1927-10-20 — Page 11

NEW SERIAL STORY

THE MERAFIELD MYSTERY.

SYNOPSIS.

By R. A. J. WALLING. (Author of "Tho Third Degree," "Futul Olova," etc.).

Illllllll

Sir Charles Merafield, a member of an old Devonshire family, 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 solleitor and Clerk to the Justices. Mr. Franks receives a letter from his friend. Major Overbury, a distinguishe solicitor and barrister, saying he

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH,

APPRENTICE KILLED

BY BURGLAR.

FIGHT WITH ARMED MAN

IN SHOP.

In a brave attempt to appre- hond an unknown eracksman found wandering about the house with an electric torch early last Saturday morning, a young Chinesc apprentice nt 299 Avenue Foch, Shanghai, was shot

and killed.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20,

RUSSIAN CRACKSMEN

ARRESTED.

DIPLOMAT WEDS SECRETARY.

ROMANCE OF A FORMER AMBASSADOR.

Paris, Oct. 4. The romance that developed be tween a diplomat and author and his secretary had its sequal in the marriage which has taken place be- tween Mr. Richard Washburn Child and Miss Eva Sanderson says, the Philadephia correspondent of the New York Herald (Paris edition). me were purely formal, and I do pants of the Avenue Foch shopp

Shortly after, 1 a.m., the occu-

From my window I have often seen not know his habits closely, heard the noise of somebody walk-States Arphasander to Italy and an Mr. Child is a former United the light late at night in his study. tice investirated and came upon rangements for taking "talking ing about the place. The appren author. He is concerned in the ar- It is the ground floor of the tower

a Chinese who going from room to films"

European rulers She pointed down into the court-"room with an electric torch in his and leading statesmen, and hopes

hand. yard.

to take such a picture of the King. Apparatus for this purpose has a ready been, sent from America to England.

there."

house last night?" I asked:

"Were there many people in the

They were Mrs. Ponsonby-Fern "Only two guests," he said. side and Major Wilson Overbury," Mrs. Ponsonby-Fernside was a

been invited to stay at the same knew nothing about this lady Lime as Major Overbury.

except that she had been on the stage, and had never seen her till

The apprentice sprang at the intruder but the man fired twice

escaned. Marks on the door in hitting the apprentice both times and killing him. The assailant dicated that the intruder had

has been invited to stay at Mera- friend of Sir Charles who hai forced it open with a. chisel.

field Towery

Early one morning Franka is summoned by Lady Merafield, who tells him her his

band has been murdered. **

She asks him for advice, an hints that it may be a matter of friendship for someone.

CHAPTER IV.

Lady Merafeld's words, it scemed, her appeal for friendshin, and asking me to aid her, must mean but one thing

now.

She

"And Major Wilson Overbury?" said I.

"I thought we were to put all cards on the table, Mr. Franks. You don't want me to tell you anything about Major Overbury." I pulled ap. reflecting. It was That was what she meant by true that I know Overbiry fairly -Overbary!

well, but I was ignorant of any- Somebody had told her I was thing in his relations with Mera- Overbury's friend; perhaps Over-field, except what he had told me bury himself.

bell for Mason."

in his, letter.

was standing in the doorway of this room, where I had been talk- ing to your friend, Major Over bury."

"Good Heavens! Lady Mera- field"

a gesture.

She waved my words away with "I told you just now that Sir Charles Merufield as a husband had no grounds for jealousy. [ am not that sort of woman.

"Quite so," said I, in a maze. "Bat-Major Overbury was here talking to you at three in the morning

Then it "all came out, not in a

rush, bat in the same quiet and

easy tone.

of

His marriage. took place at Child was divorced from his first Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. Mr.

wife in Paris last October.

"The next day also we met only at dinner. Major Overbury" was

"WANTED" 'GANG CAUGHT

BY POLICE.

Three Russians, believed to be members of a notorious gang ef cracksmen wanted by the police of several cities in China, were to appear at the French Mixed Court last week-end on a charge of attempted burglary of a shop in Boulevard Des Deux Republiques, Shanghai, on the night of October

by French and Settlement police 12 and 13.

The three men were arrested

on the Bund outside the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank after a long chase. One of arrested men owns a big car in which, the French police allege, the gang defied the police chase after several coups they pulled off.

The gang is believed to be five strong."

the French police came upon five On Wednesday night last week,

Russians who were' attempting to break into a shop in, Boulevard dea Doux Republiques. Ás 800a as the police arrived, the Russians jumped into their car and escaped.

in a condition of excitement and

Next day, French detectives Worry. Yesterday Sir Charles recognized the car which wo was very ill in the morning, and carrying three men, and they gave did not go out all day. He rechase. The pursuit started at covered towards the evening. Route Ratard and trying to inter-. Majer Overbury went off fishing cept the car the French police by himself. After dinner we had took another route but missed some talk in the drawing-room, them. Towards the Bund the car and Mrs. Ponsonby- Fernside gave

was picked up again and the chase music. Then she and Sir continued, resulting in, the car Charles went to play billards, being overtaken and three men I fol arrested outside the Hongkong and Major Overbury and

and Shanghai Bank.

114

lowed and looked on.

"This brought, us to half-past eleven. We went into the hall and stood about talking for a Sheen had been friends for nearly Charles said he was going to read. Major Overbury and Miss Marquarter of an hour or 50. Sir ten years, but by a singular fatality he had never known her

as Miss Mary Sheen.

ได

The was'.

I thought deeply and long about) "I fear my Overbury card is net the results of going any further a trump," said 1, at last. I know with her. My judgment was him only as an able barrister to against it. I suppose a mixture whom I have been able to give of curiosity and anxiety abnut seine briefs. I know something-yl At not his war record, He is partial to Overbury prevailed. said I would listen, to her, but only me. And that is all-except that on one condition--that she tele-he wrote a few days ago saying:

As a girl she had travelled. phoned immediately for the police. that he was coming to stay with the war she was a nurse. Aftur I gave her the telephone number Sir Charles Merafield, a club ne- of the sergant, Hillson, who lived quaintance whom he hardly knew wrote books about her adventures. the war she travelled again and near the station, and she rang the and did not like particularly much. The girl-traveller and the womas

Now, show your card. Tell me all writer were Mary Sheen. Hillson." I said, "ean. hardly you know about Major Overbury war-time nurse in France got here for half an hour. In that! "I can't. It is too long, and Sister Mary Brand- fugitive time you must tell me what you doesn't matter. I have known him from the anger of her soldier want to tell, and if I can give you for many years, but he was un-father, who would not hear of hus any advice I will. But immediate aware of my marriage. As you going to the Front. And only the ly Hillson arrives the whole thing say, he had only a slight acquain- Front would content her adven must be handed over to him." - tance with Sir Charles Merafield.

Lurous spirit. She made no answer till the and he came down merely for butler appeared.

sport.

I had learnt of the invita "Mason," she said, "telephone at Lion, and implored Sir Charles to once to the police-Sergeant Hill cancel it. I did not want Major son-and ask him to send here. Overbury here. For reasons of Say there has been an accident, his own Sir Charles refused." and that Sir Charles Merafield is dead."

The butler stared at her as in Bwe.

"Very good, my lady," said he. In a shaking voice, and went away, "Now, Lady Merafield." I began. "time is valuable. If I am to be of any use, you must take me com, rletely into your confidence. You believe Sir Charles has been mur- dered? There is no suggestion of suicide?"

She shook her head.

It Was delicate ground. Evidently there had been some- thing between Overbury and Miss Mary Sheen before her marriage. But there was no time to be fastidious.

"Whatever obscure reason Sir Charles had," I said, "do you think he was, in any way jealous of Major Overbury?"

*

as he did not think he could

sleep. We all went op

Lady Merafield paused and .con- sidered her next words.

was some-

"Before we went up, Major privately that there Overbury contrived to tell me thing he must say to me, urgently, nt once. If I waited in my boudoir he would come there for

a few moments.

"I waited here from twelve o'clock till half-past two. Then he came. He said he had been afraid to venture before because She spent two years in the he could hear Mrs. Ponsonby- neighbourhood of Arras with Fernside moving about in her few whe were the nearest women room; which was next to his. to the fighting line, and there met She stayed up a very long time. Overbury, then a rather elders Major Overbury told me he was subaltern. They fell in love deeply depressed and anxious They were engaged to marr about something, and he Then he discovered that "Mary going to describe it when we' Brand" was a pseudonym, and heard noises downstairs, like foot- demanded to know her real iden steps and the opening and shut- lity. The stubborn Siater, bavi sting of a door, vowed to conceal it till the war

was over, refused.

wus

"He thought "We both thought Sir Charles her not quite straight; she thought was coming up. Though in or- him unreasonable. They quarrel-dinary Sir Charles never dreamed led and parted. Everybody's of coming to my rooms. Major Overbury was much alarmed and nerves were in a jangle,

I stood there went out at once. in the doorway.

After the war she waited in vain for a step to reconciliation; he waited in rain for Mary, Brand to reveal herself. Their worlds were *different. In five or six years they did not meet. She heard of him as a barrister occasionally; servants he of her never.

the butler. Mason, the footman, Peters, both of whom had been, in the service of Sir Charles before his marriage, and the chauffeur. Atkins, a quiet and respectable fellow," she said, "engaged about a month ago."

"Jealous?" She lingered over the word with a half smile. should hardly describe his molive as jealousy. But whatever it was. "I thought not. You realise he insisted on the invitation." or do you realise?-that this is Remembering what I had heard going to be very terrible for every on the Sunday afternoon, I left it body, and that you've made it there, and passed on to find out more so by the delay. The only who else were in the house that thing now is—all cards

men on the night. "Three table."

"Naturally. (I was beginning to detest this litany of "naturally and "of course," recited in her calm and measured

acéents) "But I want one assurance from you, Mr. Franks, before I answer any questions you may ask. I made a note to ascertain what Whatever passes between us no there was to know about Atkins. before the police arrive must bef

servants--the Four women between us alone-never divulged housekeeper, the cook, and two to anybody. There are two Mmaids.

He locked Franks. One of them, the official.. Mason was last up.. is not in this room. The other, the house every night. Ile had the friend, is talking to me." made all secure and gone to bed Again, in the conflict between at half-past twelve, leaving "the judgment and curiosity, judgment light in the hall. Sir Charles was went down. I agreed to the terms, then in his study. but made one condition of my own. She was to assure me that she did] Thus there were ten other people not know who committed the crims in Merafield Tower when Sir and suspected nobody. She did so Charles Merafield was killed. As without hesitation. She was not so stupic, she said, as to ask me to hide a criminal. She looked me straight in the eyes, and I believed her.

*

pursued my questions to Lad Merafield and heard her answerg, my wonder and horror grew every moment.

First she said she had heard nothing material to the disepvery until a quarter to three, when she was disturbed by the sound of a

Then I began my interrogation. She had no reason to suppose that Sir Charles possessed any enemy who would be likely to shoot hi shot. There was nothing to show that he went in fear of anybody.

"Your own relations with him."

I asked.

"You were then in your bed- room?" I asked.

"No, my friend, I was not. I had been in my bedroom,

If

1

"Major Overbury looked over the rail of the gallery, but every- thing seemed quiet in the hall!

I was astonished to see him walk below, Nobody came up. Then Then she made the fatal mistake round to the head of the staircase I thought I heard of yielding to the temptation of and go down. marriage with the owner of Merahim say something as he went field Tower. She had known very as if speaking to himself. I little about him.

could not now see him, but look- to the other corridor

I saw Mrs. Ponsonby-Fernside in her dressing-gown peeping over the rail..

On their honeymoon she met across Major Overbury accidentally in. When he had spent two Puris. minutes holding her hand, antici- pating the Seventh Heaven, and gruvelling about his folly, she had to tell him that she was married le rushed away to remove himself from the temptation of murder, without even so much as asking whom she had married.

Sir Charles Merafield heard of the meeting and taunted her with it. She fiercely told him the truth, which was that she had loved Overbury and still loved him, but that she never wanted to see him again. Having some self-respect and being Lady Merafel "naturally."

"Suddenly the shot came, Mrs. screamed. ! Ponsonby Fernside was startled, but stood still in the doorway. Then I saw Major up the Overbury come running staircase. His face was white and dripping perspiration. Ho came straight to me and wrung my hand just as Mason, wakened by the scream, ran down, follow- ed by Peters. Mason were his dressing-gown, and the footman had wrapped a himself.

blanket round

"Then, as I told you, I led the way down to the study and found But the canker grew in Meza-the body of Sir Charles lying on whole field's mind until it blotted out the door. That is the the sky. He nursed a mad idea of thing, and I tell it to, you an a torturing them both.

He joined friend."

I was aghast when Lady Mera- field ended her recital. No words would come.

the Fifty Two Club especially to make Overbury's acquaintance. Ile brought him down to Mera field Tower.

"It was a gross, insane plan to take Major Overbury by surprise

"And now, my friend, what is to be done?" she said:

"It is a hellish mess, Lady Mera- and put me in a false position. field," 1 answered. "It is all

SHARE PRICES.

TO-DAY'S QUOTATIONS.'

The following is the list of loon! share quotations issued to-day:

Banks.

Hongkong Bank, $1150 8. Chartered Bank, £20 n. Mercantile. A. & B., 2313 n Mercantile C., £13. P. and O., £10 m. East Asia, $68

Marine Ins. Canton Ins, $570 D. China Underwriters, $1.20 North China, Tls. 143 n. Union Ins., $292 b. Yangtsze Ins., 3451 b.

Fire Ins.

China Fires, $215 b.

H. K. Fire Ins., $590 n

Shipping.

Douglases, 833 'b.

.

H K. Steamboats, $21 H. K. Tugs, 81.90 Indo-China, (Prof.) $30 Shell Trans., 90/- n. Star Ferrios, $54 Watorboats, $17 n. Refineries.

China Sugare, $13 Malabons, $30

Mining.

Benguets, $1.65 b. Kailans, 62/6

8.

11.

Langkats, Tie. £17 П.

1,

咎。

n.

S'hai Exploration, Tls. 2.80 b. Shanghai Loans, Tis. 5.20 b Raubs, $34 b. Tronohs, 19/3 1. Ural Caspians, 3/-

Docks, ete Kowloon Wharves, $1181 b. Whampoa Docks, $35 n. Hongkews, Tls. 145 b. New Engineeringe, Tis. 47 b. Shanghai Docks Tls. 90

Lands, Hotels, etc.

H. and S. Hotels, 64 H. K. Lands, $56) s.. Realtys, $6. Territoriais, $11 Humphreys, $12.40 s. Princes Bldga, $110 b. Rural Lands, $1ì. n.

L'ottons.

5.

n.

8.

Ewo Cottons, Tls. $7.60 8 Orientals, Tls. $1 S'hai Cottons,, Tls $47 n.

Buses, Trams. China Buses, Tls.

65 Tramways, $20.10 b...

Peak Trams, (old) $14, s. Singapore Trams, 12/6 n. Taxis, $1 n.

B1,

E.

"Quite polite. I had a slight should not have troubled you.

all. preposterous. "There

Miscellaneous. difference of opinion with him a should have sent immediately for It was also a personal revenge anony few days ago. I fancy you must the police."

me," she said. "I told you our is only one hope that Overhiry

Amusements, $19. candid as you have have heard something of it on

Canton Ices, $5 n. "Lady Merafield" I exclaimed, relations were polite but formal. will be as Sunday afternoon..

Not long after my marriage I been." starting to my feet.

Cemente (Comb.) $7 I did not doubt the truth of a This cool, surprising womant

China Lights, $12 "I should have thought," she found that Sir Charles was un

only wondered In the two seconds it had taken me went on, steadily, it must have faithful These relations dal single word. I

China Prov., $4. n. to pass the gate in the wood she

Constructions, 81 n. had seen me. She had known that heen plain to you that I was not from that day. You see the situa- whether she had told me every-

You don't want more ex- thing.

"If I can have five minutes with likely to take this extraordinary tion.

Dairy Farms, $15.10 n their voices were raised. She had step unless I had been in a very

planations?" Bent for me now.

Der A. Wing, $6 n. What was one difficult position.”

I bowed. "And Overbury, when Overbury before the police come," said. I. "Will you take me to

H'kong Electrics, $521 s to make of this inscrutable "Yes," said I sharply. "But I he came here and found you-"

Macao Electrics, $43 n. had no idea-how could I?-that "It is very atrange. We met Overbury?"

"My friend," she said, sadly,.

Ropes (Old) $10. n. For the moment I passed the there was anything of this sort. the first night at dinner. When he

Lane Crawfords, $5 a. point,

saw me he looked ghastly. Bat Sir "if I could have taken you to

B.. Mackintosh, $22 "About last night," I said. I am not a proper confessor to

receive

I beg Charles Morafield was present, and Major Overbury, there would your confidences. "Was it usual for Sir Charles to

there could be no explanation, I have been no need of you bere at

Sincores, 8 n. You- sit up in his study after the house-

United Abestos, $12 a "My friend, my friend!" she found an instant to warn him all. The reason why I ask for hold had gone to bed?".

He seemed strangely wrought up. your help is that Major Overbury said. "You are not asked to "I think not unusual. But I

imagine anything, but just to hear He had something on his mind is no longer here. He left within must tell you that the relationsa few sad and drab facts. At the even then which he never revealed ten minutes of the discovery, and between Sir Charles Merafield and moment when the shot was fired to me. We acted the parts of I have not seen him since."

(To be Continued.) Hostess and guest and old friends.

woman?

Watsons, $11

Powolle, $5 8.

r.

Telephone, 3.65 8.

B'que Indus: G.$ Bonds, 52. b

1927.

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