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Show By Sidney Gowing Illustrations by Ellsworth Young Copyright 1121 by Sidnay Gowiag i ,-.-. silly thing Td done," said Alroee wltn a gulp. "It would come out that wii your daughter It would be ell over the country, and In all the newspaper I" Lord Scroope, very pole, drew a deea breath, and gave a prolonged shudder; "It Mr. Spencer told me I'd jot to go back and make a clean breast bf it all. He wanted to tell you. But I dlrln't dare. I refused to let him say anything any-thing I made hint swear he wouldn't. It was my trouble, not his. So he did what I asked; even though it meant the police would suspect him, too. So he took the jewels to Aunt Erythea, and never said a word about me; and when she offered him the job as chauffeur chauf-feur he took it; so that the police wouldn't suspect him or uiel 11a came here and drove Aunt's cars I" ' "And you?" said her father quietly. "What happened to you?" "I went back to Scroope next day. I found Amy Snooks was coming here as maid I made her go to Seabrldge, and took her place, Had. Just to be stifa from those beastly police In the hope they'd catch the thieves, If we gave , them time and then they wouldn't catch me and make me explain. And it's Just what happened; Billy Mr. Spencer caught one of them yesterday, yester-day, and the police have got him. Nobody No-body knows anything about me, except you here! Almee panted like a deer at bay. And Billy's asked me to marry him, and Tm going to I" she snld desperately, desperate-ly, "I love him! There's nobody llk "Yu are talking rubbish!" she exclaimed, ex-claimed, sharply. "Of all the g'rls known to me, no more suitable mute could be found for Alexander. Indeed, during her soloum here Almee has endeared en-deared hewlf to me scarcely less than to him. Her piety, her quiet devotion the complete absence In her of all slanglness a.11 these speuk eloquently In her favor." I Lord Scroope gawd at her In bewll-1 derment. "I really do not follow yon, Erythea. And I am greatly disappointed," said Lord Scroope heavily, "greatly disappointed. disap-pointed. I did not foresee this." "I am not responsible, my dear Anthony, for your lack of foresight," said his sister-in-law, acidly. A shadow darkened the window, and she turned. "But your daughter can answer for herself." her-self." Georglna stepped in through the open window, followed by Mr. Lambe. Suddenly observing Lord Scroope she halted and became rigid. Every scrap of color left her cheeks. Alexander halted also, and slowly turned a deep plum color, "Since It is a fait accompli," Bald Lady Erythea to her brother-in-law, almost with a touch of pleading, "be amiable, Anthony, and bestow your blessing on the happy pair." She raised her ear-trumpet as though to share In the benediction. Lord Scroope looked at Georglna dumbly and then Btared at Lady Erythea. "What did you say?" he asked dla- The whirr of a motor Interrupted him. A large automobile was ap-' preaching up the park road. Almee looked at it. Such an expression of horror came over her features that Billy was startled. "What's the matter?" "That's absolutely torn it!" said Almee In strangled tones. "Eh!" ' "It's Dad t" Almee dived back into the room like a rabbit retreating into Its burrow. The automobile swept up to the main entrance; the Very Reverend Lord Scroope descended. "Is Lady Erythea In?" he said, almost al-most curtly, to the butler. "Announce me at once, please. Lord Scroope." Mr. Tarbeaux showed him Into the empty drawing room. Lord Scroope deposited his hat among a cluster of Dresden ornaments. Ills brow, usually white and serene as alabaster, was clouded. Lady Erythea entered majestically. ma-jestically. "Anthony 1" she said. Lord Scroope, omitting any greeting, r ? CHAPTER XXV Continued. 12 "By all means. Inspector," said Ber-jtrand Ber-jtrand yawning. "I am a mere amateur. AH caves look alike to me. Mind the briars J they prick most accursedly." ( Arkwrlght'a inspection of the cave was brief. I "It Is empty, but the place has been tased, and recently," he reported. "Strange they should not have chosen it ; It la the best hiding place In the pit" "Perhaps they only recently discovered discov-ered this desirable residence, and were , about to shift their quarters," suggested suggest-ed de Jussac. "No doubt, If a few watchful policemen ambush themselves efficiently during the dark hours, they will catch the amiable consort of that cutthroat yonder. One hopes so. It is painful to the law-abiding to know that malefactors are at large. Particularly when they are females." ) Inspector Arkwrlght looked at him dubiously, and made no reply. Billy, v' also, when the two rejoined him, eyed Jussac with extreme thoughtful-ness, thoughtful-ness, and had some difficulty in suppressing sup-pressing his emotion. He was still . mounting guard over Jake, who lay upon his improvised stretcher and gazed up at the sky with a singularly beatific smile. De Jussac offered him a : cigarette, which he accepted silently. I "I think," said Inspector Arkwrlght, Til call on you two gentlemen to as- , Blst me and we'll get him out of this. I ; want the place cleared." I It was not an easy matter to carry the gate and Its burden out of the pits. By the time they had achieved It, the car arrived from Jervaulx and wound , Its way over the flat turf. Jake was rived at the abbey there was no sign of his partner. After lingering for some time near the most likely haunts, Billy sighed and retreated to the garage. He had not been there long when Almee's face appeared furtively round the angle of the door. "Hello I" she said, stepping Inside. She halted, and they looked at each other dubiously. Almee was decidedly pale, her eyes pathetic and rather frightened. "I couldn't help It, Billy 1" she said suddenly. "Couldn't help what?" "You saw us getting away, didn't you? And the girl and the Sphinx? Has Monsieur de Jussac explained to you?" "I haven't seen him," said Billy, quietly, "but I guess it isn't hard to see how things were. You might as well tell me, though." Almee, very gloomily, described her encounter with Calamity Kate. "I know," she concluded, shakily, "you're thinking me an idiot I'd no right to take such a risk with the police po-lice there and everything. I I suppose sup-pose she's a thief. But she's done such a lot for that man, and she was so miserable. mis-erable. He's her husband. And 1 couldn't help thinking about you and me, Billy, and how I ehoufd feel if you you " , regarded her fixedly. "I received your letter by last night's post, Erythea, announcing Almee's engagement en-gagement to Alexander. I borrowed the bishop's car, and I have been traveling trav-eling from Closemlnater since seven this morning." Lady Erythea received the news with a smile of approval. "The silly child wished me to delay announcing her betrothal. But that of course, I could not consent to. I wrote to you at once, Anthony. I commend the energy you have shown In hastening hasten-ing to congratulate them and me. One so seldom sees you in a hurry." Lord Scroope deliberately placed a pair of gold-rlmmed plnce-nea on his nose and stared at his sister-in-law. "The news of this engagement," he said earnestly, "Is unwelcome to me. Entirely unwelcome." Lady Erythea stiffened in every limb, ner ear-trumpet was presented In one hand; with the other she raised her lorgnettes ftjid directed them at Lord got as far as that I But I wanted the old one, Billy our Sphinx." "Maybe youll hare her yet. Only I'm not going to let her make trouble for you. We're pretty near done with trouble." "But how" "Never mind, m tell you some time. Gee I how you'll laugh! But Tm giving giv-ing you the cinch It Is so." "Billy I" she cried, "Isn't that splendid! splen-did! Though I I " ' "Well?" "I haven't been worrying so much about It lately," said Almee swiftly. "But it's good to know. And what's going to happen now?" "I know one thing that's going to happen now," said Billy, and he kissed her with as de Jussac would say empressement v "Billy 1" said Almee a little breathlessly. breath-lessly. "Aunt said we bad to be decorous I" "So we are," replied Billy. He kissed her again. Half an hour later Billy, passing the main porch, encountered Ludy Erythea. Ery-thea. v 'Spencer," she said, "I was about to send for you. The person from Scotland Scot-land Yard, who has just left, Informed me that he had not only captured one of the thieves, but that you had rendered ren-dered him Invaluable assistance. It really seems a remarkable ending to the affair but it does not surprise me in the least I I said from the first that you were more likely to make a success suc-cess of this problem than all the police po-lice In the country, if they would only consult you. I was perfectly right ray judgment In fact Is never wrong." "Yes, my lady." "I am quite capable of reading between be-tween the lines," said Lady Erythea with suppressed triumph. "It is my conviction that the capture of this abominable thief was due entirely to you. The police are Imbeciles." Billy shook his head. "On the contrary, Inspector Arkwrlght Ark-wrlght Is an uncommonly clever man, ! my lady," he said respectfully. "As for me, I had luck. Luck's a queer thing. Even cleverness won't always beat It" Lady Erythea looked a little out of her depth. . "In nny case," she continued, "I am very pleased that this absurd suspicion of the police regarding you Is cleared up, and that you come out of the affair with such credit. It confirms my opinion opin-ion of you." Lady Erythea contemplated Billy's tall figure and serenely handsome face with a certain regret. "I am sorry," she said, "that you are leaving Jervaulx." Billy smiled. "The week I have spent In your ladyship's lady-ship's service," he said gently, "has been the happiest time of my life." Lady Erythea was not given to ex- She broke down and began to cry quietly. "That's how it was. Are you very angry with me?" Billy gasped and, stepping quickly to Billy he's been splendid! He Isn't a chauffeur at all till Aunt made him one. And TA marry him, even If he wasl" declared Almeo, on the verge of tears. There was a stunned silence. For once speech denied itself even to Lady Erythea. Georglna was sobbing gentljr in the chair. Alexander still stood over her and said nothing. "I seem to find a thread of enlightenment enlighten-ment In this story," said Lord Scroope, slowly. "Yes, I think I know enough of you, AJmee, to understand. I have a question to put. You came here on the day following the burglary. Where did t you spend the ' previous night? What were you doing?" "I was in a cavel" ,, Lord Scroope passed a long white hand across hla brow. "A cave?" he repeated, blankly. "Yon have reverted, U seems, to the customs of our Neolithic ancestors " "It was a ripping cave," said Almee a little hysterically, "down In the crag pits. All the little rabbits for company. It was more peaceful than Jervaulx. I know It wouldn't have suited Georgle." "May I ask when this unknown young man permitted himself to propose pro-pose to you?" "Yesterday I" "We will not pursue that matter," said Lord Scroope, gloomily ; "thla hardly seems the time or place for detailed de-tailed explanations. I feel" The door opened and Monsieur de Jussac entered. He gave a slight start . .. as his eyes traveled rapidly over the group. "A thousand pardons! A family matter, I perceive," he said quickly, "I will withdraw" "Don't go, VIcomte I" . exclaimed Almee. "Anyone who's a friend of mine is welcome here. You may as well . be In at the death." "If I can be of any service" said Bertrand. He bowed courteously1 to Almee's fathe. "Lord Scroope, I presume." pre-sume." "You," said Lady Erythea to Bertrand, Ber-trand, trembling with . wrath, "were lly. "The happy pair!" said Lady Erythea, Ery-thea, loudly and irritably. "Where Is my daughter?" exclaimed Lord Scroope with consternation. "Erythea, "Ery-thea, where is my daughter?" Lady Erythea started. She glanced nt Georglna's horror-stricken face, and then, with deep concern, moved to her brother-in-law's side. "My dear Anthony," she said in a low voice, "come upstairs and lie down. It will soon pass off. Do not be alarmed, Almee. Lean on my arm, Anthony." Lord Scroope shook himself free. "Are you In your senses, Erythea? This Is my niece by marrlageGeor-glna marrlageGeor-glna Berners. What is she doing here?" "Y-yes," gulped Alexander's fiancee. "I'm Georglna. I couldn't help it" She collapsed Into an armchair and burst Into tears. Alexander stood over her like a large and protective dog ; he laid a hand on her shoulder and glared at the others with defiance. Lady Erythea turned pale. It was disconcerting to find two members of the Scroope family simultaneously smitten with insanity. "Where Is Almee?" insisted Lord Scroope, turning upon her. "Where is my duughter?" "Dad I" The disheveled parlor mnld darted In through the door. Almee's cap was awry, her face was pale, her eyes very bright; the top of her apron heaved tumultously. She stopped short, as Lady Erythea glared speechless at this irruption. "Don't cry, Georgle," said Aimee ; "It wasn't your fault." "Have I been transported Into Bedlam?" Bed-lam?" asked Lord Scroope, dizzily. "Or are you rehearsing a charade? What Is she doing in this costume?" Lady Erythea struggled for breath. "This," she said grimly, "is my par-lor par-lor maid, Snooks, whom I foolishly engaged en-gaged on your recommendation. She has engaged herself again, however, to my chauffeur." Lord Scroope looked at his slster-ln-law with commiseration. "This," he said, In the soothing tone with which one would address a do- lifted into it "I must trouble you to accompany me, Mr. Spencer," said Arkwrlght I "Anything to oblige the police," said Billy, squeezing himself into the front lot the car. It was a tight fit. The journey to Stanhoe was made almost in silence. When the car arrived ar-rived at the police station Jake was duly disposed of, while Billy cooled his 'heels In a dingy waiting room that had been whitewashed some time during (the period when Sir Robert Peel was ireorganlzlng the force. Presently Inspector In-spector Arkwrlght Joined him. The Inspector In-spector closed the door, and regarded pllly with a sphinx-like but faintly tumorous eye. "I think, Mr. Spencer," he said jQuietly, "that you have no very high pplnlon of my intelligence?" T "Wrong there," said Billy, politely. rl don't know that I'd class the Stan-poe Stan-poe staff with the world's great thinkers. think-ers. But I've heard a lot about Scotland Scot-land Yard, and, If I may say so, you rome fully up to sample." I 'There Is no harm now In my telling you that I know precisely what your jmovements have been, Mr. Spencer. I Iknow that It was you, and not the prisoner, pris-oner, who stayed at Ivy cottage as the tenant of Mrs. Sunning. I know that jyour companion, nt the same time, stayed next door. I have also a fairly accurate comprehension of the reasons which led you to accept temporary employment em-ployment In the Jervaulx abbey house- Billy Pulled Almee's Hands Away. her, pulled Almee's hands away from her face. "Angry with you?" he exclaimed, holding them tight. "I was afraid you'd be mad with me I You ought to. Why, I did the same thing, and I'd no excuse ex-cuse I I ought to have made sure that woman was run in." "You did the same thing?" said Almee, staring. "Yesl Of course, I never dreamed you were in the pits, or I wouldn't have done it That crippled crook In the cave got over me. They've got him for five or ten years; and he's earned It. But he was nil broken up about his wife. Neither of them deserve a scrap of sympathy. But the poor devil was In such a state, that somehow I fell for It. He never whined on his own account ac-count ; be was thinking of his wife. It got me on a raw spot He knew I must have tracked him through her he begged roe to say nothing about her. "And I didn't. I gave him that much rope. Never told the police I'd seen her dose by. Running down women Is their Job. If It's got to be done, let them do It They haven't any choice but I had. All the same," said Billy, "If I'd dreamed for a moment you were In the pits, I'd have chased fifty female thieves sooner than you should take a chance'! I ought t to be horsewhipped for rlskln It" "I think It was fine of you, Billy I" cried Aimee with Bparkllng eyes. "No!" he said. "It's you that were fine." "This," snld Almee, "is what comes of growing sentimental. Neither of us would have dreamed of making such-such such-such fools of ourselves a week ago. What will become of her? Will she get awny?" "I don't know or care. If she made the road, there's Juice enough in . the Sphinx to take her a hundred miles from here. I only lxipe they don't find her with the machine. But I'll bet they don't She'll get clear and cover her tracks Phe's the sort that does." "But the Sphinx," said Almee. with Intense remorse, "our Sphinx, Billy I I've lost her for yoe !" Billy laughed. "Weil mighty soon have another there's two hundred landed at the docks last week same model; and a factory being equipped to build the new model over here. Mass production." "What! You never told me It had pressing her emotions. But her austere aus-tere face positively tinged a faint pink color with pleasure. CHAPTER XXVI "Where Is My Daughter?" "WTiy can't we stay on for another week, Billy?" said Almee, leaning a little farther out of the study window, duster In hand. "Go to Aunt the Missus, I mean and ask her to let you keep the Job. She'll Jump at It." "Nothing doing l" said Billy sternly. Almee sighed. The hour was nearly noon on the day following the Odyssey of the crag pits. No news had been heard of Calamity Kate, who appeared to have drifted out of history on the Sphinx. A brief Interval of peace had settled upon Jervaulx. "There'll be a vacancy for a parlormaid parlor-maid an' chauffeur," announced Billy w ith decision. He was standing on the gravel just outside the window. "All the bother with the police is wiped off the slate. It's only a fool that backs his luck too far. And It's time to quit the game and turn the lights out" "That means Aunt has got to know who 1 am, and who Georgle Is; and and all the rest of It" 'There's no way out of that Pm afraid." "I know. But I do rather funk It, Billy. The worst if It Is poor old Georgle Is In a tighter place than I am." "Well have to see her through It" "Don't you think," said Almee, distinctly dis-tinctly worried, "that It would be best If Georglna arranged to cut short her visit and went home and Amy Snooks gave notice, or just cleared out You as well. Then we we could explnin It all by letter, or something. I think it would look better that way." Billy looked at her a little oddly. "I am In a funk, Billy," said Almee, trembling slightly. "I don't cure for myself, hut It's awful to think of poor Georgle having the storm break on her. She Isn't built for It I believe ft the thing isn't sprung on us suddenly, and we manage It at the right time, we we might get away with It" "Right again," said Billy, "but I shan't go. I shall stay and put it through myself." "No I" said Almee quickly. "I won't hear ef that." "You Just leave it to me," said Billy, soothingly, "there's another way. Ill show you " , bold. I did not, till now, know who you were. But the papers you gave me establish your Identity. And that makes all the difference." I Billy was silent I 'I am, you see, In possession of the Ifacts." I "There's one recent fact" thought iBllly, "that you're not wise to." "Your affairs, Mr. Spencer, though . homewhat complicated, do not call for the intervention of the police," said Arkwrlght with the ghost of a smile, "and no official cognizance will be ; taken of that matter ; unless something Unforeseen occurs. I am a thief hunter end not a castlgator of rash young men. What I know, I shall, doubtless, keep to myself." Billy felt an enormous sense of relief, re-lief, combined with a sharp twinge of conscience. "The Irresponsible couple who en-Sconced en-Sconced themselves at Ivy cottage," Bald Arkwrlght, with a dry smile, "made good deal of trouble for themselves." j "Inspector," snld Billy, "did you ever flo a fool thing?" i Inspector Arkwrlght twinkled. ' "A good many, when I was your age. And, sometimes, even now. However, J wish you good fortune. I am not ungrateful un-grateful to you for your share In the , running to earth of Mr. Jake. It Is the duty of the civilian to assist the police. The womnn will still be brought to book. And I shall call on your forml- ' dable employer before I leave. Good-by, Mr. Spencer." 1 Billy walked out of Stanhoe police station and made his way back to the abbey on foot. "Oeel" he said pensively. "But that last stunt was awful dangerous! Of course, I see well enough what happened. hap-pened. But It was Just a lucky accident acci-dent neither Almee nor that blamed nuisance of a woman was seen getting away. The luckiest sort of accident. Inspector Arkwrlght Isn't the fool I took him for, by a long way. I wonder how much he knows? But ho ain't know thnt." I lie shook his shoulders. I "It came near being a real crash-Just crash-Just when everything had come right. It put the wind up me worse than anything any-thing yet But there's nothing to be cared at now." Despite the excellent turn affairs bad taken, Billy's mind was troubling blm. He had the air of a small boy whose mid wi the Jam cupboard is about to be discovered. When be ar- llrlous person, "Is my daughter, Aimee. I am rather glad to And her In any costume. I began to wonder what you had done with her." Lady Erythea's frame slowly stiffened, stiff-ened, ner fingers clenched the ear-trumpet ear-trumpet as though It were the handle of a club. Her eyes were terrible. Before Be-fore the storm could break, Almee intervened. in-tervened. ' "It wasn't Aunt's fault, Dad," she said breathlessly, "nor Georgia's nor Alexander's. It was all mine. And If you all want to beat somebody, it had better be me ! I I'm here to explain !" "Some explanation," said Lord Scroope quietly, "seems to be called for." i Almee, avoiding her aunt's eyes, addressed ad-dressed herself to the quivering ear-trumpet ear-trumpet "I didn't want to come here. Dad mado me. I was frightened of you. Anyway, I didn't think Jervaulx would suit me, and that you'd hate me. So I skipped the car at Burn Ash," said Aimee, her speech pouring from her like a torrent "und mado the chauffeur bring Georglna on here. And I went off on my own I "Georglnn arrived here, and you took her for me. You Insisted sho was me. And she didn't dare explain, for fear of getting mo Into a row. That's what Georgle is) She can't He she cun't even act but she'd let you cut her In pieces before she'd get me into trouble I "I got here the same night and climbed Into her room. And Georgle begged me to own up, and I wouldn't. And I came the next night; Georgle was ready to give It all away and then the burglars got In, I was nearly cawiht all the household chased me, the butler tore a great piece out of my skirt But I got away, and at last right down by the crossroads, I run Into Bil Mr. Spencer." Almee paused for brenth. "Who," Inquired Lord Scroope, In the hush that followed, "Is Mr. Spencer?" "A motorcyclist. He had come across the thieves getting away, had a fight with them they were too many for him, hut he got back some of the Jow els. I told him the awful mess I was la. Of course, the police were after me I'd seen their enr already. If they got hold of me, they'd know the tha Regarded Each Other Gliially. Scroope. The two regarded each other glasslly. "I do not understand you," said Lady Erythea with frigidity. "Alexander Is a young man of unexceptionable character char-acter and prospects. Jervaulx will be his. The Scroope estate is entailed, and I am sufficiently au fait with your affairs af-fairs to know that when your two sons in the Service are provided for there will be no overpowering fortune left for Almee. It appears that if there Is any complaint it should come from me." "The financial aspect of the question does not weigh with me," said Lord Scroope with asperity. "I object to the mutch itself. If Alexander Is to marry at all" "If he Is to marry 1" interrupted Lady Erythea warmly. "Of course he la to marry. Though I confess I was very much afrnld he never would. Permit me to teH you, Anthony, that In taking up this attitude as to the marriage of priests, you stand on a very shaky foundation. You yourself are a Clerk In Orders, and an extreme Ritualist. Shall I remind you thnt If you had not married Dellcla and an excellent thing It was for you this situation would never have arisen I" "I am not conscious of having expressed ex-pressed any such argument" said Lord Scroope very stiffly, but with a certain plnkness about the ears. "As for Alexander, Alex-ander, he is In every way an excellent young man. But if he is to marry, the last thing I should have desired Is his alliance with my daughter. Their temperaments tem-peraments are so opposed that I am convinced nothing but unhapplnotis could result In fact, your news seemed to me almost Incredible. I do not know what to do the position Is very difficult diffi-cult for me, If the child has really become be-come attached to him," concluded Lord Scroope, with visible distress. "Good gracious, man, what did you expect?" exclaimed his sister-in-law. "It never entered my head," said Lord Scroope, emphatically. "I thought that yonr Influence, and that of Alexander, Alex-ander, would have a steadying effect on Almee, who was in some need of It. But this P Lady Erythea showed Increasing exasperation. "You Were Also In Thla Conspiracy. also In this conspiracy t You appear to know the w hole story P "Oh, of course he knows it" ald: Almee, wildly, "Just as Billy knew It,, and Georglna, and Diana, too. They all did their beat for me right from, the beginning. I wasn't worth it but; they did." "It seems," said Lady Erythea, gripping grip-ping the back of a chair, "that every-i ono in my household knew all about; this except myself and my nophewl, Who, through his position and his innocence, inno-cence, now finds himself" "I beg your pardon, Aunt," said Alexander, Al-exander, pallid but calm, "I, also, knew everything that was to be known from the moment Almee entered thla house. I knew that Georglna waa Georglna. I am as culpable as any," (TO BE CONTINUED.) |