The Double Problem

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19945, 23 July 1936, Page 4

The Double Problem

By FRANCES BROWN

‘; (Author of “Anne Sinclair‘s Love Story," etc., etc.) ;

The wedding or Natalie rage to the lion! GeolTi‘f-y Stanton is due to take place out the 17m Ortoher. ‘ 0n iiw mom of tho 15m two men sat in a lonr‘ly ilerrllrt house on llampstead Heath; one Etophon .\lninn, the. other William Braiilm'. “if you'll only pull yoursrli’ togethrr." admonished llaiut‘, "the next iot‘tyroiizht hours will see us rich men. .\lichael Eu'tlcrby will be home from out West tomorrow ulk‘it, \\'ith a has: of nuggets in his possession which i mean to have. He‘s a millionaire twice over without those." On the night or the ii‘nh Geoi‘i’rey Stanton, takingr [I brisk walk. loses his bear—i ings in a denso rag. Seeing n light coming from a “inflow with a drawn blind, he makes for this, but hair-way up the drive comes to an abrupt standstill, staring with horror-stricken eyes at the shadows or three men on the blind. A moment later. without pausing to consider the possible rousequences to himself, he boldly enters tho house. ‘ Natalie Page’s wedding day dawns. but no ceremony takes place, for the bridegroom has disappeared. Thren days later, Keith Darrell, private detective, reads of this mysterious-dis-appearance. in another paper he reads of a man heingr round on llampstead Heath. apparently the victim of a brutal attack. This man has recovered consciousness in the Emplro Cottage Hospital, but has euLireiy lost his memory. “Mysterious disappearanre: mysterious discovery," murmured the young (letective. ” l'll havr a shot at solving both." Darrell is present when Stephen Maine arrives to identify the patient as his onetime partner Michael kinderby. Darrell's Professional instiurts are arousedl and_h(‘ shadows Maine to a house in UCldlnlS‘ Street, at which Dnrrell calls next morn» ling on the proton ot‘ rnuun‘ing‘ ii’ ilu’l'e arn rooms in int. From Nada Darrell ‘learns of Maine‘s house on llanipstead lHeath, and also of his rich friend Mli‘hßPl lEhilH'hy. Nada is secretly Il|<ll‘ESSPll when Darrell tells her of what has be—t‘allen Enderhy. She has never trustr‘d Maine and, is always fearful of the influence he may have on her easuy-led husband. Darrel goes to View the house on the Heath, and there sees Maine and Bradley busily filling in a welll Bradley brings Maine home to lunch. Unknown to the two man, Nada overhears part or their conversation, and what she learns (1115 her with such unspeakable horror and dread, that she collapses on the floor in a dead faint. ._____—— GHA‘PTER XVII. (Gontinued.) “Won‘t, you sit down, Mrs Brad—ley?” he said with that mixture of mock politeness and sang—from she so loathed. “I have something.r very par—ticular '2O say to you." The frown on Nadn's face deepened, but she took a chair a short distance away and looking past Stephen, itxed her gaze on a bright red tulip that. showed just above his head. She was determined not to evince the slightest interest in anything he might have to say. . The man at once divined her attitude‘ and again a cynical smile touched his llgs. “I've come to talk to you about Bradley," he said abruptly. The girl raised her eyebrows, allowed her gaze to drop for the frac—tion of a second to Stephen's face, and then resumed her siudy of the red tulip. “Yes?" with quiet interrogation. "and what of him?" “\\'ell, Just this,“ with equal quietness, “it you don‘t alter your behaviour to him he‘ll be doing someihing desperate. or end his days in a lunatic asylum.” The girl‘s race hardened. “And would either fate,” she rejoined ioily, “be unfltting that. of a criminal? Don't Ithey generally end in some such way unless the law deals more drastically with them?" A hot, angry rolour leapt to the man‘s pale checks. His dark eyes blazed. "How can you he 'SO heartless?“ he protested. “Bradley's no criminal: and—you seem in forget that he's your husband?" “I Wish to heaven." she reioried with cold passion. “ that I could for—get such a lanientahln fact!" “ He's not a quarter so guilty as I run.“ Her lip curled. ” Did you imagine I wasn’t swarm of that? Did you think I didn‘t know without being told that yours was ‘ihe master hand throughoutz—iha'i. {yours was iho brain to ‘plot such wickedness? \Villiam was only your ‘uoor, weak accomplice—o more tool tln your hands; but I think on 1110 \\‘holo"—\Vlih a rrurl laugh—“llml, 1 motor ihn holder villain of the two, and l‘\*c iolii \\'illiam sol" "indeed?" with a much how, “and may 1 link why you prefer the holder villain?" Once more Nada dropped her eyes to the lovPl oi the man‘s lace: and this time she regarded him more in—tontly. “\\'ell." with cool criticism—“l lmllcre you acled as you did because you \\'rre 'su miserably poor. :\ hlllli'll‘Od u )‘(ni' dorsn‘i go far, does li‘! But \\'llliam earns three times that amount; there was no motive for him to join in your vilo plot. He must have done so from purely crim—inal instincts" i "Ahl—su you've been thinking that. have you?" Sim Shruug‘ed \\‘mrily. "\\'lmi also can 1 ”link?" S'ir‘pln-n .\iuiin- limit it tight grip on‘ HII‘ arms of his i‘llilll‘. and ironing for, l \\.:r<i hogan lo Sill‘illi in low. rmphuiiw' ‘ l"lli‘\" I ‘ “it's limo you hr‘nril the truth": ‘iw said. "nlnl il‘ llriullvy \\nu'i lull ‘yuu, i \\ili: so how irons: 'i‘u lit-gin ‘ \\llll, llimlluy l‘lll‘h uni ml'n i'ui-m» limos- my salary; hr timer has. \\'c illtht' lmili invon Ullili'l'l‘illil ('ll'l'lL‘ \\uh_ in Mas in his i‘nmnu' in Hip innv- ul' i\\uui.\ pounds." :\ vunlwtnniuuu' Fillil" inurlwi \W’Hil'x iiils. Shh \\nsn'i going in ln‘Al [ilt\t‘ .m_\lu£||: My piwiluimlol‘tliii. |ln\\',’ mil \\'iiii.un [mush-i; imp lu‘pi Imi i» it“ inn] iinnw on it iillll'll'Hl .iliilv‘ I‘M-lii) n .\l‘Jir'.’ l . ”it's irmu' i"‘~il||||'il Sil‘plit‘u I|th 5 WIN}. "iiwm \\ni'xl that l'm going! it «inuuli :.. .\.yu is :min-i iruiii. Hist I.illlll‘_ Hun-n lilnuiri-tl .uihl ii .\llil' \\ ~ :I iliu’} lair." . \lw shy-mi .Hnl :I.tu.'ml at him“ '. 'll.}_ iiv mu Hill lli‘ \\ils Ivl‘ulll" Wilt. twin» 4n utilnrwwsinn. "I hum“ \\lial you :i:--- thinking.“ iw \\ri‘! mu :‘i‘i-n‘lissi}. "Ynnrv ~~.ninimmi:: !w\\ \\‘illiun inunJui-ei liu‘l um ixii' )utir illuuss. \nli \\‘-w Iliii‘ wl in in.» rwnmml. ii' you l‘v'ilii’lllin‘i'. ill .z nulml \lil'ivull |'dlll|‘ horn and mi .lii limi \\.m Innwsmr)‘. 'l'lwn‘ "u _\uu \wrv |'|l||\.‘ili'\‘i‘l'lll \ln'ru‘ mru .lii iliuw- iillli» humus litmllv)‘ l .g-mi mm” )HII inn-nus.» )lili 4|\r tv-«wi .. ‘iwwiu Mr Hun-in: :inii .tiiriin \\m.‘ viliiiv' \‘.ill and \irlnn; .tg‘aiu iii .impiulyui .I ~iu'ii n2 «»\iz'.i\.i:.mv'r . 'i unmiizi-misxii-Hu \\iiil .\inur itll‘ ilk :.iuwiis \nu i‘uuulli that ..s .i Hviull Inuum \\‘u'n ilvvr.» \\ls ._iuu m. mel w I: .ruil lu- \\..~ twirl} \i \\Hl Jinn-1} nu \illli' lu‘lmii'l lin‘ niti “wags iw‘i ii: an )iril \\ml-imi ~ iy.‘ ,i mum. )mil \\wz-u- ill'\"l' ml w-i ‘l‘ 1w “unlit Hiil‘. \\i-m )Ilii' 'ti 'i r 'i i A .~, ‘ : ni“:|i .m----limwi’ -i‘:i-. w -i" “'"‘ “0’ " “Us“. ill-‘ll'\'.

had a chance, and—" i Nada Bradley sprang to her feet. “or eyes looked like living (‘ORis in :1 white. set face, her lips were i)ioofi~ less. “ Stop torturing me!" she cried with passionate. \'ehemonee, " and say what you‘ve got to say. it \\'illimn was not earning the money he spent on me, where did it come from?“ She stood before him, her slender body rigid and taut, in anticipation of some new horror that was to come to her. But Stephen felt not one pang of pity. livery stab that he could inillct but added to his satisfaction. Shehad made Bradley suffer; she had treated him—Stephen Maine—as dirt under her feet; and now! it was his turn. “\\‘heu‘e did it come from?” he. echoed slowly as his gaze travelled over her white face. “It came—more slowly still—“ from the safe of Sherpa and Hobbs.“ Nada caught her breath painfully and sank into the chair from which she had sprung. She was trembling in every limb. ‘ "IVS not true." she choked. “Ii don‘t itelieve it—l won't believe it.“ “It's quite true,” inexorably, “and as I‘ve said before, the poor devil never had a chance. You wouldn‘t, let; him have one. Ile‘d have refunded the expenses of your illness ii‘ you‘d not been so eont‘ountledly selfish and extravagant, afterwards. It. was that that let him down so deep that. he r‘ouldn'i. feel his feet, again, and that’s why he agreed to help me rob Michael Enderby of tho nuggets." Nada shuddered and hid her face as though to shut out some haunting vision. “Donti” she whispered. “Don’t—mention that name—ti you want. me to keep my reason.” Stephen looked at her curiously. “It‘s Bradley’s reason l‘m thinking of.“ he retorted, “for unless you treat the poor chat) with more con—sideration I, for one, went answer for the consequences." ‘ She dropped her hands and returned his gaze. “I wasn't nware"——wlth a. touch of her old intolerant manner -——“ that. you were especially fond of \\'iliiain‘!” “ Weren't: you? Well. it may interest you to know that although I look upon him as a weak—lineal chap where you are concerned, l'vo n great, liking for him. lle‘s got some fiet‘iil‘lg good qualities but they were‘inore appar—ent before he met you.“ The girl winced but quickly recov—ering, she turned on him with sudden passion. ”it's you who have ruined him!" she cried “You have been the clause of his downfall—it’s you that tempted him—” “Do you think so?“ interposed Stephen quickly. "I' afraid I don't. agree with you. My opinion is that. had you proved yourself it true help—innte—a llind. devoted and considerate wife. your husband would have kept straight. l'x’e already told you that he‘d have made good his first lapse only—{on wouldn't let him. I don‘t suggest you should have shown him love, for I think you're one of those women who are incapable of it; but you might at least have thrown the poor chap an occasional kindly word. He'd have leapt to u like a dog to a. bone." Every word spoken with such irritating quietness by her enemy was like a knife—thrust in the girl's heart. That Stephen Maine of all individuals in “the world should mago her bite the dust! It was insufferable! ”How dare you speak to me so?” she demanded indignmitly. “And howl dare .\‘ou say"——herc angry tearsi smarted her eyeltciS, “that I don’tt love \\'iliiam! He’s worth," chok—ingly, “ a hundred of you." i Stephen smiled ironically. Why were women so appallingly inconsist—ent? ~ “Delighted to hear it," he rejoined, “only for heaven's sake let Bradley have the full benefit .nf your present. Opinion of hint-lf." soaihingly, “it lasts long enough.” “You are odious, Mr Mattie," she retorted. “And—ond I should be glad it you will go please.“ lie rose at once but did not otter his hand. lie knew she would not have tnnehed it with the end of a barge pole. (To be continued).