LITERATURE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7808, 28 April 1905, Page 4

LITERATURE.

;i ; . THE OBEED OF GOLD. ". " ' . - .) , "(Cpntiou«d). The sun was beating down on the batg.'hut quarries whoso slony stra»ta have Jeft the print on the feet o£ : : AT' oft**® qeriWal figures in the i . IMiistdiy W irinie. A gang of men wire-tjuiy-hewing the stoDe from its primitive boil. Armed warders,watch- 1 ful fend alcrtv sto«4 near ■M, hanjl, 1 ready to frustrate any attempt at ■ escape. Yet they were not so Vigi- | 7 (feint that. some apparently triVial lifcfiJents imssai by Unnoticed.' As one of the convicts went 1 to His > pltife, he., stealthily, turned over a ' " " piece' of stone, ami from it took up. ai praalt fifceo qf paper- Watching hia opportunity, he read it softly to 1 himself. 5 i " To-night—just before the whittle 1 sounds—make a dash for the trees ' 18 "US6 fTdrlß-wcst. I will meet you and help you to escaped IWI " w fcU-'i :.t> . ! ' - That was all. The convict put the 1 slip of paper in feis mouth, chewed" it to a pulp and spat it out. 1 -"J " .'"I suppose it's that girl I See, banging about here so me. lines,"- he I mused to himself. " I wonder who i n she, is. I soem toreculi her face"' rioiiiewbere. Well, whatever the mys-i • t<b-y .fs. ! It's pretty" evident she means ■ _ ,tp help me., So I'll trust her and J'inakb a dash for liberty." j ■ 1 • ' AS the ttay drew in, the sky bo- ; came dark and threatening. The warders. looked apprehensively at th;. approcUdifitg storin. A few minutes ' and the whistle would sound for the <»Mmgofwork. Sudttenly there was Stifjil Junjiaaan dashed out of the rank of eonvicts -and ran like a

deer to tho distant trees. Two shots rang out, but still the mail ran on, ,■li» -fui. instant^. confusion tooK the v v ' pAci ot order. The remaining con- . victfl,,spjjapatirising readily with their ' ,comrade, -showed .signs of rObeilTOn/ and the warders wei'e forced, to,. abandon ths. r ynflaway. As " speedily as they could, they marched the mep. tack to the glooiny pWsoii, and a'jwtrty of pursuers were dissiJeed to recapture -Meanwhile the flying convict bad reacted, the shelter of tho Wood. A' girl was tneret awaiting him. She a man's long cloak, and a V~"' so/f. lelt hat. Then they hurried on, s: _ liic gathering about thebi as % tSidy.rWenV Great dyops were' begigtd foil, and ere they had reached their destination Uie storm had burst afeoue their heads hi all its "V| ' % tables had bejm covered when ** ' fMy %rHved at d siuall town, aiid ,<be eii:l -" '* deserted. Entering, they wrat to an .upper room, a nd threw off their soaking cloaks. " Now," she said at lust, " I am ; ' going to make you n proposal. I „ ~ j ,tave, helped you so far without im- .. " posing a single condition. Hut my - ' Mtitur? actions depend upon you.'" He man looEed at her curiously. 1,0 " I a '" "e" 01 '" J*' ahtboth as to your motives"and in- < tenU6nto: But I am in your hands." 4. i> • Again the- girl turned to" listen'. Hie faint sound of voices reacjhod 'f, foramoment she stood ' > Still, as though petrified. The voices ...'Sounded . nearer, then ceased allot- <; getter. But she knew the men. had. _,*<»][. dieappoared. . Once mare she wirncji faced the fugitive, her , v Jipgerjgointing out, of tho window. _ J' CcjEisgot to marry toe, awl I will help' you to escape," -she cried. "Reiuse, and ypur pursuers. below shall capture you ! " ' TV W MfcWrod an exclamation of 'istonlahment. . Mechanically he put poehafid to his brow. " What Is Ukis ?." be ci'iod. '.'What purpose can you have of imposing Huch q condition? " Th» girl's, eyes ; flashed, but she moved a step nearer. - ...: ''Listen, Roy Conway," she said to " low, concentrated tones. I have that within my hands that will establish your innocence. I know something else, too, of which you little dream. My motive ! Ah, vou will learn that also—in time ! But, tc» me—what is your answer ? Will yott give iiie j;our , word of honour to marry me, if I, on my part.esiabUsh ypur;. innocence and help you to escapa till that innocence shall Ijo c prgten"? "• j a * J ' s Bor' a few moments Roy Conway .. «made so tvply. And then the sweet trufltnll lacc* of Laura Merriv-aie, as .ho had ' seen it' that day in the crowded court, seemed to rise up be- '' ftw* tem, and he resolutely put awav the temptation which beset him. _ „ "Ko,"- he said, "T will not. I love, another woman, and inj faith is her. I cannot consent to grgr '?hado came over the face of julta .Teuipcst, and she moved a ■ * *tep nearer the door. ere it is too late ! " slie dis urge*!.—^"-Remember, there is no reonoe^r Je-coi'.ture i» efOnco more—will \ou innrrv mo? "

. " * caiinot. You must do your .Worst. But why have you helped me to escape, only to mock me thus'' Wio are yon ?." j ? But. tfje 'airl was gone." As the;wjfc of Conway, sole, Kuir to his dv- " she would have, tasted a . such as would have content- ■ fcer But ' he, 100, had refused, her, and her heart hardened again. . Only as his promised wife,would she consent to reveal all that she knew of-the 'crime committed that tlark y -nijfbt.

, l?ecoyering himself, Hoy Comvuv ; ' door. Hut f oo t, rfeps Were already on thw stairs ; antf ' J®, n>°ro®t later, lie was suirotmdfed and again conveyed to the groat prison where he had spent so many w«ary months. '•- « « •

BftllA Warner had just lnvn up td P.' 3 "P. 8 Iwuie to iugtare into the C&ndltion of the invalid. For upwards of two years anil a half the medical and surB,,ri,f S all that time mere tad been no change-. An inlh1 t Hus half "«•»> l>'.ld tho sufferer m its lethargic arms But aow a slight change was ' ' £'■ IJle Kvr o evidences of apj. proa eta ng disag£iti on Halph rner . T" unei,sy ' win did n»t know. C-ifctoad torneS into the wood not or,n house ' and his feet S Jril r U,g him , to a festered where once . lie W9 wont to . »n whom he now treated ■ T*>U* um|ual?Bcd MI2&I foUnd Tt'npost Chi " fat . WUeriy. « you r ;

the, escape, ©J wne sof ths 'Convicts at Portland," he said. " Fortunately they re-capturod the fellow. The authorities seem to think tho man ras assisted 'by a woman, who later de sertttft him. It's a funny story, and has set me thinking. If 1 remember rigihtly, you wore away at t/lk> time ? "

I lie looked jeering down at the nr cumbcnt figure of the girl, lint Jalia was on her ieot in an insUnt. | •' What do you mean ? " she de-

manded. A different sha<lo was atwiliivg- into Ralph Warner's dark face —a l'-nl< of malevolent fury that almost trans formed it. But the girl did not flinch.

" Look here," he hissed, coming close up to her. " You are playing a <lfC|i game, my beauty. Hut aon t cirry it too far, do you hear ? 1 don't know how much or how little you know of my plans. I3ut if you go too far. I'll treat you as I do all my enemies. At present v o u are only a silly little fool. It's the safest plan by half.'' Xot an eyelash quivered as Julia Tempest listened to the man's threat. Hor blood was up. " That 1 am not a fool vou ' will ,83on discover," she said doiianth-, "' and to your cost, lfalph Warner, lou speak truly when you say you do not know how much or how little I know of your plans. And it is not my purpose to enlighten you. Oply remember—a dark night is not always the safest time to choose for an adventure, since the durkness mayconceal others besides yourself." Kalph Warner stooi Motionless, rigid, speaking no word. What did the girl mean ? Hut ere he could question her, she turned, and with a rippling laugh -of scornful triumph, disappeared among the trees' For a moment he thought of going after hen. But, with an oath, he turned in the opposite direction * • * *

There was stillness in the darkened room whoivia lay the unconscious form of Andrew Conway.. Two nurses moved silently about the room, and, noai- the bod, stood the two eminent men—physician and surgeon —who were watching the case with so. profound aa interest. Sings of an approaching change were apparent, and both men waited eagierly for what shouid occurs I 1 here was a stir in the doorwayand Ralph Warner entered thy room As he came in, both doctors looked up with an expression ok surprise. His face was.-white and ghastly, his hands were trembling'visibly, and his. eyes had an them' a haunted Hook made hia face look! still more drawn anti haggard. Hut he paid no kepd. tp the. glances of the two men, and sat, himself down beside the bod. I For ; two hours he never moved.-Bis-eyes wandered- continually from the bqd where his uncle lay to the ( window overlooking t lie lawn. At limes, too, -he appeared to listen, as | though; in dread, to voices beneath . the window. And then the change, so long iscpcctcdi ■ "so long deferred, came at last, and-the sick man cned hia eyes. Cons'Sio'jsness was re- | turning. Slowly ho moved his head, gazin s from one to another in mute bewilderment. At last his eyes rested on. the fa.pe of Ralph Warner and | loot of unspeakable horror and aversion' crept into the White f a ce. | Suddenly the sick man made a j.vojlent: effort and sat upright In his bed.- His eyes were still lixed on the laee of this nephew, and he pointed ito him with one weak, trembling 'hand. I Murderer ! fcc gasped. " Murderer I I No one spoke. The words seemed •to have 'petrified all present. A ghastly hue had crept into the face of Ralph Warner, but Iw never stirI ed. Once more the old man spoke. | " Murderer ! " he gasped again.

J" I saw your cvi} face when you shot mc through the French windows of the study. WJtere's my boy my nephew Hoy ? Whore is he, 1 siy ? I whs angry With him, l>ut he's a good lad. Send for him. J | want to soe him and usk his forgiveness for striking him that night. (Where ia he, I I Still no o ne spoke. Presently the 6'irgeon, who Knew fhe story of the crime as it had appeared in the papers, turned to the sick man. I' Sir," lie said, "dp you realise that you have accused ol" crime a man whom all the world believes to be innocent ? " ( Ho pointed, as he spoke, to Ralph JVarncrj | 1 do," same the unfaltering reply. '* That mfur is the man who attempted my Iffc." I Quickly the two medical men inadc ■ their examination. Finally the surgeon said. | "Mr : Conway, it is my painful duty to acquaint you with the fact that you have but a few hours to live. As medical men we are able to testify that , you are of sound mind. As a magistrate, it is my duty to ask you to make a formal do claration ol' the statement to which you have just given utterance." He drew a table to the liedside and prepared to, write. Ilalph Warner rose hastily from liis seat and made as though, to , leave the room. But the two men'detained him, and he sank slowly into his chair. ' Slowly the dying man dictated the story of that terrible night-the ■quarrel witUJhis nephew,, how he had struck him, and in attempting to forcibly , eject' him from the room, he hadi torn Boy's tweed coat. And then—the sight of "ilalph Warner's dark face through the glass, the glimpse of a revolver, a flash, and—darkness;. "And when the story was told, he affixed his signature and then the pen dropped from his> hand on to the table. His strength was failing. He lay ba«k once more upon his pillow and his vo'Ce was feejbblo ami husky. ■''Roy ! " he gasped. " Where is my boy ? And my son Egbert ? Will no ono send for him Egbert. Ah, there was but ono man in that room who knew where Egbert Conway was. Search had ixxin made for - him by the dying man's solicitors, but, by a strange accident of fate, th<s' had learnt nothing of that fatal tragedy with an Indian tiger. And then the end came. Andrew Conway's feeble voice ceased, his eves closed wearily, anid the life that had flickered so long in the proslrato form went out for ever. I lherti was a great stir downstairs. A moment later the door was flung I pen and two police officers entered Uie room. | " We hold a warrant for your arrest, Ilalph Warner, on a charge of ; wounding Andrew Con way some two and a half years aga. Also - -with [the murder of Julia Tempest, from whom we have just oblailx'd a deposition, incriminating you." | Ralph Warner sto«d up. Ills knees shook and his face was livid wtcli ifear.

I" I am ready," lie said. They turned to go. 'Suddenly there i.was a flash, a report, and tile sound |of a ihcavy fall. Ralph Warner., takiig advantage of Uic momentary t movement, had drawn a revolver and sent a bullet through his brain. And Hoy? Well, his.prison career came »i : u;ckly to an end. Helen ce Came, to him when he utmost despaired. And when at last the gates oT the great gloomy gaol were flung wide open for him to step out again onto God's sunlight, the first face that greeted him was the face of Laura Merriivale, smiling, yet with tears in her blue eyes, to' tell him again and aga'in how shu -had alwavs known he was guiltless and ho„ dcaifly—how very dearly—she loved IBIDI.

So ail's well tliat ends well, and J?oy Conway and his sweet wile at length went to live in the great fioiif-c wheiu his uncle had lived so long. For Egta-t's sad Tate was discovered at last, and R6y came into his uncle's great wealth. (The End.)