * * * When morning came and the trio met

to tllr Cont-lliur

BY ELIZABETH YOEK MILLER, Author of "The Road That Led Homo,” "A Cinderella of Mayfair,” "The Houso of the Secret,” etc).

! at breakfast, Geoffrey Kran was half j convinced that liis friend had given up j any idea of betraying him. In fact, ’ he decided that Ben Moses had been thoroughly cowed by the thought of that revolver.

Nevertheless, Kran remained his faithful shadow. It says much foi Mr Moses’s sublety that he was able to spend a great deal of that day and the next in making plans for his own immediate future without Kran’s getting so much as an inkling. But of course there were moments, hours even, when husband and wife could be alone together, and Kran was fool enough to discount the artless Lolette. He thought indeed, that she was conceiving a passion for himself, and instead of joining in the profitless bridge that second evening, he permitted himself the amusement of making Ben Moses jeal-

Getting Lolette into a corner of the smoking lounge, where their flirtation was observed with disapproval by all and sundry, he told her how he had noticed her that night at the bungalow on Elura, and how ever since he had grudged Ben his luck. Lolette grinned and made eyes at him, and although Ben Moses was quite as jealous as Kran wished him to be, the little man found himself with a certain amount, of liberty which he divided profitably between the telephone and writing-table.

l r et, Moses was cowed Kran felt convinced, and next day—the fateful Friday—he relaxed his vigilance considerably, in view of the fact that time was growing short and lie had affairs of his own to arrange. Neck or nothing he must get that money out of Derek Humphreys with as little delay as possible, and he felt more than reasonably certain that the outcome would prove satisfactory. Hearing that Janetta was back at her flat he did himself the honour of calling upon her that afternoon, dragging Moses along, too, as a guarantee of good faith on all sides. He devoutly hoped that the Muffin wouldn’twbe there, and it happened that she wasn’t. Janetta, herself, opened the door to them.

It would seem that she was the cold hard little Jane Storm again, although all the make-up in the world could not conceal the deep circles under her eyes, and the tense, nervous lines etched by the misery she had suffered. "Come in,” she said, her voice expressing nothing of whatever emotion the sight of Kran may have evoked in her. "How do you, Ben? Haven’t 6ecn you for ages.” "I’ve been busy,” replied Mr Moses with a furtive, downcast air. "One should always be able- to spare a few moments for an old friend,” she rebuked him. He gave her a half look, then liis glance shied away.

Did she know how near she was to freedom ? No, obviously she didn’t. But soon she would know, unless those welllaid plans all went astray. Ben snapped open his watch and consulted it in the manner of one who must find something to do to minimise the embarrassment of seeming superfluous. After that he drew a newspaper out of his pocket and a stub of lead pencil. Janette would Imagine that he had forgotten her and was at his favourite Occupation of spotting winners'. “Janey, ” said Kran, “I’m coming into some money shortly —very shortly. Quite a pile of money. And I’ve-de-cided to leave England for good and all.”

Janetta pressed her hands to her breast to still its flutterings. It did not occur to her where all this money might really be coming from. They had made a bargain between them that so long as she kept him supplied Kran would never approach Derek Humphreys. That bargain, indeed, had Jmen the “secret’’ of which the old M%ffin had hinted to Derek. Anything, Jannetta would submit to anything, and do pretty well everythiig Kran demanded, if he kept his word and left Derek Humphreys alone. That she, herself, had been forced to confess the fact of his disastrous first marriage to Derek, had nothing to do with her bargain with Geoffrey Kran. “And you’ve come to say goodbye?’’ Janetta faltered. “Scarcely that. I’ve come to suggest that you share in my good fortune —that you accompany mo into exile. You’ve complained often enough, haven’t you, that you don’t like the stage and all the rest of it?’’ “I don’t mind the stage. One has to do something—but the ‘rest of it’ has been terrible. Geoffrey, I’m glad if something has turned up for you. Is it a legacy?’’ Kran smiled. “Yes—a legacy. Bather a decent one.” “So your old uncle is dead. I hadn’t heard of it.’’ “Old men die ‘quietly,’ ’’ Kran replied, repressing a sneer for her credulity. “You’d better arrange to come with me, Janey. I happen to know that Humphreys is in London and that you’ve seen him. There are limits to my patience where your infideht.es are concerned. ’ ’