Abergavenny Chronicle

[All Rights Reserved, j .1 1 THE SILVER DAGGER BY R. A. J. WALLING, Author of "Flaunting Moll," "A Sea Dog of Devon," &c. SYNOPSIS. I Ibarm TOWBKT, of the Villa Zamora, 111 Devonshire, pwposes to Margaret Hayland, of Havlands, and is accepted. Martin is sitting alone in his library the same night, when he hears screams. He goes out-and meets Polly, Lucy's maid,. who is nearly frantio with terror. Ohl the ey.e:s she cries, and tells of seeing some awful eyes glaring at her near the Shrine in the Wood. In this Shrine lies one of Torfrey's ancestors, who had had a love romance, and had been buried with a tress of hair clasped in his hand, and on his breast a locket containing the portrait of a lady. Martin, having heard the girl's story. goes out to the Shrine, meeting the Rev. Charles Pudifln and a friend of his, Dick Hoskings. He tells them the story, and all agree that it is imagination on the girl's part. Next morning, however, when Torfrey, his sister Lucy, and Mr. tdf.rd' a neighbour, are visiting the Shrine, Mr. Radford finds the body of Tom Gannett, Lucy's lover, lying in the bushes. Tom Gannett is not dead. When convalescent he tells how, hearing screams after Polly had left him, he ran in the "direction of the sounds. Near the Shrine a man came sud- -dctily upon him and felled him to the ground. The affair remains a mystery. From this time everything goes wrong with Torfrey. His cattle are poisoned, and a farm is burned. Radfoid advises him to take a sea voyage and forget his troubles, but he declines. Radford then presses him to engage a private detective to solve the mysteries, and to this l proposal Martin agrees. At the same time Radford announces his intention of going on a long trip in his yacht the Castilian. The continued absence of Diego Holmes, Lucys fiance, is a worry to her. She appeals to Pudifln, who loves her, and Hoskings. Both Lucy and Pudifln are suspicious of Radford. Hoskings contents to go on board Radford's yacht and find out alllle can about him. Hot-kings gets on board the yacht by taking the place of one of the crew. He sails with her. Radford is supposed to be on board also, bAPudi&n finds that he is still in the neighbourhood. Torfrey, following Radford's advice, has engaged a detective, and when he arrives Pudifln and Lucy communicate to him their suspicions with regard to their mpterious neighbour. There is a quarrel between Torfrey and Margaret on account of a stranger who has come to stay at Haylands. This man, whose name is Wilton, is said to be a collateral descendant of the former Spanish owners of the Villa Zamora, Torfrey's house. Lucy T-orfrey, in the "'•ounds late at night, hears voices and sees lights in the old sBhrine. She climbs up to look in the window, and falls into the hands of some men who gag and blindfold her and carry ;ber off. She bears some words in Spanish in a voice she it-coguises. CHAPTER VIII. I IN WHICH THB GitAVE REVEALS, ITS DEAD I A strange reception awaited Charlie Pudi- tfin on the following morning when he went -down to the Villa Zamora to see Lucy, and to discover whether the detective had found anything like a clue to the various mysteries he had been engaged to unravel. I'm very ollad you've come, sir, said Torfrey's man before the curate could make any inquiry. Why, what's the matter now?" asked Pudifin, Mr. Torfrey, sir. Mr. Torfrey's the matter." "Eh? What is wrong with Mr. Torfrey? Is he ill?" I left him in bed, sir, sitting up in bed, and talking the wildest stuff that ever was heard out of Colney Hatch. I can't do any- thing with him." I Pudifin waited for no more. He went up the stairs three at a time and reached Tor- I frev's bedroom. He found him, as the man had said, sitting up in bed, and looking like "the ghost of himself. "Ah, Pudifin, I'm glad to see you, old man," said he. "It's a treat to see a Chris- tian face and the face of a friend." "Why, whatever is the matter, Torfrey?" inquired his visitor. "Seen a ghost?" "Yes," said Torfrey, without a smile. '"You'll laugh, of course, and say it is all a delusion. But, upon my word as a Chris- tian, Pudifin, I saw a ghost last night, and the memory of it will not leave me. It is here all the time, and I feel that doom is foreshadowed by its visit. You. know the woman Gomez ? "The image in your grandfather's shrine?" "Yes. It was at the dead of night that • she came. She stood there just where you -are standing, and it was aa though the very image itself had taken life. And she warned lne that the evil deeds of the forbears *would be visited unto the children, even to the third and fourth generation. This is the third generation. I remember some of the very words she said: The Gomez never forget and never forgive; and vengeance is yoart house, eon of a mur- derer y&iit? ho<Mte, eon of a mur- Pudifin frowned. It seemed to him that his friend's mind was quite unhinged, and lie did not exactly know how to set about "the process of restoring it to its balance. "How did the affair start?" he asked, to gain time. "I was sound asleep," said Torfrey, "and waa awakened by a sudden noise. I started up and listened, and it seemed to me that somebody was tampering with my bureau. I switched on the electric light, and there Was the ghost-woman, standing by my bed I was about to' ask the Teason of the intru- 7sion when the likeness dawned on me. I was seized by a terrible and paralysing fear, and before I could speak she began to address me in hollow tones, warning me again and again of the wrath that was to "ome upon me. "But you had heard a noise in another part of the room?" "Apparently, yes. That was what dis- tirrbed me first. I was awake for a moment or two before I turned on the light to make -sure that it was not a trick of the imagina- tion. You know the sensation you have when there is somebody in the room in the dark." "Where is the bureau that you thought waa being tampered with?" "It is in that corner, on your right." Pudifin looked in the direction indicated, and saw a cabinet of ordinary contr,uction. "What do you keep in it?" "Oh, lots of things—jewels, coins-a con- V, quantity of gold coin in two boxes, at"y Spanish, which had been collected by 1nY ??s—the Torfrey pearls, a fair set, ? but nof°7er valuable, some curiosities in t?hp ?y?P?te, and the rest papers of .purely family mportance„ 'You keep the thing locked, of course?" ? « Yes, and double locked. The key is on my private ring. But why are you asking these questions? The affair of the bureau was nothing. It could only have been my tancy that anybody was there." Pudifin went over to it, and threw the "door wide open. "Of course," said he, in triumph. "It has been turned upside down. You had better examine it carefully, and see what has been taken." "Rubbish, my dear fellow. I tell you there was nobody there. Probably I left it Unlocked yesterday, before I went to Hay- lands. "Still, look. There has been a visitation, ;m Ost certainly," said the curate. "But it no ghost-woman; some much more ^■olid and substantial sort of burglar. Wake 4P, Torfrey-wake up, man. There are some demies at work against you, that is plain to see. But you must take the thing in and in earnest yourself." I "What is the use?" asked Torfrey, out of strange lethargy. "You can do nothing Against the unseen." "Pull yourself together, at any rate. Will ?u dismiss this fantasy from your mind? let us tell the detective all about this. If e is any good, it ought to help him to find 4 key to the other part of the mystery." Pudifin extracted a promise from Torfrey follow him downstairs as soon as he could et dressed, and went to the library, telling ae man Gray to go to his master. » While he was awaiting the messenger he 'C*? sent to find whether Miss Torfrey was to J6 seen, Pudifin went round to the garden '*klks under Torfrey's window, and saw that '*?te were marks of disturbance there. But had not time to note anything in?re than long oblong depression in the earth and ?*?e confused footmarks round it, when "?ly came running to him with a look of v "? in her eyes. I 'm so glad You 0, ve oil, sir," said she, "I'm so glad you've Alis4 Luey, si-r-she did not sleep in et bed last night, and we can't find her ttkyvvbere this morning- Oh," said he "Is that all? If you know j^ything of Miss Torfrey, Polly, you must o", that she is quite capable of taking re of herself." el I ?t know, Mr. Pudi&n. Its an very ell ? the ordinary way, and she'* ? high- Iti 8y lady, and all that. But alter l&odT8 happ?ed, it's enough to make any- ?y nervous." The curate knew that better ?am Polly, 441 :11, ik? felt a nervous dread that he would ??t u!? ke to have shown. ?a did she see Misa Tocitw !,H ,I was about ten o'clock that Polly left her, having a headache, and obtaining permission to go to bed. Miss Torfrey was then waiting in the library for her brother, who was ex- pected back from Haylands. It was possible that Lucy had gone off on some wild tomboy expedition, and that she would put in an appearance when they least expected her, and laugh at all their fears. But on the other hand, ati Polly had said, the things that had happened were enough to make one auspicious, and there was the other fact that she had expected the arrival of Diego to-day, and she would not be, likely to risk the chance of being absent when he came. While he was in the midst of these specu- lations Torfrey came down. He was not a bit surprised to hear that his sister had disappeared. He said it was the very thing that he should have expected. "Was Miss Torfrey in the library when you came home?" "Ye8; she was waiting here for me." "And did she seem. in good spirits? "You know Lucy, old chap. She's never in anything but good spirits. She was rally- ing me in the liveliest way imaginable." "Rallying you?" Yes," said Torfrey, and a little shadow of pain crossed his face as he remembered the occasion of the rallying. "I was a bit out of sorts, and she was trying to cheer me up. She advised me -to go to bed and sleep off the megrims, and I went with the object of taking her advice. You know how I suc- ceeded." And you left her here?" "Yes; she was sitting in my big chair when I went out." And that was the last trace that Pudifin could find of Lucy Torfrey. The day wore on and she did not return. In the after- noon, the detective came in. Mr. Benson had been making inquiries in the surround- ing country without avail so far, and in- tended to go through the house among the eervants. "I don't think you are likely to discover much in that quarter," said the curate. "But here is more evidence for you-your men cannot be far off. There was a burglary here last night, and a cabinet in Mr. Tor- frey's bedroom has been rifled. It contained valuables and papers." Pudifin frowned hard at his friend, who, understanding, refrained from saying any- thing about the apparition. Mr. Benson was all agog to see the scene of the burglary, and agreed with the curate that it might be a valuable clue. "By the way," said he, "what is that curious little buildinglin the woods a little way out?" Torfrey shuddered. The curate related its history in brief. "What does it contain?" Pudifin stated some of the contents. "Then," said the detective, "there was more than one burglary last night, for I was attracted by it as I passed just now; and climbed up to look in at the window. The place was turned upside down, and had evidently been ransacked." The two men stood aghast. Torfrey first Tecovered speech. "What did I tell you, Charlie?" he cried, excitedly. "What did I tell you? All the powers of heaven and hell are conspiring against me. What is the use of going on?" Pudifin turned to the detective, who stood mute and impassive, watching them. "Mr. Torfrey is a bit, unstrung. Miss rft>rfrey has left the house, and he fears that something may have befallen her, though doubtless she will turn up soon." Doubtless," said the detective. I should judge Miss Torfrey quite capable of taking care of herself." Just so. In the meantime, there should be work to be done. Will you go upstairs and inspect the cabinet? Then we can walk along to the Shrine and see what has: hap- pened there." Within half an hour, Pudifin and Mr. Benson were inside the little building. The scene presented was one of wanton destruc- tion. The images had been removed from their places, and that of old Torfrey was badly defaced. The floor was littered with a heap of broken statuary. The tomb had been opened, and the cover upon the coffin was loose. The grave has been robbed," said Ben- son, approaching it. Do you know what was there-any 0 valuables? I know only of a gold locket, which con- tained a miniature—a portrait of the lady." We had better see what has been done. Pudifin stood back, feeling a little shiver of awe as the detective coolly pushed aside the wooden lid of the coffin. The leaden shell had been cut open along its entire length. There was the body of old Torfrey, as it had been embalmed, with a thin, gauzy covering over the face. The hands were crossed on the breast, but in them no locket, and only a stray wisp of dark hair en- tangled in the fingers. Pudifin emitted a cry of horror. There was a dagger through the heart of the corpse. I CHAPTER IX. I I IN WHICH CHABLIB GOBS TO WESTPORT. I Standing in the midet of this scene of desolation and horrorJPumfin and the detective were silent for several minutes. How horrible I" exclaimed the curate at last. "What a desecration!" "It is a little bit gruesome," said Mr. Benson; but we have to get used to these things. Let us have a look at the knife." Pudifin shuddered as he withdrew it with a tug from the body, and looked at it with curiosity. "Foreign work, I see," said he, handing it over. The curate was almost overcome by sensations of dread as he fingered the ugly weapon. It was of steel, handle as well as blade, and the handle was elabo- rately decorated. "There should not be many of that sort about, and it may provide us with a clue," eaid Benson. "I will take charge of it." Pudifin willingly gave the thing up. "There is something more than mere rob- bery here," the detective conceded. "Ordi- nary burglars do not waste time in sticking daggers into corpses. They arc generally too busy for any such diversions. It looks like a vendetta." "But where," asked the curate, "do its authors come from? There are no members of the Gomez family left that I know of." "Ah, Gomez was the name, wasn't it? These Spanish families often rise from their ashes." Pudifin was startled. Mr. Radford had used almost identical words. He mentioned the circumstance to his companion. "Ah," said he. "That's not very curious; the fact is so well known." For the present there WM not much to be gained by remaining in the deserted chapel, and they went out to th-3 clearing in the woods. The fresh air was welcome after the horror and gloom of that violated home of death. They were about to return to the house when the detective begged Pudifin to wait a moment while he re-entered the building; he had left 'his stick inside. Pudifin had no desire to look upon the in- terior of the shambles again, and he strolled up and down the grass, with his eyes bent upon the ground. He felt de- pressed and alarmed beyond expression. As he walked by the eastern end of the chapel, he noticed something shining in the grass, stopped, and picked up a simple little silver hir ornament. He examined it closely, and peeswd about, inspecting the ground in the neighbourhood. There was nothing else to be seen. His heart beat a little faster, and his face flushed as. he heard the footsteps of Mr. Benson. -Ria- hurriedly placed, the- thing in the pocket of his coat. It was; just such an ornament" as Lucy hact been, wearing yesterday. He said nothirg, of his. discovery, but' puzzled himself about it during the whole time, of: the walk back to the house. Waen they reached the- library,, expecting to find Torfrey alone thjye,* they discovered thast: he haxi a visit of. Diego Holmes had thrived whale thesy had" been- absent at the arpeli He was etre sapling* Bia long, lithe -t-. ctyosita, to Torfrev» it an eac4 c h a and his dark, handsome face lit up as Pudi- fin advanced to him. "Ah, Charlie, here you are," said he, "and I'm mighty glad to see you. I've been utterly failing to get any senSe out of Martin. What's all the fuss about, and why is everybody looking so blue?" "There is reason for that, Mr. Holmes," said Charlie. "We're in the midst of alarms, and not the least of them, as you may imagine, is that Miss Torfrey disappeared suddenly last night, and we can find no trace of her." "So they tell me. It's strange," said* Diego, smiling; "but Lucy gets whimsical notions sometimes, and I don't set much store by that. She will return presently, I have no doubt, for she expected me to-day. How she will laugh at you all for your pains! But what is all this other bosh— about dire disturbances and mysterious crimes? "You may consider it bosh, Mr. Holmes. I wish," said the curate, Icould think so, too. I fear we shall have a little more diffi- culty in explaining it. Here's Mr. Benson, the detective, who will tell you that it is not so eMY." "Why," cried Diego, impatiently, "you're as bad as all the rest! You have the nerves. Some enterprising thieves have; been doing mischief, and all you people combine to be- lieve a cock-and-bull tale about some con- spiracy against Torfrey and all that is his. You want waking up." "Perhaps we do. We shall be glad of your assistance to that end," said Pudifin, coolly. "Good heavens!" cried Diego. "What an atmosphere I've got into. Come, Mat, old chap, let's have some dinner, and try to get rid of all these fears." He turned to Torfrey, and tried to induce him to talk of indifferent things. Pudifin left the room with the detective, theorising on the discoveries of the day. The evening passed miserably for him, The hostility be- tween Holmes and himself was ill-concealed. He could not help thinking how differently he would have acted and spoken if he had been in Diego's position with regard to Lucy. The hostility broke into an open blaze when, while they discussed the measures to be taken to discover her whereabouts, Diego told him plainly that he thought he was in- terfering, that Miss Torfrey's business was his business, and that he was the person who would have fhe direction of whatever was done. It was arranged that they should go out together to make a few inquiries in the neighbourhood, now that it was practi- certain that something unusual had beftmen. It occurred to Pudifin that Torfrey might be usefully employed if he could be induced to go to Havlands fwtd ascertain whether Margaret had any news. He did not suppose for a moment that she had, but in the ignorance of his heart, thought the idea would be pleasing to his friend. He was amazed by the vehemence with which Torfrey refused; but he did not press the proposal. At the suggestion of Diego, Mr. Benson was deputed for that journey, and when they had seen him off in the dog-cart, Diego and Pudifin started together for the village. v As they passed the door of the Post Office the good lady who controlled his Majesty's mails in those parts smiled to them, and Pudifin wished her good-might. "Good-night, Mr. Pudifin; good-night, Mr. Holmes. You are a stranger, sir," said she, as they stopped, addressing Diego. "I was wondering when I saw you last night how long ago it was that you was here." Pudifin looked at Diego in surprise. "Saw me last night? My good woman, your eyes have deceived you and your wits are wandering. I only came out this after- noon. "Really, Now, bless my heart, I could have sworn that as I was driving back from the station last night I passed you on the road. But there, when 'tis getting dark 'tis easy to make a mistake. It must have been somebody else." "Of course," said Diego. They found that the news had already been pretty widely spread that all was not right at the Villa Zamora; but in no direc- tion could they find any trace of Lucy Diego persisted that she must have gone off on some wild escapade of her own, and that all their flurry would be the cause of laugh- ter in her when she returned. Pudifin hoped it might be so, and, not sorry to be alone, wished Diego good-night at the top of the road leading down into the valley and went back towards his lodgings. The postmistress again addressed him from her doorway. "Strange doings down at the house, Mr. Pudifin," she said. "That ever I should live to hear of such things. My goodness gracious! And dear Miss Lucy, too. Now I wonder what have become of her?" "It is impossible to say, Mrs. Farren," said the curate. "No doubt it will all be explained by and by." "Well, I'm sure I hope so, sir. But it must be a sore trial for poor Mr. Torfrey." "Yes." "If I'm not making too bold, sir, who's the gentleman with the long overcoat that came in here yesterday afternoon ?" "Oh," said Pudifin, "that's the detective Mr. Torfrey has employed to help him to riddle out this strange business." "Then he's a friend, Mr. Pudifin-a. friend of you and Miss Lucy?" "Of course, Mrs. Farren. He's employed to help us out of the difficulty." "Oh, I see, sir. Very likely. Only I thought I should like to know." Pudifin was struck by something in her manner. "What makes vou ask, Mrs. Farren?" "I can't say, I'm sure. It's very wrong of me to speak! It's as much as my character and situation are worth to say anything about it. But it struck me he was not, that was all." A subversive thought suddenly entered the curate's mind. "What do you mean, Mrs. Farren t For God's sake speak plainly." The good postmistress was almost in tears upon this solemn adjuration from the curate. "I'm sure, sir, I've always tried to do my duty. It's very hard sometimes to know what is your duty. I know this, that I wish well to you and Mr. Torfrey and Miss Lucy. And truth will out, Mr. Pudifin. I don't believe that man is a friend to you at all." You must have some reason for saying so. You can depend on my secrecy. What is it? The curate was moved by the thought that had suddenly taken hold of him. It Out with it like a good woman," he added. On your solemn word of honour as a clergyman never to say a word to a living soul about it? "My word is enough, Mrs. Farren. You ought to know me well enough for that." That's good enough," said she. "Come inside, and, Government or no Government, I'll show you what I mean." She took the curate into her room behind the shop that served the double purpose of a general store and a post-office. She locked the door. Now I'm going to do against the law and a thing I've never done before, all the years I've been postmistress of this place. I'm going to show you a telegram that man sent yesterday. If it's all right, and you still think he's a friend, theres no need to say anything more about it. If it's what I think it is, then I may be doing a good turn to you and Miss Lucy." She selected one from among a bundle of forms. "Read that," said she. The curate took the telegram and read: Wilton, Head Post Office, Westport— to be called for.—On the spot little sus- pected she is safe send yacht round soonest possible." He read it again and again. Wilton, Wilton?" he murmured. Where have I heard that name? He puzzled over the message for some minutes, then' handed it back to Mrs. Farren. He shook hands with her. "Mrs. Farren, you have done me a great service, and Miss Torfrey, I think. You may rely upon my most absolute secrecy." Here was new matter foy Pudifiin. He walked back to his den like a dazed man.. There could now be no doubt that the sup- posed detective was in the pay of the enemy„ and the revelation of his treachery was severe blow1.. It was. definitely his. side now, for Laoy-r and her interests, perhaps even her life,, were involved; and Charlie Pudifina, the mild c'irate, felt some of tha.t impui £ e cf the knight errant whose example ije had; sometimes held up before himself wten, thougift1 of the happiness he had iiopedi fort Lucy Torfrey and had m18Sc; W-ifet was the- Srst essential <:i\ th»- s&fefca- j Thisj Ttas. the question W&lé1) he as walked to and as he sat there brooding. It seemed to Irinr that it was to uncloak the secret of the' yacht and to save Hoskings from the danger that threatened him. The words, "She is safe," in the telegram showed that the pseudo-detective knew of the wherabouts of Lucy Torfrey, and that he was sending word |i to the yacht. Nothing could be done with- out the consent and knowledge of the owner of the yacht. Hoskings would know more about the movements of the principal per- sonages than anybody else, if he had played his cards fairly well, and Pudifin, knowing hid friend, knew that he would have played them as well as his hand would permit. But how to find HoSkings t How to get at that mystery of the yacht? The idea that he was now to put into practice gradually grew upon him. He must go to Westport and try to pick up the thread there. It was just seven o'clock. A hilly road of some twenty miles lay between him and the great port. He was an athlete by nature and by training, and in one corner of his room was a steel steed which he could urge along those roads at a better pace than any horse in Torfrey's stables could command. The final action was almost as quick as the thought. He called his landlady. "I'm going to take my bicycle out, Mrs. Wherry," said he. "I may stop the night at K-" (indicating a neighbouring rail- way town)—"with my friend Mr. Masters, or I may not. Don't trouble if I do not get back this evening." Pudifin pinned his trousers tight around his ankles and assumed a short coat and a cap. And thus equipped, he was on the road" immediately. He would be at West- port by ten o'clock. He would find out whether Hoskings had returned, and whether, the yacht was still in the port. In the last resort, he would seek the assistance of the police authorities there. He had ridden into the centre of the town and was pondering which would be the best oourse to adopt, whether to go to Hos- kings's house or to seek the police office at once. He had pulled up and dismounted almost under the towers of the great Guild- hall, and entering a side street to be out of the current of traffic, he saw a large and brightly lit building facing him the GUoeral Post Office. An inspiration seized him-: it might be that the detective's tele- gram had not yet been called for; if it had not, he might intercept it. It was a. daring thing to do, and for a moment he wondered whether it could be justified by any code of morals that his Bishop would recognise. But the thought of Lucy's peril recurred to him, and casting all his timorous scruples, aside, he left his bicycle in the hall, and walked into the office. There were few people in the place, and his own voice sounded strangely to him as he addressed the clerk at the counter, ask- ing whether there were any letters or tele- grams for Wilton. The clerk took no particular notice of him (and even that struck him as remark- able), but turned to a row of pigeon holes and from the box labelled "W" took out a pile of letters and papers, and ran through them. He selected a brown envelope from the pile, and handed it to Pudifin. With a little quiver running through his whole frame, the curate took it, crammed it into his pocket, and hurriedly left the office. He remounted his bicycle, rode several streets away, and tore open the envelope under the light of a street lamp. The few words it contained afforded him no consola- tion, but rather added to his distress. It was not the telegram that had been sent by the detective; that had evidently been col- lected. It was a brief message, handed in that afternoon in London, and it read: "All is ready for the coup." There was no signature. It gave him no light, but it showed him that the conspi- rators, if conspirators they were, had agents at work in London as well as on the spot. What "the coup" could be was more than Pudifin could divine. He was young at his work as an amateur detective. Clearly, the next thing was to ascertain whether Hosk- ings had been home during the last day or two, and what had become of the yacht. He rode to the Western suburb where the young doctor had established himself. A single inquiry was sufficient; indeed, the woman who answered his question said she was pretty well tired of being pestered with people calling, and telegrams and one thing and another, and she wished that the doctor would make haste and come home. To the best of her knowledge he was staying with a parson friend in some outlandish art of the country, but she had had no word from him since he left. So that Hoskings was still on board the yacht, if he had managed to escape the machinations of the enemy; it might, in- deed, turn out that they were keeping him prisoner. Now to find out whether the vessel was still in Westport docks, harbour, or Sound. He returned to the town, entered a quiet hotel in an undistinguished street, and en- gaged a room for the night. He asked for the newspaper and carefully scanned the shipping lists. The entry he was seeking quickly caught his eye: "S. y. Castilian, H. Radford. In East- water." Unless the Castilian had sailed that even- ing, he was in time. Eastwater he knew as a large harbour on the eastern wing of the port. But how to set about the most serious part of his task—that of getting into communication with Hoskings? Unaided he could not do it. He remained in the quiet coffee-room for a quarter of an hour, sunk in thought. The effect of his deliberations wa a decision to seek at once the Chief of Police, make a clean breast of the facts to him, and en- deavour to obtain his sympathy and assis- tance. He walked to the Central Police Station, and was ushered into an office fancifully and lightsomely decorated with wall- designs of handcuffs and staves. "Can I see the Chief of Police?" he asked the officer who came forward to attend to him. "Rather an unusual hour, sir. What's the business? Anything I can do for you?" "I'm afraid not. I must see the Chief if possible. The business is of a most urgent kind, and -I'm sure he would give me a hear- ing at any hour if he knew anything of it." "Would you like to speak to him on the telephone, sir? Perhaps you might be able to give him some idea what it's about." "Can I telephone to him in private?" "Yes, sir-there's a silence box. Better still, I'll take you into his office, and you can get him on his private wire. You have no objection to giving me your name and address? I see you are a clergyman." "No objection at all," said Pudifin, giving the officer his card. He was led into an ad- joining room, where a private telephone rested on the table. The officer rang up. "Here you are, air; the chief will speak to you. When you have done, will you kindly come into the' office?" Pudifin thanked the man as lie retired, And took up the receiver. Three minutes later he was back in the office. "All ri/ht, f3ir? inquired the obliging officer. "Yes. The Chief is very good. I am going to drive to his house. Where can I get a hansom ?" "Hansom, sir? Take a seat there a moment.- Have a look at the paper. I'll ring for a hansom." < A few words over the telephone followed. Pudifin pretended to read the paper. The minutes passed slowly; then the noise of wheels was heard in the street. "Here you are, sir." Pudifin jumped into the cab. "The Chief's house, as fast as you earn drive," said the officer to the driver;, and Pudifin was whirled away. (To be Continued.)