Evening star., 1925-03-17
CHAPTER XIV.

Sir Julian lie Mesurier's study was
an extremely pleasant room, friendly
with books, and comforted by admir-
able chairs.
A Sabbath peace reigned outside in
the deserted street. Within there was
no peace at all. A crocodile hunt
was in progress. Piggy, as a large
and very fierce crocodile, was per-
forming a feat described by himself
as trailing his sinuous length" across
the floor, his objective a Persian car
pet island upon which a small fat
girl of three in a fluffy Sunday dress
was lifting first one plump foot and
then the other, whilst at regular in
tervals she uttered small but piercing
screams. Upon the crocodile's back
sat a thin, determined little boy of S
who battered continuously upon the
crocodile's ribs with the heels of a
new pair of boots, whilst he shouted
his defiance at the foe. At the far
end of the room sat Lady La Mesurier
with book. At intervals she looked
up from it to say helplessly, Piggy.
it's Sunday"-or "Baby's got a new
frock on, and l expect nurse will give
notice if you tear it,
Not tear" said the fat little girl,
patting her skirts. Then she Shrek
ed, for the crocodile made a sudden
snap at the nearest ankle.
Upon this scene the door opened
Mr. Luttrell," said an expression
less voice. and Anthony entered.
Lady LIE Mesurier gathered her
baby and her book, the crocodile un-
seated the small boy and arose. dust
ing its trousers. A well trained fam
ily vanished. and Sir Julian shook
chair.
Come up to report?" said Piggy.
Not primarily" began Anthony,
but was cut short.
You followed Molloy. Yes, I think
] prefer to have it that way if you
don't mind. You followed Molloy to
this South Kensington address. How
do you know he's stopping there"
Il asked the servant who was
cleaning the knocker whether they
had a room, and she said, 'No'-that
the gentleman who had just come in
made them quite fun up"
Wei, I've sent a man to watch the
place. Now, what have you to report
from Luttrell Marches -
Anthony looked straight over Sir
Julian's shoulder with a hard, level
gaze, and spoke in a hard, forced
voice:
There are a number of secret pas
sages and chambers under the house
sageS has an exit outside the grounds
on the seashore about a mile and
half from Withstead. The secret has
been very. carefully preserved until
now. Each successive owner told his
heir. No one else was supposed to
know. My father told me. When he
thought that | was dead. he also told
my cousin. Henry March. Until
went to Luttrell Marches the other
day ] had no idea that any one else
had discovered the secret. / have to
report that the passages have not only
been discovered, but made use of in q
way which points to something of an
Illegal nature. One of the chambers
is a fair sized one; it has been turned
into a laboratory
Any sign that il has been used as
Such?"
Every sign. Power has been divert
ed from the dynamos which We're in
stalled for the government expert
ments and the passages have been
wired and some of the chambers fitted
with electric light. The whole thing
has been going on under Sir william s
very nose"
M, I've had him here to see me
terribly gone to pieces, quite past his
job, also very much annoyed with me
for having sent Henry down. Now the
question is, who's been wiring the