NEW SERIAL STORY
THE MERAFIELD MYSTERY.
CHAPTER XIX.
By: R. A. J. WALLING,
(Author of "The Third Degree," "Fatali
(lovo," etc.).
I could get nothing more out of Greene. His advice to drop the Inquiry was all very well, but many points in it were so obscure that I could not make up my mind to give him an absolute promise.
Greene was chiefly concerned about the acceptance of his theory that the murder of Merafield had been, as he said, an execution and about saving the executioner from discovery,
Ile skated very
THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH,
him round to the point I wanted to make.
"No doubt everything that can be done to defend Mr. Quance will be undertake," I said. "But there are one or two things you might be able to tell me which would help."
And then I asked him if he would any what he knew about any passages in Quance's life that related to wamen.
"Women! Old Quance?" he exclaimed. "Good lord, there lightly over the things that really aren't any women in his life at troubled me the things that all. Regular old anchorite. The might happen to Lady Merafield, only thing is that he was, and is to Overbury, to Quance, and to still, gone on Miss Newland-the Mrs. Briscoe.
professor's daughter, you know."
"Mr. Sargent said something about that. But that's all off, isn't it?" I asked.
de
"But. in no
A ROULETTE PARTY.
BIG HAUL BY POLICE.
MONDAY.
NOVEMBER
MR. T. V. SOONG.
RETURNING TO SHANGHAI,
Two Chinese women and 33 men A great dent of speculation was were taken into custody, following aroused last week by the unex- a police raid carried out under the pected return from the Yangtsze direction of Detective Sub-Inspec-area to Canton of Mr. T.V. Soong, tor Carey, at No. 258 Des Voeux who until recently was Minister Road Central yesterday afternoon, of Finance in the Nationalist Gov- As the officers entered the second errament. Then it was assumed floor, they saw a large number of that, as in the case of Mr. Wang Chinese gathered around a table Ching-wel, leader of the Kuomin- on which a roulette wheel was tang, he would be staying in Can- time in connexion whirling. All the Inmates were ton for some arrested, while some $80 was seized with the proposed reconstruction
work of the party. from the table.
Of the thirty-five persons arrest- ed. only eighteen appeared when the case was called before Major
WDS
PAKHOI TERROR.
[Continued from Page 1.)
"}
1927:
11
By nine, the whole city was as quiet as a tomb, everybody
Inside Wad
with their doors and barred. On all shut the avenues of travel leading on to the plain outposts were estab lished and one could hear, all night through, for few of us alopt, the sharp business like demand of these outposts of "Who goes there," and an immediate answer.
A Second Alarm,
No chances were taken. But with all our scare nothing happened and we were about become ashamed of ourselves for becoming alarmed when the rumour ran through the town that the robbers were just above Kotak, a market town three miles north east of Pakhoi. We observed the soldiers getting inte full pack and taking on additional fighting material. More men were being sent up to the front line which had been established about two miles out of the city to the East but still in sight from the roots of the foreign houses on the ridge. After all it looked as if the robbers were coming, and indeed they were.
Now, however, information has been received that Mr. Boong is again leaving for Shanghai after C. Willson this morning. The balla stay of but a few days in Canton. of the absent defendants, amount- ing to $10 in every case,
Enquiries made by a Telegraph estreated, while the other defen-reporter this morning brought out dants were remanded. Of these the interesting information from latter, four are charged with be a close friend of Mr. Soong that ing the principals in the game, and the erstwhile Nationalist Finance in their case, ball was raised to Minister was engaged on an im- portant mission the nature of $250 each.
which was however, not disclosed. nor Scotland Yard had yet dis-Presumably, the mission which covered Chittlehampstead and Dr. took Mr. Soong back to Canton has been completed, and Mr. Scong ac- Sandys.
cording to advices, received at the time of writing, was coming down to Hengkong by the morning boat,
Friends of the ex-Minister had At 11.30 am. the writer went on preceded Mr. Soong in arriving to the roof to have a look about and here last night. One of these was observed some movements of troops our informant, who states that to the East, Exactly at 11.46 the first shots were fired. The enemy Mr. Soong would be following on
had been encountered; and for ex- this morning's baut. the Fatshan,ctly one and one half hours the
The proprietor of the nursing with good home greeted humour when he recalled my features.
"Ah, yes, Mr. Franks, the Kol. citor Mrs. Brisene's solicitor," said, he.,
Rather say Mr. Briscoe's soli citor." I corrected him.
Is there
"I shan't undertake to nothing, Greene," said 1, "If I find that innocent people are in danger. You may be perfectly
With a question here and there right in de ending the person who I got at the facts as Mr. Allison killed Mernfield, though I think knew them. Quance had been It's stretching the Unwritten Law assisting Professor Newland for pretty far. But I am more coeveral years-ever since the war. cerned about defending the people In fact, had been thrown muchany who didn't kill Merafield,"
into the" company of Mary New- "Of course, I can't coerce you land, had fallen desperately in my friend," said Greene.
love with her. She was the first I assure you, they are
irl he had ever thought anything Mr. danger."
Allison called her a chit, a minx "I think if by any chance Over-about, and the only one bury should be discovered they had no patience with these would be in supreme danger."
ultra-independent modern girls. "And I think," said Greene,
fellow like looking at me very straight, "thug, They got such ideas of their own
importance that a or some of them, would not thankmance, absorbed in his work you at all for butting it.
sfhnd 110 chance against any ever, I've said my piece. Franks,;
ilashy bounder who came along and that's all there is to it."
When I left him both of us, were with pots of money and motor unconvinced. The most startling cars and bathe of champagne and thing I had learnt was that Sif all that sort of thing. And that i
•
How-
"Ah, yes, of course.
difference?". That, Dr. Sandys," said E. feeling for an opening, "is what!.
"In want to talk to you about. the first place, I should like to know whether there is anything outstanding Mr. Briscoe's rount for the treatment of his wife?"
i
On
due to arrive here at 2 p.m.
NEW TO THESE WATERS.
THE SS. BARON KELVIN,
fight, kept up, At first the robbers seemed to get, the best of the de- fenders and they fell back almost to the old Yamen just on the out- skirts of the town. Then they were driven back on to the plain. From my roof I saw a further britch of Nationalist troops advance right up over the naked plain.
All the time the robbers were "Why, no, my dear sir, I think
A new arrival'in loend waters was right out some quarter of a mile in net. Mrs. Brisene settled every recorded this morniúg in the e.s. front. With this help the defen- thing immediately before she left Baron Kelvin of the Kulvin Ship- ders drove back the enemy but once in such a hurry that day."
this time all 'seemed to be lost for "As nothing seems to have been ing Co, for whom Messrs. Gibb more Lau's band swept forward and The Baron Kelvin was built to shots were heard in the street on drawn on her account at the bank, Livingston are the local areas. I suppose she paid in notea?"
"Exactly. exactly," said Dr. order of the Kelvin Shipping Com-this side of the Yamen.
|pany (Messrs. Hojarth and Co., The Battle Described.
Charles Merufield knew that his was what happened to Mary New-Sendys, looking rather surprised-Managers) in 1924, by Messrs. Presently the enemy was 'obsery-
chauffeur was a masquerader.
could not divine the meaning of that. Was it that Merafield and
Three
Quance were fellow-conspirators ed her with his money and bis weeks settlement, thirly-guineas. depth, 22.1 feet. Her gross ton-Jowing to the smallness of their num
men
1 land. Some filthy outsider He pulled a book out of a pigeon
Her dimensions are, length 332.3 and this time the Nationalists kept Quance would never say who it hole and flicked back the leaves. Connell and Company of Glasgow. ed to be on the run toward hotak feet, beam 48.2 feet, and moulded, them going for a mile or so when was-got hold of her and fascinat "-m-yes, here we are, in some business that would not meretricions glitter, and Quance's in cash, yes. Rather unusual.
WAR registered A One would think that with an bear, the light?. From what i had sober-sided old way of loving her But Mrs. Brisene had always age is 3,081 and nett tonnage ber they dare not advance further.
Here we are: 1,872. She seen. of the pseudo chauffeur, and disapproving of her goings settled in cash.
on brought about an eternal July, forty-five guineas: June, Ardrossan. Her engines develope hour and a half of continous firing,
225 N.1:P. and were installed by and with some hundred thought it most unlikely. But al
in-smash. She "chucked him over." forty-two guineas; May, forty- present the question was
"I don't think any permanent two guinens; May, forty-four Messrs. Rowan and Co. of Glas- each side on the open level plain, a number would have been killed April, nh: solublc.
twenty gow.
Arriving from Cacutta, the and wounded. But nothing of the harm was done with all the night guineas;
Yes, she
vessel is commanded by Captain kind happened; not one Nationalist. clubs and the champagne and the guineas for April
19119 killed; and only Rolls-Royce-ing, but that was only came in on the 15th."
He looked up at me as thougn A. McKay, with a European crew.soldier
one other officer was killed and "Hal" said he; "I'm glad you because Mary Newland had brains-
one wounded! Soveral of the rob looked in. I thought you might as well as wilfulness. She pulled to ask, "What the deuce are you
ber band appear to have been killed like to know whether Scotland up just in time, and sent the driving at." Yard had begun to get busy, and bounder packing, "But, of course,
shot on the spot." Less than ten so I phoned over to Quance's it left an awful sore. Quance
wounded were brought back to the friend Allison, who lives in the suffered a lot."
Allison-Mr. house.
I called at the publisher's on my way back to my club, as he had suggested.
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To-day's report has it that the band at Lim Chow has also been At the Marine Court this mor-driven off and that the city gates We cannot, how- are open again. ning, before Commdr. G. F. Ilole, ever, get confirmation of this. All the masters of two fishing-boats day yesterday, the 28th, during and were charged with mooring their after the fighting, the city was an craft in the Southern Fairway on November 5, and pleading guilty, were severally fined $10, with the alternative of 10 days imprison-
ment with hard labour.
Thanks," said I. "I expect the MARINE COURT CASES. and five were taken prisonera and stay did her a lot of good."
I think so I hope so. She is "And you don't know," I in-a cheery young woman, Mrs. same
quired, who, the Kay Lothario Briscoe; but, you know, Mr. HIGHER FINES FOR OBSTRUC-eity after the fighting was over. Franka."
Franks, after that terrible affair, He introduced me to a young was?"
"No. Quance hated so talk of she was really very bad indeed. man who sat in the visitor's chair.
'Pon my soul, I was a little afraid "Allison has rooms over the rotten business," Quance's, in Gower Street," he "And you don't know whether for her. Oh, for quite a month
it was touchland-go." said. "I suppose it wasn't an he and Miss Newland came to-
"Indeed!" said 1. "I didn't hour after Scotland Yard left us gether afterwards?"
"No; but I don't think so. He gather from Mr. Briscoe that he when they turned up there-but |
never said anything about it, and knew it was very serious." you tell the story, Allison,"
"Perhaps not. Very likely," "Nothing much to tell," said he was going about with a face the young man." got in at half-like a funeral to the day when he said Dr. Sandys. "The truth ia. past twelve, and found men posted left for Germany, or was supposed Mr. Franks, that we were never able to communicate with him. on the stairways and two into he leaving for Germany."
becruze we weither knew his Quance's sitting-room
1 think When, over a solitary dinner at address nor anything about him. everything upside down. I said, 'What' the blazes do you the club,, I reflected upon this Tut, tut, my dear sir, if anything think you're doing? or something conversation, I could not get much had happened to her it would have devilish of that sort, and was told to go satisfaction out of it. If it led been most awkward,
So far as we knew. anywhere, it led towards a very awkward. and mind my own business.
motive of anger and also, Mr. Brisene never wrote to
"No," said he, "I don't unless don't know what they found or strong
him. Of course, as you are the
But the what they wanted, but they left at jealousy on the part of Quance.
For I could not doubt that the family lawyer, I'm not giving she chose to tell him.
question does not arise now, Mc. one o'clock. Even now I haven't the least idea what it's all about." "bounder" of Mr. Allison's story away any secrets."
It fitted "Certainly not." I assured him. Franks, for na you have already "There," Mr. Sargent Femarked, was Mernfield himself.
suggested, Mrs. Briscoe was not "And with Professor Newland's had my opening now.
suffering from anything when she pointing at me, "is the man who in
came here. In fact, I have rarely can tell you-if he thinks praper." marked dislike of him, with between, lawyer and doctor,
Mr. Mr. Allison lacked at me in-Green's observations of the after-think I can say this to you in
Briscoe seen a healthier young woman. quiringly. Before speaking I did ahen, and with what I had heard condence--that
turning
I
The masters of two cargo-boats were charged with mooring their craft inshore on November 7, and pleading guilty, were muleted in a similar fine and alternative:
a tomb, and even though the robber band was driven off there" atill ro mained a good deal of apprehension. No business has been done since the 27th. the shops all being closed. Even to-day some merchants were reen moving their goods to junks for shelter and safety, Looting is feared, both from the defenders, should they be defeated, and the robbers should they come in.
Conditions in Southern Kwang- tung are unutterably bad and at no time during the reign of Wong Ming Tong, or that of Laam Chan Teng, and following him Tang Poon-yan, were they any worse than to-day. Outrages and mar- der is almost a daily occurrence either in the streets of Pakhol on in the districts. It is.d' sad fact
I felt like a man wading into and one we hate to state, after ex-
tricts.
•
a little rapid thinking. If Scot-from "Mrs. Briscoe" and "Atkins" never knew the reason why his land Yard had discovered the when they met at Hightliff Farm: wife came here, not even that she deep water and expecting every peeting or rather hoping so much Quance might have found an was her In fact, that is why moment to step over a ledge. 1 identity of Atkins as they must have done), there was no point in adequate reason here for being. have come to see you to-day. could not think at first what I had from the Nationalists but they have keeping silence about what had the executioner of Merafield, us Briscoe has been called away said to suggest this remarkable utterly failed to make good their occurred at Westport. On the Greene put it. But so also might abroad, and is uncertain when he fact. Then I remembered my re promises to the people in these dis- other side, this young man was Overbury in the conduct of Mera- ran return. You remember that mark that the suppositious Mr. I arrived just after Mrs. Briscoe's Briscoe was unaware of the ren- un intimate friend and housemate held toward his wife.
Would you be sur son his wife came to Dr. Sandys. So far as any available evidence departure. of Quance, he might be able to tell me some things I wanted very went, the ingenious. Rossiter was prised to know that she has now
disappeared altogether, and that much to know-particularly to fill on two promising ratis.
But the available evidence was am exceedingly anxious about in blanks in the picture, that
thin and inconclusive. Some-ber?". Greene had drawn.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT. Fate of Repulsed Bandits. Another correspondent writes
"Quite so." I said; "and that only makes our present position more mult." I had to say that after enjoying months of peace something.
"It was not until the tragic and security Lim Chow Fa was sud- Late the previous even- "Well," I said, "I had hoped where or other there was a great I felt some qualms of compunc
the pened that Mrs. Briscoe became tober 26. Scotland Yard would rest satisfied deal more of it which might give tion when I had planted this affair of Mrs. Radley had hap-denly overcome with panic on Oc- with Mr. Sargent's assurance and the story a very different appear extempore invention upon believe Mr. Quance in Germany.ance. I brooded over the epizodel good old doctor. His face was an ill. It seemed to knock her righting news was received that Lau 'But they haven't. What they of Merafield's association with almost comic study in horror and out. They must have been great- Chi-wa, the notorious brigand have discovered, Mr. Allison, is Miss Newland. Why, if that was alarmı.
cried. that for several weeks Mr. Quance all over and done with, was Miss
a Newland in Devonshire under an "You astound me!" has been masquerading as
But if I was to get what I want chauffeur in the household of Sir assumed name, and why was Charles Merufield in Devonshire Quance at Merafeld Tower in dis-ed it was impossible to be merei-
And, above all, whatful with him, under the name of Atkins. As gulse? daresay you have seen in the meant the connivance of Mera- papers, Sir Charles Merafield was murdered on the night of the 19th August, and now Atkins (that is, Quance) is under arrest for com- plicity in the crime"
"Good, heavens!"
he
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arriving at intervals until midnight.
ly attached. She had exhausted chief, was marching against the herself with anxiety, and then she city with a thousand followers. The collapsed utterly, I feared for gates of the city were closed, busi- Middle School and Hok Tonga dis- her life, as I told you, Mr. Franks.ness suspended, students from the far as I am concerned it ended on from wealthy homes fled to rela-
Fighting Begins. But all's well that ends well go persed and the majority of residents
The panic subsided somewhat on Fighting took place on the after- "Of course, Dr. Sandys," said the day Mrs. Briscoe left.".
the He was getting a little restive, tions and friends in other places.
As only a few hundred soldiers were stationed in and near Lim noon of the 28th. when a band of the Sunday when a French gunboat field in this pretence? There was I, "we do not attribute
slightest "blame to you for this and I did not push him further
the "Well," said 1, "many thanks, Chow Fu and as some of these were robbers were repulsed between Pak- arrived and also a Chinese one with affair-not the supreme puzzle.
A sharp battle took place near As the result of these relles unfortunate
The bandits were repulsed tions, 1 resolved to drop the slightest. You could not be ex- Dr. Sandys. I expect the affair despatched to drive back one band hol and Lim Chow, some prisoners about six hundred troops on board. supreme puzzle for the time and nected to know anything about it. of Mrs. Radley was very distress of brigands on the Shek Hong road, being taken.
able to discharge her cargo and she and about a hundred prisoners werp Mr. Allison uttered a startled devote myself to the secondary But we should be very grateful ing. When did you say it happen- all possible reinforcements from The Japanese vessel arriving that Lim Chow on the following after
The next morning I tele- if you could throw any light upon ed?"
"Oh, that was at the beginning Pakhoi were sent to swell their morning from Hongkong was un-noon.
Meanwhile, the panic spread to continued on to Haiphong hoping captured.. Lau Chi-wa fled to Tung lowed and the village surrounded "Good God!" he aid. "Quance? graphed to my wife to expect me it
"Yes, yes," said the doctor. of July at least, the second and home in the evening, and took the
What light do you final tragedy was Now, Mr. Pakhoi, oficials were sent on to for a more favourable opportunity On and report says that he was fol to run the and burned to the ground. The fate It's impossible-absurd?
A motor bus had "One would have said so; but early train from Paddington to "Naturally,
Exeter. At Exeter I hired a car, want me to throw? You know the Franks, I am afraid I have a On Po for additional troops and the when she returns.
About this time a Chinese gun- gauntlet on the following day when, of the bandit chief, however, is apt it's a fact."
Clearly a dismissal. I took it. motor service was suspended. Mr. Allison was for rushing off and was driven to Chittlehamp-relations between a doctor and his round to make. If to Devonshire by the next trainstead, alighting at the door of Dr. patient
"Are confidential. But a hus-I left. My hired car walted out boat which was on its way to Pak-on nearing Peng Tin on its way to known. As he is a master in war to put all those idiotic yokels Sandys. Here I thought I might,
layed. Merchants began to pack up dits who were surrounding the city to escape and save his own life by right about Quance, drag him with a little discreet employment band, you know well, don't you side. I returned to Exeter in it,
prices were paid for places of re-available motor cars were then sent followers were killed or wounded,
to Naau Hong for troops who were however.. out of gaol, and confound their of the imagination, obtain some think he is entitled at least to be resumed my journey by train, and hot struck a sand bank and was de Lim Chow, it was fired on by ban-craft it is probable that he managed stupidity. But I succeeded in light on one or two dark places. told what it was his wife suffered was at Rosebank before dinner their goods and hide them and high The bus returned to Pakhof. All some clever device. Many of his
fuge on board junks and sampana. quieting him down and bringing At any rate, neither the police from that brought her to the time
nursing home?"
cry.
one.
To be Continued.)
number.