CHAPTER XXXVIII.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1622, 25 November 1882, Page 1 (Supplement)

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

"A narrow escape from certain death," said a newspaper of the following morning, " was experienced by one of the visitors to the lacecourse, yesterday. Towards the conclusion of the races, when the platform of the Memington Station was crowded, and just as a train from Melbourne was approaching, a man, who was dressed in full Highland costume, fell, or was pushed, over upon, the line. He appeared to bo under the influence of drink, and must inevitably have teen killed, but for the prompt and timely action of, Mr. Sharpe Shuter, a gentleman connected .with one of our contemporaries, who, at the imminent risk of his own life, sprang down after him, and succeeded in dragging him out of the way, when the advancing engine was within a yard of the spot." The paragraph caught my eye, as I rode into town, from Ointra, and, strangely enough, one of the first persona I encountered when I left the railway-station, was tfte hero of the incident himself. . t '.' So you have been distinguishing yourself," I said, tapping the, newspaper with my finger, "It was Mucklebody you saved, of course 1" - • "Yes," he replied., ".Mucklebody it was., But, for Heaven's sake, my dear fellow, say no more about it 1 . Heard, too, much of the, matter this|,morning already. Almost porry, I pulled him out'x>f,th,e way.", , > /,-. "Well, I'll sty .no more on. the, subject, , except to ask you how the old f eUow feels about* \ it." i . T . „; «• Far more, grateful than- there's, any, need for. , Do anything for- inc. j^ants .to, make me Ms heir."'; <„: i; „ t „* r, • ,_„ •- >. ,tv, t v r^And^ppn-jny^wprd, Fdon't-see whyihe; $e.^ias, i^ne^r .relatives,'* . , : (< ( < you V] he ' ,my (!^ii|aegefl|esicejjs

"Could lefu-so 10 bouuilt by the will," mud Shuter. Idle talk this, though. Tough old bird, Mucklebody ! Live as long as myself, perhaps. Seen anything of Walter Addison, this morning?" " No ; lam going to his office now." "Are you? Met him yesterday evening. Seemed cut up about something. Hard hit over the cup, perhaps." " Well, yes ; lam committing no breach of confidence in telling you that he has lost some money, but there are other causes for his depression, which I am not at liberty to mention." "Ha ! Just so ! Not asking out of curiosity, you know. Only wanted to say, that if he wants rousing, you'd better bring him with you to the next meeting of the Kangaroo Club." " The Kangaroo Club ?— what is that ?" " Kind of comic club. I have the honor to be a member. Meets once a fortnight. Meets to carry on a lot of sheer nonsense, too, if the truth must be told. Very good thing, though, nonsense, sometimes. So, if Walter wants shaking up, bring him along with you to our next meeting. Just let mo know; send your cards whenever you please. Good-morning; must bo off!" When I reached M'Phun's office, however I found Walter in better spirits than I had, expected. His fund of hopefulness appeared to be inexhaustible. " Don't make yourself uneasy about me, my dear sir," he said. "As I told you, I have still got Hope left, and I am far — very far — from despairing ! You &cc you were right after all, about the value of my tip." " Say no more about that now — but profit by it in the future. What are you going to do with yourself this evening ?" "Oh ; that reminds me ; lam going to dine at M'Phun's again, and he wants you to come too. He has been more fortunate than I have ; some good fairy induced him to back Tour-do-Force. Will you come ?" " Oh, yes ; who is to be there ?" " Only Shuter and Mucklebody. The Reverend Samuel has fallen greatly in Miss M'Crankie's favour, since she heard of his getting tipsy, and, by-the-way, I must caution you not to mention her nephew's good luck before her. Horse-racing is anathema maranatha with the old lady, you know." " I'll be careful. Where shall I meet you ?" " Say tha Flinders-street Station, at seven o'clock." " Very good ; I'll be there. I see you are busy, so I'll not detain you any longer. Nothing like work, to keep one from brooding over misfortune !" Returning to Cm Ira about mid-day, I met Silas Stone coming out of the gates. " Well, Mr. Stone," I said, " I believe you aie acquainted with Mr. Shuter. Have you heard of his conduct at the Flemington racecourse yesterday ?" " I have heard of it, friend," said the Quaker. " Verily it was a noble and a valiant act, but I would the young man were of another calling in life." This last remark was made more to himself than to me, but, thinking to do the lovers a good turn, I answered it. " Perhaps, Mr. Stone," I said, " a wider acqnaintance with the literary profession Avould serve to remove your prejudice against it." " I beg of thee to call me Silas, friend," returned the Quaker, with a smile, as he turned to go his way ;" and, as regards what thou callest my prejudice, I am not inclined to discuss it with thee !" "A dry old gentleman," I said to myself, as I pursued my way towards the house. " I wonder how he can be so forbearing with that young scoundrel, Harrison I" I found the little Quakeress bent demurely over her work, as usual, though a bright flush on the soft, fair cheek, seemed to indicate that she had heard of Shuter's behaviour. Paola, too, had a look on her face, that told me she had, as I expected, been made aware of the state of affairs, between lluth and. her lover. A sense of similarity in their positions, had drawn tho two girls together, and, Paola stosd, when I entered, looking down like some pale, pitying angel, upon the little fair head. The Count, with the everlasting cigar in his mouth, stood ruminating by the window. "We have been talking of Shtuer's action yesterday evening," he said. " You have heard of it, of course, Raymond !" " Yes ; I have seen Shuter himself." " Who is" the man he rescued ? He was in full Highland garb, it seems." "Yes; his name is Mucklebody. I know him myself very well, and I saw him on the racecourse during the day. He has recently come in for a largo amount of property, and I fear he is rather upset by his good fortune ; which is 9, pity, for lie is not a bad soifc of fellow. Uncouth, perhaps, and uncultivated, but good-natured and jovial. I am to meet both him and Shuter to-night at dinner, when I shall probably heat 1 all the particulars of the affair. I fear we shall have a storm though," I added, as I walked to the window and looked out upon a lurid and threatening sky. Across the belt of trees which,surrounded the house, I could see the ships at anchor in the bay, and, noticing something unusual in their appearance, I took a marine-glass from the table, where it always stood, and made out, with its assistance, that they were sending down topgallant-yards and masts in anticipation of a heavy blow. The glassy surface of the water reproduced the dull, coppery glare of the sky, and tho ensign and pennant of a corvette which lay nearest to me hung limp and motionless, in the still, stifling air. Suddenly, a steel-blue . ribbon of light darted zig-zag through the low bank of indigo-colored clouds that shut in the western horizon, and, following its course towards the south, my eye fell upon the gardener, crossing tho main path of the shrubbery. II Ha ! — I had forgotten ydti," I said to myself. " I'll speak to you at once 1" and, descending the steps of the terrace, as a long peal of thunder rumbled ominously in the distance, I strolled down to where Derrick was placing his tools in a wheelbarrow. " Going \o have some heavy weather, sir," he said, preparing to wheel his load away. " Put that down for a moment, will you," I sa i,j — « I want to speak to you. I saw you on the racecourse yesterday." "Yes, sir," he said, as he put 'down the wheelbarrow. "Is there anything strange in that ?" and he looked me straight in the face, ' with his quiet, unfathomable eyes. "Nothing strange in that, certainly; but can you tell me who was the man I saw you in conversation with on the hill ?M? M " I spoke to a £ood many men, sir," he returned, without moving a muscle. " This was, a man to-bout my height, and about as heavy as you are— a man with small/ light eyesand 'rough, sandy whiskers."' '' J'Oh.'ttiat manr''said r pe'rriok ( ,^with ,the faintest possible change'oi expression. ' man is a gardener, lik^'myeeU.'sir."'; ' " Ah-^-like $8u ! And,'perhapsV like you, heif is jalso'-a— w 'Wtia't' wssi/ifc'? a>;mecßanifeidK'a >; mecBanifeidK' eh,? Now, look herej Mr. Derrick, 'l happen to, know' that* the fellow is a v professional' housebreaker," who goes by the name of Bruramagemlke.'-' ■ ' v;/* " >'> 1 Welli sir, you may know more "about fhimt than i;d6J". y"* '■'"•<.' , '' ;' V^ "''/^ ■ ; « I Imowto much { ab&uHigi]:that; Ishinfc

to lii iii, you may be bine that, were Ito do so, ho would not lefcain in his service a man who is tho companion of burglars." " You are taking the latter fact for granted, sir ; but, as regards the Count's employment, I am going to leave it, at anyrato." "Indeed! When?" " I shall give him notice to-night, and leave at the end of a week — or as much sooner as he can spare me." "That alters the case," I said. ''"lf you are really going, I shall have no need to speak to the Count about you." " I am really going," l refcurned Dcrriok, as he grasped the handles of his barrow once more, " and you will have no need to speak to the Count about me." Was it fancy, or was it an illusory effect of the lightning that flickered over us at that instant, that made me think I saw a momentary smile of derision on his face, as, in a tone of half-mockery, he thus repeated my words? Before I could decide, a crashing peal of thunder brought down a ' sudden torrent of rain, and drove me into the house. The storm continued in full force until it was almost time for me to take my departure for M'Phun's, when it slackened considerably, so that when I bade the Count good-evening on the terrace, there was no rain falling, and the thunder had ceased for the time, though the lightning was as vivid- and incessant as ever. As yet, however, theie had not been a breath of wind, andPaola's voice came clear to me through the still sultry air, as I reached tho bottom of the steps. " Are we to expect you back to-night, Mr. Raymond?" she asked. " No, Si q nor hut ; it will probably be late when we separate, and I shall stop the lernainder of the night in town with Walter Addison." It was pitchy dark as I answered, but scarcely had the last word left my lips, when a flash of the most intense brilliance lit up the scene with a blue ghastly glare ; lit up the white front and dark windows of the house ; showed me the garden chairs under the verandah, and the tall vases along the edge of the terrace ; revealed every feature of the Count and his daughter, and revealed, at the same time, a dark figure, standing at the angle of the building, some twenty yards away. " Derrick, again I" I said to myself. "He has heard me say I shall not be home till tomorrow. I wonder if there is anything wrong on foot for to-night i Those things have not gone to the bank yet, and this would be just the night for robbers. I think I had better come quietly back, after all — just to sec that matters are safe?"