Mystery of Thorncliffe Hall

Waikato Times, Volume 102, Issue 17221, 3 October 1927, Page 3

Mystery of Thorncliffe Hall

(COPYRIGHT.)

SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS. CHAPTERS I. to lII.—Mr Ellis Dean, in his palatial mansion, waits alone in his study for a message which will bring" him further success or absolute ruin. His niece, Esther Dean, young- and beautiful, is at a ball, in company with her lover, Gerald Durrani- and his mother, Lady Durrant. With Lady Durrant is her cousin, Julia Ferris, a beautiful but very poor woman, who acts as I acly Durrant's paid companion. Julia is in love with Gerald. Mr Harding, Ellis Dean's lawyer, comes lo the ball, not as a guest, but charged With ill news to Esther and Lady Durrani, and, while lie is telling the latter that Mr Dean has committed suicide, Gerald and Esther are planning their future together In the conservatory. Mr Harding comes, bringing the ill news to Gerald. He calls on Lady Durrant the following day, saying further that Ellis Dean, who had become, a swindler, is a ruined man. She tells Julia to get ready at once. They are to pay a visit to Esther Dean. Thornrlinv Hall overlooks the North Sea. Cornelius II ibbert, the present owner, is old and feeble. His eyesight is failing, and his steward, James Carew. tells him that he ought to have a secretary. Mr Hibbet't tells him that one, is coming—a Miss Dean. When Carew enters the dim hall a black-robed figure is coming towards him,

chapter?, iv. to vt.—Lady Durrant pays her visit to Esther Dean, accompanied by Julia. She puts Esther into her place by dissolving, in Gerald's name, the engagement between the girl and her son. Esther Ilres up on behalf of her dead uncle, Ellis Dean, but finds that their allegations are true on seeking information from Mr Haroing. Gerald Durrant calls on Esther, but she reruses to see him. He afterwards visits his mother and Julia and vents his pent-up anger on them. At ThorncliiTe Hall Esther becomes acquainted with Mr Carew, ihe steward, who loads her into the presence or her employer, Cornelius Hibbert. she promises the old man that she will read to him, and Mrs Joyce, the housekeeper, shows her to her room. She hears peculiar sounds, which Mrs Joyce attributes to the position and age or the building. Jn the night she wakes and hears uncanny sounds. CHAPTERS VII to IX. —Carew under- ' lakes to enliven Esther Dean. She afterwards visits the garden, but is watched and guarded by Creak, the butler. As Mr Harding has gone abroad, Gerald Durrant finds it impossible to get hold of Esther's whereabouts, but hears from a chance companion that she is at present at Thor.ncliffo Hall. James Carew takes Esther Tor a motor drive. He is going to propose to her, when a stranger comes upon the scene. Esther recognises him, and carew is jealous. The stranger asks his way to ITiorneclifTc Hall, but the steward snubs him. Creak, the butler, refuses to allow Gerald Durrani to enter the grounds. Carew's motor stops, and Durrant comes upon him threateningly. CHAPTERS IX, (Continued) to XL Carew, on arrival at his home, finds a dunning letter from a Jewish moneylender, Jonas Emanuel, lie decides he will have to extort more money from Cornelius Hibhert for Keeping Hibbert's secret. Cornelius refuses his steward's demands, saying that when he himself .is dead Carew will be a rich man. Gerald and Esther have an exciting meeting, which is mtcrrupied by Carew. Once more the two men lace each other.

CHAPTER XV.—(Continued.) It was said without a (race of either anger or Interest in the subject, and as though one affirmed an incontestable fact.

"Why do you call him that?" asked Esther, in astonishment. "Come away—come away," exclaimed the stranger, not answering tier question. "H is dangerous where you are. Many have gone over the cliffs. They scream horribly, i hear them on winter nights, like the curlew's cry, and they are never seen again."

Esther drew back, and the man went on talking rapidly. "Someone was here an evening or Iwo ago," lie saii.l. "1 did not know him. He may go over Hie cliff if ho trespasses. JL would be necessary. ' You are different. 1 have no objection to seeing a lady, but you ' will oblige me by not telling of our having met. J have reasons for asking that favour." "Where do you live?' 'asked Esther. "With the owls," lie answered seriously. "1 prefer their society to that of ordinary people. Owls do not cheat or lie. There arc no double-dyed scoundrels among them. That is a satisfaction and it amuses me to look in at the window. lie is quite unaware that Ido so now and then. It [ makes a change, you must under- j stand." j His inconsequential talk convinced j her that he was mad, yet she felt no | fear of him, only a pity, as he drew bis fluttering wrap close,, as if the night t air chilled him. "Do you often come here? The butler forbade mo from corning," she said.

"You refer to Creak," he replied haughtily. "Creak is a menial witii whom 1 do not condescend lo speak.

Have you observed anything peculiar

about Thorncliffe Hall? You will if you listen. It sings, especially when the wind blows. A lusty wind which joins in chorus—of death and destruction usually: a pleasing song." Something very different from a song was heard coming from the house, at that moment. The sounds of hurry-

ing footsteps, of loud excited voices,

of a door flung, open, and the stranger burst into a laugh, whilst Esther moved away, not wishing to he found there by Creak,"who might be near at hand. "I trust 1 may have the pleasure of seeing you again," and he made a gesture as though lifting a hat from his grey loeks. "At present lam compelled to wish you good evening. They are making merry in Thorncliffe Hall'. J wish them joy of their merriment." and drawing himself up to his full height he disappeared behind the thick shrubbery.

! Esther ran swiftly back to the house, I full of a nameless apprehension. There ! was an awful dread of something she could not have described and the stranger was in some way connected with it. Creak would be at the hall door with his crafty white face and stealthy eyes. Mrs Joyce would bo hovering about like a carrion bird, and the-hoarse voices were heard again louder than before. Mrs Joyce was speaking in her hard tone that, "no human feelings could ever alter. • Creak came, tremblingly to where Esther was standing. "What has happened?" she asked excitedly. "Murder's happened," replied a gruu voice, and she turned, facing someone whom she had not noticed before. |

CHAPTER XIV. The Inquest. Carew was not at home when a messenger arrived at his house with the startling news that Mr Hibberi had been found dead in the study, and some time elapsed before he came to Hie Hall, where lay a waxen-faced bodv which bore the black impress of two murderous hands on the wasted

throat. Esther had found refuge in the dreary dining-room, where Creak came, respectfully inquiring if he could be of any service to her. Her anxiety to learn the truth about the terrible event overcame her distrust of him. " Nobody can understand it, miss," J,\<3 tw<i. " The poor master hadn't an enemy in the world. The gentleman, Mr Durrant I mean, found him." He was watching her with a sort of dull interest as he spoke. "If there's anything you might want, miss, I shall be about," he told her. Esther shook her head. The thought of doing anything normal, of talking eveii, revolted her, and Creak crept out into tlie dark hat!. On arriving a; the house Carew went

(By EDGAR PICKERING.) Author of "Tho Secret Foo," "Murder Will Oyt," "Love, tho Conaueror " Etc., Eto.

to the butler's room. Mr Hibbert's murder—there was no doubt of his having been done to death —affected him not one whit, to all appearance, as he sat in his chair, facing Creak, who seemed to squirm under his searching look.

" You can say nothing, I suppose, regarding the affair?" tie asked.

" I don't know anything, sir," replied Creak. " How should I know? No one had been in the house all day." "No. one who you saw, you mean." " Thai's so, sir," and Carew appeared satisfied with the answer.

Meantime the tragic event was being discussed in the cosy bar parlour, where Gerald wis sitting with his landlord, who was reviving legends of Thorncliffe Hall.

" There's a curse on the old house," be said scnlenliously. " It's a very extraordinary affair," replied Herald. " .Mr Hibhert was quite unknown lo me. and it is a very strange thins thai I've been fated only to see him dead."

Apart from his sincere pity for Mr Hibhert he regarded bis death as it affected Esther, and a hope came that i* would compel her to alter her decision.

The inquest was held Ihe following day, when Gerald, accompanied by Ihe landlord, walked up the hilt lo ihe Hall, where the jury had already assembled in th c dining-room. At the further, end sat Mrs Joyce, like a sphinx, and near tier was Creak. Carew occupied a seat next Ihe coroner, and, as Gerald entered, a sinister smile, crept over the steward's face. Gerald paid no heed to him, and took a chair beside the superintendent of police, whilst the coroner opened the proceedings with a sympathetic eulosy. of the dead man. "Mrs Joyce."

The housekeeper came forward, on her named being called, standing al the table, as cold and indifferent as though murder were an everyday event in which she had no concern. "Perhaps it will be best if you tell the gentlemen of Ihe jury what you know of this unfortunate case, Mrs Joyce," said Ihe coroner. "Just in your own way. Don'l lei il distress yon."

He might, with equal reason, have I adjured one of the Caryatides supporting Ihe massive chimney shelf, not lo agitate itself, for the housekeeper's green eyes and rigid features betrayed no more feeling. "Mr Hibberl had laken dinner in the study," she began in a level lone that j did no! vary. "He was not well. I I showed in the gentleman there." and I she indicated Gerald. "He said his | business with Mr Hibhert was impoiii ant. i "Yes. Go on," said the coroner cn- ! couragingly, for she had paused. I "Then Mr Creak called me. and I j went lo the study, where I saw Mr Hibberl being held in a chair. 1 was frightened. 1 do not remember things a flee that." The coroner glanced at Ihe serious faces round the (able. "If either of you gentlemen wish lo ask Mrs Joyce any question you will do so now. please," he said. No one had a question to ask Mrs Joyce, and she resumed her seal. "Mr Creak." Creak's description of Ihe scene was dramatic. It's brevity conveyed the impression of absolute truth, and the jury listened to him with a tense breathless attention. j "Mr Carew." i ''The lasl lime 1 saw Ihe deceased." i he told Ihe jury, "was Iwo days pre-* ! vious to his death. He was in his usual health, and we discussed some business which required my going lo London. I returned a short lime only before hearing of his murder." Clearly Mr Carew could 101 - the jury nothing, and Gerald stood up to give his evidence, that described his finding Mr Hibbert's dead body on the floor of Ihe study. A very unsatisfactory enquiry so far. So the jury considered it, when ' an adjournment was agreed 10. Mr Cornelius Hibberl had been a landed proprietor, a potentially important member of society, a recluse, a man nobody cared for overmuch, if you like, of whom strange stories were whispered, but none the less not to be murdered without a great deal being said. If be had been a nameless-tramp found dead on Hie road it would have been another matter, and settled out of hand.