CHAPTER XXXVII.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 192, 19 February 1887, Page 7

CHAPTER XXXVII.

I A FOX IN HIS OWN TRAP. For an instant he seemed paralysed ; a look of blankest surprise settled over his face, which took on the hue of death ; a cold sweat came out upon his forehead, and a nervous trembling pervaded his frame. " Thunder and lightning ! Where did you get that?" he at last exclaimed, aghast. " That is a question which I no Dot feel disposed to discuss just at present," Louis composedly returned. " How on earth • Who has been here ? Nobody could get in — I can't understand !" Arthur gasped. " No, you cannot undersfand, and I do not intend to enlighten you. It is a selfevident fact, however, that I hold in my hand a Colt's revolver, with which I intend to do good service for myeelf . " " That means, I suppose, that you intend to kill me?' " I will spare you upon one condition," Louis answered, etill covering hi? captor with that formidable weapon. "What is that?" questioned Arthur, to gain time, but knowing well enough what it was "That you release me from this place instantly." 14 And if I refuse " "The consequences will iest upon your own head." " You would be no better off if you should shoot me. I should lie here and rot, and you would staTve," Arthur retorted with an air of desperation. "Your proposition sounds conclusive ; but you are mistaken," Louie quietly replied. "Allow meto inform i you that I have bere the means of releasing myself, in the form of a steel file and saw, made expressly for cutting iron ; but I do not choose to spend either my strength or my time to effect my own release in that way." " I don't believe it," cried Arthur incredulously. With his eye still fixed upon the man now in his power, and the revolver pointing directly at his head, Louis unbuttoned his coat, and with his left hand drew forth the implements of which he had spoken. Arthur's face grew almost wild in its expression of fear and astonishment. " Heavens ! Who has done this ? Who has been here? The doers were safely locked when I came. It is all a mystery to me," he said, in a savage tone. " Unlock the gate of this place and let me out," commanded Louis. Arthur hesitated, even though he felt that he was absolutely helpless, while he inwa»dly cursed himself for coming to the place unarmed ; but then who would ever have dreamed of anything like this occurring? " Come," reiterated Louis, in an imperative tone ; " you may be very sure that I mean business ; as you have already remarked. * I have too much at stake ' just now to be very tender-hearted towards you." One look into his stern face and blazing eye convinced Arthur of that. And vet, in spite of all, he hated to give in, and stood irresolute. It was terrible to have all his schemes frustrated in this unexpected way, and just at a time, too, when everything was promising so much. Slowly and awfully those threatening sounds tell upon Arthur's ears. '• Hold !" he cried. "If I will tell you where that money is- if I throw up everything and swear to leave the country, and nover cross your path again, will you let me go?" He was actually shivering, and his face j twitching from nervouß excitement, and Dearly crushed with humiliation at thus being obliged to reverse the conditions that he had tried to make with Louis only a few moments before. " Four-fi " " Unlock that gate," thundered Louis. " Will you permit me to go unmolested if I let you out?" Arthur parleyed, and glancing helplessly towards the door. 11 1 promise nothing," Louis returned, relentlessly. " I shall count five :if the gate is not unlocked on the last number, I fire." " Blast you ! curse you ! This is too much— just as my victory seemed complete !" groaned the captor, who was now even more helpless than the man whom he had held in hia power so long. " One— two— three—" " Stop, stop— for Heaven's cake ! I'll unlock it !" he almost shrieked, as, looking into Louis's blazing eyes, he saw there was not so much as a shadow of relenting in them. " Put down that revolver," he continued, in a'shaking'voice. " I can do nothing with the muzzle pointing at me that way." "No, I shall not put it down— l shall cover you ; jou are perfectly safe if you do as I tell you. But if you make a bolt for the door, as I see you are meditating, look out for yourself," was the significant response, Arthur groaned aloud ; too plainly for his own comfort, he saw that he had no weak character to deal with, and, with trembling hands and a face that was ghastly in its whiteness, he drew from one of the pockets of his coat a key of brass, which he proceeded to insert in the ponderous padlock which fastened Louis's prison, and turned it in the lock. The sound was like the sweetest music in Lena's ears. " Remove the lock and open the gate," he commanded. Obediently hi? foe did as he was told, and Louis walked forth a free man once more. A long breath of relief and thankfulness escaped him. " Now, I will take all the keys belonging to this place, if you please," he said, holding out his left hand for them " I will let you out when 1 go," Arthur said, trying to speak calmly, but glancing almost wildly about him. • ',The keys," repeated Louis, in an inflexible tone. "Now,'' he continued, as he received the keys, "we will change places for a while ; you go behind those bars and 66,6 how you like the life that I have led during the last few weeks." " Mercy !" cried Arthur in despair, and clutching frantically at the massive grating before him, "You do not mean it—you cannot be so relentless." 14 But I do mean it— quick ! I shall waste no time upon you." j The despairing man saw that there was no reprieve.

With a dejected air and a sinking heart he slunk inside the place where his own victim had so recently been incarcerated, .and dropped weakly, upon a ohair. , Louis quickly closed the gate upon him, returned the padlock to <ite place; looking it securely, and pocketed the key. This accomplished, his own strength' seemed to fail him, and he, too, sank into a eeat to rest and recover himself. > His nerves had Wen strained to their utmost tension during the laet half hour,, and now he was free and all personal danger past, the money *afe for he believed it was safo, even though he did not know where it was— and the thief locked up, the faction followed At first he could hardly realise hiB good fortune; it seemed almost an exciting dream - the events of the last two days— and, had it not been for Margaret's thought fulness in bringing her father's revolver to him, it might have taken him several days to saw those bars and work himself free ; meantime the cunning rogue would have fled with his spoils, the money would have been lost, while hia story would never have been credited by hilf the people who would hear it ; he would always have been an object of suspicion, and hn honour vanished for all time. But now he had the real rogue safe, and he could make his own terms with him. After resting a while, his strength began to return to him in a measure, and with the new hope that wa? beating strong within him he felt ready to undertake almost anything for treapure he had lost. "Now, sir," he aaid at length to Arthur, who was sitting in sullen i-ileoce, his head bowed upon his hands, " I am going to find out what you have done with that money." " Are you, really ?" was the sarcastic retort. " Yes ; will you tell me what you have done with it ?" "No ; ' with an oath. " Very well," Louis returned quietly, and apparently not in the least disturbed by his refusal. He rose and moved toward the door. ".What are you going to do ?" demanded Arthur. "1 do not feel obliged to explain my movements or plans to you," coolly replied Louip. "Come, Dunbar, can't wo compromise this matter?" Arthur asked, in a conciliatory tone ; "if I will make a clean breast of everything to you, will you let me out of this and give me time to escape the country?" "No." "If I will give you a written confession to take to the authorities, will that move you ? It is very mean to take advantage of a fellow this way." " Oh, you begin to ccc it in that light now " Arthur flushed angrily. " You may not twit me," he muttered. "Your father has been arrested for the crime, and, as I understand you are not very fond of him, and have wanted to get rid of him, this would be a good way to do it." " My father arrested ?" Louis cried. " Yes ; he was run down this morning or last Dight. It came out that he had bean trying to bleed you pretty freely, and that you bad refused his demands ; so suspicion naturally fell upon him." " And you think I would let an innocent man suffer for your crime !" Louis indignantly exclaimed. " Innocknt t when be has been up to such things all his life. I had no idea you were so fond of the gentleman gambler," retorted Arthur, with a derisive laugh. 41 Whatever he may have done in the past, he is guiltless of this crime," Louis said, sternly, " and you greatly mistake my character if you imagine I would entertain tor a moment your nefarious proposal. I will make no conditions with you. .1 have you just where I want you, and I shall pursue whatever course I may think best. At all events you may remain just where you are for the present." 41 You may keep me here until I starve, or you may give me up to the authorities within an hour ; but I will never divulge the secret you are so anxious to learn," Arthur declared, driven to desperation, " you shall never have the satisfaction of restoring that money to your company." " We Bhall see about that," responded Louis, in an unmoved tone. " Perhaps I shall even ferret it out myself, since I am convinced that, like myself, it is concealed in this building." " Ha ! wh&t makes you think that ?" Louis was watching him intently, and noticod his surprise and alarm. They confirmed his suspicions." '•lain right," he paid to himself with a thrill of triumph, "It is hidden here." " Your own movements have made me think so," he paid aloud " I have listened to your footsteps, and I am sure that you have not lingered in this empty building eimply for the walking about." " Much satisfaction may you derive from that theory," muttered Arthur, mockingly ; but his tone was constrained. Louis turned again toward the door, which Lo unlocked and passed out into the room beyond, leaving his victim to his own bitter reflections.