Welsh Newspapers

Search 15 million Welsh newspaper articles

Hide Articles List

20 articles on this Page

.Synopsis of Previous Chapters.…

Synopsis of Previous Chapters. ( CHAPTERS T. and II.—Dorothy Gilbert is walking in the convent garden with her friend Frances Vernon when she is sent for by Sisteif Celestine. Dorothy is introduced to a Mr George Emmett, a stout and dsagreeable person. He tells he'" that her father, on his death, nine months previously, had appointed him. her guardian, and he asks her to leave the convert at a few moments' notice. She docs BO, and hey take her away on his motor ear. They tout" through France together, she grow- mgto detesthim more day by day, and to wish herself back in the convent. Landing in EDg- land, Emmett takes Dorothy to a racing centre in the Midlands by rail. There'haviug taken apartments at the Bolton Arms Hotel," Emmett tells his ward that she will have to may hini. amI gives. her- a ring. Just then, he is told that a gentleman wishes to see him. He leave s the room, and in his absence Dorothy determines to rún away, She is ou the point of leaving when she hears footsteps approaching, and hides behind the curtains. CHAPTER III. The Coward. The curtains were so thick, and were drawn so close, that in the recess it was nearly pitch dark. Only -in one place did the lights of t.he room shine through. That was where the stuff had worn so thin that only a few threads re- mained. But for some seconds Dorothy was unconscious both of the darkness and the light—she was conscious of nothing She scarcely dared to breathe, she did not dare to move, though she trembled so that she had to lean against tbe side of the recess to keep her- self from collapsing in a heap upon the floor. Each moment sile expected that the curtains would be drawn aside and her luding-place discovered she felt sure that Mr Emmett's sharp eyes must have seen them moving as he entered the room. As the moments passed and the curtains remained untouched she began to wonder; Was he playing with her ? Knowing well wb(,1"e she wa.s" had he seated himself at the table, proposing to sit there drinking till she was tired of pretending to hide, or till It pleased him to drag her out ? She was suffi- ciently acquainted with his disposition to be aware that that kind of sport amused him. If he thought that she was shivering behind those curtains, he wcld let her go on shivering, even more and more, until it suited him to play ijome sudden trick which might cause her to tumble in. a nerveless heap on the floor. If he could sueceed in bringing her to that pitch his jense of humour would be tickled he would njoy the jo Re- Thinking that might be the meaning of his Bon-interterence, she had half made up her mind to re veal herself, and so spoil his sport, when, on a. udden. she became conscious that a voice-was speaking—a strange voice, which was not Mr -Emmett's. Then Mr Emmett spoke. Then the voice again. What did it mean ?,- She listened- It is a sufficient com- mentary upon her mental and physieallcondi- tion to tate that until that instant she had 'ard nothing. Yet, as soon as she began to jen, it became obvious that the speakers have been talking together for, at any ae little time, and that in tones which, nc east, were audible. tothy presumed that, after all. Mr Em- jfr had not noticed the quivering curtains, jd had taken her disappearance far granted. tf he had made a remark on it, it had been a passing one clearly she was not the snb- |ect of the conversation whicn he Was- carrying on with the stranger. What they were talking about she did not know, but it. became each second plainer that it was a matter on which they were both of them very much in earnest. If they were not actually quarrelling, they we1"e very near it. The language which was eingused on both sides was warm. The stranger was addressing- Mr Emmett in terms which were the reverse of complimentary, and which Mr Emmett was vigorously resent- ing. His resentment seemed to add flame to the stranger's anger. All at once there came something into his tone which struck the unseen listener's ear. She had become conscious of the ray of light which, penetrated her hiding-pace. Moving gjngejfyV'sfc as to avoid coming into contact vith the hangings, she approached her face to bi, worn place in the curtains. It Was worn so i that the few threads which re- mained formeo. "carcety any obstrnction to the view; she coo: -1 see through quite The scene on the oLjicr f'do ciearly re- vealed she saw the two actors in it as well as if the curtain had not been there. The stranger was a young man, possibly a year or two on the shady side of thirty. He was tall, and held himself straighter than some tall men are apt to do, His chest was broad, he held his shoulder9 well back, about thewboie man there was a suggestion of strength- His head was square, and was poised easily on a rounded throat. He had an odd, clever looking face, a. fine, open brow. His eyes, which were rather small, were wide" apart. His mouth was large, but his lips were- thin, and shut so closely that when. in silence, he looked at Mr Emmett, only a slender red line was visible to show that a mouth was there. His black hair, parted on one side, was a little in disorder some of it straggled over his forehead. Disorder, indeed, was the dominant note of the man. As she watched him the girl had a feeling that he was too much moved by some inward excite- ment to be over particular about the niceties of his attire. His tie was a little crooked his jacket had a lop-sided air. Ordinarily the expression of his queer-looking face was probably a pleasant one. There was that about it which hinted that, in a, general way,the man's outlook on to life was that of a Immorist. But there was little pleasant about itthen, or humourous either. It was not likely that his complexion ever was his strongest :1eature at that moment it-had a. peculiar .pallor which was singularly unattractive. Like '■many dark men, evidently nature had meant 1nm to have a strong beard- His cheeks and chin and upper lip wex&shaven, but apparently 'that day they had not known the raaor. In iconseqruence they were of a bluish tint, which in ghasfly harmony with the almost un- natural colour of his skin. The appearance of the man fascinated the girl who was peering at him from behind the curtain—as if he realised some picture which, in some occult, fashion, had unwittingly been present inlIer nrri-nd- of a man in a rage. His pose, his attitude, his disordered attire, something which looked out of his eyes, the obvious agitation which causedhis conn ten wear that singular hue, the gleam of which was all that marked his tightly doceu iuu 'th the ominous fashion in which, while gt^r.dTTfK (>arfectly still, he never took his glance from off the man in front of him— although she might not have been able to put 'the thing into words, everything about him spoke to the sensitive imagination of the girl of one- who, for a very little, would throw everything aside in the fuiness of his desire 'to gratify the lust of his rage. The man in front of him was angry too, but with him anger took a different form-his-was rather bad temper than genuine passion. It ;1:rad about it a suggeston of bluster, of effort, i P. if he would have liked to have be more ngry than he actually was. Beyond doubt he /as sufficiently annoyed with the stranger; > annoyed that he was quite willing to do im a mischief—to knock him down for in- staoce*even to throw him from the room. Yet, disposed as he evidently was to be as disagree- »able as he could be, his rage altogether lacked that quality of intensity, of white heat, which ^marked the other tbe something which caused the girl when she appreciated, though Umly vaguely, the scene which was being en- f acted before her, to feel that it would be well |that, at the earliest possible moment, she ishotid mafee her presence known for Mr Em- Jinett's protection. Therein those last four words was the bar- rier which held her back- Had it been borne an upon -her, even in the faintest degree, •that "for the stranger's sake it would J- well that she should step out from 'behind that screen, she might have *oone it- on the instant. But for Mr Emmett —no In soroe odd way the stranger's rage cc>pvrcft&iea%»d ife £ lf to ter. The terror with d1.r.rdianimbUed her began to change jinto resentment. AsShe observed the stranger ,3W! ftfiry firM hers. AS surely as she believed ■herself to have a "just cause for adger, so sorely 'was aJ&s' persuaded of the justice of the stran- -ger's anger also. She was convinced that JSmmettvwas in the wrong. Thafcjshe arrived iat this conclusion from very inadequate --es was nothing from what she had seen oi Mr Emmett she Was prepared to-assert, off- jhand, without knowing anything of the facts, that in nine disputes out of ten he was in the "wrong 1 that this was one of those nine she did not for an instant doubt. What they were talking about she did not 1 ■understand. When a he began really to listen there was nothing in their conversation to eher a definite chie; they had reached that fstage when,, like two dogs, they were disposed to do little hot bark at each other. The rstranger informed Mr Emmett, after a brief -pause, as if for reflection, that he was a thief. Mr Emmett paused in his turn then assailed Lthe stranger with a flood of vituperation which was characteristic of the man there was such a redundance of offensive-suggestions. ;,X>orothy felt as if each one of them had been almed at her with each her colour rose. just as she was sure the stranger's rose also. An uncanny desire came to the tips of her fingers to grip the speaker by the throat and choke. ■ an apology out of him. She would have liked to see the stranger do it: withal her might she longed to inspire him With her feeling. Presently she realised that he had it-on his -own account, without any urging from her. When Emijfffett had finished he remained still, mottonleas, never once removing his eyes from the other's inflamed features. -Then he said, more quietly than he had spoken before, there was something in his lowered tone which ^afiedtbe-g^rlbehttMl thecortain. c Would you mind repeating those obser vations ? Or, if that is not convenient, the substance of them ?" Dorothy heard the threat which the words conveyed more clearly than if he had yelled it out. It is possible, since be was not dull- witted, that Mr Emmett heard it too. If such was the case then it seemed that, at least, he Wa.5 no coward, for, with complete sincerity, he treated the other with contempt which was even more galling than words. Thrusting his hands into his trouser pockets, holding his great head a little on one side, looking at the other as if he were something altogether beneath his notice, laughing that brutal laugh of his, which had hurt the girl more than speech could do, he began at him again. He poured forth on him a stream of abusive epithets, with a lavish copiousness which showed how truly great was the wealth of his resources he surpassed himself. There was not a vice which he did not attribute both to him and his progenitors if the tenth of what he said was true, then this man was a wretch indeed. When he had finished, at least for a moment, he laughed, a second time. The laugh did what his insults had failed to do, it moved the other to action. He remained quiescent before the opprobrious torrent, but that lauphter surpassed the limit of his endurance. Still with his cyea fixed on the other's face he reached out towards the champagne bottle which stood beside him on the table. Mr Emmett, perceiving his intention, made haste to intercept it. He, too, moved towards the table. No, you don't he cried. But already the other's fingers were round the bottle's neck. "By you'll be sorry if you try that, you While he was still vomiting adjectives the bottle swung into the air. Dorothy saw that as it was turned upside down some of its con- tents went down the stranger's sleeve. Mr Emmett tried to stop it, and did—with his head. As he endeavoured to grab the other's arm, the stranger, swerving, brought the heavy bottle down upon his unprotected head with murderous force. The head and the bottle were smashed together. Even then Dorothy was struck by the d ifference there was be- twoon the two sounds, the breaking of the bottle, and the breaking of the bead. Mr Emmett and the bottle vanished together, with I something of the effect of a conjuring trick. Mr Emmett disappeared behind the table all that was left of the bottle-was an inch or two of splintered glass, which the stranger still gripped. The result seemed to surprise him. He looked down at the floor on the side of the table which was hidden from Dorothy, and continued to look as if be saw something there which was beyond his comprehension. Then be looked at the splinter of glass, which was all that was left at the bottle, approaching it to his face, as if to enable him to see it better. As he looked at it he smiled, and he said, as if speaking to himself, thoughjais- words weretdis- I tinctlv audible to Dorothy 7 "My word! if it hadn't smashed." His glance returned to the floor. He spoke again. "Emmett," None-replied. Romething in the silence seemed to tickle him, because he both smiled and spoke again. ft seems it held out long enough." He observed the broken splinter with what.appeared tobe-amused curi- osity. After seeming to hesitate what to do With it, he placed it carefully on the table, splintered end upwards. Then again spoke- Emmett When there was still no answer he bent over what besa.w lying on the floor. Presently he kneeled. Dorothy could not see what he was doing with his hands she did not need to see—she knew. When be rose it was with difficulty, his arms were about Mr Emmett he raised him with them. Å9.Mr Emmett did nothing to raise himself, since he was such a. heavy man, the stranger had not an easy task. When he had regained his own feet he was holding his burden closer to him than could have been quite convenient. It was with curious sensations that, the unseen witness observed how limp her guardian, was; his head waggled with the stranger's every move- ment, as if the muscles of the aeck refused to hold it up. Staggering forward the stranger deposited Mr Emmett on the chair on which he had been seated at dinner. The eCect was singular. It was A- old wooden arm-chair. with a capacious seat and a high back. Mr En-i mett co-nld. not be induced tosit up straight. The stranger made one or two well-meaning efforts, but the results were not so satisfactory his labours deserved.. Mr Emmett would persisi in assuming a| lop-sided attitude his chin on his chest, his body in a variety of curvcs, his arms hanging anyhow, Realising that it was futile to try to induce him to take up a more dignified position, apparently the stranger decided to let him stop as he was. He drew back a little as if the better to observe the effect. The spectacle he offered seemed to move him to reflection, and reflection to speech. He said outlood, If ever there was a scoundrel and then stopped, leaving the sentence unfinished possibly recalling the old school tag, which recommends us-to say ob- jectionable things of our friends only while they are living. A cloth cap, a cane, and a pair of gloves were lying on a side table. Turning away, taking up these three articles, the stran- ger moved briskly-towards the dooc, and *oufc, The.girl continued to wateh from behind the curtain. I of the room, never once looking back at wharf; was in the chair. And Dorothy was left alone with bet guar- dian. CHAPTER IV. The Man in the Chair. It was only then that the full meaning of what had taken place began to dawn upon Dorothy- It W39 ontywhen the door had been. opened and shut, and the stranger was gone* that she commeneed to realise what kind of drania this was which had been enacted belom her eyes. That it was not a comedy, but a tragedy in which the most tragic part was probably still to coine. It was odd.how sflent* it was wtaeanthe stranger had gone. Unoon- sckmsly she had found comfort in his neigh*. bourhood--his presence. When that was with- drawn, only the unspeafcableremained. Not the least terrible part of it was that*, f so soon as it became clear to her that she really was aknke, she could not take her eyes off the fignrem the chair- She would, ha wo given mora than she bad ever had if Mr Emmett would only have moved if only he would make some effort to alter what must be-1 a position, of such obvious discomfort. Though she bad come to regard him almost as if he were the bad ogre of some fairy tak. at that moment she would rather he should do any- thing than keerpso still she was move afraid 1 of him dearl than alive, especially as each in- stant the feeling oppressed her more and more that he was dead because of her. Actually— practically—it was she who had killed him. If- she had only made her presence known if she had only moved, if she had only uttered a sound, the thing would not have been done which had been done—of that she was assured. That, pioray, she was an accomplice in this man's killing she knew, if no one else did. From the moment in which. she had discovered the stranger in the room, and had begun to watch, and to listen, she had seen the coming event casting its shadow before she knew that now, as she had known it then. Some instinct had told her that the fury which pos- sessed the stranger-was of the sort which, to use a phrwe-mnjrjes a man see red that beeause of him Mr Emmett was in danger-- although Mr Emmett himself had not sus- pected it, she knew. She had seen it in the stranger's face, in his manner, she had felt it in the air. Not only had she had, in a sense, the pro- phetic vision, she had rejoiced to have it. She herself had had such a loathing for the man, had stood in such terror of him, that when that queer instinctbegan to tell her that it was quite within the range of possibility that the stranger might act as executioner, the blood began to run pleasurabty faster through lior vcins. Expectation became desire she ai d eagerly for him to strike the blow ':11.i4: knowing, before it came, that it was coming. Was that not to be his accomplice ? Her hope had been that he would do what she felt he was about to do, although she might have I stayed him with the movement of a finger, she had given no sign. It was useless for her to tell herself that she bad not expected that he would actually kill him perhaps the stranger himself had not actually meant to kill him. She had foreseen that he would prob- ably assail him with violence and had been willing that he should use what violence he choose. A little more a little less-what did it matter ? Only in the event of the stranger getting the worst of it would she have interposed she would not have cared how much worsted Mr Emmett might have been. The proof that he had been worsted was there before her, in the chair. The result being, so far as she herself was con- I cferned, that, as has been said, she was more afraid of him dead than alive. How long, after she was left alone with her guardian, she remained motionless behind that curtain, she never knew. Before, while the drama was being acted, she would -not have revealed herself on any account, lest she should baulk the principal player now her capacity to do so seemed to have left her. It was sostill in the room that she dared not dis- turb the silence. She kept her eyes fastened to that bare place, looking at what she could not help but look motionless, scarcely breathing, as if some form of paralysis had riveted her in that one position. But, by degrees, in spite of the horror which held her, there did come to her some'dim appreci- ation of the fact that, she could not stay there all night, for ever. She would have to leave her hiding place some time, and show herself to the figure in the chair. The necessity was a terrible one, but it was a necessity; therefore, i the sooner she came out from behind that curtain, the sooner the ordeal would be over only let her be sure to go a.ssoftly as she could —so that, making no noise, none might hear her. With this idea, of moving quietly, she lifted her hand to part the curtains, and had just insinuated her fingers between them when the door was opened, and her hand fell back. Her first impression was, as she saw the door swinging back upon its hinges, that it was pro- bably the stranger who had come back to do she knew not what- But the person who actu- ally entered was the waiter. His appearance made her conscious of a sense of shock she began to shiver all over, though the strange thing was, not that he should come in when he did, but that he should not have come before. This was not one of your foreign waiters plainly he was English to the core. An elderly man, with grey hair, slight side-whiskers, a stoop, and that air of deprecation-which comas to some waiters possibly because they spend so much of their time in considering the wishes of others without reference to their own. A decorous person possibly one of the institu- tions of the house. His professional attire was in better condition than it is apt to be there was a suggestion about him of unusual clean- liness even his hands seemed decently kept, the napkin which he carried over his arm was spotless. Apparently he had taken it for granted that, since the meal must have been long since over, the diners bad departed, and that therefore it was not necessary to knock. He paused at the door for a moment to look about him. Mr Emmett was hidden by the broad high back of the chair on which he was sitting. After this momentary hesitation, seeing no one, the waiter moved forward with the peculiar gait which comes to waiters after performing, for many years, balancing feats with plates and dishes, He had not only reached the table, he had begun to gather to- gether the dessert plates, before he saw Mr Emmett ? in his surprise he nearly dropped a plate. I beg your pardon,sir, for not notJcingyou before, but rd no i" He stopped short, as if struck by the singularity of the gentle- man's attitude. I hope. sir, that nothing's happened-" Again he stopped, perceiving that something, indeed, had happened. His bearing changed, his voice dropped. I do believe- Leaving his sentences unfinished appeared with him to amount to a habit he stopped again. Raising his left hand with his fingers he rubbed his bristly chin, delivering himself of a complete sentence at last. Well I never dicl J" To. an outsider the words might not have conveyed much meaning they seemed to convey enough meaning to him. Then came the half of a query. Whatever is f" He got no farther, seeming to be in a states of such perturbation that, for the time, he had lost his wits. He stood staring at the man in the chair like an anxious rabbit might look at a fox which ibis not sure is dead. Suddenly he seemed to make up his mind what was the best thing for him to do. He went hustling towards the door when he reached it he checked himself, as if seized with an idea. what the idea was was made plain when he took the key out of the lock, opened the door, and, as Dorothy could hear, locked it again on the outeide. And again she was left alone with her guardian. This time her sensations were worse than before; she was being punished for her share in what had been done- She became awake to the fact that, with that door locked, and egress, therefore rendered impossible heirposition had become a most unpleasant one. No doubt the waiter, declining wisely enough to accept more responsibility than be could help, had gone to ten the news to someone- Soon that someone would come back with the waiter the news would be passed on. sooner or later, to the police. The girl had^-of course, no. actual knowledge of the procedure in such cases she knew more about French methods than English; butsbe had sufficient. intelligence to be aware that, ultimately, the police would apoear upon the scene. If she was unable to escape before they came, as, if each, time someone went out-of the-room, the door was locked, would be the case and the polize found her-them behind the curtain, whstwookl happen to her then t What conclusions-would they draw ? I The terror- afsuch-a prospect moved her to action or-at-leest, to attempted-action. Was. there no^ofeher-way of,getting out of the room except by-the door ? She turned to the window which was behind her. Drawing aside the blind she found that it was set with small panesof coloured glass. She was quick-witted enough to guess that that was probably be- cause it looked oxA upon a stable, or a yard, -or something equally agreeable, and therefore a good view was a thing not to be desired. If that were the case, then to attempt to escape that way would be to court discovery. Be- sides, she remembered that the room was on -tb,eflrA.flom; that the approach from the hall was up a flight of several stairs whatever might be on the other side of that window it was not likety that it would he easy to reach the ground- Was there no other way ant of the room. She thrust the curtains aside to look, and heard the key-being put into the lock of-the door. She was back again behind the curtain when the door re-opened, and thewaiter re-appeared with at his heels, dy who was-evidently a personage. A short, cobby man, middle- age, wearing a Gloire de Dijon rose in the battanrhtile of his frock-coat, about him a general air of being well groomed. The waiter moved quickly towards the table, the other following^ close behind him. Whentheyreached the chair the wmter said nothing—it was un- necessary the other saw- What he saw seemed to impress him with the sense of having been subjected to a personal affront*, He asked pettishly .-Wha.tls-tbe meaning of this r" Receiving no answer, the waiter was again stroking his bristly chin with the fingers of his left hand, with about him still that suggestion, of the ,anxious rabbd-he addressed himself to the figure in the chair. Mr Emmett Sir No notice being "taken, he repeated his former futile uMpnry- "What the deuce does this mean ?' Then he added, as if the notion had all at once occurred to him, H^dead J" '< I'm afraid he is, sir.1 The personage went- on -from AL-zovv-ryto discovery. '< He u)rln't have done it himself-look at his head-he couldn't have smashed it like that. Someone must have done it for him." Looks as if that were the-case, sir." M Then who can have-done it ? In my hotel —with the house full of people, in a private sitting-room, seated at his own dinner-table. What have you been doing ?" Several things. There have been a great many many things, sir, to do with the house so busy. I've seen and heard nothing of what was taking place in this room since I came to, say there was a gentleman wished to see him." 1 A gentleman ? What gentleman ?" That I couldn't sa r, sir. A message and a lote were brought to 1 'e, which I brought in., o Mr Emmett; and h 3 went out to see that. enttenjxan." r .J Went out, did he ? He didn't bring the gentleman in here ?" Not so far as I'm aware, sir. They ought to be able to tell you better about that down- stairs." The personage wa.s looldng about him. What's all this broken glass? And what's that ?" He was pointing to the splintered neck of the bgttle, which the stranger had left on the table. Seems, sir, as if a bottle had been broken." A champagne bottle, perhaps." The per- sonage looked at the waiter the waiter looked at him. Possibly it was because of what each saw in the other's eyes, that the speaker left his sentence unfinished. He broke into petu- lant anger. Nice thing this to happen in my house right at the beginning of the race week, about the only time in the year when one does have a chance of making little money. Goodness only knows what mischief it may do me when it gets known. Who's that at the door ? Shut it at once. You can't come in here It seemed that someone could come in, be- cause someone did-a woman. She was what is sometimes described as a fine woman, still in the prime of life, big and well covered she would probably have turned the scale at sixteen stone. She wore a black silk dress, which bad a generous train, her ample bust glittered with chains and gewgaws. Unmistakably this was the hostess—the personage's wife. She stood in the doorway. What's the matter ?" she asked, First of all, Mrs Elsey, be so good as to shut that door. Then, when you've done that, if you'll take the trouble to walk as far as this you will see what is the matter for yourself." Shutting the door, she walked to the table, and saw. Why whatever Good gracious Who's done it ?" Seems as if someone had-by the looks of him." Bob, what a sight hfe is Goodness knows he never was much in the way of looks but who'd have thought he ever could have looked like that ? Don't you know who did it ?" "I'd make it hot for him if I did. Doing a thing like this in my house in my busiest season." There i;<>nty who might have done it- plenty. Yo one ever had much love for him, and small birune to them. Why, I only heard, with my own oars, a man say to him this after- noon By God, Emmett, for two pins I'd have your life Sounded as if he meant it, too." Perhaps someone gave him the two pins." This was the waiter. Whether the remark was meant to be humorous, or merely a sug- gestion, was not clear. No one heeded him. The personage went on. What man was that ? Be careful what you say, Mrs Elsey." No need for you to tell me to bo-careful; I can be that without your telling me, as care- ful as any one- What I say I heard I did hear —I'm ready to swear to it anywhere, though who the man was I don't know. He was a. stranger to me, but I should know him again among a hundred. He was a smallish man, with a sharp, clean-shaven face, and-a. brown suit, and a white billycock which he wore a little on one side. He'd something to do with horses, of that Pm sure. But he's not the only one who had a grudge against George Emmett. Who, who that had anything to do with him had'xrt ? Why, if it comes to that,, we'd no cause to love him." Now, Mrs Elsey none of that sort of talk, if you please, that's a sort of talk I won't have. It doesn't follow that because a man has a grudge against another man that h6 wants to kill him Doesn't it ? It depends on the man. But whatever did he do it with ? I never saw such a. sight as be has made oi hnn." Seems as if be did it with a bottle—a champagne bottle." He must have hit him a crack to make a sight of him like that. Why his head's all smashed to pulp." "You can hit a man a crack with a cham- pagne bottle, if you mean business, and know how to. But this sort of thing won't do. The first thing we've got to do is to send for the doctor and the police, and till they've been nothing's to be touched. Let them find things just as we did then they'll be able to draw their own conclusions and blame no one. So out you go, Mrs Etaey, and you too, Timmins and 111 lock the door and keep it locked and, Timmins, you hang about and see that no one comes near, and, if you want to keep your place, mind you don't say as much as a syllable to anyone about what's in here tall I give you leave." It was not such an easy business as, possibly, that personage would have wished to induce his wife to leave the room. She evinced an, uncomfortable curiosity in the details of the scene of which the man in the chair was such a gruesome centre. Had she been left alone she might have pushed her curiosity beyond desirable limits. As itwas her husband had to put his arm through hers and posi- tively lead her from the room, she remonstrat- ing as she went. So-awn as she was out the door was slammed and the key turned on the other side. And once more, for the third time, Dorothy Gilbert was left alone with her guardian, from whom there seemed to be as littl- chance as ever of escaping It was aa if by some ironical stroke of fate that he ape peared to guard her better dead than. living. (To becontinued).

CRUEL HOAX ON ARTISANS.

A PROTRACTED DUEL

''-"STRANGE FATE OF DR. BAllOON

GENERAL BOOTH'S TOUR.

HEREFORD WEDDING PARTY INJURED.

. \, AT Y BEIRDD.

BARDDONIAETH.

CWYNO MAE DYN.

BEDDROD FY MAM.

D'WF,D " NA " WRTH BOB TEMTASIWN.

PARC CYHOEDDUS ABERDAR.

FOR BOYS AND GIRLS,

The Next Education Bill,

A TT ACKED BY A CAT.

« I CAN'T LIVEwTTHOUT KATE,…

"HEIR OF SNOWDON."

LABOUR MEMBERS' HOLIDAY.

ORIGIN OF WELL-KNOWN HYMN.

[No title]