CHAPTER XLIII

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 290, 15 August 1888, Page 5

CHAPTER XLIII

niMMIKRITU). TilL call strode straight from Maigueiilc's boudoir Lo tho olUcc of his head stew aid, and from him he learned in detail all that had boon transpiring dining his illue- 1 - al tho Firs. 'It pains me to say ,i woid against t he young master,' said tho old man ; ' but tho tiuth nnifl be told, and the A\ay he carried on wasshameiul, espccialh while your lordship lay at the point ot death. He had some score or moio of wild young blades from London, and eveiy blotted night that come it was carousing;, and dunking, ami gambling till the break o' daj . l'\o been at Stiathspey Towcis many a \e-ir, and ne\er saw the like befoic. 1 Tlie eail had heai d enough. JIo Imncd away, while lo Ihe lip* in his angci- and mortification, and wont at once to his son's apartment--. Tho dooi ot his sitting room was locked, but the iiatc peer buii-l it in with a, single efloi t. A \cry luxurious peie-on in his tastes and habits was the jounj; Loul of Stiathspc). His rooms were littcied with co-nl> hiftes of every form and design. A miser at heai t was the young heir, yel a veiy Sybciitc in legard to his own personal indulgence. Lord Strathspey tore thiough these dainty apartments like a madman, overturning jewelled caid-cases and golden perhime flasks, enameled tobacco-boxes, all co-tly and pretty enough for tho use of a joung i duchess. At last he came to what he searched tor — an iron box which was caiefully locked. | The earl caught it up, and huiried away with it to the library, where a few -trokes of the chisel sent the lid (tying in half-a-dozen diiection'-. Then he tumbled o\ei the contents with a dangerous look in liis eyes — cards, letters, and a piettj' goodsi/ed toll of "Bank of England note.--, and. at the very bottom a handful of gold guineas and two or three hum/ th'i»ir»td->. ' I knew it !' cried the carl. ' [ was sure it was his woik — -curse him ! The meanest tramp in the lanes would scorn such an act ! I'll diMnhci t him for it '.' And leaving the costly contents of the cash-box scattcicd about piomi&cuously, he went out in search of his son. But lie was nowheicin the house, and, half mad in his anger and impatience, the eail stiode out into the park and down the winding cairiagc drhe with fierce, impatient step 1 -. On and on he went. his soul tilled with bitter thoughts, all hi-, piond blood at fesei heat. Wild exhavaganee and dissipation Avere bad enough, but this last act w<to meanness itself. On the vciy confines of the paik, at the edge ot a strip ot thick timber, he came face to face with Loid Angus, his. lifle across his shoulder, and a biace of b : rds in Ins belt. '"Well, sir •" said Lend Stmlhtpoy, contionling him with a tace that was white with anger. The \oung peer may have been stall led, but he did not betiay it. He bioiiLrht his rifle down with a elane, and laced his fathci with bold, impudent oye^. ' Well, i-ii '' he repeated ; ' what N it v ' For an instant the cart tor his voice. His lagc choked him. He wa- an excitable man, with pas-ions and impulses beyond his control. • Can you ask, sh ?' ho ciicd, at la^t, his voice hoarse and unsteady. ' L)aio you stand thcie and face me, you impudent young scoundiel, aftei what you ha\c done?' Tho young man saw at a glance that denial Avas out of the question, and biaccd himself to meet the stoim. ' What have I done V he asked. ' What the deuce is all this low about .'' 'What ha\o you done .'' stonnod the angry fathei. ' You ungiatciul cm. I'm ashamed to name your oilencc ' You have stolen youi si->tci's jewels -puiloined them from the setting"-, like a common thief ! ! How daie you enter niv sate, Mr !' 'I wanted money," leplicd the young man, boldly. ' Why didn't you double my allowance when I asked you ? I may aavcll ha\e it,' he added, w ith a bitter .sneer, | " as foi you to squander it on such women ! as Lady Drummond !' The earl stood bilent for an instant, utterly stunned by his &on\s audacity. Then he &ti ode forward, and giasping his collar, shook him till he was 1 out ot breath. ' Such insolence, and lo me '' he panted. 'You unnatural young villain, I'\ehalta mind to wear out my cane over \our shouldeis !' The young man's sallow checks flushed to a dark crimson, and his head protruded forward, giving his gicenish giey eves that peculiar .serpent-like look they always woie when he was angeied. ' It takes two to play at that game,' he replied, speaking under his bieatli ; ' and f am stronger than you are! Strike a blow if you dare, Earl of Strathspey, and I'U mvi der you !' The earl reeled back as if an adder had stung him. ' Merciful Heaven !' he cried, putting his hands to his bead in a blinded kind of way, as if his icason were deserting him, ' h k viy son f ' Your son,' hissed the young man almost in his ear ; ' and Earl oi Strathspey as soon as you are out of the way. and tho sooner the better.' 'We'll see about that,' stormed Lord Strathspey, roused again into a Ircnzy of anger. 'As I told you once betoic, there i= a proviso affixed to the Strathspey entail, and I will take advantage of that proviso. The earls of Strathspey Towers ha\e been gentlemen for upward ot a couple of centuries, and [ will not leave a common thief to inherit the old name. Boy, I could have forgiven dissipation and extravagance — even Ff you had stolen the Strathspey jewels?, I might have been brought to overlook it, but,' he went on, an ominous calm in his voice and face, ' you left the A'aluables you thought would be yours one day, and stole your sister's jewels — your sister's bridal diamonds/given to her by the Countess of Mortlake. The veriest burglar in Billingsgate would scorn to commit such an act. lam ashamed of yon. You havo

disgraced mo and tho noblo name 1 bear, and horn this hoiu' L disown and disinherit you. You aic no ton of mine, and I wish to heaven I could havo the Strathspey birth mark, ora&ccl from your arm, and thief and coward branded in its place' For the first, timo the young man winced, and pub his hand to his arm unconsciously. Tho earl did not know ib, bub his w\\ did, and ib vexed him and made him feel uneasy — en >•>/ day lit llnd the scarlet ti'o^ ijilio paler. 1 1 shall arrange the mablor at once,' continued Lord Stialhspcy: 'the title and estates shall go to my nearest lolativc, and you, sir, may go wlieie you please' pio- \ ided you ne>cr cio^s my path again.' ' I shall cross it once,' his ed the young man, piotrudinghis hoad till his hot bicath swept his Libber's lace, ' and then I'll mur- '/( r i/o it, !' And in tho sunc bieabb, in an awtul, uneatlhly unee, was uttered again that startling piodicbion which deciced a teloifs tabc to the call's wm. The oat 1 gicw deadly sick, anrl the oaks and liis .spun )O'ind like gigantic human figures, bub he did not lo'-o hib senses. The lace of his son, with that deadly pur po^c in hi^ 0} e^, acted like a stimulant, lie gapped foi a moment, and tore frantically at his collar, and tnen went staggering oil in the diieetion ot tho castle, i Colonel (iilbcit Veiney, nding aeioss fiom 'The Cedar.-",' wheio lie was on a vi~-ib with hi-. \\ iic, met the niisciablo nob'eman taeo to iacc loi tho fiist tim^ since their ominous patting Lhat aftei noon in tho valley of the T> i 01. The lace ot Lord Strathspey was like the tare of a dead man, and be iceled fiomsido towdc in hit. vain attempt-, to walk. The colonel wa- out of his saddle in a twinkling, and at hi& side. 'J beg ynui paidon, Lord Stia'hspev , but if _> ou will .vllow me .'' he began. But Loid Stialh-pey, looogniMtig the voice, and the cool, calm lace, si nick out with both hinds like an angiy child. ' How daie you speak to me v ' he ci ied — ' curse >ou, got out of my path--or I'll ' But the thieat ended in a sjasp, and I lie cail tell hca\d\ to the giouud, pio-tiatcd by one ot 1 1 i -, old attack 1 -. Coloney Voiney spiang back to his saddle, and shot, oil' toy.aid the To\\ei=- like an iiuow ; and in ten minutes tho call's sci\anb-> Mere lound him. ' Poor fellow ,' sighed Culoncl Vnney, as he rode aw ay, ' ib i\ coming home to him '' Mcanululo (he dismheiited young loid btood leaning on his lille in the edjie ot tho oak fcimbei. ' \\'ho spoke tho-C;.tiangc woids, I should like to know '/' he said, ga/.in^ about him ■with a bcwildeicd < -taic. Ac it m re-ponsc to ln>- wMi, agiatelul fi'jrme glided tiom beneath the hea\ y oak bough 1 -, the liguie of Lady Cecilia Lhtimmond. ' (Jood morninj;, my loid,' .-he boi>an, e\ tending lier ■wliiic hand ; 'what make-* you wear such a seo>\lmg lace thi^ line day V The young man felt like ctusing her to her teeth. 1 Because I in in a scowlinci huinoiu,' he replied, loughly ; ' good da\ , Lady Diummond." lie i\.b Gliding olf, but (lie Him clatp of her while hand-s detained him. 'Loid Angus,' >he said, meeting his sullen c) c-> with lici (lathing glance. 'I chanced to bo sitting on the oak-roots, yonder, and 1 ha\e heard all that pa'-.cd between 3011 and \oui father. Will jou allow me to t.iat I think }ou ate a \eiy ill used } onng man "'' ' Peihapc I maj be, bm L youaieoiv. of niv fal hei '^ good fi lend *,' siiecied the young m in, ' and ' '1 am not one of >our t.ilhci's good friends,'^-ho intenupied, hei eyes bla. ing with Imid hi e ;' I am his dcidly enemy. 1 Loid Angus ?t<ned in wondn. ' Veai ago,' -he went on, her iiun cla-]> still on his aim, ' bcloie you were bom, the Etiil of Stiath'-pey insulted me — did me a w long I -Oi.dl nc\ei toigi\e. Vouhl' m<in, 1 am i/mir liitiid ; will you let mo liclp you, and thus a\ eurre my o\\ n wiong^.'' lie eyed hei shaiply lor a inomeiil or two, as it to lead hei [impose, ami then he ar«w cied wai ily . ' 1 don b know that 1 object to youi help, Lady Ihummoud, but I think it the bj->t plan foi c\o\y man to weed his own low. What I want done 1 can do '' 'Can >ouV' Ktiitx hei silvei \olcc, ' Loid Aiifru^, no man i- so ■-tiony a-, never to netd a hulpmg hand 1 Lend me \oui cai, one moment, please, i'\e a seciet to tell >ou.' She bent hoi ltd lip-, lo lin check, and whi-pcied something in i.^ eai. lie -tarlcd a 5a 5 if sfiuck )>y a bullet, and put hi-, hand upon hi^ aim. in the spotwheiehe was maiked by the M'arltl cio^°. She noticed tlie action, and biokc into a tiheiy laugh. ' It i^ ti ue, my loid,' she -aid ; ' ami J can pi o\ c it at any moment .' Uis eyes began to bla/o uitli dch uitia^e. 'Come,' she continued ; ' none of thai, my loid ! We aie to be liiend^ and albe-, not encmi'j;-. I am hcie to sei \e you .uid help you. Shall 1, my loid ."' She evtended hei hand once moie, and thib time the young man clasped it. ' Ya,' he replied, ' we'll be ftiends 1' ' (Jood and tiuc friends,' smiled her ladj - shi[) ; 'a tellow feeling makes one w ondious kind, Lotd Angus, and we'll \,ot outwit the earl. Come t> 'The Firs 'to 11101 row, I shall ha\e need of you. 1 And without word or warning, she vanished as she had appeared, with the noiseless motion ot aspuiL Tho young heir of Strathspey Toweis stood a lull live minutes in sombie thought, and then, shouldering his nlle, he walked moodil) homewaid. (To In Coutiii'itd. )