THE HEART OF A GIRL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3525, 16 May 1912, Page 3

THE HEART OF A GIRL.

BY HENRY FARMER,

Author of ‘‘The Money-Lender,’’ “12a, Quiltry Street,” “Bondage,” etc. (Published by Special Arrangement.) COPYRIGHT—ALL BIGHTS RESERVED ' CHAPTER IV. (Continued)There was much about the Hasted hank robbery and the manager’s sensational arrest. Mr Stanmore was to be brought up before the magistrates in Hasted Town Hall at ten'o’clock. It was estimated that something like four thousand pounds had been stolen ini the shape of notes, gold, securities, and scrip of various kinds, of which it was alleged some two hundred pounds had been recovered in the private premises adjoining the bank. Queenie had written, to Hilary on the .previous night, addressing it to him at the police station, but not knowing whether it would be delivered to him.

“Beryl,” she said. “Would you send a telegram for me ? ‘Stanmore, the Town Hall, Hasted. Am coming. May be late owing to log, but coming. No doubts at all. Queenie.’ You’ll remember it, won’t you! I must get in now. ■ Good-bye. Beryl, thanks so much. I’ll wire you my address and when you may expect me back!” The train crawled slowly from the station. Presently a. couple-of togsignals poped, and the train drew up. Queenie was staring at the newspaper. There has not been time to read all on the platform.

“Oh, my dear ” she whispered suddenly.

Finger-prints had been discovered on the strong-room door which were alleged to correspond with those of the arrested bank manager. The next moment, however, Queenie’s optimism asserted itself. What more natural thing than .that fingerprints found on the strong-room door should correspond with the bank manager’s? What could such a,discovery prove in itself? She read on:

“It is alleged that the finger-prints to which the police attach particular importance has been made by a finger stained with ink, and according to Mrs Horton, Mr Stanmore was writing a letter in the dining-room when, last seen before the robbery and outrage was brought to light. “The mystery is, if anything, intensified by an official description of an individual wanted in connection with the mystery which we append: “ ‘Rov Stannard, age about thirty-

seven. Medium height, clean-shaven, light-blue' eyes, and lightish brown hair, and in the habit of carrying his left shoulder somewhat higher than the right. Left eye-tooth missing. May be wearing dark cloth cap, long, dark-brown overcoat the. worse for wear, blue-serge reefer suit, and brown boots. Is alleged to have been in Hasted on the evening and- night of the 17tli ult. Anyone in a position to give information as to the present whereabouts of Roy Stannard, or who saw an individual in Hasted answering the above description is requested to. communicate at once ’ ” etc.

The locomotive whistled hoarsely ; the train began to crawl on again into the fog. Queenie closed her eyes tightly as if it helped her the better to concentrate her thoughts. “Roy Stannard?” . She repeated it several times ; but the name was strange to her.

Of course, this Roy Stannard was Hilary’s visitor, the man who had drugged him, obtained possession of the keys, and committed the robbery. Hilary must have furnished the police with this description and the man’s name; hut Queenie, racking her memory desperately, could not recall ever having heard Hilary speak of anyone of that name.

She clenched her hands- Fog-signals were popping again. The train stopped. Hilary had put in his telegram that he was the victim of a conspiracy'. Was this man, Roy Stannard, at the bottom of the conspiracy? He must be.

“Is ‘alleged’ to have been in Hasted?” she said to herself. The word “alleged” frightened her a little. Somehow it suggested to her the police or the authorities or somebody had doubts as to such a person having been in Hasted at the time the robbery was committed.

“But I will not meet trouble halfway !” she whispered, and she flung back her head and smiled hard with her lips.'

Her girl-friends at Voile’s knew that smile; Beryl knew it, had seen it frame on her sister’s lips, arresting hot, sarcastic words on the tip of her tongue, on occasions when Mrs Price was more depressingiy lachrymose than usual, or Mr Gordon Price, having returned home inordinately weary and inclined to scatter cigar-ash,indis-criminately about, the carpet, wondered where the next shilling' 'was'coming from, and quoted the salaries earned by young women oil the musical-com-edy stage,' speaking with tears in his eyes of a father he knew who had thrown up a government appointment to devote himself entirely to: the'interests of liis two daughters, earning sixty and: forty pounds per week respectively. (To be continued daily.)