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CHINA MAIL CHRISTMAS SUPPLEMENT, 1930.
CHRISTMAS EVE MYSTERY
By FRANCIS MARLOWE,
Author of "In Pursuit of a Million," "The Secret
of the Sandhills," etc., etc.
can only be a Christmas Eve joke, my Idear Ellis, a practical joke, the necklace is sure to turn up. Some of the young people have been up to their tricks--the Christmas spirit, you know."
Gentle old Sir John Rivers, inwardly uneasy though he was, was lightly trying to tone down the anger of his most important Christmas guest, from whose bedroom, on the night of his arrival at Rivers Hall, a valuable pearl necklace had disappeared.
But Mr. Edward Ellis, wealthy enough to bear his loss philosophically and with re- signation, was a hard business man and not to be plaented with words.
"Christmas spirit!" he repeated irefully. "I appreciate the Christmas spirit as much as anyone, but not when the spirit takes the shape of a ghost whose appearance coincides with the loss of a five thousand pound necklace. We'll see what the Scot- land Yard man thinks about it when he arrives."
Sir John made a deprecatory gesture. "Surely you haven't called in Scotland Yard?" he protested mildly. "Don't you think, if our own enquiries and search fail- ed, the local police would do? If you'd only - consulted me first
"I've no faith in these country police- men, and I wasn't going to lose any time," Ellis interrupted. It was too early to have you disturbed, and I didn't want to start a fuss in the house, so I telephoned to my secretary and told him to report the robbery at once to Scotland Yard and, if they couldn't send a man immediately, to get the beat private detective he could to take the first train to here."
there wasn't a soul in the room but myself. door. "I'll see what I can find out about and there wasn't a sound or movement in have no result perhaps you'd better let me the corridor. As you know, I don't take any send for the local police. This is Christmas stock in ghosts, so I quickly made up my Eve, you know, and you might not be able mind that some of your young people had to get a detective from London to-day."
"I'll have a man from town no matter tried a game on me, and, as I didn't fancy letting them have a joke on me by allowing what it costs me." Ellia said brusquely. them to think I'd risen to the bait, I shut "These country policemen are all bunglers. the door as quietly as I'd opened it and went They'd come here, make a deuce of a fuss, back to bed. It was not until this morning | fill their notebooks, and waste my time, all
to no purpose." that I found the necklace had gone."
Sir John shook his head doubtfully.
Sir John shrugged his shoulders with "I'm still inclined to believe that the an amused smile and left the room. necklace is not lost," he said. "The ghost, of course," he gave Ellis a gentle, apologetic smile, "is a tradition in our family, though had come to an end. Muriel Rivers, now I must confess I haven't personally substan- the bride-to-be of Mr. Edward Ellis, had tiated it. The youngsters,-I'm afraid,-must-slipped away from the elders of the house. have made use of the legend to help to play party shortly after eleven o'clock. Midway I'll lose no time in through her preparations for bed she had their trick on you.
wrapped herself in a dressing gown, switch- making enquiries,"
He rose from his chair-the interviewed off the electric light, and, with a small had taken place in his study and would case which she had taken from a wardrobe have made for the door, but Ellis detained drawer, had. seated herself on a low chair him with a question.
by her dressing-table. A lighted candle on the dressing-table was now the room's only illuminant, and by the rather dim light of. this she began dejectedly to look through"
I went to the door and opened it quietly, the missing necklace, bean my out
"You know, of course, for whom the necklace was intended?"
Sir John's figure seemed to stiffen, and his delicate face flushed slightly.
Christmas Eve and its minor festivities
the contents of the case. The candle flicker-
"I can guess, of course," he said, un-ed occasionally in the air which came from comfortably: " but, really, Ellis, I'm afraid the partly opened door windows in the re I couldn't consent to allow Muriel to receive cess behind it. such an expensive gift from you. It would be a different thing if you were actually engaged to her."
"But we are practically engaged," Ellis said, frowning slightly; "and, in any case, friends as we are, you would not object to Muriel receiving the necklace as a Christ- mas present?"
Presently Muriel picked out a photo- graph from the case and, having placed the latter on the floor by her feet, she stared A tear falling long and broodingly at it. on the picture roused her from her melan- choly abstraction; then, with quivering Sir John nodded thoughtfully. "I sup
lower lip, a amothered sob, she kissed the photograph passionately-and tore it across. pose it was the best thing to do," he said;
She was just about to tear the pieces "but don't be surprised if the necklace turns
Too expensive-much too expensive," up before your detective arrives. I'll make Sir John murmured. "I know that both across again when the door of her room slim, dark-eyed, some quiet enquiries presently. By the you and my wife look on it that you and opened abruptly and a way," he continued, "you referred to a Muriel are engaged, but Muriel has not ac-black-haired girl in pyjamas--a girl about four or five years younger than Muriel--- ghost just now?" He looked enquiringly at cepted you yet, you know." his guest.
But there isn't any doubt that she darted into the room.
Startled as she was, Muriel managed to An expression of scornful amusement will," Ellis said complacently. "I mean to was on Ellis's face as he replied.
ask her for her answer to-day-and yester-hide the torn photograph in the pocket of "You remember that talk at dinner day evening Lady Rivers gave me to under- her dressing gown.
"Molly, you naughty child!" she ex- last night about family ghost you're sup-stand that I could do so with every con- posed to have, but which none of you have fidence. I can depend on your support, of claimed, with simulated lightness, "what do you mean by being up at this time of night? ever seen? Well, that ghost showed up in course, my dear Rivers?"
Molly Fernall, Muriel's dearest chum
progress, flung it on the floor by Muriel's chair and deposited herself in it.
"You artful thing," she reproached, "It's no use pretending to me. You're not scared a bit; you are just disappointed that it's not. someone come to kidnap you."
While she spoke she saw that Muriel's hand was clutching at the pocket of her dressing-gown.
my bedroom last night, but, unfortunately, Sir John frowned somewhat distress-You nearly frightened me out of my wits. managed to get away before I could lay my fully. He knew his wife was bent on mak- hands on it, and, as I discovered this morning the match: in her eyes Ellis's wealth and confidante, snatched up a cushion in her ing, my five thousand pound necklace went made him a most eligible son-in-law; but he with it."
himself was concerned entirely with his "Can you describe exactly what you daughter's happiness, and he was not at all saw and what happened?" Sir John asked. sure that she would find it in marriage with
"There wasn't much that I saw, and Ellis. there was even less that happened," Ellis related. "I was about half asleep when I thought I heard a sort of rustling movement in the room, and when I opened my eyes to look for the reason of it I could just see dimly-you know I have my window open and the blinds always up-a figure moving to the right at the foot of my bed. I couldn't tell whether it was the figure of a man, or a woman, because it was entirely draped in something that might have been a sheet. It seemed to vanish for an instant, and then reappeared further to the right of the room. I'd found the electric light switch by this time and snapped it on-but
"I believe you would make Muriel a good husband, Ellis," he said, "and I should be glad enough to have you as a son-in-law, but you must not rely on me to attempt to influence Muriel in any way. As far as I'm concerned she must decide for herself. So long as my little girl is happy, that's all that matters to me."
"You can be sure of her happiness with me, my dear Rivers," Ellis said, with a touch of pompousness; "it will be my pleasure to see that no wish of hers is un- gratified."
"I'm sure of that," Sir John said, and continued his interrupted progress to the
"Oh, I understand," she teased. “You were reading somebody's love letters to you, and you were afraid I'd caught you at it. It's a very pretty way to spend the night of your engagement to Mr. Ellis; I've a great mind to tell him."
"Well, Molly !" Muriel still`attempted lightness. "What will you imagine next? You are much too romantic for a flapper.. I'll advise your mother -
(Continued on Page 7.)