The Mystery oi Sea
Cliff Towers.
(ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)
By J. D. HENNESSEY,
Author of "The Dis-Honorable," "Wya
nnm," "Au Australian Bush Track," "Gunnery of Church Consett," etc.
CHAPTER I.
The Everlasting Fitness pfiThings.
*P HERE were all tlie elements
i. about Sea-CIiiT Tower? which one expects to find associated with a trag edy. '. ..
The house, surrounded; by thick flic trees, was sombre, straggling and.iso
lated*
. looking down upon it some quarter of a mile distant on the hill-side was a cemetery. .Behind it was the sea.
Not a peaceful sea, whose lapping waves fall gently upon yellow sands ; bat--partly as the resultof dangerous currents, which swept swiftly around a neighboring promontory-a srta of
foam flecked , billows which dashed. forbiddingly upon . a, desolate rocky - shore..-, 1-^ w "
A light' hionse stood upon the pro-: montory. It-was a spot dreaded by ' mariners.;_ ^vessel? had several times ? been 3tost;th^e, ahd the cry Of perish
ing men' ahd wom<3i bad then pierced; through the starm-tumult and echped. around, the turrets and batttemfents -. of the Towers. A long avenue of lie trees led to the front gate, beyond which stretched a bleak sandy, com
mon.
It was the very place for a mys tery, or tragedy, or murder, and it was;'impossible not to associate the house and its surroundings with crime. And let ine say here, that, to my mind, there is an eternal fitness in all things.
Make the suitable surroundings for a crime, and the crime will in due time come, as surety as does a bird at nightfall to its nest, or a child to its home, or love to a woman. I do not wish df argue the point; philoso phers have Investigated, with but very, partial success, our epidemic of crime ; of embezzlement, suicide, or worse ; as though one act of wrong-doing brought forth a whole brood of similar deeds. In a great city the saddest stories of wrong-doing are associated with dismal tenements, and narrow lanes, and filthy streets. ; :
We cannot concave of some things existing in sunlight. Bats make for the gloom, and in a sense it is the gloom which creates tliem. -; And. so., with ill deeds ; let the conditions exist;; and the natural "results1, will follow. It's an old world we live in, but given; a fitting place for an ill deed-nud; search long enough-andyou wilifmd
CHAPTER H.* . 1
Beatrice Ballantynfi. : "
It was with some sncfa tlionphH tu
lier inind as tiiose' of^ the " preTjous] - chapter, that a Toung and fair womatij
sat rocking herself in front ©£,» tfir
cone fire on ihe eyen|nj? of the. 5tl^ of]. June,; 18-, ,in': a lar^e^iid spaeSons; apartment of4tlie mansion pre\ioosly\ referred^ . I...
,7It was the day. ui>on which shehad' tajceu^ 'pps^a^Iou,>- as the heiress, of
- _;i- k..:;. »,
- ofthiek^bart
.-" bright blaze; dulled ocasionaUy as a,
gas
from off the polished fender, as a stray spark actually dropped upon her instep. Then she listened to her maid, who was bustling about in the-ad joining room preparatory to retiring for the night. -
"It is funny/' she said half aloud to herself* "that we two lone women should be sleeping in the end rooms of this great house by ourselves. That wretched coachman and his wife, and the cook and housemaid, are all In the South wing, with pretty well half a dozen - doors between us-and the bells out of order tbo. However, lAiey is not a timid girl, and she's within call, and for myself why should I-fear the old place, or believe the: foolish tales told about my uncle. Sea-Cliff Towers belong to Beatrice Ballantyne, and I am here to stay." *
The lady rocked herself gently to and fro, as one unconsciously does,
when indulging In retrospect- She was evidently thinking yery. deeply: about something, while she" IpoUedat: tlie pictures which came and : wont' amid the.: glowing embers *>£- the fir-j cones. . . ;. .- " ;
It may interest thergaders t<5 know; something more aboutthe lady and; Jier thongbtsi,which just then were! "Car. away from iierpresent residence! upon 33je j?ac|fie Coast jot Australia." i
Only three days before she had hnd-!
ed inthe. capita} eity of Victoria from J England,; apd as shesat locking . her-\ ^lf,-Jbier thoughts were: away on the: Eastern coast of .tJiat country. It| was spring. tinie' there "she thoiigM^ or^ rather early sunimer-^he leafr month, of June.** v:'V " V" - *-V'^ - - - . *
hCT?^.s'he***
ahd -flnng" f&spi: a, coal fecuttle ^i pile
Si
richly, even luxuriously, furnished. A polished walnut bedstead with silk hangings stood near a bay window, with silk upholstered ottoman seats in the recess. A thick square of velvet pile carpet covered the centre of the floor, and old fashioned chairs and sofas were scattered around, while at the far end of the room Was a large wardrobe of walnut wood with full length mirrors in the panelling of the doors. Close by was the half open door leading to the dressing room where Miss Ballantyne's maid was
sleeping. -
The ceiling was inwrought with plaster castings, and a handsome cor nice of similar work gave a finish to the walls of the apartment. It was a room which suggested at a glance that the house to which it belonged was of considerable dimensions, and the residence of some wealthy person.
Nor was the I arty out of keepine. witli lier sr.rroundi')iccs. If the apartment was a handsome one, much more so was the worn?jj who sHIl swayed ii*r; self gently to mid fro in the old
fashioned hroeadetl roekiuc: chair.
At twenty-five Ben f rice BallaJitynje ; was a matured and self-reliant wo~i>?rrv
Both ber parents* haifl died when she was Vonnai leaTinsr her to the "jBruard ! ianshin of an old Welsh jrent^man; ? who isatlsfi"ed%is. wnsclence Ivy placing:
' her at a hiffh-^litss boardiusr school aT*! ; earpfuUr hushandiiisr the resources of
1 alittie landed properly, wlifeh she in i herited in Wale^. Shehadngturally i beeii thrown very much upon her own
resources." ..' " . : .
3-The boarding school, or ladies' col lege as it f was terpied in the; pro«: j^tuV wais at -Norwich, and it w^ here that many of the pleasantest epi
life had trans Her gltardia n died about the
tiine isfee attained hermajority, since
when she had travelled a good bit with an aunt and two girl cousins, when suddenly her Uncle Raymond had died, or rather, It should be said, com mitted suicide by throwing himself off the cliffs below the sea wall of the Towers, and had left her sole heiress of his property. She was a rich woman without kith or kin in Aus tralia. She was beautiful, and she knew it; and among the thoughts which passed through her mind, as she lay back negligently in her rocking chair, were what she was going to do with herself, and her beauty, and riches, in that great sombre place. Aud then she began to think about her Uncle Raymond, and the story of his reputed suicide-for his body was
never found.
That was his picture done in oils over the-fireplace. She would move it to-morrow aud put an overmantel
there.
Suddenly her attention was partic ularly called to the fireplace and grate| aud the thick square fur rug upon" which her rocking chair rested. The rug was not long and narrow as hearth; rugs usually are, but was about five feet square, and under it was a curi ously wrought tessaiated flooring of terra cotta ; she noticed too, that the centre carpet was cut out about a foot, so as to clear the rug and tessaiated tile work. Becoming interested in this, she rose lightly from her chair and stepped back upon the thick carpet to examine it more closely.
A moment after, however, she started and stood white and trembling, staring fixedly at the fireplace, and tessaiated square, and hearth-rug, and rocking chair, which to her horror she observed slowly and noiselessly, but very perceptibly, sinking in one solid piece below the surface of the floor.
Her first impulse was to call for her maid and rush to the door, but Bea trice was of sterner stuff than most women of five and twenty are made of, and this extraordinary thing was taking place in her own house ; besides she was half fascinated by the strange ness of the thing, and scarcely had power over either her voice or muscles. The fire-place, and .hearth-rug, aud -chair,- sank lower and lower, and pre sently there grasped the edge of the tessaiated tile work, in full view of the blowing .embers in the grate, the four fingers of a hand, unon one finger of whieh there sparkled a jewelled ring. They were .fingers which seen under such circumstances as that, were not likely soon to be forgotten.
The ring was seen by Beatrice to be a most uncommon one. and was worn upon the second finger of the bond-evidently the left baud. It was a oafs-eye,"set in a rim of gold, around which there, sparkled In firelight a circle of diamonds. The fingers were large, aud fat, white too, and
"tapered.
Beatrice Was both fascinated aud -horrified, fat fingers were to her sug gestive of violence. She felt herself nhout to scream-then tried to, but could not--and a. moment afterward, sank .Unconscious upon, the floor. Her last thought was that somehow Lne eat*s-eye - in the ring had become human, and was looking at her.
. . , CHAPTER III.
Lucy's Dream..
- If it bad been any one else's house, Beatrice would probably have given a full account of what had transpired to her maid, but it was her own hoime, &o after she bad recovered the severe shock to ber nerves, j»»»d speech was once more easy to her, she determined Cor the present, at any rate, to J&t1® help t>wh counsel, .^ -fc.
No harm, sue thougnt, had been in tended to herself, for she had an indis tinct recollection of a pair of strong arms lifting her off the floor, and plac ing her upon one of the sofas, where Ijucy afterward found her. The room was not disarranged ; the fireplace was where it ought to be, and Lucy on being called by her mistress came in only half awake, and in a state of perplexity which gave ample proof of her not having been previously dis
turbed.
The fire had died out, and Beatrice not unnaturally decided for that night to share her maid's room ; which she did, after having seen that the door between the two apartments was care faly locked and bolted.
For hours afterward she lay listen
ing for any noise in the adjoining t room, oppressed by a painful feeling of apprehension, although a light was kept burning. Lucy slept soundly, as people do who have not come the possession of a mystery, or anythiug else which proves more than they can
well take care of.
The dawn of day, however, found Beatrice sleeping, and when she awoke the sunlight was streaming into the room. She felt at first inclined to treat the occurrence of the previous night as a foolish dream, the outcome of excitement and novelty, and she was on the point of telling it to Lucy, when the girl, who lived in friendlv Intercourse with her young mistress and was mtich attached to her, broke an unusually long silence by saying that she had dreamt a very strange thing about their new residence.
If Lucy had watched Beatrice Bal lantyne closely, she would have seen
her start, and lose color for a moment.
"I am not surprised at that," Bea trice answered slowly, "this strange old place might make the most prosaic person dream; but what was it,
Lucy 2"
"I don't like to tell you, Miss Bea trice." 'i
. "Don't be silly, girl! whatever it is you have dreamt it was. only a dreain. I dreamt a strange thing myself last night, but I attach no importance to it. However, tell me your dream ; but don't be long, for I want to go out and explore among those splendid old trees and shrub beries, I can see from the window. Whatever evil associations there may be about the house, it's a grand old place in daylight."
"Do you know whether this is the ground floor we are on ?" asked Lucy
abruptly.
"Of course it is," replied her mis tress, but there was an anxious tremor in her voice. The question had start led her. , ?
"Why
\
"I dreamt last i^gtat that there were two stories to the house," said Lucy doggedly, "and I thought we were up stairs, and I heard some one calling to lis down in the bafeement."
"Were you frightened ?" queried
Beatrice.
"No, Miss, but in the next room I saw a small staircase, and I went down, for something seemed to com pel me to. I expected to find myselt In a kitchen or cellar, but instead, there was a large carpeted room, fur ttibfted like a . library."
felt her heart, thumping
against her side, but she onl^r temark ed< "Itwasaqueer dream; but I sup pose that wis the end of it."
"No, Miss,*' said Lucy in a hushed ! voice, as though she feared that some one might be listehiug. "There was a sort of carpeted platform just under the fireplace of the next room, two candles were burning near upon a table, and a rocking chair was on the platform."
"Well, what else I" asked Beatrice sharply, as the girl paused, her white face suggesting that some most un pleasant thing was to follow. "I sup pose you dreamt then, that you saw my dead uncle down there ?"
"Don't be angry Miss Beatrice,*
said the simple-hearted girl, who evi dently was st> agitated that she felt half inclined to cry, "I saw a big stout man lying dead upon the floor, his face was turned away from me, but one large" fat hand was resting on his breast and it had a queer ring on one of the fingers. I could not take my eyes off it."
. "What was it like ?" asked Bea trice!
"I think it was one of those catV eyes we saw at Colombo; but it seemed to have something sparkling
around it like diamonds."
"Put your hat and shawl on and come out into the grounds," said Bea trice abruptly.
Lucy and her young mistress breath ed more freely when they had passed along the big entrance hall and stood together outside upon the broad drive
in front of the house.
(To be Continued.)
After the meeting of the Divisional Eoird on Tuesday, Mr. E. H. T. Plant showed the enlarged photo g Hjilis of the ex-Chairmen, Messrs Thcs. Buckland, A. W. Wilson, Thcs. Kelly, Jno. Deane, aud G. Cavey, and presented them to the Board. The photograph of Mr. R. Sayers is yet to come.
At the Supreme Gourt to-day, writes Wednesday's Townsville "Star,"' on the application of Messrs. Roberts, Leu and Barnett, probate in the will of George Guiet, formerly of Leila vale Station, near Cloucurrj*, lab orer, but lately an inmate of the Townsville Hospital, was granted to Jr.cob Leu, of Townsville, solicitor. The estate was sworn at under £105.
A new road (says the "Ciiros Argus") is being cut by private enter prise* from Kuranda to Double Island.
This road starts from Standen-s and crossing the river passes near Hall's place and several deserted selections, and then goes up a spur on the left hand side of the present road down the range, coming out close to what is known as Jamieson's house at Double Island. By this new road, we ate assured, the distance from Kuranda to Double Island is (Ally five miles, so that visitors to the former place will be able to conveniently visit the beau tiful seaside resort at Double Island without much inconvenience. The shortest road from Kuranda to Double Island in the past, has been 12 miles long. We understand that Mr C. Standen, of the Kuranda Hotel, is mainly responsible for the fiew road.
CHAPTER IV.
STRANGERS IN A STRANGE LAND
The further investigations which Miss BpHarityne made that morning in company with her maids and cokch- : man were not at ail satisfactory.
She was herself upset and nervous, ? and everything seemed top>e at cposs purposes. The fact was ^that the es tablishment generally wais suffering from a complaint common to newly
arrived English people In: ^ustx-alial -, ^Miss Ballantyne - and - her ; English servants were only four days off: the' steamer, and yet everyone of them was homesick. \ '
The eoachman's wife, -who was also laundress to the household, had been crying in the laundry for quite half an
hour. She felt 'lonesome and miser able" she said, at the thought that she was all'them mil"es from dear old Eng land. She knew she would never, see Bristol any more, nor her sister Bar bara, nor tier toother .Ben, as lived in Sight of the Wrekin in Shropshire She would not have let her William come ont to such an upside-down, Vlie convict country, let alone have cpmo with J^im, If Mrs. Brotherton, the mis tresses aunt, hadn't bothered her into it Why could not Miss Ball&ntyne haw brought her maid, andgot other ser vants in Australia, without bringing
all belonging to giem.
said coachman who stood by, a big meek-faced man, with mouse-coloured hair and blue eyts, and brawny limbs, a man that could do anything with a horse, but nothing with a woman.
- "Yes, William, you may well stand there shamed At your heartless con duct in bringing a good wife to such a murderous country as this," sobbed tlie petulant woman.
William muttered something -about big wages and a good youiig mistress, but immediately regretted his hardi hood in making such reference to things which at oi?ce furnished his wife with matter for further lamenta tion and upbraiding.
"Its the big wa£es that brought you out here then is it; a^d little do you care about me, if you can get money and victuals, and clothes, and plenty of them. Perhaps you thought I'd die, and then you could pick up with one of them forward young wenches that nodded their 'Leads, and kissed their hands, to you as soon as we put foot in Melbourne. But I won't die William! What a daft fool' like you would do without a poor patient downtrodden woman to look after him, I don't know."
William was about to reply with as much asperity as was possible to his placid nature, when he heard iiis name called by the cook, and glad to get away he hurried down the pass age, which led from the comfortable laundry into the kitchen, which was somewhat inconveniently situated at the south end of the house.
It was Polly Cornstalk, the cook, a plump, rosy-cheeked, Tasmanian w oman, that called him. She had been engaged the previous day by Miss Baliantyne at a Melbourne regis
try office, and was as mueh Austra lian as the rest of the household were English. She was a stout little wo man, although her name was Corn stalk, and she squared around upon the big coachman when he hove in sight, as though about to give him a bit of her
mind, for she was im*er the Impres
sion that his wife's tears had resulted from her husband's bad treatment of
her.
"Billy Hardbake" she said, "that Ayrshire cow has just lifted the rail and walked into the stable to sg.y good morning to the carriage horses.". ; "Good Heaven!" shouted William, turning to rush out, "she'll gore them, or, get kicked."
"No she won't," said Polly, "t put "her out before I toxd you; but look here Billy,1 doa't you thiak that a Lug man like you ought to be "kicked for abusing his wife."
"It'ts, a lie" . said William, bluntly. . "Oh >yeSj of * course it is," said Polly, with ? m sneer, "and I didn't hear. her crying just now, the " poor thing. . You'Englishmen are all alike, and-1 wouldn't marry one of yOu if 3 on were hanging in diamonds; but do get-out 'of the kitchen and let uae get the mistress's breakfast; you had better go back and bully your wife." With this malicious fling, she slamm ed the kitchen door in his face.
William felt himself to be a. much illused and misunderstood man. but
there was no help for ft, and iie went out sulkily to Ms work in the coach-, house "and .stables. Wliat could one man do who had to dance attendance on four women. .He'd give Miss Bgtl lantyne a month's notice^ and take Sarah straight back to England-and he probably would have doiie if
Beatrice Baliantyne had beeiTa man; but he did nothing of the sort, for she was a woHia%
. After the household had breakfast ed, William was wmrooned by 1U» m&traprt*} fcyiug % 8Qww&iY&' a»a
assist Lucy, and Kate, the housemaid, in making a few changes in the ar rangement of the furniture. Several rooms were pretty closely scrutinized, and a few slight alterations made, un til at last they reached the chamber where Beatrice had met with her most alarming adventure the previous
night.
"Measure the matnelpiece across," said the young lady to William,. "I want to buy a walnut over mantel in Melbourne to match the rest of the furniture." '
She shuddered when she saw; him stand fair upon the hearth, and in voluntarily stepped further back to ward where Lucy and the housemaid watched the proceedings. "Suppose the fireplace should give way- under his weight, and here should be a re petition of the startling scene of the previous evening?" *
But William was thinking of his wife, and mentally "cursed' the cook, against whom he had taken a strong dislike, and jit never occurred to; him that his young mistress was a bit strange and flurried in her questions and "general demeanor.
"Take up the hearthrug William,"
she said. *
- The coachman quietly obeyed, won dering to himself the while what his . wife and the cook might jiist then be r saying about him.
"What a fine piece of tesselated tile work this is" shie said; after hav ing contemplated it for fully a minute. ? "Don't go away Lucy, and you stop too, Kate," she called out, as the girls, thinking they were not further want ed, were moving off into the next
room. ? -
"Can I he ;doing anything, Miss,"
said Kate.
"Yes-No-," said Beatrice a bit confused. You. had better remain, I may want you:"
She was scrutinizing the tesselated square, on which William still stood, with the keenest attention. Only for Lucy's having told her about her dream she would - have made ' him stamp upon it to see if it was firm, or sounded hollow. There was a line all around, where a different coloured tile formed a kind of - border; but nothing could be seen which suggest, ed an opening. She had thought of hav fnjg: the whole thing Screwed up, if, a» shfe had expected, she had found a wooden framework around the hearth stone; but the tile work extended right out to the largie carpet, and on a portion of this .being lifted it-was found that the flooring of the room was of concrete. TMs indeed was a - peculiarity of all that portion of the
mansion.
Beatrice took the wondering1 set vanfcs ffoin one room to another, and lifted carpets and linoleum, only to find that the whole of them were floored with cement. There- was ran where a nook or cranny to give the slightest indication' of what there. . might be below. ^
It was the same outside* great flag Ktones of hard and close texture, ever}* . where met the eye. -
Beatrice gave up the investigation with feelings of keen disappointment, and ordered an early lunch ; and the carriage to-t»e ready immediately af terward, and "dismissing her attend ants she sauntered down the steep de >eline which led Into the miniature val
ley at the north end of the house, to which reference has already been made There were stone steps, here and there, to break the steepness of the descent.
Looking more closely at one of them she saw, that It was cat out of the f<m matipn of the hill itself. The rock was & a ..it flwUeS
- - uponBeatrice th^tt it was limestone. -
5 "Sea Cliff Towers Is built Tipon a
great Mil of limestone," she. said at 'y^r:-Iast^.lo^'l»«self. "Andali thefloors at
this endare eitlierstone or concrete??. she continued. r"- ,
- For a long time she stood .near the
waterfall, looking up: through -the
trees, at themassive stoneterrace, and
toT^r above Her. She was evidently
" thinking something out, and at last
turned herhead aioUnd/to where in . '. thedistaneethe Pacific Oeean-streteh
ed its great waters towardthe: east. ? A great steamer waspassihg, bound
north,and^he6eai^iyheededit.
- '^should notfe^
arenatural eavesunder this end of . the house j tfa e whole hill is one mass - of limestone," shewMspered to her
self. But her heart sank within her-as she climbedup that steep ascent. ~
"E'ancy living by oneselfiU such a. dreadful place, with some mysterious V person, who may he your enfemy,under
the floor, and having access to the : lionse-to murder one, perhaps.,r She
shuddered, and felt her. teeth chatter ing together, notwithstanding the bright warm morning sunshine. How she regretted that she had no brother or other male relative to tell her trou ble to. She felt more averse than ever ; to letting the servants know any
thing about it.
"Lucy," she said, on re-entering the house, "I don't care for that room. My uncle, I believe, used to sleep in ft; move all my things out and we will . lodS- It up, and I will take the room 'on
the ocean side of the house, and you can tiring your things into the dressing room and sleep there for a few nights until I re-arrange matters."
Lucy made the alterations, nothing loath, for she felt by her mistress's] : manner that something had either hap
pened, or had come to Iter knowledge about the rooms, which was of an un pleasant character. '
Lunch no sooner over than Wil , - Hani brought the carriage around, and
Beatrice started for the city in soli tary state. She would have taken Xucy ' with her . for company, but . wanted to be alone to think. She dar
ed not come back to that place again without-a man, if not two, fear person al protection. ^Ihe would have to hire* a gardener; but she could not very well put him to «leep in i:he house.
The carriage rolled along the long smooth suburban roads and then over the well-paved city streets, & Beatrice had not yet decided what to say to her lawyer. Suddenly a luminous thought
flashed into her mind. Her business was in the hands of the "youngest mem ber of the firm of Bluntly, 'Blackham and Dorset, the eminent solicitors of Collins Street. Mr. Dorset was a clev er lawyer, .well connected and gentle manly-and a bachelor. She would tell him nothing about what she had seen, but on some . pretext, bring him back -with her in the carriage, and keep him all night and put him to sleep in the haunted chamber-and await develop ments;. '-"V- ? *
It was u bold scheme, but we must
leave it to be.seen later on how it far- - ' ed and whether the woman was a matchtortbteAawyer.:
TheMystery oi Sea
Towers.
(ATX BIGHTS RESERVED.)
Author of "The Dis-Honorable," "Wyn
nurn." "An.Australian Bush Track," "Gunnery of Church Consett," etc.
AnEnglish girl, Miss Ballantyne. in herits. a fortune left by an uncle in Victoria, and comes out to take pos session of her uncle's mansion, known as- Seacliffe Towers. On the first night her rest is. disturbed by eerie mam-. testations, and she goes to Melbourne to consult her lawyers.
CHAPTER 5.
THE DORSET FAMILY
"Credulous people may be found any where, ready to believe anything," re plied Septimus, evasively.
"But Septimus do you believe it?" broke in Ills sister Betty, who occupied the end of the breakfast table, and re lieved Lady Dorset of pouring out the
coffee and tea.
"Of course not. Do you think that I would have allowed Miss BaHantyne to have gone into possession, practic ally alon«i 'if I had believed that she was likely to receive any shock to her nerves, by so doing ?"
"It was not altogether a wise thing," said Lady Dorset, reflectively. "There should have been someone with Miss Ballantyne, to remain in the house with Jier and her servants for the first night or two, till they became more used to the place,"
"Septimus should "have gone himself mother, should he not ?" said Alice, Lady Dorset's eldest daughter, rogu ishly, "It would have been a splendid opportunity to have made a good im pression."
It should be explained that Alice was married, and was only on a visit to Dorset Park, and much as she ad mired her clever brother, and praised him to her husband, who was a hard working squatter in the Wimmera dis trict, she aided andjabetted her jocular sister in any endeavour to get some fun out of the more sedate members of the family.
"Ah," remarked Betty, "I am fearful that you have missed the tide, Septi mus, which taken at the flood leads on to-matrimony."
"I wish, sister Betty, that yon would refrain from making such references," said Septimus severely, "it really is not becoming in a lady. It might be ex cusable in one younger, but you are old enough to know better."
Betty, alas, was fourteen mqnths old er than her brother and she winded a bit, as Septimus intended she should do, at this reference <to her age; but she was not so lightly to be set down.
"l'ou have evidently tafcfcu the dis ease very badly," retorted Betty, "I never dreamt that a lawyer could fall so suddenly, in love." -
"Do leave your brother alone, Betty,v Interposed Lady Dorset, who always sided with her youngest son.
"Now, mother, you don-t think that Septimus minds a bit of banter about the fair Beatrice," said Donald, "if I could get hold of the girl with as
pjw? t&wewfti * ffur lup?
posed to have I'd let Betty plague me as much as she pleased. I have a. good mind to drive out to pay Miss Ballantyne a call this afternoon, the flood tide might set in my direction; what do yoiu say, mother ?"
"I should do nothing of the sort," in terrupted Septimus with some warmth, "it would be altogether premature. I -will drive mother out myself to morrow. Give the girl a chance of get ting her boxes Unpacked, and .her household arrangements made before you call."
"if I were Beatrice Ballantyne," said Betty, "I'd never marry. If a wo man has an income and a home, of what earthly use can a ^husband be to
her?"
"That's just what puzzles me," drawled out Donald, "and yet, some how, at the wind up there's generally a man about somewhere, and if there isn't, <the woman is always looking for him behind a -door or underneath
the bed."
"Say something new, Donald dear," retorted Betty.
"The newest things are not always true, but an old saying is, for it is its truth which perpetuates it," replied
Donald.
"Nonsense," said Alice, "Some of the hoariest old lies the world ever list ened to originated with and were per petuated by the Devil."
"Ah! the poor old chap has «l lot to answer for, has he not Septimus,"
said Donald.
"I never met the gentleman," said Septimus, smiling.
'*You mean that you did not re cognise him," said/ Betty, "yoi^ must, as a lawyer, have met with him of ten enough ; they say that he has lately become a clergyman."
"Very good that, Betty," laughed Donald, "you must mean the Rev. Christopher Broadface, of the parish of Sea Cliff, North Melbourne. He's a bachelor, too. You ought to have met him Septimus, I would not mind betting five pounds that he will be one of the earliest callers upon Miss Beatrice Ballantyne at the Towers."
^What wicked people^ you are be coming,"- said Lady Dorset, shaking her head at Donald and Betty. *'X hear most, encouraging accounts of the good work air. Broadface is doing in his parish. I -wislr we had a clergyman like him in Hawthorne."
"You might get him married to: Betty, mother," said Alice. "That is one of the misfortunes of living in a welj-to-do parish, the clergymen are always married men, so the poor girls -have no chance."
"Save your pity," said Betty, "its bad enough to be married to a man, but to fi£ parried to a clergyman why, look at the families they have,* and how their wives have to work. There's poor little Mrs. Doolittle, think what work she must have with a husband, a pfurish, and. eleven child-: f-en. Every time she comes here to pay a. can I feel inclined to say," 'Don't trouble yourself,Mr$ Dodlittle, we will come to church quite, regular ly without imposing any. further bfiiden upon you." My goodness.! if I were married to a man like Canon Doolittle, or Christopher Broadface, I'd let them know that there were euch things as woman's rights and
-wojnan'«) farongs. Clesrgymen have
since the days of Paul they have tried to put them down and keep them down, both in the church and out of the church. She must be sil ent, and stay at home, and ask her husband, and reverence and obey him. She must give up her soul, and body, and liberty, and opinions, and individuality, and even her name, and what does she get for it ?"
"Love," answered Septimus, grave ly, interrupting his sister.
It was about the last thing anyone expected to hear from the lips of the lawyer, and it came as a shock, and resulted in a full minute's silence.
Betty looked as if she had a dozen answers upon the tip of her tongue. But Donald was the first to speak.
"You are about to ask, Betty, what the love is, which Septimus re fers to," he said. "I'll tell you. It's a sweet article which when exposed to the outside air at a certain temper
ature turns sour. It retains its or
iginal flavour longest when bottled up The first draught of it is to most peo ple nectar; but only to a few, does its sweetness continue to the end. Some women were not made for love and matrimony, andlipon my word Betty, I don't thfnk such a state was inten ded by an all wise Providence for you."
<fWhat nonsense," exclaimed Alice impatiently, "Betty is just the very woman that would make a good man a loving and exemplary wife. She'd make as good a wife as Septimus weul(i a husband."
At this Lady Borsfet gave a practi !rio"'focal ooh'deettl Dll a. rned,r i cal turn to the conversation by remar king-that It would give her the great est possible pleasure to see Septimus married to Miss Ballantyne, and Betty to Mr. Broadface.
"Dont, mother, please dooi't," ex postulated Betty; but Lady Dorset meant it, and said so again, and the breakfast room was directly after
ward emptied of its occupants, amid , general laugliter.
^Pancy wishing to see . me married to that horrid Mr. Broadface," said Betty indignantly. - N ;
; IjSELlPTER V,
' The Dorset Family.
- It was an axiom of the Dorsetfam liiy that every member of it was clev ,?r.; but that aBeventh child born 'nto
it must be& genius. Probably this accounter for the fact that there had al viys been a, seventh child in every known branch vof the Dorset £amilv,, and on more than one occasion the for tunate seventhhadproved to be twins. The climax of the family for tunes was reached when the grandpar ents of Miss Baliantyne's solicitors be came the progenitors of a fourteenth chiid, :a son, who proved as might have :fcee» exj>ecfc6d, a star of thfc first mag nitude..He became an eminent law ;y4»,£ and achieved distinction. for a.
in the capaeityof Prime Victoria; accumulated <a Ttaxte, and a knighthobd, 1 to history, as Sir Qorge iriset. His death toofe place soon
seventh child,
fond mother
hadbeen to follow n of the' lair.
;fen?ed, lie was^&t the iirne of our'
twenty-sev^n years of age. it * ^iioiUd. ^ si^tQi ^aiat the bjisiuesV of l
BlackU^iii aiiil iiotsei, ^vWsu^f
WwiSc&lypitito^
iales, ^lire " ttie *
bug
more [MMthe
*nanin "M^bou^e.-H afavored son, Molizisjv by hSg mtfcfchej*, flattered and fc^eiaStiy :^&ed up to byhis brother^-fifefe latter want «£ -*!»» P* go*nt®politlcs^fuid Income Solicitor-General;for?a, genius, was? nncos^^pl^^r^lg^:^ and had a soul about politics, thedir ection ofhis borizon being a Toorak mansion, and a mamage witha weal thy and attractive girL -v >;- ?; " - /' ,...
When it first became known In the Dorset family that the heiress of Ray mond BaHantyne, of SeaCUff Towers; was a handsome English girlof a sin
gularly independent turn of mind, and" that she was coming-out fromEngland herself, with three servants, to person ally take over her inheritance, qtaite a warm Interest wis felt in her by them: A letter, from her solicitor awaiting her at Albany, the firstport of call, contained one * enclosed from liadj Dorset, of Dorset - Park, Hawthorne, cordially inviting Beatrice to become their guest for a few days on her ar rival. Beatrice had atfirst been mueh inclined to accept this invitation, but * she was of a cautious-ralmost suspici ous-temperament in her dealing with strangers, so after turning the' matter over In her mind she politely declined the invitation by wire, jand asked Mr. Dorset to engage rooms for her at the
Grand Hotel. ..
Septimus had met his new client on arrival .onboardthe steamer, and ids
respectful attentions appearedto have , made a good impression, for Beatrice ] had been quite cordial in her thanks and seemingly had given the firm her
full confidence.
At Dorset Park, as might be «xoect
ed, they talked of Beatrice BallaSyne
as freely as though they had known , her for half a life time ; the glrls were l dying to meet her. Septimus's stately 1 mother (the good lady oe ver-forgor J tluit she wns ft widow of cl on& tiniG Victorian Premier) evidenced a mother
ly interest in her, and much anxiety *]: for her welfare ;while DonaldDorset
the only ©ther unmarried sonvi suddenly displayed unusuaj care In his toilet, _ and threw ouii dark hints of the possibility, of his superseding his brother in Mi« I Ballautyne's affections. But the fam ily generally regarded a marriage be
tween Septimus and Beatrice as a deaf!: certainty, (that " was the way Betty Hie fast young lady of the family, put S ®*ey had not yet seen her * for their unusually quiet, reserved, an*1 uncommunicative brother had COT'i. "s home from his first interview with Beatrice in a state of mental intoxica tion which disclosed at onee the fact that the heiress had made a deep im pression upon his not over-sensitive
Srt £U Sct that vefy niorning on Which Beatrice started away from the Tow^s to consult with him, her name
the chief topic at JheDoniet Park breakfast table. .
" *r"Di<L r",mdersta»d you to say that Miss Ballantyne was to take possess
ion_of .the Towers yesterday?" said . -Ifady Dorset to Septimus) as he took im^seat at the family breakfast table, v likely, Mater," saidSeptlmus.
~4w>ve out about mid-d^ay; J
had intended to ha vegone ybnt. wiihi her to see that everything wasin good ! order, and the place nicely ready, hot; unfortunately Lord Brackenburg came in, to «ee me with " Sir Joshua,
?about that Cariton land, and there.-i was nothing for it but t© send ond Thompson. "JBe reported oh.; his re-' turn that everytbingwks found in per feet ordeayand that MissBftllantyne J expressed herself as 3i|uite charmed
/.%ith i^;p|K».*^;vHv; . .
"You Jiave been out "there several' ..tlmes,^ $uppose,since old Baijantyhe^
said Donaid, pass!ng up;.
:fils jeup for some more coffeeV ^ ArnH j
thpre some queer yarns told aboilt the place belnghannted?"
CHAPTER. VI.
A Woman and a Lawyer.
Sea-Cliff at the time of our ^tory wasstated in the Post Office Direc tory to be eightaiida half miles, from Melbourne, as the name of the su burb has since been changed to a more pretentious one, ilie reader may Jbe sared the troubleof looking for it, there "or upon, the rn^Si At Hie time we wivte «f, trams and subur baufafhvay lines were in their-fancy, the . boom times were only looming up on the horizon; hut so far the rural surroundings of the Queen eity of the South were qujet and undisturbed- A ctoach raiv daily past Sea-Cliff to a gmall township, a- few. miles further along-the coast,carryingtlie mails, and any passengers which Could be picked up, but it was an tfat of <the way dis _trict,; aiid ro^t people along the road kept their own conveyances. Qa the ad Vice of her solicitor, Beatrice had htr cd a carriage and pair of horses by the week at a Bom*ke Street livery stable, so on reaching the Town Hall she alighted and told William to take the carriage around to the stables, and {Jut the horses up, and wait upon heu at Bluntly, Blacfchai# and Dorset's
an hour and the Town Hall clock chim ed the half hour after ten, as she turn ed down Collins Street. _
It was a clear, crisp, bracing win ter's morning, and Beatrice felt the comfort of her sealskin jacket and warm English clothing. "Whoever would hare expected to find Australia so cold a place as this," she thought.
Most of the men wore overcoats and the women furs, and the solid well-to-do air of the brisk crowds which passed along the street decid
edly impressed her.
Although it was early, a consider able number of smart carriages were about the streets, and not a few curi ous glances were cast by their occu pants at the well-dressed girl, who with graceful mien passed on toward Queen Street. They could not see much o£ her face, for her veil was down. But her self-possession, easy carriage* an$ generally graceful bearing, were notion able, even in the well-dressed, affably* and self-satisfied city of Melbourne. >,
"That girl can Glance well," said 31 society, man; to a friend as they passed Beatrice,, and involuntarily turned their heads to have another glimpse of her. "How- she carries her hefed, poses her figure, and lifts her feet. I'd
like to know her."
Beatrice, .however, was little con* cerned just now as to what people thought of her. To her, they /were as yet only "Colonials," and it seemed
perfectl^featural to the young English lady, that' she should attract attention, and be treated with deference, and have compliments p&id lier. She was newly rich too, and her wealth had happened to her at an age aaid, state of mental and social development, when it best becomes a woman. Her education and social training enabled her to- very fairly appraise the real value of money. ' -
"This is one of the streets," she thought, "in which 1 have freehold .property. I must get Mr. Dorset to
show me; where ijt is." -
Soon afterward she passed a fine pile of buildings, over the entrance of which there shone in gilt: letters the words "BaHantyne X3hambers," while numerous highly polished brass .plates, on each side-of the doorway, showed them tobe both extensively and very
repectalrty occupied.
The thought occurred to Beatrice that this might be part of her pro perty and she walked on with, if any thing, a. Mill more sprightly step, for as she confessed to herself it was very nice to be rich--and independent. But somehow the thought of Sea-CitOl Towers and the strange occurrence of the previous night oppressed her, and when at last- she had done her shop ping, and replenished her purse at the bank, she turned into the stylish offices of her solicitors, determined if possible to know ail. that there was to be known about the death of her Uncle Raymond, and the antecedents of Sea-Cliff Tow
ers. . .. ;
. "Mr. Dorset is engaged," said _ a pert office-boy- to thp inquiry room, "would not sMr, Wfi^nan. do,? He
a wonderful lawyer,1 Mam.**, This ^ said confidentially, and added, "He
very nice with lady plient»," ^md tjiie youngster cocked ius head on one side, as though to note the effect mf
words. ? ' r .
The boy was a: wag In his way', ftijit WQS fcis frfcd $Wity to
s of a splendid lawyer in
ly card straight in to Mr. no matter who is with him,
-»ay the-lady is waiting in the outer office," answered Beatrice.
gentleman.
Beatrice frowned severely at him. It was of no use, however. He mis took the lady of Sea-Cliff Towers for some one else, and blurted out, "Real ly, Miss, it's Mr. Wileman you want to see, Mr. Dorset never sees ladies ex cept by special appointment."
Beatrice could scarcely refrain from laughing, notwithstanding her aston ishment and annoyance, for the em bryo lawyer was evidently very much
in earnest.
"Go in then, and send Mr. Wile man out to me," said Beatrice.
"You had better see him in his office, Miss," said the youth.
"Will you please do as I bid you ?" said Beatrice, now thoroughly aroused.
At this the youth departed, mutter ing below his breath something about the obstinacy of women.
The moment after, however, his eye caught the name upon the card and he saw his mistake, and at once hurried
in to Mr. Wileman.
"Did Miss Ballantyne ask for me,
Dunstan ?"
"No, Sir, for Mr. Dorset."
"And why then did you not take the card straight in, as you were -told ? Stand out of the iroad, yoit young fool," he said, bringing a heavy roll of foolscap with a ringing blow against the side of the youth's head.
Dunstan saw stars, while he prompt ly made his exit, and directly aftei noticed Mr, Wileman, closely followed by Mr. Dorset, leave the lafcter's room, and with many apologies usher the
"But
commenced the young
lady into it, after bowing out the form er occupant.
'You seem to be very busy, Mr. Dor set, and very difficult to access this morning,' Beatrice said smiling.
'Had I known that you were here Miss Ballantyne, I would ? have laid any business aside at once. What can I have the pleasure of doing for you? lou have had ;.n early drive to be in the city so soon. I hope there is no thing wrong.
'No, replied Beatrice and then she continued. f am afraid that you will think me im^aiient, but now that I have seen the Towers, I want to know something more about the supposed death of my Uncle, and the past his tory of the place. I think that you said too, that there was a quantity of family jewellery which had been sent for safe keeping to the bank. I sup pose you have a list of it?'
, Septimus Dorset was no doubt very busy that morning, but he did not dare to say so to Beatrice. The document containing a list of the Ballantyne jewellery was forthcom ing from an iron box marked, "The Ballantyne Estate," which was .brought from the strong room. To gain a little vtime for ^ inspection and signing of some important docu ments, Septimus suggested that he would send across to the bank and have the jewels brought over for her
personal inspection.
Beatrice at onee concurred, and proceeded to carefully read the list which had been handed to her. She had not read more than half down the first side of foolscap, however, when she came to a description of a cat's-eye ring, set round with dia
monds .
She scarcely had patience to con tinue further. It was that ring, or
a duplicate of it, which she had seen upon the fat but shapely second finger of that mysterious hand.
She could scarcely conceal her im patience for the messenger's return. The package proved to be a bulky one, and Mr. Dorset came out of the ad joining room where he had retired to affix his signature to sonne deeds, to assist her in opening and inspecting it. Her eagerness and seeming care lessness surprised him. She tumbled costly articles of jewellery on one side as though they "were valueless. The fact was that she was looking for the cat's-eye ring-but it was missing.
She presently laid her finger under the line upon the list, and called Sep timus Dorset's attention to it. "How is it," she asked, "that this ring is missing ?"
Septimus hesitated for a moment, evidently embarrassed by the sudden ness of the question, at which Beat rice looked up and fixed her eyes upon him-his lips were quivering wdth agitation.
.He shook this off, however, with an effort, and said hurriedly, "I had quite forgotten about that missing ring, Miss Ballantyne ; sit down, please and I will tell you what I know about it."
Beatrice looked at him suspicious ly. She had never heard, or read be fore of a lawyer being thrown off his guard, and it evidently was so
with Mr. Dorset.
Did he know aught of the trap door before the large bedroom fire place, or Chat the cat's-eye and dia mond ring was in the possession of some one who had secret access to the Towers ; and if so, why had he al lowed her to go to the Towers un warned and alone ? She swept the whole glittering mass together in a
heap upon the table, and sat down op posite Septimus to hear about the ring.
She was certainly a very hand some, but a peculiar girl, she had loosened her sealskin jacket, and lean ed back in her chair, and looked at him. It was a cold, stem, . deter mined look, such as he had occasion ally seen on the face of a judge who had'a hard case to deal with.
The lawyer somehow felt the tab les turned upon him. It was his place to interrogate, and alarm- peo ple ; but he saw in the face of Bea trice something which seemed to say -"Let there be no equivocation, sir, I want the truth, the wfliole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God."
And the worst of it was he felt that he cuit but a sorry figure in the tale
he had to tell.
(To be continued.)
The Mystery of Sea
(ALIj RIGHTS RESERVED.)
' A.ntlior of "The Dis-Honorable," "Wyn
imm," "An Australian Bush Track." '"Gunnery of Church Consctt," etc.
CHAPTER VII.
The Story of the Cat's-eye Ring.
"I" should have preferred to have waited. Miss Ballantyne, until you had became more settled in your new home and surroundings before telling you what you ask ; but it might unduly excite your imagination and1" possibly your suspicion, if I kept back what it is only right, ana in accordance with the expressed wish of your uncle, that you should know."
How was it as Septimus Dorset thus commenced, that a feeling of repulsion arose1 in the mind of Beatrice ?-one of those mysterious monitions perhaps which sometimes come to us in life.
Long practice had made Septimus a smooth and easy-spoken man ; but somehow he was far less calm and confident as he thus addressed himself
to Beatrice, than usual, and the speech itself was unfortunate, for it suggested a dodbt which might otherwise never,
have entered Beatrice's mind.
She thought, however, that the oc casion demanded that she should be sympathetic, and she accordingly tried to look sympathetically ait Septimus, so as to, if possible, assist him in his self-imposed task.
But it was only partially successful. A whole world of suggestive, if con fused, thought had crowded into her mind, and it was not favorable to the
solicitor.
He was no doubt a fine-looking man. His light colored hair was thick and wavy, his forehead fairly intel lectual, his nose shapely, but his eyes (light blue), and mouth, and chin, were less satisfactory.
Beatrice had never before looked so closely at him as now. She noticed that be had a trick of suddenly draw ing his bVeath when speaking he fid getted with his hands too, and scarcely looked at his visitor as he gave the following account of the loss of the mysterious ring.
"Before I had any personal know ledge whatever of Mr Raymond Bal Iantyiie." be said, "T saw the ring
- to,v which I understand is ^ aluibW*; not so much on account of its Intrinsic worth, as of certain mys terious properties which it possesses.
The facts are as follows :
*' About three years ago a lady, close ly, veiled, called to see me about The transfer of some property which she bad recently inherited in India. .She to4 the wid'o'vr, she told me, of a -dis lin&Tiished military officer, recently dead.,,.' . -
. "There jras nothing very -difficult in fhe*rrtfrre of the business which she wished to have transacted, and rfvf-r I had taken down the particulars, tlic conversation turned upon India; Flio vrpp evidently an educated woman" a r! a TjiiTIfmt conversationalist. Iwsa so ;? I remember, in the sub let oi. conversation, ttiat I .sat telltrrfg'beyond o?.r usrial "hour of clos ing, and th« resfdr-iit clerk after awhile, came fco tfae door to ask If I called
kirn. (I should say that he is per mitted thus to remind me or any lag gard client I may have with me, of the lateness of the hour.)
"At this my visitor arose to go, on which it occurred to me to ask her to attach her signature to a letter I had
drawn out.
"She thea lifted her veil, and also removed her gloves, for the first time. The face was thai of a very handsome woman of about thirty or thirty-five, with large brown eyes, and a dark ciive skin, which just, but only just, suggested the possibility of Creole blood. She had two or three, hand seme rings upon her fingers, and among them .was a. cat's eye set. in heavy1 gold, with a circle of diamonds. - It at tracted my attention immediately^ for I thought it too large, and too con spicuous for a lady's hand.
"She had risen to sign the letter, but suddenly sat down again, and abruptly said, 'Mr. Dorset, I belong to the membership of the Silent Ones, will you excuse me if for a few-mom ents \ sit still and think, before signing
this document ?"
"I bowed my head, scarcely know ins what reply to make her, when she closed her right hand-upon the third finger of which was the ring and rested it carelessly upon the table iii such a manner that the jewel of the ring was directly opposite me. It must have been imagination, but it seemed to me as though the eye of the ring became possessed of human intel ligence, and that the hand had been placed in its position for some purpose; but I treated the thought with con tempt, and dropped my eyes upon the letter which still lay on the blotting pad upon the table in front of me.
"She sat there in perfect silence for fully ten minutes, during which time I seemed to pass through the whole of the.thirty-seven states described by the Buddhists. For the time I believe that I sat there wholly in the power of that strange woman, who. to use her own words, 'had gone into the silence."
'Never before had I realised the significance of human silence. I seem ed during those few minutes to ex perience all those emotions which, when carried to extremity, are . without voice. Terror, rage, astonishment, joy, peace, perfect sympathy, in turn pos sessed me. It was as though that woman's soul and my own had; inter penetrated each other, aud when at last she broke the lon^ pause, it
as though her words were the echo of some spirit music which I had already
heard elsewhere. «
'I had scarcely, recovered myself be fore I found that she had signed the document and was gone.
"I did not think very much of the incident after a few days, for. we were just then engaged in two-import ant law. cases; - but about a month afterward your uncle, Mr- Raymond Ba'Iantyne, called one afternoon at the office. He had just returned from :a two years'- absence;, from- the Colonies, he said, during. : which time he had visited . many peaces ih the East, and had been in several parts of India. The matter he 1 caffledr atwut -was nbt of any great importance^ and I should prcl>at*!y, jiQt - havethought so - much about his: visit, but - that - he - wore~on one hand a ring, singularly like that which had so much impressed me, upon the finger of Mrs Dalbert-for that wUs my lady visitor's name.
'The following day Mr Ballantyne called at the office in a state of great excitement, lie had lost a eat's-eye ring, he said, which he greatly valued, lie had worn it on the previous daj, and thought that . he . might have chanced to have dropped it, in the office. Would I have the place search
ed ?
*1 did this of course, to oblige him; but it was as I expected it would be. a-vain .quest.
'The ring,.I felt sure, had left our office upon your uncle's finger. How ever, as lie seemed disinclined to go, I respectfully questioned liim as to his doings after he had left t3ie office, and found out that he had visited a friend at Carlton, and had .afterwards driven to the Towers in a hired conveyance. This I-found out was a hansom cab, and that he had gone in it, direct from Carlton.
'It suddenly occurred to me that the address given me by Mrs Dalbert was in Carlton. I thought it singular, and suggested that I presumed he had re turned home alone.
'He did not answer me at all promptly, and seemed confused, but then replied 'certainly, certainly I was
alone. Why do you ask such a ques- .
?tion ?'
'I suggested then that an' effort should be made to find. <tlie cabman, who might know something of the ring, but your uncle put the suggestion on one side. He knew the. man very well lie.said, he had driven him home before; he was perfectly honest.
'I was, however, still suspicious, and had an advertisement inserted in the "Age" for the cabman. I did this knowing that your uncle read the "Argus" and would be unlikely to see it. The advertisement was so worded, however, that I felt very hopeful that it would reach the eye of someone who would tell the cabman. This proved correct, for a day or two after ward the .cabman called in response to
the advertisement.
'He was shown into my room. I at once took a bold stand and asked him what time it was when he re turned to Melbourne after driving Mr. Ballantyne and a lady, to Sea-Gliff.
. 'He -^answered without hesitation that it was exactly a quarter to ten.
'Mr Ballantyne lost a valuable ring
that night'I said.
'It was not left in the cab.' replird
the man. . -
*1 want to get to the bottom of thi? matter/ I said, .' So I-'will £et: you to at once drive me out to Mrs Dal .bert's place at Carlton.'
' It was a random shot, but proved to .be quite correct, and a few minutes afterward we -were bowling along Elizabeth Street toward Carltonl
. 'I found Mis Dalbert 'as I had ex pected, and. made an excuse for calling, which seemed to satisfy her. I said nothing about Mr" Ballantyne. hut : noted that there sparkled -unon " lier . finger the: ring which had r previously made so strange an impression iipoii " me. ."I did not 'think it wise to ask any questions, and left the" house: under the'impresslon that there imist be two lings, of similar materials and^-work njanship, 'and'that Gne %p_d bp-r-h worii byEaymondBa31nnty^e and "the ctfc<n" by Mrs DalWr in- accordance with Some mntriajr /reement.
: *1 won^ / whether your uncle
-when, in Inc, / met with; Mrs Dalbert and joined *ihe 'membership of the
Silent Ones.'
'It was about tfils fimBi Ba|
lantyne, tliat your unele put-the whole of his legal affairs in the hands of my firm, and for the further explanation thereof brought in a sort of baiiiff op caretaker, who had had charge of the Towers during his absence. This man was named Rosedale, and was singu larly like your uncle ; indeed,- except that he was somewhat stouter, they might causally have been taken for the same person. I believe that he was not really a servant, but-a mechan ical engineer reduced in circumstances. He and your unele were evidently very friendly and intimate, and I heard it said that during your uncle's absence, Rosedale had told some of the neigh bours that he was a relation.
'A few weeks afterward sorsie legal business took me out to Sea-Cliff and 1 was shown into the Tower library to see Mr Ballantyne. To my surprise 1 found upon his hand Lire s-eye ring.
" I at once congratulated him on having found it, when to my embar rassment he looked long and ii^edly at the ling without replying "to me.
At last he said, " Mr Dorset, never allow yourself to be fascinated by a woman, or a ring. Either one alone may involve you in difficulty5 and trouble; but the two together may bring ruin and death."
"I was surprised at his wurd.>, which seemed almost meaning ;c? me then, and was about to make ooiiitf response, when he .abruptly caliea my attention to the business which Lluu called me to the Towers. - .
"I can only explain my.
conduct on the supposition thai" 1 us under some occult fascination.
" I went again to Carlton ana .. Mrs Dalbert, but on her lmgti
was no ring. I made excuses aiiw called a second and third time ; but on the last occasion the house was closed and Mrs Dalbert had left no address, and no clue by whick s^e could be traced. For two years after that I never met your uncle, but what I noticed that he wore the ring.'Short ly before his death, however, -I saw him again, but the ring was not on his. hand, and I thought that he had suddenly aged very much.
"He lifted up his hand and said "See, Dorset, I have lost the rmg again.' 1 knew then that there had only been one ring - all the lime.
"We heard of your uncle's death almost immediately after. Two dif ferent persons swore that they saw him deliberately throw himself over the rocks. The body was never re covered, as you know, the supposi tion being that it was carried by an ocean current out to sea and there devoured by sharks. I was startled, however, when taking possession of his personal effects and papeas, as trustee on behalf of the heir, to find this memorandum in one of the draw ers of a private escritoire :
Septimus at this handed Beatrice a slip of paper on which there was .written, the following in Raymond Ballaniytie's peculiarly cramped hand writing; " I, Raymond Ballantyne, hereby direct my solicitors tliat Should - my: death- occur unaccountably, sud
denly, or by violence, he sha-I iicrress
it upon my heir to b&w&i-e of a'jaym'-.
wtomah wearing a cat's-ey'e ring."
CHAPTER VIII.
What Septimus Had Withheld.
Beatrice handed the paper back to Septimus Dorset,- with mingled feel ings. She had read it with horror, for it seemed tike a warning to her from another world against a danger which already confronted her. Her very flesh crept at the thought that this menace was positively with her, beneath her own roof, and yet beyond
reach.
Por a moment she had nearly told Septimus Dorset her secret, but sus picious that her lawyer had only to'd her a part of the truth, tept her si
lent.
How she arrived at this conclu sion it would be difficult to explain, unless it was that there is something about a half-told truth which larks the ring o-f genuineness, aud that it was this which had grated upon Miss Ballantyne's ear, and aroused her suspicion as to the fuirveracity of the story. Not that she attributed to Septimus any - intention to do her wrong, but there'was something in the very hesitation of -his inanner, and the studied caution with which he had spoken, which suggested that a good deal had been' withheld.
Some of the facts which Septimus had not told her were as follows :
Meta Dalbert was a coustyu *>f Raymond Ballantyne's. Septimus had not, it is true;1 met her before the interview tof which he had' told Bea trice, but hfe had heard of her and knew of -her singular character, and at the time of the interview he knew or guessed, . what her influence over Raymond Ballantynfc was.
The latter and Mrs Dalbert had met in India, after the death of her husband, and her visit to the lawyer was in reference to business which concerned both herself and her cou
sin.
What Septimus had said about the effect of the silence upon him, and the singular fascination or influence of the ting, was, practically true, but he had concealed, ther fact that although considerably; older than himself, Meta Dalbert had fascinated him, and aroused in .him a fierce jealousy of Raymond Ballantyne.
Another thing which had been
withheld from Beatrice was the fact that ftaymond Bailantyne some years before, madea will, bequeathing the whole of hfs property to Mrs. Dalbert; tout that circumstances had arisen on account of which this will had been destroyed, and the one by which Beatrice inherited had been executed.
$for had the ftict of, a supposed relationship between Seth Rosedale i»p/i Mrs Dalbert been referred to, hot the fact ttmtRaymond Ballantyne was addicted tp the morphia habit, axbd tbat his life at Seadiff Towers was, in many vways,\sh^gular and ex clusive. He had heldaloof from the
neighbors, ^4 -^3^4 hold no. Inter course withany outside the circle of tils own hoaseholdj except absolutely obliged. Whether Meta Dalbert and Seth Bose^alg had^anytklng to do with Raymond B*UIantytaete mysterious death, Septifnus Dorset bad no posi tive knowledge, but hehad his sus picions,, and the passion which Meta Dalbert had inspired in him found its
Opposite in life dislikeof Seth Rose
dale. Soon after the death of Mr Ballaiktyne, and it had been made known who was the heir, liosedale had somewhat ostentatiously re moved himself and his belongings to a' small residence about half-a mile distant from Seacliff, and Sep timus knew that Meta Dalbert was still living in or near Melbourne. He had ceased now, however, to concern himself much about either of them, and was only anxious to ingratiate himself -with Beatrice. Here he thought was the opportunity of a suitable and advantageous marriage, if he only played bis cards right, ,and he intended if possible to do so. It had never occurred to him that the matter of the ring would have come so suddenly to the front.
"I would like to ask yon a ques tion or two, Mr Dorset,' 'said Bea trice, after a short silence.
'""With "pleasure, Miss Ballantyne," replied Septimus.
"Who had charge of the Towers during my (ancle's two years' ab sence in India and Elsewhere ?"
" I believe that it was Mr Rosedale, and a man and his wife, who waited upon Min."
"Was any portion of the house eiosed up during that period ?"
"I rfeally caiflaot say."
" Have you any suspicion as ? to how and where my uncle lost the ring?"
"No."
" You believe that the ring you saw "uponthe band of Mrs Dalbert, and that which my uncle wore, was the same ?" said Beatrice, slightly blushing.
"I "can come to no other Conclu
sion."
" Do you think that she received it from him as a gift, or stole it ?" asked
Beatrice.
" That I cannot say."
"But I asked you whether you 'thought' so ?"
" I did think so at the time, but I do not think so now."
"Why?"
" If your uncle had Suspected that Mrs Dalbert had the ring, there would have been no need to have warped you by that memorandum' to beware of the person wearing thfe ring."
" Is there anyonfe here whom you think might benefit by my death," asked Beatrice gravely.
" Certainly not, unless you executed a will in their favor," replied the lawyer, "you inherit the property without conditions. Your next of kin would be the heir."
" I wish to engage a gardener, and am going to buy alarge mastiff dog," said Bliss Ballantyne abruptly. " I fiave other things to attend to which will occupy me most of the afternoon. There ate several matters about which I should like to consult with you, Mr Dorset; would itr lncftnven~ ience you to come out to the Towers to dinner ?" " .'' '*
"I should be -very pleased," re plied Septiliitfs. . - ?*
" If yoh cotild leaver by fisttr o'clock you might fconre out ttttli me in the carriage,"'saad Beatrice. "
"I wish to talk with*'you," Mte continued after a;~snonieflt's~ paxtse,
" for I am not at ^Hsurethatl shall' remain in* Australia ; indeed, I /am thinking of seliingsame of the pro*
perties and returning to England.*'
" I shall have much pleasure In going with you, and will be ready by the time you start," said Septimus.
In the- meanwhile the JEtev. Chris topher Broadface had arranged with himself to make an early call upon his new parishioner.
He was a fussy little man, with a face as broad as his name. And while Beatrice was driving out to Seaciiff with her'lawyer, and the new gardener and a mastiff on the box seat, by the side of William, Mr. Broadface, self invited, was drinking afternoon tea prepared for him by Lucy while waiting the return of the mistress of the Towers.
Probably Lucy had acceded to the clergyman's suggestion, that he would await the return of Miss Ballantyne, more cheerfully oil account of the loneliness r and: unfamiliar nature of the surroundings, and the fact that she had always been taught to re gard a elefrgyman as a privileged guest. With William and her inis-. tress away and 'only women about the place, he seemed a kind of protection to theni, and both Lucy andthe clergyman awaited somewhat impa tiently ,Mfss Ballantyne's return. His waiting moments were, however, beguiled by pleasant visions of the future.. Miss Ballantyne, he had .heard was a good churehwosnan ; she wduld doubtless prove a tower Of streftgth to him at parish gather
ings, and mothers' meetings.
- If-somegoodangel had warnedthe Rev. Christopher Broadface to be take himseif as quickly as posslbje home, it would have saved him much after anxiety and perplexity, if .no thing worse, but "when good angels would be of the greatest service to iis they are unfortunately most joften absent; and it was so on this occa sion, for the fclergyman ;was still waiting when the carriage with Bea t- xe and her lawyer drove up to the house. j .
(To Be Continued).
The Mystery of Sea
Towers.
(ALL. RIGHTS RESERVED.) ~
. Author of "Tlie Dis-Honorable," "Wyn
! num." "An Australian Bush Track,"
"Gunnery of Cburcli Coflisett," etc.
CHAPTER IX.
An. evening at the Towers
"\Vlien occasion called for it Septi mus Dorset- could readily make him self; an agreeaWe and interesting com panion, and - during 4;he drive to Sea . <Siff lie ^xertjed himself to removeany
unfavourable impression, which lie miglit have, made upon.his wealthy
andbeautiful client.
%It surprised him somewhat to find that Miss Ballantyne 'had so much in her.'* He>found she could talk intelli gently upon-all ordinary subjects, and
oh others fcoo, whicli ^ptimus regar
ded as somewhat out of the ordinary. Only inone particular did the lawyer's * judgment decide adversely in the
matter of his client's, conduct. She could 'talk shop.'. Again and again she abruptly brought her , companion jback'from the regions of sentiment a|&: literature,,to 'business.
What a mercenary creature she is' . thought-Septimus, when Beatrice sud
denly wound - up an interesting dis cission upon the "beauties of the Vat? icanpieture galleries, by ail inquiry as to the estimated value of the Sea Gliff property, including " furniture, and whether he thought it likely that a buyer could be readily obtained ?
'Not readily, I fear, Miss Ballanty ne, Septimus had answered, and he de termined to oppose and discourage the . selling, of the Towers, as far as poss
ible. het Miss Ballantyne once leave Australia for England, and any small chance he had of marrying her would be gone."
'' .. He was not really, sorry on arriving at the house, to find the Bev. Chris topher- Broadfaee awaiting them. 'Having met this .gentleman, before, he was Mile to introduce him to Miss
ballantyne. It relieved the situation of any awkwardness, and besides men aite far more effective and brilliant when s^t against one another. Espec ially - if the -other possesses sufficient good parts t» put the first upon his
hiettle. ;
- Ife was so in the present instance. Christopher Broadfaee was really a bumptious and self-opinionated prig. He had passed a few years at an Ati glican college, after having been pre? viously educated as a school teacher, <sp he had a little learning; but since ijis ooilege ;days his life had been .cast id m^ch; among woishipp'ng women laaa ignorant children, that he had-be come in. his own estimation the foun 'tain of knowledge, as well as thepriv iledged- representation, of the Deity! He was somewhat-.taken aback' when be : ^imd -neither the!: lawly ' nor the lawyer ; paying any special deference
v r. \, ??
* tii^ ^atoce was sorry to see himi siie had been tryi^ that afterr noon; tor nieet ;w|th- a suitable ladyr cpmpjuiion; forshehad a wholesome F^sard'^or wbat
say about her living alone at the Tow ers, arid she suspected that in such matters the place had not the best of names. However, she had not been aMe to please herself in this res pect so " readily as in the matter of a mastiff, dog and gardener, and the lady companion was still toeing sought for. . The presence of the clergyman at dinner would have a wholesome" ef fect upon the household, and also upop her. own reputation as a good church Woman,. and Beatrice mentally decid ed that afte?. diiuier she would have the whole establishment in to evening
prayers.
She. suggested this to Mr. Broad face . after soup had been served, and Beatrice .at once rose* ten degrees in his estimation. He had said an unus ually long grace, and attributed the re quest,in. part to the, good impression which his sonorous delivery of" it had created,
. 'Do you conduct' service at Sea-Cilff Church every Sunday, Mr. Broad-" faceasked Beatrice. *
'I have that pleasure.' said Chris topher, blushing with gratiflcaition at
the interest which Beatrice Was So ev idently taking in his work. "
But to tell the honest truth the thoughts of the Mistress of Sea-Cliff Towers Just then, dwelt but very lightly upon the church or its minis ters or ministrations; She had wanted two men to sleep in her house for per sonal reasons; now she had them there, and she proposed, if possible, to keep them; but the question was, how ? She ought to offer Septimus Dorset the carriage to drive Mm to the nearest railway station, some four miles distant, and the clergyman would of course want to go home. He was not married, "but he had a sister, and not infrequently sisters were more exacting than wives.
Septimus, however, had made~ up his mind to stay late if possible. He had noticed both a harp and piano in the drawing room, and there was a small pipe organ in the dining room. Which he ascertained Beatrice could play. Music is a wonderful assistance to cordiality and kindly feeling, and both Septimus Dorset and Christopher Broadface could sing, and the former, of the two really well. Eiaeh was anxious for an opportunity to display his gifts to the best advantage^ and after dinner was over neither showed any anxiety to make an early evening
of it.
Lucy It was who announced in the kitchen that the Mistress requested their presence in to prayers.
It made a great commotion. Joe, the new "gardener, expressed his re gret that; he had engaged, with, a cant ing Methodist, and the cook grumbled that she would have to specially tidy herself; but William and his wife sided with Lucy, who (thought the young mistress very, right in thus tak ing advantage, of the minister's visit, 'If there was more praying in the world,' she. said, *it. would be better for everyone/
' They trooped into : the room at the appointed-time, andsat near the door upon chairs, which the housemaid had arranged, for them; the mastiff, who iiad become very friendly with Joe, followed them, stretching .his huge limbs by that worthy's chair.
The clergyman, with his prayerbook
open before him, emiledfreMgrily from the -end of . the - long, table updn fc!ie group, and congratulate himself upon the addition he was likely to gain for the evening service. .And. a moment afterwards Beatrice came in from th« conservatory accompanied by the lav yer, who escorted her to the organ, the key board Of which had feeeii thrown open "for the occasion. That " organ was one of the few hobbies of
"the late Raymond Baliantyhe and ~t was fcuhd to be' in' almost perfect
order. "'
The prayers .were read with muc'j emphasis ' and demonstration, an<: presently, after the lesson, the clergy man ahnounted the evening hymu. " WilUsin knew, at once, even while the
prelude was being played over, thar his wife was about to cry; his on^y
hope was that she would keep it 1 > herself until it was all over. Tlit hymn was played and sung with tas^e and feeling, and mounded very sweet and homely, and as the closing prafeT was uttered, and the benediction pro nounced, even Joe muttered -'Amen.'
After prayers, both Beatrice and her two guests felt very much mo^e at home. When they entered the draw ing room together, Mr. Broadface at once suggested that Miss Ballantyne should favour them with a song. Beat rice had sung- one verse of a plain tive Welsh melody 'when she paused to listen. It was raining in terrenes, and she knew at once that both her visitors would 'have to stay for the
night.
It pr&ved to be a furious storm which soughed through the tree tops* and wailed round the turrets and pi
nacles, and sent Its driving rain *n violence upon, everything nnsheltered ,
it was impossible for anyone to leave' the shelter of a friendly roof on sue J a night. So it was settled ' that the lawyer and the clergyman shou'd occupy the two rooms which on the previous night had been first taken possession of by Beatrice and her
maid.
'You had better give the large bed room to Mr. Dorset, Lucy; and ta-; dressing room, which is really a com fortable apartment, to the clergyman.' These were the orders which Beatrue ""gave privately to her maid.
In view of the events of the night it may be as well to call the attention to the arrangements of the principal apartments of Sea-Cliff Towers.
The entrance hall faced the West and on. entering it the visitor fount liiuiself surrounded by half a doze** doors,, and a corridor, which branched off from the halL To right and left were the. doorways leading to a ~e ccptior room and the, drawing room while facing the visitor would , u. doors which led respectively from tli^ principal bedroom and adjoining dressing room. The roohis into which. Beatrice and her maid had removed were some distance down the corri dor and upon the other, side, so that only a loud noise .would be noticeabi.. from one to the otliei "of these ropM?
The evening, with, the aid Of singius; music and conversation, passed off pleasantly, bright coal and wood Hres buriied ^brightly in the various .rooms, and e^ery part of the mansion d-.'Oined to b* lit up. BiitrhJe rlrno^t '. »r.u<»r her fesrs and it was late before the gentlemen were .shown to their rooms
and the house settled down to tue hushed quietness of night.
Beatrice, however, looted arounJ .her own snug and ric-iily-furnished room with some misgivings. It also had a cemented floor, and she wondet . ed to herself as to the possibilities of
what might be underneath# ©he called Lucy into her room on two occasions o» idle excuses, and finally made her build up A large cbail fire and place a night light upon a snia'l table near at hand. She also* bade Lucy leave the door between the- two rooms ajar ia case slie might call to iier in the night.
Then she lay still and watched the. dancing firelight and listened.
The storm had lulltd aim frf* cry of . a night b'rd near the house Tft^de her
cry with' sudden apprehensive. She "blamed herself for having put the hiw yev in that room ; but then he was a man and might make a discovery, au«i he had the clergyman within call, then S'fie again listened, and listened,
and listened.
What a blessed thing is sleep. To sink into unconsciousness, and forget oneself, and all our vexed surround ings ; to go back again as it were info the womib of pre-exislence. and for awhile lie dead to the world, to awake with restored vigor and new strength.
The fire still glowed dimly 'ihrpugh the room, and a coal occasionally rat tled noisily down into tlie fender, but the soft regular breathing of Beatrice Hiight have told an intruder "that it was unheard; for sleep, which the poet says is *loved from pole to pole-' aijd which scripture declares God gives 'to his beloved,' "had wrapped th«v inmates of the Towers in slumber at least the rightful inmates of tho Towers-Beatrice slept. Not exactly the sleep of innocence, or utter weari ness, but the sleep which comes alike to the criminal in his cell, to the mar iner upon the sea, and the scMIsr upon the blood-stained battle field-fc'ie sleep case it was not a - wholly untrouh case it was not an unwholly irjtroulw led sleep, for Beatrice was conscious to the fact that she had e:cpc-?ed the lawyer unwarned to an actual. danger, and the thought of the oav took form
and color in 4flie visions oif the night, and unconsciously she muttered, and then spoke words aloud, whiea awakened Lucy, who came iu thinkiiiR herself called ; tout Beatrice slept, and the girl went back to- her warm bed again wondering what ailea her. mis tress, that she should have, called so. loudly in her sleeps But in the mean time there Avas one in the lawyer s chamber who was not asleep.
The Mystery ol Sea
Towers.
(AL.Ii RIGHTS RESERVED).
Author of " The D is^Honorable," " Wyumim," " Ail Australian Bush Track," " Gunnery of Church Con sett," etc.
CMAPTER X.
The Disappearance of Septimus Dorset
(Continued.)
Y this time William had returned sand stated that he'had carefully searched the grounds, and beach, and rocks, for a mile around the house, butkad found no trace of Mr Dorset. He had inquired, too, of some fisher men, but they said. that no one had
been seen bathing; in fact, (tliat it, was far <too roug-li and cold for any one to . attempt to do such a. thing that morning.
Christopher Broadface at once sug gested the placing of ithe matter in the . hands of ithe police; 3>ut Dr. Strong
was a nuan of experience. :
"My dear sir,' 'hesaid, "£lie matfer may be explainable without making a scandal of at, which wouid naturally anoy Mr Dorset's family, who are influential people. You see, although the circumstances off the ease are very singular, it is possible t&at some very Simple explanation may be at hand. Do you know whether, every part of _±he interior oif the house has been ex^ amined ?" -
Mr Broadface had not thought of this, so the doctor went to consult Miss Baltantyne, and obtained from iier permission to thoroughly examine the house, for the missing man. It seemed to him during this second in terview that the .unpleasant affair had given a. great shock t» Miss Ballan tyne's nerves, and he advised her to remain quietly in her room, and in structed Ijucy to give 'her mistress her very, best attention. He knew Mr. Dorset's family, and he said he would superintend the thorough searching of the house;" he might have gone out somewhere in the night and have in jured himself, or fainted; it was un wise of Miss Ballantyne to unduly agitate herself, probably there was some very simple explanation to be found, which would clear up the whole mystery. - .
The doctor now instituted a careful personal search . of the premises, in company with the clergyman and the coachman, Williaim. He commenced with the room which had been occu pied by Mr Dorset
It has already been described as a large and handsome apartment, and the doctor curiously scrutinised every
corner of it.
*We"will not disturb anything," ho said, "lest an inquiry should be found necessary;" .
On examination it was found that in the packets of the clothes were a
(puree, keys, and other nick-naeka. Mr Dorset's gold watch and' chain lay upon the dressing table, where they ; had evidently fceen placed by their /.? owner/ ..
? ' '? ." . V" -*? " .
"We had.better lock all these tilings up, it is evident tliat-there lias been 110 robbery committed," said Dr. Strong.
A door led from the T-ooffl into a
large conservatory ; this was unlocked and (the party passed out among ferns and foliage plants, but there --was no sign of anyone having fbeen hidden there, and the place, was undisturbed. There were six doors from this ; four leading from the conservatory into various rooms of -the mansion; one on to 'the North terrace, and one into the grounds facing " the ocean ; the two latter doors were locked upon the inside. The doctor also examined some large sliding glass panels, which were also fastened. There was evi dently nothing to be discovered in this direction, so »they turned back in to the room and locked the doors again as they had found it.
The three men stood on the rich
carpeft and once more surveyed the room of mystery . Raymond Ballan tyne's portrait looked down upon .them from over -'the fireplace. The wtoole surroundings of the room bespoke a cultured taste, and the wealth to gratify it.
"Its a strange affair!" ejaculated the doctor, looking -for a moment sus piciously at Broadfaee, with whom he had not been on the very best: of terms. "He can't possibly have gone away without (his clothed It is impossible that he can have been abducted, there would have been a struggle, and you Mr Broadfaee, would have heteird that something was transpiring. I belie/e you said that the door between the two rooms was ajar ?"
The clergyman's face colored slight ly, for this was the .first suggestion that he might possibly ibe suspected of having been concerned with the lawyer's disappearance; it had - never crossed his mind before, arid- for a moment he felt confused under the doctor's scrutiny. ?
"The door was ajar. Mr. Dorset suggested that it should be left so, in order that I might give him a call in the morning. Of course I heard nothing, or I should have mentioned it," said the clergyman. *
The doctor carefully locked all the doors and placed the key of the one leading into the entrance hall, and that leading into the room Mr. Broad face had occupied, in Ms pocket.
There were four other rooms lead ing into the conservatory, . each of winch was carefully examined, and then the rooms on the" other side of the house, aaid the servants' quarters ; over twenty rooms in alL Not the slightest clue, however, was obtained towards a solution of the mystery.
A good quarter of an hour was then spent In searchiag tli£ stables and out buildings, and the "doctor and the clergyman exhibited some signs of im patience with tfheir fruitless search.
" There is the tower yet," said William ; " but it is impossible that ;ii3 gentleman can have found his way there."
" Nothing is impossible," said the doctor testily.
The tower was a squarely-built solid mass of masonry at the North end of the main building, and was entered from the main external stone corridor, which surrounded this part Of tfte The three rooms, one
above the other, were furnished but iuot occupied- The lower one was fitted up as a kind of writing and smoking room, that above it as a bedroom, and the third as a kind of observatory; a number of scientific instruments being found there, and books upon astronomy and other Mnd red sciences. William had heard that Mr. Rosedale had specially occupied the two top rooms during 'Mr Bal ltantyne's residence, and that he had also used the lower room, aud . the room from which Mr Dorset had dis
appeared, while Mr Ballantjftie had
teen away.
The doctor proceeded to examine these rooms with the greatest minuteness
and interest.
" We will commence," he said "at the very top."
From the sloping flat roof of the summit, a View of the whole surround ing ^country and the sea, was visi&le ; but they were too intent upon their search to be much interested j&st then in extensive views of scenery.
The stairs were narrow and abrupt, but a thick carpet gave an air of com fort to the whole of the quaint struc ture. There was much which under other circumstances would have in terested both the doctor and the clergyman, in the topmost; room. There was a window on each of the four sides. %bere was no table in the "centre of* the -floor, which was covered with linoleum ; but two circles were drawn there, -with inner circles inside, of them. C
The clergyman started as he look ed at them, as though he had read of or seen something of the sort be
fore.
"Some unhallowed enchantments," he said, pointing to the floor.
" More likely the place where some revolving scientific instruments have been fixed," said the doctor. ' . t
But although he turned it off thus lightly, the doetor had his doubts, for the whole place bad an uncanny
look- about it.
"Reminds me of Milton's II Pense roso," he said to the clergyman, as they together descended to the nest floor:- - - v.
" Or let my lamp at midnight's hour "Be seen in some high lonely tower,
" Where I may oft oat-watch the bear "With thrice great Hermes; or uu
sphere
"The spirit of Plato, to unfold what
"worlds
"Or what vast regions hold the im
mortal mind,
"Which hath forsook her mansion in
this fleshly nook." - ~
But this was an effort on the pari of the doctor, for he was intent upon unravelling the mystery of" the law yer's disappearance.
The room they Jiad by this time entered was an ^ordinary bedroom, about sixteen feet by eighteen fee{:. There was nothing to be learnt here, so they descended to the lower apart ment, where the doctor flung himself into a large easy chair.
There were two windows, on one side of the room only-that which overlooked the front terrace-the growth of fir trees just beyond that
terrsce shutting out the view - of
everytMug except their sosafcre foU^e,
" It is useless to make any fur ther sea roh for Mr Dorset here," said the doctor, "but.I am loath to make any unnecessary alarm. You liave nothing to suggest, William
"No, sir," said the coachman.
" You heard no unusual sound at any time during the night ?"
" Nothing," replied William, empha tically.
"Go and call me in all the other servants, except Miss Ballantyne'a maid, that I may question them too."
T!his, however, elicited nothing. So the doctor decided to at once drive into town and make inquiries at Mr Dorset's office, and acquaint his family with the alarming intelligence.
" What a secluded study this would make, doctor," said the clergyman.
" I would go mad in it," replied Do*. Strong.
" Queer," be continued, after a moment's silence, "that every floor at this end of the building should be ot concrete. Tuiis one is iioo," he said, stamping his foot on the carpet to piiove his assertion.
An unmistakable click was heard as though a bolt or latch had suddenly shot into its place.
The two men started and looked at each other.
"Did you hear that :' said the doctor
The clergyman noddcri, oud bosh men listened for a minute breath lessly.
"It rotisi Slave been someiaiug loose under the carpet, or tbe heel of youi* boot," said Broadface.
" Boot be hanged !" ejaculated the doctor. He was about to add some thing more, but he restrained him self, as he looked at the minister.
He had not much faith in either Ms good sense or his discretion. Then he said quietly, " It may have been my boot."
(To be Continued).
The Mystery oi Sea
clin Towers.
.Author of "The Dis-Honoralntr,"
"Wyoirnm," "Aai Australian Bush Track," "Gunnery of Church Oon ~ estt," ete.
CHAPTER XI.
The Doctor's Sister.
B. STRONG'S -trap was wait
ing, but before leaving for his liome and town lie again looked m iipcm Beatrice, wflio he could see was in a very distressed state of mind through the mishap to the lawyer.
JShe had not left her room, nor as sisted in any way in the search, and even allowing for the shock to her serves. Sie could not understand how the matter should have so thoroughly prostrated her- >4Ie was naturally of an inquiring' turn of mind, and was certainly interested both in the Tow ers and iMiss Ballantyne. He had not . had an opportunity during the life
time of Mr. Ballantyne of seeing over the place, and the news of Miss Beat rice BaJlantyne's arrival had been much talked/>f in the neighborhood.
"Miss BaUantyne, you are not well enough to be left alone with the ser vants. I will send my sister Grace over to keep you company this af ternoon, and call back on my return from Melbourne to see how you are and tell you anything which may further transpire.'
There are few but have something by which they are known, but Grace Strong, was, as her brother often put it, 'a girl In a thousand.' She had been brought up >with her Sbrother by well to do and indulgent parents in the South of England, and had come td Australia with John, to help him carve his way to fortune in a new land. " The doctor and the clergyman were both unmarried; men, having sisters keeping house for them, and living as they did not three minutes' walk from each other in Sea Cliff, it is nut very surprising that Grace Strong and the clergyman's sister, Alice Broadface, had become fast friends ; they had already projected a visit to the Towers together to call upon Miss Ballantyne, when the inci dents already narrated transpired .
*Gra<'e, I want you to go across to Sea Cliff Towers and stop with Miss 15alViutyne until I caai get batek from Melbourne,' said the doctor to his sis
ter. . . 1
'Wfcat is the.matter, is she serious ly 411 that you are .going for a nurse or more advice asked hie sister.
In a few words he briefly explain ed what had happened, and how neces sary it was that Beatrice should have cheerful society. 'I don't like the place,' he said, 'and I think that something beyond Mr. Dorset's disap pearance has frightened' her. She seems to me an exceedingly nice girl, unfortunately circumstanced through having no relations, and I think that ypu would be iloing. a really kind and good deed by making yourself friendly to her.'
It was quite enough to suggest to Grace Strong that she "Would be a helper to arouse all her sympathies £Sg effort* S?iQtfa OB. &QQT
was on her way across the common to Sea Cliff Towers.
Beatrice had at once liked Dr. Strong. His decision of character and frank openness of speech and ar anner had favorably" impressed her, as indeed it did most people, and she was quite prepared to like the doc tor's sister, so on reaching the Tow ers, Grace was very cordially receiv
ed.
*1 am glad that the Doctor has al lowed you to come over to me, and it is very good of you to come,' said
Beatrice.
'Anyone would be upset' said Grace,' 'at so^ strange a thing happening ; but I am very pleased to help my brother, and when I know you bet ter, Miss Ballantyne, I think that I shall be also pleased to help you.'
Beatrice looked at her visitor, for the last part of her remark was not exactly what most girls would have said. ^
'You are very fond of your brother, Miss Strong.'
'Certainly I am, and have good cause to be,' replied Grace.
Beatrice smiled, but said nothing. 'If I had only a brother,' she thought, liovr different things would be.'
Grace read her thoughts, and said, *1 fear that I am t<io impulsive ; but my "brother and myself have been more like chums than brother and sis ter. ~ We have worked together, and studied together, and suffered, to-, gether, and he 'lias always been good and thoughtful,,, and I don't think that I could love anyone better than
I do the doctor.*
'He has a very kind manner, and you cannot help feeling that he is skilful. He has taken a great deal of trouble over this unfortunate af fair of Mr. Dorset's,' said Beatrice.
'I would not trouble alxmt that,' said Grace cheerfully, 1 there may be an explanation of it which will clear Up the whole matter. At any rate do not let us think of it until my brother returns from Melbourne.'
'Who are the people living in thte neighborhood ?' said Beatrice chang ing the subject.
'They mostly belong to two classes,' said 'Grace, 'those who are coonpara tively poor, and those who are rich.' The larger houses you see aroiand are all of them the homes of fairly well-to-do people ; but the fishermen and laboring classes are wretchedly poor.' i
*1 thought that there were no poor
people in" Australia,' said Beatrice,
smiling
'A very ccraraon Taistake which we English people often make,' said Grace
Thep you are English ?' said (Beat rice, eagerly. '
'I aan,' said Grace, 'but really I doai't know <fcliat I aan any the better for that Some of the nicest people I have ever met with are Australians.'
'Tell ane about your life In England, and Jhofw you came out here," said Beatrice, after I/ucy had brought iu
af ternoon tea.
Tfs a sad story,' said Grace.
'Then I think it may suit me, for I seem to be under a grey sky just now myself,' said Beatrice.
?It is mot all grey,' replied Grace.
% $34 ifr 5§ a ftpiy padte toagkl* asa<J
interesting, ibecatise there is a good manjn St.'
'That of courseis your brother, the doctor,' -said Beatrice, smiling.
Tee,' saad Grace griarvely, 'he Is very unlike many men, and many bro ihere. Bat remember Miss Ballantyne you asked -me to tell you abo-ut my life at (koine.'
Dr. Strong euiglit well think Mgihly of his sister Grace. 'Slie -was a cou tr&st In every way to Beatrice ; but of the faces the doctor's sister's was the most interesting to a, student of human nature. By the side of thu ripe full-orbed beauty of the mistress of The Towers, her face looked thiu, and flier whole form seemed wan Jan.? in tibe round fullness of early wkxman hood; l?ut it was a face to arrest at tentions.
Her dark, almost 'black, hair was seemingly not over abundiant; /but he" eyes, and (perfect nose and lips might have been taken as a model by a paint er whb wished to reproduce the feat ures of the Mary that Jesus loved.
Her eyes suggested unusual fluen cy of speech, as may be portly gath
ered from what foSUofsvs!.
She sat on a low chair, and looked into the fire, .wdih noftv and
again a tear glistening ibeliind' tiiy eyelashes as slie ccvimeiiced . to tell Beatrice the story of iier eiarly life.
'SteynJbridge is without doubt -one of the most v>ld-fashiosaed. towns in the
South of EntgiantL It <is one of those -qiiiet dusters of English -homes- whim the hand of the old destroyer Time seems <liene and there to spare, just to remind us, I suppose, of old world scenes and jcufstofflis. I -have heard my father say that from the lime lie was a iboy he could remertfber coanpam atively few changes. Tlhe old canal had given "way to the more model a riailrway, and a new brewery had en tered; into c*ompetdtion with the oid. But except for these changes, and a few brick houses <sf utore pretentious style, which had gone up stealtMly in the evflburbs, I can remember little 01 no perceptible change since I first knew the iplace. There had been two thousand people there as Jong as tli" oldest inhabitant eouM remember. If I close my "eyes the old town' comes back to one as fresh as ever. From the sleepy railway station in Blair street, past the high brick fwcfol stores, past the blacksmith's forge, a row of cottages led straight to the market place, where at various poSnte of the compass, the Blue. Boar and White Hart and iRed Liion-hosfelries -swung their creaking signs of invitation.
*Qld fashioned^ .substantial, red brick lionises were most of tthem, with great Mack oaken joists and beams intersecting the outer walls, and a Chouse place,' as the kitchen was call ed, with, a chimney corner, big enough to roast an ox, seats on each side of the ingle nook, and a chimney wide and straight, up which anight easily be descried a goodly number of stars.
'Various 'businesses had in several instances passed -for generations from father to son. There had 1>een a well to do Quaker grocer next door to the White Hart Inn for generations, and IiUkin the'tailor at one corner and A n. nersley at the other 'were institutions. The Browns, hpwever, were the most
conspicuous portion of the coa^mun
ity. TSie name -TT55 to be seen abover almost every fountk shop fronit, au'l only that the name Had trade were us ually linked together, confusion might have been extreme- The use of terms such as 'painter-Brown, 'butch er-Brown,' 'baker-Brown.' etc.,- pre served the identity of the inhabitants.,
'My father's house -was at the coutt' try end of High Street, and had ao old-fashioned garden around it, where the lilac and laburnum and crimson 'hawthorn scented the air in spring time, and cabbage roses, and pinks; acd tulips and scores of other old fav ourite garden Sowers flourished in tlie summer. There Was a copse of nut trees, and an orchard and several^ acres of pasture land, which could be flooded from the brook in ibe sprftig time aisfi which I need scarcely say bore luxuriant crops of fragrant hay. The house, although quite within the suburbs of the town, was known by the singular name of Abbey hurst. It was a queer rambling place. Part of it was very old, and if the stories told about at were correct, as indeed I have a good reason £o believe they were, it had been at one time a monas tery, probably one of the three hun dred and eighty smaller ecclesiastical «sta5>iishmeiite whieii were aibfcdished by Henry the Eighth in 1536, You re-, nafember bow the king with the strong and willing aid of T5icm<as Cromwell, attacked these monasteries which then studded the land. But bad as the monastic system was, and. ignorant and licentious as were many of the ec clesiastics, it was a great shock to Eng land when they were overthrown; and looking, at the stained glass, and delicate stone work of a side door la the old part of Abbey hurst, I, even as a girl, used to read with regretful In terest of 'how during the suppression- of the monasteries 'piles of delicate stone work, enriched with the thoughts of architect and sculptor which ever since the Conquest had been growing up in beauty over all the land, were levelled, unroofed, or turned into stables and pics ties.7" Of liow 'choice pictures, in whose tinted forms glowed the spirit of Italian art. shriveled in 'the fi&mes; and stained windows became splinters of colored glass; and sweet bells, that 'had laden the sir at prime and sunset with -music, «were melted doWn aud sold, I fancy Abbeyhurst was repaired, anitl "had been a sort of schol astic establishment after that, for on the east wall in one of <t3)e attics tho names of either mOnks or schoolboys had tjeen foomd scratched with a., knife or, ether- sham instrument irpoi the plaster, which at some later timV had been papered over. 1t«e old place must (Liave had a.great fcnacklnig about too in 1643, whea Oliver Cromwell had a jsMrmish witih Printee Biupea't at King's Bromley, and 'brought ifche Paf iiaanentary eaumoii to bear upon the town. There were chLpprngs and scars upon tile stane cornices and brick work of the eastern wall of the house which I often -looked Zit, a<nd which our old gardener stoutly a verred wera the marks of Jtlie -ysfcewL svddjsc's can. no® balls. However, the place lias been almost entirely rebuilt then ihe architect -having in soirne !Di?asur9. preserved the old fashioni^d .chsTacter of tfiie bouse, and incorporated in the new Jbnilding all thgit was worth pre serving of *£e old, qrjiis included t|x»
: ^^holeeasteni side <xf the "house, con
: tuning- abput elXv «o^jans <iiii ij&tea'
r r ^stories, a<hd the passage l^doiig to the ;j ? v- ^doorwayy
<a'bore,/wliicJi I;h&ve jireviouslf fe : Veferredto. If my jiiesmoiry isnot at
fault the^eTwas' w<k%t©d iuto the de^; r--v'_"8^5ix.- -fit. nxiadsm tue^
Mate^-- f"Aikio ? Domini 1423."
?f Beatrice listened to all ^hls %-Mr 3ti^
teres*, idr 4t was^^evideat pex yfe\*
? tor iwas gifted wstli uncommon skill
; Jn* story^teIUngv-aiid s&e "was intei'ested: r too in £he Jiarraifcive pm laoeouat ot
the -doctor; then too; she lva<d a girl friend wiho 3iad lived at Sfceynlbridge.
'M l tiriug y<Su?' asked Grace
<' 'Not tn the ieasi;* replied Beatrice. *Go on (please, I aim most deeiplsr inter ested. I .have Sieard atwait Steyn liridge fa^fore, but never such aq Inter P$tia5 desxaiptioa of it/V
l"Dr. Strong is my only "brother,' continued Graces resuming Jier nar vajtave,. *bu>t I have two fiMera older ihaai myself. My cafe was a <fcall, r' ; thoughtful ^ doctor immersed: in ! .'bttt'- a ]Mvtate income
~ saved him from being altoig^tjher jde . peadettt lipan it'
',.'i scarcely fellow how to describe ^tiiather* "SSie grave «lc©ed aibove her
sever©!, years ago? but I. often, fmag Ine l^er gerfrie loving eyes gtim fixed xijvdii .me. She was the household «oi-^ gelofAJblbeyhurst.'
..-" *i have read soaneiwhere ttilat the : ~ insmory-of,vChSdlhood as ecteotic, and
Hiait in after years .fche heart turns fondly ito the -sceiies and memories of . earlier days ; it «nust be so ill ray case. But if there 'be sueh_a golden, haze as ,- - thfts Talbout my ireeoflleofckMi) of my
mother I would; not Jjase ffc. altered. To my brotiher and myself^ at anv rate % our lrjobher was:
?A:j%aiC&at woman* nobly ^Laamed',
.'To warn, /tocoinifort, and -conianand "A.ud yet -a spirit still/and bright
' "WithsometiMng of anangfi3 1igh*.'"
'WMle uiy mother lived our home - tiife was almost as jperfeotly happy i '" as It .could "'be; 'but she died suddenly, r and about twelve imonMis afiteriward.
my .fairer miarcied <a^ain. Things, after a wiliile, became very different * at home, my two elder sisters anarried
and John and myself decided to edraH owfc to AustiaMa. I told you, I tihinb, that we had always ibeen >e^Mralis/,
rOt«
V*:\:
of ^ea
>^jliff^Towers.
'Author, of - *fbe !Dis-Honorah*e,w
"l^STimuin," "Aii Australian Bush Tracks' i<Glinnery of Church Con
sett/' etc»
.CHAPTER XIII.
An fhisbared Secret.
The night passed without incident, and tlhemorning brought no new dis cover^. TC|ie carpet was taken up from ;'the -lower 4ower room, but no fresh lights-was., thrown upon the aff
air, ;nor w&s^ttie old woman's story <K>rroborated iby the finding of any
mounds of earth which might have ac cunrafctted the result of the sug gested. excavations. The detectives, howfever, "remained and examined the country around the Towers in all di xeefcionSj, ,^»iit fbund no £iue.
T^he toystery of the lawyer's disap p^rance @pt:Jntd the papers; a. con siderable reward; was offered for any lufocmatioh which might lead to his discovery; and some of the society journals' hinted at a scandal, and that he -mjglwfc readj|y .have been found, not twenty' miles i^om Melbourne, if c« itain. people, wished it. It was indeed su^^ed.fey a journal circulating 1n Melbornrn-e,^ although not published the^ tihia±i<thfere were (hi^h officials in the^tGrOVeniinent departments who lm£w roif* SfeirtSihns Dorset's wherea bouts, 'but'^h& : found it convenient t» 'fee silents. Of course vague innuen does of ^this^ortacan never be answer ed, t»OTKm4v& originators of them foe . . bisouglit: . punishment, as they ritehiy desery^ to be.
^There was no disputing the fact, iowfew, ?jaa;iong those who really lqiew. police were baffled, the &iextds Of ;the pissing man were in great distress at his disappearance, and &o ixmiplicMe .matter® the toJs* tress of Sea-Cliff Towers lay seriously ill jat Steynbridge Cottage.
Nothing-preys upon the heart more than the possession of <a secret which is associated with a crime. The per son possessing the knowledge may be perfectly innocent, or may only have been guilty of indiscretion, or may haVe obtained the knowledge by ac
cident or mistake, 'but it makes little difference. The secret of a crime un disclosed, Jiais.tin countless instances w§rped the whble vision of life, and placed its possessors under disastrous disabilities, The difficulty of such a ppsitioB? is^ increased with every new circumstance^. and each .passing, day. It As an incubus upon the mind which feeds upoii its own fears. and grows until it; fills the whole horizon of vis ion, - iabsoIutMy monopolises the life.. 3L ^urBetfor a secret shared with aMtJiful friend <inay be harm less tp ^-hc . ijndi vidmil[ but unshared it may ho*ar canker oorrodtog the whole lifeV It .was <this which had brought about Miss Ballantyne's illness, which very 6?&ohsly; perplexed and baffled
®?~#dioai skill of Dr. Strong.
. as It presented itself
Be^ice "wisithis:- .
with a man's
?? ??
.life for -tile sake of obtaining further knowledge of : tlie. mysterious room in the Towers. What^ she had seen in that room; could pojb have been a ..dream, it was real. Her uncle's me
morandum in-^egar-d; to the wearer of a cat's-eye ri^dispelled any thought of its having beenuan imagination of her mind.- She fead seen the hand of the wearer of the Qitf seeye ring before she; had existence of
such a person, ©f^steeh^a ring, from other sources. SheJonged to give the doctor some .hint Ifiat Wight assist .them in the sea^ Mt when an op portunity to t?#l blpi .came she shrank from doing so. .
Heh position vp&S embarrassed, too. by the disappearance of her lawyer,
for he possessed a; -knowledge of her
affairs which would 'have been spec ially servicable inselling a portion of
.the property. 'Hep ilfstress knjl worry and nursing of 'unshared , secret; and fear that by .-some means she might unwittingly disclose it, had worked together upon , her mind, and culminated in lite natural consequences -fever, and forseveral weeks,<luring whieh the search wfls continued, Miss Ballantyne: could render no ^assist ance. ""
In the meantlffia Jhe position of things at tfcft yowem: was peculiar The illness of Ballantyne, and
.the disappearan<^ Joir:the lawyer, left the practical dlreetion\of affairs in the Stands of Dr.. &tEp¥i|^fwho Tspas inter ested in the of all "propor tion to its pg*£es^oifeil, value tohim.
He felt sure tbg.t Beatrice ; had
something onher : jjipd; Grace had
tofld him of expressions of fear about the Towers whii^r jhad escaped Miss
Ballantyne's U^^L.^ie delirium of fever; and\ aJj^tal^it was natural
that the shockofMr. Dorset's disap pearance shontdf^^e caused such an illness, the docSji-'-s suspicions that there was somet&i^junderhand about
the mansion aud its cemented floomr" grew upon -iiim, and he visited the
place as' m^h.as Ms professional
duties made poaBibfe.
Aft^r a montti Mlss Ballantyne was
convalescent,; and still a resident at
Steynbridgp CJofiage, when one; even
ing Dr. Strong found himself travers ing the now familiar path from the Cottage to the Towers. He had de termined -to remain there for the night alone in the haunted chamber. and see
if -it was not iiosslhle to? learn some thing of .the mystery. which threaten^ ed to. make the Towers no longer hab itable to ordinal (residents. Miss Ballantyne had emphatically .stated that she would not again live in the
place, and tiie.'i^efvants reported noises in the nig^i -at the North end of the mansion and could only be in duced to remain^m the place at alii
by their att^hmentrto .their mistress
and eat, increase of ^salary. .
iDr. Strong .was courageous and of irosn me^re; aai^j, he had sfet himself to spend owe Mg^lt ^Ltonie in the -ctaum ber,-aiid see 4f .any^anaig wwuld result., He had not.; told Either his sister or Miss Ballantyne v. ££-. his intentions,
nor did the setvi^ts. at the Towers kntow «£ ; Ms jcoj^iog. He had imti maifced to ^efoysner that he flwad o.
cqse <ba altitipwf 'Ssj>'^3T anigM: be Inb&T
Evening wagclosiog 5m as he erabeir §d -the grounds ®a4i$eit WiJ&iam, wl'tto
L/eo the mastiff, having a took aio<uiad before closing the place for the night. William's firSib enquiry was after the IieaJiSh of MSss Ballamtyne, an d on being assumed' (that she -was progiceis ing favourably and wwild soan> toe about agaiix, tie .commenced tt> 'talk
about ithe lowers.
TJie peopiie mb Australia are wtoinse «w»m ljba^» in tihe wid eouniry, Doo ta?,' .he said.
IBtow'e WLUit, WiiUiam.'
HMi! <1 mean In' trespassing- upon, property. Would yum beSIeve &t ciw Sioy I starmed a party of yc-umg chaws of| fthe Jiowea* laiwia Vth'3? afternoon, vnhV> -had jnst fixed up tihe^r wtekeVs to play cricfeet there. They coolly told me that- they had played tfJiere ibeftre wOShorat befog iwteutfeired with,
they were net ©ofing «» mcve for me. Wanted me »to driirk 1a drop of wM.sky wiiifch itbem, and take long step a« rtJiey
were sOiM of a man.'
'What dad yon do? tasked the doGbor, laughing.
*1 went up and brought dmra itihe gardener and tihe mastiff, and twe
«fiea(Ped them out'
. Ton see there Is so match open gnonnd, and eo many ishaky and bro ken fences tairound ithis cxghjtaoiiir hoftd, itfh&t people ihave a. vesry fairifc Idea &s to the mights of occupations or tresspass,' replied'the doctor.
That's «3t very well, but our fences are all right, and they not only tres pass upon the grounds, bu<t tihey dam age the place and steal the firailt audi timber, nuieste yon are always upon the watch. They come, t!co, in the cighrtxtaimfe. I tMInk, dJoetoli\ tSie young mSs'fress ougfoffc to 4ia>ve a. keeper athsort ttie place a»t night. I be real s;la<d wfhseo* vir& are all safeCy back in the ioJd iland tigaua."
i DiraiCT was sea-red to the doidbor a tone, and fhe infarined frhe housemaid that he wiauJd1 refr)p fa? -Vv» miigih't, -and sleep in «the big1 'beds.';' ai in the NtrJih wing.
JBy the way, Mary as I am <to, oc cupy the erd of the house. by myself, I think I might as weM bava Ijeo, the nuastiiff, with cnte; rtteSl the ^daeaiisr-ita send torn alorg.'
The clock 'had struck itemi when Dir Strong settled himself dt'-'a, in the chamber from wihich -Sejy'."?ui-us D.o:r
bad disappeared. A lire biunit brlgMSy in tfiie tr-coun. H«i jot ikaek from sHie, Jtetu&tih .Ibng, boveveir, for the firerfliad been, placed ^uctre more
' Cor coiinpaaijy . and- genieiv t xxmsfteiLli, ttaaa fewr warmth. By iho: side the miastiff lay a(t vest, aaid 0 :1 a itiabia wiiiMni the reach of his iV:iJ was ta rerolvstir. He was -TKMt s-lietpy, but salt caitenly fJibiakiii)^ <mb o scove of tangl ed oiT>ci'JUi£ta>nc?is wh?.c3i <he felt wait ed an thiODT oir two of reflecHaoin »to sat them straighit. . . ...
First of all 4a this thoughte came Beattirlice BaKanityne; he iiad S5c©u, a good deal ctf toer. .diDlQSr-Jliieir.
*had seen hear .^rtheii a woahan appsiars to least jadwifflfaage, in Jier' hours of bodiily weakness snii paMr and d s pTassaon - <af ®&w calm aal
rt^cUhe- sSe haSl.. jb&ai 'tofc. siifrea^ig,
how wc3i sine hiad' held herself ia dheck. .
'Ju^t the woman I !have wished f-oa* effid' direaimt abont ©is a .wife,' b© saiSd
to epw W
agsSn, toot lib's .praise waita te*. .K' I <3oj£d get lier coiDifi-dtenicSi and1 -re lieve iier of _Jict ansae'iies «aiid snys teiCjcms laesodjajtltanis ifcli-e pSace,
wowld litelp Sicir, ia;nd for Mie isatoe of love, w(.a it wcre'sipt retiBcned: or ini any way urawaided, I Wiould iliclp Jier 'if I could.'
Tlitioi ilte recla-lled Ms own daily ®fie ira co'iiipajiy iwi'tfli Ms; l3iia.Te-iic<ax!,tedi sj'Bjei*; lie remiiii'Itad Mnfiaglf of . Ms fersit scitfi-Mneat -ei SearOtifiC,... «f Jii!s £sn*t thonig'l-ijs ©if Riaymoaiil. ^^aaiftyaS3
(s»Uid Rcsedaile. aaai- . trail'
lit'.iTcj cf tMrss BalLtorit.. TEhfe-re ^rjl bsien qwser. stories. of Rayoittind' Bal-liia .tyoie:of iiii3! doin-efi'ilc -jo£- -flite* tec-rtecsey froi full -a^osp s.«t
itiuaeV . sco:cns. How. lie ibad- .b^ca kajwn to r&iy fbr 'hoaitts <m>ilie JCfcsgtaaa :1a; a of (©eiii'i^O'iiLr'Ciiousnesis.
'Could ii be possible .fchiatt lie was a .flcei) 'Ifii'aa.' Ttea 'bile ,fJi'ooig'litt: ariose iu !Iili5 mind iais fco liotw Bal-" ?ariiyniie came to subside. Was there la'ny wa.iUt of t^uiMifutniEias' ou tline i:arifc of 'the witness, Who bio^e .fleslS-'" mctny to having seen ;him juim-p feewn, or slip off the nocks. Dai*bei? tbovDgibdb came anto <tilie paehire.. Hali Sstii Eio&e dale of 'Mrs. DalSbartt ,&iiiy /Luiteneisjt in lifis diaitli. weaie tbey fcieaefrted.1 Iby Jfe, ajru.1 li'O'U' ? Gsfj-d Seihli Riosediale liiasve h'ad s'u-stfi'fc ii'O: do ttMi the diRappeiar si(oice of f^ti-mura Dioreet, if so, whafe lyeiiirfit .Oouild lit be £o Mm? - ^
H$s ittiwigitot®' were a,t ffcliis ,Tpinit, wflien lie-was sfrarfled, Ifclie maeMff vna<s growling as £4 wiere below Ms Ixrieia/fchi The dorter ihiad <hea.rd saounid, bpjfc 1:hie doig, %vlio lay "with Mis niG&eiipoii iJie flooc, suddenly ^iwrXed a@afijn.
(Tk» be eontSnRi'ed.)
The Mysteiy of Sea
cliff Towers.
?Author of "The DIs-Honoratne,**
"An Australian Bush . Track," "<3unnery of .Church' Con
sett," etc.
CHAPTER XIV.
A MIDNIGHT ADVENTURE.
; Dr. Strong sat <back in Ms chair and peered cautiously around the
Tooah:
"What -was that dog growling at?" . ; He bad a theory ibat animals some times see moretiban Is visible to hu man; eyes, and this seemed now to be torioborated, for suddenly the dog <^ew to^, Wing5ng as-4hough -threat
' and crouehed
nearer totlhe "'doctor.' The" huge ani mal visibly shiveredand tihe&i whined. There was no mistaking it, .-^vtiether. It was afraid of something atpresent in Visfbl&> fj^^mething T^-lMch^ie -scent ed;orwi*etlier "the ttog^w-raore than, .the ^doctor, ' the animal was evidently afraid, for -'ffc turned? its eyes irp to those of jl>r. Strong in "pleading en . treaty, and then stood np trembling all over. * , /
r<t^g& 4ifie iMfte. appeal of a dumb animal ^ggesfcive^ *>f fegr, and readi
ness for,;fligM,
. ^I^e di^ojr felt % thrill go through him,^b^J|tocted Ms hand reassuringly
<head;at "which he sat down npon. bis (haunches and gazed
a^aln in ^lie direction of the fireplace, :H^^^few'C'Coate sffli- gave'ouit a feeWc glow- «. ; ^ !
.... Jpt/was nearly half past eleven o' .cloclci |j&verai minutes|pa5sGfl with 4>^^^ou!nd, the apprehension of the dog had, to someextent/seized iioQd of the doctor, and Ihe held the revolver nervously in his liand while he gazed
around the room
Suddenly a whimper from the dog
again arrested his attention, and look
ing over toward the tire, he ^aw the
gr^l j^gniiiire hearth, aa^pL fire$Jajce slow
ly Sinking below the' level of the bed Looan floOT.?
Motioning to the dog, he stepped noiselessly ~l»ack across the thick car pet^ .to a-large bid-fashioned; fcay-win fiow where heavy curtains provided a wnfvenienit Mding place- . The dog seemed "Instinctively to: know Jtihat St was advisable to gefbeMnd cover, and hi less time than it lakes, to write if, th£ two were sheltered at the <back of . the damask -curtains. ? J
iiThe- a^volver was in the doctors
night hand.
'Some ^devilry this!' was all that 'he softly ejaculated, as "he saw the fire place aifcl square, still slowly descend ing, unrSl ait last it was out of sight, leaving ymly visible, from where the doctor stood, a large cavity.
Seyerat: things &a4 thus far im pressed "themselves upon the solitary be-holder of fchls strange fecene. There had "/been" 00 noise, vWt&tever ane chanfisitt'St was that worked1 . this extra
ordinaryvlift, it'.mu&tfce finelyfinished ~ find pei^te4v ^ f,/ /, v:
'Here is a due to the disappearance off Septimus Dorset arid a corrobora tion of Sarah's story,' thought the doc
tor. ,
'Wthetiher there is a. gold mine or not, there Is certainly something un der the place, and it'his secret lift has been constructed by/a clever man, pro ba-bly a scoundrel, for a purpose.? -
His thoughts were arrested by the appearance from oat of tllie cavity of the back of a man's 'head, and Dr. Strong grasped the revolver with a nervous grip as he peered between the
curtains.
It was a. stoutish man sitting in a rocking chair, ?with" his- face turned toward the dead embers of the fire place. .
, . The figure sat perfectly -motionless, and in the dim flight of the room (for Che lamp had been lowered by the doc tor) it was Impossible to make out more-than that the (hands were clasped in front of .him, and that one leg was lifted, so as to rest across .the knee ©f
the other.
An hour must <have passed; an hour of exquisite torture for Dr. Strong, during which, time the figure showed no sign: of Me or ^moibiom. Wh» was ft that thus -courted destruction? for the doctor's finger iwas on the trigger a score of times, ready to send a bullet thtoiigh the man's' head. Again and agiiin he 'was oai the pohi<u of coming out of his hiding <place, and-.grappling with the man in the chair;, but with an iron will he restrained himself.
It struck him thiatthe size of the figure very ahuch afeesihJbled that of the late Rahmond Bailantyne.
Then the thought came to him of Mr. Bailantyneliayang been known to some asr Raymond! the sleeper. The man in the chair iook&d very much as though he was - asleep. It was ytrange, he "thought, that t3ie dog should be so quiet. Was it because the thing to front of him was dead.
..Then the idea flashed upon him t<hat this was the body of the dead Raymond Ballaiityne, preserved by some process known to Seth Rosedale, and that he was projected , into this chamber in this extraordinary fashion, In order that anyone seeing it mig'lit be terrified, and proclaim the Towers hauittted by the ghost of its late pro prietor.
But the ghostly thing still made no sigh, and at last Dr. Strong, unable to restrain himself any longer, step
ped out into the room, the oog follow-. iiig trim With evident reluctance.
>He caught a gtfinpse for a moment of an ashy wfaite dead face, and then noticed the great square slowly set tling down again below the surface of the room.. What should he do ? Fire, and arouse the ^houseii'old, or-Jump up on the descending lift and see for himself what there was below. He had only a moment to-decide and at once chose the latttif alternative. r
He sprang lightly down, revolver in hand, a)t the back of the descending
figure. - " » .
In a -moimen t, "however, he regretted Ms rashness, for an unseen hand sud denly' wrenched 43ie revolver from his grasp, and a savage* Wow felled him to the ground, It seemed but a snom
emt, when -the faint lamp light above was suddenly blotted out in darkness.
The lift had evidently returned to its accustomed position.
(Not a gleam of iigM was visible, the darkness was-so fintense, 't hat one might almost feel i<t like a solid sub stance.
The Doctor placed his hand upon the floor, it felt like earth or grave* to the touch. But there was 310 sound to <be heard, although he listened with strained attention for the slightest no!se.
Noticing was 'to be heard, however, ai-ouud or in--the. room above. The ymell of the place was faint and un
wholesome.
'What a fool I was ±0 take a .leap like this in.the dark,' he thought.: B-ut lie made mo -movement and spoke no word, for he felt il'hat the slightest in dication of his Whereabouts to an ad versary. might be followed by a -pEs tol shot, or a Wow.
«,CHAPTER
Wiiat ttie Newspapers Said.
' . ' ' t
- There was a great commotio 11 when it was discovered on the following morning "tliat Dr (Strong was missing. At first it amounted almost to a panic, and i'lie wlioJe of the servants were on the point of leaving.
They had (been awakened , early in the morning by i?ie Marking of the mastiff; but beyond sniffing around the room, and especially, around the fireplace, -tlie movements of the dog gave no clue whatever to what 9iad happened during - the night.
As soon as "the news go4 out about Sea-Claff, the whole neighborhood "was throvm into a state of unparalleled ex citement ; the question of these disap- = pearaaces, and especially that of Dr. Strong, was discussed hy meii who had not spoken to each other for years , previously. Grace was well i>i.i'n ftan
tic as to what had happened to 'her brother, and coqimeaieed a .systematic scar-c'ii fcr some trace of his vrhere
.afeouts, and yet managed to keep the terrible tiulngs a Everett from Beat
rice.
There was a great stir in the city OIL the matter totting made public in the following morning's papers, for bofh Septimus Dorser and Dr. Strong were fairly :well-kncwn men,' and as the le^ailt of "-the newspaper ' para graphs, xrowds .flocked out during the
wetk to see «tlie Towers :
rot*
The &y?teiy of Sea
^ cliff Towers.
?Author of '^Che jDis-Honoralfce/'.
"Wyaumjn," -'An Australian Busb
Track;" : <4?hiiinery of Ohurch ^Gon- ._ eett," etc. r > '* J " . :
C^APl^d XVI.
t * ? - "
Mrs. Dalbert Again.
A womaai sptf any a*?e from thirty,
forty-five, iwflioi considers 'that her life has been a failure, and who is oaaT^BEIfe* lookout or some chance, even ait thai late hour, make it ia success, Isi a dangea-Qpsperson to be brojight, an con tact ^witb-/ ; V _ ~
As d/uteh at straws or other jpfrsSujle or impossible saviours
does such:a,. woman cJufcehj at eir cTi'ms*iance&- She diay wreck a hun
dred Iw^'ibut ^shejwill take the risk with perfect iij^iffereiice.. Wlha* does, it a hundred or, a thousand Sail{or; go -under, if she only <KKi^^toaAtihfe top.
She exaggerates her misfortunes, holds fiier ;'fusses and advantages lightly, she h^ la grudge against the world; aafd a.|i; ^creation, if necessary or possible, miifc&t pay ffche penalty.
INcr does carnage satisfy many *woinen dC this ambitious stamp, espec ially wjien the iiiaririage relations have been regarded by the outside world as ibaylng <>f expectations. There are'-some 'vspmeii whose chiaf aim in life is fo\ enter the haven ot
<tonnuibial ^bliss with a sufitalble par**
men. If the .turns out unsuitable or un satisfactory thej still feel rtfliafc tibey haves reached the goal. If left wid ows, they jha yeat any ra5e succeeded
where ma^^&ers have failed.
But th^.&oaiiam referred to takes lifcble ax?obamt of having: "been inarmed. If the < mafria^e.iias not come up t j (her ideal, ^ie frets liereelf at having failed ^summit aspired to,
<aaid the' ockiseg^aicfe fis a restless, dis satisfied, and" o^r-weaning selfish life,
We. flaust not? " however, 3>e coo se vere in jour estimate of such a woman as was Mfo. Dalbert. S!he hadi i>een brou^ht up in ^comparative luxury^ had
^pent -^b in around of alter
matte ipffeasure and disappointment, had married; i maift totally unsuited t*> hei temperament, jigdi, lived a siiort, lovt
married life, and had j be&i : earljF Ifeft a nvSdow, with /brilliantcomparatively wneultic ^ed ^enst^ a^4 & meagre fortune. Her meeting iu&ndia with hei- cousin RaynaondvBalLmtyne, had opened up a new-prospetefc for her; ,but 'twas dis 'tiance lent enchantment to the view,
anil ^e' m<w^n^ following ifche dis iByppeaMnlt^: ^^Drr Shroeg^-she sat readlng a^^fcsi1 a r00111 'of a hand someJU&use in": a;" (Melbourne . suburb,
with «sijti<essiop%f countenance the'
Sethfiosedale,
J' ~
i, anev un&ortumateiy ^-seemed';to one that afterie^al ^ittersrhad been adjusted, a »very iajwiths should' have put everything allTaglyt, toot mow a medl
cat que^tm h^Tii^ortUiiiately intrud
ed wiiicb at jj-reseot
I fiind it difficult to see <fchie end of. However, you know that I am careful off speech and sometimes taUk in para bles, so you will do well to keep your self fully "conversant with imodem lit 'erature.'
'' ; Tours, etc.,
... ^ * Sefth Rosedale.
'P. ®; Shall await your advice.'
' -'The jfool!' ejaculated' (Mrs. DaUbert, when s<he had perused and iieperusea the'letter. IHe is very cautious aiuT fearful of coiimnittihg himself. I sup pose tfiiait referentee to litenaituire means that f- aim to loofk through the "newspa per earC'fli'ly, there is evidently some thing haptpening at the Toiwiers.'
'Mattel,' she called «to her attendant and companion, 'j*un< dowastaars and bring up the paper.'
?Step took it eagerly from the girl,
anid'^^iijg 4I sQiaH'ntot waint anything'
for awhile,' walked over wffch miic'n deliberaitimiv to the window aiiid -drew up sun easy .chair.
What a consummate actress sii<; vrjash She toew full well that the let ter, was awarding; that something ser iouss must have <x?eiarT^ 'foir- Setf? Rosedale to have thus written ito "toes: . She guessed that she was wanted, and every nerve in -her "body. was Singling With, nervous exciteuieiufc, aaid yet she ?carried herself ibafore her companion . With, all <fehe - composure- and outward oalm. copeei vaiMe. . .1
/ Her eyes soon caught the paragraph about thfe disa-ppearance of Or. Strong, . -sajojil she tread. it with the -closest afcfcefc
. tioai.- Occasionally she stoppedin her reading, and gazed atross tiieMreet in front of her; butshe saiw-motMug. Her thoughts iweie %wit3i the ^taagedy -wlhieh invagination coajtmsl uip befoce hei" at Sea-C9iff. Not tha t she valued il^e. par
ticularly, but jjhere were reason why" she dreaded die conspquettc^s of Seth
Bosed<aiie*« aat If Dr. Stoa^f ww
still alive, slie -would do lier best to save Mm 'from the fate of Raymond and {Septimus Dorset. He had .tfludet ed liUfto a snare,, whalt gain to them for him to pay the penalty. ^Mien, how ever the 43MWighi: flashed <a©rossi hei .mind. 'Deiad men <tell no tales.'
.Her 'hesitation was onoimeaiftary, however. She determined to save the doctor's <l'ife, if not too late.
'Mabel. I am going out, and may not -possibly return until <to-morroiw."
The girl was a-«ranibry%red lass, wlio had been engaged as companion and attendant; she had learnt the ad vi<slbility of "Asking no questSoous of her mistress on- occasions - such as the prasemt.
She assisted: Mrs. Dalfoerfc to dress wMct, aMhoagh she guessed thait. a man's life was at stake, Sirs. Daltoert did with the greatest care as/i deliber ation.
There was a finish albiout Mrs. DaU> berit, when she was ready to go out,
' wlifeh. iboitSi pleased and' interested bet
companion. Sire was mos t pei^Eec/:-: 1y dressed woman-tba't 'Mabel liad'-ever knmvii'. It -wasjnot a surface 'eleg&nce "or Exterior finish either, for eveiy gac: meiit «be ^vasl in style anilrfinisSj perfect of.iits kind/ Not <that the .mat erial was sp&ediKy, costly, tfru;ii it .was tbe'majce ioaid! it the outcome of ; go*od
breeding. No <w4>ma3r~'i5i n't ,sh£ ever seem c/wjM~ give hfejp
. tiatoiy swjiigxx£ Mrs.;. toaiBieiSr
- But ifc:"was not1 'curare oar liigh
. breeding to Avhich Mrs. Oalbertoweft
<tMs c^eganeeof style; slie was an ar
- Matter of 'dross, an-d ii.»r
aaid deportmenst, apd Jbfiar ^j^/;lNraKis3taie^ to it. ' .. V
Nor was tflie dress of Mrs* Daliberf
wLttuxtft sigDMcaance i» fts general "beering upon ijea* character. The guid ing prlncipi<e <# h<?r life was 'goort
taste.' -It was not «ie mora! value of au action, so much as to how it .would aipjpear -to outsiders. -Her standard of right amid wrong was dost sight of when the question of appearance came in. If a tiling could tie .made to ap pear right, it was right, and tshe had so ?ttraiiied lier mind, and. schooled her self toy hatbit, that good-taste had -be
come her rule of life.
it certainly simplified life and con duet to her. She could talk to a clergy man. and impress him with her ortho
doxy amd goodness, without any sus picion. on iher own part that ssihe' was playing the hypocrite. It was sample and genuine, so far as she wais concer ned, for it fulfilled her canton of good taste. "Crime, -by this, if oaiiLy it was saved firoan vulgarity, was quite as» coirreet as .religion'. Personal gramma tical! was with htr, as with thousands of other women, the most powerful ^motive; and so long as her ariastle
sense was not offended, all aivehnies, Tdhethea* good or bad. were i&vailaible "<to heir for its acquisition.
This wia - explain her connecttiou with .Sefli Rosedale. Her cousin, Ray ,moral BaUaptyne, -had disappointed her. She thought that he would' havt anarried her but he did not offer to? do so. His age anfdl mode of life ihad en feeMed his ardour, so that the physical t»eauty which, hladi at once captivaAetf and conquered Seth Uosedale mid Sep tiinus Dorset, and other men she had met with, bailed to Mince R&yanond Ballantyne to marry her. iShe might hajve gained her end da this tout for the counter influence of Seth _ (Rosedlale, who wanted her for MimseJf. But Rosedale was a mere ibluiixlerefr com pared with MeSa Daibert, whoise dom inant passion 'was love of ihonour and positions and whoso one pursuit was gain; font who'fieteraninted-to, Slave and enjoy it, if poissible,without comprom ising herself or doing violence to her good! taste.- ' :
Inhere was of coarse umpieasant world to 'be done, there always is un der such oirc'Jimstanc&s; l>ut o&ier* would <16 that' for. her, and ^n; such a manner that she was not offended' or involved. *. - >
iMrs. Dalbert .steppeduponthe strees as fair anid finished a' speciman, «£ a Society woman as couid ; we'll be- uiet with anywhere. From;. her ;gloves 11> her -boots 'she AVas faultlessly Stftlred'.
How ^little.- would ,a ; stranger have" dreamt cut theTerrand- uponiwhich she was hound. ' ^ ,
/She traivelledi i»torihe;n3orl3wn.sub mte !by tram and therecailed! a han -sosm ca3>. and..; instructed the ? mam to drive her out to Sea^Ciiff. .
To "the Towers; - ma'am T queried tshe man. . . . . . " -
*No,' she replaM-shfiffi3y, Sto; Fera^ .JifleL'"' "J V ? '. .'' *
The ®h^-ni«sit! have" recogliiLsed -me,
itJRSapi't. It" did jsot; tr-atilble tier,.'
tho wever, it only suggested -tor her- just ::tb0D;i thaife 4&e *. inan.TinfBst: lii&ve Jbeeii
-impressed with her ipans^iajiity tx> s-j
remeniber her. - .
\;It mTi^t jaotrbs. es^pecfcicfc that Mrs. ©albert -was" iiarrassed with anxious 'thoughts aiboot 4he fate of Dr. Strong* as the cab roiUeil smosaiithly along to
ward* ^aa-Cliff. ? -'Mfl^'si^Bpaien would
-have -been im it -birr her .mind was t with toer owai Sha wanted wealth, she fished to be mis
o>£ Sea-Cliff Towers; foyt If
Mble without the addition of Setti .Based'aile. She might be content to make -use oif a man, loflatter andexi comrade as ifar as It suited Qierpurpase, ftmt 4t was another .thing to make a life com-paamofn of Jiim.
She iliaxl beauty, talent, find style, she -was utterly mnserupukwis as to t3i& >reat, aod with money she Jbelieved that she "oorild choose tier eompajiions, and tier position at will.
INoriwasshe tflie first woman who 3i!ad so th<wigiht, or 'been similarly dis appointed.
CHAPTER. XVII.
FRIENDS IN ADVERSITY.
Iiiv>tlie aneantime things were going" , l>adiy with Graee Strong aaid Beatrice Ba^aiat^ifi at 8%iAni^e:- Cot&age,;'
It wf^l'be remembered -that we are
, fiqwireferfing?to <the secoaaJ imoman^
following the disappearance of Dr. T Sfrc®g. ' : .'. .
jSlCtouiafed -by the ptromise of reward held out by Grace, a thorough system atic search was Jbelpjg ana4eof the wliole iboarhood iby police <*m «fcat>les ai%L detectives, i fThe froublc was ttoat tdrey ; 'had »o «iqe .to start them upon tlhe fight tracik.
. ; Witih splendid loyalty to iber brotft ">.er, wfoo had gaven iBD®Jicit outers that
aotMng was to be told Miss BtaMan tyne wi ieli .was likely to dfisfcress 'her mind, the brave girl had carried her trouble with a. composed;.exterior, and kept _ Beatrice In ignorance of the cause <of "her broiler's coaiitinued1 ab sence. But it was evident this moru ; ang .tlfiat -matters could, -not eontinwe so
any longer. The lines of care were Hemigfihening upon her sister's face, and tio what she would she coaiM not je «nove a"jl ^jracs of overnight weeping.
"Mis®. (Strongs I am sure that there as something the matter, your ibrother 5s ill, or «omet3ring (has happened to Mm.? iGitace!" tslie saM, dropping all formality as she saw the shadow of St great feiair pass over the giro's face.
'Grace !te!l me what lias hlappened to .
Mm!'
There were .tears <in Grace's eyes; . Suit s'lie still oonsfcrolied herself. *I
promised "him .to tell you of nothing wMch might distress you.'
Then lie has l>een nip at the Tow ers and i^s disappeared?' said Beat rice with forced caimsniess'.
'Grace,' she continued, bursting in ito tears, *it As my -fooMsh silence that
!h&s killed Mm'
'Whatever can. you mean?' exclaim e'd^Gi'a.ce in astonishment.
But the only answer iBeaitrice gave was a passionate flood of tears, and it wa<s not until some time afterward .that she *odd Grace of 'her strange ex jperience on taiendght of lisr first sleep ~~ aiiig at -the Towers. The face of Grace
Strang wore a very serious aspect as (Beatetioe told her "the Whole of her
story.
'IdMnSc <that you liave done wrong -Beatrice,' she said simply, 'in with fcoMing sraeb imjporfciimt iraformatioin, ibufc at may relieve you to know that any (brother had some sort of warning ithaifc foeneaiflh the Towers there was an
«xcavaMcsn*
. She -then hurriedly itoUd BeaitaSce of ifche etory afoorat the gold m'iae, wihieli (had ibeen told ioher 'brother. After a tong and anxious coosufeuiaon they then decided to at once inform the de fectives wlho were then engaged upon jthe-case, and who for convenience, and to axMissiire' !the servambs, Were stopping at tiie To were. It would not fce necessary, said Grace, to tell them ciore tha» wtiat had "bcien told the doc tor, except that #hey should urge them ^to investigate the bedroom from wihich «the lawyer and doctor 'had -ljofch disap ^earted. .. . . . .
'I must go witih you' safid Beatrics, 1 feel quite strong.'
. Grace did lier best to dAssuajde her, tout witasoist success. It seemed as if ^a-a«aad ,was lifted' off tiie anindof Bea itricev Ahat sfoeihad at la^tshaxetL ii«r dreadful secret with a friend, hadiu {fused new vigour aaifco jher wiiole ^naane. .'j v.
Oraice's whtde anxiety, 5iowever, wa s mow ifor lier Ijrottier. "However did I <overfook what fte "had ®aid^ albout ttie excavations; let us n?t lose'a minute. 'Are you 'sune Siart yon cain walk ftoo
<y»taMeef
-vAaid so they linrried off tfcogether to ward whene taie great ibelt of <fir trees
UritK tfi© white v£ i%te Tow
?rs stood against 13ae eastern lior dzon, and tosyooid' wliicli tihere ^treicli .. ed i»iily H»-«eeatt.: ;
(To fce continued.)
CHAPTER XVIII.
DETECTIVE SEYMOUR OOES UN
DER.
'Not in this room exclaimed Grace as the eoaciiTnan ia^ gaaxLeiDter were about to lififc Mm upon the (bed.
*,Nio>, at weald never dfc» fiar him to awake to consciousness tare ; besides Bie room wS91 need !to be exaim!iii*0d>, on the return of the detectives,' said Beal ri'oe hurriedly.
They carried him intoan apartment ca the other side of the 'hotise (and by the time a doctor -was in attendance had undressed audi placed <Mm «pn the bed. Grace supervised everything.
A stimulant was adimlnlstered by her direction, >his limfbs -sponged with Ihoit water ; cold water wtas ap plied to his "head, and everything <kxne
to restx>re amimatkm. He ihart 'taint ed, sihe fhoqiglrt, ?through w<aiot of (food, Cowl air, and exhaustion.
Doctor Shirley, Who <etame in re sponse to her summons,' expressed Shim self as extremely (pleased with her management of the <3ase, and although he said Dr Strong's coMditiom was a very serious ome, (he toad every hope Of {raffing (Mm througfti. fie himself would remain tand mumse "him thivmgh
the exists. *
<A*fiter a time the patient's (breathing became more regular and na tural, and in respomse to the effect olf tfhe stinrn tant some colour returned to the pal
lid flace.
William iShlrley, M. D., had Ibeem on kntimate terms with botih Dr Stnxxng and his sister, amd Ms <?urfosity to know where fras friend Ibad' (been found was great; but 4ie saw that Grace was wholly a'bsortied with anxiety for 'her brother's recovery, and iHiat While hit life huu<g In the ?balance, it .would be useless to interrogate (her. The only reply to his question, as to Where anil how they had found- 'him, had bu* further mystified <hiin. Said Grace
. 'We found Mm in the room in which he was lost; but dioctor dx>i*'t ask me anytM^j? about it now.
Br Shirley sat and watdhed Ms pa tient, and occasionally felt life pulse, the beating of which was hardly per ceptible.
He looks as though he <had (been, poi
soned i>y noxious gfas, as well as starv j
ed,' lie ©aid to Grace.
'Very iiikely,' she replied, as she] quietly btBt deftly moved aSbout the room fin attend ance TOpon her <broitiier*s
wants.
The detectives, Bruce amd Seymour, i returned towards evening, and on hear ! sing- of the startling turn in affairs,
at office sought an 'mfcervdetw with Beat <
lice.
.It miigiht have 'beeaii expected? that they would have evincedmuch grati fication at the discovery of Doctor Strong ; tout tfliey both ceg'arded it as^ yatber Hnf&j^nate-fcemuse tker ba4
.not made the discovery themselves. On hearing the particulars, 'however, from Miss Baliaaiiyiie, they !fchoaigh.t better of tihe case, for their only com petitors were two wosneia. And it would be a queer thfing if they could not manage to so report, a® to secure the credit of the -matter for them selves.
Of course their report would laave to talTy wCth any sworn evidence -wMdi might -come out in the inevitalble trial which would follow their capture of the crinritnals; but it wouM vbe easy enough to fix that up.
*Pheir first course was plain. Mrs DaTbert must, if possible, be immed iately arrested, and' In the meantime the chamber must be -watched. They .were loath to ask for further assist ance, at a time which seemed' tto offer the successful elucidation of a mysterious crime which had set
all Melbourne toy the ears. One of them would have to go into the city, procure a waraaut, and arrest Mrs Dalbert- 4tiat Is if he could find her-wliile the oitfter must wiatcli the Towers.
Matters were certainly getting wJarm ^nd lively for the officers; and as for the Towers, the whole household was . simmering with; .excitement. They none <w£ them exactly knew where the missing Doctor lhad< coane -from, and none of them had seen Mrs Dialbert; but they all knew that ttaeibwo ladies were the chief actors in the affair, and fchatsoanethng very extraofrdinary Siad happened to him in the haunted cham her. However, there'was awo* qaossahil iiy cf the Doctor being removed that .night to 'his own residence, so <wftli DoetorShirley and tJhe ladfes slaying Id tbe bouse, tfcere inore life aft
out the place. At least that was the view the cook and 'liouisemaid took of the master.
It was noteworthy that mane of tfliem had 'beeoine friendly with the dtetec- ] tives. Had they 'been ordinary police-officers it is probable .tha't the female servants wxmld Suave jtMsen them linto favour at oruce. But to a cook or ho-useroaM there is a great gulf fixed between a detective officer amd a policeman. The 'foamier wears no alluring uniform, and is less partic ular a<bont Ms food. Tlien too, the officers in question had shown them selves extremely -suspMoais aind loquis itive. One after anoiflier they tad in an informal way examined 'and .cross examined. the eervamts.
"Its like their impertinence,' said the cook, 'to .pry Into our private af fairs in the way they do, and 'that Sey mour is the worst. He acfeaaMv asked
, me the other day wJiether my 'hair had
always 'bean the colour at 'is -now ? Tlhe cilieek of the fellow ! 1 'believe he kmoiws every ,particular atoooit ifche Jbirfcli and history of everyone of us.'
The gardener was the most embit
I fcened against them, for tiiey ihad <mad£
a very searching inquiry lnjfeo diis past
' career, *wMeh was noit altogether to
Ms credit, and .Seymour at one time threatened 4£lm that he mogiht find him self in trouble if lie did not tase care
It was ecrtalnly not a wise course, and Detective 'Bruce (had sev eral times had occasion to check .the ardour and impatience of Ms less ex penieraeed fellow officer.
They had a long and serious consul tation fbefore Bruce decided -to sitart for iiihe -city to arrest Mrs Dalfoert.
Tot -willi harve to use toe utmost
vigiteuce, -Seymour,' e&Ul Bruce, Ton
any word1 I-hardly <care «to leave you here alone, and -there is just a cShance that this Mrs Dalibert may mat «be an actual accomplice, and In going after iuea*e we may lose more valuable game.'
'lou ought to get "there and »bacic in three or four hours, asid "have the woman safely in custody,' replied iSey
mooir. ,
'Ah, (but it's evening now, and good ness knoiws where the chamber magis trate wall be. Yo<u see there is mo one to give her .in <?liarge and -I can't arrest her withonrfc a warrant. There's no knowing what may happen to 'delay me,' replied Bruce.
'You may rest sure that I tvob'l leave the room with iflie fireplace. un til you return,' said Seymour. 'I feel very mfueh inclined to get the "coach man and gardener in a ad Ijroak down into the place "below, as 'Miss Ballan tyne suggested we might,' said Sey
mour.
'Never do! There must foe some means of exit from Jbelow, *ancl >half an hour before you could (break your way down :tihere, the >birds would diave flown. From -what Miss Ballantyne says my opinion is that some one will work the lift to-night from ibelow to see "w<hether Uhe doctor has fbeen dis covered ; and if tthe thing is manag ed properly tihey 'might (be taken in the act'
"Good heaven ! don't make a mess of if, Seymour. I don't know wheth er it would not be better for me to send you to Melbourne after unLss they are caught to night there will i>e no cfiiance when they have discovered tSiafc the doctor has «beea moved. 33hey are siure, I ttimk, (to come back ; but probably it will be in the early hours of the morning, and' I wall (be (back l>y then. There's the coachmsrn with my horse, so I will get off at once and <be Jyack as quickly as possible. See that you have one x>f the men with you until I return.'
Seymosir, however, decided as 'his superior officer ixxie rapidly away that he would not enlighten the ser vants any farther aiLwrot the matiter , but would' watch the chaanlber alone r until the return of Bruce; 'He was
I eager for distinction anjd (promotion, I and if he could only do somelMng
i bold and original in Uhe present case he might achieve 'both.
He decided to tell no one at stll of his intended' movements, for he was suspicious tiiia't some of the servants might be accomplices, and he hiadi an idea which he wanted to work out.
It should be said to his credit that Seymour was not deficient dn personal l courage, and just now he would ihave ? faced any danger, with Ms (revolver J handy, for he had great -faith in; his | own sk:ll and dexterity in dealing ' with criminals, and-his curiosity was ? aroused to the highest pitcih. He had
himself fro>m observation, after hav . ing entered the room with the greatest
quietness, and there waited.
I He was In the dark, fjut had a tail's
eye lantern with him which he occas ionally used to look at the time. He j was too amiGh excited to feel sleepy j and sat behind *t3ie curtains of the 3>ed j thinking over all that Miss Ballan . tvne had told them of the moving- of i the fireplace and square and of the
startling events which followed. She
had specially emphasised the facth&tt
;4lie lift Tracked ®oisele«$ly, and t!h? 'iUoiagiit c'ccuartii- to Seytfttarrr, ISvip pose that I shcraM ai<at' Tiear libeiiftj and tliM at jfaaqild toing <up somieont
fcsiovi- v.ili'a mife'iit spxSiag upon me unexpectedly,. It is a most try ing Uihiug to \v£it !lu suspense, with stotalnehl iRivo.v hcra* "after Hiour Mo-ii*: ia-s Sey.UK>m' \y<23 ;,i50w diaing. Tuue, lie toad 'many a time \ratehied -under more uiieamtor^ble cireumstaoces - lifliysic 3llv, but there was an uucamiyiiess alxAr-.t .tl:o -proseat ajdvembure wMch. specially irn.ve-ss&d itself upon ills
niind.
He k;cfc_'d at Ms wajtwh and' fkrand it i/jxe rnidn^M, <he «nfig!ht al uiyst c.it any time -expect the retflimi of Iiru.cc, who might jprofoaibiy bring h'o'jvn lucre assiistansee with Mm.
Ait this, h-a threw 'the light of the ?bull's-eye la:irtera upon the firejpla«cfc arid square, <and then carefully arouaid
^Jho siocm.
He tben lallowed <to iilraself iililat It was a risky thing to do, /but St reas sajirred him ; as she tknoaiigMt the flight back, however, it fell upon ffihe oush k>n on which Dr Strong's -head had rested when, according 4o Miss Bal lantyne's precise and careful state ment, he&had come up from 'below.
?Ai': this a rush of thought .passed lihrcegh Jishe detective's uftiatL The cushion was different in icolour to others in the roam. Then it occurred
to Mm that someone might wigli to recover tlhSut cnsMttra. Tjhenibo©, as Jt was evidently -a most ingeniously Aim tcived .piece of iiieefliamiini, tohose -toe low might have some means of 'know ing w-Uetlier the doctor's foody was still lying upon tdie lift where ttiey had piacecl It. He was, In tbtis affair, fight ing no oirdinary criminal, %e would have to take every precaution oa* they wauM escape tiim.'
At (feast, as he fihus <£hou@ibt tihdmat ter over, fliis irmoginaiion; -caummeaced ffeo play liim tricks ; or it was itais. or other animals, he certainly 'h-eaiti sottrfids, and once or 'twice allowed a glimmer of ligSit -to escape (his ifouiTs eye, Sk* as to assure (himself that lilie lift toad noit 'been moved. Finally, to prevent any possMe mistake toeing made, lie decided to lie down himself i^xyit the square, and wi'tih cushion under his head pose as <tohe doctor. If the lift was moved 3ie would at any rate go down wlt9i ft -when, of coairsa ftliere would "be -a flutter and he might 'iiave to use his revolver, ."but he
would toave some'show .of achieving
distSMarxuiK
'Good heaven! if it would only hap pen before Bruce returned, and he could do the whole thing single han
ded.'
Without another 'thought the plucky young fellow made for the cushion and lay down, upon the square with
Jis lieid upoii it-. had todra/w up /?ills' legs a'bit, for lie was a^ts^ man;
and the position was a *bit cramped. Bat it was nothing to lying for six mortal: hours. in an iron drain pipe, which he had done on one occasion to catch a criminal who had secreted plunder in same long grass.
.He made "himself quite comfortable at last, witlihis head on the pillow, and thus waited.
"There's a queer smell about this pillow,' -he presently said to himself . He 'began .to feel a Ibit~ drowsy, for "another couple of hours had passed, and the position lie had assumed was not nearly so suited to keeping awake as an 'upright one.
^Gonfound it!' he thought, It will be a flue thing if I let myself go to sleep here. I shall have to get up and move a'bout a hit.' Just then he ihought that he heard a noise, and listened in momentary expectation of feeling the. lift move with him.
Another half hour passed, and Sey mour could not account for his drow siness; tout he had now 'been watch ing for over six hours, and unknown to 'him there wf.s that about the cush ion calculated to induce slumber.
'He shook himself, then put his head down again aiid listened, then closed his eyes, for it was Utile use keeping them open in the dark, .then he swore
UGdtr his breai'Ji that he would lie - there «uiiy longer, t4ien fa's taeadnu^
-juore h«avily upon lie Sn
he fell asleep, \
And it: Wiisaiot much to be wondej\ ed~ at und^-4jie cIrcunistaaieGs. \
When, howev^^r-JPeteetire Brace re turned to Sea^lffflCfrreqra the follow^
Ing morning in a very
thoroughly tired out--fpr he haalaii ed in his search for Mrs Dalfoerf:-W found Detective : Seymour unaccount - ably missing.
No one Jmew: anything afoouthim; the chamber .which tie had foeen de puted to watdh ;was there, presenting its ordinary appearance; but there wss no sign of Detective "Seymour.
<He must have gone out some where.' suggested William.
But the quick eye of ttie detective saw that the cushion which fcad come up'from below under the doctor's head, was absent. He had thought a good bit about -frhalt eoidhioin wihile away in the city amd blamed himself for "not having examined it,-«tad put ting it somewhere -under lock atnd key; but there was no cushion there mow, and no detective Seymmir^ anil" Mr Bruce went outside to see'if he might tve smoMng a. quiet pipe so met where after his night of lonely 'watching. But he did not find 'him "there.
(To *be Continued.) , x
OEtAFTER XIX.
iSetih Rosedale's Arrest
It 4nust Jlot -be thought that during all this time -Detective Bruce M over looked iSeth Boeedalte's tpossible con coction with the mystery.
'Fennrvilte <C6fctage hadi been -carefully watched Jby two local constiaMes in pliaixii tdottiies; but imtil th« striaiige storj^jaf 'Mrs 'Dalberit's slngniair appear
anee In the haunted chamber toad reached the ears of the detectives, there had1 been no positive grounds for malking amy special .move in that quarter. A portioai of Mr Bruee's tousi nesa in. Melbourne -.toad1 been t*> find
how tar Jhe was -authorised <to go in re gaxti, £e$h Itosedaie, and now in the unexplained absence of Seymour he beat-his steps towards Femville.
The ihouse lax. which Beth; Kosedale bad taken, up Ms abodesija^<MissBal lan±yniehad. inherited Sea-»C9jiffi Tow ers, was; situated mear the cemetery, and overiooked bofch ifche Towers and -the JPacifijc. .It stood completely iso iated^and had originally been built for a»umii^i5esid<enjee.i)ya city tcades tnon. Mr Bwice iound Ctosedale quiei ly at wk in his garden, and om be ing asked into the house he went to the ipoiiwt at twice.
'I am Detective Bruce, of Melbourne,'
Mr Rosedale 'bowed, as though die Information gave him (unexpected plea
sure;
. 'You know Mrs Dalbert, of Carlton,
I 'brieve-a cousin <of the late Kay momd Ballautyne, of Sea-OIiCf Tow ers ¥ ? ? ? ?? ? , .. " ? -
'Yes,' said Mr Roeedale.
'She is proved ito be connected .with the jnyeten^s dfe%ipeiaTiaii!c^ at the Towers,' said Braces firing a shot eight lata t he enemy's camp, as he thought.
Tou surprise me,' said^ Kosedale, showing great interest in%ie debec
ttve's wbremufioo;
'Doyou know anytMngof her recent movemeafe 2' asked ®ruce.
'She called 'fiw half an boor the day before yesfcerdiay,' replied -Rosediale; *but I 'have not seen her sinice.'
?May II ask*, the nature of her fonsi-' ness with you T eaifl - the detective.
.*CerstaSn3y, she called to tell one ab out what ss'he had read of thfe <iisap
peaiaiiice of Br Strong, <ahd! to talk' oyer the affair., r am of course deep lyinterestea in the matter, having been so long (res ident at /the Towers
during thel&edameof thetate owner.1
'Ane ydu aware that there fe a, sdb terranean vault or chaaifl>erbelo>w) the tiofthefnfportionof.ta^ mahsi«n^ amfl that a remarkalMesprinig-iift -works from thefirepfe'ce,' asked Ikuce,
INo, certainly not,' said; Bosedale. There as, however/ answered the de tective, 'and Mrs Dalbert knows of it,! aod' the' ^enerai opinion is that you know about it too. You are any prison er Mar Rosedale.!:
Tbedetective bad covered himwith a reviver.
fYoucan q>ut up the shooting axon,' said the man quietly. I shlall mot at tempt to evad/e you or escape. I don?i think, however, it 'wall Just, now be worth your while to arrest me.'
'Why not T asked Bruce.
- ^Because I am In a {position! to bar gain with you for the life of your fel lorw officer. If yon arrest one Seymoui will "be dead 'before you <3ao «end« him any assistance. If you will take me to tJhe Towers, andprtxmise me omehour's immunity from earnest ot pursuit, I will show yoq the whole thing, and enaMe you 4o save "Sey mour's life.'
The detective 'looked at <his prisoner as he anxiously iturned the .yhole mat 4er over in his mind.
'Where fs Mrs Dalbert T he asked, 1b HeUxmroe, I beJIeTe/
*Y<m had better come with 'me op to the Towers.'
'Aire you going to act upon any eug gestion T asked Rosedale, aaixioiasly,
"I am not,' said tlie detective decided
iy
The two men looked at each other for a anteute, and then. Bruce stepped close alp to Rosedale, -with a ipalr of handcuffs ibetiween Ms fingers, one liand still heading the revolver. Be fore the mass knew what was trans piring Brace had handcuffed -him.
'Now,' said the detective 'sit doiwti for a moment, while I talk to you. First of all this is the warrant author ising me to arrest youat this he showed -him the document upon which 'he had so suddenly acted.
'I must now warn* you,' he cotntinu ed, that anything you may say can he used against you at your trial.. At the same time, if you give me <any in foinmaiti<Hft which will save f urther sac riiftce of life, as in the case of Detec tive Seymour, which you have referr ed to, it <will he tJo your advantage.'
'I know nothing whatever aibowt it,*
aj^Lid Rosediale, suddenly changing his I
tactics.
'Oome now, don't make a fool of
j yourself, sir, siaid the detective. 'Yon I have just given yourself tawiay
«MQ*S*0f0fa*0*s«gcgtQ90t09D*0*090*0*cM0aowMa>uaa
&m09QmQ90morncmo90*cmQ9cmvmumjmvmuw
completely by offering to show me the nietiEad of working "the lift at the Tow ems, aaid! *by proffering to save the «Me of Detective Seymour if in danger. You Imow all about tiMs matter and will pndbably have to stand your trial for murder, so you need not mow eomt any of that tomfoolery.'
iSeth Rosedale -was atjout to reply, a scowl d«;riranii.ng his face, wheal there came a peremptory rap upon iiie -?ter door, which was at once opened by the seryamfc
; 'Mr <R»sedaie in T
; *Yes, sir, will ywu please wait a mo. jnnent,' sa5d: the woman ,in an agi tated tone of voice.
«EDas ihe any one with him V asked the voice, as its owner pushed his, .way 5nto5)the house.
Seth iBosedale looked at Detective Bruce, and; the police officer looked back at 1iim.
' Tool see I was onily just an. time,* he said, 'that's Seymour.'
furse (him,' said -RosedaSe.
A. moment afterward Seymour stood wMh them in the room.
'I see that I am too late to make the annest,' tie said' smQliifig at bis tfeQJow ofl&eer, "but I have the evidienee.'
^Whafc, is it T asked Bruce. 'Murder,' replied Seymour.
TOadf we not better go on to the Tow esrs,' said ®ruce, who althaagh greatly pleased? at the turn in events, and also at the safety of his colleague, felt that he was noit exactly taking first ©lace in tfie effflir. , .
'No, r 4Mnkr we ?had abetter get our -prisoner to a.saEe place first, audi se cure 'Mrs Daibert; besides it will be better to give Dr iStrosngand Mas Bal lanty.ne "another^ day of quiet befiore, we hiave amy further investigations at
the Towers.'
As 4>hey were completing their ar rangetnerits to convey Rosedale "to the ciity, Seymour wrote a note to Miss Grace Strong telling flier that the prin cipals in the Towers Mystery had teen arrested, and that they need be nmdet no alarm duriutg the detectives' ab sence; that they might rest assured there would be no further annoyance to them on account of the Towers mys tery.
He showed itlus letter to Bnioe be fore sending at, >but the laMer demur
red.
'How do you kanosw T he asked,' ittiere may be other accorftplices ?'
"If there are, said Seymour, 'tfoey can not get a'-ecess to the caves, for I have barred and tbolted the only enhance oufcidie the house.'
"Clie <saves !' exclaimed Bruce.
'Yes, I nearly lost imy life dowr* there? and bad as queer an adventure, as even a, detective seldom meete with said Seymour.
'But bow did you get down there.
and hoiw return ?* asked Bruce some what excitedly.
'It's a fairly long &tcry,' said 'Sey mour, 'and there are one or two things I should1 like to -have further explain ed by Rosed ale, so I think the best .plan will *be to leave fit uzitil we are started <t.o drive into MeltKwrne/
1Ali Tight V said Bruce, -but he felt sore that his fellow detective should have «o far got~the ^better of him. /I cait also tell you a few things which I have discovered about Sirs 'Dalbert.
(To be ^Continued*)
Once a Year-"The Edgerton children have a good time Christmas." "In what way ?" "Well, their father is a doctor, and ifeheir mother lets them eat" everything they want."
Edith-"Do you think it is wrong to say dam T " Berfcha-"Perhaps snot -, but when one is vexed, instead of say ing 'darn,' r think it is more ladylike
?bo fcttit one's brow."
<BDe-"I notice that the scientists have «otme hope of being aMeto coon mirnfeate with the moo<n. "<She-''Good gracious me ! I hope the. .maoa in the moon is no tattle-tafle."
Really Impossible.-.To'mmy-"Paw, ?what is an extraordinary session of the legislature ?" tMr Figg-"One in which no fool 'bills were passed would
very much that kiajd/'
The Mystery of Sea
cliff Towers.
(ALL EIGHTS RESERVED.)
BY J. D. HENNESSEY.
Author of "The {Dfe-HorioraUe,**
"Wyamim," "An Australian Bush Track," "Gunnery of Church "Con
sett," etc,.
& «: GHAPTEB XX.
.w: Detective Seymours Story.
It "Waft Hot Until Melbourne was reached, however, and Seth Rosedale safely lodged in the gaol, that the detective's story was told. Seth Rose dale had exhibited an entirely differ ent demeanour after the appearance of Seymour. He evidently regretted the admission he had made to Bruce, and in reply to any questions put to him toy the detectives expressed him self as personally entirely ignorant of anything connected with the events which bad transpired at the Towers.
"We shall have to secure Mrs. Dal bert," said Seymour.
"Yes," replied Bruce, " her evidence seems absolutely necessary to secure a conviction against Rosedale; he is a <clever scoundrel that; I never knew the trail of a crime to <be more artful ly covered over. Let us hear, how ever, off your adventure down below ?'
"It was my bull's-eye lantern that saved me down there," said Seymour.
"How came Dr. Strong to escape *i" asked Bruce.
" I don't .know, unless by a miracle, or the timely interposition of a friend ly hand. But it will be best for me to begin at the 'beginning, and then we can form our plans for future ac tion."
"I must have been asleep, when I descended into the underground room,' continued Seymour. "I had been watching for something like six hours, and was afraid that I might doze off, or that the lift might be so quietly worked that in the dark I might be unaware of it; so I lay down uuon the lift with my head on a 'cushion, just In the (position in which they found the doctor."
"I ata inclined1 to think that the cushion was tempered with in some way, either drugged, or made of hops, or something put -upon it to induce sleep, for I can account for it in no other way."
" Oh I you were clean -done up, and when you put your head on the pil
low what <was more natural than that
you should go- to sleep." said Bruce.
"Well, we won't discuss1 that," re plied Seymour, "although I am not eure myself that I ever slept, for that lift has been constructed by a me chanical genius, and works perfectly smoothly, and wdthout iioise of any kind. I may have been lying there for an hour or two When I started to consciousness. I felt. that there was a change in the \ atmosphere, mid was conscious of a slight draught which I had not noticed in the room before. .My lantern was covered, but was still alight, so I turned it up and uncovered it. You may guess that I got a start."
" I was still lying upon the fire place, but Instead of being in the bed zoom I could see a kind of shaft or
Dffgjl above aajJ around there
a large underground cave or cham ber. I sat up at once and drew my ^revolver, for within a yard of me sat a stout man fastened in a chair, seem Ingly asleep. I looked at him again. The face was partly -turned away from me; but my blood almost ran cold. It was the corpse or ghost pf Raymond Balia&tyne. X
" I jumped up and stepped cautio^^ ly on to the floor, and -with -my bull's eye took a good look at the appari tion, to be quite sure that my senses .were not deceiving me ; then I threw the light cautiously into other parts of the place ; but a moment afteraw* I got another shock, iffor tmraiiag <rtcniud I ifound tiha't «tlhe lift, reli-eved <c*f my .weight, was steadily ascending to its foumer position, It to fact -was too higjh up for me -then 'to catfcrfh !hold of it, and a minute afterwards had pass ed up the well 'to its plaice in the bed
room.
'For a feiw minutes I felt myself regularly trapped ; bait I was imtost ap preihenisive as to_who inigfot »be iwith me in ifSbie vault., in .addition to the corpse of cM< Mr Ballamityme.
'I <could hear nothing- except a queer runtfbling amd sucking sorrt off sound, each as might have come <down a long
passage leading to the ocean. Y<ki may imagine .tfhat <1 was in a queer state of mind, not l<o -menitioci how I felt in my body. I tunned itihe (Lantern upon the floor at my ifeet it was fair ly smooth and a b?fc gra velly ; then I threw it behi-nd nae and saw a ibaible ara3 dhaSr, and (then 'a coudh, amd lamp ^m»n some shelving Let -tato the wall.
I saw now for «fche first time <£hat the place was a cave -Chart: «haid been arti ficially enlarged.The lift bad evident ly been constructed cut iflhe farthest end of It, in the direction of Che lainid. Hiv inig discovered ffiMs much I tf^&t a faint nese coming over me and walked ofver towards tiie ehialir aind <taible ito sit down, when my eyes fell upon a bot tle tit whisky, an)d a large jog, and a> tin witb bisouite. TQm? jmg "by good luck, had* water in it, and .1 made m/ sefof ah stiff tumbler of .the «wiMisky and wafer, and lielped myself Cmm the tin of biscuits. I 'hlad 'had .ixofflhing sinlce the afternoon of <tflie previous day, amd I can tell you 43ie refneslunent was most acceptaible.
1 sfaaM never £<mg&t "how I salt there and tfhou.srht over tbe situations I hlad matches about me, so I blew otaA tiie liamffcern], pajjtiy to save itihe JigM, and partly tio> prevent myself finom fbeicom
idg <a tarjgat for am -enemy's <pdsM, I munched the biscuits in tifte dark, amd watched for iflhe -appeamaoe of some
one.
'I comduded «iflsaifc someome fliiadb low ered 'the lift "down, scad someone must have seen-me. Why toad I "beeii allowed to escape, I thought. For afo>nt half aa lMWip I «ait ifchene in painful suspense, peering initio rtflie dlark ness, witti my finiger o® Uhie trfigger ot tfhe revcJIver. There wias 'no sound, however, so I prescmftly lit my 'larateni aigaM to TtMsre cajrofUilly <examine ray surroundings «ai«d see if I -could find emit arayiynrag. albowt Afir fSeptiansas Dor sat I 'had no fear ifior myseiiiftso Jloag eus I .wias a mauieh for aay yMemiee I misrttt meet av^'Pi frhian* for I fe3ifc smre
Cwrt you would be baidk -shortly and tfvaifc i;f I -eoiifid -cisft ge<t oraifc by any rflhtcr ineanis I -could make yon thear me by shouting. But 'there wias tthe chiaracs fchat I mishit find out fliioHv (to /work t'hie lift from below, or imagilst discover same imeiaais of exit into the grounds or on to the rocks. Lookinfe; ait my TvartxHi I found -thiait it "was justf -four o'clock., so I took out my note Shook aiwi "made a memo, of <w<hat hiad (hap pened. in case I "should meet wiltih an accident ."before getting out again.
'Tii-is corner of plsuce I foinud oil cffioser exaimlniaHion itoo lbs -ainriainged .witih considerable care, as itjhxsugii someone bad sat ithere ?eitiier writing or engaged in oflhca* ooeoiija-taon. Hhere was a Tag on 'the ground, atntf1 writ ing «i}>3<ticTia.!s on lilie ste-lf. I Examin ed <tihe latter, tout could find >no traces o<f manuscript, on rt/hfe lower adielf, ihwiv ever, I found a lairup which was trim med and full of kerosene. This re lieved my fears afoout a light,and I at once lit it and proceeded to investi gate in other directions.' :
*You certainly, had. a lively time old tnan, I wish I had been with -you/
said Bruce.
TSiis was a great thing for Bruce to say, for he rarely expressed ap proval of anything which his col league did ; ibut he was evidently fav ourably impressed and interested.
Seymour chuckled to -himself 'There * is notMng succeeds like success,' he tihought as he looked across to iiis
senior.
'I went over and had a good look at the coryse of the late proprietor of the Towers, and when you see it you will think with me that it is a ghastly spectacle. The body has evidently been preserved in some way, for ft
has ft mummy-like abearance, trat ^
Whip it has been done is a mystery which I can suggest no explanation
'Did you exa-inine *he *body closed/
asked Bruce. .
"No,1 replied Soyrnour, 'something happened shortly a$ter Wfok2b suggest-, ed the aidvtis&hfflSty' «of aawSier eonrsa of adfc!on; bat as far as I eottld1 see by -a -casual ^xasninaitfcHi Ufoeie was w» sign of violence aiborat the face or skuii The hatids are Tf^tinig upon ^ae toe** anUd -the wtooJe ajttifeude is istagvlarty. siafcural, jusifc as thonKrti dea-tfa might fl^re overtaken. 'Mm w!hen <hiB was ® -sleep. I should ®ay though ffiint wic pl-ace had $ queer saltish ©meH.*
'Amy smell of drags or preservative*, o? dismfe>etan'hs ?' sttg$$ested Bw®ee»
*Noi, -thrift itfhe -freshness of ;t4ie «pla"^ "p*as partly explained to me n-fteirwards There are really three large caves, pr> lraibly limestone, amd a too? passage or series of smafller caves, wirtfh an open ing rig-he o-ut on tihe cliff. bwt *wihi.tli can be used otaly att low tide. It mwisf «l\ave been Ivis^h water at atboaitt five or 6 o'clock this fflGffiinig; yon will learnf ^hy I say this later on, As sooms as I had <takem in the «ur«HlO®ng8 <*f t»hi first cave, I commenced ito esaml'e that to ttie left, which is several feet lower. There were pileffrty <rf feet marks' here, font except a case of invo. which may 'have contained spirits at one time, there was TOoitihSnig of Isi <portasisce to be seen. "While In *flher^, however, I was suddenly startled by 'heaiing one of the -most weird and aw ful sounds imaginable, and itihen ttftere came a great rush of wind wfoidh nei? .lv extinguished' tJhe lamp I was warrr in'sr. I waited and listened for several minutes, and ^en it was (refuted. It was simply lawful, and wS'tib that dead man in #he next <p?ace, amd' tibe consciousness <fchfl't -Mr Dorsetfi's (body \v?»s somewhere down there too, I can tell you it was "by no tmeans -a efheer fnl situation. I -must have ^beeoi a fall hour in that place fprofeefcrag the 8<atnijj so <fhaf It should not "be frlowra out, amd tfhtait. infernal racket going om all tfhe tisne.' v ~i
*1 thought of every possible natural explanation; but -it was of no use, a.nd *tbait hour in the inner cave wss aibout fhe worst : I -ever leanembec spending m my 4ife.' '
'Well, man, whait was it?' said Bruce, at last, somewhat' impatiently.. TU tell you in a minute,' said Sey Ui-owr, evidently enjoying Ms senior's
exesited state of mind.
'Aiter a Mile I went cautiosiisly owt auiid passed t>y«£lie toig cave linto 4 smaller'otae, wMeh I judged led in the cUreoKoii of - fihe . sea.- T -hud to climb down in sonne pkuo§£, as the descent was quite steep, ra'Jmost like stairs, it -was .more like *a-passage, and I went along sheading the ligflxt "very caiuiidously when; all ' at once I heard the mmt Shrieking sound riglut* in front off me, and a gust of salt air rushing past me esrtiinginshed the lamp, Jaut 'before it i^-id so I saw a white gthcstly oli^ci right in front of me. You'll mintk' jn*> foolish perhaos, %tat just as me -.tlg-hr went but I fired my r-evotver s-iz-ai^b*
at It.' .
The darkness for a few minings was intense aud thesa a so-i^ of whos ptwresceiit light confronted me, and the same wild whistling scream be^rac I tell you it made me sweant, fout 1 laugthed ^ now for I guessed what it was ; $t ywas higii tide and tSiere was a blowhole coiiaieeted with the* sea in She passage In front of me. It ewdeuf
iy' only acted daring xougSi weafther ^dt lugli tide.'
-.}*1 Iiad -therefore no alternative l)ut to
back and-wait for tan fociir OIL* so $jt>r t'iie tide fca go dowa* a bC'i,. bafore following \z£j my investigations in taiat
; :...
'C JgaM Bruce, 'did* you find a,uv
trace of Dorset T
f 'No, but 1 3iave a good ictea wlhere liis aemains will l>e found,' said Sey
mpiir: ? -
?' asked Bruce.
'-At Kite .bottom of t'liart twoiw-Sioie.' «<aid Seymoui\
(To be -Contmued.)
' :f*« ???&
:
-M:
The Mystery of Sea
cliff Towers.
(ALL, BIGHTS RESERVED.)
BY J. D. HENNESSEY.
Author of "The Dis-Honoralne,"
"Wyamuin," "An Australian Bush Track," "Gunnery of Church Con sett," etc.
CHAPTER XX.
DETECTIVE SEYMOUR'S STORY.
' " Continued.
'Nonsense, if he had fallen down th»jre lu* tbody would hare been suck ed into the ocean as the tide receded,' replied Bruce.
'I don't know so much atraut that,' said Seymour.
'All right; but for heaven's sake dou't commence to argue the case, or there will toe no end to it. You ought to have been a lawyer.'
When Bruce slaid a thing of , this sort the implied compliment always carried a sour taste with it.
'How did you get out off the trap ?' he continued.
*1 went back, as I told you,: and
carefully set aibout examining the|
mechanism of the lift arrangement,* said Seymour, not taking any notice of his senior's gfibe.
1 found this to be a most curious piece of work, constructed with singu lar skill, and worked by hydraulic pressure, through a seeming storage of force obtained by the pressure of the "water in the 'blow hole passage. I was some time ; before I could dis cover the means of putting the lift in motion, 'but I did at Last-at least I found out how to work it from below; the upstairs portion is another matter, which I have not yet got the clue to.
- _ 'I was relieved, however, on End ing out that'I. could, move, the lift at will from 'below. It was now about 6 .o'clock, and Iwfing taiixloiis to lind out
what access there was- to the placej
from : the passage, I turned, down in i
the directfton'of.-the .blow-hole to make ! a further investigation. The tide; had by this time evidently receded, ! for over an hour hadelapsed since there had Jbeen any unusual sound in ithat direction. - It seems .to me that there
must be a , certain pressure onj the
.Wow-hole, before, the thing will work at jail, for its stoppage seemed quite sudden, as 'far as the extraordinary noise which it made went.
'I made my way through the caves "with extra care this time, keeping the light of the lamp upon the path in front o£ me. I soon came to the
shaft. It is a jagged irregular open ing in the floor of the cave, over three feet in diameter. The sides were slippery and wet, with the spray from the last working of the lilow hole, and encrusted -with salt from the action of the sea water.' . .
.I had no means of gauging its -depth or circumference below, except fey throwing a few pieces of loose rock down. The depth is certainly not less than twenty or thirty feet, however, and may be a. good deal more. ..."
'Anyone going along there without
a fcght troould jcertainiy, fall toto It,
and as I found no sign of Septimus Dorset's remains, it seems to me that he was either murdered and thrown in there, or was left below In tiie dark, and groping about to get out, fell in, and so met Ms death.'
*You found no weapon about there with which a murder might have tfjeeo committed 7 suggested Bruce.
'No, positively nothing. Except for the body of Raymond Ballantyhe, there's nothing to indicate murder there at all.' :
'Oh ! there's been murder all right,' said Bruce. 'Rosertale and Mrs. ©al bert tooth knew alxiut the place,: and made use of the secret entrance to the Towei-s ; then why should the body of Mr. Ballantyne be secreted there, ex
cept that there has *been a murder 7 j
'No doubt at>out the crime, but bow j
are we going to sheet it home to» the
criminal ? That's ihe question,' said Seymour.
'However, I have no doubt there is plenty more to find out down there, and we shall "have to thoroughly Over haul the whole place. I may say that dt is several hundred yards along a flairly straight series of eaves and pas sages to' the rocks which overlook, the Pacific coast. It is closed 5n with a small door of solid rock, which is as curious a piece of stone-masonry as I ever saw. Access to the place can only toe obtained with safety at low water, and the doorway from th»> coast fastens upon the 'inside. I made everything secure and then came back, and got into the Towers by the lift, and at once made my way up to Fernville to see if I could secure ©osedale. By the way, however, what is it you have found out about
Mrs. Dalibert ?'
'Enough, I think to secure a convec tion, feoth in her case and that of Seili Rosedale,' replied Bruce. 'She evidently got a ibit afraid of the look of things, and left -her rooms at Carl ton quite suddenly and unexpectedly, and without leaving any address ; but by some accident she has left a hand bag behind her with a number of let ters in it, which I think may incrim mate both herself and Rosedale.'
'What do you propose to do to-mor row at the Police Court ?' asked Sey
mour.
. 'Why, get a remand of course,,^iKd then go out to Sea-Cliff and extiuiiie the 'body of Raymond Ballautyne,'
said Bruce.
'By George !' exclaimed Seymour, every pulse in his 'body tingling wily gratified pride, 'won't th^.-e be a sen sation when the particulars are pub
lished.'
CHAPTER XXI.
THE BODY OF SEPTIMUS DOR SET IS RECOVERED, AND DETEC TIVE BRUCE GETS A FRIGHT.
It should be explained that Sey mour's note 'to Grace Strong had set the minds of the Tower's -household somewhat at rest.
Dr. Strong was recovering fas', and on the morning upon which Setk Rosedale was brought up at the Police Court was well enough to get up for an hour or so and converse quietly with Iris sister and Beatrice.
He could, however, give them no information, about the place below,
for the blow had stunned him for a time, and when consciousness return ed he found .Mmself bound fast and in perfect darkness. It seemed to him like a long hideous nightmare, and during part of the time most horrible noises had been heard. He had strug gled for hours with his bonds, but Had no* recollection of anything con nected with his liberation.
He said nothing at this time as to wliat he had seen himself, fearing to give a. shock to the nerves of Miss Rallantyne and his sister; but he had listened to their story with wonder
a ml thankfulness. "I no doubt owe
my life to 'Mrs, Dalbert,' he said.
Grace, however, was by no means friendly inclined to thas self-possessed lady. .'Likely enough it was only re
morse and fear which made her inter pose,' she said.
'You think then that she had know
ledge of Mr. Dorset's disappearance/, he said to Grace.
, *1 feel certain that she had,' replied Itis sister. ; 'Mrs. Dalbert and Seth Rosed&le have been 'confederates in crime, and the one is as bad as the other.' -
' 'All! well, we'll hope not,' said the
doctor.
. In the .meantime the detectives had obtained a remand, and having set two other men to trace out the re treat of Mrs. Dalbert, were hurrying l ack as fast as possible to Sea-Cliff
Towers.
.Both . Seymour and Bruce were anxious to hear about the condition of
Dr. Strong, for they felt sure that he would toe a. v,ery valuable witness in the. case. He was too weak, however; to see "them on their return, in fact had gone off to sleep; and Grace like a sensible girl determined that life should oti ao account be disturbed,. :_j
fcea bya distant sound, and Heaviside
sfertix&ii of ibark un
;*ter the feet of someone who was ap
proaching the furilier side of 'the wa
tlie liack of .jane jplanta
away. His quick |s|<yir. told him thdt there were pauses ^an pie iimse -that showed the new |v«©!merto 1>e a stranger like t3iem
. Retves, blundering througii the dark
with lagging, hesitating steps.
^53ie kwwrledge relieved the -tension £lipoa iiis nerves. There was- nothing
Igfrostiy.in the sound, and the was ready to declare^ with Walinsley, that . ~"jt was a. man.
- "lias he too f>een attracted by the ligtot, or is it our practical Joker re turning to the scene'of his exploit?" : meditated Walmsley, half-aioud. And
then he paused, for the voice of the
^^imkuowit broke from ftehind the trees
ina quavering appeal.
rv.: "Bobble i / Bobbie Self! Show a
flaire to tell me where you be I It's mortal dark."
HeavSside's fears started up one*
more.
.. - "The name I Do you hear th« name ?" he said, and caught his friend by the arm. "He is calling the tiead drover."
Walmsley shrank back a little into the gloom.
"It's part of the game, no doubt,"' !he said. "And norw lookers-on. may «ee the toest of it. Only-wait. Ah, - 5ie"s nearer now!"
. The voice came again, and the ^crunch of the undergrowth grew
loader.
i "1 swear to you I be a-coming, Rob bie. For the dear Lord's sake, show a flare!"
There was the note of pitiful en
j:: irea.ty in the appeal. In the. hush
that followed the listeners could hear 5 the labored breathing of someone for
ding his way "painfully towards /the ^ water. Then the &Iack wall of shad
'' . ow fjeyond it gaped suddenly, and a
/ man srtumfbled into the clearing, with . the moonbeams dancing down upon ; i ibis face.
- f He was an old mail, bent and ra&
^ ged, and the finger of moonSight
pointed out to them a thin sunken face and straggling (beard under a ; battered "Wideawake. Once in the
dealing she stopped, swaying, like a drunken man, and looked about him, «earciiing the twilight with -his hand over his eyes, like a man uncertain of' Shis sight. Then he muttered to him self, and the men beyond the water . hole strained their ears to iiear him.
"He caona have gone away! Rob We wouldna play the old man false, <> afterihe weary miles, and calling,
calling, calling, a' the way." He' p raised Ms voice again. ''Ye may hear
now, Robbie Self, for (Tye come out of the neverrnever to^ do your bid S^ tired." The voice
S^himperedXike a fretful child's. -
i Walmsley's whisper came to Ileav
lelde.
Ti r "Ion know the story. "Can you
get the drift of this?"
But. Heaviside had stepped for : ward w3th an unexpected movement.
He was standing at. the edge of the water, and he lifted *up his voice and v «pofce to the tottering figure fbeyond.
-/".It 4s the bidding of God that 'has . taought you here to-night, Bake Jen
kins; Robert Self will not answer you ; Ho, not though you called to Mm with your last breath. But you were not brought here without purpose; and you know in your 'heart what .. that fmrpose is."
Walmsley had started as the voice - rang out, but the accent of certainty
(n the tone told of 'Heavftside's con iifidene& in his sudden action, and lie "Waited,breathless. The figure of the old man straightened itself momen tarily, but tie answered without sign i>f hesitation or surprise.
"Ay»7ay! JI 'know the purpose, but
B(Mne's aim voice that brought we fcere. And there would be them ttart would ihe ready to hear, to tell It Jbfet kenned that. Do you come
rer to me, sirs, for I am an old mad
come a* Hie weary miles, and
|§Hfei«s--is not strength for another gtep
..'
savtfside's response was to crash , jgh "%e undergrowth encircling -waterhole, and Walmsley folloiw
at Mi iheeis, found Mmself
it *o~a ftandstall in. the iittl* ^ ,g. His friend was kneeling illfcegroimdwifch to old man'#
head upon iiis knee, and a- hatful of -water in Ms5 band. The reeum Jbent figure lay veiy . still,; but the eyes iHoved and some words straggled out from the feeble lips.
"But-I Kiidoa-think-'twould l$e ye, Mr. Heaviside."
"My God, look at his feet!" said Walmsley, "he must <have walked the breadth of Australia."
Heaviside gave one look and aver ted Ms eyes. It was not a pleasant sight. Then he saflfl:
"The man is dying of exhaustion. . Can we move Mm do you think T'
Walmsley ' would ihave answered, trot the old man had turned his head at the suggestion, and he made a fu tile effort to struggle into a sitting posture.
"You will am move me sirs. I
was hidden to speak here, and 'tis here I must say It. I've not many words left, I'm 'thinking, (arid ye had better hearken while ye may."
His eyes sought theirs. Heaviside felt the clammy forehead, and nodded in reply . The moon had climbed high up into the sky now, and shone down fully. It showed the dying face as clearly as might have done the daylight, and it chased back th© weird night shadows from the little group. The waterhole lay still in darkness, with only -the faint gleam of reflected light upon its surface.
"It was when we camped 'here, droving Ireson's sheep from the
north. I dinna mind now how the talk came round to her, 'but Robbie was always one for the women. He didna ken-I grant ye he didna ken she was handfasted to me, and when her uame, ran off his tongue I gave him the lie in his teeth. * * * But I canma doulbt it was the true , word, for I was never the man to take a
young lassie's fancy, and he iiad "but to lift his little finger to them-young and old alike. * * * But I loved, her-^ecli, sirs, 1 loved her purely. And so might any man. * * * But it roused >me, for he laughed wi' it. * * * He had always a loose man ner of1 speech, had Robbie-I do not say to you he had served the lassie ill. And I gave him the lie in his teeth, and he struck the word back upon my piouth. * * * It wasua for myself that the blood went to my head. * * * I should'ha' known I was not a man for any lassie's fancy, * - * It was the laugh that went wi' it. The knife was ready to my hand-and I sent it home. * * * He feJl down Mdeways, and he screeched * * * he screeched."
1 He stopped, and his eyes closed for a moment. Heaviside wiped the damp forehead again, and preseutly .the voice went on.
. 'Then he died, "though I would ha' given dear life itself, to (bring - Mm back. I "dragged him to the water-, .hole-there was a big stone that' car ried him down. After I had done it I cried fo liim, but he wouldna answer me. - I drove the sheep on, though it was; scarce past midnight, on-on-till they' dropped. The other man took them over, and he looked queerly at me-I must ha* been half mad by then. That scared me, and I -humped my swag and went out back-out back. I would ha' looked upon her at Kooyong Koot, (but she was gone. I was neve* the man for her."
"But the . coming back ?" said Walmsley, eagerly. The journalist's instinct did not desert-him.
The old man's 'head had dropped very low, (hut the voice flickered up again at the query.
"I had waited always for Ms bid ding, and at last he called-and I came-calling-calling-a' the way."
Then the life flashed foack for the moment,, and he raised himself upon -one elbow, and Ms voice rang out into the darkness, "I ha' come back, Roto bie! I ha* come back! You need na call so loud !"
And so the story of the Yandarlo waterhole found its way to listening cans . But Walmsley was not con tent. He stood back whale Heaviside laid the poor travel-stained body de cently upon the ground and covered it for the 'tew hours that meant the ride out and back to the townsMp, tand he stared long at the etHl gleaming wa ter, and the silent night.
What did it all mean ? The plan tation etirred with the whispering of thes&reddlng bark, the leafy rustle whtre % 1MJH© breeze wa£ moying
across the tree tops, the occasional scuffle off a hidden rabit. The moon^
light shimmered here and " there among the trees, "birt it showed only their straight, towering columus, and the Mght undergrowth around them. The fresh night air, heavy Wifrh the smell of eucalyptus, filled .his nostrils and touched Ms (hated head -with car essing fingers. But stall, with greater mysteries of Jiife and death a*bout him, his brain clamored for a solution to that strange first incident.
"He hais not explained-ithe rest! And Heavieide,' what Impulse made you stand -out and speak ?"
"I do not know," said UeavSslde, slowly. "What made the sight and sounds that brought us here ?"
And Walmsley found no answer to the question.
-(THE END)
The Mystery of Sea
cliff Towers.
(A<LL RilGGTS BESSE3BVMD-) V
? ' * r , w
BY J. BMENNJESSBEY.
AUthor of "The P'is-Hkwaorable," <rVVyniiMiiii," "?An Australian Bush Ifrack," (tannecy of GhnrciiCjottseftt,'': etc. ' ' ' *
CHAPTER XXI.
The bodyof Septimus Dorset Is re covered, and Detective Bruce gets a
fright.
. The two detectives returned together to the house, and »t once proceeded to examine the <room, in order if possible to discover the secret spiring <or con nections which moved the lift from aibove. r
For fully an hour they searched un successfully. The idea of using force was out o-f the question, for it would have aroused the whole thouseholdy aad even then fit -was doubtful whether anything short of gunpowder or dyna
mite would be successful.
The two men 'looked at each other in tiaffled annoyance. Then Brace saitf "It is my opinion tlhat there is no means of working it at aHi firom this
roonn."
At that very moment Seymour's fin ger pressed an ornamental flower in a peculiar -way. 'How, he could not ex actly tell, J>ut it >had moved and with it tihe two men who "were standing up on the fireplace felt tihemse3ves com mencing to descend with ihfr Hffifc
"At Iastr' ejaculated BUtees.
The suddenness of -the nHweanesat caught them, h<>WeVer, fidmewhat un ptrepaced. awi Sey'fficrti*' *was tfior re turn in sr for their revolvers, coats land lanAerns which in their eager searcfc for Jthesecret of the lift they had laltf on one side itpon a table. It was a warm night, and they had used con siderable strength in their attempt? to move portions off the mechanism.
- "There are matches andi a lamp down here." said Sej incur.
A few minutes afterwards 4he two, with the aid of the light, examined the fearful form of the one time propriet or of {Sea-Cliff Towers.
"It's the moist ghastly idea «tfoai I ever heard of." said Bruce.
"The body must toavefjeen preserved for sowne very special purpose," remar ked Seymour, who had thoufsrht a groat deal npon the subject durlnjg ramd af
ter his last visit.
"What do you mean?" queried (Bruce "See .the face," said Seymour, "it's like that of a man asleep. The skin is wrinkled and banned as though some powerful preservative had been used, but see how composed-looking the features aire. That anas died in a trance, or at any rafta while asleep, and Ms "body has been thu; preserved and Icept close at hand, 'or some reasons of Importance to the perpetrator of the crime-if crime it is ''
"The sooner we g *-t out of this tihe better," said Bruce, who wtas struck hf tdye remark of his coI*eajgue.
"Very good.'* said (Seymear. "we had better lift it. eh^ir and aJl as it Is, upomr the platform, and one of us go up .with and then return and seardh tike caves fu^^Sler.,,
"All right; you go rp with It, andf I «wifl remain here until you retnrn/''
eaM Bruce. v
They stooped on eoC-h side of the chair and exerted themselves soothe what to expectation of a 'heavy burden but botih men were l? ken toy surprise at finding how light the chair and its occupant together were.
"The Twidy cansnot fci .here at all," said- Seymour iin as&on&shmenit.
"No doubt it's a very queer affair aJ
«t3og??ther," said Bcuci. as they placed it uptHi the plat&wai. "Bring down my ipevolyer and laitern." he said to Seymour, as/the llfEt gradually ascen
ded.
Bruce followed It v;th Iris »eye as st, cleared the-roof o;f the cave, a<nd pas "?d out of sight up the well- Then Ik examined the-framework in which tht lift worked. It was of steel and light ly constructed, but the workmanship
was exact and finished.
"Sefch Rosedale never made this con cern by himself,", ht said.
Tlhe detective sat .« the chair which .Seymour had discovered the previous night, and turned the latnp round so that its light might fall full upon <the
apparatus. There was a. carefully mude foundation, with ru'Wber ridges for the lift to rest upon on its descent and to work the lift there was a hy draulic piston rod, well oiled and free from rust, eimilai to ffcShose now so' commonly used foa: the same pur pose in large ?buildings.
Bruce evidently found abundant material for -thought, for he sat there In deep meditation tor fully a quarter of an hour before it occurred to him that Seymour was rather long in re turning.
Then- he aroused himself, and plac ing his head under the well, called out to his fellow officer to ma<ke haste. The solid mass otf stone - aFoove him however only seewi d to throw his voice 'back again, and with a murttfeared oath at Seymour's unnecessary delay (for Bruce was greatly excited, and the lorttg aibsence of Seymour irritated him); he sat down in tihe chair again.
'"What the can have happened to him." he exclaimed at last. "He mustfc Siave gone half an Jhour ."
Tie fact was that after draggling' the chair off the lift and getting the vari ous articles together lie wanted, Sey mour had found out that do what he? would he could not wofk the lift again, and while Bruce was below fuming and swearing over the delay, Seymour
was sweaitingr over ^ the ornameautal
flower which moved, uiide'r the pres sure of his finger, but imfortuflmiply
without starting the lift.
The (fact was there bad to be a.ceiv taSa weight upom the centre of the lift to work it from above, this was ordin arily supplied by the chair, butt in the case of their previous descent bad he*1® supplied by the substantial form of .Defective 'Bruce. The latter might have worked it from below if he had carefully examined the mechanism of the tilling, tout as he grew tired ot waiting for Seymour's return he start ed upon a tour of discovery on his own account among the caves and passages whieSi, partly natural and partly arti ficial, lay below the north end of Sea
Cliff Towers.
When the first sbrili .melaiicfcoJy sound froan the blowhole cauglht hi» ear.he started, but remembering what Seymour had told Mm felt 310 such alarm as had his colleague.
'"It's an. uncanny spot ihije,'"
thought, "but I would like to see how -that "blowhole works, "before ifclie tido -gets high enough to make the ap proach to at difficult or dangerous.'
He had found out the cave from which the series of caves or passage led: on to the rocks, and after carefully trimming the lamp, and seeing thait he had matofhes hamdy in case it slioultl be blown out, he groped Ms way in the direction-of the blowhole.
It was a Honger distance than he bad expected. and the path was steep in places and rugged, and fearful of the character of the path lie .proceeded wii-h grea<fc caution. The occasional rush of compressed air, and awful gru eling screaan of the singular phenom enon, told Mm that it was working with vigor and mi? hit be sometaltiat dangerous to abroach.
He groped his way through several email caves which comaected w'th eaeh.otlter and was turning Into a lar ger one in front when the blowhole seat its contents surging up with ex ceptional force. The itidte was now nearly at the full and the heavy swell had increased during the past hour or
two.
No lamp could have withstood the! blast of compressed salt Mr and spray which cow struck tiie detective with full force, and in a moment 'he was in
darkness.
Bruce was by no means deficient in physical pluck and -personal courage, and he stood his ground, bracing him self firmly to withstand the rush of air and holding the extinguished lamp in front of Mm. The darkuess seemed like that of Egypt-one that could be felt-and for several minutes 'lie stood perfectly motionless in expectation; of anotihei" motion from the 4>lc whote.
As for a few minutes everything Was quiet lie then stood tiie lamp upon the floor of the cave in readiness to strike a match aaid relight it, and 'band *ng upon one knee felt in his inockeit
for the matches.
He stopped, 'however, for with hla head thus bent, he saw in tfiront of him w£at seemed a stibdued ligh-t glimmer ing ini the distance. Immediately he was oa the alert. "Was it possible that there was any one else down
there?"
, For fully five murpteg be remalae<J
ihus watching, with every teferve. strung xo its .utmost. tensieh, ^Then he commenced to ci^eep nearer, and it oecnirea to lilm that 'it anight be phosphorescent light from , the sea jwater ejected from the blow-hole, and 3ie moved nearer. 'with more curiosity than alaitm. ^ '
: Suddenly however, he leaped to Ms feet, lie had approached nearer ^ - the mouth of , the .'blow-bole than lie itadexpeebedi £be passage had aib iti'ptly expanded into a. somewhat lofty cave, and with a, gurgling aroar the thing-, was about to: work-.
; The voluane of water this time' rushed up with a weird, awful, deaf ening noise,, -such as Bruce could never, afterwards find words to ade quately explain, and the whole place Tvtas ; Mt with a soft. jphoaptiorescent l^ght. "? Jftjr a moment, as the blast «f air "first struts his face, i&uce closed bis eyes and shrank .back, t>ht be was sttlla good distance from ftfee hole, and as the first long -wail and scream was followed 'by another and a still louder one, he opened his <yes to look, and to bis horror and 'astonishment caught a glimpse of as
ffearfiul and ghastly a sight as profb :«5>ly ever appeared to mortal eyes.
The blowhole, with all the strength of the grieat Pacific Ocean operating St, was in the act of ejecting a great voume, iof foaming phosphorescent /waier, and in the very centre of it suspended for >l 'briet period by its <terriifie force, eveiy feature of the "ghastly white face and head and feody distinctly visible in the gleam Sag light, was £he corpse ef Septi
tmus "Dorset.
It was clad only in the sleeping garments In which Dorset on that fateful night had disappeared tfroan 6eaJCliff Towers, and for a moment, w:hidh to Bruce seemed an hour* it 3mng over the abyss and was then thro win headlong with a, groat wave of water and spray along the passage.
The whole; incident was so fear ful and sickening and ghastly, and . the cave and Mow-hole so unnatural,
(that for, the moment 'the detective staggered and felt impelled to turn and flee from the awful surroundings of the ^lace. A minute afterwards the light was gone, and Bruce turn ed to grope his way 'back in the darkness with a, feeling of horror in .his mind such as he had never pre viously experienced.
Two -hours afterwards Seymour found him on the floor of one of the eaves insensible. 'He had fallen over a ledge and a hurt then received, and Che previous excitement, were tor gether too much even for his iron
nerves, i
(To be Continued.)
The Mysteiy of Sea
cliff Towers.
? i .
(ALL RIGHTS BESBiRiVEiD.)
BY 3. D. HEN'NPSSQEY.
Author of t2ie "DisttioaioiraMe," "Wyn
miin," "An Australian Rusk Track,"
"Gunnery of Chuix^<3otiiseibt" «Lc.
CHAPTER XXII.
Tiie Rev OMtistioiptoer Bxtfadif&ce Sees
A. Ghost.
Ml* Broadifiice *wlas niot wnctog ini re giawl to Sea-Otiff Ttxwers being: a sin gt^lar inhcc-itaaiic-e for a wounaia. YeM.' it is woman, more often than not, become 'Hhe (possessors of Uhe results of crimes ?wflnich mien .have oammiiJltad.; amid rai der i*iK?h trurdems tttiene aa?e (fietw miem wiha wSB tiajry tihtelimseLves wtftfli tlhe eampasutfe ai^piaifcieiit forBtDude which moist women ;w\ill.
They who Hinder tlhe Mfltlle ills of life tdliaw ntopa-tSeoMje \atad (peitulaiDice Iso quickly, -will often, wheal coofirotnitieicl "w1it(h ta iSeries otf overwhelming kMssas ibeqns and misforfculnseis, xMspSLaiy a quiet paliient heroism wMch 'rinimmiamiftg &t .fceattJian amd respedt.
W/hien Beiatrioe wtas made awjame of flttce fuifl. -deitjails otf the story .wthMhi tine <dsejfceotiv©a 'h'axl to IfceH, amiti lanesw 4ihat riOue icoinpise of Ihofflh Ihea: arncfLe liate legal aJdiviser amd woiuJicHbe suitor, lay in the nioaitili cad cfhiaimber of tlhe ihiouse
she. wias horrified, aMd ifelt itfhe bar xien wals greater 'fihfcun e#ie co<u3kI ibdar. FoirtfeiKniajfce'ly Dr Sibroing <wias greatly r*e KxroeiPekli, and. (heiamd Grace were aide tk> aldivalse r(her, amd «tflie painful indi deifite associated wlii the dimquest were made ais UtttLe dSsittceisisaflag ifco hler as pots eible. Anyhow ellie hkxre usd wwmdieinfcBl Hy iinkler the shloek.
The ffimqueat, vsihSdh was held in a loom otf -tlhe only <bk>tel which the Til lage llolalstied, lasteid for <fcwx> days, the jursorfs spending1 au taJfternoons in the imspediiian of the faltieful bedchamber <aiOd its isuiroimdiinigis!, from wMdi two 'men!, alt least, ihiaJd descended to <Hheir .dkaatlh. The proceedings "were grelartily protracted through. ttoe difficultly of the jurwris arriving at a verdict Tihe de tectives were &hnply sbaggwed aib the vptosifctont, for Where wtas alasoilutely 110 evMieniee for^camliiig vdMdh eouGil be successfully used ini support off a dhiaicge of mutter. Mrs Dtalboirt wia<s BlSSll at iiac^e. By tlhe axl/viee of his oollidftor Seitfli Rwoedale gave ana evi dtansce in the case, as ihe wa® Hinder ar ?riest on a charge of murder. But <bhe question singgested to <t3ie jury was, couM fit be proved i» 'have bee®. mrar <ler ?. *Nteifflier (the dry muamnifled form1 of "Baymiond BlaiHarityinfe, moot the corpse of Septiimss Dosnset, showed nmrbs of Tloleaee, -even Hinder post mortem flra m frtadiintn. Dr Siwillg', Saw ?no assalEamt,, amd could only give evi dence fhat vjPo-lence was offered Mm by some person or peitSoms unlkrSoiwn ; t>e yorad stilie revolver hlavtoig tKeeau "dashed from %ls 'hand by soranesflham^Kiir sewne one, the teierw of moitihiimig wiMdh isng gestefl iuny pneanedlitated! vdbieaice to
himself.
Raymond Ballamityne mflgtot nave ctted ia jsaiwal dearfih, aaid Septimus Dorset mlajM have met with his death
toy atCcidemfiSLtfy faSiiig ambo 'tihe sthiiiPt of ?fihe liLow-hnfle , they were twelve men of ordinary Initefliigenee, amd they apenit houns in carefully K3omsIdeirmg the case, but after all tfheiir diefflxea'a tlotna tlijfeijr could M find ^ ia' gidfc
©aasclenees otlfiea* <felian fbo reftum an open vmMtit.
A clever lawyer WIomM ami douibt have e3Mted ^ good deal more f<roim Miss BaUttiiifjyaie; font slue was evidently in
a weak siftaite of iieiilitti asidi muck dfts tressed over the painful affair.
The detectives did -not prass matters, for they were anxto-osly tanftinig for Mirs Dalfoeatt, and they foateeded tw re serve their s-farenglih for t3ie <triial; they haid oitoto'lned two remtarakls Sim t?h<e case of Seitih Riolsadale, and bail: -was refus ed. In tifoelr experience of crimes aaid crlmfesals itibey <hiad never met wiiih. a more case: eveiryWbfmi^ pcSnt ed to a carefully pHauinied amd cleverly exeknit-ed series <xf- crimes era-d' y-dt Ulcere Tinas tilius fnr nif> actual proof fihait amy crime 'Mad bpfn committed, and it was possUMe that even fflie ar rest of Mrs I>3ilihe.rt mijrliit noit yield ajiiy fnet^h maifreirial of ainpoTtaniee.
ProibaMy also, there had never been a case more exasperating t» the public miTtifi than1 this, <ltt the cximimi records of '43ne cotoaies. Et was a mystery of t!lie first oidier, auld mois/t people want ed to prove that &t was a caftmaaM inys t«ry, bat uwfortuinjaltcay tflie evidence
fell siDori.
However, the deaittbs of tiwto mem were 'do be accorwnlted for, and the pol ice hkyped tihat <tfliey cauld rake up siif ficieiiit evidence to coamefc Seifli! Rone dale, <sk> by dint of unusual effort thegr secured iiLs comsdSittal' \for 4a*ial at the emsuimg quarter sessions, and not only the legal wcnld, but tlhe general pufb Mc awaited anxiously'tilie omtcome of the trial. Dr Strong; Miss BaMaMyne, Grace Strong, tilie Rer CSia-afetopfear Bmadifkee, Donald TkmipL and fi. .csogn .ber of other wlitoets^Jfe, were served with siibpoanLis *bo a<ppeiar arnd gSve evi dempe. . ? .
The one tfliSng wlhSt-h especially irrttat e)d the curious was1 tfaaft «he tgufetemaai jeofUfe myvs, etc., beta; Seta-Cliff Taw
ens, were not accessible to outsider®, ftjiypffitinmins md'ivld'Uialis Tisked . their Byes to atfcemplttag; to discover tihe meatus of access -friom the (rocks, and . oa calm days, at low tSde^oill eJocrts and mudftMonis of ?mon. niig*3it (have beem seen groplin? aibomt, <m the lookout far ?the eritataanee to. tllie underground pas sage ; but sibrange <to say eitthier ttbielr piluck or sagacity failled tihiaiiL, for mo one seeimed alile 4)o discover tt.
Thte .fact was tine pugged: fromit wihich tffli'C- rocks presented to tihie oicmn was
tsc^aijetd and scaiiipeia apd tadietekted
wi8h cares and ftasmreis ttoat it was a
mnfctor of ro ordinary fli&snjrld <tx»: at temmt to find the pflaicetat iaffll Yeit fool hoard-y toSlridiialte -jrar^lsted inn tribie scaroli mpor.ii ^© slippery surfaces, with itihie ,sire<alt pollers of tireia<eh)eT)oiUR ?s^a txre'aikin.af bp«Mnd> tihem. tmital the sv slice were compelled; .to mut up no #JC6S, waimlng IJhe ipuMic off the dialing
emuis quest. 'Mtiss BaMantyms, <hb Dir
Stra-ug'is advisee, Etrcaigily re fused) any access ? tto' tiie sub ten.iaipjEt.a~tt rooauis frctru __fche Toiwerte. The pcftiee! were. 43ie only per sons Tslbio were allowed access to" the* TiototiriiS associated wliitlh 1flie myisbery, mmd WlMlBatn was oeeutpi-ed for days <fco geltihier ini deftawlkig <tihie plialee against cnawds of reporters amid pfaSotograailheiis aattl curious inidividiEals fwiho cam& pe pared witJh flash lights amd ail oilier necessary appliances' to take ipihoto grajpSlis of tilie and lift, amd Caves, amid even lihe ^bberranieaai blow hlolLe, and great was 'tiheir aisitoDdstUmeait anSd tindiigrnajtikra ait ibeiing -met wMh a refusal.. Ass it was, exterior ipTiottjo gnagtiils of Miss Ballaaityaiie'is
taajjee Appeared -ip" every yhistrated journal Mi the 'colonies, and any fresh news concerning "Tflie Mystery off Sea -C3iiff Towers" proved1 the best mcaais, for weeks, of wKwkinig off a iate edl fsr<n»Tt of the evemdng papers.
Dr StraMg qiid $tie dwells Mmib!©
Qiald were aM of opiiiriion lbo40i Ray niKMUti BaHaavtyiie and Sepf&inus Dto©set lu&d met ttfielr deaths by "unfair meajus. But tflie pnotof -was wamtiaig, and: iaideed «ftso tiho mioiMve (to a orim© on ttflie fpasnt of Sefflli Rtoaod.ile, so in !Ms own quiet way Dr Strang set 'himself to discov er more albout ftlhe matter.
The Mystery of in
jur lowers.
(AXJL RIGHTS RESEJItVEiD.)
BY J. D. HENNESSEY.
Authbr of the "Diisbonoirable," "Wyn
; niHB,""An Australian Bush Ttoack/
"Gunnery of Church Consent" CiC.
CHAPTER XXIII.
(Continued.)
Beat;ice and tlie Doctor.
Tlie days passed quickly, and al though Dr. Strong was quite recover ed, lie and his sister continued guests of Miss Ballantyne at the Towers.
N - ither Beatrice nor her household "wcriid; have cared to remain there without the sturdy presence of the doctor, whose ringing voice and cheer ful demeanor had a wholesome effect upon, everyone.
Grace, too, was cheerful, for It "was evident io her that there was-some thing more than friendship growing up .between her brother and her new found friend-for such had the mutual liking of the two girls developed Into.
Neither Beatrice nor Grace were disposed to sudden likings, as some tfris are, but in this case, there was so much In their characters anfl dis positions which-suited' each, other, that what at another time and under other circumstances, might have taken months to develop, was accomplish ed in a few days. There was'very little said, and very littledemonstra tion, <but each felt that they, were to the other as sisters, and that it was a. frknrLship which would continue throughout their lives.
The doctor noted this with keen satisfaction, brut said nothing to Grace, in fact like most of the lasting attachments of life it was a thing of feeing and intuition all around, rather than of words. Dr. Strong knew that his love was given to Beatrice, and he believed that it was to some extent already returned, hut neither by look nor word, in apy. -way, was the motion of the heart express ed. Nor would it be for months to
come.
In- such a case a man like the Bev. Chr stophtr Broadface would have stumbled into adeclaration in a day and possibly have spoiled everything; but tot so the doctor. . He would have the sacred dawnlight of love pro tracted as long as possible.
In lands where the sun , lingers longest upon the threshold of the mom and eve. the day is longest . la these hot lands the sun leaps into the heavens, and day commences its pas sionate life and1 -movements with scarcely any -prelude or introduction. But In more Northern regions the daybreak is a. thing of deliberation and gradual development, and those sacred hours of sunrise, who would forego ?
Iiove at first slgTit, by no means de maawte a declaration at the first oppor tunity. The .strongest souls are those that can wait, feeling the joy of lov ing and (being t>elov?-d. when as the Psalmist puts it "there Is no speech nor language, and -their voice is not heaidi"- The divineat moments in .Nati^eVlife axe those which precede
tnmC . still*. and so
with the noblest emotions of the heart and mind. It is the joy of those days ?when two hearts beat in unison, and in silence, which tis longest aiid most dearly remembered: Alas ! for the Impatience of life, how much it loses to the young and thoughtless and inexperienced. -Not without suffer in? and self denial and discipline Is the highest good of life enjoyed.
Enough, however, has Tjeen said to indicate the state of affairs wbich was now last developing between Beatrice.Ballantyne and John Strong. It was the subtle growth of two mat ured -minds towards each other. If undisturbed, the natural result would be that the two would become merged into one. The old adage says :-'"The oon'-ge of true love never did run smooth," "but that is ^because the world is so full of busybodies and other jeai ous And obnoxious individuals.
It must not be imagined- by the reader that the doctor entered into the
^ghastly details of the Towers mystery with Beatrice, as a matter of ordinary Cftnversation, it was only at set and opportune times that the matter was discussed, although it was probably seldom out of their thoughts.
'Mrs. Dalbert has been arrested at la«t/ said the doctor gravely to his sister and Beatrice one afternoon abont a. week after the inquest.
1 am almost sorry,' said Beatrice.
'Because you think that she was the means of saving tmy life ?' said Dr. Strong quietly.
*Yes,' said Beatrice.
*1 am sorry too, on that account,' said the -doctor, *but I think that with out her there would have been a mis sing link.'
Where was she arrested?' asked Grace.
'In ^Melbourne, and almost within a ?stone's throw of a. police station,' said the doctor smiling.
*She will -be "brought "up at the Fol ic? Gourt to-morrow and we shall all I'-ive to appear as witnesses,' he con tinue^.
The result of the preliminary pro ceedings at the Court the next morn ing. was that 'Meta Dalbert was com mitted to take her trial with Seth Rosedale, for the wilful murder of Raymond Ballantyne and Septimus Dorset..
CHAPTER XXIII.
Beaifarice ajad ttlhe fDbctoir.
It .was no douM a taoigled skein tihajt Dr <Sta>ag- had set Ai]iim!se!lif ix> umirtanrel, but Que bald seveiriai ipofweriM fiimceoutlLves <So panseveoiauee. He Ikad onaJy aajaffiroiw ly etsdapeid wit<li hS® own life* for the hand that bound (Mm jnHtiep Bmlowascl oiub would ?uiod'oiibtedily, toift for Mw Dafflbapt, have (LeiEt Mm there* to die.
Thjen, ttto; ibis 'idlerest in Miss BaJr Tanftyine urged Mini to seiftons^ly at tempt ttie solution of tiheimysteffy, amfl once set upon at lie found to Mlis in tense satisfaction tihtatt ttihie MSstrefss- of the Tblwens was jui^t ate ^a©rar bqi <(t> tatn the solution of t!he mystery as him seflif iamd tiliiait tflie jpuirouit fanougtot iiim, into very (dose and txmfidemttEal Itateir ooumse* with* 'tier. ' Happy <is the lover iwMo oam
-ooimimton: subject of study or pi^cHaSNt^
wilth "flhe mattress of life ttieai^ ES^ 3»edaUy if its cihaitacber is sujcfli as to ldad <her to defer to'his judgment a«kj expedience, and cause Sier to took
MID fkxr eoratlntiail advice and ©uMteunce OBhdis was itihe presenjt ^taite off fciffiairis at the TJoweins, foor boffii Beatrice, Gatetee, aind $he Doctor QUakl ooammlitjbdcl tihiemiselLrefe do Jfflie Iravestligiatlioni of tliei mystery; fruit it -mas <MBss BtaMamityme amid: Uhe dolotoT w^iO were the real prifair clpaJis in Jtlhe inquiry.
It was a very good tiling- for B°a trico <tihat events toad so turned out, few* to the ctotptor eihe lhiad ouie to neOteve Guar .m&nd Do in regardi toMie pant «£he ?had ipUayed in tilte base off Septfimuis
Dorset.
" DM! it ©ever oeodir 1H0 yem ttnaufc Mr. Dorset mlajy have {had far more know ledge of affains doiTOu/here tflnaau he toQJd yon of ?" asked ftfoe dotctor Jtfiie fiolow&ng afternoon of Beatrice.
Miss BtiMiaBi'tyiae tbiad beem fedlEiaaig' Da* Sitrranjg iwQiat ^lie cmfM remember of her flinbarviiieWs with iSeptamfos JDoirset, and she reiealiefcl She fedEaig wliteli Btae tod, ialt flhe time, of someitMing 'halving beem kept back "by Mm..
" My OWE opinion," said Dr. Strong, " is rfllrat (tftnere tats "been a deeply laid plot extending 'back wear a oMmiber of years, amtd tJiat Ithe death otf Septimus Boraec was almost as efcsemMiil to H® ctwv^brr as .tjtat of yoosr umdle Bayanond:. --I would very -miicOi. Mke 'to see thfift Setlb Kosedale; if fhe is ?Hhe dh'ief aetxnr lnJtMs teagic series of crlrn'os 'he 'must
be a reniarka^y oleror amid a3a0oon» plasTiedx^kaMali"
. Beatrice felt itihat. .the dioetor. waB ayoidltog ssay tefetneniee to1 her cwm
,shaa»/Hj ®|e ^gle eoflv<rf the lawyer,
and 'hiank-^red, -wMi feanmlne perMna city, for eome expres^on of ^iniooi fr«ai Mm. * > ^ »
I should have dwne, doctor, When I dBseoveired -that tttere-was a seci*et JJf t Lc tflie norcii bod roam ?" stoe asked.
Under ,tlhe eircujoistemces It was moist difficult to have knoiwa whaft to 1iaye ditme. You iia)d no frjenfl to -ask advice of, except your lawyer, o rd lie d!id >n;ot-prove himself exactly a ifrieaid, wot? as open anfl. caaidld rltoi regard1 to yoiir Slaie riiicle's * affairs as be mlgtoi have been. It wou3d no doubt, 5iave been better had you have wannied Mm, or In some way have put bSm upotru hie g»ard, especiaffly knowing .wlhaitfoe did;
albout tlhe place and' its SWntKH^aiiig®3
m© tiheffL ifior.'
- 'iNrihi^hijg /flftm^qrifcV foare /.$iafe nSgiiV*
--'?'":". '" v'"!-<r.
"K<y, I dan'^MsaM «tc$afr 5y» *' at least B»t ttndier Mb& irircum ?/ ' «ltanilC5aB. He fci*mv £bkt lie hlad «,
' difficult icaJse in ttmod^ >&5njcL sStouM have been upon Iris gwa<rd. Do you tibink
thiat TpwbetLfa «a»&tor&s. c&IL&lI&fcaaJt teiiji some hard case »ta*afc lie Is met ' witih a«m®oai .tag >u^jioiu Msi guardi
aMi pasrteqt liimsekt <Erfflm contoagioai'; mJoit a bit of at, he tuajs tJhe case ki hand f^te9si<mafay a^id lakes ttifae risk."
Beatrice ftjih: shot tbere was a bit of
thjijs Special jpteaidBaig off ttue doctor's, but pleased flier. She felt, »Wo, -tflrat Tie, at any «aibe, -wlas
li&r&Me, atnd someliMag fco&d faer rtfisait tve 'Would chink little of iftskrtiog Ms life tftatr Tier, Ian faast he <wtas to foe ftssabefl oatit amd ant. . .
t (To be coui&nuecL) .. *r
OHAPTUR XXIV.
A ?Consultation.
The quarter sessions at which Meta Dalbert and "Seth Rosedale were to be arraigned was to commence In three weeks'time, tout it was expected to be fu-ly four or five weeks before the trial would come off, as the case was preceded by several others on the cal endar.
, Two days, however, after Mrs. Dalbert's arrest, to the surprise of ev eryone, she was liberated on bail, which was found' by a leading firm of solicitors in the large sum of <ten thousand pounds.
'What dbes this mean?' asked the doctor of Bruce and 'Seymour, who had come out to the Towers to consult
with fum in regard to .the case.
It means/ said Bruce, 'that there Is more at -the back of this affair in the shape of mtmey, than we had1 thought.'
'Do you think then that this large sum has been found in actual cash and lodged with a fltrank for the protec tion of the solicitors who have given frail?' asked the doctor., j ^
*1 da,' said the detective.
.It's Messrs. Smooth and Stout who have given the bail; are they getting up the defence?' asked Dr. Strong.
They are,* replied! Brace laconi cally.
Then there "will (be one of the big gest fights -the Victorian courts have seen for years past,® said the doctor. *How are the Crown law officers get ting on dn preparation for the prose cution?
They have done nothing, except to notify Bluster that he will "be retain ed to assist the Crown Prosecutor with the case.'
Then they are trusting entirely to . you to get the case up T
.Exactly.*
The large amount of Ibail forthcom ing for Mrs. Dalbert, and the fact that Smooth and Stout, of Queen Street, were taking charge of the case, somewhat staggered the three men, and for some time they sat and smok ed together in silence.
Said the doctor at last, 'You two have no <d'ou!bt thought out a theory of your own, and possibly have gath ered a considerable amount of evid ence : I would like, 'however, -to put in a few words, the result of my own thoughts upon the case, and you can then >make suggestions or ask ques t'ons. It is evident to me that the murder of Raymond Ballantyne was de fberately planned several years ago. The work in and under the North end chamtoer would take yean to accomplish in the slow way in .which it must of necessity 'have been execut^I. It was carried on and com pleted, no doribt, during the long ab sence of Raymond Ballantyne in In dia ; but it seems to me Impossible that it can have 'been done by one pair of hands alone. K Seth Rose dale was the principal in thfe matter,
he must "have 'had assistance other* than that which could have been af forded by Mrs. Dorset.* ;
forded by Mns. Dalbert.' ,
'You think then that there are others implicated, of- whom we. at present have no knowledge,' said Sey
mour.
'I do,' replied the doctor, 'and you detectives have to find them out, whether it be one or .more.'
*No one man alone devised and constructed the mechanism of that lift; the weight alone would have been too much for him,' said Bruce. .
'What do .you propose to do then,' Fail Doctor Strong.
"Fix the most likely dates and then advertise, it may be that the whole of the work was done as ah ordinary pi-ce of work by some local firm. This »place is so isolated that it might have fteen done without any special effort at concealment, and yet no one in the neighborhood have known any thing about it.*
.I don't think that was the way It was done,' replied' the doctor. . The risk would hav« been tft great.*
'But,' he continued, 'setting aside the way by which this costly piece of work was accomplished; if Raymond Ballantyne was murdered, why was he murdered, and why was the body preserved and kept an readiness for production at any minute?'
"What was the personalty sworn under?' asked Seymour.
'Fifty-six thousand,* replied (Brace. v 'Wfls that, at the time, thought emaller than was expected ¥ asked the doctor.
.Some ?>eople fcere -tlioBgfet
it smaller; than it might have been." said the ddctor quietly.
'Do yoa suggest that he may have had money hidden away ?' asked Sey
mour. -
*1 do/ said the doctor, 'and I would very much like": to know where that tea -thoilt&nd pounds sterling has come from.' . t
M>o you think that Mr. Ballantyne may have -had money hidden away, and that jpossftely he knew of the apartment Ibeneath the Tbwers, and used it as *a treasury, or hiding place? asked Seymour eagerly.
*BEe wa* a very eccentric man, and it would -have been quite in keeping with 'his general character and dispos ition,' said the doctor.
®We have searched the place below with the greatest care.* said Braces 'and have found nothings*
fI think that you will have to s°arch there still further,' said the doctor. 'I cannot conceive of that place having been developed as St Is, with so much care and thought and purpose, unless it was intended for a hiding place for some-th' ng more than dear "bodies. Why m/m! you cm hide a dead body in a common grave, but that place was meant to hide some thing far more valuable, or I am very
much mistaken.
'I gather then that In your opinion there is money down 'there,' said Sey
mour.
*1 do not say that there is now, hut I am inclined to think- that 'there has been.*/replied* the doctor.
'And it is a pportion of this money whielMias been used by Mrs . Dalbert to o?btaihbail,- and some of this money will be used in conducting the de fence/?' queried Bruce.
'Exactly so,' said the doctor.
Boi'h the detectives felt that Dr. Strong; had anore in his mind, so the senior of the two, after a minute's pause, said 'Go on doctor.'
®Well, I thinlf it's plain enough," said Dr. Strong. 'Rosedale could not get. bail accepted for himself, it was necessary; that one of them should be free for some matter of importance, so le has provided this large sum to secure Mrs. Dalbert's liberty, so that she may carry something through which is likely to have important is sues in connection with the trial, Mrs. Dalbert you will find is only par tially in Rosedale's confidence, and she probably had no knowledge of the amount of actaul cash- secured by the death of Raymond Ballantyne.'
'How do yoii think he was kill ?d ? a«ked Seymour.;
Chloroformed while asleep,*- re plied the doctor,
'How aibout thr* -witness; s who swore at the first iuqulry that they saw him jump mver the rocks ?' said
'Prdbably it was Rosedale they saw, dressed, so as to personify the murdered ma-rib--tliey were about the same size, and^Rosedale knows every rock cn the coast, just there, no doiibt. and could easily have jumped over in the;. dusk and made his way to -the en trance of the secret passage from the reeks.-'. - >'v .
. 'It was s^enaingly a part of the plan to show that 'death had resulted from suicide in a form by which the borly was unlikely to he recovered. My opinion is that then.. Miss Ballan tyne came out and look possession of the Towers before .they were ready, and that -Septimus Dorset knew so much of "Mr. ttaliantyne's affairs that lor fthe .success of their plans it lie
^ advisable to get bim out ofthe Svay. 3Hi8 Tiaex?pected visit to the V .; Towe^ with the
opportunity of getting rid ofhim, and and probably be was dragged! while a6leep and taken ib&dw arid thrown - down the shaft of the .blow-hole. Now
"what lias to be done first of all 4s to
discover jjy some means howthese ?, people have 'been, or ore likely to be * advantaged by the dearth of these two
men.? ?'
1 (believe that under the will Miss
V Ballantyne 44 sole heiress? said
V Brace..
*Tes, that is so,* replied the doctor.
Some furthertalk madeit clear to the doctor that so farthe detectives bad very little evidence Indeed to go to a jury upon. This would off course prove the connection of both prisoners With the underground chajnlber where .the bodies Tfrere found. But apart foam Rosedale*s admiss ion to the offic er, w^hch after all, did mot aanownt to much* and 'Mrs. Dalbert's rescue of the doctor, there was vay little to identify them with the crimes ; then too, it was possible to say what might "be the nature of the defence set op. It was all in their favor that .neither of the two bodies had shown signs' 4f Violence, opant from what might have been received iby a fall
'Don't yon feel very anxious ?' ask ed the doctor.
'Anxious, certainly;" hint by no
aneans disheartened or even discmir ttged,' said Bruce. <1 have secured many a conviction on evidence Which turned Jup at the test,minute. Not in frequently in the court itself dnring the course of a trial. It Is my opin ion that if we can get either at them to go into the witness box, they will convict themselves under cross-exam ination. rdo not despair, however, to get hold of some . important evidence yet. All the papers connected with : the estate are being gone carefully
? ever, and a search for evidence is be > Ing made in the neighborhood among
the people who occasionally worked at tteTtowers.'
*1 should -have Mrs. Dalbert's movements carefully watched.' sug gested the doctor.
*She will be shadowed night and tflay/ said Seymour.
fTo be continued. ]
The Mystery ef Sea
Gllf Towers.
(ALrli RIGHTS RESERVED.)
i BY J. D. HENIJfBSSEY.
Author of ttie "DisSiosioraible," "Wyn
num,*' "An Australian Bush Track/ "Gunnery of Church ConsOfct" eic.
CHAPTER XXV. A Fresh Discovery.
, Neither Beatrice nor OraJoe had' visit «!' -the ajiarianeiits and -caves below Che Toilers, although they had bath of them more than oaice expressed a wish to -the doctor .to do so. He had, how ever, shown no jgreat desire to grat'fy cheir curiosity, and the day of the trial
direw near.
Owe .morning the two detective:; ar Wvecl unexpectedly at tiHe Towers at zl somewhat early hour.: They wished to follow up a dute wihich tfSiley imagin ed/that they ihad got holdctf, and ask ed flor permission to make further in Vestigaitioms "below. The doctor hap pened to <be at home, so the ladies urg ed that jfchey should form, a parly,, and an icompany rwitli the detectives explore fche much talked of caves and -passages , The tide "was falling, so the Blowhole would not 'be working, wliidh both the detectives and thedo(ctor regarded as
opportune.
Only aifter some trcwjtble *was Dr. Strofng finally persuaded to obtain 'he consent of Messrs Brace and Seymour, whicii alfJionigh given &±~<mee iwith uoeming alacrity, was really the cause of considerable annoyance. They ttp ctlafced, however, -that -before the .ad'es went down tfliey should leave a quarter of a® ihour to investigate 'below and. wee that every thing <was all fiighitv and wlthjooufc any special danger to the la
dles.
"Of course no one can get access to the place now," said! Grace to lier bro
ther.
"I ami mot so sure <about that, mother are the detectives." replied sfche doctor. The dWdtar 'had. tihroiwxi! (back the ?Heavy curtains wid drawc op th$ Ve netian Minds on the large jbay wln diows ito let some sunlight into the room before the ladies ealered. Soon after .?Uhe three of them stood to tlie looim tog*erfflie|*, awaitllug the return of the detectives, <wM» were still 'below.
"Is it not singular," said Grace, "thafc no omfe Seems to have heard any thing of the noise made "by the wont ing of ithe undergiwoiind blotw-hole *n
this room."
"PerQxaps tliey Save." saia jseacru*c, "and ficfllrait \ray It is possiWe 'tlie first idea of a subterranean apartment ne low fh«e Towers was suggested."
"I (flo niOt think tlifit very much could over "be 'heart! here,"v retnmrked rthe dtfctor; 'at tide the roiar of the ocean* is so audible in anything like vaa^h wea-Hier, 4shat ©.similar soirad 'below ground, could scarcely bp dlst&nigwsiied; then you must remem iber there is about fourteen of sol
id stem© well 3u wJiicli iJfce'liipfc Wpr&S,
tfeBjpfflier thiat'
esral ihiraklred yards «Mstamt] aloag: a ser ies of caves aiBtf winding ji&ssagejg. I doai^t'^Wffl& "ffliat xnueK rwouM sever be ihieaEC^ fa- iMs. efcaahfoer. W3*a,t d»f s puzzle me, (however, is thaib 4Ihefe Is
of Clie lift when the 1>Itoiw-TH)Ie is wo riv ing."
As ttie doctor said tills, a (motion «<r .the >flre-.place amd ihearth made '.tself visible, audi tihe platform of -he I'ft
cam-mericed to descend.
Beatrice staited tojvolamtarily; it re called to 'her mind, the «m!gh'fc on wtiic'i she had first teen startled "by its strange -motion. Hew much liad hap pened since then- !
A. few afterw&utf's it reas cended TvltJh Bruce upon it, amd .he two ladles and the doctor went down upon- I t togeftier.
Isj was still two honrs to naon and fhfe rays Of brigM warm suuisfcisie had . IMumSna-ted £he c.partineirfc from which tflieyhad descended, "but below tte darkness stretched away from, -the lamp a<nd candle lights, and Hhe waole surwrandings of the -place were sugges tive of deeds and men which "love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil.'
"What a estrange^ uncanny ®ort of place !" exclaimed Grace.
The doctor was very qjniet, lie was ithinkkHg of itflie days of darkness he Jhad si>ent <fchere, which had so near ly cost bJfm Ms Uffe. .
"You should Ijhow the place best off Us," said the doctor to Seymour, 'you had better act as guide."
They Ihad already made a survey of the aiparfiment directly belotw the bed chlamiber, and the detective pointed out the spot wlhere tfhie first corpsc
was found.
"Let us see the caves now, and' vhe cfoatft of the blow-hole," said Beatrice, taking Grace's arm audi ^ruddering BU^Txtily.
Detective Bruce now led' the wav. amd Seymour accompanied "the ladies, While Jflre fleeter "brought =up the rear. Eadh' of the party carried a. light, r.nd after they had passed auto the right fraud cave the doctor Jaigged betal^d, carefully examining some marks ne had noticed upon the wall.
Suddenly they heard an exclama .tion from the doctor as though -he was calling to them for assistance.
In,a minute the -whole panty had ga .tfhered around "She doctor, with tfce'i llsrhts "thrown upon- the surface of the wail of the cave m front <af *fchieim.
It should be explained that the "rails generally, in the large cave orap'irt ment, were e^aj^ularly sttiioobh. as though portions of the limestone had been taken off In large flakes, and then polished by t-he action- of "the sea. ,
"Thfere is a door there, said the doc tor. "Am iron door too."
The listeners stood breathless as the doctor gave it a sharp rap -with a walking stick which he iheJd 1m his hand. It was certainly an iron, door
There. was no handle, o.r fastening. ' or kejlhole visiible. however, and Jfle
thin line, which -Stowed ?where the door reached to, was fully sax feet from the floor. It gifrut square upoa an angle so that upright crack show ed on. the front of the wall, and the whole 'tiling was so sfcilftrily ootafcri v ed that a very careful search of the (place might haye fbeem made wit&osit: ft be>ni» disscovenaiL 'A dose -exaimaaa .taon of the floor showed sign® of -traf fic, however, awd the .men; eagerly seartehed awisad for some means ot opening, it. ,
''What do you ffhinik of it ?" said Grace to her brother, as he stood feii^re
buried! m thought. -
"I tMaik the mysitery thickens, * he
moment called their attention to him He Siad been ejcaimijiing the other side where the door ajbutfed on to the pafc
age leading to4he^eqond cave. Htrt.
abotst eight incli^s from the corner,
was a smaS slit or hole chiselled 01.1 ef the li mes-tcne-evidently a key hole - about three feet aJbove wblcli wert five dates, one vrmJer the" other, ii> it Ir scratched, upon the fcurfaee of 'he wn!.l. The Invo -1^4 dates wers quit**4
recent, aivl wi tbin a fortnicjb t of eaeht
other, the one on the line afoove frii^se |
twelve months earlier, acd fihe otur-r two almost following each other, hai then years before.
Lights were held by the d^veeti -os against ifiiese sera tches^ upon <t=he wail as the party read them" with absorbed attention. The fig>uire 5 was twice ? e
pea ted ; it was made'just as Kay.-mrad ? BailSmtj^iie had ibecin used ta mate' li's five®: Uhe same <t&auglit was Jh,#4ffiiree men's mmds, that the writing might 4>e Raym-oiad BaliaMyae*«.
"He has been dead for twelve months said the doctor answer ing the unspoken question of his com
panions. 1 ;.<.*>?» .
"And look at this date." .be said polntlpg ? to the last K)Sie,. *3t is either a .remarSkalb^e coincidence or-no !' he suddenly ^exclaimed, iKMntiag. to the one above it, "<that w&s wheal' poor Doi'eet caine down. here, and 'this was the date of my descent; itflie one De fore it was no doubt when Rayanoiid BalUuityne met with Iiis death."
"I think we had 'better return again," said Beatrice, wihose face looked soiae wha*t pallid, as also did that of Grace Strong. "This place feels close, and you anlgibt prefer, to be alone if yew la tend ts> <break tflie door open;*"
'"The door can wait, Miss ©ajlaniSyu-f if yoiu ?WOITIU' lik-3 to fim-it-ica* exylare <tihe ca ves and passages," said Bruce; (but it was evident that all were eager to have this important discovery fol lowed up at once, -amid the ladies were taken up stairs again. 'The doctor went with fchem, for they were born .greaifcly excited by /what had trana <pired. . ? j «f
"What an awful house ithis is," said ©eatrlce shuddering.
'And yet you wfcCi, if pcksclble, to get to the very boStoni of ifiis anystciry' im
plied Grace.
"Certainly ; bu't I could-never ssitt'le down to live here after this/?.
"And yet -nothing is ipm\Tjt -so far." said the doctor ; "bu t I tihinfe we sliil} bnmv something niore within a few hours; after lunch we "propose to tatee .William and -tilie gardener down wifcn -us, and if we casmot -pack the lock off that door, we will Tyurst It open with a crowbar." -. .
In -tire meantime Bruce had sent c~o Melbourne for a photographer to bring a camera, with wide-anisic lens a<nd a flash light apparatus; to -phatograph 43ie ?writing" on ^vail, or aaijr otUer fosOT^p&igus -oriCMypfca trfiich'-iiKy might; discover that woultd .pavjfeswbly be ot
value to tfliem -as evidence..
the news of -the discovery tod V.\v this »time readied the sermii't's quar
ters fcliaxnigli Wi'SKi-nr, wlio was busy getting his implements aad tools ready and this, Xvith. the knowledge that a photographer bad jbc^?n S££*t <for to take pictures of some writing oaithe under* groujid walk, had cacised grea t excite
meat....
^ter a hasty luiieh, ihe pasty ,M men, fiiotv sis: in ai"am3jer (for «iihe fj&o
txtgrapfcer Jwho 'had feeest* #e3egraph
' ftMF 1$$' -'ftSfSTttCl !WttS| *H»'.
eammou dispst^dh)), descended below, ttoe writ&g was first phciograpaed Lest any hammering upon.' the -door might injure it; then a couple of pho Bograplis of ithe ii^aiu were tafcen oy.
the same process.
.'Wow bring your keys," said Bruce
tt> William.
It w<raM have besa amusing unde^ other circumstances «to watch die < a? er expiect'aaiii: flaioes ©if t3ie men* as the detective manipulated: those kevx. Among til ecu wiere keys of ulmosr, ali sizes and patterns, and also a skeleton key with which Bi'iice had, moire t'lan Giice, made ihluiseif master of a difficult lock ; tat' in this -case every attempt ?failed, until-after yearly am tour of effort and perspiration, and impaiticnce on the -part of the onlookers. Bruce Rabid. "Bring: «the -crowfoar, William." . This proved to he am inpesistibl*1 ar gument, in the 'ha^nids of tibe expert de tective, and within a few miniutes he had wrenched the 'heavy door open.
It swuBjg noiselessly toack upon its well oiled <h Ingots. revealing only a dm<k passage cut out of .the solid rock
">1 thiak tfoa.t you three had better remain -here, while the officers and myself gc. hi aind examine this place,*' sajid Dr Strong. "If; we should want your assistaniee we cam call."
Ftor a full hfliif-hoiir after the doctor arji «tSeteclives had disappeared1 down t'i? nuiTC'W entrance passage, William, ...an*! .Toe and the phn^ograpiher waited.
"Wihai: It was occupied the attentioii of the three tt&d kept iflxem aiway so .long,, will h<a.ve to toe reserved for an other chapter. Sufficient at present, to say that their faces Ibetoikemed gra itMcaiSio® as well as some perplex; ry
on. their return. The detectives hadi obtained a clue at last, but not that " which tihey had hoped for.
That .night, to the surprise of the ser vants. a bed was placed im the ground floor -library of the. nortih tower: she* .roam had -iuat 'been slept in since the arrival of Miss Ballantyaie from Kug la-na to take possession, and the wo unora folk among the servants were full of curiosity to know wihy a detective shoujd sleep there.
W-lllajn eaid Joe -evideuify . gues^»?ct .itlKit' 'this step was tiie result of some . Thing wiiioh''had been discovered That day. Possibly there was a secret sc . cess to -taiis room from tilie freshly fioaind passage, 'belt iHiey said' nothing, .having been cautioned by the detec tives to hold their tongues.
(To be Continued.)
Cliff Tewers.
(ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)
B* J. D. HENNESSEY.
Author of the "Dislioaioratole," "Wyn
num," "An Australian Busli Track,1 "Gunnery of Clmreli Comseitt." eLc.
CHAPTER XXVII.
TtHE DAY OF TRIAD.
Tims, wiyjeh waits fico* do morn, had at last brought around the day of trial, and seldom Jiad the MeiHxmrae Law Courts wilaiessed a more crowded or excited scene. Tickets for admission had -been issued in view of ttilie thrones of people w*lio were daterailined if pos sible to 'be present.
iAs is usual on such occasions, when the community has 'been carried away .by a sensation or craze, 'Hue published facts of the case had "been very much exaggerated. Mrs iDalibertfs picture liiad got into tthe papers, and her beauty land drresistsSale charms had been won derfullyexpatiated upoin. Of iSet Rose dolLe very little 3iad beem gleaned by the most ubiquitous iieponter. Except to Ms legal ladvfisers, he was dassedly
sulleru -
But it was 'the bunding of .Sea-Cliff Towers thai bad especially 'aroused th^ iofteresits toi the g eamml public. The story of the secret mine, of explosives, and the final catastrophe when the flr-i reached 'the gunpowder, had been graphically toijd in the press. Thous ands had travelled out to see the <ruins. and in troth a 'more complete and ter rible overthrow of a fine old family majnsiion it would be hard to imagine. The ftarce conflagration; had licked up till before it. , (
Of the grand old trees, the great gates, the fences, summer 'houses, and otlner adounnaenjts of the ground, noon ing remained but a few chaa-ned and blackened stomps. Tlie fountain only, 'being of stone work, and more apai', from the trees had escaped, but the paint and plaster on -th© upper porfcioai of it was scarred and blistered by Hit: .heat. The mansion itself was a heap of "blackened ruins, for great "brandies of the burning trees had finst fallen against it. and afterwards the explos ion had completed the work of destruc
tion.
'Immediately the life was over, and ifche ruins sufficiently cool for men to ?work among them, an efifont <Tiad been made to excavate ,below the north end, to o-btato if passable some further evidence for the prosecution, '.But the explo&ino had done ftts work most ef fectively., The whole of the cave chain bei' (below the haunted bedroom had been completely shattered, and they toad searched for ithe iron safe, so far,
in vain.
Not that the quest liad ibecn given up. At the very time the crowds were besieging the Court House to gain ad «n4e§ion to the <trM, a large parity of ^OTgctfon douible wages, and with the iSsppect of a fflarge reward if sucees®} *$$$! searching for the safe, or m
.idteied for any other evidence! which might strengthen the cSase for the
Crown.
"Ordar in Count," called out an offic ial- as 'fie clock 'hand approached the hour of ten, and the clerk entered to ca.Hl over the names of those wlio lra i be©a summoned to attend as juror*.
Immediately afterward -Hie judge and h'* associate entered 'and occupied tu.» dais of justice, above which was tue canopy an<l royal coat 01 anus.
To those accustomed to such scenes, it was noticeable ttiat there was far le.-'.s of ifche solemnity w;Moh usmadJy at taches to a trial upon a capital charge, than is usual. The mystery of Se « Cliff Towers had ass-uined such a com plicated: aspect, tliiat tli<e fact of two lives being at stake seemed to be lost sfiglut of. 'The question iwit3i fclre public was "Wliiat is the solution of the- mys tery?"
Tteiit (fiieine would 'be some ve-rty sen sational evidence was taken for grant ed. for it had leaked out thait <ihe pros ecution was confident of gaining a ver dict, so strong "was their cais-e.
However, (Barrister Horatio Jones. Q.C., aaid Barrister Broughton, who had been retained by Sinoottli and Stout for the defence, entered the Court and took theT.r ptllaces at th^ taible with a. very confideai»t air, and nodded across to the learned Crown Prosecutor. aiiid B'ari isteir Bluster, with assumed cordiality. The senior of tue
firm of soixL lors was also m at ^endaaice and immediately after tlie entrance * f the judge lie Iie'Id a whispered c-oneaI fritioa . witli Jtlie accused, who were -al .iiL-ady lai' till© doiek.
Mrs Dalibert was riclily but quietly dressed, and after tlie first slioc-k had jrassed, locked around 'the Court witli a curious and half-defiant air. (Her fa.-e was both graver and whiter than usual Uiml evrctenc'eid anxiety, if -not for her self, for her companion. (She was look ing around the Court for Beatrice and Grace Strong, but neither wfre ther^, as both "had been summoned as witnes ses1. andi waited1 in am aa'te-rooin until their names were called.
Seth Rosediale was also well dressed, and his not unpfeasing face wa» com mented upon favourably, raither titan otherwise. <No one expected that the female prisoner would Jbe convicted, whatever fche evidence might be; she coiuid not, it was thought, have tak^a any part in the actual murder-5n facr the lady had already received two pro posals of marriagie from two ardent but unknown admirers, who were pre pared to take lier to their Siearts, aad change ixer aiame,, eta the first avail
afljJe anotoemt ai&er their reOetise.
Pnelimeaiary matters t>eiu;g over, the ntt'ones of tihe jurors were called. Tl«e first that responded was a ipiunip, red faired; man, wiio might ha ve ibeeu eith er a puMicaai' or a .cattle-dealer; he lock =ed severely at the prisoners a» he pas sed! ffiie dock, hoping to fii'ghten them into challenging Mm; he was dressed in homely tweeds and carried in his hand a soft feist hat*. and Tie took his place and oath unclial&nged.
The next man wias related to a rail dent of Sea-Cl'iff. and was promptly challenged by the -Grown, oai a sign from Detective Bruce, who with Sey mour was present carefulily wafcc'liiu^ the proceedings.
The nest juror that responded to his Came wore a silk 'hat and frock coat, and evidently belonged to the uppoi strata of society.
"Challenged!"
The objection this time was from the defence, i
"Good!" exclaimed a city man to another juror, both of whom were anx ious to get off,. "I have never known it
to fail."
"A si£k lint, nm *k coat in a crim
have been denominated "a swell" was ollowed to take bis place unchaKeingod. They evidently preferred to bs tried by a juxy who "would luave no special predelx-tion in favour of position or
wealth.
Affier the jury had been duly jimiyaa nelled', the leading counsel for the d> fenee requested thiat the female prison er, against whom the evidence, he said iwtas very slight indeed, might be ec ©ominodated "with a chair outside the dock. It would be more convenient, he said, for consultation,, and lie ha J every expectation that ^before the case had! proceeded far she would 'be dis chargisd. The judge consulted for a moment or two- with his associate, and then iu a quiet voice firmly refused the request.
The barrister a.t this looted ?with an injured air across to the jury, as mue-i as to stify^ee gentlemen, how we are treated, and what disadvantage
inal trial; you>
well-dressed -it.
by the pristine
iSuch e.sru)il'j" ?not a stagl-o ..
sd to bi? the ^ase,
;1 ti.v axiy means ow, every extra i be challenged
the case for the defence is toeing con ducted." ^
It was really to secure ibis effect, if possible, that lie had made tine requtets ami he .sat dawn hoping,that tine jury had been duly ibllassedi in his client's
favour thereby. !
Mrs ©albert was evidently quite equal to the. occasion, for on the judge's refuisaL she placed her hand kerchief (before her eyes for a moment, as though to bode her sense of huinili artlon, and .diisappoin'i'meut at the deaia'a® of her -eoiiics'ei's request.
It certainly did her no harm with the jury, for they were omly human after all, as judged and advocates well know, and a beautiful woman <;wh« may be an innocent woman) sitting lav side tlvs giim ugly spikes of a dock, ufcsuatlly arouses a, certain aimount of sympathy in a jury if they can 'believe that .she. feels her pasiition so keenljy, that she weeps; while indignant at the wrong done to her, she seeks toi hide her tears.
'However, after some slight addition al delay, the Crown Prosecutor stood! up to open, the case, a t. which the! crowded court houfee settled! do<w?n toi
listen, for it was a case of difficulty and imports aice he had in hand.
'To be. continued.)
.A good deal pf attention, says a home journal, Is (being centred just now upon 'New Guinea, tand two or three new companies are im process1 of incubation for exploiting the country. The »New Guinea development 'Syn dicate, Limited, -has.just 'been register edi with a capital of £6,000 in £1 shares (1,000 founders'), 'the object be ing to carry on an ©ritish New Guinea aaid elsewhere 'Hie business of planters, growers, mamufiacturera, and exporters of cocoaaiuts, copra, cocoanut fibre, tea, sugar, cinchona, cocoa. &c. The finst directors are - E. Brownbill, R. Ivirkland, G. F. Xicholls, H. Watts, and W. E. Rowlands.
On Wednesday afternoon the Direc tors and . secipetiary (Mr. Alan B. Bright) of the Charters Towers Pyrites Company, accompanied toy a few friends, met Mr. Minehau, Superintendent of Maintenance, Q. N. R., at the works. Mr. Mineham having come there to finally pass and approve of the Company's branch line. The Superintendent arrived by train and the line is now passed for t affic to its terminus. After this, the general manager of the works, Mr D. A. Brown, took the company for a thorough tour through the new works, ik*W Hearing completion, the in* sprctlon of the electric plant being mo. t intziesiing.
Mr 6. L. Fiaser (writes Wednes day's 'Townsv'lle Star') lias received a telegram to the effect that Messrs Will Howard Smith and Sons' steam ex* Lass o' Gowrie.came into collision, wi vh Messrs Aplin, Brown and Craw shay's lighter Mooeyan at the fairway buoy, Ca5rns. this morning. The Moo°yan was seriously damaged.
At t< e Supreme Court this nioi*ning, (s y-H W d^esd y"s 'Townsv'Ue tS^ar') on ihs? application, of Messrs Roberts, Leu and Bs.rn?t+x (town agents for Me?sr> Birnett and -fis^tching). pro bate in the will of Owen*i46?IanusJ lat«v ft Cock town, miner,
.was granted ro Owen Reynolds. oT5 Cooktow-i. . vietuo'lei*. The
vn- at nndev £276.:
Mn»'ld »l:y just mw Is humming owl^g to the ext?n*ive inirra-ovemenis
being effected en Eulolo. Bmudesext,
stationMu tUe vicinity.
Ifi Mastery of Sea
Cliff Towers.
(ALL EIGHTS RjfeSEItVE'D.)
B* J. D. HENNESSEY.
Author of the "Disfaoeoorajble," "Wyn
mim," "An Australian Bush Track/ "Cuimery of ?Clmrcli CooscJtt." ecC.
: CHAPTER XXVII.
5pa)E DAY OF TBIAIi.
(Continued.)
Thotearned counsel was a tall thin m?mwith ia long face, toig-li forehead, and, stiarp features. 'His expressive eyes,; which seemed aiogether too
for his face, -were kept partially closed, as though he was reading some thing Internally; but when aroused they ,faMy blazed upon a hostile wit ness or. stupid ^ujy .
He opened' the case with a brief ac count of the supposed death of Ray mond Baliantyne by suicide. At the tiine.it/had been thought very strange thatjao trace of the body could be dis covered, tout failing any proof of mur der, it was supposed that death had re - suited as affirmed, and that the body
hadfoeen devoured by sharks or had drifted out to sea., The male prisoner
had' 'been one of the witnesses at the inqtHtSt and had there" sworn to -hav ing. followed Raymond Baliantyne from the Towers, and seen him throw himself from the locks. But 3t was evident now that this bad not. been the case, and that he had perjured himself at the" inquest, for the body of the de ceased'had been actually fouhd sever - al months after this disappearance, in
sfcat^of wonderful preservation, in a
cave or mom under the northern end of SeahCliff Towers. .He would prove that £tltihough tMiss Beatrice Balian tyne was the heiress of her uncle, both the male and female prisoners were largely (benefited by Raymond Ballan tlyne'f death; that is fact a large treas ure ia-money and other valuables had been concealed beneath the Towers during/the lifetime of its former own er,. an4 that iboth ;Seth Rosedale and (Meta yalbert, who were distaut rela tives -4& the deceased, were fullv
aware-of both the existence of the treasure and the presence of the body.
There had- uo douibt toeen' a remark ably stilful plot which aiuxednot only at thedeath of the late owner "of tlie Towers, which Jiad been accomplished, butwhieli also aimed at wresting the property fronl the rightful heiress, the. latter part of the scheme had, how ever, l»een frustrated iby the prompt manner 'In which Miss; Baliantyne bad taken ^possession of the property, and other events which had transpired in consequence. He would also show that a-second murder had been com mittedin order to cover up if possible the evidence of. the first, and that a third one had been attempted with the most .callous* disregard, of the sacred ness of humian 1'ife. ' In fact, the in jinffriariity of the male ^prisoner in Tse ingwiiraigto sacrifice life after life in: order to over, ovorthe proofs of his first jc'rime was one of the most repul sive features of the case. How far the female .prisoner 'was an accessory -to the second murder would 5>e shown later that they were accomplices
|«OTe4 rpaswiaMe
aoubr, aud as such the only conclusion mey coutu arrive at Wats mat tncy Wete tquaiiy cuipadjie
.J±e -ui'ubc ask Liieiii to go back in ihuugnt for 'a nuuiiKr or ^ear». me murucied man was oiie ojl tiie eariy pioneers in tiie colony, tie liad ac quired laud iu the cvty of 'Meiooume, iu tne early «ay», auu a,s a &ucceofciui merchant nad wade a considerable fortune, family tio-u'oies ana- tiie death of liis wife aud children rnaue him a reserved and somewhat retiring ftf not melancholy man. He had pur chased the <Sea-Uliff Towels property prior to the death of hid wife, aiui re built a large portion or it, and was no aou-bt acquainted witu me fact mat there was- a cave bdkjw "tne north tad of the house, and a means of access to it from the tower room ou the ground floor, which had <beeu u^ed 'by uirn as a library. He lived a secluded L?e at the Towers, after the death of Airs. Ballantyue, Ms relative, S^th Rostdaie being practically his oiiiy companion, except the servants of tiie household. He would prove that he was a secret ive man, fond of hoa ruling money about his rooms and person, and these idiosyncrasies were well known to the male prisoner ,
He seems albout this time to have ac quired the morphia haibit, 'and would pass Ms time for hours together seated asleep in an easy chair. With the avowed intention of shaking himself free of this habit, he had about four years ago made a lengthy trip to Eur ope and the East. It was known Wlhen he left Australia that it was un likely that -he would return for several years* He (had wealth and leisure, and accompanied 1>y a coniidental man servant, proposed to revisit the scenes of his childh jod in England and Scot land, and made an extensive' tour through India, where his cousin,; the female, prisoner, Meta Dallbsrt, then resided, having recently "become a
widow
It should be noted -that during this time the affairs of the deceased were left entirely in the hands of the male prisoner and Ms solicitor, Messrs. Bluntly, Blackham, iand Dorset. It jwas evidently at this time that the scheme for the murder of the deceased on his return to Australia was thought out and perfected.
"I shall prove," said the learned counsel as he warmed to the subject, "that it -was 'known to both the tie ceased and the prisoner that in the limestone formation foelow the To wers . there were subterranean, caves and passages, ibut I shall also prove that at tMs time the only access to them was t>y a narrow secret staircase from the library. The trap-door, or lift from .the bedroom was constructed during st*he absence of Raymond Ballantyne in Europe, and witliouthis knowledge. It seems to have come a<bout in this way; When in Venice the deceased had his attention called to some very fine specimens of c^trved marble and terra^ cotta fire places, one of which he pur chased and forwarded to the male prisoner with instructions to have, it fitted up in his own favourite sleeping apartment.. The large square of in laid tile work was a part of the de sign, and it seems fo have* toeen 'this wMch suggested to; tie prisoner *? the construction of a secret lift, such as have fbeen known to exist in trreat houses and palaces in Bussia and pfcher countries.
"A possess Raymond
ltOaidcd weaitu aaU LC corne master or oue x^»\*ci»
tivy n~u tv.UeiiUy ..aiien ^sov.s^ 10j. Oi. rile j>iis>uii^-i" is ui.txu ; t,ui i.e Silia1lj£ fiUll a Viuleui luuvuti ^ iiltle uiiite to roe, and i.oriuuiiAca triuw oxaie plan 'oy whicn ue ^uaiu nave the macUiUery at his command tor c.niy u^ cut any iiuu4>.r «». iu..r^ers wiiiiow pusoiiai vwleiitv.
'I bliaii jjiove to you iluit tiie prison er is h^jii&eif a skiued mechanic, and with, tiie assistance of two Italian wo*kuuoi who wtie biougut Sue to el ect me fireplace, ti^e whole 01 this ac cursed muixier trap was wuiiileted. I may say litre iii passing tuac meue is ui» evia-euce discoverable tha* these two t'oieigii workmen ever kit the col ony, or indeed fciea-Ciiff 'xuivers-ju detd two mysterious dates were found .sera'tcned upon, the wail of tue tinder ground chamber, wMch, ibeing follow ed "by the dates of other niuraers, sug gest too that these unfortunate ior e^gneis, having completed taeir work, met witii an untimely end."
At ilLs the learned senior counsel
for the .'defence called the attention of h.s Honor ;to-the fact ihat the prison ers were tfeing tried for the murder of Raymond Bailantyne only.
fcc-arcely heeding^ the interruption, the Crown Prosecutor continued:
"It may fee asked how '«iis trap or Lft could form part of- a plan to . mur der; let me explain tliat among intim
ates the deceased was often referred to as * Raymond the Steeper" 011 account of a singular propensity he had of fal ling asleep at unexpected and sonic times very unseasonable times. In winter weather it was a' most commoii thing for lilin to sit in a favoiiri^ chair before a fiie for hoins when asleep. Un fortunately, ge^T.men oi the jury; the ingenious a:.d expensive, and clev erly constructed mechanism to which I re fer has t>een ;canning y destroyed, so that it is impossible for you to in spect it as I intended that" you should ..have done. In fact the dialwlical cun ning shown in this fearful crime re veals the possession of exceptional ability on the part of those who- have planned and carried it out. The pur pose of the lift was to remove the de ceased while asleep in the chair (before the fire, to the suibterranean apart ment, and there suffocate him. The whole 'scene of the murder-will read ily present itself to yjur minds."
"The <!eeia el ha I "r^uraed bat ft comparatively th rt -iinie to ^Ie* bnirne, and taken u_> hTs a)b:de again at Sea-Cliff Towers, when he suddenly disappear, from see" <ry, and' Is report ed *by the male pr.sjiitr to have cjin
mitted suicide.
"The actual fact has, however, at last come to-light, for instead of a suicide if is now proved to have t»ceii. a. ghasily murder. On that fatal night the'murdered man, supposing himself to have licen surrounded on y t>y a trusty and frieudly household, sat in front Of the fire dosing jih his ehr.i*-. .when the -treacherous lift descended and cMcrofoim, or some other power ful drug, wras:adirimistered, and in the darkness "of that fearful dungeon he was left to die, the very dafce of the crinie having fbeen endorsed upon the
wall 9)y the callous-hearted murderer. .
"At the inquiry which was lirld, the evidence of the male prisoner was given with much circumstantial se quence.. And itie wcuder is hawauy wan have thus calioljr j>2r?ure<J
kuowing of that cGxpse at the Tti*y tine being there (beneath the Towers. But mat wliicli fallowed sroeined on the face of it more remark able. Wutli ample -means available to gt-t lid of i lie cTidciice.s of a crime, the co/pse was embalmed and left there fo testify to the talsity of the evidence of Setn Rotsedale at tlie inquiry.
"It is natural for us to a^krWhy was the body' thiis preserved V It Seamed tlie act of a madman to -per petuate evidence which might at aiiy moment rise uq> in judgment against iiiiu and consign him to the scacfoid. The connection of the female prisoner with thi cume, however, at once soives ithe mystery. I shall prove that while Seth Rosedale wished to marry Meia Datberc, she w;-s violently averse to the union when it becomes eyidciit that the cci^pse of tbVmurderfd man was actual.y kept by the male/'"prisoner, ready for jji-paiictioh at a. moment's notice to in some wa y prove the part icipation of the female prisoner in the murder. It .was seemingly the one thieat by which he was auie to main tain the mastery and mould the female prisoner tj his will.
.'The^ examinatloncf the papers of the deceased has furnished' further important evidence. . A will has beeu d scovered in the handiwriting of the dec^astd iby wliicli the whole of his real and personal estate -was bequeath ed to the female ^prisoner; fhe date is eufbsequent to that upon, tiie will under which the present proprietoi* holds posstssion; but the document is un signed. . . - . . .
.'I shall toot at thiis stage attempt to open up the argument suggested by tae existence of th s document. It is impossible to bslieve the prisoners ig norant of its. existence. Tliey who .would commit a greater crime would not hesitate_to perpetrate a lesser one.
Forgery is a l:glit tiling by the side of. mu der, ."arid the nurrerors visits which were paid 'by botfh the prisoners to the late Septimus Dorset's office, showed that the unsigned will was sought for, that the name which would have made it valid might have l)sen added in some way by the pris
oners. :<
"It seems that the late, (Raymond Bailantyce 'liad a liking for. legal doc uments in his own drawing up, and on. different occasions several draft wills were drawu up by him to "suJbmit to lhis lawyers.' It is probable that ibut Cor tlit* existence of this unsigned will, the late legal adviser of Miss 'Ballan tyne and h r u^cle urght never have met with- his;death in the darkness bfn^ath Sea-Cliff Towers. He was in the way of the successful carrying .out "of a deep-laid plot "by which the
male prisoner int?rdei to 'make liim
sett master of jthe inheritance.
- "But wo nowcomc vpgin a new aoi<2 most mysterious element, in connection with thetnagedy. The female prison er luad lived for many years in India, and seemingly toad foeoometto some ex
tent versed ah' ithe mysitarifrue .to'eiiief!; ©f the East, Cropping " tip 'here aawl there la .tike M^tory offals crime is a .cat's-eye ring, whcch itis dear , that
all parties referred 4?6 fosiieved* to ukn- 1
sess some remaTkaWebcculfc Tiafluence.
Tlie d&^ascd.in a nreiuorandiim found
aimong his- papers, warned tlie heiress; to bttwara of any person she met with : about £3ea-<3Uff Towers who wore i3iis ciat's-^eye ring.
"I shall -prove - to- the witness Jbo-sr
Ms ilof ims, foeen seeju upon tUe
4kandof-the decetasedaiid a'so on the fingers of froth the mate and female prisoners. It" has 'been discovered in tthe possession of the female ptiamet land will at the proper time be pro duced in -court.
'''However, notwithsiaiidiaig all the skill and cunning of die pi'isancrs then* clever <plaus%miscacried, the will, duly signed, 'which ffliey not <P»iibt intended! should (be discovered after the death of the deceased at the TVjwers, had been somehow "removed by him with other papers, aaid unsign ed had been* lodged '"with his soffieitors. The real will (placed 'Miss BaiSiotyn^ in possession -much earlier than th^ conspirators had expected, so it seems a. plaan was devised toy them to tenf fy -the inmates of -the Tower® by the cc oasionsai appearance of the dead man's corpse "in the chamber wi'ft the lift, supposed to be haunted- It -was a -desperate and very. hazardous device, and 'has really proved to be -the nueaps of 'the unearthing . of '1-his crime. Through -the personal bravery ©f a medDcal man, who I shall o£il as a witness, it was found th«:t the suppo» ed ^upernatufrsal appearance in the North ohiMniber, was a liaix. In solv ing «the mystery the doctor nearly lost his life, hut the result has ba-em *th« .present Mai. It is another illnstra tikw* of how the most cleverly and deeply-laid attempts of villainy are agiain and again frustrated by some overruling power. . Although the pre sent case is the more remarkable, in asmuch as almost superhuman efforts were made to <cover up -the track and Mind the criminal's trial. So far it Es <feared that the very spot whea>e the murder was committed -hias been destroyed by explosives (beyond recog nition. The masterly cunning land1 the singular precautions .taken ito obliterate the evidence, will mot, however, cause just&ce in this case to miscarry. The prisoners are surrounded <by a very net
work of evidence that links them both .with this crime, which we shall now proceed to -prove by a nvmlber of urn impeachable witnesses- I wall mow call the first w&tness, George Beecham.'
(To be Continued.)
lie Mystery of Sea
Ciiff Towers.
GBCAlPTBB. XXVIII.
Tdi-a Evddeoice.
Qq ixai&g sworn, Gfefotrge Beedham. < gave "elvidtenca of x?eirt3ain ifocts sul> t fitambiatoing the gemiesral result otf the < inquiry oan the supposed sriieide of the ; dieeetajsexl. He identified the male jptis- : oner, who foadi made Muusdbf very
giiioanliintemt iln the umaftfor of the sap- ] posed suicide, and at the toanie was-re puubed <to be interested peffsonaMy xri &he late Bal'Ianstyine's deaMi.
rQhe diefence allowed1 this witness* to pass VDitdfc of the box without gwrtittiing amy question In nmicig-^-ra ran n«ltnf«n
Jjt thSis stage a number off documents were pat ioaa exhiiMts, among' wthlca was 4iie unsigned wall, said ffco 4*e5nitlie homd'wriitBiig of tine deceased!.
'May; I task yorar Honor,* eadd Banis ter Jones, Q. C., *wbat tBhais dtatemment teus 'to do With my daerats ? Before it can be admitted! ais evidence it must
cenbaaniy be to some ?wiay proved! to hanresome cpamection wiith one or both of tbeon personally. For any proof to the comjfertary imy dieaits may be fccttaffiy ignor&nrt ofthe very exfetemeeof these docnmentsamd in justice 4k> them I ob ject toflhiembeimgs^^ .
Oonstid'eTiaJble argument followed I>e jtweem counsel, and tiSe?Judge finally ordered! >t(harn to be placed on oraesfldie, giving <Che prosecution the pravSiege of temdianLnig tfjheim agadn at a iater ^tage
of the trial.
Detective Bruce was »bhe next rwlt ®ess called." iHe entered th<e -box amd took the oaifeh with the respeietful twisl ness-llfce demieeunour common to police officers. He deposed to "having con
ducfbed am - nnsucoeasfuil setasrdh for tme
body of'-tihe deceased aUter Ms suppos ed suicide, aind bavang afterwards been eaOfediinto tbe ease aififer «tibe dasap pearanoe of -the -late Septimus Dorset. He bajnidBfl.' an a carefully prepared pJaa of the 'Towers' properity showing the nrndergipound calves emd passages ; the position of 43ue suibti^rreunean iblow-Jiole, etc, alste being shown.
There was some dispute "as to wbe ther,' this should <be admitted as evtl deace, as St wiae shown that some posi tions were mairked iin red. 'to give the
portion of places and {.vents miot with
in Ms own pereonail fcnlowiledlge; aind pmidfang1 «fchie sulbistafnffliaiti'ng evidence of Deteefiive Seynjoar and Dr Strong It -was withheldi afooto the jury.
The evidence of this witness was mostly -technical, amd dit was remarked among professional anem pre^eaiifc a<t the 'tlSme that, with 'the exception of the efvideniee g-iven cobceraring the be
bavioar and remarks of Bosediale wben ameisfced, he ihad not so far b^em fnos9 tively connected with- rtlhe crime.
.' Baioprlsteir Jones arose wSitlh diignlty, and; havtog adjusted! Ms gowno wiitb jjnealt dieMberatJon proceeded to cro«s question the officer. It 'may be saad. that a baaTister ®aa?dy oversteps the
rS'gid professional etiquette wihten pygtminiiintg a polffice officer to the wit isess box, 'the credibility of otih«er wit nesses -may (be called on qnestloan b'lt iildlt flaait of an officer wiUhomt very
serious cause. Thius it was that each feK it was a question of pairry and thrust, as ife> the laictual evfidieajjce.
1 'You say that you found tine (male pvlseinier at worfe to iffis gaincbe^ wjieo
tin#.
any resistance or make any attempt at escape 7
TSta.*
'Did She not at once deny amy know Ledge of a siibterra'n!sairi vaiuflit or cham ber pnder the northern porabion of tue maai&Son.*
*Yes ; 'but foe <nevealed the fiact otf Ills pensoml kUMnrledjge of rtftie mult and caves, Iby ottering to show the whole thing, and thus enable rrie -to save De tective Steymonr's life, if I would bar gain .10 give Mm orue Ikwuit'S immunity from arrest or pursuit.'
'Was there amy witness to ifcas al Iejred statement of the male prisoner' T
"No/
'Had you (before tliiLs, cautioned Mm tliialt anything he ssaiid might 1)e used against Mm on case lie was pot upon
his trfiali T
*No.*
-Did! yoni, ait the time you say he made this offer, hoM out any rtrhnwat T
*1 had! hiitn coveted .with my revolv er.' '
'Did you ®egaird 'his (proposal as an
admission of gruilt.*
'Certafmiy.' "
'In wihtait "wtay pray ?'
'He offered' to show me how to save Sepraoorr's life,, thterteffore he must have known <afll aibout the 6ubterramje<a» vaiult and passages.'
'Snjpposlng that >ve gmmst ihajt he knew of the suirtenraanean chamber.
fiow does* at prove amy guilty fenww ted®e at «fcli6s alleged) -murder ?' askea
the faanrisber.
'How coaildi h-e otihiarwiee tone kaiowu anytMng atfxnit ?fche. dlsappearamice of Detective ^Seymour V retorted the de
'teotive. .
.But Seynittor did not see Mm dffwi there, iamd canxaat in any wlay Meratf t? .htim persomaility with the undier^nound
eluamfoer.'
*1 sutnmt your Hon'ar,' (he said, tann ing to the Judge, fthte proseciMoni can not -bring this in as evidence. The al leged! fitafbement is alloiwed (by the wit (aess to -have ibeen madfe -before he catEtkmed 'the prisoner, <and funtiher It Is supposed to ibawe been imade when the life of thle praswner "was «tfttf!e&teiD ed l»y «. revolver. Dfc is 'ImpoesSbte that snch a staifceunesttt can toe odmafcted as
revl^aaw i&e ^rl^war. I
most ask. your Honor to diiflect the jury &GCoaxlmg'ly.'
TJuis was done, flie judge stangAihen ing 'the "position «sf the defence tby el icsting the fauet that 'Wheat charged be fore detectiiive "Seymwur wLiih 'hwing made »Hhds adlmission, the pri-soner had abomfly denied having sand anything of
the soict
Hhe learnedi coumsiel for the dietfence sait down with evident satisflactjion. He bad maorciiged so far -to k-oep out of .the case a vf»ry awkward piyeoe of eivi dence. a<nd rauoireover %© ted done it without an amy -way ghoiwinig Ms (hand to the other cMe.
Dr Strong was oatU'ad as a wiiaiiess, mnoh to hits s:sfcer'« irelief. before Jiea
. trice. iGSraee ?wairited 43ie disetor ibo fop i present in tbie court *wM!e Iwar fipierid gave evidence, for she Chaired «tchat the strain might be too long for 'li»er.
On (being sworn, Dr Strong made a staftemjeait at the request of the -Grown Prosecn'tKW, wihieli coveredi: the wfaole Ms^bory of Ms knowledge of «maiM:ers 'fflam the time of the reborn of the de ceased from Ms 'European 'tmir. Bar rister Jones, -Q. C.. watehled1 Mm witih icJose Soberest* for lie regard'ed the d<oe tor las the most difficult witn ess Hie had fto deal wl£h> and he *was pnepairing -Mmseftf for a very severe cnoss^^essaimto .ation. iMr Smooth, wf itihe firm of scU <£/fcars aefcfing for the d'efsmicie. also sat at the taMe, tand 'Bainpsstier RroogiMcTi
ffcook voluminous nouns <of -the doctor's evid'emee. Aided by tihie occasional qirestikmis of 'tfhe Oro'vni Piosseeuitor, t<he doctor (gave a very dtear, full, -but terse account of -the wha&e eiiCEair so fair as ft fcatik come -witlun orange of Ms obserra tSon, mud experience. If came out that the Ihiad otnoe atteoidfed Sath Rosediale in ibis prtafessSkwiial caipoeifty and had kept ia pretty clots© ?yie on 'Mm far
years.
*We don't want your opinion® Dr StaKmtg!,* iroberjected BajrpiSter Jones, '.but yoniF facts.'
'(He hasi Ju^t befone objected to tlhe recital fcy the doctor of old Sarah's steady about <h«r halving seeir Rosedale come up from ijelow Itaiwers carry lug "bags of earth* wQiich (had resulted in the exclusion of that paift of the evi
ctaooe as metre hearsay. His account of 4$ifc yJs®$® vt J*ev Omstopbfer
Broadfiace to the Ttaweirs was listened .to with, great attenltiom! -by the crowd ed CCTiait, but when he vdvidiy deserib ed iliiis own jmMnigfht atdvenfczire in, the .haunted ohamiber ^tlie excitement was
intense
'Yon say thaifc (the revolver was .wrenched ifirom your ihand?' qaeried frhe Gix^wn Prosecutor. 'Wtas thte ac tion 'aeeoimpamled by great violence ?*
TT-es, and; I was immediately struck "a teTy blow.*
. 'With the revolver T * "No, it? was a fist*
Thenv' saMi the counsel1, "ad was not a woman, 'the female prisoner for in stance th<ait struck you T
' 'I diidhot see any assailant; font it could not, i think, foave b een a woman.* : Ofeher evidence fcaiowed, and tait last the Crcswn Prosecutor sat down and made" way 'for 'thte opposing Q. G. to cross-emmifme the witness.
'Will you swear that it was -not a wo ra&n iJhat stmsck you, and snaitohed $he .rev^rer from you during the encounter on that 3ift -below the Towers cham
*ber.'
The doctor hesitiaJbed a <moment and then safid 'No, I will not swear tliat it was not a woman.' '
'My client'Mrs Dailbert is proved^ you say, to 'have knowledge of <tMs secret means oif access to the Towers. .Will -you swear -Chat it was not M-rs Dalbert -who aisaaai2ted you -T
*1 wiH not,' replied "the doetor, who now <saw the drift of the bairaustj&r's - cross-esaanina'tion.
'Yoursister and MSss Ball&ntyne are friendssaad the counsel^ (breaking new grounds
'Yes,' Tapped the witness quietly.
*You dhaiin friendship yourself with Miss Bailaintyne T
.Yes.'
.Is ''Miss BaBJantyne^s possession ot this ipawjerty Fkelytio adwaintage yon or your sister In any way..'
'Not fifliafc I aim aiwaaie of at present,* said -the dto^bar wi-ifli digmty.
'You have Jived in the house ?'
*1 was Miss Bavlantyne's medicaJ ad viser, larcud met with a serious accident In the ?horase, acd was nursed 'by my si&fetr 'afr the Tower® unMl recovery.'
"'Don't l©=e yoar tamper, Dr Strong ; you -3.1V? 'bare to answer any proper questions thiat are put to yoni. I tatsked you wheffltear youihad. lived in ith«f ?howsa, and wish you-$0 answer ? ?'yes
or
'Yes.' raplned the doctor, restraining Mni«elf with an effort. for ft was evl
dent that the other ^deWas treating
him ais a; hostile watmtes&.T
'Have you eiver had amy-uniplefiisant. ness Im any wiaiy with 'ilr-Seitih ®ose dale, dJiwing your resadleaefi at Sea Oiiff ?' . V ;
'No, oaftainly not, I laititemded hlm oa o©ie occasion during a sHgftt. ifflness.*
'He paid your fee aJi-tigM.' 'Cerfca'iinly he did.*
'Prior to thfis aiftiir, xiiid you noffc r*> jraird ham as a stnaaght-goang nonest
nm*
*'SleiBw* I.
\Do you think ttet sufficient evidic^o^ w3fi Ibe forfthteoming to connvSct !hlm of
.IMS crfime.'
'No; tout*--:
'Tihat is quite sufficient doctor,^ aaid this-coi^nisei irafeeirrupting Man, 'you ha ve givem yonir evidcniee with exc^Ifejii judfern^saiilj (arid' silraig'lftforwatvlaos .s
A;t ith<is Bamsfer -Tones, Q. <>., ®ai
dowm
ai ve fwr»,'s said tht
Crown Pivisecfltof . ss ."Dr Strong wa& abcrtit to iif.e ^ Inie^s Ijox.
^ con^miad) , _ .