THE LOST JUDGE.

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXI, Issue 2440, 15 May 1925, Page 6

THE LOST JUDGE.

[OUR SERIAL]

(By

C. RANGER GULL.)

The three listeners simultaneously i started with excitement. The news was astonishing! The same thought flashed into the mind of each. Cornwell! Madame Julia had told her husband and son all the details of her conversation with Lady Edith. Grooms that morning, and it had. already been decided that the dual coup must he attempted, in Cornwall, where Captain Basil Haytor was going at once, beset with difficulties though that would he. And now, to crown it all, came this astonishing almost incredible, revelation! But they saw the. man spoke the truth. i 1 How did you take Sir Thomas to Cornwall ?” Philip Jones broke in quickly and even with admiration. in his voice, for it seemed that Schneider had accomplished the impossible. “It was all arranged, sir, and was really very simple,” he replied. “Nankcrvis’s son is the captain of a small | coasting vcssell which carries china clay from Penzance to London, Of course I didn't attempt to motor Sir Thomas down in the van. It would have attracted far too much attention in the wilder parts of the country, I just took him (Town to the littl|e< clock in Limehouse where young Nankcrvis's steamer was waiting. He was put on board and kept locked up till the boat sailed. Meanwhile', I went down to Cornwall by train, and stayed with this older Nankcrvis, my late partner. One dark night we went down to the cove having previously put something into the beer of the coastguard who was to patrol the coast that night. The "ship came close in—it is deep water up to the very foot of the cliffs —-and wo got Sir Thomas ashore in a dinghy, SJnce then Nankcrvis has kept him quite col'ortable and secure, and not a soul in the village suspects his pres'enco. That is all ” 1

“And the name of the village?” asked Madame Julia, “Mellion Cove, madame } ” was the reply, “ between Porthleven and Kyancc; nearest station eight miles away, G.W.R., Hell ston, and as wild and deserted a place at this time of year as any in England ”

“And this Nankervis?” Madame Julia began. “I have written to him already madame, and I have- got a note here for whoever goes down to give him. He- has already been well paid, and for another fifty pounds or so he- will do anything that may be necessary. I don’t wish to know anything of your plans. He will be secret for h .s own sake, and —all the rest lies with you.” Without saying a word Madame Julia rose swiftly from the table- and went into the hall. She returned carrying an A.B.C. railway guide in her hand.

<•> ❖ <-> J The little village of Mellion was of the most remote and inaccessible in that wildest part of Cornwall, the moors and cliffs of the Lizard. Now, however, there was a mild stir and ex- I citcment in the little village. Mrs Chirgwin, of Boswarn Farm } had two ladies staying with her and thc r maid Ono was very young and beautiful; the other, it was known, was a titled lady. They had been seen walking through the village down to the cove on the morning after their arrival. There- was renewed activity also at Tresilian Fort. The few military men there- left in charge of a. sergeant-major had been rcdnforccd by a section of others. Captain Haytor had returned, and there was a friend stayi/g with him a tall, military-looking young man himself, who was also, “titled.” The- villagers had, of course, read of the disajipcarance of the famous Judge, Sir Thomas Moultrie* and also of the sensational burglary at the Marquis of Perth’s. Castle. But these things were too remote and far away to trouble or interest their simple lives; a chance remark in the tap-room, a drowsy conversation over the kitchen fire., and that was all. Although Lady Edith Groome and Helen Moultrie had made no concealment of their names, no one in the village thought of connect.;ng the sad-faced girl with the mystery of Barchestcr. And as for Lord Barchesteer, though he had visited the quiet farm where his aunt and finanece were staying several times, his name also had not transpired and he had met but few folk in his three-mile tramp across the bleak moors from the fort to the farm or back again. Both fort and farm were a little out of the- village life, but Mellion had now something even more interesting IThd unxpectcd to discuss. There were visf-

tors at the Tinners'Arms —an almost unheard of thing at this time of year. First had come a tall, dignifled-look'ng clergyman with black beard and mous tacho together with his wife, an elderly grey-haired lady muffled in furs, •who was understood to be in bad health.

They so the village knew, had taken Nankervis's two principal sittingrooms on the first floor, and 8 day oi two after their arr ival they were joined by their son, a young and niildinanncred curate, who wore spectacles but who, with some contradiction to his simple appearance, had driven h mself to Million in a small but very speedy motor car wh £h he managed with consummate skill, Mellion, ffi its dull way, felt honoured. The arrival

of the visitors could make but very little difference to them, and yet it pleased them; and Mr Nankcrvis was himself loud in. his approval of the two clergymen and the lady who had come to, stay with them. This man Nankcrvis was the principal person in Mellion. lie owned several of the houses in fh° village, and had a long lease 'of the inn, which was the centre of the village life; Ito was a huge Cornishan, active as a cat for all his enormous weight, suggesting in. his movements and body a combination of the bull and bear, though the wolf and fox struggled for mastery in his face. He was reputed to bo rich, and there were all sorts of stores about his career, ft was pretty well understood that even now, with the aid of his son, Captain Jack Nankervis, who owned the- tramp steamer St. la, a good deal of furtive smuggling went on. No Cornishman is, has been or ever will be able to look upon smuggling as a crime, and Nankervis was none the less popular on that account. He sold good beer, which he brewed himself, was. not difficult in the matter of credit, and, provided ho was obeyed 4 nthe village, was no tryrant. But let some enterprising spirit man or woman, defy his authority, and he pursued them in all their goings w.jth the most pitiless ferocity.

It was about four o’clock, and already the day was dra.wing mover the wild moors when Bombardier Higson, of Tresilian Fort, walked -into the vilage, posted some letters which had been entrusted to his care, and made his way to the Tinners’ Arms, He was a smart young London soldier, had served the first portion of his service at Chatham, and was now at Tresilian acting as telegraphist, and likely to be maue sergeant any day. Although he was net aware of it* his commanding officer, Captain Haytor, knew that he had two faults, though otherwise an rtx;cclient soldier. Now and then* not very often, Higson, to. use. his own expression, “took a drop.” The other /was that he loved the sound of his own voice, and somewhat fancied himself as a talker. He entered the inn now, and was speedily engaged in quaffing that delectable Cornish beverage shcr nagrum, a compound of warm beer and rum which was brought him by the bull-necked landlord. Presently a local fisherman known for some obscure reason or other as “Hard Charles” joined the soldier, and the two fell into talk. “What I don’t belong to understand,” sad Hard Charles in his soft Cornisa voice--and H was very little indeed that Charles did understand —“ .-s that there teilygraphy up along to Trelilin-i which they do say as yo’ as charrga of Bombardier.” Higson took a long pull at his mug of shenagrum, I't h.s cigarette I with some, deliberation ‘tnd set cut upon the thoroughly congeunl task of -xplaining tie mysteries of the military telegrao ii o the. rust ; » intelligejce He did not notice for a minute or two that a till, si m young gentleman in clerical coat end collar* so it felt Hut, and large gold-rimmed spectacles had paused outside the door and then quitly glided in and taken a seat by the fireside “But fhat’s it for?” asked Hard Charles. ‘‘What do 'co want w.ith tcllypraphy at oal?” I (To be Continued.)