Hearts in Bondage

Waikato Times, Volume 100, Issue 16748, 15 March 1926, Page 3

Hearts in Bondage

Copyrirtt. (Published tn arrangement witii me Generjt Press. Ltd.)

(By CHRISTOPHER WILSON)

Author of "Sundered Lives," "Blind-fold Love." "The Heart of Delilah." etc

SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS Chapters I. and ll.—The skipper of the Mbowona informs his passenger, Sir John Th.orskill, that they will bo in the Mersey next day. A f°S comes down, and Captain Ruggard advises Sir John to get a good sleep. Their vessel collides with another, and badly damages it. Sir John finds a man hiding is his stateroom, with pistol levelled. He is a convict, just escaped from the FrcDch convict si earner which the Mhowena had rammed, lie had killed a man twenty-five years ago. Thorskill gives him a chance. The Right Hon. James, first Baron Cairon, the Master of Balmoulh, has genius linked to an Iron will. He invites Sir John Thorskill to be- present at the launching of his new liner, me Gololand, as his guest. Lady Carron refuses to accompany her husband to the station to meet Sir John. He sets off with Sylvia Langlou. Lady carron, when she meets Sir John, whisper* a welcome to Jack. Afterwards she tells him why she married Lord Carron lie promises to help her to do what is right. , . . CHAPTER 111. —The car containing Lady Carron and Sir John Thorskill drives to the shipbuilding works. Lord Carron meets them. He tells Sir John that the workers of Bclmouth are worse than those of Gololand. They make a tour of the workshops, where Sir John finds the convict whom he shielded. He says he has got on the track of the man who has wronged him, on whom he means to be revenged. Sylvia Langton is to name the new liner as she is launched. Rut I lie scaffolding on which Lord Carron ami Sir John are standing gives way. Lord Carron is precipitated into the water; Sir John just saves himself by leaping. Some of the falling limber-:; crash against the "dog-shore," and the | "Gololand." as Ihe new ship is to be i named, slips down ttie incline, and! launches herself. Thorskill goes to the rescue of Lord Carron. They are i picked up by a tmall motor craft. Sir! Honald Myrtle, a celebrated Relmoulh I physician, says Lord Carron's condition j is not serious. Sir John tells Lady Carron that lie tried to save her husband for her sake. Just as Thorskill is about lo step into Ihe car which is <o lake him lo Carron Hall, Stephen! Ingram, Ihe escaped convict, steps for-! ward lo Ih.uik hi>n, and lo say that this s Ihe second big thing [hat Sir John I lias done for him. CHAPTERS IV. & V.—Dcsmon.l Hale has read Ihe account o-' the i launching incident in Ihe Bclmouth I Evening Telegraph, and learns that Ihe | mishap was not due lo accident. lie i has given his lire up lo work for Ihe | Labour interest, and lie knows thai ! Lord Cai-on is riol loved by his men. j Mrs Kirk, Hale's landlady, sends up j ; two workmen who wan! lo see him j ! Hale and Ihe men have a short altercation on Ihe receni nllenipt on Lord > Carron's life. .\fler Itieir departure Stephen Ingrain calls on Hale and lells Inn, of a plol lo kill Lord Can-cm. Finding no sympathy Ingram vanishes rapidly. Desmond asks Sylvia lo advise her uncle lo slay in'London for a little while. Sylvia informs him thai her uncle is not lacking in courage, and would not follow any such suggestion. A little later he' tells Sylvia of his love for he.-, which she reciprocates. There is Ihe sound of a pistol shot, ami a man rushes past them, swiftly followed by another. The second is Sir John Thorskill, who questions Hale. Thorskill supposes the man to be a burglar. A footman comes up Hie drive, lie has been in town on an urgent message. Hale, on his return lo bis rcoms, finds the message, Ihe footman has lefl. It is a severe letter from Lord Carron forbidding Hale to associate any longer with his family. Sir John 1 ids La ly Carron farewell at the station. Meanwhile at Carron Hall Lord Carron alarms ids servants by his temper, and it is while he is in this mood that Desmond Hal- inviades his presence. CHAPTER Vl. (Continued.) —The Joint In the Harness. Lord Carron rose unsteadily to his feet, crossed the room,, unlocked a secret safe that was let into the panelling of the wall, and look out an account-book, bound in calf and secured by heavy clasps. ; "Sec, Stephen, there are the profits made out of the Langton turbine for the last twenly-Dve years. I always j looked on that money as yours, if you returned to claim it."

pons, but John Thorskill nearly winged me here last night, so 1 thought it best not to lake any chances." "What the deuce do you mean by offering it lo me?'" asked Lord Carron hoarsely, still unable to withdraw his gaze from Ihe temptation that lay almost within his grasp. "Only to show that there is no escape for you, thai way. That would be too easy. Before I came to Belmouth I made nl y will. The solicitor who is keeping il for me does not know what is in it. But lie has my instructions lo break (he seal if he should fail to hear regularly from me. Si.c? There is only one legacy in that will; a legacy to The Right Honourable James, Baron Carron. You are clever enough to guess what that legacy Is. Eh?"

For just an instant, Lord Carron faced the speaker with the glare, of murderous hale in his eyes. Then wilh a swift gesture his hand went out and hovered over the electric bell, which was attached to the table. "You infernal blackmailer I" he shouted violently, wilh the fierce rage of some jungle heals that turns at bay. "Do you think I am such a fool as not to know how to deal with you and your threats? I am going to ring for my servants to pitch you out of litis house, and then you can do your' o.rr.ir.edcc!."

"Do you want, your .servants to hear my story?"

"Thai is exactly whnl ! do wan I II s their evidence of your blackmailing thai I wan I. lo send y„,i hack to (he pi'ison you came from."

"I am no blackmailer. I have not asked you ror a penny. But. if vou want Ihe story of your own infa'mv thrashed ,y,t | n the assize courl of Belmouth, Dial's your business, and I don't care. Ming for your llunkies, if you like."

"Good Heaven! Do you Ihink there Is a single sane man in Belrnouih who would helievo your slory? You I the convict, who brought disgrace on his family |"

"Very well done, .lames. Yon would have made ,-, good actor. The righteous indignation stunt is mule in your line," sneered Ingram. ■ ~u i piay-acl-ing wouldn't go down wilh a Helmoulh jury. Xo[ m |i,,, r ; r ymir leller lo Powell, which is . . safely sealed up in i:, L . S ame envelui.e '..= inv will."

Lord Carron's face went suddenly while, hut his voice still rang out deflan II y.

"A forgery! An Infernal forgery." "ill hi' had withdrawn his fingers from Ihe bell-push, and Ingram laughed as he noticed Hie gesture. "Ah, I (hough! you would sav Dial James."

He paused, with Ihe mocking grin 'Oi his face, walked lo II"- side fable, swallowed half a liimblcrfi:! of whisky delibi :y, D, ;.,,.. ,: ,-.vun-.-'

round, smacking his Lps. "A forgery rigid enough, if—you can prove it. Dili, who forged it? Eh? Did Powell's widow, who had it for years, forge il lo prove thai tier husband was your accomplice and dupe? Did his son, from whom I got il, forge it to blacken Ihe character of his own rather? Letters of that kind don't forge themselves, do they?" Lord Carron fell back in his chair, Willi an inarticulate groan, ami his lingers drummed nervously on the edge of the table. Alter 'a strained pause, lie said, dully: "What do you want me to do?" "That's rigid ! Let us cut out all the theatrical stuff and get to business." said Ingram, with an affectation of brick cheerfulness that was. cruelly ironical. "First of all, 1 want you to go lo London, at once. There was a lot of talk about you in the yard this afternoon. They say that Oswald wanted you to go, but you made your mind lo see things out in Bclmouth. Well, you have got to change your mind, that's all."

"Why do you want inc to go to London?" "Because I happen lo know that your life is not safe in Belmouth." "Why need you care?" asked Lord Carron In bewilderment.

"And that is why you put it Into your own pocket," said Ingram, without even glancing at the book. "You arc a more damnable villain than even I thought you were. You hired the wretched Powell to steal my invention. Then, when you had got rid of both yeur dupe and me, you sat down to ... . keep an account of the profits I The blackest scoundrel In Dartmoor wouldn't have done that."

"Good Lord! Do you imagine that after waiting twenty-five years for this I am willing to let you slip out of my hands? I tell you, I could have gone down on my bended knees to thank Thorskill for what he did yesterday." "I can't do it," said Lord Carron sullenly. "If I were to leave Belmouth they woud say that I had run away from the men. They would say I was a coward."

"If you don't want money, what do you want?'

"Your soul. I want to be your master, to have the pleasure of hearing you, ask my permission lo live." For an instant the old light of battle leaped into Lord Carron's eyes, as he said: "And .... If I refuse? What then?"

"If you slay in Belmouth I promise you that within a week they will know that you arc—something worse than o coward." "Can wc not come to terms, Stephen?" "Yes. To my terms. I have told you what they arc." For a moment there was silence. Then Lord Carron asked:

Suddenly there was a tap on the door, and the two men sprang to their feet and looked at each other. The tr p was repeated. "Open the door," said Ingram. "I won't." "IT you don'l, I will," was the stern reply. Lord Carron went to Ihe door and opened it. On the thrcshhold, stood sylvia in her dressing gown, with an expression of anxiety on her face. "I thought I heard a noise, and I was afraid you were ill, Uncle," she began. Then as she caught a glimpse of the stranger, she Hushed scarlet, stammered: "Oh, I'm so sorry. i thought you were alone," and vanished swiftly. "If you refuse," said Ingram slowly, "she shall be the first to hear the story. Yes. First Sylvia, and then . . . . all Belmouth."

"Did Thorskill sec you at the yard?" "Yes. He was speaking to rne, whilst I was at my new job in the laboratory." "Did he recognize you?"

For a few moments after Sylvia Langton had gone and after Ingram had uttered his threat, (lie two men eyed each other in grim silence. The first shock of seeing Igram appear like one risen from the dead had passed, and Hie coming of Sylvia seemed lo have bioken the spell which had fettered the activities of Lord Carron's mind. Tien involuntarily his eyes were drawn wilh horrible fascination to Ihe gleaming blade of the long papcrknife en Ihe table I

Rut Ingram, who was watching him closely, was swift lo read the impulse that was taking shape in his mind, and with a low chuckle of malice, he leaned forward and flicked Ihe knife win, linger and thumb so (hat the handle -i-i.n round towards his antagonist Then, taking a small revolver from his pocket, he lossed it earelesslv „n the laile within reach of Lord Carron's hand.

"You can have that, 100, if v oll | ike James. As a rule, I don't carry wea-

"No. No more than you would have recognised me il" you had met me in the street. But I knew him at once. Gololand does not change a man as much as—D art mo r c—and —other places." "You are in the laboratory you say. Do you intend to stay on there?" Ingram frowned, as he went back to the side table and poured out another drink. "What business is il of yours where I stay?" (To be continued vo-morrow.)