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PAGE SIX The Moorcroft Manor Mystery By J. R, WILMOT (Author of "Where There's a Will", etc.-. CHAPTER 2 L Moorcraft Manor was an dntrigu- ng sort of place. Built in the Tu- ar style of architecture it had known isolated grandeur of the days when the North was regarded as be- ine infinitely safer than the South, Its owners, after the turmoil of po- litical and military bludgeonings of the 16th and 17th centuries had [sought refuge and recuperation there, moderately safe, in a geographical 'sense, irom the vacilating dities lof Court life. The Le Breetons had originally 'crossed with William the Norman and were people of considerable con- sequence after their leader had par- celled up the more desirable pieces lof English demesnes for the subse- uent benefit of his fellow country- en, From this promising commence- ment they had taken the opportunity | from time to time, of adding to their worldly store such things as be- fitted their baronial position, and, as the years rolled by, they became 'more powerful than kings, and cer- tainly more reliable as regards pres- | tige and security of tenure, It was to make their position in- finitely more secure that Roger Le Breeton conceived the idea of in- _vestigating the northern wilds, and establishing a retreat in the midst of the unmapped moorlands, where many of the family treasures would be safe from the frequent revolts and the uncertain tempers of reigning "monarchs. Gradually, however, with the decline in baronial power, the Le Breetons had established them- selves in their Northern hmoe where the family tradition continued to be perpetuated until the decay of the nineteenth century, with its financial anxictics, caused a series of gaps in the family history which were des- tined never to be closed. As a result, however, of the con- ! tinued succession of Le Breetons, at 5 A the Manor, the house was, at the! ¢ time of this story, in a remarkable ( condition of preservation, Its mull- lioned windows, hung with ivy; its turrets and its porticos were as good f today as they had been three hund- x red years ago, Its interior was even | v better. Succeeding generations had installed the best that the Age of Inventions had sent forth, and, when Silas Overington took possession o: ( the place a fortnight before Chri { mas, it was az well inter { hotel. { The new tenant had inci { cupying the place at least a 11.0 { before, but certain business tronsac- , tions of a somewhat delicate nature had prevented his leay London lier. This, however, gave him the of beginning h's tenan- representative a house 'ould gather together. to make the event one ¢, Overington had con- Isabel Forrester, who, Silas up scceially in Lon- umed th: position of d'affaires for him, a duty Overing on, having lost beginning of a suc- er, was fully thankful to mpeten! hands, i Overington's idea that he ld have a Christmas party at Manor, and Lady Isabel had mised to provide just that leaven od company that such a place orcroft Manor demanded. In this way she had come to in- vite Morton Sinclair, a young man, quietly capable in most departments of life, recently released from Ox- ford where he had spent a number of years in the pursuit of profound knowledge associated with one of the diverse branches of philosophy, and also the coveted ¢'stinction of a double blue, "Look here, Isabel," he had said, when she had put the matter to him, "you know as well as I do that house parties aren't exactly in my line. I shall be dull, abysmally dull, and T shall probably spread the con- tagion. Now if you had asked Clif- { Merrivale I should have ap- ~ plauded your choice. He's just the sort of fellow you want for an oc- casion like tlus. He has everything to commend him. An amiable man- ner; a conversational Napoleon; he ~ sings and, if you persuaded him, I've ! no doubt but what he could trot out f lour tricks. Why don't you an a an as the M ecause I'm certain enjoy yourself much more than would Mr. Merrivale. Won't you come, Morton, to please me?" "When you put it like that, what can I say? But why not ask Merri- vale as well--I happen to know he's doing nothing over the holiday, he mentioned it to me only yesterday. If you ask him, I'll come, too." "That's settled then," smiled Lady Isabel, "I'll write to him tonight." * x x you would Morton Sinclair stepped out on the platform at Brindley two days before Christmas. He had hoped that Mer- rivale would have been able to ac- company him, but that gentleman, being connected with the profession of Law, had to stay in town until Christmas Eye to attend to some business for a client he could not very well afford to offend. It was a delightful December af- ternoon. There was a pleasant edge to the wind that blew from the moors, and, having learned from the porter that Moorcroft Manor was not a great distance from the sta- tion, he decided that the walk would reiresh lim after his long and tedi- Cus journey. After a few minutes tramp the young man came to the cdge of the Moorcroft estate. It was bounded by a low stone wail over which he could the grey building rising behind the leafless trees. ulting lightly over the wall, he ded to approach the place across park until he struck the car- riage drive. A row of poplar trees flanked the neglected thoroughfare - and their lean branches whispered Sinclair had a particular distaste for poplars. They reminded him in a curious way of the four ycars' break in his studies at Oxford--four years of 'unpleasant recollections of long straight roads and miles and miles of poplar trees broken and disfigured by shell fire. Never again could pop- lars and ethercal beauty be associa- ted in his mind. As he neared the old house, out- lined darkly before the orange glow of the setting sun, he paused to con- template it. He was singularly in terested in antiques. That was one of the reasons why he had consent: ed to join Lady Isabel's party. Old houses provided an unending attrac- tion for him. To him they belong ed to an age which we moderns can never rightly understand, much less appreciate, They seemed to mock modernity, to ery aloud for that aloofness and seclusion 'which is the prerogative of age, but which is of ten denied them in these days of cults for the antique. Added to this, Morton Sinclair was unusually sen- sitive, There was something in his nature that was curiously vibrant to sensations to which the average per- son was indifferently ignorant. He had experienced it first during the war. Once he had been in what was regarded as a perfectly safe billet a good way behind the lines, but something told him that danger was imminent and he had refused to re- main in the place. Three hours after his vacating it it was raised to the ground by enemy shell-fire. Some years afterwards when he was back in London he visited a house where a particularly gruesome murder had been committed and once again he sensed something strange and unus- ual, As he neared the Manor, its tur- rets rising gaunt and grey amid a mass of large-leaved ivy, there as- THE OSHAWA DAILY TIMES » CDAY, DECEMBER 5, sailed him the same sensation of re- ' pulsion which, from his past experi- ences he had come to regard as an omen of evil, Silas Overington greeted him sively in the spacious hall. "I'm exceptionally pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr. Sinclair, Lady Forrester has told me quite a lot about your scholastic triumphs, your researches and what-not, and being | rather an ignoramus myself, I'm looking forward to having quite a number of interesting talks with on" Almost immediately the young man told himself that Silas Overington was a very likeable man. He had! pictured him as something different-- arrogant and overbearing like most successful men he had met. effu- | Sinclair. "I assure you Mr. Overing- ton that I'm not exactly a social lion, so you mustn't expect too much from me in that direction." "Don't you worry about that, Mr. Sinclair. If the world was full of entertainers where would we fil our audience?" Sinclair laughed. He had doubts about Silas Overington's admission as to ignorance. Just then Sinclair caught sight of a girl descending the bread stair- case, She walked with magnificent self-assurance and an easy grace that is a rarity among women, no matter how coldly sophisticated they may be, Her flaxen ® hair was neatly shingled, revealing the contour of a perfectly-shaped head; her intense blue eyes danced with the divine fire of youth, His host, noticing Sinclair's wrapt attention on something beyond him, turned to investigate. "Ah, here's Helen," he said ene thusiastically, "Helen, this is Mr. Morton Sinclair, the young gentle- man Lady Forrestor mentioned." "I'm very pleased to meet you, Mr, Sinclair," said the girl, simply and without affectation, "I hope you manged to find the place without much trouble. I saw you coming up landscape from one of ows." the wind- "I thought I'd like a walk," Sine- Important Developments At 'Clericy' Mining Camp COPPER HILL FEATURES FAVORABLE REPORT nding featuras in Canada's ne industry for the years 1926 id 1927 have undoubtedly heen the revelation of new mineral wealth and the development of new mining eamps in all sections of its area, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and the advent into Cana- dian mining circles of great min- ing interests, havine headquarters in both Great Britain and the Uni- ted States. As a matter of fact, from the early days of Cobalt to the present time, Ontario mining camps have been especially fortunate in attract- ing the attention of some one or more of the mining corporations of recognized importance and reputa- tion, The eai'y aitention paid to Co- bal by Col. W. B. Thompson and E. P. Earle and the interest in those early discoveries displayed by the Guggenheims, the Lewissohns, John Hays Hammond and Barney Baruch did much to awaken the world-wide interest that came later on. In those days Ontario had no great mining corporations such as she has today and had to look to outside capital. In the same way the other camps of the North have been fortunate in geevnr'~~ men of importance in the min world to interest them- sel 1 the early discoveries. This outside eapital having heen enlisted, persistence of effort was assured and encouragement given to both the small operator and the prospector to continue their efforts. Capital and persistent effort have made the great mining camps of Northern Ontario and Northern Quebec what they are today. The recent market activity is only the culminating point, that was hound to follow the great prospecting and mining activity that has prevailed during the past few years throucrh- out the mining areas of the North Probably no new mining camn of the Northland has so jumped into the limelizht as Northern Quebec's newest camp of "Cleriecy." It was only in the spring of the current year that active develop- ment of the discoveries bezan. To- day a dozen properties are being actively developed. Shafts have been sunk to varying depth, the deepest probably being 125 feet, and an immense amount of trench- ing and Radiore surveying bas been done. A railway station hes been pro- vided and a busy mining town is being built up. Copper Hill Mines, Limited. has been one of the most active com- panies operating in the district. Under the direction of Mr. Julius M. Cohen, M.E., work has been carried on with exceptionally en- couraging results during the past six months. Diamopd drilling in each of the seven holes put down revealed ore in every hole aeross widths varying from 22 feet to 54 feet, civing evidence of a massive ore body heavily impregnated with chalcopyrite, A shaft has been sunk on this ore body and is now down more than 60 feet, and the importance of the showings to date is evidene- ed in the report recently made by Mr. N. O. Lawton, who recently inspected the property for Mr, Au- gust Heckscher. of New York City. whose mining interests are diver- sifed and located in many camps in the United States and Canada and known to Canadians because of his directorship in the Nipissing suddenly eerily in the slight December breeze. a SEES PR 7 JT RR Board. FE Vy Mr. Heckscher is a multi-million- owner of the New Jersey Zire Co. His entry into Northern Quebec, following his acquisition of a very substantial interest in the Copper Hill Company, involving, is bound to attract other operators, : Mr, Lawton's recent visit to the Noranda property so enthused him with the possibilities of Northern Quebec that he availed himself of his visit there to inspect and report on Copper Hill for Mr. Heckscher. He expressed himself in favor- able terms and endorsed the opera- tions to date hy the resident en- gineer, Mr. Julius Cohen. It means much to a new field like Clericy to have an engineer of Mr. Lawton's standing come out so outspokenly In expressing his favorable impressions, Mr. Lawton's experience as an engineer and geologist has been a varied ome, and he has occupied many very prominent positions in his profession. ; After three years in the fleld for the Michigan Geological Suryey (two of which he was in charge), he was chief engineer for the Pen- oka and Gogebie Consolidated Mines, with five operating mines and the Aurora Iron Mining Company. He was there for thir- teen years and then took charge of the Iron Belt Mining Company's properties on the Iron Belt Wis- consin for six years. His labors were then varied by his becoming General Superintendent for the Newfoundland Exploration Com- pany and the Terra Nova Company, remaining there three years. He then spent a year each with the Arnold Iron Mine of New York State and Brown Alaska Company and then become the Superinten- dent of Mines for the Miami Cop- ver Company, Arizona, and as such planned the development and sys- tem of mining of the property. For the last gix years he bas been consulting engineer for Mr. August Heckscher and has followed his profession of consulting en- gineer in Salt Lake City. Mr. Lawion, impressed with the massive showings of chalcopyrite on Copper Hill across commercial widths and with the results at depth on the Horne, is encouraged to look for similar conditions at depth in the Copper Hill. It has heen established by the diamond drilling done to date that values and formation are sustained to the lowest point vet reached. Further diamond drilling and underground exploartion will be vigorously pros- ecuted, as an ample treasury has been provided. Owing the depth of the over- burden, trenching proved both slow and expensive, and a contract was let with the Radiore Company. Re- sults were most satisfactory, and the presence established of miner- alized zone: over a very large pro- portion of the company's acreage. Eight conductors have been estab- lished by the Radiore on new a A "I hope Lady Isabel hasn't been |in London. telling you a lot of nonsense," smiled | the drive when T was admiring the | aire, widely known as the former | iron | laid admitted, "especially after my | journey. Blow the cob-webs off, you! know." "Pll leave you in my daughters hands, now," smiled Overington, "Get her to show you round the place; she'll be as good as any guide you ever had. We haven't been here | long, but I believe there's scarcely | a corner of the old place she doesn's know." Helen Overington led the way in- to the long oak-panciled Library with its open hearth and raftered ceilin It was a magnificent apartment an an enormous log fire crackled in the centre opposite the door. ; "I'm sure that Lady Forrester will provide us with plenty of entertain- ment," she smiled and she sank in- to a spacious easy chair before the fire. "She's been awfully good to us I don't really know what we should have done without her." "She is rfather wonderful," Sinclair owned. "I have heard her described as one of the most efficient women in the whole of London, She possesses a perfect genius for marshalling the requisite ingredients ior a successful , house party. I have often told her," | ho smiled, "that if ever Sir John falls | upon scanty times she need never be without an occupation." The girl laughed, a sincere, whole- some laugh, with a ring of real pleasure in it, In the glow from the | fire she looked even more wonder- {ful than ever, he thought. A trim maid entered with tea, | deliciously fresh-brewed, with toasted "scones heaped with half-molten but- ter, "They don't know how to make tea in London, Mr. Sinclair," said Helen as she handed him his cup. "I've never tasted anything like it 'until we came here. Before we leave I'm going to persuade the cook to give me a hint or two, A scone? | They're really delicious, too." "Thanks!" Sinclair sipped the bey- erage with due reverence and had to admit that it was all that his host- ess claimed for it, "It's rather too dark to show you gver the place tonight," went on Helen, "but there'll be plenty of time tomorrow. Lady Isabel's gone {down into the town in her car to order some things for father, anl the remainder of our guests are Jue any time tomorrow, "I forgot to tell you," Sinclair a- pologized. "Mr. Merrivale won't be able to get down until Christmas Eve. He's awfully sorry, of course, but he has some business to attend to "Mr, Merrivale? I seem to have heard the name before" Do you hink U've met him in London? Lady Forrester didn't mention him par cularly, I must have overlooked his ame in the list of guests." "It's quite likely that you have not met him," said the young man, con- scious f a curious pang of regrer, | "lies a regular man-about-town, you kuow; just the sort of fellow you {want in a Christma: paity., As a matter of fact it was I who suggest- ed him to Lady Isabel. He and I are very good friends." Morton Sinclair was conscious that his mention of Merrivale's name had stirred a memory in the girl's mind; conscious also that that memory was not altogether a happy one. But why? Had he unwittingly raked the ashes of a romance long dead, if so why had Merrivale accepted the in- vitation ? Helen Overington leaned forward and switched on the light in the tall electric lamp that stood close be- side the fireplace, "We will be dining at seven," she said, smiling once more, as if a8 cloud had passed irom the sun of her per sonality, "There'll be no need to | dress. Dinner will be very informal, ' Just Sir John and Lady Forrester and ourselves." Sinclair, feel'ng that their little tete-a-tcte had « tuded, mentioned that in any « 1 t along to his ro | gaze had ca pe US. AVERAGE WAGE HIGHEST IN WORLD High Level of Prosperity is Result of General Progress Washington, Dee. 5.--Secretary of Commerce Hoover in his report for the fiscal year 1927 which was made public Friday declared that the rate of real wages in the Unit. ed States during that period "re- mained higher than anywhere else in the world or than at any other time in world history." He also emphasized his convie- tion that this high level of pros- perity was the result of a general and permanent progress basad up- on sound fimdamentals, which gave reason for the belief that satisfactory conditions would con- tinue. "The evidence of advance "Dividing the total amount paid in wages by the average number of wage-earners as reported by the census of manufacturers, the aver- age annual wage for 1925 is found to have been $1,280. - This averaue is for both sexes, all ages and all degress of skill, Adjusting for changes in the buying power of money, the figure was at least 35 per cent higher in 1925 than in 1924 and that in the face of a con- siderable shortening of the working day." Outstanding points develoned by Mr. Hoover, and in an accompany- ing report hy E. Dana Durand, chief of division of statistical re- search, were that Industry made great strides in efficiency which had been accompanied by the maintenance of high ware lev- ¢#lg, without rise in price levels; the steady development of trans- portation facilities; the command- ing position maintained by the United States in its foreign trade, and the apparent sound condition of the credit and general financial structure of the country, He: "Before we were married you said that my slightest wish should be your law." : She: "Exactly, my love; but you in ; wages is clear," said Mr. Hoover. | had | Telephone~-- 262 Four direct lines to Central Fore Solvay We are Sole Jeddo Premium Coal The Best Produced in America General Motors Wood ~~ All Fuel Orders weighed on City Scales if desired, DIXON'S Coke Agents ---- AIR MAIL TESTS TO BE CONTINUED Post Office Department Buys Another De Havi- land Airplane BR ---- '"* type to continue the the aerial transport 'g at ocean ports, ition with the Air HE BEST IN RADIOS THE MARCONI SHOP Cor, King & Cclina, Phone 2604 il De, Expe: ilucted hetween Father FP Montreal were considered highly satisfactory this autumn and now that the St. Law- rence season is closed and the mail boats are coming to St. John and Halifax, similar services between | there and Montreal will be operat- | ed during the winter. The tests | will be more severe than 'this Fall | Men's Heavy Felt Boots Special $2.49 have so many vigorous and well-des veloped wishes that I'm vnable to de- cide which is the slightest," Domirion Clothing Co. 68 King St. W. Phone 2141 Ottawa, Dec, 5.--The Post Office Department has placed an order for another De Ilaviland airplane when usually fine weather prevail- | ed while the distance is longer, | Half an bh edge of bis first pro! Had H in love wiih she had, how known about it Moorcroft Manor: ENGLAND, FRANCE UNITE TO FICH FOR CIVILIZATION and France who fought superbly side by side in the tragic years of the Great War to defend the cause of right and justice, will once again be called into action, this time to bar the way of destructive forces now assailing the very foundation of Christian civilization." So ae- clared Hon. Rodolphe Lemieux, Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons, in an address of wel- come to Baron De Vitrolles, the new Consul-Geperal of France, who was the guest of honor at a ban- suet tendered Saturday by the Ot- tawa branch of the Association of France-Amerique. "People throughout the universe were followng with keen anxiety the first stages of the struggle be- tween the Orient and the Oceidont, of which the Russian revolution was a sort of prelude," said Mr. Lemieux. "A deadly peril hovered over the world. Everybody sensed the greatness of the danger and the compelling necessity of service to avoid beng wiped out." Hon Mr. Lemieux declared that distressed humanity must turn to England and France for the preser- vation of its civilization. "To Eng- land where law, order, discipline and freedom reigned; .to France where the flower of idealisnr thriv. ed in the fullness of light." 1 1 | | zround recently secured by Cop Hill. These will all be opened mp by underground development, as a compressor has been set up, and sinking and drilling will pow be done by air. Active Aeveloppent onthe Waite recently aequi by the Noranda, is also being vigorously prosecuted, and Clericy is today recognized as one of the permanent and most promising camps of the North. Specially packed in paper, in a beautiful tin that York" and is good to the last slice. richl For seven years now; Cenada Bread Company has made this gorgeous cake and each year sees its greater popu- CANADA PREAD COMPANY Lixited e Whole Round World = has sent tis tribute fo complete lus wonderful Chnétmas Cake Recipes from castle and manor, abbey and convent, from the' , eat clubs and famous inns, from stately town and country , baye been combined to make the "Merrie York" Christmas Cake a superb, lordly and delicious cake for Yuletide, - Rich with the old-time goodness that was the secret of those who cooked for the finest in the land-- And now with the added charm, delicacy and distinction of flavor that the resources of the modern world make possible, To "Merrie York" we bring cherries from France--citron and rare peels from Italy--pi from Hawaii--pecans from Georgia and Texas ts from Bordeaux--spices from far» away India and Ceylon--the finest of flour from Canada-- Almost the whole round world has sent its tribute to complete the epicurean excellence of the cake for your Christmas ,bospitalities--the "Merrie York." Ask the Canada Bread man to deliver 8 "Merrie York" Christmas Cake to you and enjoy a Yuletide treat, glassine colored is a gift im itoclf, "Merrie Christmas Cake keeps perfectly {