Evening star., 1924-07-10
CHAPTER XIII.
Miss HeppIe Takes Hand.


Manson Lodge, designed to his own
tastes and ordered by Peggie's father,
the late famous trainer, was big
house, with more than one main en-
trance. But by. that time | knew it
well enough, and made straight for a
door that stood just beneath Peggie,
own bedroom the windows of which
overlooked the stables and their ad-
jacent buildings There was a bell in
that door-an electric bell--which
communicated with Peggie's room, so
that she could be summoned at any
hour of the night. And l had Just
put a finger on il and had heard the
sharp response in the room above,
through a half-open window, when a
man, tall. burly, seemed to start up
from nowhere--in reality out of the
shrubbery clcse by-and laid an un-
pleasantly strong hand on my arm.
"Hullo, YOU" he demanded.
"Hullo. yourself" l retorted, start
Ing back from him. Who the devil
are you: Take your hand off,
Not till | know what you're after
Young fellow" he answered. What
are you doing prowling round here
this time o night"
What are you doing here-on pri-
vate grounds l demanded. Tell
me that.
That's my business" he retorted.
"What'S yours?
None of your business" l said.
'You let my arm go. Or
But at that moment a vision of
white draperieS appeared at the WIN
dow above us, and l heard Peggie's
whats all that?" she exclaimed.
"Who is it?''
] got in first.
"Peggie" | called, using her Chris
tian name in my excitement. Its |
-Cranage, Come down and let me
in I've motored all the way from
town to see YOU. l must see you at
once. Come down and bring Miss
Hepple with you. And there's man
here, prowling about your GROUNDS
oh" she cried "AI right Mr..
Robindale. That's Mr.. Cranage. Lady
Renardsmere'S private secretary. I'll
come down a once.
Mr.. Robindale. whoever he was, let
my arm go and growled.
why didn't you say who. you
were?" he demanded.
Why didn't you say who YOU
were" | retorted. And whatre you
doing here, anyhow?
He edged away from me in the di-
rection of the sta bles.
ASK your mistress" he muttered
He went off, still growing, and /
went up to the door and waited Some
minutes passed Then a light APP
peared behind the glass panels.
Locks and bolts were undone, the
door opened, and there. wide-eyed
with astoniShment. stood Peggie and
Miss Hepple in dressing gowns and
carrying lamps. l made in, and with
my own hand closed and locked the
door
who's that fellow outsider"
asked abruptly. Hes left the marks
of his great fingers on my arm, con-
found him.
Peggie, still staring wonderingly at
me. shook her head.
Since yesterday, for some reason
or other, only known to herself Lady
Renardsmere has planted couple of
private detectives on me-" she an
swered. ones on the watch all day,
the other all night. That's the night
man-Robindale. But-you?'
Take me into the dining room and
give me a drink first" | answered.
i've come as fast as 1 could-char
tered Special-car-to see you and
Miss Hepple before going to see Lady
RenardSmere You've no idea what
I've got to tell you-all in continual
tion of that Portsmouth affair. There's
murder arising out of tha-whole
sale murder! And, my God. | don't
know which way to turn"
Come into the. little morning
ROOM said Peggie.
She hustled about lighting a lamp,
getting me whisky and soda and bis
cults, and commanding ME TO say no
more until | had had q drink. Then,
when she saw ! was getting a bit
calmer, she nodded reassuringly.
Now she went on. tell us all
about it, and take your time. We're
safe here
The three of. us. 1 dusty and travel
stained, Peggie in smart dressing
gown with her great name of hair
coiled loosely about her shapely head,
Miss Hepple in a multifarious collec-
tion of shawls and wraps, sat gath
cred around a table. And over it.
looking from one to the othec of the
two pairs of eyes which never left
mine, told the full story of what had
happened to me since Spiller fetched
me away from Renardsmere House
not forty eight hours before. ] spared
no detail. The thing cook some time
to tell. The clock on tha inantelpiece
struck as / made an end.
And that's that L concluded
"And what am l to do?"
There's one thing I don't quite
understand" said Peggie. why
didn't you tell the London police all
you knew about Neamore and the
luncheon at the Ritz with Holliment
and Quartervayne and SO on: It'll
have to come out"
Maybe. But 1 didn't want it to
come out through me-" l answered
You see, if I'd told all that at once,
how did l know that before l could
warn her Lady Renardsmere mightn't
he placed in some danger? The news
would have gone beyond the police
it might have got into the papers and
then this Chinaman and his sang
for there must be a gang-would have