CHAPTER XXXIV. THE PONIARD'S POINT.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 130, 28 November 1885, Page 6

CHAPTER XXXIV. THE PONIARD'S POINT.

With Robert Hood's unexpected words and evil aspect, Lillis Melross comprehended the full extremity of her peril. Till his livid lips declared the truth, she had rested thankful and easy in the belief that the document thrust into Linter's hand had been utterly destroyed. Reduced to a speechless teiror by the knowledge of her mistake, and Hood's desperation, she only gazed wildly in the villain's face. Finding she did not speak, Hood went on with even added fury. "Mad girl J" he cried, "it is true I love you, but— l love myself better. You thought your copy of the earl's infernal statement safe amongst the fUmes. You thought wrong. An unconsumed portion caught my eye and excited my curiosity I took it from the ashes. I read— l read that Robert Extan,. known as heir-apparent to the title and estates of Langdon, was really Robert Hood, son of Lawrence Hood A word supplied, here and there, by my own wit, made all clear to my mind— too clear for your perfect safety, Lillis Melross. So, I ask again, where is the—" He paused there. To his savage astonishment, Lillis had, in one moment, recovered her daunted courage. Face arid form suddenly animated by, a resolve as unutterable' as heroic, she struck away h|s hand. ' ' , ' ' ' ' ' The red blood mounted to her pale cheeks and- lips. >Her lovely brown eye's- flashed gloriously into his. ,<- < " > oried; A' soybu acknowledge yourself the base oreature that I know you V A: murderer, a thief, and a reckless adventurer?" .:.;!,-, Jt t . . v..j ,/» l

,'7* Wny } should I deny' t'6 'ydd?* broke in Hbodi'laugKing demdniao^Uy ' in Bis excitement). < '"Has riot? yotir MotKer .pronounfeed ypu^in'a'dY Ify : pu > liv 6 to see Another day, Will she' believe dughtyoii may ohoose'to tell he* of thi'd night? And if you 'do not live, will she hesitate to say you hkve rough^ a suicide's grave in "your inadhe'ss? See;!" Bn'atchmg a -pretty , jewelled poniard from his' breast 'p^ooket. "It; lay on the' small (Ira^ing-rpotfi table; You wore left alone in that, room. You secreted it about your person; and carried it here. See f" And this time he seized her' shoulder in a ! firm grasp, and held the glittering point of the Wdapon above her heart. " $cc ! I shall clench your hand over these fine jewels, and send the keen point hota'eas you would do. 'You' understand ? There would bo no danger to me in this Buicidal act, and my secret would be everlastingly safe," ■ " And you would murder me, too ?" Hood released his hold' and gazed at the girl's blanched face with gloating satisfac tion. "That," he answered, "remains to be seen.- I love you, and, therefore, shall spare your life if you prove open to reason." " If I become your confederate ?" '•'If you lead me to the secret crypt and deliver into my hand the cursed -instrument prepared for my ruin. Those are the term 3 upon which I grant you your life. You "are wise. Then lead on. I wait." The girl's beautiful eyes flamed upon him -all the scorn with .which, sho had just spoken. For an instant she. looked at him thus, and then cried pvondjy, solemnly : " And you wait in vain !" "In vain ! Mad girl, can you mean it?" Ho made a fierce, threatening movement. Pale, but unappalled, Lillis answered, her voico ringing with bugle clearness an unchanging purpose : "You wait in vain," she repeated. "Rather, far rather, would J die than betray that trust providentially made mine." "Then-" By the force of her unshrinking courage she held him at bay. ffl She went on " I want you to know that it was only to insure the execution of the poor old earl's wishes that I invaded the sacred privacy of the document you seek to destroy. Foiled by you and your tool, Rebecca Hougrh, in my attempt to summon Mr Gibbs to bangdon Abbey, I determined to make a copy of the instrument, trusting to a chance to either escape with it or send it to him. " The chance for the latter offered in the detective's return. " I had made the copy immediately on my return from the, grounds, and had it ready for use in my pocket You know my attempt. You know the result. I lost. I But— Heaven is for the right. I trust in Heaven. The right will yet prevail." I " You mean, you choose to die," sneered Hood, slowly. "I mean, I choose to stand faithful to the charge committed to me." " Ha, ha ! Die, and leave me master of my fate !" ' ' That you will not be. Detective Linter heard the truth from my lips. He will carry it to London. Whether I live or die, be sure your exposure will come, your just fate will overtake you." Hood laughed scornfully. " Truth from a mad girl's lips ! But," — stooping clown and hissing out the next words, with slow, malevolent emphasis, — "But Linter is dead. I have seen to that." Hia exultation was genuine. He knew Bil'sy's record too well to entertain any doubts as to the final issue of the fellow's errand. "" As Lillis shrank and trembled under the Bhockofthe awful and unexpected words, he hurried savagely on. " Silly chit J" he cried. " Did you think 1 would let him live to bear that dangerous message of yours to London ? If so, know that I am a desperate man, and ready to resort to desperate measures. You will, then, either reveal to me the secret you have so strangely discovered, or — you will carry it to your grave. Which is it to be — death or obedience ?'' He glared at her with murderous eye. The girl returned the gaze with unmoved front. " I have answered," she said. " Answered' You refuse?" shouted Hood, in a delirium of anxiety to terrify her into an unconditional submission, and possess himself of the secreted document. "I refuse." "Then take your choice, Die!" roared Hood. He made his murderous leap. At the same moment Lillis, watchfully on her guard, passed him with one deer-like bound, hoping to gain her dressing-room and the refuge of the secret crypt. She had scarcely passed him when his clutch fastened itself upon her in a powerful grasp. Pouring out curse upon curse in seneeless fury, he thrust the jewelled hilt of the poniard within her right hand. He phut the little icy finoors over it in a crushing cla^p and raised it high for the fell blow. At that instant the two candles, blazing wildly in a dying flame; all at once went out. Thus unexpectedly left in the uncertain light of the low fire, Hood's attention was momentarily distracted. Lillis saw in the incident one chance for her young life. With quick presence of mind, she seized upon the chance. Though still nearly helpless within Hood's left arm, she managed to turn his hand against bimpeif. With one swift, effective movement, she plunged the dagger into his dhoulder. The'injured arm dropped from her waist, and a 'scream of mingled pain and rage burst loudly from the villain's lips. As his arm . fell Lillis made another desperate attempt to gain the dressingroom. But, though checked, Hood was not defeated. A demon incarnate, he once more sprang after her. He reached her side. '! hen, in the very act of seizing her, his hand dropped away, and in the very act of raising the dagger's point against him the weapon slipped from Lillis's failing grasp to the carpet. A voice from the corridor door had fallen like a $pell upon both. Both recognised its musical sweetness. It was the voice that had warned Lillis so mysteriously of danger, and that had later echoed rebu kingly through the vault of the sepulchred La'ngdons. i , Hood forgot His maniacal fury in a thrill of abject fear. He turned his head in a shrinking gaze toward the door. Lillis's eyes breathlessly followed his, The door was open. Just within the room, olad in a white, girdled robe, stood a beautiful, youthful woman, her slight from partially shrouded by a pale cloud of golden, ripping hair. The faint' fireligWplayed, full upon her lovely 'face; showing its dead pallor and rebuking . aspect with ,weird effect; but yet sho wing it 'to b^the face of a tiving woman. "' < ; ' ' J , h (To beGontmuedi) • . „.