Evening star., 1903-09-01

the same time, though suspician was un-
doubtedly strong. there was surprisingly lit
tie proof that he had hand in the murder
of the policeman. at any rate.
Finally. after a little deliberation the
magistrate allowed the prisoner to be al
lowed eOut on his own recognizances; and
Nigel, apparently very much to his own
surprise was set free.
He got no chance of speaking to Piety,
who had been whirled away by her father,
without time for much as look behind,
the moment she had given her evidence.
Slowly, forlornly. without word to any
one Nigel left the court and at once turn
ed his steps in the direction of Fourways.
1t was still early in the afternoon. and a
strong wind was blowing from the south
west. facing him as he went homeward.
What homecoming 1t was! To house
empty and cheerless, in charge of a solitary
policeman, who, patroling before the door,
refused to allow him to enter. Nigel stag
gered back, stared vacantly at the man,
nodded and went away. He had been fol-
lowed by a small crowd on first leaving
Carstairs, but, putting on a squirt, he had
dstanced them, and had made the rest or
the journey in peace.
Now, on reaching the road outside his
own gate, he looked stealthily up and down.
to the right and to the left, and finally
struck across the fields in the direction OF
st. Martins, going by the chalk pits, which
lay TO the left of Hodges farm.
But before he got far he knew that he
had been sighted again, this time by his old
enemy John Mercer who had apparently
got wind of his release and had come in
pursuit in his trap
This at least was what Nigel thought,
when he saw the gray horse and the two
wheeled vehicle behind it, cresting the hill
by Fourways.
to- and he whipped up his horse and went
up the hill toward Hodges farm at
smart pace But, sharp as was the lookout
he kept he lost sight of Nigel as soon
ta rxrif lin ha halt nf he nd
he refined in his horse and peered about
him curiously, when he hal passed the cot
tages and come in sight of the pits be-
yond.
He had an idea that Nigel was on his
way to Rede's farm, and John had mind
to prevent, If he could. another meeting
between the unlucky feiloY and the toe
sympathetic Piety.
So he peered forward to the left, and
made sure that Nigel was not taking the
short cut over the fields In that direction;
and then, having ascertained that this was
not the case he decided that the fellow
must be lurking about in the chalk pits or
their neighborhood. waiting till he himself
should have gone by.
He got down from the cart, therefore
tied his horse to a tree, and began to look
about him. The first and largest of the
chalk pits was close to the road. the edge
protected only by a rough wooden paling
and a staggering, neglected hedge. John
looked over the hedge into the pit. which
was as they most of them were. half filed
with hawthorn and bramble bushes. Then
he got through into the field. at the side
and went a few PAGES down the slope which
led into the pit.
About third of the way down he stopped
short and would have drawn back but he
was too late. He had hardly detected a
movement In the bushes below him, and
seen the bright CLEAN of metal shining in
the pale afternoon light, when he heard the
sharp click-clack. and a couple of bullets
whizzed past his ears IN rapid succession
He sprang down into the bush with
leap. -;
.Ha, Treveddoe; I've got you nowi'
As he spoke there was a. sudden rustling
and shaking of the bushes But John was
too quick for his assailant The next mo-
ment he had seized and held fast in his
the hand that grasped the weapon.
(To be concluded.l