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CHINA MAIL CHRISTMAS SUPPLEMENT, 1930.
CHRISTMAS EVE MYSTERY.
(Continued from Page 5.)
Molly interrupted her by jumping to a seat on her chair arm, flinging an arm about her neck and hugging her.
"You dear old thing," she exclaimed. "I do like to hear you being cynical about romance. You! Why, you are just simply reeking with romance at this present moment. Now, tell me why do you think I have come to see you?"
figure.
The man spoke, and at the sound of his voice Muriel gave a sharp gasp of anguish and clutched at the chair for support.
Her fury had not spent itself, but rigid, peering fearfully at the advancing Muriel had broken before it. She had drop- ped to the cushion which Molly had vacated and, with her face buried in it, was sobbing heartbrokenly. Instantly Molly was all penitence, arid was on her knees beside her. "Muriel, Muriel, darling, don't cry like that!" she begged., "I know I'm a rotten little beast to talk as I've done, but it's be cause I'm so fond of you that I can't bear the thought of you marrying a man you can't possibly love, who will make life hate ful for you." She snuffled a little and, in default of a handkerchief. wiped her eyes with her pyjama sleeve. "I know I couldn't love him," she went on, "not if he was the only man in the world.”
But Muriel still sobbed, and Molly, seek- ing to comfort her, found her pocket and returned the pieces of the photograph to it.
"There, Muriel, I've put the picture
"I don't know, you silly darling," Muriel replied, playfully pulling her hair. "Ferhaps you were feeling nervous because of that ghostly burglar who's supposed to be plying his trade in this neighbourhood." Not 1," said Molly. "If you really want to know, I'd just enjoy meeting that ghostly burglar.
Perhaps he includes back," she said; then, entreatingly, "Please among his accomplishments a knowledge of | don't cry any more, darling. I don't care how to flirt decently; there's not a man in who you marry if you'll only be friends with the house who can."
me again."
She used her pyjama sleeve again, and then, as Muriel, still sobbing bitterly, kept her face averted from her, she rose to her feet.
"You disgraceful person!" Muriel ac- cused laughingly. "Is there anyone you wouldn't flirt with? I don't believe even a
butler would be sacred to you."
"There's one person, Muriel," Molly of a sudden was serious-"that I wouldn't even try to flirt with."
Muriel gave her a quick, apprehensive glance, and then spoke with forced levity.
"I'm glad you draw the line some- where, Molly."
I certainly draw it at that horrid Ellis mon." She choked down a sob, threw her- self on Muriel's breast and hugged her tightly.
Resentfully, at first, Muriel tried to free herself, but as Molly clung tightly to her she contented herself with sitting stiffly upright in silent protest.
"Don't-Muriel, darling don't be cross with me," Molly said brokenly, "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, but I can't bear the thought of you marrying Mr. Ellis. You mustn't marry him, Muriel, you mustn't; I know you don't love him."
Determinedly now Muriel freed herself from Molly's embrace.
"You are a really wicked girl, Molly, to speak to me like that," she said severely, with difficulty keeping her agitation under control. "Don't you ever do it again if you wish us to remain friends. I have promised to marry Mr. Ellis, and you ought to know better than expect me to listen to your silly talk about him."
"But you don't love him. You know you don't," Molly insisted. "No, I won't stop-I'll say just what I think if you never speak to me again. Do you think for a minute. I haven't seen how unhappy you've been lately, and especially to-day, since your engagement to that hateful man was an nounced? It's you who are the wicked girl, to want to marry a man for his money when you love another man."
White-faced, Muriel rose to her feet and faced Molly, who huddled back with scared face against the chair arm.
"Molly Fernall," she said, very sternly and coldly, "leave this room at once! What do you mean by saying I love another man? What right have you to say such a thing?" With a catlike movement Molly sprang and plucked the torn photograph from Muriel's pocket. She glanced hurriedly at the picture and laughed hysterically.
What right have I to say it?" She. i evaded Muriel's frantic clutch at the photo
graph." What right have I to say it? Only just because it's true. And you can't deny it now, with this photograph of Phil Landers in your pocket. You've torn it across be- cause you made up your mind to jilt poor Phil, but I'll bet you kissed it a few times first."
"It's all right, Muriel," she said brokenly. "I won't worry you any more- I'm going! I know I don't deserve to have you speak to me again."
She moved slowly towards the door and paused there, looking wistfully, tearfully, at Muriel.
"I know you hate me, Muriel," she said weakly, "but some day, when you know I only tried to prevent you from spoiling your life and ruining poor Phil's, perhaps you'll forgive me."
She opened the door; again the pyjama sleeve went to her eyes.
"I'm going, Mu-Muriel," she said pathetically; and then, as no word or sign came from Muriel, went sadly from the room.
Following Molly's dejected, departure Muriel made no immediate attempt to check her grief, and though she was silent now the convulsive movements of her shoulders revealed her emotional agitation. Presently, however, she raised her head from the cushion and looked about her in a dazed way. Practically at that instant, abruptly, a stiff current of air extinguished the candle and, simultaneously, the slam of a door reached her ears,
Trembling, she sat tensely upright, feeling intuitively that some strange hap- pening was imminent, and a second later, with a weak moan of terror, she swayed to her feet. Just perceptible by the faint illumination of a pale moon, she had seen a man make his way through the windows and step noiselessly into the room.
Incapable of uttering a sound, she stood
The voice was cultured and courteous. "I know that you are near me, little lady,” it said. "I have been waiting for your light to go out. I don't want to frighten you, and shall not harm you if you keep still. Please do not give me the pain of using force to you."
Muriel made no reply; she dared not. "You hear-you understand?' the voice said sharply.
Constrained to answer, Muriel managed to get an unnatural note into her voice.
.
"I understand," she said. "I shall keep perfectly still if, on your part, you don't use a light of any kind."
The man uttered a grim little laugh. as you will; let there be darkness, then, "That's a curious request," he said;
if you prefer it. Tell me, who sleeps in the other room with the bay windows?"
but
I
"A Mr. Edward Ellis," Muriel said faintly. "Why do you ask?”
he from his window, I from the ground. "Well, he has been watching your light
I was wondering.
系
"What?" Muriel asked in an agonised whisper.
if
"If he saw me come in here, and
His speech was interrupted by a rap at the door. Before the man could realise that she had moved Muriel was at the door turn- ing the key gently in the lock.
Then, in breathless silence, she stood with her back to the door.
"What are you doing? Where are you?" the man asked in a calm whisper.
Muriel advanced stealthily in the direc- tion of the voice.
"..
"Hush!" she murmured. "I've locked the door. No one must know you are here. You don't know how much depends on it." The rap at the door was repeated. "Who is there? What is it?" Muriel called, still trying to keep the affected note in her voice.
"Are you all right, Muriel?"
The question came from Mr. Edward Ellis.
"Certainly, Edward. Why do you ask?"
"Because-well-I thought
-
Are you sure you are all right? You are up very late, you know."
Muriel put a shade of lightness into her answer.
"Oh, I'm restless to-night, Edward. I feel I can't sleep yet," she said.
There was a slight pause, and then Ellis spoke again,
"I don't want to frighten you, Muriel but I've been watching your window, and I thought I saw a man's figure near it. Are you sure there's nothing wrong?"
"Of course there's nothing wrong, Edward.” She forced an amused laugh. "How silly of you to worry yourself about me!"
Within the room a period of tense silence followed, while from without came the sound of Ellis's retreating footsteps. Then came the man's voice and the sound of his hands groping on the wall.
?
"Who are you? Why have you done this? My God! I believe you are"—the hands had found the light switch and the room was suddenly fully illuminated "Muriel!"
With the revelation the man reeled against the wall, and while he tried to steady himself Muriel spoke,
"Yes, Phil," she said coldly;" it's Muriel-and now you understand why I lied to the man I am going to marry.”
For moments they stared at each other
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