SERIAL STORY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 346, 23 March 1910, Page 6

SERIAL STORY

By PERCY BREBNER,

A ROYAL WARD.

(Published by Special Arrangement.) CHAPTER XVI. (continued). "Would it please you to know the name of the man mentioned in the Prince Regent's letter?" Betty asked. '1 do know it. I think I hear footsteps below," said Dubuisson, going to the window. "Baxter's half-hour has generous limits." "You are strangely anxious to be rid of me," Betty answered in a low voice, as she drew her cloak together and fastened it. "Ah! don't you understand that a man may have moods, too; that tiieie are moments when lie is not master of himself? It is so with me, always will ■be so when you are near me. I do not want you tc hate me; therefore, I want you to £o before 1 have given you cause." "Does a woman ever hate her friend?" she said. "Yes; when that friends grows presumptuous. Then he is but a motli at a candle, coming for a moment to the light to be hurt past healing." "Does my touch hurt so much?" she said, stretching out h«r hand to liim. "Dear little hand," Dubuisson said passionately, as he took it in both his and raised it to his lips. "The moth's wings, are singed already, yet again it flutters to the light. Though death be in it, the payment does not seem too high for this one moment of achievement. I love you, little hand; take that message to your mistress; she will kate me, but I shall go on loving to the end. Here comes Baxter, "out he comes too Jate."

The footsteps came slowly up the stairs, and Baxter was l n usrhing.

"The mistress herself may answer you at A 1 macks'," Betty said hurriedly, as Baxter opened the door, and then she went on, "It has heen a long halfhour, Mary. I am waiting." "I will see you to your coach," said Dubuisson. „• "'* ■■> "Xo : we will go as we came, alone." "Theft we must follow and see that no one Molests you," said Baxter, "Worse than French spies linger about Hungerford Market at times." The two men followed them at a distance, and, in silence, stood in the shadow until they had entered the waiting coach and been driven away, then thev went hack, silent still. "She liked the view of the river," said Baxter, as he closed the door. "And the news of her husband?" ask--1 ed Dubuisson. I "I've my best to kill any germ | of affection which may remain, and I am now going to drink to my success. ' Since boyhood I have always had a par- ! tiality for 'widows. Strange, isn't it? Next thing to being prophetic." "She's not a widow vet," "But she's goins; to by," said Baxter; "even if I have to take a hand in the ceremony of making her one myse.r. There's no difficulty in your way." I "Baxter, T've been thinking of your advice concerning the man who suggested my going to the Brazen Serpent." 1 "Since when?" | "Ever since you gave it." I "I thought I left yon to a better employment," was the answer. 1 "T'!l have the truth from this man." Dubuisson said, navinsr not the slightest attention to his companion's remarks. "T have a nlan "-hi" 1 ' will compel him to speak or stoo him from doin? anv further mischie# Will vou carry a mes- | sacre for tpp to-morrow?" "Anywhere excen f to the gentlemen . at Bow street." Baxter. I "Your own affair* do not prevent vour calline upon Sir Rupert A=hton. do "No; but whydrnij him into the busi. ne==? T told ren he mi<rht orove useful. but T know Uttle of him." ! "T am ,T>pHfr informed." said DnTm'sI son. "Tt, was Sir Runert who told me 1 of the Brazen Serpent and tau?ht me its jargon." | CHAPTER XVII. I ARRANGEMENTS OF IMPORTANCE. "Sir Rupert is not in town," said the mau-servant. "I believe he's in Devonshire." "And I've an idea that he's in the offing, making for this port, so I'll come in and drop anchor." The visitor was evidently not a stranger to the servant, who took him to ! Sir Rupert's room and left Lim there, ■ nor was the servant very surprised to | see his master enter the house shortly i afterwards. The visitor's ideas about ' Sir Rupert's movements were usually I correct. j "Well, Hyde, what fortune?" Sir Ru- | pert asked, as he entered the room. He had apparently expected to find the eap--1 tain waiting for him. | "Tie's not to be found; gone down ' wi f h all hands, it appears." . "Dead?" "That's the general opinion," Hyde answered, speaking as though he were imparting a great secret, and with a rapid glance over his shoulder. "But | there's one thing asrainst it—Bow Street ! officers are out after him."

j Sir Rupert looked at him quickly. "Are yon certain of that ?" "I've taken careful sounding." "He's not dead, Hyde," said Rupert, after a thoughtful pause. "T think I know where I can Ivar of him. Bow Street is on the watch, lie can't move Terv easily." "Seems to me he h 's on a lee shore, and derelicts aren't of much use. They're usually a pretty considerable danger."

"This derelict is no danger," said Ru- i pert, with a smile. "Have you chanced! upon my young relative —Evertsen?" I "I've seen the young puppy on club doorsteps and taking a run in the park. I faney this new beauty, Lady Betty Walmisley, is inclined to make a pet of him." "Walter ought to know you, Hyde. He would learn more about himself in five minutes than all his life has taught him." "I've no wish to sail in his company, and as for the truth about himself, he wouldn't believe it from an angel. If I sailed with him at all, it should be to tow him to sea, put a shot or two below his water-line, and leave him to founder." In spite of his wizened and insignificant appearance and his secretive manner, there was forceful about the mail. "Even then he might have nerve and pluck enough to find his wa.v home. You hardly do him justice, Hyde." "Or are you a little weak concerning him?" said the captain. "How are thing- in Devonshire?" "Ready and waiting," Sir Rupert answered. "I did not go into the country to look after them." "For what, then?" ■Sir Rupert looked at his companion quickly, and seemed to resent the question. Ho might have put that resentment into words had Hyde been a different kind of man. The temptation evidently required a certain effort to resist, an effort which had the, effect of changing Sir Rupert's manner. "A personal matter, Hvde," ho said quietly enough, although a heavy frown was upon his face. "There was something in my house at Kings wear that I suddenly became anxious about. I had looked upon it as worthless, but it has lately become of value. I thought I might have thrown it away." "And had yon?" "No, no; I found it."

Hyde shook his head as he leaned back in a chair and looked at the ceiling, much as though he were studying the'sky for the weather and did not like the look of it.

"Private affairs ire no, crm-crn of mine, and if von choose to show 110 lights for once in a way and gc bv unobserved, it's no great matter; but there's no need to hang out a false light-. I'm too old a salt to be deceived that war." "And too experienced to be insubordinate," Sir Rupert returned. "Plain talk for me, I'm no band at fencing with words," Hyde went, on irritably. "The man at the wheel sometimes sees more than the skipper, occasionally- more than the skipper wants him to see." "Be merciful, Hyde; 1 am not verv learned in vour sen-going jargon." "Are private affairs to interfere with public ones?" n«ked the captain, thrusting his head forward like a dog which intends mischief. "No. T thought you understood that mv private affairs have been the reason for my public ones." wait is to be the result?" Hyde asked. "That's a riddle only time can'asswer," said Sir Rupert. "What result do you look for, captain?"

"A Letter time, and with more money in my pocket to spend. That's flat honest; putting on all sail, and not caring a d who sees me." "Yes; that's clear enough," said Sir Rupert. "My aims are not so open and honest as that. I have plenty of in<;ney, and spend it generously, as my comrades know. I look forward to paying old debts, to selling old injuries in so usurious a fashion that even a .Tew would shrink from taking such interest. I look to see men dragged down and ruined who account me so lightly that they have forgotten the can=e which made me hate -them. I have ■worked in the dark, in secret- and silence. I have helped and encouraged others whose aims are not mine, but whose ends must be served when mine are attained. They may claim the spoils of victory so long as I may look upon my helpless enemies." "Your'e a harder man than I thought." said Hyde. "Not hard, onlv just. I am going to make the balance even for the hundreds who are ridden over roughshod." "And afterwards ?" "Who can tell?" Sir Rupert answered. "God knows where successful rebellion will lead to. It may only set events in motion which shall presently lift the burden from the poor and oppressed, or it may shake the country to its very foundations; shake out it this House of Hanover, which is small credit to us. For all I know, or care, there may still be crowds of Jacobites awaiting an opportunity and with vast schemes for this country's good. The whole thing is rotten as it is. Hyde; any change must lie for the better. Socially, morally, politically, wo are defeased, and nothing but rebellion will uncover the sores." "So France may get her opportunity," sai'i Hyde. "Nonsense, man. She had it a few years since, but it went when Bonaparte ■broke un his camp at Bologne. There ninv still be n few spies in this country, trying to pick up information about, out movements in Spain, but wo mi?ht almost bid them welcome for all the harm they could do. France is with her back to the wall now: a few months—a few weeks, even, may .bring great events. The time is rine for our rebellion, notv. whilst the country is denuded of troops. Afterwards! What does the afterwards matter?" "Supposing we fail?" "We cannot fail together," Sir Rupert answered. "Once let the men in Devonshire and we shall have some success. There will be risings in other counties, there will be consternation in London. We cannot fail altogether. But if the worst comes, you have slipped out to sea before now, when it seemed

impossible; you can do it again, and take me a; passenger." "The people's wrongs want redressing, that is certain," said Hvde. "And we give them the opportunity," said Sir Rupert. "Half of them will not know what they are lighting for. nor care; it 'S always so when the people take the law into their own hands. You and I know what we want, and we shall get it, Hyde." "I mean to get something." "That the spirit, captain." Sir Rupert laughed, a harsh laucli. which had nothing genuine in it: "that"- the true spirit of the rebel. He ma v slni<«rlp for a high-sounding cause, pride himself that he fishts under a genuine flag; but at heart it is for self he strives, in nine cases out of ten. We are honest, and admit it." (To be continued on Saturday).