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CHAPTER XXV? Continued. ? 12? "By all means. Inspector," said Ber trnnd yawning. "I am a mere amateur. All caves look alike to me. Hind the briars; they prick most accursedly." Arkwright's Inspection of the cave was brie; "It Is empty, but the place has been used, and recently," he reported. "Strange they should not have chosen It; It Is the best hiding place in the pit." "Perhaps they only recently discov ered this desirable residence, and were about to shift their quarters," suggest ed de Jussac. "No doubt, if a few watchful policemen ambush themselves efficiently during the dark hours, they will catch the amiable consort of that - J cutthroat yonder. One hopes so. It Is painful to the law-abiding to know that malefactors are at large. Particularly when they are females." Inspector Arkwright looked at him dubiously, and made no reply. Bitty, also, when the two rejoined him, eyed de Jussac with extreme thoughtful ness, nnd had some difficulty In sup pressing his emotion. He was still mounting gunrd over Jake, who lay upon his Improvised stretcher and gazed up at the sky with a singularly beatific smile. De Jussac offered him a / cigarette, which he accepted silently. "I think," said Inspector Arkwright, z "I'll call on you two gentlemen to as ? slst me and we'll get liiin out of this. I want^ the place cleared." It was not an easy matter to carry the gate and Its burden out of the pits. By the time they had achieved It, the car arrived from Jervaulx and wound !ts way over the flat turf. Jake was ilfted Into It. "I must trouble you to accompany me, Mr. Spencer," said Arkwright. "Anything to oblige the police," ?ald Billy, cojieezing himself into the front of the car. It was a tight lit. The journey to Stanhoe was made almost in silence. When the car ar rived at the police station Jake was duly disposed of, while Billy cooled his heels in a dingy waiting room that had been whitewashed some time during the period when Sir Robert Peel was reorganizing the force. Presently In spector Arkwright joined him. The in spector closed the door, and regarded Bi!ly with a sphinx-like but faintly humorous eye. "I think, Mr. Spencer," he said quietly, "that you have no very high opinion of my Intelligence?" "Wrong there," said Billy, politely.. *T don't know that I'd class the Stan toe staff with the world's great think ers. But I've heard a lot ubout Scot land Yard, and, if I may say so, you come fully up to sample." "There Is no harm now in my telling you that I know precisely what your movements have been, Mr. Spencer. I know that It was you, and not the pris oner, who stayed at Ivy cottage as the tenant of Mrs. Sunning. I know that your companion, at the same time, stayed next door. I have also a fairly accurate comprehension of the reasons which led you to accept temporary em ployment In the Jervaulx abbey house hold. I did not, till now, know who you were. But the papers you gave me establish your Identity. And that makes all the difference." Billy was silent. 'I am, you see, In possession of the facts." '?There's one recent fact," thought Billy, "that you're not wise to." "Your affairs, Mr. Spencer, though somewhat complicated, do not call for the intervention of the police," said Arkwrlght; with the ghost of a smile, "und no official cognizance will be taken of that matter; unless something unforeseen occurs. I am a thief hunter and not a castigator of rash young men. What I know, I shall, doubtless, keep to myself." i Bflly felt an enormous sense of re lief, combined with a sharp twinge of conscience. "The irresponsible couple who en sconced themselves at rvy cottage," Bald Arkwrlght, with a dry smile, "made a good deal of trouble for themselves." "Inspector," said Billy, "did you ever do a fool thing?" Inspector Arkwrlght twinkled. "A good many, when I was your age. And. -sometimes, even now. However, I wish you good fortune. I am not un grateful U you for your share In the running to earth of Mr. Jnke. It is the duty of the civilian to assist the police. The woman will still be brought to book. And I shall call on your forml dpble employer before I leave. Good-by, Mr. Spencer." Billy walked out of Stanhoe police station and made his way back to the abbey on foot. "Gee!" he said pensively. "But that last stunt was awful dangerous f Of course, I see well enough what hap pened. Bnt It was Just a lucky acci dent neither Almee nor that blamed nuisance of a woman was seen getting away. TTie luckiest sort of accident. Inspector Arkwrlght isn't the fool I took him for, by a long way. I wonder how much he knows? But he can't know that." He shook his shoulders. "It came near being a real crash ? Just when everything had come right. It put the wind up me worse than any thing yet. But there's nothing to be scared at now." ; Despite the excellent turn affairs had taken, Billy's mind was troubling him. He had the air of a small boy whose raid on the Jam cupboard Is ?bout to be discovered. When M tr [ By Sidney Gozving Illustrations by Ellsworth Young Copyright 1923 by Sidney Co wine ( rived at the abbey there was no sign of his partner. After lingering for some time near the most likely haunts, Billy sighed and retreated to the garage. He had not been there long when Almee's face appeared furtively round the angle of the door. "Hello!" she said, stepping Inside.. She halted, and they looked at each other dubiously. Almee was decidedly pale, her eyes pathetic and rather frightened. "I couldn't help It, Billy !" she said suddenly. "Couldn't help what?" v "You saw us getting away, didn't you? And the girl ? and the Sphinx? Has Monsieur de Jussac explained to you?" "I haven't seen him," said Billy, quietly, "but I guess It isn't hard to see how things were. You might as well tell me, though." Almee, very gloomily, described her encounter with Calamity Kate. "I know," she concluded, shakily, "you're thinking me an Idiot. I'd no right to take such a risk ? with the po lice there and everything. I ? I sup pose she's a thief. But she's done such a lot for that man, and she was so mis erable. He's her husband. And 1 couldn't help thinking about you and me, Billy, and how I should feel If you ? you?" She broke down and began to cry quietly. "That's how It was. Are you very angry with me?" Billy gasped and, stepping quickly to Billy Pulled Aimee'a Hands Away. her, pulled Almee's hands away from her face. "Angry ? with you?" he exclaimed, holding them tight. "I was afraid you'd be mad with me! You ought to. Why, I did the same thing, and I'd no ex cuse ! I ought to have made sure that woman was run In." "You? did the same thing?" said Almee, staring. "Yes! Of course, I never dreamed you were In the pks, or I wouldn't have done It. That crippled crook In the cave got over me. They've got him for five or ten years; and he's earned It, But he was all broken up about his \vlfe. Neither of them deserve a scrap of sympathy. Bjit? the poor devil was In such a state, that somehow I fell for it. He never whined on his own ac count ; he was thinking of his wife. It got me on a raw spot. He knew I must have tracked him through her ? he begged me to say nothing about her. "And I didn't. I gave him that much rope. Never told the police I'd seen her elate by. Running down women is their job. If it's got to be done, let them do it. They haven't any choice ? but I had. All the same," said Hilly, "if I'd dreamed for a moment you were in the pits, I'd have chased fifty female thieves sooner than you should take a chance! I ought to be horsewhipped for rlskln' lt.M "I think it was fine of yon, Billy h cried Almee with sparkling eyes. . "No!" he said, "it's you that were fine." "This," said Almee, "is what comes of growing sentimental. Neither of us would have dreamed of making such ? such fools of ourselves a week ago. What will become of her? Will she get away?" "I don't know or care. If she made the road, there's jHlce enough In the Sphinx to take her a hundred miles from here. I only hope they don't find her with the machine. But I'll bet they don't. She'll get clear and cover her tracks ? she's the sort that doei." "But the Sphinx," said Almee, with Intense remorse, "our Sphinx, Billy! I've lost her for you !" Billy laughed. "We'll mighty soon have nnother ? there's two hundred rfended at the docks last week ? same model; and a factory being equipped to build the new model over here. Mass production." "What! Yon never told me It had \ / got as far as that! But ? I wanted the old one, Billy ? our Sphinr." "Maybe yon'H have her yet Only I'm not going to let her make trouble for you. We're pretty near done with trouble." "But how ? " "Never mind. I'll tell you some time. Gee ! how you'll laugh ! But I'm giv ing you the ctych ? it Is so." J "Billy!" she cried, "isnt that splen did! Though I ? I ? " "Well?" "I hnven't been worrying so much about It lately," said Almee swiftly. "But It's good to know. And what's going to happen now?" "I know one thing that's going to happen now," said Billy, and he kissed her with ? as de Jussac would say ? empressement. "Billy!" said Almee a little breath lessly. "Aunt suid we had to be decorous I" ? "So we are," replied Billy. He kissed her again. Half an hour later Billy, passing the main porch, encountered Lady Ery thea. ) { 'Spencer," she said, "I was about to send for you. The person from Scot land Yard, who has just left, informed me that he had not only captured one of the thieves, but that you had ren dered him invaluable assistance. It really seems a remarkable ending to the uffalr ? but It does not surprise me in the least ! I suld from the first that you were more likely to make a suc cess of this problem than all the po lice In the country, if they would only consult you. I was perfectly right ? my judgment, in fact, is never wrong." "Yes, my lady." "I am quite cnpable of reading be tween the lines," said Lady Erythea with suppressed triumph. "It is my conviction that the capture of this abominable thief was due entirely to you. The police are imbeciles." Billy shook his head. "On the contrary, Inspector Ark wright is an uncommonly clever man, my lady," he said respectfully. "As for me, I had ? luck. Luck's a queer thing. Even cleverness won't always beat it." Lady Erythea looked a little out of her depth. "In any case," she continued, "I am very pleased that this absurd suspicion of the police regarding you is cleared up. and that you come out of the affair with such credit. It confirms my opin ion of you." Lady Erythea contemplated Billys tall figure and serenely handsome face with a certain regret. "I am sorry," she said, "that you are leaving Jervaulx." Billy smiled. "The week I have spent In your lady ship's service," he said gently, "has been the happiest time of my life." Lady Erythea was not given to ex pressing her emotions. But her aus tere face i?ositively tinged a faint pink color with pleasure. CHAPTER XXVI "Where le My Daughter?" "Why can't >ve stay on for another week, Billy?" said Almee, leaning a ilttle farther out of the study window, duster in hand. "Go to Aunt ? the Missus, I mean ? and ask her to let you keep the Job. She'll jump at It." "Nothing doing!" said Billy sternly. Alince sighed. The houf was nearly noon on the day following the Odyssey of the crag pits. No'news had been heard of Calamity Kate, wh"o appeared to have drifted out of history on the Sphinx. A brief interval of peace had settled apon Jervaulx. "There'll be a vacancy for a parlor maid an' chauffeur," announced Billy with decision. He was standing on the gravel Just outside the window. "All the bother with the police is wiped off the slate. It's only a fool that backs his luck too far. And It's time to quit the game and turn the lights out." "That means Aunt has got to know who 1 am, and who Georgie is; and ? and all the rest of it." "There's no way out of that, I'm afraid." "I know. But I do rather funk It. Billy. ) The worst If It Is poor old Georgie Is in a tighter place than I am." "We'll have to see her through It." "Don't you think," said Almee, dis tinctly worried, "that It would be best If Georgiua arranged to cut short her visit and went home?and Amy Snooks gave notice,, or just cleared out. You as well. Then we ? we . could explain It all by letter, or something. I think it would look better that way.** Billy looked at her a little oddly. "I am in a funk, Billy," said Almee, trembling slightly. "I don't care for myself, but it's awful to thfnk of poor Georgie having the storm break on her. She Isn't built for It. I believe If the thing Isn't sprnng on us suddenly, and we manage it at the right time, we ? we might get away with It" "Rlglu again," said BlUy, "but I shan't go. I shall stay and put It through myself." "No!" said Almee quickly. "I won't hear of that." "You Just leave It to me," said Billy, soothingly, "there's another way. Til ; show yoo ? " The whirr of a -motor Interrupted him. A large automobile was ap proaching up the park road. Almee looked at It Such an expression of horror came over her features that Billy was startled. "What's the matter?" "That's absolutely torn ltl" said Almee in strangled tones. "Eh P* "It's Dad r , Almee dived back Into the room like a rabbit retreating Into Its furrow. The automobile swept up to the main entrance ; " the Very Reverend Lord Scroope descended. "Is Lady Erythea In?" he snid, al most curtly, to the butier. "Announce me at once, please. Lord Scroope." Mr. Tarbeaux showed him into the empty drawing room. Lord Scroope deposited his hat among a cluster of Dresden ornaments. His brow, usually white and serene as alabaster, was clouded. Lady Erythea entered ma jestically. "Anthony !** she said. Lord Scroope, omitting any greeting, regarded her fixedly. "I received your letter by last n?ght's post, Erythea, announcing Airaee's en gagement to Alexander. I borrowed the bishop's car, and I have been trav eling from Closemlnster since seven this morning." Lady Erythea received the news w 1th a smile of approval. "The silly child wished me to delay announcing her betrothal. But that, of course, I could not consent to. I wrote to you at once, Anthony. I commend the energy you have shown In hasten ing to congratulate them ? and me. One so seldom sees you in a hurry." Lord Scroope deliberately placed a pair of gold-rlmmed pince-nez on his nose and stared at his sister-in-law. "The news of this engagement," he said earnestly, "is unwelcome to me. Entirely unwelcome." ? Lady Erythea stiffened In every limb. Her ear-trumpet was presented In one hand ; with the other she raised her lorgnettes and directed them at Lord Regarded Each Other Glawily. Scroope. ? The two regarded each other glnsslly. "I do not understand you," said Lady Erythea with frigidity. "Alexander is a young man of unexceptionable char acter and prospects. Jeft'aulx will be his. The Scroope estate is entailed, and I am sufficiently au fait with your af fairs to know that when your two sons in the Service are provided for there will be no overpowering fortune left for Almee. It appears that If there is any complaint, It should come from me." "The financial aspect of the question does not weigh with me," said Lord Scroope with asperity. "I object to the match itself. If Alexander is to marry at all ? " "If he Is to marry !" interrupted Lady Erythea warmly. "Of course he is to marry. Though I confess I was very much afraid he never would. Permit me to tell you, Anthony, that In taking up this attitude as to the marriage of priests, you stand on a very shaky foundation. You yourself are a Clerk In Orders, and an extreme Ritualist. Shall I remind you thnt if you had not married Delicia? and an excellent thing it was for you ? this situation would never have arisen !" "I am not conscious of having ex pressed any such argument," said Lord Scroope very stiffly, but with a certain pinkness about the ears. "As for Alex ander, he is In every way an excellent young man. But if he is to marry, the last thing I should have desired Is his alliance with my daughter. Their tem peraments are so opposed that I am convinced* nothing bat * anhappiness could result ? In fact, your news seemed to me almost Incredible: I do not know what to do ? the position is very diffi cult for me, If the ?hild has really be come attached to him," concluded Lord Scroope. with visible distress. "Good gracious, man, what did you expect?" exclaimed his sister-in-law. "It npver entered my head," said Lord Scroope, emphatically. "I thought that your influence, and that of Alex ander, would hard a steadying effect on Almee, who web . in some need of It But this? !" Lady Erythea riowed Increasing ex asperation. j / V. "Yon am talking robblghn she ex claimed, sharply. "Of all tffe girls known to me, no more suitable male could be found for Alexander. Indeed, during her sojourn here Aimee ha? en deared herself to me scarcely less than to him. Her piety, her quiet devotion ? the complete absence in her of all slangine9s ? all these speak eloquently in her favor." - Lord Scroope gazed at her In bewil derment "I really do not follow you, Erythea. And I am greatly disappointed," said Lord Scroope heavily, "greatly disap pointed. I did not foresee this." "I am not responsible, my dear Anthony, for your lack of foresight,'* said his sister-in-law, acidly. A shadow darkened the window, and she turned. "But your daughter can answer for her self." Georgina stepped In through the open window, followed by Mr. Lam be. Suddenly observing Lord Scroope she halted and became rigid. Every scrap of color left her cheeks. Alexander halted also, and slowly turned a deep plum color. "Since it Is a fait accompli," said Lady Erythea to her brother-in-law, almost with a touch of pleading, "be amiable, Anthony, and bestow your blessing on the happy pair."' She raised her ear-trumpet as though to share in the benediction. Lord Scroope looked at Georgina dumbly and then stared at Lady Erythea. "What did you say?" he asked diz zily. "The happy pair!" said Lady Ery thea, loudly and Irritably. "Where Is my daughter?" exclaimed Lord Scroope with consternation. "Ery thea, where Is my daughter?" Lady Erythea started. She glanced at Georgina's horror-6trIcken face, and then, with deep concern, moved to her brother-in-law's side. "My dear Anthony," she said In a low voice, "come upstairs and lie down. It will soon pass off. Do not be alarmed, Aimee. Leon on my arm, Anthony." Lord Scroope shook himself free. "Are you in your senses, Erythea? This is my niece by marrlage?Geor gina Beniers. What is she doing here?" 'T-yes." gulped Alexander's fiancee. "I'm Geo.gina. I couldn't help it." She collapsed Into an armchair and burst into tears Alexander stood over her like a large and protective dog ; he laid a hand on her shoulder and glared at the others with defiance. Lady Erythea turned pale. It was disconcerting to find two members ct the Scroope family simultaneously smitten with insanity. "Where is Aimee?" insisted Lord Scroope, turning upon her. "Where is my daughter?" "Dad !" The disheveled parlor maid darted In through yie door. Aimee's cap was awry, her face was pale, her eyes very bnght ; the top of her fipron heaved tumultuously. She stopped short, as Lady Erythea glared speechless at this Irruption. "Don't cry, Georgie," said Aimee ; "it wasn't your fault." "Have I been transported into Bed Ian:?" asked Lord Scroope, dizzily. "Or are vfou rehearsing a charade? What Is sire doing in this costume?" Lrfdy Erythea struggled for breath. 'This," she said grimly, "is my par lor maid. Snooks, whom I foolishly en gaged on your recommendation. She lias engaged herself again, however, to my chauffeur." Lord Scroope looked at his sister-in law with commiseration. "This." he said, in the soothing tone with which one would address a de lirious person, "is my daughter. Almee. I am rather glad to fiiuj her ? in any costume. I began to w<mder what you had done with her." Lady Erythea's frame slowly stiff ened. Her fingers clenched the ear1 trumpet as though it were the handle of a club. Her eyes were terrible. Be fore the storm could break, Aimee in tervened. "It wasn't Ai? .it's fault. Dad," she said breathlessly, "nor Georgie's ? nor Alexander's. It was all mine. And If you all want to beat somebody, it had better be me ! I ? I'm here to explain !" "Some explanation," said Lord Scroope' quietly, "seems to be called for." Aimee, avoiding her aunt's eyes, ad dressed herself to the quivering ear trumpet. "I didn't want to come here. Dad made me. I was ? frightened of you. Anyway, I didn't think Jervaulx would suit me, and that you'd hate me. So I skipped the car at Bnrn Ash," said Almee, her speech pouring from her like a torrent, "and made the chauffeur bring Georgjna on here. And I ment off on my own ! "Georglna arrived here, and you took her for me. You Insisted she was me. And she didn't dare explain, for fear of getting me Into a row. That's what Georgie Is! S^e can't lie ? she can't even act ? but she'd let you cut her In pieces before she'd get me into trouble ! "I got here the same night, and climbed Into her room. And Georgie begged me to own up, and I wouldn't And I came the next night ; Georgie was ready to give It all away?and then the burglars got In. I was nearly caught, all the household chased me. the butler tore a great piece out of my skirt. But I got away, and at last right down by the crossroads, I ran Into Bll ? Mr. Spencer." Almee paused for breath. "Who," Inquired Lord Scroope, In the hush that followed, "Is Mr. Spencer?" "A motorcyclist. He had eome across the thieves getting away, had a fight with them ? they were too many for him, but he got back some ef the Jew* els. I told him tfce awful nnxa I was in. Of course, th<^ police were after me ? rrt seen ihslr car already. If they gat hold of ma, tfcay'd know t ha? the. silly thing I'd done." said Ainu ,. a gulp. "It would come out tliat I your daughter? it*wouid be all ,)V country, and in all the newsp;,,,,.,.^^ . r Lord Scroope, very paie, drew a ,j 'breath, and ghve a prolonged shijiit "B? Mr. Spencer told me I'd got?" go back and make a clean breast of, all. He wanted to tell you. But i ^/r) , dare. I refused to let him say a 0t thing? I made him swear he would!!" It was my trouble, not his. So he <]m what I asked ; even though it n ? the police would suspect him, too. o! he took the jewels to Aunt K.-yth^ and never said a word about me : an*| when she offered him the Job as , haaf feur he took It; so that the poll * wouldn't suspect him?or me' u came here and drove Aunt's oars!" * "And you?" said her father quietlr "What happened to you?" ^ "I went back to Scroope next day j found Amy Snooks was coming here ? maid? I ma<Je her go to Seabridge. an(f took her place. Dad. Just to ho saf9 from those beastly police? In tin- hop, they'd catch the thieves, If we ?:iTft them time ? and then they woui^ catch me nnd make me explain. Anj it's Just what happened; Billy? Mr Spencer ? caught one of them ytster. day, and the police have got him. w body knows anything about me, except you here!" Aimee panted like a deer nt hay. "And Billy's asked me to marry him and I'm going to!" she said despite-' ly. "I love him ! There's nobody Billy? he's been splendid ! He isn't a chauffeur at all? till Aunt made li!ia one. And I'd marry him, even if hs was !" declared Aimee, on the verge of tears. There was a stunned silence. For once speech denied Itself even tol.aily Erythea. Georgina was sobbing gently in the chair. Alexander still stood over her and said nothing. "I seem to find a thread of enlighten ment in this story," suid Lord Scroope, slowly. "Yes, I think I know enough of you, Aimee, to understand. 1 have a question to put. You came here on the day following the burglary. Where did you spend the previous niglitt What were you doing?" "I was in a cave !" Lord Scroope passed a long white hand across his brow. "A cave?" he repeated, blankly. "Ycu have reverted, it seems, to the customs of our Neolithic ancestors ? " "It was a ripping cave," said Aimee a little hysterically, "down in the crag pits. All the little rabbits for company. It was more peaceful than Jervaulx. I krtmv it wouldn't have suited Georgie.* "May I ask when this unknown young man fiermitted himself to pro pose to you?" "Yesterday !" "We will not pursue that matter." said Lord Scroope, gloomily; "Hits hardly seems the time or place for de tailed explanations. I feel ? " "fhe door opened and Mofisieur rt# Jussac entered. He gave a slight start as his eyes traveled rapidly over the group. "A thousand pardons! A family matter, I perceive," he said quickly, "I will withdraw ? " "Don't go, Vicomte!" exclaimed Aimee. "Anyone who's a friend of mine is welcome here. You may as well be In at the death." "If I can be of any service ? " said Bertrand. He bowed courteously to Aimee's fathci. "Lord Scroope, I pre sume." "You," said Lady Erythea to Ber trand, trembling with wrath, "w?rt also In this conspiracy! You apf*>ar know the whole story P "Oh, of course he knows it," saii Almee, wildly, "just as Billy knew It. and Georgina, and Diana, too. Thej all did their best for me ? right from the beginning. I wasn't worth it? hut they did." "It seems," said Lady Erythea, grtP* ping the back of a chair, "that every one in my household knew all about this ? except mysfelf and my nephew 1 Who, through his position and his inn*' conce, now finds himself ? " "I beg your pardon. Aunt," said Al exander, pallid but calm, "I, also, kne* everything that was to be known from the moment Almee entered thli house. I kaew that Georgina? wa? Georgina. I ftm as culpable as any." (TO BE CONTINUED.) Imagination and Memory. ?>. pagination la not, like memory, held to actuftl experience. It takes tb? mind beyond its own experience, be yond the present and apparent B Ideall? ?