Evening star., 1926-10-17

empty cartridge case upon the floor,
little wisp of blue smoke still linger-
ing in distant corner.
| Goade stood upright for a moment,
looking around him. Then he turned
slowly away and mounted the steps
into the daylight. Erriscombe was
seated upon the bowlder, the sun flash
ing upon his monocle, but as Goade
appeared he rose to his feet as though
gasping into the sunlight, rubbed his
eyes for a moment. A few yards
away the girl was Fastening toward
| them, her arms OutStretched.
Cecil" she cried. "Cecil!'
The young man shook his head slow
| ly. She came sobbing into his arms.
"It couldn't be helped. dear" he
said. "Goade happened along, and
that's the end of it."
You'd better neither Of you say
anything more" Goade advised them.
You know who l am. Erriscomhe;
I'm an officer of Scotland Yard. Ill
have to take you back to Chidford."
Erriscombe nodded. The girl was
seated upon an adjacent bowlder,
rocking slowly in her misery.
That's all right, Goade," the young
man said. "I shall give you no trou.
BILE. AS to keeping silence, that's my
affair. I have a fancy to tell you
exactly what took place, here on this
spot, with Mabel listening"
Last Summer" Erriscombe went
on, imperturbably, II came down here
for a holiday. I stayed at Wood
who was, I believe. half engaged to
that clod down there-son Of farmer
at Chidford. Do you remember any
thing, Goade A newspaper case?"
Goade nodded.
II begin to remember" he acknowl-
edged.
"Well, we were married. We made
mistake, Of course. in not announc-
| ing our marriage. but 1 was due to
! open at the Haymarket month later
with a part which was to have been
| the part Of my life. / knew that 1t
would mean permanent success for
me, and I knew that 1 would have
better chance If 1 kept my marriage
secret until after the show was thor
oughly started. OF course people gos-
siped little about us, but Mabel
didn't care; she know It would be
all right directly. The trouble came
with that brute with whom I have
| just squared matters"
Erriscombe paused and looked up
to where a hawk was circling over
head, as though wondering what was
going on below. Then he continued:
This man-Crang, his name was
went about the country like crazy
1 loon. and every one warned me to be
careful. He tracked us out here.
did my best, but what was the good
of 1t, Goade? He Is 6 feet s, with
| the muscles Of an OK, and, although
| I could box a bit, it's never been
one Of my hobbies. He pounded me
pretty we'll into a jelly-thrashed me,
Goade, with Mabel running screaming
about. Have you ever been thrashed?
| II don't know that 1 have. Goade
admitted.
"Well, tell you it's fearful. 1 had
about half an hour Of it before the
blackness came. Then he must have
given me a few kicks before he left
me- There was no first night at Hay
market for me. I was in Exeter In
f1rmary for a month, and Crang went
| to prison for two years-'attempted
manslaughter.'
THERE was another silence. A
L solitary curlew had drifted across
the sky with mournful, little calls.
Mabel had begun to sob, and Goade
waited gravely. He intended now to
hear every word.
you've never been thrashed. you
said, Goade?" Erriscombe recon-
| menced. There's something in a
mans blood seems to turn sour at
the thought-something In oneself, l
suppose, born at ones public school,
and carried through the varsity into
life. I have always known what the
consequences would be. l knew there
was only one thing to bring me peace
of mind again, and I've done it. /
had to kill the man who thrashed me.
| A fortnight ago l read that he'd
broken out Of prison and was sup
posed to be hiding somewhere around.
felt knew where I should find him.
1 travelled down here. I had a revol-
yer, but 1 didn't use 1t. You'll find 1t
in the barn there. 1 shot him with
his own double-barreled gun"
'Who fired the first shot at
Aarons?" Goade asked.
"Crang," Erriscombe explained. 1T
was Mabel and her little cockney who
drew him out Of his lair. was lying
waiting a few yards away-waiting
for him to come out. Mabel hurried
from the farm to stop the mischief II
she could. Crang heard their voices
and came up. He scared the little
man out Of his life. had a shot at him,
and left the gun against the bowlder.
While he was talking to Mabel. / got
1t. He heard me and turned around.
shot him. It was all could do to
drag him down to his hole, but l did
1t. Just as / was coming up again
heard you, so I waited. / invented
the story about the George Robey out
fit because / knew Aarons would tell
you what sort of a man it was who
had frightened him. Now, what are
you going to do about it?"
II don't know" Goade confessed.
They sat and looked at one another:
Erriscombe rose to his feet and
crossed to his wife's side. His arm
went around her waist. and her head
sank upon his shoulder.
II had to do It, dear" he whispered.
"It's a load gone-a great load"
Lets make sure that the mans
dead" Goade suggested, after brief
pause. Come and help me, Erris-
combe."
They descended the steps and
dragged the heavy body into the outer
cave. Goade stripped off his coat,
examined the wound and turned
abruptly around.
Fetch some water in that basin,"
he directed. Hes not dead"
For half an hour or more Goade
worked, cutting up his own shirt to
make a bandage. Erriscombe had
some brandy, a few drops of which
they forced between his teeth at the
first sign of regaining consciousness.
Finally Goade staggered out into the
fresh air.
1.-THE mans as strong as an OK"
he announced. He may live. In
fact, feel sure he will
"And now?" Erriscombe asked
again.
"And now?" the girl repeated, her
eyes fixed upon Goade.