Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

31 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

THE PURPLE CURTAIN,

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

THE PURPLE CURTAIN, BY FRED M. WHITE. PRINCiPAi. CHARACTERS AND r INCIDENTS. JOHN DUGDALE. who has seen life in South Africa, is introduced to the reader at I the Blenheim Hotel in a very awkward predicament, from which he is reecued by a stranger, vr ho turns out to be PAUL QUENTO, who avoids introduction to I Dagdale on that occasion. MACPHERvjON, a reporter. I G RE NADUS. Quentin's secretary. I RACHEL \ARNA. a daughter of the South, and an eXiJoert in Oriental china. I MARY PEARSON, of Silverdale, admired by Dugdale. SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS. HL?DAi?h dines sumptuously at the sweli Blenheim Hotei on an invitation purporting to oouie from Theo Isidore, all acquain- tance. who does not turn ul), and who. he subsequently ascertains, to his dismay, is abroad, Dugdale is in a fix, fcr he ha.3 no money, but presently receives help from another diner, who, without revealing him- self, sends him a well-fluffed pocket-book, professing- to believe it is Dugdale'd, but. accompanying it with, a note, suggesting; that Dugdale might return the money his leisure. Prom a waiter Dugdale learns his rescuar is named Paul Quentin | M ACPllERSON tells Dr.gduJe where Quentin i lives, and Dugdale ruminates, on his way, oyer the many strange things he hag heard of his benefactor, and wishes someone eis.& had befriended him. He is refused an inter- view with Quentin, but sees G ret: ad us. who hears a startling resemblance to his chief, and who offers Dugdale a handsome sum if he fiiidd The Dragon Vase—one of the only pair ever madwith which Dugdale I is familiar, having seen its companion lU »he Sois-ruer Palace at Peiiin. RACHKL VARNA, to whom Dugdale is intro- duced toils him that the Dra?:on Vase whICh is missing has a naw in the cO'l"er.¡ She adds that the vase is worth a sum I xi-e jumped Suddenly forward and caughfc die doctor by the throat. I run-mug into six figures. Rachel vanishes. JUt later Diigdaie discovers her home, with I her ;ahel'. a dealer in antiques, and while tLere is surprised to see Quentin pass out of t?e shop. Rachel is displeased to see Du?daie. but warns him against Quentin, I and advises him to give up his mission. He refuses, and sets out to find a place called Silverdale. On the way he encounters a railway smash. Picking himself out of the wreck. Dugdale, seeking for help, finds his way into a country house, where in I the drawing-room is a lady. MARY PEARSON, giving some evidence of i being under the influence of some powerful emotion, and a man addressed by her as Dr. Prince, who holds a revolver in his hand and appears to be a lunatic. He explains i to Dugdale he has come in place of Dr. I Harper ithe family physician) to attend a srcaii-pox patient. Miss Pearson conveys the veril of her position to Dugdale with- out betraying the fact to Dr. Prince. CHAPTER VI. I THE DRACON YAS. There was plenty of time; in fact, time was in his favour. He knew that there was j something to learn, and that without the slightest suspicion being aroused in the j breast of the man with the revolver, who still pursued his promenade. A very good story," Dugdale said indif- ferently, but rather far-fetched. I can understand how it would get on anybody's nerves late at night. I hope that it didn't serve you so." Indeed, it did." Mise Pearson replied. "I am not likely to forget it. Every sound I hear sets mv nerves throbbing I am like Edgar Allan when he wrote that verse in The Raven.' You know the one I mean?" "I am afraid I don't," Dugdale answered "I thought you would. It is this one:- And the silken, sad. uncertain rustle of each purple r?led m&—thrill me, ?i.h fants?tic terror5 never I curtain. ?- h fana??,ic terT4CITS niever c, n. c, Do you follow Dugdale followed rightly enough. He turned his gl-aroe towards the purple curtains hanging over the conservatory door. He saw them fluttering in the breeze. He knew as certain as if the girl had put it in the p-iaines-t words that the key to the situation lay behind those rustling draperies. He checked a wild impulse to rise to his feet and satisfy himself there and then. Mere prudent counsel prevailed. But oool and col- 11 lected aö he was, he felt a thrill creeping up hi-s spine to th roots of his hair as his imagination played freely on what lay behind those fluttering hangings. It was the more necessary to observe caution, for the doctor stood by smiling as if more or less interested in the conversation. There was a paternal look upon his face, but the hand that held the revolver was hard and knotted, and the gleam ;r the dark eyes had not lessened or softened for an instant. Dugdale had formed his line of action. He might have waited longer, but his experienced eye told him that tlie strain was growing more than the girl could bear. She bad. held to her high courage as women will do when they are alone, b, ,it now that she had a man to share her peril the links of her endurance were stretched to the breaking point. Casua-lly enough, Dugdale rose to his feet, and strode acro&s the room. Don't you find it warm. Miss Pearson?" he asked. "Would you mind if I drew the curtains back?" Prince laid a detaining hand upon his arm. No." he said emphatically. "I am sure that Miss Pearson decidedly objects." There was challenge in the speaker's voice, And Dugdale hesitated. Then there came an extra puff of wind from the outside, and the curtains streamed out into the room, like purple banners. They disclosed a small room beyond brilliantly lighted. In the centre of the room a man in livery lay half back in a chair. He appeared to be young. He was clean-shaven. There was a hideous wound in the centre of his forehead from whence the blood had trickled over his face. The man was huddled up in his chair, stiff and motionless. It was only for an instant that this weird vision dis- closed itself before the breeee died down a-gain, and the curtains fell back in their place. But the doctor had seen it, and each knew what was passing in the mind of the other. For an insta-nt there was a dramatic pause before the doctor's arm came up sharply and Dugdale sa.w that it was time to act. He jumped suddenly forward without a; word of warning, and caught the doctor by the throat. There Wag no disgusin? the matter now, no time to play for diplomacy. Almost before the hideous picture had been shut out, Dug- i ",e knew that it would be a fight for life between hie, opfponetL-t and himself. He was thinking" no longer aJxmt, the girl. The beautiful vision of the perfeotly-apipointed room faded from his eyes. He saw nothing but a keen, hard, clean-shaven face set mur- Aerocusly close to his own. He could feel nothing but an arm twisted about hie neck, Wrtppinig with a force of steel and whipcord. "Why did you come here?" a hoarse voice I whispered in his ear. "Why didn't you may away, you rool?" I don't, uuderstand what you mean" Dugdale etammcred, never letting his grip slacken for a moment. "Oh' yes you do. You understand per- fectly well. Ah! I see what. she meant now. I know all about the rustle of the purple curtains. I was a, dolt and an imbecile not to guess it when she spoke. Now, then, it ia you or me Ihigdale wasted no breath in further words. He wanted all his strength and reso- lution and cunning to get the better of the man who held him in such a close grip. There was no longer any doubt what price the loser would pay for failure. They swayed backwards and forwards over the trea,cherous polished floor. Dugdale could feel the carpet slipping under his heel, and a queer cry ro-se to his lips that he might not. be the first to fall. The unuttered thought had barely escaped him before he came down with a hideous crash with the full force of the doctor's weight upon his chest. With every nerve and muscle bent and warped to the exclusion of every thought and feeling, he was not unmindful of a subtle perfume which assailed his nostrils. Dimly he wondered what it was, and why the woman he had come to save was so near aim. He seemed to see the motion of her arms, and the play of light on her dazzling Úlouldcl". The doctor had his right arm free. There was a blinding flash a.nd a report and something hot and dale's cheek. "Turn over on the other eide," a voice whispered. I have hold of his arm. Do you hear me?" Dugdale heard clearly enough. He caught a muttered oath from bio assailant. He felt the grip on his neck relax, and he knew that his chance had come. His right arm was I drawn back. and he jabbed out .idou-sly with all the force of despairing anger and caught the doctor a shrewd blow on the apple of his throat. He heard the snort and gurgle which followed. He felt a slackening of the muscles of the man who held him, and instantly he wae kneeling upon Dr. Prince's chest and holding his head upon the floor. A blind triumph filled him. He raised the lean, close- cropped head, and brought it sharply upon the boards twice with a quick thud. He saw the life and colour rush from the madman's cheeks and the eyes turned up till nothing but the quivering whites remained. A second later he was on his feet panting and trembling-, with M-i-ss Pearson leaning heavily on his shoulder. You have killed him," she gasped. "I think not," Dugdale said. "It is an old trick I learnt in the States. He will be quite right in a minute or two. Meanwhile, I had better remove his revolver, and tie his handls. Will you. pull down one of thosa curtain cordsf They will suit my purpose. And let me congratulate you upon the pluck-" But. Dugdale was talking to empty air, for the girl had swayed towards him, and if he had not caught her, she would have fallen to the floor. Her eyes were closed, and she appeared to be half-in«ensible, though she was muttering, something which Dugdale could not catch. He bent closer to listen, and presently the words began to be more coherent and logical. "Don't left. him have it," che said with her eyes still cioj-ed, wbtatcvfr you do, don't let him have it! It dcee not belong to him. Whatever they may say, it is ours,' a.nd always has been our-- Send him away before it is too laite." Dugtdale's position was sufficiently awk- ward. PTince lay grinning horribly, his eyes rolling from side to side, end every now and again he uttered some fearful threat. Dug- da,Le was at his. wits' end to know what to do, or how to act for the best. It was useless to ring, seeing there was not a servant in the house. He durst not leave the h-alf-f ai-nting girl whilst he went fcr assistance. From the bottom of his heart- he longed to know what the girl was talking abo-ut, and what it was that she was afraid of losing, Courage," he whispered, "courage. Hold up your head and try to realise there is no longer any danger." The words gave her fresh strength, for she opened her eyes and smiled faintly. She murmured that the room was hot and close, a.nd that she needed air. Ac-ocrdingly. Dugdale laid his fair burden down on a sofa, and crossed towards the purple curtains, still fluttering in the breeze. A cry of half-inarticulate rage broke from Prince, a* Dugdale dr<W them aside. But the latter did- net hear. He was too astonished to grasip anything for the time. In the alcove behind the curtains where the electric light was burning the figure of a young man Jay part'ly on the floor, partly on a. chair—a young man dressed as a livery servant, and, to all appearances, dead. But it was not this that excited Duigdale's sur- prise, for he saw before him a latticed window, and against this a quaint Chippen- dale stand. And on the stand stood an object gleaming in gold and blue and purple. It was the Dra,gon Vase! (TO BE CONTINUED TO-MORROW.)

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