Evening star., 1924-06-29

ON, ID. c., JUNE %,
day." she said. "You come here to-
morrow morning at 10 o'clock. Then
We'll settle matters I'll keep your
| papers till then-all right. Now.
Peggie Manson, what do you want?"
made Lady Renardsmere bow
and withdrew to the edge of that par
ticular corner of the garden in which
my possibly future employer was
toiling like any day laborer. In five
minutes Miss Manson Joined me, and
We went away
odd woman!' l remarked when we
were clear Of her presence.
odd? Walt till you know herr"
exclaimed Miss Manson. But I'll tell
woman in England"
They seem thick hereabouts," said
L, shyly. "Or else I'm exceptionally
lucky"
No compliments" she commanded.
We'll, you're to go there at 10 to-
morrow. What'll you do until them"
| where's the nearest town-with
decent shops? l asked.
There is no nearest town." she re-
| piled. But there's a big village
l
miles down the road from Renards-
| mere"
Then I shall go there. get myself
a rev necessaries, come back, and put
myself up at the Renardsmere Arms
| for the night" / answered. And if,
| tomorrow morning, Lady Renards-
mere looks with favor on me, and
engages me. ! shall ask twenty four
hours leave so that [ can run up to
town to get my belongings"
n iorh
MISS Manson, drfly. II know her. she
took to you as soon as ever she set
her sharp old eyes on you! You're in
| luck"
Been in luck-no end of luck
ever since O'Clock this morning,
haven't I?' l suggested. "All that's
necessary now, ] should think, is to
rake up all the money l can, put it
on Ripping Ruby for the Derby,
| Il never, advise boys to bet" she
interrupted rather severely. You
leave betting alone! Now, as we're
| at the inn. you'd better go in and
make your arrangementS-im off, for
I've a lot to do"
She gave me a smile and a nod and
| was turning off by a path that led
| TO the hillside when l made bold to
lcall her back.
"well?" she asked. still smiling.
II may see you again, msyn't II"
! / suggested.
II you fix things up with Lady
| Renardsmere-as I'm pretty certain
you will--youll proba bly, be sick to
| death of seeing me-" she retorted.
! Now go in there and make your
| arrangements!
| She went off, resolutely, and with
| out looking back, at that, and turn
ed into the Renardsmere Arms, and
explained to its landlady that having
| some business with her ladyship at
| the big house l found il necessary to
stay the night in the village. This
| procured me the best room: having
seen 1t, / went into the bar parlor
to get drink before walking along
to Chilbourne. There were villagers
| In there, men taking noontide glass
and they were talking about the
| wrecked car in the chalk pit. And, as
is usual in these circumstances and
places, there was present the man
! who knows better than anybody. He
sat in a corner. with pot of ale
before him, and laid down the law.
| Don't ZEE go for to tell / that there
bain't a mortal lot o circumstance
aback O. that there business" he was
saying when | went in. Deal o
talk goin' about as respects that
there care at bottom of old chalk pit
say that, but ! reckon l do know
what it all mean-sure-ly!"
We'll. an what do it mean, them
demanded another man.
II mean one . lneSe mere DuTS lies
what you reads about j. the noos-
papers" declared the oracle. "Burg'lyl
that's what that do siggerfy! Some
o these here gentlemen thieves, what
comes from London way. You dc
| wait till 'tis evenin and if you don't
hear O. some big house here around
bein cracked open during the night
as is past and gone. and all the goold
watches and the silver forkses taken
then my name isn't what | reckon
ici " fnh a
silver forkses'"
What's that got to do wi a motor
car bein' found bottom o'chalk pitt?
asked an incredulous voice. Il don't
You bain't a man of a consekytive
turn O. mind, you bain't." interrupted
the oracle. You amt got no trains
~ thought same what | do possess
These here fellows-swell mobsmen
they do call 'em-they comes down
from London in a oldish moty car
They breaks in and steals, which is
Scripture. Then they gifts away across
the Downs. And to cover up their
edge of chalk pit, and smashes she
| up. complete, while they walks off
quiet in another direction. That be
| the way OF it! Walks off. nice and
| proper. wi all the silver and goold
| in their pockets"
A dead silence followed upon this
remark able and ingenious theory. 1t
was broken at last by a thoughtful-
! looking man who had listened in
| tently.
| There med be something in that
! too" he observed. And / did hear
word not an hour ago, in Chilbourne
Down valley. as how there was two
| strangers seen in there very first
thing this morning. afore sun up
amaking for nearest railway station
one was a big heavy man, and
t'other was a little heavy man. -
l drank off my glass of ale and
went out. Quarteryayne and HolIi-
ment, as sure as fate, One big: the
other little; both heavily made. What
did it mean? I could understand
them dragging me and depositing me
on the Downs could understand
the gold in my pocket, and the hastily
scribbled note, there was reason ir
all that, from their standpoint. But
why wreck the car?
CONTINUED in Tomorrow's Star)