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The Secret Adversary
CHAPTER Xi—Continued.
—l6
“Wait a moment." lie ran back to
tlie station and tackled the porter
anew.
“Look here, do you remember n
young lady who arrived by an earlier
train, the 12:50 from London? She’d
probably ask you the way to the Moat
Louse.”
He described Tuppence as well as
lie could, but the porter shook his
head. Several people had arrived by
the-train in question. He could not
call to mind one young lady in particu
lar.
Tommy rejoined Julius, and ex
plained. Depression was settling down
on him like a leaden weight. He felt
convinced that their quest was going
to be unsuccessful. The enemy had
over three hours’ start. Three hours
was more than enough for Mr. Brown.
He would not ignore tlie possibility of
the telegram having been found.
The way seemed endless. It was
past seven o’clock when a small boy
told them that “t’ Moat house” was
just past the next corner.
A rusty iron gate swinging dismally
on its hinges! An overgrown drive
thick with leaves. There was some
thing about the place that struck a
chill to both their hearts.
A turn of the drive brought them in
sight of the house. That, too, seemed
empty and deserted. Was it indeed
to this desolate spot that Tuppence
had been decoyed? It seemed hard to
believe that a human footstep had
passed this way for months. Julius
jerked the rusty bell handle. A jan
gling peal rang discordantly, echoing
through the emptiness within. No one
came. They rang again and again—
but there was no sign of life. Then
they walked completely round the
house. Everywhere silence, and shut
tered windows.
“Nothing doing,” said Julius.
They retraced their steps slowly to
the gate.
“There must be a village handy,”
continued the young American. “We’d
better make Inquiries there. They’ll
know something about the place, and
whether there’s been any one there
lately.”
“Yes, that’s not a bad Idea."
Proceeding up the road, they soon
came to a little hamlet. On the out
skirts of It, they met a workman swing
ing his bag of tools, and Tommy
stopped him with a question.
‘The Mont house? It’s empty. Been
empty for years. Mrs. Sweeny’s got
the key if you want to go over It —next
to tne post office.”
Tommy thanked him. They soon
found the post office, and knocked at
the door of the cottage next to it. A
clean, wholesome-looking woman
opened it. She readily produced the
key of the Moat house.
“Though I doubt If It’s the kind of
place to suit you, sir. In a terrible
state of repair. Ceilings leaking and
nil. ’Twould need a lot of money
spent on it.”
“That’s all right. We’ll have a look
around this evening, anyway. By the
way, you’ve not had a young lady here
asking for this key today?"
Tlie woman shook her head.
“No one’s been over the place for a
-Vhvh tj rnc.-V.
“Thanks very much.” •
They retraced their steps to the
Moat house. As the front door swung
back on its hinges, protesting loudly,
Julius struck a match and examined
the floor carefully. Then he shook his
head.
“I’d swear no one’s passed this way.
Look at the dust. Thick. Not a sign
of a footmark."
They wandered round the deserted
house. Everywhere the same tale.
Thick layers of dust apparently un
disturbed.
“We'll go over it again tomorrow,”
said Tommy. “Perhaps we’ll see more
In the daylight.”
On the morrow they took up the
search once more, and were reluctant
ly forced to the conclusion that the
house had not been Invaded for some
considerable time. They might have
left the village altogether but for a
fortunate discovery of Tommy’s. As
they were retracing their steps to the
gate, he gave a sudden cry, and stoop
ing, picked something up from among
the ieaves, and held it out to Julius. It
was a small gold brooch.
“That s Tuppence’s I”
"Are you sure?”
“Absolutely. I’ve often seen her
wear it.”
Julius drew a deep breath.
“I guess that settles it. She came
as far as here, anyway. We’ll make
that pub our headquarters, and raise
b—u round here until we find her.
Somebody must have seen her.”
Forthwith the campaign began.
Julius wired to town for his car, and
they scoured the neighborhood daily
with unflagging zeal. Julius was like
a hound on the leash. He followed up
the slenderest clue, but, as day suc
ceeded day, they were no nearer to dis
covering Tuppence’s whereabout’s. So
well had the abduction been planned
By Agatha Christie
Coryrisbt Dodd. Mead & Company
that the girl seemed literally to have
vanished into thin air.
Anc another preoccupation was
weighing on Tommy’s mind.
“Do you know how long we’ve been
here?” he asked one morning as they
sat facing each other at breakfast.
“A week! We’re no nearer to finding
Tuppence, and next Sunday is the
20th! Today’s the 23rd, and time’s get
ting short. If we’re ever going to get
hold of her at all, we must do it before
the 29th—her life won’t be worth an
hour’s purchase afterward. The host
age game will be played out by then.
We’ve wasted time and we’re no for
rader.”
“I’m with you there. We’ve been a
couple of mutts, who’ve bitten off a
bigger bit than they can chew. I’m
going right back to London to put the
case in the hands of your British
police. Scotland Yard for me! I
guess the professional always scores
over the amateur in the end. Are you
coming along with me?”
Tommy shook his head.
“What’s the good? One of us Is
enough. I might as well stay here
and nose round a bit longer. Some
thing might turn up. One never
knows.”
“Sure thing. Well, so long. I’ll be
back in a couple of shakes with a few
inspectors along. I shall tell them to
pick out their brightest and best.”
But the course of events was not to
follow the plan Julius had laid down.
Later in the day Tommy received a
wire:
“Join me Manchester Midland hotel.
Important news —Julius.”
At 7:30 that night Tommy alighted
from a slow cross-country train. Julius
was on the platform.
Tommy grasped him by the arm.
“What is it? Is Tuppence found?”
Julius shook his head.
“No. But I found this waiting In
London. Just arrived.”
He handed the telegraph form to
the other. Tommy’s eyes opened as
he read:
“Jane Finn found. Come Manchester
Midland hotel immediately—Peel Edg
erton.”
Julius took the form back and
folded It up.
“Queer," he said thoughtfully. “I
thought that lawyer chap had quit.”
CHAPTER XII
Jane Finn
"My train got in half an hour ago,"
explained Julius, as he led the way
out of the station. "I reckoned you’d
come by this before I left London, and
wired accordingly to Sir James. He’s
booked rooms for us, and will be
round to dine at eight.”
Sir James arrived punctually at
eight o’clock, and Julius introduced
Tommy. Sir James shook hands with
him warmly.
Immediately the first greetings were
over Julius broke out into a flood of
eager questions. How had Sir James
managed to track the girl? Why had
he not let them know that he was still
working on the case? And so on.
Sir James stroked hhj chin and
SUiUcii. At last Via sisiu ; • .1
“Just so, just so. Well, she’s
found. And that’s the great thing,
Isn’t it? Eh! Come now, that’s the
great thing?”
“Sure it is. But just how did you
strike her trail? Miss Tuppence and I
thought you’d quit for good and all.
But I guess I can take it we were
wrong.” .
“Well, I don’t know that I should
go so far as to say that. But It’s
certainly fortunate for all parties that
we’ve managed to find the young lady.”
“But where is she?” demanded
Julius, his thoughts flying off on
another tack. "I thought you’d be
sure to bring her along?”
“That would hardly be possible,"
said Sir James gravely.
“Why?”
“Because the young lady was
knocked down in a street accident, and
has sustained slight injuries to the
head. She was taken to the infirmary,
and on recovering consciousness gave
her name as Jane Finn."
“She’s not seriously hurt?”
“Oh, a bruise and a cut or two. Her
state is probably to be attributed to
the mental shock consequent on recov
ering her memory.”
“It’s come back?” cried Julius ex
citedly.
“Undoubtedly, Mr. Hersheimmer,
since she was able to give her real
name. I thought you had appreciated
that point.”
“And you just happened to be on
the spot," said Tommy. “Seems quite
like a fairy tale.”
But Sir James was far too wary to
be drawn.
“Coincidences are curious things,”
he said dryly.
Nevertheless Tommy was now cer
tain of what he had before only sus
pected. Sir James' presence in
HENRY COUNTY WEEKLY, McDONOUGH. GEORGIA.
Manchester was not accidental. Far
from abandoning the case, as Julius
supposed, be had by some means of
his own successfully run the missing
girl to earth. The only thing that
puzzled Tommy was the reason for all
this secrecy.
Julius was speaking.
“After dinner,” he announced, “1
shall go right away and see Jane.”
“That will be impossible, 1 fear,"
said Sir James. “It is very unlikely
they would allow her to see visitors
at this time of night. I should sug
gest tomorrow morning about ten
o’clock.”
Julius flushed. There was some
thing in Sir James which always
stirred him to antagonism.
“AH the same, 1 reckon I’ll go
round there tonight and see if I can’t
ginger them up to break through their
silly rules.”
“It will be quite useless, Mr. Her
sheimmer.”
The words came out like the crack
of a pistol, and Tommy looked up
with a start. Julius was nervous and
excited. The hand with which he
raised his glass to his lips shook
slightly, but his eyes held Sir James'
defiantly. For a moment the hostility
between the two seemed likely to
burst into flame, but in the end Julius
lowered his eyes, defeated.
“For the moment, I reckon you’re
the boss.”
“Thank you,” said the other. “We
will say ten o’clock then?” With con
summate ease of manner he turned to
Tommy. “I must confess, Mr. Beres
ford, that It was something of a sur
prise to me to see you here this
evening. The last I heard of you was
that your friends were In grave anx
iety on your behalf. Nothing had been
heard of you for some days, and Miss
Tuppence was inclined to think you
had got Into difficulties.”
“I had, sir!" Tommy grinned remi
niscently. “I was* never in a tighter
place in my life."
Helped out by questions from Sir
James, he gave an abbreviated account
of his adventures. The lawyer looked
at him with renewed interest ns he
brought the tale to a close.
“You got yourself out of a tight
place very well,” he said gravely. “I
congratulate you. You displayed a
great deal of Ingenuity and carried
your part through well.”
Tommy blushed, his face assuming
a prawn-like hue at the praise.
“And since then? What have you
been doing?”
For a moment, Tommy stared at
him. Then it dawned on him that of
course the lawyer did not know.
“I forgot that you didn’t know about
Tuppence,” he said slowly.
The lawyer laid down Ills knife and
fork sharply.
“Has anything happened to Miss
Tuppence?” His voice was keen
edged.
“She’s disappeared,” said Julius.
“When?”
“A week ago.”
“How?”
Sir James’ questions fairly shot out.
Between them Tommy and Julius gave
the history of the last and their
futile search.
Sir James went at once to the root
of the matter.
They knew enough of you both for
that. They weren’t sure of how much
you had learnt in that house. Their
kidnaping of Miss Tuppence is the
counter-move to your escape. If
necessary they could seal your lips
with a threat of what might happen
to her.”
“That’s just what I thought, sir.”
Sir James looked at him keenly.
“You had worked that out, had you?
Not bad —not at all bad. The curious
thing is that they certainly did not
know anything about you when they
first held you prisoner. You are sure
that you did not in any way disclose
your Identity?”
Tommy shook h!s head.
“That’s so,” said Julius with a nod.
“Therefore I reckon some one put
them wise—and not earlier than Sun
day afternoon.”
“Yes, but who?”
“That almighty omniscient Mr.
Brown, of course!”
There was a faint note of derision
In the American’s voice which made
Sir Janies look up sharply.
“You don’t believe In Mr. Brown, Mr.
Hersheimmer?”
“No, sir, I do not,” returned the
young American with emphasis. “Not
as such, that is to say. I reckon It
out that he’s a figurehead—Just a bogy
name to frighten the children with.
The real head of this business Is that
Russian chap Kramenin.”
“I disagree with you,” said Sir
James shortly. “Mr. Brown exists.’’
He turned to Tommy. “Did you hap
pen to notice where that wire was
handed in?’’
“No, sir, I’m afraid I didn’t.”
“H’m. Got it with you?”
“It’s upstairs, sir, in my kit.”
“I’d like to have a look at It some
time. You’ve wasted a week. We'll
deni with Miss Jnne Finn first. After
ward, we'll set to work to rescue Miss
Tuppence from bondage. I don’t think
she's In uny Immediate danger.”
The other two assented, and, after
making arrangements for meeting on
the morrow, the great lawyer took his
leave.
At ten o’clock, the two young men
were at the appointed spot. Sir James
bad Joined them on the doorstep. He
alone appeared unexcited. He Intro
duced them to the doctor.
“Mr. Hersheimmer —Mr. Beresford
Dr. Roylunce. How’s the patient?”
“Going on well. Evidently no Idea
of the flight of time. Asked this
morning how many had been saved
from the Lusitania. She seems to have
something on her mind, though."
“I think we can relieve her anxiety.
May we go up?”
“Certainly.”
Tommy's heart beat sensibly faster
ns they followed the doctor upstairs.
Jnne Finn at last! The long-sought,
the mysterious, the elusive June Finn!
How wildly Improbable success had
seemed I And here in tills house, her
memory almost miraculously restored,
lay the girl who held the future of
England in her hands. A half groan
broke from Tommy’s lips. If only
Tuppence could have been at his side
to share in the triumphant conclusion
of their Joint venture! Then he put
the thought of Tuppence resolutely
aside. His confidence In Sir James
was growing. There was a man who
would unerringly ferret out Tuppence’s
whereabouts. In the meantime Jane
Finn! And suddenly u dread clutched
at his heart. It seemed too easy. ~ .
Suppose they should find her dead . . .
stricken down by the hand of Mr.
Brown?
In another minute he wns laughing
at these melodramatic fancies. The
doctor held open the door of a room
and they passed In. On the white bed,
bandages round her head, lay the girl.
Somehow the whole scene seemed un
real. It was so exactly what one ex
pected that It gave the effect of being
beautifully staged.
Trie girl looked from one to the
other of them with large wondering
eyes. Sir James spoke first.
“Miss Finn,” he said, “this Is your
cousin, Mr. Julius P. Hersheimmer.’’
A faint flush flitted over the girl’s
face, as Julius stepped forward and
took her hand.
“How do, Cousin Jane?” he said
lightly.
But Tommy caught the tremor In
his voice.
“Are you really Uncle Hiram’s son?"
she asked wonderingly.
Her voice seemed vaguely familiar
to Tommy, but lie thrust the impres
sion aside ns Impossible.
“Sure thing.”
A -hadow passed over the girl’s face.
“They’ve been telling me things—
dreadful things—that my memory
went, and that there are years I shall
never know about —years lost out of
my life. It seems to me ns though It
were no time since we were being
hustled Into those boats. I can see
It ail now.” She closed her eyes with
a shudder.
Julius looked across at Sir James,
who nodded,
“Don’t worry any. It Isn’t worth It.
Now, see here, Jane, there’s something
we want to know about. There was a
man aboard that boat with some
mighty important papers on him, and
the big guns in this country have got
a notion that he passed on the goods to
you. Is that so?”
hesitated, her glance shift
ing to the other two. Julius under
stood.
“Mr. Beresford Is commissioned by
the British government to get those
papers back. Sir James Peel Edger
ton Is an English member of parlia
ment, and might be a big gun In the
cabinet if be liked. It’s owing to him
that we’ve ferreted you out at last.
So you can go right ahead and tell us
the whole story. Did Danvers give you
the papers?”
“Yes. He said they’d have a better
ch - nee with me, because they would
save the women and children first.”
“Just as we thought,” said Sir
James.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
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HIS WORK IN COMMUNITY
Minister Might Not Have Been Flat,
tered at Jean’s Understanding
of His Duties.
Mother and Jack were walking
home from the morning sermon with
serious mien and in thoughtful frame
of mind. Not so, Jean. Her mind was
on earthly things—the flash of her
bright red coat, the shadow and play
of the wavy feather on her best Sun
duy bonnet —but she caught Jack’s
words to his mother.
“Isn’t Dr. Dunkel wonderful, moth
er?” he was saying.
“Yes, Jack, he is,” wns her response.
“Oh, Jack,” loftily Interrupted Jean,
with a sidewise toss of her head and a
knowing half-smile. “Why do you call
him ‘Dr. Dunkel’? You know he
doesn’t cure us when we are sick.”
Mother came to the rescue. “There
are two kinds of doctors, Jean,” she
said. “One cures our bodies and
makes them well. The other cares for
our souls.”
“Oh, he mends our shoes, doesn’t
he?" and she skipped on ahead as
lively as before.
Probably He Didn’t.
Hotel Clerk —“Twenty-five dollars,
please.” Guest —“Do I get the hotel
as security for the loan?”
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