1927-10-19 — Page 11

NEW SERIAL STORY

THE MERAFIELD MYSTERY.

SYNOPSIS.

By R. A. J. WALLING. · (Author of The Third Degree," "Fatal

Glove," otc.).

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH,

A clock ticked softly. It was not quite half-past four. “

The sense of unreality in- creased. of those doors lay Siz Charles Somewhere behind one Merafeld with a bullet through his head. But it was absurd!'

THRILLS & GASPS.

(Continued from Page 1.) ·

he recovered the vast bulk of Excelsior Hotel loomed up, on the topmost balcony of which stood the Italian Heir Apparent

Guazzetti's blood red monoplane just scraped past the edge of the hotel a few yards away from the horrified spectators on the bal- conies. He then grazed past a clump of trees, missed a couple of telegraph poles, zoomed over Lido Island and, landed safely on the Ingoon amid a forest

of poles, buoys and wires.

He said afterwards that the avoided obstacles and landed pure whole thing was so sudden that he

ly by instinct.

19, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER

RIVER CONDITIONS AT TIENTSIN.

(Continued from Page 7

ling. Logs of timber are, no longer allowed to be brought un to Tientsin by raft, as they are liable to block up the river, so, all considered, these scame to be little or no hope in the Imme- diate future of being able to solve the problem of either congestion er transportation. "

Cargo Piling Up at Tangku. In the meantime, cargo is piling Tangku, and shortly, up. at any work in the river, thereby weather conditions will not allow adding further difficulties to the. already congested and unsatisfa tory state of affairs. Some ahip- owners have suffered such a heavy loss that they have decided. for the time being to omit Tientsin as a port of call. They cannot be

Sir Charles Merafield, a member of an old Devonshire family, a good sportsman, but not a man for whom anyone had much respect, is overheard in a heated argument with his wife, formerly Miss Mary Sheen, a well-known traveller, by Mr. Franks, a local solicitor and Clerk to the Justices. Mr. Franks receives a letter from his friend, Major Overbury, a distinguished solicitor and barrister, saying he has been invited to stay at Mera- gallery to a room facing the four-lap for he could not believe that lying at Tangku and. Tientsin for

CHAPTER III.

Major de Bernardi descended in The butler reappeared.

the open sea where he remained Merafield at once, sir, if you will| up.

"I am to take you to Lady for two hours before being picked be so good. Will you kindly come this way?"

Did an Extra Lup.

an extra

finishing. Webster did

It is now revealed that, after blamed if one takes into considera tion that some steamers have been over 14 days to discharge 1,400 tons of cargo. This state of affairs is especially hard on the small shipping companies.

He led me up the left-hanil stairs, and around two sides of a field Tower. Early one morning tain courtyard, opened the door, had finished the course in such a Franks is summoned by Lady and said, "Mr. Franks, my lady," short time. Mersfield, who tells him her hus-stood aside for me to pass, and Interviewed, Webster said te band has been murdered.

went away.

calculated that the course would Lady Merafield had been stand-take 50 minutes. When he had ing at the window of her boudoir, done what he thought was the I have fairly used myself to She turned and came towards me.

seventh lap he looked at his watch hoaring surprising things without "It is very good of you to come, and saw that only 46 minutes had Mr. Franks," she said. "Inexcus elapsed. He feared it might be a turning a hair. In a lawyer's life, especially in touch with the able to turn you out at such an

mistake and decided to do another criminal law,

apologise.lap. habituated, so to speak, to the You are my nearest neighbour. unusual. But even the agitated and I want your help and guid butler had not been so staggered ance."

I took her hand and bowed over na I felt when this piece of news was flung at me-in my dressing it. She seemed to expect me to gown at four o'clock in the nurn-Say something, but I was stricken ing: a peaceful summer morning. dumb, It seemed absurd.

one

becomes

Still, even as I slowly recovered from the shock. I began to adjust myself to the facts.

This would be a criminal enac if the butler was right, I was clerk to the justices who would have to hear it, Therefore I would ask a questions.

I

hour-but I

won't.

4

If

there was ever woman with nerves of steel and à

will of fron, here was the woman, She spoke in level, easy tones, She had not been weeping; she showed no signs of excitement.

cannot express the surprise felt. the difficulty of accommodat ing myself to her mood.

My thoughts flew to the scene

I merely said, "You astonish in the wood. me. Walt till I get dressed, will go with you."

Perhaps it was natural that the man should seem a little dis- appointed (as he did) that I made no more than this of his sensa- tional

This announcement. solemnity was almost comic in its reproach as I turned to go up the drive.

"You needn't climb the gate again," I said; "I will bring "the key."

My first care was to leave a note for Mrs. Franks. I told her nothing of the story-1 did not want her worrying and speculat- ing. I wrote: "I have been called out at four o'clock on urgent cfleial business. I hope to be Fuck to breakfast, but don't worry

if I'm late,"

Overbury! Up to that moment

He says the cock-pit was like a furnace and he was "mighty glad to get out as soon as possible."

During the fifth lap the engine rowling cracked, causing a vibra- tion. Webster then did not know the cause of the vibration which a preliminary might have been warning of some serious injury to the machine which was likely prove disastrous. He continued the journey on full throttle.

Lieutenant Webster stated that the exhaust fumes obscured s wind-screen, but he did not dare to put more than one corner of is goggles round to see where he 1 had forgotten his existence.s going. He said that if he had Where was Overbury? Why was not ant head the wind would not Overbury taking some share have broken his neck and if he in this crisis?

had put out his hand his wrist would have snapped.

I suppose I must have said something in answer to her greet- ing: I hardly know what, but certainly nothing by way of gym- pathy or condolence. This woman wanted neither.

I must have collected my seats tered wits somehow, for I remem ber saying

"Your man teld me only the bare fact that some dreadful accident had happened. Perhaps, if you can, it will be well to tell me the whole thing."

"Yes," she said, " of course. The whole thing is so simple and yet so inexplicable. I will begin I dressed, took the key of the at the beginning. When we re- gate, and rejoined the butler in tired last night, Sir Charles, who the drive.

had not been very well yesterday, The car which waited outside said he was going to sit up read- was a large saloon. A chauffeuring for an hour or two in his

over to

When the new. International

Bridge is open, steamers would under normal conditions, be able up to the to proceed right Japanese Bund, which has been carefully planned and laid ou with the view of quickly handing the despatch of steamers, but until more water flows into the Hai-Ho and the wilting is washed away, steamers will be unable to proceed as far as the Japanes Bund. As it is, only a few shal- low draft steamers now come up to the French Bund, and this is

blow to the French Municipal Authorities as they are thereby lesing a considerable amount of revenue.

Run. Only as Far as Tangky.

with the

Many steamers only run as far as Tangku, and the Japanese Shipping Association has already made arrangements Japanese Military Authorities at Tangku for the leasing of their property there for the building of a temporary wharf and work has already commenced. This is most necessary, as steamers lying Poet's Gifts to Air Heroes.

out in the river are liable to drag Venice, Sept. 27.

their anchor, thus endangering The Italian Aero Club handed shipping in the immediate vicinity. the British victors Another prominent Japanese ship- svmbolie representation of the ping company is already in nego- Schneider Cup at the official tiation with Messrs. Carlowitz and luncheon given in their honour to Co., for the longing of the Ham- Tangku and the building of a day. The actual trophy was too burg-America Co.'s property at The original heavy to present.

Flight Lieut. Webster blushing-tmporary wharf. ly responded.

plan of the Hai-Ho Conservancy The President of the Club, was to dredge the river to 27 ft. Prince Scaleas, with generous at this particular spot, so that the praise, toasted the Italian com-large ocean-going vessels of the petitors.

Hamburg-Amerika-Co, of 10,000 Webster wore a ring designed tons could go right alongside the and presented by D'Annunzia, re- wharf, but this scheme is to Presenting an eagle bending over costly and will take years a heart-shaped ruby with the r.aterialize. motto: "Cum pennig cor" (Where

in uniform sat at the wheel. The study. That was about midnightwings are, there shall the heart butler obviously wanted to be I was disturbed by the noise, pro- be). asked to sit with me and talk.bably, of a shot at a quarter to made no sign, and he took his three, and went out into the gal place beside the driver. The dis-lery from my room, which is next tance to Merafield Tower being to this. Other people were dis less than a mile, we were there turbed and came out. 1 looked

A

was

Other British pilets received from D'Annunzio cigarette cases with the motto: "Memento Audere Semper" (remember al-

RUBBER SHARES.

THE LATEST QUOTATIONS.

in three or four minutes. I noted down into the hall, where the light ways to dare), with a sudden recognition that was still on, and saw nothing. I the road the chauffeur took led led the way downstairs and into

Sir Charles through the very woodland drive the study. where I had scen Sir Charles stretched out on the floor-dead. Merafeld and his wife on Sunday. He had a bullet wound in his Merafield Tower is large head. There seemed to be nothing house of three storeys, with a to show how it happened. Mason main building and two wings. came down, and I did not know The Eastern wing consists solely what to do about it except in sen of the square tower from which for you. And that is the whole the place takes its name. The thing." main entrance to the house is in

I have taken the evidence of the centre between the two wings hundreds of witnesses in a great under a porte cochere. A foun- variety of circumstances, tain surrounded by a sin, and never had I seen or heard a wit- surmounted by a rather handsome news like this. I felt literally as lenden Eros faces

the porte though my hair were standing on cochere, and the drive encircles 1

end. She spoke in even, matter-

the uniformed chauffeur looked

at me and touched his hat, in!

ed.

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"Won't you sit down?" she ask-

My own mood grew stern.

[

MAROONED ON AN

ISLET.

FOUR DAYS WITH LITTLE· FOOD OR WATER.

to

After four days on a rocky of off the işlet

west coast

which time Scotland, during

water, they had little food or

I.. two English visitors, Mr.

F. Flexman and a friend, were rescued by a motor boat and taken

The island is Oban. to

one

of the Greag group off the island of Lismore, about seven miles from Oban.

The men, who had been living in a tent at Ganavan, near Oban, set out in a rowing boat on a sketching expedition, intending to spend a They took their night on an island.

quiring, "Would you like me to waited for her to take a seat in "I am elerk to the justices-which rain water from a hollow of the

the window, and then sat down myself, facing her.

rocker

tent with them, and provisions for The car pulled up noiselessly of-fact tones, and did not appear Too much time has been lost the sea was very rough, and they twenty-four hours., Next morning under the canopy. The house was

the stormbound. During were closed and quiet in the growing to know or to care what effect her already."

words would have on me. 1 "But you, Mr. Franks, are in a

second night the storm became morning light. As I alighted and

sort of way a representative of worse, and, to add to their difficul the butler went to open the door, gripped the back of a chair.

justice, is it not so?".

ties, there was a mist. They ran "I am not a representative of short of food and water, and drank the police, anyhow," said I shortly. wait, sir?"

is all the more reason why I The deep and pleasing voice

into the should not be drawn startled me: it seemed to be the

matter at all." first natural human sound I had;

My tone did not perturb her. heard for hours. The common-

"Naturally," she said. "I did place werds gave a sense of un- reality to the business on which give you is to communicate with not mean in an official way but simply as a friend. I thought I had come. They seemed to pro- the police at onge

"Yes, of course," she said, "that there might perhaps be some ques- duce in the butler's mind an annoyed sense of inappropriat must be done--naturally. But Itions you would like to ask me. ness, for he turned and frowned thought you could give me some Two minds are so much better idea of the proper thing to do- at the chauffeur.

"As a friend!" I exclaimed mean, how to set about every thing."

"You do me great honour, Lady Merafield."

Walt there till you get word from me," he said.

I followed him into the hall. "If you will take a sent, sir, will ascertain in a moment where Lady Merafield is."

He disappeared silently behind

a green balze door..

I sat on an oaken bench. The place was absolutely still

"Lady Merafeld," said I, "this is a very awkward position for me. I think the best advice I can

I locked hard at her without answering. Here was the woman had met in my first talk with

than one."

"Oh, please don't," she replied. It was not an appeal for toler- her. She was fully aware of what ance or sympathy. This extra she ought to do--she did not want ordinary woman said "Oh, please

On the third evening the gale was at its height, and the marooned got no sleep, having the greatest difficulty in keeping the tent in position. On the morning

men

of the fourth day there was no im- provement in the weather, but they managed to sleep till noon.

When they awoke they decided to risk the journey to Lismore. and were making preparations when Mr. Alfred Leonard, a brother-in- law of Mrs. Leonard, from whom they had obtained their food at Ganavan, renched the island in his

a two hours'- motor boat after battle with the waves, and landed Mr. Flexman and his friend at.

المصال

1927.

計

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me to tell her that. Again, some don't" as if she wore chiding a Ganavan. ulterior purpose lay behind her rather refractory child. "I don't The words

mean to put it to you as a matter Crowded houses grooted the 'first Overbury!

It was about of personal friendship. We have performances of ""The Black Pirate," early light slanted through two long windows, one on each side Overbury that she had been fish- not been so well acquainted as Douglas Fairbanks' great adventure of the doors, and shone upon a ing on that first occasion. Where that. But I thought, I just fim in full natural colours, which

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performances. as possible at once. Overbury! the two branches of the staircase. as

(To be Continued.)

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