CHAPTER LXII

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 299, 15 September 1888, Page 3

CHAPTER LXII

Tut Counter ot Mortlaku sat in hoi' clvimber, on thefollowino morning, w rapped in her royal \ehot. when lier waitino woman entered to bay that Captain Fo&b" brooke begged the favour of a bhoi I interview. ' Bring him in tlien, &nappsd the dowagei, who, now that the pressure was! removed from bet heart and conscience, wat fa&L falling back into her old impeiious habits? ; ' ben r i him in.' The womon obeyed, retiring discreetly at the captain entered. He advanced to the dowager's side with a courtly bow . j ' You percehe," ho began, with that ine•siotible smile ot hit-- : ' you perceive, my dear counter, that 1 am already probiiming upon your gieat kindness*. J have a stor^ to tell, and I want to know ifum'U ha\e , the patience to hear it V' J Tin not iond of stories Captain Fossv I brooke,' she replied, eru-tily, but at the i .same time indicating a t-cat in front ol her arm-chair, which the captain very gracefully accepted, l and 1 can't see what in the world you can have a &foiy about." 1 1 have one nevertheless, begging your ladyship's pardon,' continued the captain, ' but I'm not given to many words at any time, and I promise to be very brief. To begin, Colonel Rkhniovd llrooke, the woithy soldier, who played the role of Sir Baronet for the last few months, ha» been arrested, and committed to prison by an indictment for murder- -the murder of Sir Bayard Brompton. 1 'So 1 was informed by Lady Neville, not ten minutes ago - and, let me add, the newb gave me great satisfaction- -but what has thai to do with your story T ' More than your ladyship expects, perhaps,' replied the captain, hib brown eye» twinkling. ' 1 happen to know that Sir Bayard .Brompton ie alive !' The countess started to her feet. ' What do you say V she cried ; ' Sir Bayard Bi'Otnpton alive? What are you talking about, Captain Fossbrooke V ' About what I know to be Lady Brompton — but tirst hear my story : ' When your letter — you remember it, no doubt — in which you notified Sir Bayard. Brompton of your determination to make him your heir, provided he should consent to marry the Earl of Strathspey's daughter — when that letter, and the invitation to your ball, reached the baronet's rooms, the baronet was absent, having made a trip down to Sussex. But hid boaom friend Colonel Richmond Brooke, who shared the baronet's rooms, and purse, and whatever else he might possess, in a very Damon-and ' Pythias-like manner — this gallant colonel chanced to be present when the letter came, the letter bearing your ladyship's seal and coat ot arms. ' Now it has since been revealed that Colonel Richmond Brooke was half-brother to Sir Bayard, and had long meditated getting possession of the title and inheritance which he fancied belonged to him ; but Sir Bayard had no suspicion of this ; lie never dreamed that the colonel wab aught else than the good friend he pretended to be. « 'To return to the point, however ; the letter, bearing your ladyship's coronet appears to have suggested some opening 1 for action to the advonlurous colonel. He

broke fcho seal, read it ; saw that Sir Bayaid BrompLon was fated to he a rich and happy man, and docided thai the hone had come when lio must step into Sir Bayard'« shoe's." '(Jo on,' urged the countess, deeply interested. 'Accordingly,' pursuod the captain, hiy handsome eyes .still twinkling*, ' the colonel's valet was at once bent down to •Su&bex, to intercept Sir Bayard's return. He did so in a most effectual manner. Ife waylaid the batonet when he was driving towards London, struck down his hor.se, and dragged him irom his carriage. A brief struggle ensued, and the colonel's valot drew a dagger and plnugod it hiltdeep into Sir Bayard's breast.' j The counters .shuddered, and covered her face with her hands.. ' Leonard was sure- that his job was well done,' pin sued the captain, 'and he pioceeded to place the body of the imudered man in liis own caniaye, and mounting up boside him, Jie diove to a pile of old uiinss some two or three miles distant. Here he dragged him out again, and carried him into the old building, and hurled him head ioiemos-l, info a vault <i do/en feet below. The lull should, according to all reason, have broken the baionet's neck ; f bul J dare hay he wiif not horn to be murdoied. Instead, fche shock of the f,-ill routed Jiim, and .sent the blood from his wounds, that was flowing inwaid, gushing out in great jets-. This saved his lite, but it lefc him veiy weak. ' ' For an eternity, it seemed, he la.v there, on the iceking flagstones, in utter darknet's, and &u Hating indescribable turtuies. If Six Bayard e\er was a bad man- --' ' He never was a bad man,' interrupted the countess ; a better fellow never li\ed.' The captain smiled, "md v. en( on : ' 1 wab going to say, if he had any sin^ upon his soul, he repented of them in those endless hours ol darkness and torture when, bereft of all hope, he faced death in all itb hoiToi. Butcontiaiy to all expectation--, help and deliverance came. At last the bound ot footsteps and the niurmiir ot human voices broke the gia\e-hkc silence, and the light of a lantern streamed in upon the dirkness. ' The baronet lifted up all- l,he voice he could command, and eiied for iielp. It came, in the foim of a band of eounteifeiters, w ho carried on their unlawful pro-ceeding;-in an adjoining \ault. They suir rounded him, gi uil, dark-faced men, stained with ciime, yet not without some human good. The> die-sued his wounds., ga\ehmi nouribhmenl, inshoit, got him on his feet again, and asked no remuneration but his promise not to betray them. ou may be sure he gave them that." ' And Sir Bayaid V' gasped the countess. ' Returned to London, and found that his place wae filled, his name, his title, even hi" old garments, had all been appropriated by the man who was his hosom triond.' ' Where is he now v> cried the counters. ' He determined to remain incognito for a time, and .see how matteic went ; and, my dear counte&V he continued, his brown eyes fairly dancing, *is it possible that you do not suspect 'i Is there no look of my ancestor* in my face to tell \ou who I am V The countess arose w ith a stilled cry, staling wildly over her goggle-. The captain put up In- hand ai the .same moment and removed hi^ wtg of black, curlinir hair, and .stood betorc her in all his stalwart, Saxon beau t\, a BrompLon from the mown of his blonde head to the --ole of hit aristoeiatic foot. The old lad} staieci for a full minute in utter amazement, then she sat down and folded her hands meekly. 'Well, well,' she uttered, ' what a stupid old woman I mu^i be V" The captain broke into a laugh, and (he sound fired bet tempei. 'How dared you decci\e me m> ':' she eiied: 'why didn't yon make # \our&elf know 11 to me, and spate all thus double? 1 I beg jour p.ndon, my honouied kinswoman,' e\ plained the young man. ' 1 -should have done so, but not long after my lecovery, 1 went to the ball at Lislewood, uuiious to meet the man who had the daring audacity to por-onate myselt. I got up Uiitf little di&guise for the occasion, Jully intending to make myself known in a few days. Bub that evening 1 met Lady Marguerite. Well, it was a case ot love at iirst sight 1 might have resigned my name and inheritance, but never her. On the instant 1 conceived the madcap design of trying my power to win her under my assumed name and charactei. You know how far -1 ha\e succeeded ! She thought mo worthy of her love, and youi ladyship honoured me with ' ' Oh, fiddlesticks '.' ejaculated the counters ; ' don't picsumeon my prefeience- I'll nevei Jorgneyou — 1 ironU " Bub she ended by throwing her aims I about the jjieat fellow 's neck, and sobbing j like a girl. And the baronet, declared himself the happitst and proudest man in England. 'But not a woul ot tin.-," cried the' dowager, gleefully, when bhe had dned her | eyes ; ' clasp on your black wig again, poor [ Margueiite's too weak to bear ! now, and 1 want to keep my Lady rveville in the gall ot bitterness a w hile longei. A captain's too \ ulgar for her line ladyship' Won't she .stare when she lx j ars the story '" The captain readjusted his black locks. ' But theic is one matter that niiiht be attended to," he =aid, gravely ; ' the man who calls hnnselt Colonel Brooke hu- been arrested." ' Let him be tried foi hie crimes, leplied the counters. 'No," responded the baionet, "he is my half-brother, according to his own statement, and I can aflord toloigivc him now. Let him go fiee — and,' he added a little hesitatingly, " 1 haven't much in my own right to ghc, but 1 shall do what I eun. l J oor icllow, it does unjust that T should have all, and lie nothing. I must give him enough to get out uf England with at any rate.' The countes ga\e \enl to her dry, peculiar laugh. ' I'm sure of your identity now.' .she icmarked : ' no one but a Brompton would evej- dream ot rewarding the man who tried to murder him. But have it your own way. Hand me that writing-case, will you ?' The baronet obeyed, and she proceeded to write her cheque for a considerable amount. 'That will content you,' she said, and Sir Bayard, bowing profoundly, withdrew.