Evening star., 1926-06-10
The Law of the Talon

, form for what he called plain.
cla'es." In effect, he was wearing an
old tweed Jacket over his dark blue
trousers.
He determined to keep an eye on
John, but, being a fair adept in the
guiles of the poacher and salmon
snatcher. did not make. The mistake
of appearing on the open road. It
was easier ard more discreet to leap
the small hedge which shut off his
garden from the borders of a burn
running down to tie lake in rear OF
his cottage. reach the bridge near the
loch side before John and the dog
crossed it (they certainly would not
be heading for Mallaig at that hourt
and busy himself in one Of the boats
moored there. Then he would as
certain which way they meant to go.
while they could hardly imagine he
was spying on them.
| All this was honest enough on
Campbells part. He had been warned.
by the laird's nephew that the re-
turned heir meant mischief-had. In
deed, threatened an inoffensive cousin
with bodily harm-so 1t was his duty
as policeman to size up the situation
for himself. He had not taken
Alistair quite seriously. Now that he
had seen John Panton he was even
less inclined to believe that any grave
breach of the peace was imminent.
On this occasion he had left trunch-
con and handouts at home. and his
automatic was locked in a cupboard,
and he did not carry e stick. but by
sheer force Of habit had thrust an
electric torch into a pocket. In fact,
his espionage was objectless. save
that he guessed Eileen had met Pan
ton already. and 1t might be useful
II he learned that some later assign
ment had been made and kept.
To Connington, Of course. he had
dozen men in the village held fishing
rights in the loch. and occasional
visitors came from Glasgow and even
farther afield to cast fiy over some
Of the best water on the west coast
for salmon and sea trout. That very
day there We're six strangers in In
verlochtie who might be classified
under that head. Connington hap
pened to he one of them. Campbell
was In no way to blame for following
the trail laid by Ahstair.
So John and Spot did duly note a
man assembling gear or examining
worn plank in boat near the bridge.
He was a stranger. He did not even
look UP as they passed.
Beyond that point a rough bride
path n1eandered near the loch for
miles Mostly 1t ran close to the
waters edge, but an occasional OBJ
stacle, like the bold promontory now
1utting forth some 200 yards ahead.
or the lairds boathouse and landing
stage. or a patch Of swamp where
tiny brook broadened into a delta
before reaching the lake, compelled a
detour. The wooded cliff in front
was 1an's Leap. John knew that any
one waiting there among the trees
would see him long before he
gained the path on the landward side
OF II. No sign came from that quar-
ter. No doubt Betty. after consulta-
tion with Eileen. had decided to come
openly to Macdonalds place in the
morning. He had not forgotten her
fearless ways. She would always
elect for daylight as against dark
ness. for candor rather than deceit.
In any event. he intended to send
her an early note: no matter what
the binding necessity Of the embargo
on. Eileen's visits II could not apply
to Betty. So he rehlled and lighted
his pipe, bidding Spot rather en-
phatically to come to heel when
sudden dart into the gloom seemed
to indicate pursuit of a rabbit or
some other nocturnal prowlsr.
The two came to q momentarv
etandstill about a quarter past q.
. Campbell saw the flicker of the match
and heard the order to the dog. He
: could just discern Johns Silhouette
! in the gap Of the path among the
trees and brushwood. The light was
falling rapidly now in the hollows.
though visibility was good on the
lake. and more than sufficient to re-
veal identity If two people met in any
open space. So the policeman re-
solved to risk surprise If his quarry
moved on. The path was free to all
honest folk at any hour of the "a.
He would walk swiftly ahead. and
possibly witness any meeting which
took place at any point between the
clin, and the boathouse. the latter
being yet hidden. though only a hun
dred yards farther on.
II .
| When the forces Of evil conspire to
bring about a tragedy they ofttines
display an Incompatible stagecraft in
arranging Its preliminaries. Who. for
instance. would suspect Sir Reginald
Lansing, good-natured profteer that
ne was. OF unconscious completely In
a crime which startled all Scotland,
all England. and no small part Of the
greater world next day? Not he
himself certainly. And, perhaps. not
| AAiS ihiiS anu
wife. At any rate, II she made anv
deduction Of the sort, II never passed
her lips.
But the fact remains that when
Lansing met -Alistair in the billiard
room before dinner. the two being
then alone. as Col. Grant was closet
ed with Lord oban upstairs. he pre-
cipitated a crisis.
"Panton," he said. ITS a dashed
nuisance, but I've got to break up
this pleasant party. Letters which
slant return to town. so we'll be
leaving in the morning"
Alistair flushed. He had foreseer
this catastrophe. for II was nothing
less He disrezarded the letter"
A man of Lansine's Importance In
the rubber market received the most
urgent demands for his presence at
board meetings and financial consul
tations every day Of his life.
We he managed to say with an
air Of surprise. Mary isn't off.
too"
"Oh. yes-all the gang. She won't
hear of my going without her. She
has some silly notion that II she isn't
|. around III sleep In damp sheets, or
some rot of the kind. So We must
! chuck the moors this season. and
make the e'best of the east coast with
In easy reach Of London. I'm thor
ouehly fed up. I hate clearing out
tQst. now. but 1T cannot be helped.
Better luck next -time!"
The man who was far more his
host than Lord Oban needed no tell
ing that there was one literally true
statement In Lansing's rather labor
ed excuse. He was, indeed, fed up"
In actual fact he had read the. riot
act. or its matrimonial equivalent.