A Race With Ruin.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXII, Issue XII, 19 March 1904, Page 6

A Race With Ruin.

[All Rights Reserved.]

By

HEADON HILL.

Author of “Guilty Gold,” “The Queen of Night,” “By a Hair’s Breadth,” “The Peril of the Prince,” Etc

CHAPTER XXXIII. FATE IN SUSPENSE. In unlocking the door of Nance's prisoix-chambtr after his overthrow of the pugilist, Lord Hooligan nad made one little slip, in his drunken frenzy he had omitted to remove the Key from the lock and bring it in with' him, so that he could secure the door on the inside. The consequence was that just as he was advancing upon the trembling girl he found himself compelled Vj fall back and defend the door against the assault of the uninjured prize-fighter, assisted by the feeble efforts of Closes (’ohen. Name watched the struggle with bated breath, and >oon saw that the great mucular shoulders of her persecutor were equal to the strain of keeping the door shut. But there was this ray of comfort in tne situation. So long a- those without tied. even ineffectually, to force an entrance, so long would Hooligan bprevented from molesting her. In the brief breathing space thus gained she cast wildly about for means of self-protection —of escape, alas’ thenwere m ne. If sin had only possessed a weapon of some sort —a penknife even —she would have plunged it. with a tub sense of justification, into that broad, brutal back. But she had nothing. And then, suddenly, from the most unexpected quarter, relief appeared. There was a faint sound at the open window, and by the thin gleam of the night-light Nance saw the head of a ladder reared above the sill. The next moment the hideous yellow face of Mother Fury showed between the iron bars. mid the shining barrel of a revolver was thrust into the room. With a thrill of what was not wholly horror. Nance perceived that the weapon was aimed full at Lord Hooligan, still struggling at the door. In his pre occupation :-.e knew nothing of what w>s happening behind him. • hit ;i second later he got his warning in the ringing crack of th* pistol and the whistle of a bullet so close to his head that a chip of the splintered woodwork grazed his ear. He turned his head in speechless fury, evidently suspecting Nance, but he did not at once relax his resi-tance to those without. Of the bull dog spirit of disregard for mere physical danger a grain was left in him still. But it was not proof against the calm, melodious voice that drew his attention to the window where Mother Fury held the smoking barrel ready -ighted for a second shot. “Now. you. Hooly. Ive given you a sample’ of my -hooting.” she said. •'Just you stand aside from that door, or I’ll shoot you in earnest next time.” The frightful vision of the mulatto, combined with the evident intention in her quiet tones, worked its spell on the shattered nerves. Not quite without “But 1 thought we were all pals together. and you’ll be hung if you shoot me. mother.” he whimpered. "Stand aside. I say you that are here to e-cape hanging,” came the quick retort. < owed ami unstrung. Hooligan fell back from the door, and Brummagem Jem entered, panting with his efforts. I he timid face of old Moses ('ohen peer* d in after him. Nance would have giien the world for six words with the aged J x . bi.i it was impossible with on* compromising him and probably getting him subject* <1 to treatment as bad as her own. "( ome here and take my pistol, Jem,” -ai<l the crone at the window. "That’s right. Now keep him covered and march him down to the diningroom.

and stand him a drink till I can get round. Lock the door as you go out, and stick to that key yourself. Is Ted hurt much?” ‘•Cornin’ to. 1 think.” the ex-bruiser replied. ' ’Txvouldn’t have happened like this if we could both have got at his lordship at once, but these dratted back stairs were too narrow. We had to take him one at a time, and he ilocred led atop of me.” "All right, we’ll argue it below. Now. ta-ta. Hooly. You’d better skip while you’ve got a whole skin, and you must be uncommon thirsty.” "1 am that,” muttered Hooligan, and with a last vicious scowl at his rescued victim he beat an ignominious retreat, coxa-red by Brummagem Jem’s pistol. Mother Fury remained at the window till the click of the lock had told her that the door was secured, and then, without a word to the captive, she descended the ladder, removed it. and was heard to enter the back door. After which Nance Beauchamp, strong, coun-try-bred girl as she was. fell for the fust and last time in her life on the bed in a swoon which gradually gave place to a troubled sleep. When -he awoke it was broad daylight, and the blackbirds and thrushes in the surrounding thickets of the tangled garden were chanting their morning hymn. At first the events of the past night seemed part of her recent dreams, but it was not long before realisation broke In upon her. Strange to say. thankful though she was for the intervention of Mother Fury, this protection at th-* hands of those chiefly responsible for her detention seemed full of sinister menace. For what fate was she so carefully guarded by people who. instinct told her. would commit any crime for gold? The question received no hint of an answer when Mother Fury came in with her breakfast, for that evil woman was more than usually uncommunicative, and made no reference to the tumult of th? preceding night. To Nance’s pathetic appeal for an assurance that the scene would not be repeated she turned a deaf ear and went out, smiling darkly. All that day and the next, which was Tuesday, the same doubt and uncertainty prevailed, and to Nance’s vague fears on her own behalf was added the distracting knowledge that that very night the base device for robbing her lover of the chance of retrieving his fortunes would be put into practice. Some time before midnight. at Nathans’ bidding. Frank Bremner would perform the thankless task of removing Starlight from the training stables, armed with all the authority of the law. When Mr. Tidmarsh. on the eventful evening of her ensnarement. had divulged Tannadyce’s intentions, as picked up by him at Nathans’ and pieced together by Bremner. it had been in her mind to warn Sir Charles Roylance at the meeting which she expected to have with him on the following day. Forearmed with a knowledge of the mean project, that astute trainer. Tom Barron, might have devised an expedient for defeating it. That would now be impossible. In a few hours the sheriff’s officer, personally conducted by the lawyers’ clerk, would -w<M»p down unexpectedly on the training stable-, and Barron would have to comply with the legal demands. A thousandfold she regretted that she had not written full particulars to Sir Charles the moment they were told to her. The slow day dragged wearily to evening. and Nance went and sat at her barred window, with its limited horizon of she*ls ami spreading foliage. She was looking forward to the night with renewed apprehension, for distant sounds of riotous uproar, snatches of vulgar songs and ribald laughter, which had begun early in the afternoon, were rising

in increasing volume from ihe front of the house. Ihe inauguration of such an orgy seemed to point to the healing of the breach between the two factions of her tormentors. It was true the same thing had happened on the previous evening in a minor degree, ami nothing had come of it. but it had been nothing like the boisterous saturnalia now raging below. Suddenly, through the back door, Moses Cohen shuffled out into the yard, and. looking up at the window, placed a shrivelled linger to his lips. Having thus enjoined the need for secrecy, he ran like an elderly monkey to the coal-shed and returned with a lump of coal, round wltich he wrapped a piece of paper, and stood, a ludicrous figure, in the attitude of one about to throw. Nance nodded, caught the missile, and smiled gratefully down at her faithful correspondent, who, with further signs for silence, glided back into the house. Aloses Cohen’s latest production ran as follows: — "Respected and Beautiful Miss.—At great hazards 1 write this to advise you that in my opinion there is mischief brew ing for to-night. What shape it will take 1 cannot say. for it is impossible to fathom the real relations existing between the parties. 1 give you the facts, so that you may perchance see them clearer than I can. Since the fight the night before last they have all appeared to make friends, but towards the close of each day the others have striven to make Mr Hooly drunk. They have not found it a hard job to make him drink, but it takes a deal to incapacitate him. which for some reason seems to be their object. ■’Somewhat curiously, owing to my proffering my feeble help when Hooly made his dastardly attempt on your room, having found another key which fitted your door, the others treat me with increased respect and confidence. That hateful woman said to me to-day. as if she expected me to understand: ‘The rocket is sure to be fired to-night; we must be ready to Hit.’ I nodded as though fully comprehending, though it was as Greek to me. Her words, however. seem to indicate an impending climax. and you would do well, dear miss, to be prepared, though God knows how or what for. It is just possible that some circumstances may arise of which you may be able to take an advantage.

Would that a braver heart, a shrewder head, and a stouter arm than mine were at your service, for 1 fear that I cannot comfort you with the assurance that Mother Fury and the pugilists mean anything but harm to you in spite of their conduct the other night. Their conversation. when Hooly is not present, implies some deep-laid wickedness, the discussion of whieh entails the frequent mention of your name. Indeed, the woman strikes one as a malignant fiend in female shape who loves evil-doing for its own sake. "My faith, my child, is not your faith, but I commend you to the Great Creator who watches over all. "M.C. Nance was touched with the old man’s solicitude, but more than ever alarmed by his news. The master mind who had planed her capture and was pulling all these puppets must have some deeper scheme than preventing her interference in the Starlight matter—some scheme whieh. her instinct told her. affected her honour as a woman. Not much time was allowed her for consideration of the old Israelite’s letter. She was perusing it for the second time, trying to read “between the lines.’’ when the well-known footstep of Mother Fury outside caused her hastily to conceal it. The mulatto unlocked the door and entered. “Come with me,’’ was her curt order, accompanied by a keen glance round the little room. Nance could hardly believe her ears, her heart beating wildly in the hope that her release was at hand. All willingy she obeyed, and followed her hideous conductress from the scene of those miserable three days along several unearpeted passages till they came to a spacious landing at the head of the main staircase. But here her sanguine expectations were cruelly brought to an end. Instead of descending the stairs the woman stopped short at_the door of one of the principal rooms and beckoned her into it. “A change of quarters will do you good,"’ she sneered, and. going out. promptly locked the doorGulping down her tears of disappointment. Nance proceeded to look around her new prison, and she at once saw that for comfort it was far superior to the cramped back room iu which she had hitherto been confined. It was a fair-

ly large apartment, with pretentions to a better style of furnishing, tiiuugh, like everything in the house, eaeh article was moth-eaten and mouldy. But her troubled gaze, ranging round the unfamiliar surroundings, lighten on a discovery which drew from ber a little cry of satisfaction. There were aeavy bolts top and bottom on the inside of the door, so that it was her power to barricade herself against intruders.

Little thinking that the room had been selected for its purpose because those very bolts would lend colour to the story" of her enemies, she hastened to shoot them home, and felt safer than sinee her capture.

Again at the window what at first sight seemed a pleasant surprise was in store for her. Here there were no bars, and clustering thickly round was a wealth of gnarled ivy, which would be as good as a ladder to one who had climbed every apple tree in the old orchard at Beauchamp Grange.

Cautiously opening the casement, she peered out" in the fast-falling twilight, only to draw back instantly with a short catch of her breath. Immediately below her w-indow, standing on the broad moss-grown path that encircled the house were Ted the Pounder and Brummagem Jem. not looking up at her, but conversing in low tones with some one at the open French window of the room below. CHAPTER XXXIV. THE FIRING OF THE ROCKET. Xanee quietly drew the casement inwards again, without quite closing it. She hoped to hear the conversation that was going on below, but the tones of the speakers were too warily' subdued to reach her. Could she have looked through the floor, or have obtained a bird's-eye view from some tree outside, her gi'ze would have fallen on a strange sight. It was Mother Fury who was talking to the pugilists, and she was dressed for out of doors. A rather gaudy bonnet covered her ebon locks, a black lace mantilla enveloped her ample person, and in her hand she carried a string bag of the sort used in shopping. In the same chair, close to the din-ing-room window, in which three nights before he had waited the coining of his "dear old pals” and of Xanee herself, sat Lord Hooligan, very drunk, ami for all practical purposes quite incapable—though, as he could still fix a glazing eye on the decanter at his elb >w and occasionally clutch it in a shaking hand to replenish his glass, he would probably have been insulted by the description. As a factor in the situation his lord-

ship had ceased to count, and the others had ceased to heed him as a listenei, merely humouring him as they might a billy child. lu the background, up and down the dining-room Hour, Moses Cohen was trotting like a restless uid panther, his dirty grey beard waving in the night breeze that blew through the open French window, causing also tne lamp on Hooligan s spirit table to flicker and cast strange* shadows. "So you've shitted ’er Ry'le ’lghness into the State Apartments?” Ted the Pounder was saying. "She ain’t tried to get out down the ivy yet.” "Your ugly face'll stup her from that game. I’d lay a dollar she s had a squint at it already, and also shut the bults to keep that buhl bad nobleman ouL Ila! ha!” laughed Mother Fury softly. AL their talk was conducteu softly, and not without furtive glances at the thicK. shrubbery that grew to witnin a few yards of the windows. But Biuinmagem Jem, who appeared tu have been told otl for the duty, chiefly kepi Ins gaze fixed on an alley in th? hazel coppice, through which alone could a view of the sky to the southward be Obtained. Whatever it was he was watching ioi, lie and his companion served the double purpose of guarding Nance. So Jong as the two pugilists stood under her window she would not be able to essay the descent of the creepers. "Wake up, Ilooly, and tip us a song.’’ said Mother bury preseriTly, surveying the helpless sot in the -hair with a critical eye. ‘‘lt’s my belief you’re shamming drunk.” Hooligan's head had fallen forward on his chest, but at the invitation he raised it and began to gurgle out a droning chant that was alnTost inaudible beyond the confines of the room. "I’ve wandered ’bout a bit in niy time. Of trvuble-sh I’ve sheen a goo’ few: But 1 foun’ it besht in every crime To paddle my own canoe.” “Clime, not crime p you silly,” grinned the Pounder from the path outside. "Tell you isth crime. Always paddle my own crimes,” queruously insisted the noble peer; and his head fell forward again before his nerveless grasp had been able to close on the brandy. “No mistake about it, Mother, he’s copped it fair this time,” said Brummagem Jem. who had turned from his vigil to watch the piteous effort of the hereditary legislator.” “What's the time. Mother?” asked the other pugulist, after a pause, and there was a touch of impatience in his voice. “A quarter to nine; if that thing doesn’t show up soon I shall go and put

her ladyship back in her own little cell.” was the reply. •■Huieh n mean well ail have tu stay another night in this old barrack,’ Hie Birmingham pnze-ngiiier grumbled. "Ut course, it there’s mi signal it will mean that nothing win happen to-night. We musiu i quit tin we get tile oitiee, it we re to linger tne pieces Hint's promiseu us,” was the mulatto's reply. Hie group at the window s.ailed as a mgii-pilcned quavering voice Horn the interior oi the room drew their attention to Most's Cohen, who had paused in his singular trut io and fro and was sunning a warning finger at them. "1 shouldn t advise any of you to quit till you earned your pay,” lie said. The two rulliaus on the path exchanged glances with. Mother Fury. It was the first time the old man had shown any signs of exercising the authority with winch lie had professed to be armed, except when he had joined his puny efforts waih those of the pugilists to keep Hooligan out of Nances room. His interference at this bl age removed the last vestige of doubt from Mother Fury's mind. She accepted him as Tannadyce's reprettntative.xxli ru ettrvv llih’ " abb nsty sentative, on a point that had vexed her. "All right, Mr. Cohen,” she laughed. "No fear but what we'll see it through. 1 ve left the key in her door, on the outside, after locking it. Is that right, do vou think—if we have to quit?” Moses Cohen pondered the question, with an air of deep wisdom before delivering himself of the following oracular reply—“lf it is left in the lock it may be held hereafter that the lady was* detained under compulsion; if it is removed there will always remain the doubt whether the door was not locked on the inside.” Right you are; it's the doubt we want.” said Mother Fury decidedly. "I'll run up and fetch the key before - Ah. there it goes!” The interruption was caused bv the majestic rising of a rocket into the southern sky. plainly visible down the alley in the hazel coppice. The great streak of fire soared slowly into ’the air and then burst in a cluster of red and blue stars that sank amid a shower of golden rain and was lost t<> sight behind the tree-tops. “Clives one the creeps—now it's come. Seems almost as if there was eyes staling at us and waiting out in yonder bushes.” said Ted the Pounder, rather white. But Mother Fury was all for action. The sudden emergency had driven the key of Nance's room out of her mind. "Don't stand gibbering there, you idiot! I've no patience with such nonsense." she hissed. “No noise now. Give me a hand, both of you. to shift this chair closer to the window. Quietly docs it.” The two men obeyed, and together lifted Hooligan bodily in his chair an I placed it so that his legs protruded on to the path. Mother Fury moved forward the table with the lamp and the spirit decanters, arranging it so that the drunken peer formed the centre of a shaft of light which shot past and round

him on to the garden path till it was finally checked by the dense foliage of the shrubbery. "That’ll <k»,” the mulatto hoarsely whispered. “She won't try climbing down out of window while his feet show there and his shadow falls athwart the path. Now it’s time for us to git.” Two minutes later Mother Fury ami Muses Cohen, with the liveried pugilists on the box. were rumbling down the drive in the brougham which had brought Nance, ami which had stood ready harnessed in the stable yard for the last hour. At the bend in the drive the coloured hag put her head out of the carriage and looked back. Lord Hooligan's it clining figure showed up plainly m the band of yellow light diffused from the lamp behind him. "There's an end of him,” she exclaim ed as slip resumed her seat with an un canny laugh that made Moses (Alien shudder in every joint of his emaciated frame. (To be continued.)