CHAPTER XIX. CONCLUSION.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 121, 26 September 1885, Page 3

CHAPTER XIX. CONCLUSION.

The old man and the horse arrived upoi the spot designated at the same moment He looked at the saddle, felt the girths anc the breast-strap, then raised his hand te the pommel and his foot to the stirrup ; bui before he mounted he turned again to hit assistant. "Walter, there's no danger of tho old man's spending the night in the office?" »O !— bless you!— "no*" ■»." Then-;will you. do it, so that I can cal' you to help me when I get back ?" " Certainly I will." *• Good ! I sha'n't be back before midnight— perhap3 not till much later. But you'll wake early. Good night.'' With that he vaulted into the saddle like a youthful trooper and sped away, the feet of his horse making no noise on the soft turf. Tarbell watched him out of sight, and then turned back into the house, and to the office, where he reported to his master. " Late !— Late, Walter. But never mind. You have no more entries to make. Just strike the balance, and fill up the memorandum. I want it full and explicit-every-thing down in black and white -so that the sheet shall show exactly how we stand. You understand?' " Perfectly. 1 have it all in mind, sir." r^Good ! Go at work, and when you're do^lock up everything and go to bed. I _ *liall want you to-morrow." Without further remark Donald Owen * turned from the office and went to the library, where he overhauled and arranged various and numerous papers -some of them of incalculable importance— until after midnight, when he closed his labours with a gape and a yawn, and sought his sleepiugroom. Early on the following morning there was considerable stir and bustle at the Owen mansion, occasioned by the arrival of a confederate colonel of cavalry, accompanied by a troop of a dozen mounted men. Ab he alighted at the door he displayed a form tall and muscular, with no excess of flesh— being rather thin than' otherwise ; a facp dark and sombre ; his only beard a thick, black mustache, sweeping far away on either cheek ; features strong, bold, and angular ; a massive lower jaw ; with a pair of intensely black eyes, bright and glittering. He was habited in a suit of grey, with a spread-eagle, worked in silver thread.onthe standing collar of his jacket. Such was Colonel Kirk Bloodworfch, well known in those parts as a dashing and intrepid cavalry raider. He end Donald Owen met like old friends, and very shortly after his arrival the twain were seated over a flowing bowl, with glasses and pipes. The chief's followers, meanwhile, were turned over to Tarbell, who took them to one of the eating room 3, where bottles and glasses were furnished. Bloodworth was careful to make his side dashes with not a man who could be in danger of drinking to intoxication, so he hadlio need to caution them. In fact, he himself was more likely to drink to excess -, than was any one of his men, and we are not sure that his present host did not pre^s th * punch upon him with a purpose. Half an hour after the arrival of the troop, and while they were carousing boisterously, Rupert met his father in the hall. "Father, what does this mean? Are you fond of such unseemly uproar 1" "lam fond of being master in my own house. And," he added, his anger rising, for he had long since broken all friendly relations with hisfion.only waiting a fitting opportunity for disowning and discarding him. As we have said before, his love for his sen had been a passion, an emotion, not a power of the heart ; and when his love had changed to hatred, the hatred had been as bitter and vindictive as hate could be — " And," he added, " I may tell you, as well now as ever, that your stay here is short. You have trampled on my authority, spurned my counsel, and allied yourself with my enemies against me. You have ! If you deny it you lie. Ho ! It hurts, does it ? I'll hurt you worse than that before I'm done with you. Don't I know — know — that you have taken up Bertram's cause against me ?" "Father," the young man replied, struggling mightily to hold back his anger— he was white as death — " I always will embrace the cause of Right, if I know it— always — no matter where nor upon whom the result may bear heavily. 5 ' " 'Sdeath ! do you say the cause of that English interloper and his presuming par - " Stop !" thundered Rupert, with a »tamp of the foot that shook the very walls and cauped even his father to quail. "For the love'of Heaven, don't push me to the forgetting'that you are my father !" fj&" Ho ! I could not well to do that, since you have forgotten it already " "Enough! Let the brutal soldiery — blots on the cause they pretend to serve— make pandemonium if they will ; you and I willnot add to it." And before his father could respond Rupert had passed on and lift the hall, the middle of the forenoon } Rupiert and Doris sat together in the chamoverlooking the main street of the .pillage. Rupert had told his fair companion the-atory of hie interview with his father, and she was wondering what direction her uncle's wrath would take, when Susan hume'dly entered, with her finger on her lips. ' Doris was by her side in a moment, but before a word had been spoken another presence appeared at the doorway which the girl had left open. Doris saw, and, with a low, rapturous cry, flew to the embrace of her dear husband. For a little time the scene must be imagined. Few words were needed in the pouring forth of their great love and the wondrous depth of their gratitude. At length, when the wild surge of emotion had passed, George turned and grasped Rupert by the hand. "To you I need no further introduction," he said. "Though you be the son of one who has deeply wronged me, I dare claim you for my brother." " Give me your heart, George, and I will not betray you." "Oh! George! Doris exclaimed, as the two young men stood hand-in-hand, "I cannot tell you how good be has been to me I know you will love him always." Scarcely had she spoken when a heavy tramping sounded upon ' the stairs leading up- from the main 'hall, 1 and presently the' doorway was darkened.by human forms. - " Who comes there ? Who intrudes upon sacred privacy hT this house?" demanded Rupert, starting forward; .-..yj-'ckiX™

" Stand back, young man !" said Col. Bloodworth, advancing into the apartment as he spoke. " Back, I say, or it aay be worse for you ! Oho ! I think this is my game ! Now, my fine fellow !" laying a 1 hand upon our hero's wrist, " I must trouble you to come with me. Ho there ! Come in here, some of you !" Half a dozen stout troopers came quickly forward. Rupert was pushed roughly one way and Doris another, Bertram being entirely surrounded and captured. " Colonel Bloodworth, said Rupert, with calm dignity, "do you know that you are arresting a paroled prisoner — one who has i fought nobly for our cause, and is even now suffering from sovere wounds received in 1 battle?" I "No! that won't go down, young man, ) He says he's paroled, mayhap." " He has General Rosecrans's safe pass to show you." 3 " Aye —I don't doubt it. Rosecrans would give our whole army passes, if he could find 'em ready to desert on the strength ' of 'em ! No, no,— thatwon'tdo.ComeaJkmg ! Fetch him along, boys !" The rough men, to resist whom would have been iolly, dragged young Bertram out [ into the hall down the broad stairway — into the great drawing-room, where Donald Owen stood with one of the cavalry officers who had remained behind. He turned to escape by another door, but the way was blocked by a number of troopers who had obliqued from the main body, to enter there, so he was forced to turn back ; and in a moment more he was face to face with George Bertram and Rupert, while Doris came close behind them, wringing her hands in the agony of despair. " Father ! have you done this thing ?" the son demanded, with a stern look into his parent's face. " Yes ! I have done it !" the old man cried, angrily. "My roof shall not give cover and refuge to a craven and a sneak ! — a cowardly deserter !" " You dirty old wretch ! you lie ! and you know it !" All eyes Avere turned towards the open doorway whence the voice sounded, and they beheld the white haired old wanderer — calling himself Ben Christie. " Yes, Donald Owen," the old man added, ad vancing into the room, "you lie! Your whole life is a lie ! Colonel Bloodworth, you've been led into an error ; but here comes one that'll straighten it out, I'm thinking." He stepped aside as he spoke, and there entored a powerfully f ramed,handsome man in the uniform of a major-general of the Confederate service, accompanied by a full suite of subalterns. " Bloodworth— old fellow! I'm glad to meet you." " Ren wick !~ Jack ! Bless me! who'd 'a thought of seeing you here ?" | "I'llteil you, Kirk, I came to prevent a great wrong— a wrong which you might have done with the best intention in the j world." He took the colonel's hand, and whispered into his ear, "I tell you, my boy, you'd better make friends of the | youngsters than of old Donald." Bloodworth caught the words, and stepped back, saying, as he did so : " I came to arrest this young fellow as a ! deserter." J "In mercy's name, who told you he was a deserter ?" " My information came direct from him," answered the colonel, pointing to the host " Donald Owen !" exclaimed Renwick, gazing upon the old reprobate reproachfully. " Did you do that thing ?" •'Yes— l did! — and I had good reason for believing him a deeerter." " 0 ! man ! man ! — what in the world ha? possessed you ?" Then, turning to Bloodworth, he continued : " Kirk, this young man, now known as George Bertram, served with me under his two middle names only — ' Forsi/t/i Amsden.' " " What ! Colonel Amaden, of your staff?" "The same. Twice has ho saved my life ; and once he has saved my whole force Sorely wounded, and left *\>r dead, after pi'odigies of valour, he was taken prisoner by the Feds, and when he was able to get about Rosecrans paioled him. This I know. At some time 1 would like you to hear his story." "Colonel !" cried Bloodworth, with enthusiasm, at the same time extending his hand to our hero, "put it there !" They grasped hands warmly. "You'll pardon me, sir, I know. I never — " "Not a word," interrupted George. "Your friendly hand is all sufficient. I was astonished rather than hurt." "0, you old reprobate!" exclaimed the trooper, facing Donald Owen. "A pretty mess you would have got me into ! Ito blessed if I haven't a good mind to arrest you !" "Don't blame .ne too severely, Kirk," pleaded Donald, read/ with any lie that could serve his purpose. "I was myself deceived. If you and General Renwick will join me by-and-by in my banquet-hall, we'll quickly find a way to wipe out all hard feelings. You won't refuse me." Instead of replying to this implied invitation, Renwick turned to the cavalryman, and the two entered into a private conversation, seeing which Donald gave his attention to those who, he felt, had brought him into thip unfortunate predicament. "To your case, you miserable old scoundrel!" — to the white haired man — "I'll give; attention in due season." Then, to Bertram and Doris ; y As for you, Mr Bertram.— and you, you inipertinent baggage — calling yourself my cousin's child, — 1 wish simply to inform you, — There'B the door ! Not another night do you stop beneath my roof ! If you were dying, I'd turn you out ! I don't want to hear a, word. You might have found a comfortable home here if you had been so inclined ; but Tarn not to be trodden upon. So— out you go ! Don't let me have to call my 3ervant to put you out ! "And you, sir," to his son, "can go with them, if you will. At all events, you are no more a eon of mine. Never— never— Never — shall you possess a dollar of my astate. " "0 ! pshaw !" uttered the white-haired, white-bearded man, moving forward as he jpoke. " Where is your estate? Donald Owen, you have run your race ! In the aame of him whose memory you wrong in defrauding his orphan child, 1 call you to account !" « Who— who— are you ?" gasped the 3triken wretch, like one suddenly paralysed. With a sweep of the hands the silvery beard, the snowy hair, and the black patch were torn away ; a few passes of the handkerchief removed the false wrinkles from bis face, and he stood revealed, a hale hearty man ; tall and erect, of good form, a pleasant, honest face, on the youthful side Df fifty, though nearer fifty than forty. Donald Owen, with a gasp, and quivering xt every joint, turned pale as death. " Jack Clearstab ! Death and destruction !" "Destruction to your foul and wicked plotting, Donald. 0 ! how Ralph trusted you ! What confidence he reposed in you ! And you would rob his orphan ! But the and is come. 'Doris—dear cbijld— you don't remember tne," turning, and taking her hand ; " but' I should have knqwn you from pour resemblance to your mother, You have that gold crucifix ?"

"Yes." « Let me take it." She turned away, taking Leila with her—the maid having followed Tier from above— and having quickly drawn the precious token from its secret pooket, she returned and gave it iato Jack's hand. " 0 ! I should have known you anyvrtiere," the Hindoo maiden said, coming up with her mistress. " Aye, my little lady ; and I should certainly have known those twinkling eyes of yours. Now for a hammer. It won't require heat to open this affair. The secret is mine, and be sure it's a curious one." Leila ran away, and soon returned with a small hammer which she had found in her chamber, and she gave it to Jaok. " Now, George— and you, Doris— and, General— you're a lawyer?" " Yea" answered Ren wick ; IP I suppose I must acknowledge the profession." " Then you are wanted with the rest, if you'll be bo kind as to give your assistance. I don't think you'll refuse your friend any service you can render." "Be sure I will not." " And you, Donald— will you look on and see mo open your cousin's JLast Wjll and Testament ?" With a low cry Doris caught her husband by the arm. " 0, George, do you think it possible ? ' His answer was but a nod, as he was engaged in watching Donald. The miserable plotter replied not in words to Jack's mvi tation ; he only gave another of those spasmodic gasps ; but he nevertheless took a step forward where he could observe Clearstar's manipulation. "Now, ladies and gentlemen," said Jack, when all was ready, •• we'll make quick work of this. I was with Ralph when he had this crucifix made ; and I was also with him when he had the old goldsmith of Calcutta put it together after the deed had been put into it. I have already explained to these young people why Ralph did this strange thing. He had kept a knowledge of his vast wealth from Mary Stanton because he would know that she married him for love alone. Aftorwards, he kept it from his wite from a strong fancy he had taken that it would be pleasant to surprise her upon her arrival on her own domain. His will was made after his daught9r was born ; and ho never altered it. It was a presentiment that caused him to hide it in this secret place. But all these things can be explained hereafter," Ho then took from his pocket a stout jack knife ; open the larger blade ; then laid the crucifix down on a window ledge, face upward ; and using his knife as a chisel, he set the sharp edge of the end of the blade against a beautifully carved rosebud that stood out in bold relief on the very top of the main shaft of the cross ; then r. smart blow of the hammer upon the back of the blade, and the .bud was cut off and fell to the floor. Then, with a stout needle, tho manipulator pushed out a little pin, from the upper end of which the bud bad been severed, after which he laid hold upon the figure of tho Crucified One and drew it completely off, the top of the cross coming away like a sliding cover, revealing a hollow space below, in which lay a tiny roll of paper, looking like a section of a clay pipe stem. It proved to be a silken tissue, very fine and very firm, large enough to contain all the writing that had been necessary. It was Ralph Owen's will, written by his own hand, signed by him, and sealed and witnessed by Col. Charles Bertram, father of George, and two other military officers I of the British army in India, dated at Calcutta, British India, June sth, J845. Jack gave it to Gen. Ren wick, asking if he would read it and see it properly executed. Donald Owen shrank away into a far corner pale and shaking, ever and anon glancing round as though looking for some one who did not appear. Twice he had started to leave the room ; but a desire to hear the will read had held him back. And ho soon heard it. Renwick read it slowly, and in tones clear and distinct, After the usual Christian form of opening, the will gave to Jack Clearstar fifty thousand dollars, to be paid him in current funds. Other friends were remembered. Then : "To my cousin, Rupert Owen, son of Donald, I give one hundred thousand dollars in money, and an undivided half of my coal mine in the Chestnut Vale." The next item was devoted to his beloved wife. He provided for her right royally during her life, all to go to Doris when she should have passed away. Then, to Doris, his dearly beloved daughter, he gave everything not otherwise disposed of— all his property, of real estate, money, bonds, stocks, &/?., &c, including the remaining half of the coal mine ; she to come into full poesosaion at the age of eighteen, or on the day of her marriage. It closed thus : "My cousin, Donald Uwen, has been amply provided for by my grandfather ; but, should he ever como to want, or should his needs require it, 1 charge my wife, and in case of: her death, I charge my daughter, from their abundance, to provide for him amply." Donald Owen heard thus far, and then, grinding his teeth with rage, he glided swiftly from the room, his eyes gleaming, and his hands clutched as with fierce determination. In the hall he met several of Blood worth 'B troopers, but ho brushed quickly past them, and had taken a few steps beyond, when he came face to face with his secretary, who was coming from the direction of the office with a bundle of papers in hia hand. "Ho ! Walter— l want you ! Stop ! Turn back with me," And he laid a band upon his scribe's arm ; but it was quickly shaken off, and the latter answered hurriedly : "No, air. lamon my way to the draw-ing-room. Don't detain me." "Death and ! Will you dieobey me ? — They have not conquered yet. Walter, if you breathe a word of the change 1 have made of the ptoperty, I'll kill you, as sure as fate ! But you are too wise for that. Come ! You shall go with me " — lowering his voice to a whisper as he thus spoke — "to Philadelphia. Quick's the word! Come !" " No. I must go another way. lam under orders from one who has authority." A terrible oath, and — " You will betray me, eh ? Another oath still more horrible, and—" No ! —never ! No man shall live to betray Donald Owen !" He drew a pistol from a breast pocket, quickly cocked it, and in another instant the secretary would have been a dead man j for the revolver's muzzle was at his temple, with the murderous finger upon the trigger ; but the result was wondrously changed. A sharp cry from Tarbell had called the attention of the troopers, one of whom, seeing the old man's movement, sprang forward .and caught his arm, throwing it upward and backward while in the act, of" firing.. The ■hammer fell — there was at sharp report — a cry -a groan— atad a fall ; and Donald Owen lay prone upon the carpet, ,wi,th the 'bullet fr^ra his pistol sent crashing its way through his brain- ! ' , ; . . i , < „- , Those who laid~ thei mortal remains 'of Donald 0 wep < away : in their last-resting place were' willing, '.s^'iFa'r;' as to J>u%, his faults, 'aji^^ej-jpmpm^ra^e [thereof with them* :. They: 'were; -never

spoken of again j and thus the knowledge of the night-Bide of his life was confined to - a faithful few, and the ghost of his crimes • was never to arise, in the coming time, to ! 3 confound the dismay of his son. I Gen. Renwiok, true to his promise, with such assistance as he chose to summon, ' caused the will to be proved and allowed : in all needful legal form. Walter Tarbell • opened the eyes of all concerned by his ■ exposition of the situation in the distant I city, Our hero, having seen Rupert established ) in full charge at Owensville, as soon as he was able to travel, with the passport of Gen. k Roßecrans, to give him safe conduct, taking1 Doris, and Leila, and Susan with him, and acoompanied by Jack Clearatar and Walter Tarbell, made his way to Philadelphia, where he found matters exactly as the secretary had stated, Bertram had brought good and sufficient vouchers from Gen. Renwick and from the officers of the court of his district, and those together with the proved will, the proofs of Doris's identity, and the presence of the secretary who had done most of the buainees heretofore, rendered it comparatively easy for the true owners to enter into possession of their property. For a time they were well-nigh bewildered when they contemplated their wealth. Donald had made the exchange with Lamprey, of Richmond, by which the real estate in Philadelphia waa brought up to two millions of dollars and more. Then the last deposit in bank had brought the amount there safely laid away up to a round two millions more. The coal mine, in 20 years, had done a great portion of all this. What wanted they more? They liked the Quaker City, and there they resolved to make their home. They had known suffering, and now, in their affluence, they relieved it as they best could, wherever they found it. Jack Clearatar took to himself the fancy that he was still a young man, and he gave the problem to Swaan Draper for her solution. 11 Dear old Jack !" she cried, " young or not, you are a darling !" That was enough. He asked her to be his wifo. Sne would say yes on one condition, She should not be taken away from Doris. " Only death can take me away from Doris's husband," was his ready response ; and she gave him her hand joyfully, When the war was over, George and Doris returned for a tirao to Owensville. The scourge of the conflict had scarcely touched the quiet town. The property there was considerable, but they wanted none of it. They gave it all to Rupert He had taken to himself a wife ; was the father of a bright-faced, blue-eyed boy, and had gained wonderfully in health. Said he to Doris, in all sincerity : " Dear cousin, your half of the mine you must keep. It is far too valuable to be surrendored so readily ; and, moreover, I do not need it. "Then," she answered him, with a beaming smile, "you shall not have it" And before she left, she and her husband had executed the necessary instruments for transferring the valuable property to George Bertram Owen — Rupert's infant son and heir— him and his heirs for ever. THK END.