"The Hidden Enemy”

Wairarapa Daily Times, 26 June 1936, Page 7

"The Hidden Enemy”

COPYRIGHT. PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT.

CHAPTER XXVI (Continued), Lanyon laughed, and it was a sound to make on© shiver. “No, Miss Vidal, you are not going home. I’m boss here, and I’m keeping you all here for the present. ” “For ransom, I suppose,” Judith answered scornfully. '“Money, I know, is the only thing you care about. ’ ’ Lanyon stepped closer to her and the hot glare in liis eyes was hideous. “You know better than that,” ho said significantly. Judith’s eyes fell, but only for a moment. “You! ” she said, but the utter scorn in her voice bit through even Lanyon’s conceit. “Wait until I have Peter Hastings in my hands,” he retorted. “There’ll be no one to interfere with us here. I think, Judith, that, before I have finished 1 with Hastings, you will be glad to accept any terms I offer. ” Judith drew herself to her full height. “Peter Hastings thrashed you once and I watched it. One of these days I shall see him do it again. And this time I hop© he will kill you.” Lanyon went quite white. For the moment he could not speak. Christine laid a hand on Judith’s arm.

“You are only making him worse,” she said in a whisper. But Lanyon had got his voice back. “Go into the house, both of you,” he snarled. '“lf you don’t I shall use force.”

Judith still hesitated but Christine took her by the arm.

“We had better go,” she said. ”It will be wiser.”

Judith wondered at her. Christine was not afraid; she was not angry; nothing seemed to upset her wonderful self-control. The two girls walked back to the door, and behind them came Lanyon and Cadmore dragging Dirk. Dirk had been so badly beaten that he was almost insensible. The two men had practically to carry him. “Go on up to your room, ( Mi s Grant, ’ ’ Lanyon ordered roughly, ‘ 1 and take Miss. Vidal with you.” Instead, Christine stopped in the passage.

“First, I am going to attend to Mr Warden,” she said. “Bring him in here,” she continued, as she walked into the living-room which was on the right. Once more Christine had her way and Dirk was laid on a broken-springed, horse-liair sofa in the unclean room.

Christine spoke to Cadmore. “I shall need some hot water and some clean rag if you can find it,” she said.

Cadmore glanced at Lanyon for liis consent and Lanyon nodded. Cadmore went, and just then Scrafford came through from the back of the house. Lanyon saw him and stepped out again into the passage, closing the door behind him. But the door was not thick enough to prevent the girls from hearing yrliat was said. '“I always knew you were a fool, Scrafford,” Lanyon addressed him in a tone of biting scorn. ‘ ‘ But I hardly thought you were fool enough to bring Miss Vidal here. ’ ’ “She said she must come,” replied Scrafford. “And she’s paying, isn’t she?”

“She’s paying and she’ll pay. And so will you, you. poor fool,” said Lanyon bitterly. The two went into the opposite room and the girls, heard no more. Cadmore came back with hot water, but said, sulkily, ho could find no rag. Judith took a couple of clean handkerchiefs from her bag and offered them to Christine. “It’s food and drink he wants as much as anything,” Christine said in her calm voice. “Can you make a cup of tea, Cadmore, and bring a little bread and butter or bread and milk.”

The surly fellow grunted, yet went off without making any further objection, and Christine set to work to cleanse the nasty cuts on Dirk’s face and hand.

“How did you get here?” she asked gently. ‘‘ On Donald’s motor bike, ’ ’ Dirk answered. “I saw them taking you away.” He spoke to Christine, but his eyes were on Judith, and Judith was looking down at him with the strangest expression.

“But why didn’t Donald come?” Christine asked. “The heather was afire. All the men went to put it out.”

Christine nodded. ‘ ‘ Then none of them know where we are. ’ ’

“If I hadn’t been a fool I’d have left some clues along the road,” Dirk said bitterly. “How could you have thought of it? You did splendidly, Mr Warden. But it would have been wiser to go back for help.” “I couldn’t. I had a puncture and no pump, so I lay up in the shed. If Cadmore hadn’t found me I meant to wait till night and try to get you out. ’ ’

“Th’en no one knows where we are?” Judith asked. “I’m afraid not,” Christine answered. “Unless, indeed, Lanyon has sent word to Peter Hastings.” Judith stared.

“But why should he do that?” “He is trying to trap him,” Christine explained. “He hates him.” “I know,” said Judith in a low voice. “I know lie hates him. But if Peter came he wouldn’t come alone.” Christine shook her head. “You may bo certain that Lanyon will make sure he does.” Judith bit her lip. “And it’s all my fault,” she said with bitter self-reproach. ‘‘ I agreed with Scrafford to kidnap you, Miss Grant. ’ ’ Christine smiled up at her.

“I don’t think I blame you, Miss Vidal. You felt you had reason,” “You’re a perfect dear,” cried Jud-

BY T. C. BRIDGES. (Author of “A Seven Years’ Sentence,” “Better Than Gold,” “The Other Man’s Crime,” etc.)

itli impulsively and stretched out her hands to the other. Christine took them and the two girls, so different yet, each in her separate way, so charming, kissed one another. Dirk Warden spoke.

“Miss Vidal, I’ve seen you before,” he declared, and Judith turned to him. “Seen me before—where?” “In Singapore. At a dance at the club. ’ ’

Judith gazed at him with a curiously strained expression. “So —it—was—you,” she said slowly, and just then the door opened and Lanyon came in. There was an ugly sneer on his long, narrow face. “If you’ve quite finished your hospital work I shall be obliged if you ladies'will go upstairs,” he said. Judith turned swiftly.

“Mr Lanyon, I’ll give you a thousand pounds and my promise of silence if you will take Miss Grant, Mr Warden and myself to my car and let us go.”

Lanyon laughed. “About one-tenth of your yearly income, Miss Vidal. Hardly a worthy ransom for yourself—let alone the other two. ’ ’

“I’ll give you five thousand,” said Judith. Lanyon laughed again. “I’m going to have it all, Judith — and you with it.” ■ “The man’s mad,” said Dirk scornfully. Lanyon came towards! the couch. “Mad, eh, Warde ” he snarled. “I would keep my mouth shut if I were you. Or shall I tell Miss Vidal who kidnapped Hastings—and how—and why. ’ ’ Dirk flinched but Christine spoke. “We know all about that, Mr Lanyon,” she told liifn in her clear, calm voice. “And since we have forgiven Mr Warden for his share in the business there is nothing more to be said about it. ”

A look of baffled fury came upon Lanyon’s face. Christine had the knack of always; defeating him. “You’re very clever, Miss Grant,” he sneered, “but you’d better remember that you are all three my prisoners and —absolutely in my hands to do‘a* I like with. None of you will leave here until Miss Vidal has promised to marry me. I’ll keep you a year if need be, and I’ll defy anyone in Scotland to find you.”

Before anyone could reply to this threat Cadmore came quickly into the room.

“I want you, Mr Lanyon,” he said, and something ominous in his voice and manner made Lanyon turn quickly and hurry out after him. The three left behind exchanged glances. “I’ll bet someone’s after them,” said Dirk eagerly. Christine held up her hand for silence. For a moment she listened intently, then a little smile curved her lips. “You’re right, Mr Warden. Can’t you hear, the ’plane?” Sure enough a droning sound made itself heard above the splash of the incoming tide. Judith jran to the window arid thrust it open. “Yes,” she cried joyfully. “It’s a ’plane.” CHAPTER XXVII—THE TIDE SWEEPS IN. “It will be Bill—Bill and Peter,” said Christine swiftly. “But they can’t know we’re here,” said Dirk and tried to struggle up, but fell back frorii sheer weakness. “I’ll signal him! ” As she spoke Christine scrambled up on the sill and sprang down outside. Before the other two realised her purpose she had vanished among the tall nettles. '“Oh, she’s brave!” murmured Judith clasping her hands in heartfelt admiration. Lanyon came plunging into the room. There was rage and fear in his face. “Get upstairs, Miss Grant —you, too, Judith.” Then ho realised that Christine was gone. He saw the open window and with an ugly oath turned and ran out of the front door. “Oh, lie’ll kill her,” cried Judith in terror. Somehow Dirk managed to get to his feet and stagger towards the window. “Ho has to catch her first,” he said. “You don’t know how she can run. See, she’s got a long start. She’s reached the bridge.” Running like a boy, with a free open stride, Christine had gained the plank bridge over the burn. She ran across it, then deliberately stopped and, with a great effort, lifted the plank and flung it down into the water. Then she sped on across the open ground beyond.

“They’ve seendier,” screamed Judith. “See! The ’plane’s coming down!” “But Lanyon’s after her,” gasped Dirk. “Oh, if I could only help!” “I’ll help,” Judith exclaimed, and before Dirk could say anything, was out of the window, and running hard after Lanyon. Lanyon did not see her. All his attention was concentrated on Christine. But now Dirk saw Cadmore plunge out of the house and make after Judith.

Lanyon came to the burn. He gathered himself and jumped. Dirk, clinging to the window sill, held liis breath as he watched. Lanyon reached the far side, but the bank was loose and treacherous. It gave under his feet, Dirk saw him fling up his arms in a frantic effort to keep liis balance, but the crumbling peat broke away and Dirk gave a yell of joy as he saw the man’s long body drop backwards to land with a loud splash in the dark water below. Lanyon was up again in a moment and scrambling out, but Dirk saw that his clothes were coated with black, slimy peat mire, which clung like glue and slowed him badly. (To be Continued").