CHAPTER XX. POOR SI.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 43, 29 March 1884, Page 4

CHAPTER XX. POOR SI.

But it is time to return to Silas Green in his woeful extremity. The agitation of mingled hope and despair, of approaching rescue or doom, had been too much for him, and he had fallen back in a swoon. From this he came out feebly, hearing low voices around him, and aware of cold water splashed upon his face by friendly hands. He opened his heavy lids, staring around still in bewilderment of mind that could not comprehend the situation. A strange face was bending over him. After a moment's glance into its pitiful, friendly expression, poor Si stammered: " Ah, lam glad then. And you are one of the ministering spirits. I've seen your face in pictures, I think,"

" Poor fellow ! his wits are still wandering. Thia is a cruel experience for him," spoke a low voice beside him. " Give him some water again," responded another voice. "I am sorry enough about it, but it can't be helped "now. His own meddlesome curiosity is to blame." " Duke ! Duke !" shrieked out Silas, recollection returning in full force. "Oh, how cruel you have been to me! You struck me a murderous blow, and then you left me to die of hunger and thirst, of terror and despair. Oh, these frightful, frightful days and nights I have passed here in this horrible dungeon !" Duke stepped forward promptly, and the light from the lantern set upon the ground shone upon his grave, stern face. "I wis sorry to hurt you, Silas Green; but why were you prying into my business? I did the best I could in self-defence, and that I shall continue to do. I have come now to put the choice to you, if I shall treit you kindly or shall deal with you as a prisoner and an enemy." " What have I done?" began Si, ruefully. But Duke interrupted him fiercely : •'Hush! we have no time to waste in wordy parley. You know very well what you have done. You have stepped in to interfere with my plans. You have dared to pry into my movements. That is something I never allow, Silas Green. You might have known it without this serious lesson to teach you." " Where am I?" questioned Si, slowly raising himself, and surveying the dreary, windowless, cobwebbed halls of the narrow closet. " You are in my secret dungeon," responded Duke, grimly. " I could not find any signs of a door; I could make no one hear me," wailed Si. " Oh, you hadn't any pity in you to leave mo here so many days. I was nearly dying of hunger and thirst." "Delirious still," murmured tho soft, pleasant voice of the stranger behind him. "Nonsense, Silas Green ! Wake up, and come to your senses!" commanded Duke. "It isn't daybreak yet. You got your own supper in the kitchen, and what are you talking about starvation for? If the fall made you a little unsteady and faintish, you ought to be over it by this time. You have let your fear run away with you. You are a queer chap—full of pluck, and yet the biggest coward 1 ever saw. Here, take a little wine, and let it put some heart into you. I want to talk with you seriously." But Silas could only dwell upon one idea. However, he drank the wine, and was better for it, but he still muttered drearily : " I don't understand what you mean, Duke." "That depends entirely upon you, my man," returned Duke, promptly. "Come now, rouse up, and look the situation fairly in the face. I don't want to harm you, nor distress you needlessly, but my plans are not to be interfered with, as you meant to do. I will not have you speaking to Lighthouse Dick at all — no, not if I fling you over to the water to be rid of you." The last was spoken with an emphasis that made poor Si shrink back shivering. "But if you will promise mo, and keep good faith in your promise, to hide quietly in my room, making no outcry, and trying in no way for communication with him, I will take you up there, and you shall have good care, and all you need for comfort. I know very well this is a poor place, and I trust you enough to be sure if you make a promise you will keep it." " But what have you done with Lighthouse Dick? Where was he that he could not hear my calls for help yesterday and day before?" " Yesterday and day before ! The fellow persists in talking about days, when it isn't twelve hours yet since he cooked our supper in the kitchen," declared Duke, impatiently. "Not twelve hours!" repeated Silas, in utter amazement. "Do I not know better than that? Do I not know how long and painfully the days and nights have worn away ? Had not my watch run down ! Oh, no; you cannot treat me so, Duke." Duke laughed good-naturedly. " The fellow really believes it. Well, I've heard of lost people in dark caves being so deceived. Well, Si, the kitchen clock will tell the story. That has the days of the week and month, you know. But I haven't time for trivial disputes, What I want to know is, will you agree to my proposal ? " " What shall you do if I refuse?" ventured Silas. " I can't exactly tell ; it will depend upon circumstances. I tell you plainly I shall not allow your interference at any cost to you or to myself. The lightest thing you may expect is to remain here alone and in darkness. I shall give you food and drink, if I can, but I shall not risk anything of my plan to do it; and, if it is imperative, I shall leave you to whatever fate may come." "Is Lighthouse Dick asleep now?" asked Silas, beginning to discredit his own senses. " Yes, but he would not hear you if you called till Doomsday and he were wide awake, ' was Duke's grim reply. "So you may dismiss any vain hope of that sort. This place is my secret dungeon, I tell you. I got it up myself, and the lighthouse keeper knows nothing about it. I boarded off the cemented side of the well, and get down here by a ladder and a trap-door from the top. It is as safe a place to scream in as I know of, Si — not a sound reaches above ; but it is not as healthy for your present condition as I could wish, or I would not spend my time arguing with you. Come, promise to hide quietly in my room, to give up your meddlesome Yankee habits, and everything is all right. It will be but for a few days at the best." "Who is that behind me?" abruptly asked Si. "There is no one there. Get up and look for yourself, if your head is not too dizzy." " But there was a young man— l think I know who." "Think as much as you please, if you will confine yourself to thinking, Mr Silas Green. Come, lam really a most indulgent gaoler to stand parleying with you in this fashion. If you did not look so pale I should give you shorter time, I can tell you." "I don't want to lend myself to any wrong," said Silas, slowly. " This must be very irresponsible lending at its worst, and, in fact, there is no choice for you. What I mean to do I shall do without help or hindrance of yours," said Duke, persuasively. " And I can't lose my chance of helping Franky," went on Si, lugubriously. "I might as well die as do that." " I am not going to ccax or argue with you any more, spoke up Duke now. "I shall give you five minutes more to decide, and if you do not agree than to my proposal I shall take the light and go, and draw my ladder after me to its hiding-place." " Oh, Duke, don't go. I promise," broke from Si, despairingly. "All right. Come then, we will make the transfer. Shut your eyes, and lean against me. We will take time for getting up this ladder, and after that the way is easy." He gave a single whistle, which was evidently a signal, for the trap-door opened, and a pair of arms were stretched down to

help him, and Silas was fairly lifted between them out of his dungeon. The fall had really had serious effect, and his head swam at the slightest movement, so that he was glad to keep his eyes closed and remain perfectly quiet, even after he found himself lying comfortably in Duke's own bed. The latter was evidently a little alarmed i at his condition, for, after speaking a few moments with his mysterious companion, lie took the light and fell to poring over the huge doctor-book on the kitchen shelf; and presently he came to Silas with a glass and medicine vial, and dropped a dose into a spoon and gave it to him. And then the cloth on his head was cooled again in fresh water, and after that Silas fell into a sweet, profound slumber. The bright, warm sunshine was streaming around him when he woke, and Duke's voice was calling : " Here, Si. bring me a cup of coffee." He started up, but a restraining hand was laid gently on his, and a whisper said : " Hush ! Remember your promise." And the speaker glided out noiselessly. Silas lay staring after him. His old energy had returned to him, and, though still weak and a little dazed as to memory, he comprehended the situation perfectly. He remained passively watching the buzzing movements of a fly on the ceiling, which presently crawled over to Duke's chart, and thus sent his thoughts travelling into wonderland, without fathoming any of that individual's mysteries, however. He heard Ligh-thouse Dick talking outside, but in feeble, faltering accents he fancied. Then the echo of mounting steps on the stone stairs died out, and presently the unknown nurse returned, bearing a bowl of coffee. " You thought yourself famished before, so I conclude you will be glad of a little coffee," said the latter, in a low, guarded voice. Silas drank the coffee, watching sharply over the rim all the while. When he put it down he seized the young man's hands. "Oh," said he, "I do believe I may mind Duke, and win the reward for Franky besides. I know now where I saw your face— it was in the young lady's locket. And it is for you that I have been searching far and near. Thank heaven, even for last night's horror, if so I have found you, for you are — Conway Searle." This vehement speech seemed to confound and alarm its object. "Your head is still weak, I fear," he said, gently, with a pitying smile. " No, no. I tell you I understand everything about you, except the cause of your I concealment. You do not deny that you are Conway Searle. Oh, how the news I can tell will rejoice Miss Yerrington's anxious heart!" " Miss Yerrington ! " exclaimed the other, a warm glow mantling his pale face. "What Miss Yerrington? — answer me, sir!" "Helena Yerrington —as sweet, and purty, and noble-hearted a young lady as walks the earth ; and oh ! how pale, and sad, and broken-hearted she is about your strange disappearance." "About me! Hush! say not another word on this subject until we are alone again. Duke is coming!" was breathed in a quick, agitated whisper. And the young man rose to open the door at Duke's summons, and to stand there a few moments in a whispered colloquy, which resulted in their both proceeding to the kitchen and leaving him alone. ( To he continued, )