THE CURSE OF THE CARDEWS OR AFTER THREE HUNDRED YEARS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 154, 10 May 1909, Page 3

THE CURSE OF THE CARDEWS OR AFTER THREE HUNDRED YEARS.

J (All Ri#b'« n*m*r-r*<l.)

By VT. MfIiRAY OItAYDON, Author of '•Tli- lllackmailcr*." "Iteapin* the Whirlwind." "Tbt Hair of the Loudouns," Etc.

I'AHT aa. CIIAtTKK XXXII. A BTAHTLIXCJ AWAKENING*. The extent tu which the intervi«-w «a« prolonged and the communicative iimnii that Ilamon Torrann ««• in ha«l given Geoffrey a ray of en-our«gi-menl and sotwwhat lightened hj»» dwpair. He had te»n|»ori>«-<: and a»kcd questions. put fortrarti what argument! l * he .could, in tht vjupno hope that he might move the of hi* enemy, it wn« all in x«iii He was quickly undeceived «h.i» the Spaniard quickly called i.,r rop*«. and hift face litan--h.-.t a* Ilelchcr and Manuel api.r.>»rh*Hl and lifted him to his fret. I rrar.B stood hy indifferently. puff- ■■;>* at » cigarette. Hun one will I* bc*.t." he «ai«i. :..>!nt(mj to an iron wood tri*' n f«tv

•.. ni.v ..ft. at the Iwi-e of the hill. It > a foolish idea. f«r»t amila.M. r.» m> «a> of thinkinjr." grumMed lu•'• h<t. "Why not put a bullet through hi* h«-ad and heave him into tlrr- river?"

"Why open the nueMion again. Wrl? 1 understood that it *»«*

"All tight. th«n : you're doing it. lUn tvmrmluT thnt 1 warimi .von." "I don't know what von are afraid of. I'm yon iiiutgiti'' that the fellow is going to shake him*■•lf '«■«•* «n«' w«lk oil directly we've turned our haek* ?" "I want to we him polished off IWoie *«• Btart." *•«» the flagged replv. It*« not *afe to leave him a ghost «»f a chanc-. and your scheme given him more than lhat. Men have esca|»ed from tightir places, and yu»i can't deny it. What happened mice n«o> hap|Kii again : nothing is impos.MlnV. Kill him. and link the hmly : that's the only sure way."

Thrrc was an int. rval of hesitating silence, and it was evident that the captive's fate. or. rather. the manner of it. hung in the l»alam-. Wet llckher was implacable and merrile.fi. actuated l»y mere brutish hi,tr»d. Torrana. on th«" other hand was not certain of hi* own io-ling*. with the impulsive, fiery tinture o< » Spaniard, he was revengeful ami crr.et only when he made hiins.-lf !•<♦- fietc that the wrong done to *»•**■ nnc«stors was a |*rsoiinl injury to him»» If. when he thought of tie* hunted e\i*tenc*» h>- h«d led. of llv hard.-hips he had .•.iifk-ri-d. s'»n«-e Ui< rhanee encounter with t.Voiu.y hi llf tr H in had u|wt hi- plan-. Thes.fHt n( pas.»ion invariably eool-d l»i« {••m»xr and stirred tie- l»«i»r >bf.f>t him. He "waft in such n mind now. He realised th>> mv»sMty of »r>niriru; altout the prison* r'h ile.uh. l.ut Shrank from committing e-i»al »tood*hrd. To achnte th-- wiw r. - Mill by natural ni'-un* notdd. he liked to think, soothe hi* cons-ieiire and leave no haunting burden of IP""- . .. "We have dcviik-d what to do.

h>» *ahl. finally. "It »* a simplv «"*- |.«dit>nt nml a sai> one. I'll l*-ur the responsibility. AIH. •• H» ,rr was lh«; slightest chaticr of «!•<•- fallow »«'ing able lo ."M'a|«*. I Mould favour your harsher «■-•« l»«««i- »»«' thrrt- i* npn'*. Do urn agree with me. Man*i>*l '.'"

"As to th«* HiniM'*. >••■»-" i.i'l'P'l Manm-l. "He is oh good a* «hn«l. rhough it would In- moie tiu-rei.'ul t,» shoot hint ami bntc don>* with i'. lie trill perish of lingering starvation, or wild IcaM- will make a tidier end pf him. l»"t .■*'n|<«— no. Not if he U |»ro|*-rly tied." "I d«»n't want to prolong his suf-f-rings." said Torrana. in a doubtful tone.

" I'm not worried about that." ib-lrhcr answered, brutally. "He m»* live too long, though. Suppose conies by and rescues huii V

"A cbanve In a million," »aW Manuel. "Who but ourselves enn I•> in this part of the country ?" "What about Indians ?"

There arc only the Arawaks. and they belong further to the soulh»Vl. Moreover, they ar«* cannibal", and if our prisoner fell into their hands they would surely kill and eat him." "Well, you're t*o lo oi»«\" gruinVfed IVlchcr. "Hav..» jimr n«nv»y. but don't forget that I warned you" •Tome. Iks quick." broke in Torrana- "It is *timc we were starting." At that the discussion was cut short. With tacit consent Itelchcr and Hanuel hauled the captive to the ironwood tree, and. placing hnn in an upright position against it. with bis arms behind bim. they wrapped him round and round with many coils of thick rope, from bin fret to bis shoulders, drawing his body as tightly •» possible to the trunk. .As his wrists and ankles wer« separately bound, he was thus doubly secured. The knots were tied at the back of the trcv. and then, the task finished. Ik-lcher rolled a trip of greasy linen into a gag and thrust it between Geoffrey's teeth, "Why do that ?" protected Torrana. "Let him breathe." "1% won't hurt bim," said Ikrlcher. "I mean to have no* own way for once."

Hilcntty and hastily. a» if each feared thai one or the other might fe»t remorse fur the cold-blooded dted they wwro ficrpvtrating. the three shouldered rifles and pack*, and set off along the narrow path in a north-westerly direction, walking io single file. Belcher, who was last, turned for an instant to mock the captive with a grin of devilish malignity. He followed his companions.* who did not look back. They were quickly lost to sight in the"dense vegetation that bordered th»- stream, and the faint rustic of Iheir footsteps died n«'ny.

tJeoftrry's first sensation, when he j found hiniscif aloue. wa*; one of-rc« !

! Ii«-f and - gratitude. During the altrcß'ion over his fate he had dis- ; <!ain»><l to ask for mercy, partly l>e > mise he knew that any such appeal vw.iifl i»t» futile, and In-cnus** he fcaril that flclrhcr's counsel might pre\fiil. He had awaited the decision "i'h agonising suspense, and it had ' r a »vti hope to spring up in his , h'-art. At least, he was not to Ik killed, and that was comfort enough : for the present.

"Torrana. wishes to give mc a chance,"' he reflected. '"1 shall find fcomc way to csca|K\, Time and patiencc will surely do it." Thus he consoled himself while his enemies were trussing liim to the trw. until he had >-ecn the last o them ,* but now, when he came tc test the situation, he very soon re nlised that he had been deceived He tugged and strained with all hit might, nor stop|ied until he was utterly exhausted and racked with pain. He had accomplished nothing : not by a fraction of an inch had he loosed the cutting pressure of the ropes or eased his limbs. IK was tightly wrapped, coil upon coil, nnd his strength was of no more avail against the cruel bonds thor if tli«'y hod been of slevl. Even if his hands had I**ll free—and it was

eipmlh impossible to accomplish that—he could- not have bettered himself in the least.

Hlack despair succeeded to the brief interval of hopo. He continued to writhe, panting for breath, rebelling against a merciless and unjust Providence. With considerable diffi-

culty he managed to eject the gag from his mouth : but then* was no

advantage in having the use of his \oi«T. for it could bring no human nid t«» him. «»n tin- contrary, it would draw four-footed iocs to the spot. He kir.-w thnt he was doomed to n Ivrribl- death—a death most probably by tin- slow agonies of

«r art at ion. the tortures of his u\t~ right postilion—and as! the full horror of such nn end dawned upon him his fortitude and courage gave way. It was too frightful to contemplate. He longed for the pistolshot that he had dreaded before : he prayed that his suiVring might Kpcedily he over. Again and again he tried to te u r himself from the tree, persevering in spite of 1h..» pain. At length, exhausted by his violent anil futile effort*, he ceased to struggle. He was* dizzy and faint, net with per.-piration. With half-

I clo.Mil eye*', with- cramj»cd limbs, he j -iting limply on the ropes that were J cutting into his 11-sh. Each strand burned him a- if tlx-y had been healed" iron clamps. "It is no tiSi-." he moaned. "God and man have d«>scrted n.e. What have I done to deserve such suffering—lo !»• doomed to such a hideous fate The morning advanced, the sun—it l had ."-or."-!) touehed the horizon when Torrnnn and his companions departed —slowly mounted the invisible rn,nge of cloudless sky overhead, and sent his fiery, scoiching breath down into the little ravine, sucking all coolness from the decj«cst shade. On ev«-r>- side was the riotous profusion of tropical growth, rare i utvhids and flow-ring vine* and ( ;>lant* making brilliant spots of | ,-olour airaiust the purplish green i if the foliage. The |» st ilential miMs. curled up from ill- river, which, almost hidden b> the overarching trees, rolled in dark shadow past the whirlpool that had «wallowed Mack Tom and the Chilaiiian. Now and again a splash w,js heard, as a fish or crocodile cMt th- siirfa«e. Monkeys, and •«rr«.|.--. nn«l count l-ss other birds chatted noiselv among the branches, ami hord<s of inse.ts buzze<l round the helpless prisoner, adding to his lorn cuts by settling on his face. Hrigln-h'ud lizanis scutlleil to and >o. and a black and orange snake reared its head from th- grass. to vanish a* quickly with an angry hiss when a tapir shulfled by on the nnt to drink. A couple of nrmadilloe- rusil.il down ■l* - hill, glanced at lit— hu'imn ir.e. aiel lle«l in sudden fright, from far and near strange iitdses and .-ries* were carried on the still, sultry air. The day wore on. hour I\v hour. Geoffrey no longer struggled, lacking the will and the power. He was uncomfortable enough, though the worst of his sufferings hod not yet «-gun. What he was enduring was dighl in comparison wiHt what another day would bring. All his past ife crowded into hi* mind, nil that re had loved and lost, all the links >i misfortune —welded together by '(anion Torrnnn's revelations—that had hcl|»cd the. Curse of the C'ardws to wreak its subtle purpose ipon him. The sun scorched him through the foliage, ami insects -flung him with impunity. At limes light-headed from weakness and the heat, he imagined thai he was wintering in English meadows and woodland : at times he spoke inco-i-rently. muttering the names of Violet and Brian and Ferguson- The >angs ol hunger and thirst grew tlmovt intolerable, and his tongue. Jry and swollen, protruded from his •arched lips. Jt was the middle of the afternoon •vhen he fell into a nvrciful stuporit could hardly be called slee|>—and. *n hour later he roused himself with a start. Had fie heard something, he wondered, or was it only an echo »i" his troubled dreams ? A chilling

t»rror wi/ed him. and as he listen-

cil. |Hf-ring about with bloodshot ■\c«. there caiue a fierce, rasping M.*rpatn that ho knew only too well. Ii wa>. twice repeated, and then from the waterside thickets on the left a iajuHr of magnificent sfre bounded into view. CHAPTKfI XXXMi. A TIMELY SHOT. * 'I he encounter was in the nature of a surprise to both, though they tvgarded it from widely different .points u( view. The jaiunr puusi-d in its tracts, saifling with hungry a »l. ami yet palpably uneasy and Mi.-piciouj-. as if he scented a trick. Geoffrey, trembling and with blood running cold, forced a weak, .quavering cry to bis 111*. Thus they s-ood for a few seconds, helpless "un and powcfful beast, with no more than ten yards space Iwtween llm'iii. Then the jaguar advanced stealthily, foot by foot, still a little luulitful as to whether this human creature tied to the tree was to be fenred. or whether it could be noun* :eti upon with impunity. A moment before and Geooi> .vnuld hav. welcomed death in almost any iorm, on!:- s<> it might

cut short his sufferings. Now, however, the instinct of life reasserting itself strongly within him. he shrank from the i-.-n'l with hoi r.jr unspeakable, and proved i>> save him from tin- rending Ue'h and c!«tw:of his ferocious enemy. He shout.-e twice, llnic-'. in t<>h'-.- "f?i;it grew louder nnd nmr ■ .<-: riotous. The result, after the lirst eiioii, was anything but encouraging. The brute answered with u hideous scream, hesitated, crept nearer with cautious tread- It was fast losing its dread of the human voice. It stopped, came on. stopped ugaiit. a? if ii took pleasure in watching the man's futile struggles to break or loosen the ropes. ."Help ! help !" Geoffrey cried, in a frenzy of terror.

Help ? Whence or from whom could it come? The great, tawny col. now within a dozen fe't of itintended victim, crouched low on the ground. It drew its body together a little, snarling and mewling in ; shrill key. With red jaws often a in: eyes blading like living coals of fire. with lashing tail ami twitching limbs, it was a magnificent picture of feline rage and strength.

It was about to spring—was preparing for an unerring loop. Another second or two and those sharp-toothed fangs would revel in dripping blood. There was a scream of hungry anticipation from the Iteast. a last hoarse appeal wrung from Geoffrey's swoollcn lips, and then —was it a delusion or a reality ?—a shout from somewhere on the higher ground above. No. it was not imaginable. H-lp was indeed at. hand.

"Courage, my friend '." rung J' \oi« e. loud and clear*

"Thank (!od !" moaned f.'ooft'M and closed his eyes.

An instant of awful suspense. Thcrack of a rifle, a screech of ugony and when CJcofTrey looked hj- sa" the .iajuar bleeding from the throat, tearing the grass in its convulsive death-throes. He heard a distant elamour of tongues, the sound of heavy footsteps plunging down the hillside to his right, and then, hanging limply on the. taut ro|.»es, consciousness left him. and for a time he knew no more.

Itepeatcd dashes of cold water on his face roused him from the swoon, and the recollection of what had happened dawned slowly upon his confused senses. At first, naturally, it was all too much for his mind to grasp. The truth was too overpowering and incredible The rop s had l>een severed, and he hao been carried from the tree to a spot near the dead ashes of the campfire, where he lay propped against a ledge of stone, with a blanket under his head and shoulders. Two Englishman—such they unmistakably were—stood gazing down upon him. one elderly and grey-bearded. the other a man of iierhaps forty. with bronzed and clean-shaven features. At a little distance, by a heap of luggage that they had piled on the ground, were grouped the rv'st of the party. They numbered a dozen all armed, aud were mostly West Indian negroes. "Well, my friend, do you feel better ?"' inquired the lscardcd mau. •'You had a close shave." "It was so close that 1 can hardly realise now that I am alive." (Geoffrey answered faintly. "It was you. then, who"

"Who shot the jaguar? Yes. I put a ball into him as he was in th« xery act of springing. I heard jour erics, and by good luck I got within range ami sight of the U-ast just in time."

"I never expected you to hit him Hubert." said the younger man.

"I doubted that myself. .fames." admitted his companion. "It was the best shot I ever made."

"God bless you," said Geoffrey. "You have saved mc from much more than the jaguar. Cruel iocs had doomed me to a terrible awl lingering death, as you must have seen But who are you. and what bring)* you to this desolate region ? 1 did not suppose that any white men. except my enemies, could be within two hundred miles. Surely llca\cn sent you to my aid." "The circumstances, my friend, certainly point (o a providential interposition." replied the elder man, "It is marvellous indeed that we should have met at this place and time. As for the errand that brought us So far into the wilderness, that is no doubt more simple of explanation than your own presence here. But your stor> will keep until you are stronger." He held a flask of brandy and wo"i ti Geoffrey's lips, made him drink d>- >\.- \y. and then continued : "My name iiibv or mav not Ik 1 known to you. r "am Professor Hubert Hrysdale. scientist and archaeologist, and 1 have been sent out by the British Museum of Natural History for the purpose of exploring various parts of British Guiana. This is my friend and assistant. Mr. .James; Cleeve, and the others yondor atv the hired monitors of the expedition. We have l>cen engaged for some months in the south, beyond the head-waters of the Ma/aruni River, and arc now travelling mirth in 3carch of ancient picture-rocks—tho sculptured tablets by which the aborigines of centuries ago preserved their habits and deeds. hater we shall cross the Imataca Mountains into Venezuela, and push on" to the Orinoco, where a vessel will await us."-

*'l have often heard, of you." said Geoffrey. ''l rcnicudjcr reading of cour travels in Patagonia, soon after your' return to Kngland. It was most fortunate for n:c thai you were sent this time to British <«'uiana. I also am an Englishman. and my name" He hesitated briefly,' struck with sudden confusion by the dilemma in which he was placed. "ily name is Hardinge." he added, meaning to have sail" Cardew.

"Hardinge ?" exclaimed Profcasoi Orysdalc. "Julian Hardinge :*' echoed Jami't Cleeve. with a significant glance at the professor. {..'eofTrey reddened to the temples. Thcv knew his story, of cowix-. ''Yes, T am Julian Hardinge, the :onvict." he adiniH'd. in a low voice, looking anxiously towards the rest of th-' party. "I ■ scaped several weeks ag.>. H<" ' am an inQocent man. f >••>■ ■ .-i-.v to >"ii. if ,'ou will t'j - 1 "' * .To le '•■•: .■:ir-i,.\ i