THE COLONEL'S ENEMY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3166, 17 April 1909, Page 2

THE COLONEL'S ENEMY.

CHAPTER XXXV.—Continued. If the valet did not agree with him, he had too much respect i'or his master's friend to express his opinion openly, and he retired to his own roovn w'ithin call, while He Vigne amused himself with a volume of old plays he found on the table. He sat by the window, within sight of the Piccadilly traffic, and he had been reading for an hour or so, wondering what a modern audience would think of the drama as it was played in the early days of the Georges, when he heard a confused shouting, and saw a, fire-engine go tearing along at full Fpeed; it was followed by another, and a few minutes later by others. Then some enthusiasts took cabs and followed, and a crowd of the foot passengers set off at a run, a certain indication that the conflagration was a severe and hot a distant one. _ "I may as well pee where it is, the doctor thought. "I may even be of use, for people are injured and lives are lost even in thase days of fireproof buildings and a perfectly organized fire department." As he descended the stairs, Joseph Ditton came in at the street door. . "It's out Fulham way, sir, farther off than it looks, and an awful blaze it must be. If it was night now, he added, with an eye to the picturesque, "it would be something to look at; but a good fire is lopt in daylight. It may be all for the best, though, if what I heard is true.'" "What have you heard?" "It's at a lunatic asylum, sir, beyond Fulham, Dr. Baracocci's." "Dr. Baracocci's?" De Vinge asked himself where he had heard or sean that name. He knew it professionally as that of a doubtful man, looked at askance by the honorable members of the fraternity, and then he remembered with a shock of dismay, that Dr. Baracocci was the proprietor of more than one establishment for the care and cure of dipsomanias an the mentally afflicted; and/ De Vigne was inwardly convinced, as firmly as if the whole truth had been told to him, that the Italian doctor's asylum had been the place of St. Hilary's captivity. and that it had become known to the major. Ditton had left the room, or De Vigne would have questioned him, though be knew that to extract any information out of the major's faithful attendant was like leading a forelorn hope. He coulJ only wait in the suspense that gre*v more harrowing as the minutes passed. He had a presentiment that the friend Lugard had gone to call upon and bring back with him, was Dora's father. "There is a fate in this," he said to himself. "Had it happened twenty-four hours later, we should have gone; as it is, the peril must be faced, and I do not know what desperate thing may be done, for Mr Dacre is not the man tn run away from his enemy. He is more likely to die, like an old tiger, in his lair."

He tried to hope that there was a promise of mercy in the major's request that he wouli wijit, if they would give him time, only an hour, in which to waru Mr Dacre, and take him away beyond their reach. ,He paced the floor impatiently, waiting for he knew not what* anc * almost maddened by the °/ *?is an ." xicty. He touched a be'.' 1 stood on the 'table, determined "f what he could from Ditton, a. nc * 5 man came it), respectfully attem.? v f* "My good fellow," he sa ; d, want you to give me a straightforward doswfir to my question. Can you tell me the name of the gentleman Major Lupd thinks of bringing bacH mm bifflr v , , ! Bsforg tltfi tean could reply# the major's Carriage drove quietly up frciii'fche Mayfair end of Halt-Moon Street, and stopped at the doorj Lugard alighted first, and handed ouc a pale, slim gentleman* whose fiery eyes, erect figure, and stately step revealed his identity at once. "There he is, sir, to answer for himself," Ditton said. "Col. St. Hilary." , T "On any other day than this 1 should have rejoiced," Atnol thought; "he has returned ti. life as from tha grave, but at a muot untimely moment. And his character is written in his face; there is no mercy to be hoped for from him."

CHAPTER XXXVI. DENOUNCED. When Frederick Lugard brought his friend up stairs and introduced him to De Vigne, the doctor would never have suspected that the calm and courtly gentleman before him had been, for many months, the victim ' of an enforced captivity, and was ■ burning inwardly under a deadly sense ef wrong. But there was no outward sign of this; his proud selfpossession had come back with his liberty. He was once more the cultivated and distinguished* soldier, whose perfect sanity no one could have called into question. "I told you I thought my friend would very likely be here," the major said to Col. St. Hilary. "I make you know each other with more than ordinary pleasure. I do not overrate Dr. De Vigne's services when I tell you that to his care you owe Dora's life." "Ihere are some debts that never can be repaid, and this is one of them." the colonel said; "words fail, and money would be an insult; but if, as a matter of private friendship, I can serve you at any time, Dr. De Vigne, you may command me." "I thank you, colonel; such a promise from a man who has never broken ane is of immeasurable value to me just now, for I may have a special favour to ask, and you are the only msn in the world who can grant it."

By WINTHROP B. HARLAND. Author of "Lady Elgin's Secret," "A Harvest of Shame," "Tlie Eldtir Sou," "Lord Ashton's Heir," Etc.

0 o«o ! "Weil," the colonel said with h smile, "it is granted. I like to be taken at my word : though I did not think to Ue taken quite so soon. Will jou name it?" "Not yet. When you have seen Miss St.' Hilary and her guardian, Mr Dacre, will be time enough. In the joy of your long-delayed happiness you vuil not be likely to regret the promise you have made." "You are somewhat enigmatical," the colonel said; "but if no point of honour is involved, you will find me : ready to redeem my promise." ! "No one who knows Col. St. Hilary so well as I do, by repute," the doctor said, "would be likely to entrap him into an obligation involving a point of honour." The reply strengthened the favourable impression De Vigns had already 1 made, and tlie colonel, though he ' wondered what kind of favour might Ibe asked of him, felt sure that it would not strain either his inclinai tion or his means. j "I wanted to eo straight to Mr Dacre's house," he said, "for I long to see mj child; but Lugard told me it would not do to take her by ; surprise, and he spoke of you as ; the one best qualified to prepare I her. But you can understand my | anxiety, and you will not keep me . waiting." "Give me half-an-hour," said De Vigne. "and pardon some natural curiosity if I ask you how your release was effected." "On my word, I hardly know. It was managed by the major and a j man who came in as a new keeper, a civil fellow who has seen service, and inspired me with confidence at I first sight. He gave me early this I morning, an intimation that something unusual might happen about midday, and told me to be ready to take advantage of it. He mentioned Major Lugard's name, and I saw at once that there was some plan on foot for my rescue. Something unusual did occur, for a fire broke out in a far-off corner of the house, and spread with such rapidity that the whole building was a mass of flames in less than half-an-hour. He hurrird me out into the grounds, opened a side door leading into a lane, and there I found the major waiting for me. What became of the keeper I do not kow, but I hope he is not injured." "You need not fear," Lugard said quietly; "he went back to take care of the other patients, and we shall see him by and by. The means he took to create a diversion, under cover of which you were to escape, had a rather more serious result that he intended, and he stayed like a man to see that no one was hurt or forgotten in the panic." "Do you mean to say," asked De Vigne, "that he set the house on fire purposely?" "I should be sorry to accuse him of such a thing, and I am certain he | had no such intention. You had better go, De Vigne, and prepare Dora for the colonel's appearance; and Mr Dacre, if he has not left London, will be glad to hear of our friend's safety." *[to be continued.]