ELSEY FARM. HOW IT WAS LOST AND WON. BY DAVID R. LOCKE.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 265, 19 May 1888, Page 5

ELSEY FARM. HOW IT WAS LOST AND WON. BY DAVID R. LOCKE.

CHAPTER 11!. (IOLSI'.W'K \ HOW \ I'AUS \M> \ \UK Vl'l'S I'AU 'iicui.m^ w men tiik i:r vdkii mi st ii \\ i«\ Jim Poixvun, holiest, though dissipated Jim rollaul, know that Alary FJscy was as fai horn 1 1 mii a> l/lic poles are asunder— -thai while t-ho icjilly respected him, and liked Ii I iii, it, \\ as impossible thai should c\er !u\o him or many him. So Jim Polkud ha- a:i c\e(llenl chame lo do an entiiely disiiUeu' t'jd tiling, and he vwi.s picci-o 1 } Ihe man lo do i(. lie knew llial the convex auce of lOUey Kami to John CasMdy w.i- ,! f i .mil - -I hii( John IS Key and his w tfe siippo-i'd I hey wuc M^niiiL 1 a moi l^aj^o — n>l a deod and 1 1i.it. they les'uled on their home-lead m total iunoianeo ot the fa el t !i.»t they had paited \\it!i it s ow nei-hip. Jim Po!l. tl <! (Icttunincd in hi- own mind to k <i\e the turn; hul how '! lie \\a- com p'el'U in the power of Jolin ( 'as-id> , who i .udd ..t. any time piocuio hi.- ai i c-<( , ti id, and ei'inii t ion lor ti imes I h.d weie not. too old toi the law lo take cognisance oi. .Jim '\>'lnd liad bin n a \eiy w lid, icck!ec-, di--i p \{t d in. in in the \eai-j <_;ono l>\ , dace- ol which weie left upon him, ineila i ."■ li'lv. 110 had conmionced .=• ill ■,! ._!> nun do, with dt-Mpahon ; nan hhn^ had lolloued iii unkenness, l'<i<.;< i\, buiylaiy, hoi-e stealing -ail emnes whnh ha\( a dash nt lomanee about (hem, and .\liieh uijiuie n'i\e, -kill and daini;.; hul iollow i d ■• unhung a*- n.ituialK a- w ater 1 mis d<»wi- lull And, wilh all (h<-, Jim Pollaid w i , ,1 >>j Hi 1 f c lli u -onl\ <;o(>d te'lou s tullow tin-, eon: c. ('limina!- aie not all ;j;ood j:- !!»>».- I m 1 1 thosi. who uin tho entile ! <v"Hit , c >m morning with dissipation ,i-> the niit'al poiui , always aie The hiuteman i^ a ci numal hoi n --(he niarnihiet med ci immal is alwa)-- made ot mo-t exeelleul hi iteti d. Aiadioad company in that, pat t 'A the -I, lie had I)Len pliiiideied le^ulail^ toi se\ im d hioiillis, and all the (.Hot Is ot I'ie company to di^-etn 1 1 I 'if d<>pieditois weie mi i\ ailing. ( !oj()a \\ o*ild lie -ai< 1\ !oi ked in tho t ii i at one end ot (he load, and i would in. ui!--in<r at. the oi.h<'( ( nd, ,u\d lh.j <li tit ([at s ( ion was. what In came or I hem, aid uho took them .' The eat- would eume fj t! : ( n lit iiij.itii n piopeih locked, l>tit the 'jo.ul-, wlio wit ( -'. Mr 'oln Cas-i.ly 1 emp'o'e! b,s rhe ( mipan^ to iettei oui Ihi • m\ ttiy, a><d iic did it. He had an in mi. I io. ci iuio a- vn eniii'4 a- th" .scent of a ) JojdlKdit.d. I' 1 ' di-e noted that Mi James Poll.ud w.i -. eon duetoi on that load, and that he Mas on mi.ni'iu towns with tliice biaLcmui. He foand, moieo\ei, that out oi the hiakcnii n had i In other; t h.i L I hat hi ot her hid ,i tiiiiidii ilm line of tho load; that the lions, inwlii'-'i he li\ ed w.is not moie than tujnt\ tods tiom the hack, and that was the p >in! liom which lv look hi-, ihyauute. He waierul thin hioiLoi like a tleuthhoii'i I, and di>. iveicd that ho wa^inth" 1 lutl it or j,o\r_r to I'it t-l>ui «4, w itli moi c tiiisk-ll 'ii ,i i.umcr gr net all} take-v.tth hi. i n !i> (mjiu ion . These Ii unks would I' 1 ( ; .eikcd. lejxnlaily. Mr Ca^-idy was in th> 1 I) i<.'Ua', f O tar one ni^hl , and it so happened that o'.e ot t lie^c tiunk.s he unlocked. Th- to we.c i - i t'>al trunk no coats, pantah.Mii-, \e U and boots, but instead weie ilk-, satm-, and elo'hs ot \aiiou- kind? and de- nptioii-, whiih was hinc;ulai baj^.i^e toi a c riniiKiii i.umei to ha\e in his trunk. He dimply I>/Aed the trunk a^ain and let it pi--- on. Mi (, ,i-sid\ watthed th<i! tiunk caiefull). He aw it put upon a liuck, and he followed Hut tie.nk lo a hou-o and saw it 140 into thai hou-e. The hoii-c was that of a [lawn-''.(jk'-t who w.i- known to be a receiver o{ toh n ii od-. lln u eomiili-hed, Mi (_'a-sidy ic turned, and a f> \v ni'ihi.' atleiwaidh he wa^ l)in<^ i!, l \ 1 the <\ ni " in fiont ot the house, wait iirj .md m ilelrnir. Tito rumble ol the train h.i- !n,nd, /i li'jhl of peculiar natuitwaJi pla\ed Ii om tlie hoiiho, the dooi of a eai was opeivd, two boxes (if m ich;nidi-e \\i io 1 oil' d out, and (he (ram plunged 011waid. Oui ianror fiiend came out immediately with, his wi'e, and took the boxes into the ho 1 0 and opened (hem. A'as ' tor those indusltious people ! John ('d-,sidy and a feheiid'b pos«o weie upon !hcn». The) w ore sin piiscd w ith the booty iii their hands ; and the woman made con-f'.--!.>n to John ( a-sidy alono of tlic whole thiit', 1 ' Jim Pollaid wv^ tho leader of the <j,an;.i, and Iho mu\in^ epiiit. He had piocuied hi-, situ, ilio'i for this pni po^c solil) , and had ( '.'ot into ]io ilion his eonli'doiale?. 'iho brakemen of the tiainweioall in the bu -iiies-,, and hii train was completely under then- control. His plan van plain ( uoii'ih tie had duplicate key-j made, and at tho station befoic the house ot his confedeiate would into tho ear that h' ld the floods ho desiicd. T.hen at tho place ho would roll out tho boxes, and at tho next ttntion would lock the car 1 a°,ain. I Mr C'as-idy had these detaiks ponied into hi- pti\ale ear only, for he desired to make 11 0 of them lor hi.s own purpose.-. Mr Ca-sidy \\<is' one of those peculiar fccoundieK who never have paitnei.s, because they feel themhches equal to an} and all emci^eneie-. Po-cisod of I'.oso facts, Mr Cassidy ptocecded to finibh hib tat.k. There were .si.\ in t,ho woik, and before the sun went down ho had the &i\ in £aol— Jim Pollard bcina 1 tho la-t aiiestcd. Mr Pollard was only a little disconcerted when CasHily arrested him. lie simply icina\l.ed that his arrest wao a joke, and ho icque-tod a private interview with bib captor. Mr Ca&sidy granted him the ]■)) ivatoin(ei\icw. • \\'oll, 1 paid Cassidy, ' what do you want to s;iy to mo V 'Simply thi",' lOuiirncd Pollaid, sitting closely upon the cdi»o of a table, and vco,)Kiin^ C)a.s.sidy with a curiously confident look ; ' simply this — what you want to do now is to discharge me, on the statement that my airest was all a mistake' 1 You aie disposed to be facoliouH, Mr Pollard.' 1 Not at all, that is what you want to do, and what, >ou will do.' ' 1 ceitaiuly shall not.' ' You certainly will.' ' What will cornp o^ mo >c<o remarkable a pi oced me?' 'A iact, Mr Cassidy. Your safe was robbed lour yeais ago.' Mr Ca&sidy betrayed some decree of emotions and listened attentively. ' 1 am aware of it.' ' Do you know who robbed it V 'No.' ' But do you know what was taken from il? 1 robbed that safe, John Cassidy, 1 and another man. Wo got from it some £jomiino money — not much — and a great deal of bogus money. It was one of tho

most unprofitable pieces of woilc I c\ci (lid. \Vo got in addition Lo tlio countei0 fuil money the plates from which it wa]>iintc(l, and knowing all tho people in the line, I took the trouble Lo hunt, out your pailncr in the business. I know wheic ho is this niinuto, and can put my hand on him in foi by-eight horns. I have tho platen and ot the money ir: a ■safe place, wheic I can re >eh them. You have mo in a tight place, Onssidy, but no tighter than 1 can put you in, What do you think ? Shall you discharge me, or do you think it bo->b to let mo go V' ' Does anyone know of this but you ?' asked Catsidy. 'None save youi late paitner.' ' 1 s.hal dischuige you you keep my ■ secret and I will keep youf*. See to ib blub in) 'partner,' as you teim him, i-^ as dii1 elect as youitjclf, foi the moineiit my / matter i-> made public yoms will be. l»ut " how w ill tho ic.-t ot the pai (y take your ccapoV' ' Never you mind that. We aie «i lci^ini able set ot gentlemen. It i\ woil underftlood amongst ih that each man shall, when caught, do hi.- 1 best lot hint-ell, so th.it, in making his < seapo, he doc- not piojudiee his fellow s. They all knew that they will be none the wui.su oil lor my gelling out ot danger.' ' And .John Ca-sjd.v emeiged fiom the pi i\.ito icunn with .Inn I'ollaid, and sL. ded th.ib thcaiie-t ot Mi I'ollaid w a-, all a mistake; that he wa not the man he siippo-ed he had got. ('a^nly was pale as a glui->t, and neivou-, wlulo Poll. ud pteseivtd an ias) , jaunt \ look. Ah I'ollaid instantly deleimincd to' 'study law' with -John '('a >:dy, toi, -i he said, ho w auU d .i situ way ot nibbing tho people llian ioite, and Ci-^idy did in.\ko him hi-> eleik. Itua- dininu thi-j pe. md (li.it iie mi t Ma<y 101s >y ami lo\ed h"i. 'I'h. it love woiked a eh'ingo in him. .Inn i'oll.ud iii-cu\Pic 1. Mlk n in ]if. -m.nt,, that tin ie \\ as something in hie b^. it ei than wild oiuiis; that a line worn m aid a (j'lii ', home weio bettei than the o.unblin'_> lull oi the b.u loom, and the w ild, leeklcsa m in softened undei the inl.iic'ieooi the new pa-i-ion, and i elicited that Le wa-> not as she w as lie- told hi-. ]o\e. and wa-<, of pc 111-0, ie|eetcd. lie >k< not .i:)^r\ withhi l , loi hi had calculated u pun nothing el-c. lie knew ho v. a-i not wuilhy ot I lie g00d,.-.v. ' i !, -l ion^, pui c gn 1 he woi -hipped, at.d tl at in do< lining hi- lo\ u she Is, id do l w hat "-he should ha\o done hid -.Me been enlnely hee. lie told In r -o, and (nanked hi i lor llu eun-idi i .Uiou sin. had m'o«ii lumi, and wi nt back to lu\ \\ oi !. ioehnif happy tliat ->ho ha.l d<mc hei^tlt and --.i\id hci-ell bv leieelinj^ him. .Inn I'ellaid w.i-<<i {.oh >d- bad wad. 'f'lu.ie wa-- .i t'ato of 'Miod in him, but it wi- tunbly bleim^l'.ed. f l"l.< «j,o dw..> taliiKil to him — the bad had been added li\ uieum--t.i.u.^. lint .Jim I'ollaid hit badly, dc-pito lik ph!io>oph\ lit cm -< d lihu ell that lie had not math him-, ir woii h\ ot »o tiii.d a pi i/ , and he did u hat h( v had done I'toie — <„ot\ei3 'bu"k. Litjiioi wa-5 hi- p mac ea fin all i he ill .o! Lite lie toigotin whisky his lioublu-, and liiLiewa- a j^icat tnuinle on hand. It \\>i^ dining tin-, lon^ eu-Minuil debauch that C'as-idy m.ui.i^cd to woiinout of him the e\att .-pot wiicic Iho Unible plate and eounteiiLib mono, whn/n l'ull.u tlhad p')--ji --'.d hi in -elf u c , wi- uma aX d. Know ins; the place, ho w.imli! no nine in aeeuiip'^ and (k^iio>in^ tin m. I'te-i.ntlv Mr I'oll.u I ,uof he immediately diM. i o\eied that his evidence against Ca^^id) u^ fjone. iie ki,. >\ instinct i\ el) who had t iki n it, and lie knew that it had been de itioj ed, fur >-ii C'.i-^idy wa-5 a methodical woikei, and a thoiouy;h one. I 'oil u d siul to (\\ >id % \ : ' ou h.i\c tli-ioMUd wheic! hid_\o>u platen and the specim. n-, of woik iiom thtin, a> d, J pieMimo, (k^tioyed them ''' ' \uu \\cie kind enuuyh dining >oui ioccnt • Diuiikcuue-.-,' j-u^^e-ted i'oll. ud. 'Well, diunko.iue--, it jh.i p' ( .i-\ to l conC.dy in u;e '\litie >oi had pi u c 1 I lien, ' and 1 d\A Hunk it ad\ i-'.bU to iemo\el thorn. I unlocked \oui b>s — ' i* ' \\ ith a hatchet '.' ' \ V*-, and ii'.mediat ■!) dt tio^Lil what 1 kn\i\d. \on 'to, I'.'Hai'd, 1 w intcd t.i «>ot iid ol all the C ut muv ihiL lei.iaiii- ul an alia 1 ' that mieht ui\c nit tioub'e. l "s ut th i e\ ulene j i- nob all i^ui«i\ed.' 1 i>ut it i-.' '\ iii foi^ot that Alnam-, \ our pai 1"■ i in eoMiiteileitiuu;, ami mine in bui^hi} aftuwaids, i- still lnmi;.' 'Online point, my (h <i PolKud, nn i.ifomiation i, better ilia-i \oii;,-. M.uk Abiam-diedin the Wc-tem p'nitintu'iy the day befoie 1 bioke oi>en join box. Ho i lon» ,'b i) 0 li\ed, po^' on oi the platen and the rounleiioits wa- ot no u-e to me. The moment he died, I l called that m\ safety demanded Ihe po^- —ion ot the plate-, and 1 -honld ha\e had them it I had tound it necLssii} lo kill >ou. Voi'r dvunkenno-i sii\ed mo the tiou'-le. I woinud \our seeiet out ot jou l.is ly. l)iunkenue-6 is bid tor \ou. A ci iniinal onyhl never to diink.' 'lie who choo-sCbtli!it kind ot a life in cold blood never does diink. lint when o^e i-> dn\eu into eiime, oi tali- into it- -' 'Hah!' letuined C'as-idy ' LUl«_n <o mo, now, foi- 1 luuo '.omobhinf^ to ta> tt) \ou that >ou will do well to listen to ,itnl to heed. You had alt .Id upon me which jou ha\e not now. The death of Abunnand tho destiuetiou of the count eifeit note-. wi])C out e\ei> particle of evidence ihat 1 caic a sliaw tor. A k our un- up|>oi led woul o,oes for nothing. l>ni 1 ha\o a yiio on you. \ our railway (hetfs aie not the only ones that 1 can biinjj, against >ou, a-> aou very well know. J can \uij; my little im^OJ and you &o to the penitentiary. Now, I am not disposed to be hai A\ d ci vol. "\ ou shall stay li^hb hctc w ith me ; you shall help me in tho woi k J luuo to do.a-^ and long 1 as you clovo'o join self to mo, so lono' you aro bate. l>ut one movement a^j'inst me— nay, indilicienco {o me, and \ou aie a lost man. 1 shall ask no pio-"mi,-c- of you- -you have sudiciont inteiest in my wet'taio, I iancj . to keep yon tine to me. ' And Cassidy loft tho office, leaving behind him a ciushcd, bioken man, who felt vciy keenly the position he was in. Ho Av'as John Cas&idy's clei k, under tliesc ciicumstances, at the opening of our stoi y. Pollard had but tlncc things now^ to Use for ;to hi» foot on John C'a.s.-idy's neck, lo wno Jillooy l?iwm iroin the of John C!assidy, and lo sec tho girl ho loved moiry tho man bho lo\ed. And these three things ho bwoio to do, oven though _to accomplish them lcquiud tho luiu of himfelf. But how? Ho know to a certainty that none of the Elsoy family dreamed of tho fiaud that had been practised upon them, but ho dared not in foi in them. Ho was the only one w \\o knew that it Mas a ftaud, and should tho Elscys diocovor it, John Cassirfy would know to a certainty Iroin whenco tho information came. He could nob bbii- without bringing luin on himself, and as yet he was hardly equal to so great a sncrilico. Anil so Jim Pollard bioodcd over thia thing till ho becaiuo morose and melancholy. Ho drank deeper limn c\or, and sank lower and lower. John Cas&My increased in good humour daily. Paul Jiutes was gutting no practico,

j and win flowing poorer and poorer. JFo had lii.s family to support, awl the amiable Cas^idy looked with grim satisfaction uijon his mother and si&tcisas they went to ehuich Sunday mornings. lie noticed that they wero wearing the same clothes they wore the year before, and, straining his momoiy a little, hcicmcmbercd tiiat they wcic three, instead of two yea is old, and hi« good humour increased. JIo managed to get the idea in circulation among the few tradesmen of the village that to oho Paul Bates credit for goods of any kind was oquhalent to giving the goods away, and Paul was, accotdingly, asked to pay icady cash, when ready cash was tho only thing under hea\en that he did not hau). And ho became luiioiw at the troubles that besot him, whet cat Mr O'as.sid/rf good humour ios>e to a still higher j).ti;h than boioie. Mr Ca?^idy had an idea that he could cuive Mr Paul Jiates out of Brownhelm, and, in truth, it seemed as though the idea was based upon a very biibsUuiual fuuiuiation.

CHAPTER TV. ] V\{\. HAT!,-. (iOKS TO THE Y. Mi, AND Mil ' HSMDY MAKIS iUS NFXT MONK. ; Tin si: oumiK wo should ha\c seated sooner, weie pi ogi easing in the most melancholy year Ilia I the country lias ever | sr t «n, 1862. The revcises which the fctlcitil aiuiieh had met with had been fol- ' lowed !>/ a call for moic tioops and the 1 cnliic KoiLh was lcsponding to the call. 1 The best men of the country weic rushing to il.e iiout, to ied\c\c di-asteis and cou- \ oil. d'jfc at ino victoiy. A legiment wjs !». iug iniscd near BrownI elni, 7 he Colonel of which had been a [ fast friend of Paul P.'ites's father, in his lifetime, and who took a lively interest in Paul ,'tid those dependent upon him. Colonel Mackintosh knew that the young i>lj\ticim luid lctuiui'o: and .skill, and he had lopeateclly begged him to take Uio p Mlion of ;,uigeon in Iho lcgimcnt. ffo had i. p.cr-cnted to him the fact that the pay wi.iild place hit. mother and sisters in rouitoil, that fho expeiie'iee i he lield wis pteci-«ly what he needed nd that in (he f^cnt oi a hiiceos-ful caieei, ho coiild ielmn with sufiieicnt (d'ltlo make In-, tutu i o '-ecuic. To the Colonel';? suv-pii-c, the \ounu p'ly-.ician, hopeless, as w.i his position, did not accept the oiler, lie did not decline it, but ho defied it held open for him ; l>e wanted all the t inio po-' ihlo bofoie linally deciding. The Colonel ehaiitably atuibuttd hit. indecision (o his leluetanee in patting with his mother and sistrif. Blind Colonel! He foigot thoic wcie poisons in the world of moie iivpoitanec to a \oun^ man of twentyi'nie than mother and si^tcrrf ; he tot got th.it w lv n he u,h twent}' tluce, the lady vho wa-> i><u r Mi'a Mackintosh could hold him uhcie a dozen molhu.s aud tistois i ould nii(. ' M vy, tin. logiment i- hill, and it mo\es to the 1 1 .jnt to moiiow. 1 must decide beline ten o'clock to night whether or not I Like (he commission.' The two \. cie in the glen in w Inch they h.d iißi s ) m.ni) tiiiK-, at (he ur-ual hour oi meeting. 'Shall 1 «.n v ' i c a.ldi d. 'Paul,' i». tinned M.ny, bursting into teals,' it i-, a ciull question to ask me. Y"U know that woe ] to lollow the prompting of my lv ut 1 should say 'no'; and how can [ It'll the mnn I lo\e to lea\e mo? And )el this i-> \\ hat 1 mu^t tell 3011. The ojjcniii'. 1 , is, a In illiiin u one, and juu cannot leiuse it without domjj; \ iolencc to yomself, your mother and .-i-teie. hsueh as we, Paul. \u\\ c us) hu'-incss wii-'i wo cannot at'oid ii. Senliiiicnt i- not bread nor rlotlujs, and to them mu-tbcom only lujsinc's--. Hiich as we, .'hould have been bom without heaits or minds, for it is im-po-sib'o to indulge the one or gratify the o(, he,, (io, I'aul, <;o ! .Possibly, thei - e you urt\ imd what we both to f-oicly need.' ' And \ou, ]\Jary ?' ' J will' stay, and— w oik.' 1 '' iv ill at least pinmi^o mo—' ' Pl i I will be line to jou ! Ye-. ; you / .in Cv o: '\ iiuiu 1 e\ei — i lie only one lean I o ]n>; \m need Iki\c no fear of me. , ; I d i k oi \ou e\eiy moment—pray i M/i i•i (>( > i's .mi! sifety e\ ci y moment, and I . ti l \oiu lcLmn. I shall hope i| (> 1.,^ \\a) -I do not know how— we mi.-, - w.i\ out of Iho darkness th it t'\i j,_ ii' --tli.it we may at last many. Po ii>'.\, Paul, this 1-, the way. Whethci i( i% ri not, it sconis io me to he best that \ on ■_>'•' ' ,\! is mc ting tli.u \ou iemain ('n^ to ire, and ljL!i:\iiv^ that (nis is (he w.r, Piosulonto ln> opened to u>, 1 shall <i". 1 lea\e \on now, ioi 1 ha\c no time to . l,.si( in whxhto u-ach cani[i. Farewell, >>'ai\, knew til. Ilemcmboi- me, lemembcr \oui promise. Unco more laicwell !' ' ' Allrv a lonu:. ]us-ionato embrace, and 1 is^cs the most tct\ent, l'aul Bates went ouo way and M>ay another. Tiio no\b moHiinq; the lo^imont of Col. M.ukmto,-li seated lov the ti out, with Viuxl l!a(L^ .t- it- iir^eou. There weic sid heai I- iv ti.e cottage in which wete hib motliei .Mid s^Lli.-. " At ELey Kirm, one woman was mowin; silenil} about her woik, df, t ) ed, but |i de tindhagj^aid. Ifcwa&tho trial Mai \ Kl-c} liad yet met, and r-Uo v. a-5 moctiiig it as -ho had all the other,;, innvcly. Fn Fir o'hee, there were two men whoso emotion-, \>eic widely diileieut. Ci^sul^ was i.i the most pleas-ant m. i.d |)o-sible. lie hummed a pleasant air, diuaimin'^ an arc mipaniment on the table IxJoi-* him witii Ui-> iin^orn — his face hcamiiiN with s nisiactinn, and ho really did ad\ i.-o one in m, w bo wanted to borrow money, with which (o boio lor oil, against it, notwithstanding I'to laci that the infatiuited man ot'eied a moi t^agc on a {liece of lathci \aluablolaiivl. Jt was iho n«.',ht ol the re^i'nent maichintj down (lie stiect with Paul Bates beside Col. Mackintosh as- one of his stall that wiou»;ht thio change in Mr Cassidy. lie went w ith llic iiiti/etis to the depot to see (hem oil, and while ho did not cheer partieul.ul\ loud, ho wa< probably tho most delighted man in tho \a:b concoiusc. The rhiiek of the engine that dragged tho train away was the s.vcetot music ho bad ever heai'il, loi th.it engine, he believed, took lorn the iield tho only obstacle to his conquest ot jM.uy Kl-e>. lie had no doubt that with Paul r».it Co out ol tho way he could conqiur tho gils aversion, and bcsklo^ theic was (ho chance of the death of his ii\al. Ca.ss-dy had no compunction whato\cria calciilaUng' upon this chance, lie made inquii.N , and found that good Mir- ,, cons— bi.n o ones- weio frequently in position to be shot, and it was with gioat rati* faction that ho said to him&olt, ' Paul Uatc.s. is a biti\ c man — ho will expotc him.slliV But Mr Ca:«»idy'.s good humour Mas not s-liaied by his o'ork. Jim Pollard was I'm ions'. Jlo know that ho had driven J'aul to the acceptance of tho commission, and ho saw tho pleasure it gave his principal. He know that the whistle of the engine that took Paul out of Brownholm was the .signal fora prolonged persecution of Mary IClst-y. tlo knew that Cas&idy had nob L'olinquL-hed his designs upon her, and that with the legal title of her father's faun, which ho had obtained, ho had a leverage upon her that was terrible in tho hands of a man who knew neither pity nor remorse. MrCassidy did not permit tho grass to

grow under his fecb. Within a week ho inado his appearance at Elsey Farm, ostensibly to see Mr Elsoy on a matter of business. Ho saw Mai y incidentally, bufc did not bioach the old topic. To all appearance, or, ho far as lie made any sign that day, he had abandoned the quest, and had rooted out of his mind everything pertaining to the passion that had possessed him. Jiis business was to advif-e Mr Elsey concoining t lie piobability of his land being oil-producing. A party of prospectors had been in the neighbourhood tor two months, and had bored several wells. Of the mini-, bor, two had produced oil in abundance, and the others were not altogether hopeless. It had come to tho knowledge of Mr G'ashidy that they had gone over Elsey Farm, and had detei mined that tho indication.': wcic sufficiently favourable to warrant an c\pc>i imontal veil. Mr Cassidy had merely called to warn Mr El.sey of tho facb that, when the operators came he should not be taken unawares, and should nob paib with prhilcges for leso than they were worth. Mr CdSaidy advised Mr Ehey nob to clos* with them except on ccitain conditions, which he stated, so that Mr Elsey understood them, Then bowing politely to Mary, he took his dop'irtmo. John Cassidy's footsteps had hardly died away in the distance, before Jim Pollard made his appeal ance. I fo had evidently followed Uu-,-idy, anil had been hiding till he had gone. He niched by the old man without speaking to him, to where Mary stood, and beckoned her to follow him. '\\ hy, -lame?,' said she, ' what possesses .You.' Youlookstrangcly, butnotsostrangely us you act.' ' J look bhangoly, but not more so than I have tor wee kf. 1 am wild-eyed, haggard and hollow . I know it. I have been drinking hauler than e\cr befoie, bub not so haul a- 1 shall mink. It is the only thing that keeps me on the eaith. But tor liquor, t rhoulil Kill myself, ami T do not want to die i ill i ha\c sued you !' "What do you mean, James? Save mo fioin what 'r' ' 1 nnict sa^e you from a man who knows no pity, no icmoise, no mcicy — nothing but himself. 1 want to save you from a man v. ho has the cunning of the fox, the fuiocity ot the tigei, the gieed ot the hyena, and (he .strength ot the lion — a man who hiii you in his toils thi> moment, and who only bides his time to chaw the. meshes so tightly that you cinnob mo\e. John Ca^sidy ha^ b^cn here 'lie has.' ' Did ho come to {-co you ':' ' Xo. lie came to f cither to advise him in tho mcil Ur of an expected \ if-ifc from oil operator-.' ' Then he hat- nob a-* yet sprung his trap. lJub lie will. Maiy Elsey, you lo\ePaul Uutes ■"'' • I do.' ' I know it. And he gasped as if he were choking. ' 1 know it—l know it. You would many him, weic you and he in eir-cum'-lancts to make it possible?' ■ 1 would.' ' But whcthei you many with Paul Bates ■ or not, \uu would not, under any chcumstai'cc-. many John Ca^fcidy?' ' X(.\ei — 1 would die iiicb.' ' Listen to me. Something has transpr cd tho tenor of winch I cannot now tell you. John Ca^sidy holds in his hands a power which ho hopes ia sufficient to bend jou to hi-, will — to compel you to marry him whether jou will oi not. Ho intends to put j on in a position wheie you will be compelled to choose between the sacrifice ot join --ell or your father, mother, sisters and brothers. He knows how devoted you are to \oui family, and he intends to make that demotion the means of bending you to liis will.' ' (iood Heavens ! i o it anything connected with that mortgage?' ' Mortgage !— bub I cannot speak yet. Ko matter what it 1-5 — you will know in time. 13 ut listen to me, remember every woul \ say and belie\c it without question and implicitly. Ko matter what happens — no mattei what John Cassidy doec, or has — nc\Ci' many him. I ha\e it in my po<veit<i thwait him and &a\c you, and Mary E'->ej. a-> God is my judge, I will do it, no •natter what tho consequences may bo to me. I -hall tiy to you and myself — you shall be ?a\ed at all hazards.' ' 13ut J lines- ' Xot a woul, Marj . lam a lost man. Could you ha\e lo\ed me it might have been diileicnt ; hut bin* is o\cr. You did not. You ought not. You loved a better man. But, icmcmber what 1 have '-aid. Pcnnit no cajolery, no force, nothing caithly, to compel you to thia marriage. Though the alternative i-; prevented you of seeing your father and mother turned out) into the load, bid the scoundrel do his wor^t:. I will be by your side, and I will save ) on. Faicw ell, Mary. 1 ?hall not see you a^ain pood. Remember what I have t=aid, and act upon it.' And James l'ollai\t walked ripidly down the road. A- ho stood on the brow of the hill, he turned and \va\cd his hand to the staitled yirl, who, even at that distance, kiw on his face an expression of intense agony, as of a man who bad pai ted with hope and was willing to part with life. (To be Continued.)