| Show SERIAL STORY THE SMUGGLER by y ELLA LAETO MIDDLETON MID 0 N illustrations by ray walters Jy wa by J lt LIPPI st A I 1 SYNOPSIS thres thre girls elizabeth gabrielle i and nd started fo or r canada canad to spend th tho to summer there on oard board steamer they were frightened by tin an apparently demented stranger who binding a bag belonging elo nging to one ot of them took enjoyment in scrutinizing tin izing a photo of 0 the trio the young 0 u 1 r women met a mrs mra graham a Y u s 1 waiting her husband who hod hd a mania for val balling linx the they antl introduced to rord lord wilfrid and lady edith A 4 cottage by the ocean was waa rented ren teil two men called they I 1 proved to ba be john C blake an and d gordon dennett Benti elt one ft a friend of it elizabeths lizabet lis father A wisp of yellow hair from mr grahams graham Is pocket fell into the hands of abse mrs grahams hair was black fearing for the safety of olne oine gems lady edith lett left them in a safe at the cottage mr gordon uennett bennett wai properly introduced explained hla his actions action on board ship mise alone explored the cellar overhearing a conversation there between mary anne and a m man a n ile he proved to be her son charged with murder at a supper which was wa held on the rocks elizabeth rather mys lost her ring cousins causing a search by tho the entre entire party gabrielle witnessed i a stormy scene between lady F with edith and lord jealousy jealousy being the cause causa mary anne ann rought brought back E elizabeths liza beths ring wise went salling bailing with gordon bennett Oen nelt ile ho tried tiled to persuade her to return the jewels lett left in the girls care by lady edith at midnight ellse saw two men one of them gordon hennett bennett attempt attempting in to force un an entrance into their h ott use she admette a to herself that she had nearly loved him and believed herself used as an a tool mrs mra ar dm ham sick told elise of her hu husbands bands love for another woman gordon laen nett ett and blake blaho returned with mr gra hams body lie he had been murdered lord wilfrid grew sulky lady edat confided to elise that wake blake and dennett were thieves lady edith led her to where they were trying to break in the ayls were awakened late at night by a noise in the cottage CHAPTER XVI continued get your watch advised gabrielle and your pins and things ive got all mine in this chamois bag except the gold leads beads they go so BO all just carry them im not afraid but I 1 would rather have my things with me somehow I 1 collected my small store ot of val bables and we formed a procession of 0 three and ventured downstairs wal walking king softly as though 0 als some anet wa t he levs ve Vs ia V our con confidence confided fIden ce returned wo we tried the front door and found it closed and bolted the win dowa lil in tha ilia hall and living room were securely fastened the dining room also appeared impregnable and when wo we found the door door to the sate safe tightly closed I 1 was beyond measure relieved find end almost ready to laugh at my suspicions pic ions lons in the kitchen we found the cellar door open and debated whether we should lock it and thus prevent mary annes return or watt wait and greet her in disapproving array let us listen suggested gabrielle and sat eat down upon the top step to carry out her suggestion then occurred the accident to which I 1 referred in the very beginning she held her gold beads in her ter hand and somehow managed to break the catch and away they went we could hear them rolling roiling down into the cellar step by step and gabrielle Gabr lello was at first motionless with surprise then as ns its lial prepared for or immediate action im going after them she announced noun ced literally rising to the occasion down there shuddered elizabeth oh ob no walt wait till morning 1 11 I sp spent eat every ce cent at of 0 cousin lucys bucys check on those beads sud said gabrielle Gabr lelle folding her kimono about her and preparing to descend and im going to pick theli up right away walt wait till morning indeed you might suppose they were pebbles we algred apprehensively but prepared to follow our intrepid friend feeling that we must share whatever fate was in store for her as aa well as help collect her property so we went carefully down the steps holding our candles well before us those miserable beads had rolled to the roost most remote places of course and wo ve got so interested in looking for them we almost forgot to be afraid suddenly however elizabeth gave a stifled scream sere am which was vas more of a gasp after all and shrank back against the wall there Is some one to in here she whispered 1 I know it how flow do you know gabrielle Gabr lelle tried to speak boldly but the hand rhth held the candle shook until I 1 I 1 a little shower or of melted wax tell fell upon the floor 1 I was feeling under tinder the stops steps elizabeth found articulation difficult when I 1 touched hair human hair we gazed at ono one another tn in abject terror unable for tho the moment to speak or move then elizabeth wize atso nerves were comple completely teli awaked W ayed suddenly as though aishe e were going to faint im afraid she gasped awfully afraid it was hair and an d oh oa dearl what do she began to sob IQ in a hopeless kind of way in which I 1 felt much inclined ta join when I 1 heard ft a suppressed exclamation cla mation followed by a scrambling sound and the simultaneous flash of of two dark lanterns as ae a mare man advance from the back of the cellar while another appeared from beneath th the 0 steps instinctively we drew close together and when we afterward compared notes found we had bad each tried to clearn 8 but could not dont bo be frightened said a voice which sounded bounded strangely familiar Vs its only us alalie and L I 1 the girls stared with mingled relief relict and amazement but I 1 looked the other way for I 1 felt a carious sensation of personal disgrace and as though I 1 could not bear to meet their eyes dut said elizabeth at last but bill i it Is odd it said mr hen bert laett hett with a laugh ho he tried tiled hard tb make natural im I mIm im most awfully sorry you happened to come down wo we did not want you to know anything about it ile he paused abruptly conscious that he be was floundering badly and turned to hla his companion tell them blake alake he commanded this thing has got to be explained and after all its your business not mine yes said gabrielle Gabr lelle in her most high and mighty voice 11 ll it does docs seem to need explaining 1 I admired her very much just then for it Is not every woman ca can look dignified and imposing when enveloped in a kimono with a splutter ing candle in her hand and a dearth of stiff petticoats to sustain her moral backbone mr air blake cast an anxious glance toward the recess from which ho he had emerged one moment he said then disappeared into the darkness whence nee we ve plainly heard a subdued whispering are there more of you demanded gabrielle Gabr lelle but with rather a forlorn quaver in her voice instead of the note of stern interrogation she had intended its all right said gordon beni ben nett natt on my honor miss gabrielle Gabr lelle its all right your honorl honor I 1 had not intended to speak the words escaped before I 1 was aware of 0 3 6 43 there Is sorrit borne one in here I 1 know it it Ile turned and looked at roe me steadily and again I 1 involuntarily averted my eyes on my honor he be repeated now said mr blake returning it you will mill kindly como come upstairs I 1 am ready to explain but I 1 fear I 1 must cause you some pain or at least a shock we went up to the living room elizabeth and I 1 very conscious of our dishabille and inclined to shrink into dark corners co iners gabrielle Gabr lelle stall stalking cing nia ma ally on in front with disgust and disapproval written in capital letters across her back and indignation hanging banging from her shoulder blades well she said coldly after a moments silence lence Bl first said mr blake with a note of calm authority in hla his voice 1 I must ask you to listen to my story without interruptions and to accept for the time being any statements I 1 may make later isbell I 1 shall be in a position to prove them 1 I hope so murmured gabrielle gabryelle Gabr lelle plainly unimpressed mr air blake handed her a chair with the same careful courtesy which had hitherto marked his intercourse with us and waited until she was seated before saying anything more gabrielle sat rigidly upright but suddenly remembered that her feet incised incased in bedroom slippers were minus stockings and therefore drew them quickly under the tha folds of her kimono which hasty act was rather refreshing since it proved her but mortal after all 1 I do not suppose lin hn began in the calm level tone so irritating when anc onea a excitement Is ia at fever heat you will believe me when I 1 say that air mrs dandys emeralds are in your safe please dont take tho the trouble to deny it for I 1 know I 1 am speaking speak ing the truth also I 1 wish to say that they hey were placed there by the woman you have received and entertained as lady campbell but who Is in reality a notorious character and badly wanted by the police 1 I dont believe it it was elizabeth who spoke and her words worda wore freighted with sincere conviction vic tion 1 I did not expect you to it Is true never nevertheless this woman la ls known as nell simms and her career has hai been marvelous for somo some years she was well associated with a famous criminal named james kilroy who gave tho the police a lour lone hard chase chasa before his capture lie ile had many strings to hla his bow not tho the least achong them the smuggling or of diamonds and other articles etione nono too honestly acquired since hla his arrest this woman has directed the business she la Is clever wonderfully clever there was sincere it unwilling ad nitration in hla tone and he ha paused before resuming lit his story it tins has been ray my business this summer to look up this matter of 0 smuggling and I 1 havo have followed the history of this woman as closely us its I 1 c could after the arrest of her chosen companion she married the man you know as lord wilfrid campbell who Is a well known thief and a member of the small and select bard band ot of smugglers but who Is far from being as clever its as she ile he Is also the son of your servant mary anne brown across my mind rushed the decoi lection ot of the conversation I 1 had overheard in the collar cellar and the memory of 0 tho the roans mans voice certain inflections of which had haunted me with their familiarity mili arity for somo some reason I 1 looked across at gordon bennett nen nett only to find him watching me intently an anxious expression in his blue blua oyes eyes where rollet was mingled with sympathy I 1 wondered it he ha knew what I 1 had bad been thinking and immediately looked away again tho the son of your servant continued mr blakos even voice and a dangerous character wanted for murder in montreal these people young ladles ladies have used you for their own purposes this cottage you live in belongs to them and you were put here as a buffer to avert suspicion your servant was sent here to watch you and drug you when necessary your boathouse was used to conceal their boats and your cellar to store their 9 goods oo 00 ds A passage at the back hidden bidden by the empty dry goods box leads into the boathouse boat bouse with tho the mans mother as aa your servant and under their control it was easy for them to carry on whatever operations they chose and to baffle the secret service but your safety even your lives were wera in danger ile he paused as though there was more to come which lie he hardly know knew how to say but gabrielle Gabr lello interrupted him starting from her chair and standing tall and erect before him and do you you expect us to bellevo believe this extraordinary story she inquired slowly it Is true it Is not true we know there are jewels in that sate safe lady edith put thorn after the robbery at the hotel because she was afraid of losing them but they are pearls not emeralds and tomorrow to morrow I 1 will ask her to show them to you 1 I 1 do not wish to see them 1 I do not know mr blake what yo yet were doing in our cellar tonight to night it seeing a very strange place tor for a guest y qu 4 1 gj rac ury ir intention wo are waiting for iii it your unwarrantable ran table attack upon our friends hardly sequin reason leason for your presence here at this hour sir air blake looked at his watch then replied very calmly your friends he said bald with a slight blight emphasis win will return here her tonight wo we are waiting for them we are sorry as aa sir air bennett has haa already said that you discovered us for or we meant to conduct the thing ming quietly it Is impossible said gabrielle Gabr lelle 1 I we why by I 1 know you must be mistaken you can see for yourself he returned 1 I must ask you to allow me to put out the lights 1 I will not do it but miss gabrielle you really must interrupted gordon dennett quickly so much depends upon it it if we are wrong wo we will apologist apologise apol ogise in s sackcloth a cl cloth and ashes toll tell her it to Is the only thing to do miss ilse elizaboth elizabeth wo we finaly agreed and hid bid behind the portiere port lere at the dining room d ajor jor feeling wretchedly guilty ourselves as an well as disloyal to our absent friends lenda fr I 1 do not know how long wo we stood there in tho the dark but it seemed an age as I 1 distinctly felt tho the thumping of my heart and listened with strained attention for a sound from rom the surrounding darkness TO dr BC CONTINUED |
