A Desperate Remedy

Waikato Times, Volume 100, Issue 16711, 29 January 1926, Page 3

A Desperate Remedy

(By BEN BOLT) Author of "Love Finds the Clue," Linked by Peril," "The Crooked Made Straight," Etc., Etc.

Copyright

(Published by arrangement witu me Geaergl Press, Ltd.)

" 'Hullo, Romsey,' he said 'l'm glad to meet you, for I've news that will worrv you a bit, I fancy.' " 'That so?' I asked, guessing some thing of what was 'Coming. " 'That is so,' he said. 'Remember losing your pile to Cariboo Pete in my saloon?' . " 'Am I likely to forget it?' I asked. 'Particularly as it was a crooked game?' " 'Crooked. Yep! Cariboo's alius crooked. But yer straightened out that business, didn't yer?' he asked with a grin. "I looked him straight in the eyes There was knowledge there, knowledge—or what amounted to it, and for a moment I was just a little staggered. Then he laughed. " 'l'm not blaming yer, Romsey, nor that partner o' yours. It was an audacious thing to do to hold up the express, but if that was your only chance of getting square with Pete it was permissible. Not that I'd ha' done it, for twice the money!' ">

" 'Ben,' I said, 'you don't know everything about that hold-up, if- ' " 'Don't want to,' he broke in. 'You an' yer partner- are white men an' Cariboo Pete's a scallywag. But you'd best be hoppin' it, for there's somebody on yer track.' " 'That so?' I asked. 'Cariboo ' " '• 'Oh, 'tain't Cariboo. Ef 'twas I'd hafe let him come up with yer, an' let you deal with him as he deserves. It's somebody bigger an' more formidabler than Pete. Ever hear of ' " "Millington?" interjected Lulworth. Dick Romsey jumped. "How did you know, Geoff.?" "I didn't. I guessed. He was the man who made me s-skip from the hotel at Montreal. He was the man in the car who d-dropped a shot at me, and another outside. He was a little hipped because I' beat him t-lwicc, and he has sworn to get me." "Did he tell you so?" asked Rom-

"Not p-pcrsonally, but I heard it ftom the b-best girl in the world, to whom he unfolded his plans, and who helped me to escape from him. Ho r-rccognised my voice at the hotel, end nearly g-got me." "He was in the Mounted Police years ago." "Yes, I know." "And he's a millionaire, with money and time to burn." "But he wants to earn a thousand dollars more," said Lulworth, with a sbort laugh. . , .. "Looks as If he were going to do it, too, Geoff," said Romsey gloomily. "He's on a straight trail. Cariboo must have talked a bit, and that ace of spades wo stuck in his wallet gave Millington the clue. From what Stormcr told me, Millington must have followed up Cariboo's trail. Anyway be showed up at Stony Gap,, making roundabout inquiries about Cariboos operations, and Stormer, suspecUng nothing told him the story of that St when I was fool enough to jump the limit with my money and yours. Then he let slip a word which gave ,'en the hint, and Ben. told him no Piorc; but he was convinced that Millington was on my trail, and yoursnnd he was dead right!" "You r-ran against him?" inquired LU "D?opped in his arms, almostwithin three hours of meeting BenWhat. Ben told mo worried me a good jsh bit, not for my own sake hu for vurs, because I knew he'dJiavo _hard vo to fix that business of the holdup on me, as he'd never seen.me, Jhils't he had seen you, and tha lltUc Kinttpr of yours would mark you out. '""walking down the street by lh vaterside, thinking things, out when ~,,,. o Pcterboro' pull up at the vsnai i, out. Me being nearest, he accosicu mc. 'Say. stranger, where s the h the street,', I said Tat C-Brien's-'The One and Only! •"Good name!'he laughed •"Name's the only thing that s good about it,' I lauded back Then he asked a question that, made me JU -You're a Britisher,' he said: •Know another, name of Romsey-

Dick Romsey?' • . fIS "Of course, I guessed who hewas, and knew that the corner I was_Jn was a pretty tight one. But I manag ed to keep my face and to repb to the effect that here was. a that name registered at the fcotei, which was true enough '"That so?' he said, and pulled on on a hot-trail, ~■■'..* m- »mif"As ho went I looked at his. W breed boatman. 'Who's your boss? "'Mlstalro Mecllngton, zee timberman,' said ono of them. I wasted no more time. It was essential that 1 should disappear from that camp in record time-and I did, d own.the river. What Millington did don t know. He may be on my trial yetThat's why I want to catch tne7- J : Now that I've warned you. I Ulim V. u better clear out. If Millington is following it will be easier to lose him in •London than here, and I'm thinking of going to Australia, and from here to Thursday Island. The West is _ off, until Millington drops his chase. 'You c-carne to England to wain me, Dick?" asked Lulworth quietly, though with some feeling in his voice. "Thought I'd like to sec you again. Geoff, and letters aren't always safe. "No;' but if you think I'm going to let you take all the r-rlsk you are mistaken. You will stay here a liUJo while. If Millington shows up we n have the business out with him. lie isn't an ordinary sleuth, and he will listen to reason. I fancy. There s in-more behind this business than you know." "That'so" "I am very sure of it, though I c-can't prove it. I have a very strong suspicion that that cousin of mine, of whom I t-told vou, knows something about 1-e g-gamc in which you lost your money." * "And yours!" "And mine, if you like. I d-discov-ered quite by accident the other day that he had been out West ostensibly on a shooting t-trip, but ho has not so much as mentioned it to me, and he has b-brought no trophies back wltli 1 ™You mean the fellow who stood to succeed if you didn't fulfil the condi°Luiworth nodded, and his friend looked thoughtful. "A little fishy,-" he said, after a moment. . ~ " So j (.-can't helo thlnkinc "He is the sort of man who would "Y-ycs." "And if Millington shows up you think he might be induced to lake a reasonable view of the circumstances, Gooff?" "Yes. The re-reward's nothing to him. I d-don't suppose he c-carcs a button nbout any public p-praise our capture would bring him. He's in tills thing for the game, and .in the mcro

running- of us to earth, his amour propre would be satisfied, I think."

"Then I'll stay, old man. But I must send a telegram to. the hotel."

"One of (he servants c-can run down to the p-post office."

"I think I'd like to take it myself. Want to Stretch my legs a little." , "All right," laughed his friend. I'll go with you."

And in the little post office they encountered Margaret Shirley. "Well met, Miss Shirley," said Lulworth laughingly. "M-may I introduce an old f-friend of mine? Mr Romsey." "The Mr Romsey?" asked Margaret meaningly. "Yes," answered Lulworth smilingly.

Margaret looked at the man who was being introduced to her. He was smiling, and his eyes were honest. She held out her hand.

"I am very pleased to meet you, Mr Romsey." Dick Romsey suitably replied, and his friend made an explanation.

"Miss Shirley was in a c-certain East-bound train when—when " "That so?" interrupted Romsey, looking at the girl with a quickening Interest. "And in a certain hotel -when a m-man of the name of Millington was seeking an introduction to me." "Geoff has told me what you did," said Romsey admiringly. "He owes you a great deal, Miss- Shirley. Margaret blushed and gave a little laugh. /

"Not half so much as I owe him. Has he told you that he saved my life?"

"No, he has not told me that, Miss Shirley." "Well, it is true " « "Mar—Miss Shirley, don't exaggerate!"