Novelist. HARD TO WIN: THE STORY OF STRANGE LIVES

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2280, 19 February 1887, Page 1 (Supplement)

Novelist. HARD TO WIN: THE STORY OF STRANGE LIVES

BY GEORGE MANVILLE FENN, Author of "Ship Auoy," "Dutch the Divkk," " The I'oundky Belle," &c.

The Story: 1860 Strange Lives. [All Rioiits Reserved.] CHAPTER XII. JUNE. "I'm afraid we cannot accommodate you, sir," said the landlord at the D'Orsay Hotel, Brighton, as a fly drew up and the Gentleman and James Thickbroom entered the hall. ' We are full.' At the same time he glanced at the two portmanteaus, both of tolerable newness and excellent quality, which the flyman was already lifting down. 4 Oh, nonsense ! you must put us somewhere,' said the Gentleman ; ' we cannot fto hunting rooms all over the place. Give us a nice litter dinner at about aeven, or shall we say eight, 'Major?' • Split the difference,' said that worth ; « and mind there is plenty of ice.' That settled it. The landlord could not eend away two such guests hs these, and rubbing his hands apologetically, he said,— • Really, gentlemen, I'm afraid that I shall have to ask you to put up with the second floor.' 1 Anywhere,' said the Gentleman quietly, ' but give us a better room as Boon as you can, What cigars have yoi?' Ho walked up to the glass partition that divided the landlord's office, and had n dozen boxes were handed down, when, after a little examination, he filled his oase from the best, tho Major following his example, and throwing down a sovereign. ' Just as you like," said the Gentleman, „ laying down half a sovereign. "Each J%>ay for his own.' 4 Shall I add theiu to the bill, gentlemen ?' said the landlord. 4 Thanks, no,' said the Gentleman, ' I'll pay for these.' The change was counted out, and as the viaitors each lit a cigar, the housekeeper's voice was heard to say to the toots, — 41 Put these gentleman's portmanteaus in forty-eight and fifty-four, John." The Gentleman gave his companion « glance and looked at his watch. 4 Just five,' he said. ' We'll go down •on the pier at once;' and, taking the Major's.arm, the pair went leisurely out. 4 No doubt about them,' paid the landlord to the housekeeper ; and then, turning to the boots, who was about raising •one portmanteau, he glanced at the label

nnd road it. 'Major Porter.' 'Hump! that's the stout one.' ' J. Loslio ;' he read on the other, upon which were painted also the initials "J. L."

So the landlord smiled, and gave orders for the dinner to bepiiruiken of by numbers forty-eight and fifty-four, as by these numbers did" he associate the two now visitors, who, in a quiet manner made themselves acquainted with the fact that the concert at the Pavilion commenced at eight o'clock, carriages to be ordered at ten. ' That will do, eh ?" said the gentleman. The other nodded, and they continued their walk to the pier end, and sat down to smoke in peace. At the end of five minutes, tho Gentleman's attention was taken up by the sight of a dark handsome girl of about twenty, who, book in hand, was walking besides an invalid carriage. She was dark enough to have bad Spanish blood in her veins, and her eyes wero of that deep velvety softness that seem at times to be languishing and dreamy, while they can in turn flash out into an intensity of passion. There was a faint tinge of crimson in her creamy cheeks, a crimson intensified in the full rich lips which disclosed large white teeth as she spoke to the grey occupant of the invalid chair, and her thick dark hair was loosely knotted behind, as if she had that day been bathing. The Gentloman's lips parted as he watched the flowing lines of the welldeveloped undulating figure, and_ at last caught the girl's eye to have his eager gaze half contemptuously thrown back, and then she passed on. The Major smiled to himself as he saw that his companion's attention had been caught, and he quietly watched him as his eyes followed the invalid chair up and down the pier, till its occupant said querulously. 'Tell him to stop, June ;' and at a word from the lady, the chairman stopped close by where tho two new visitors were seated, when the eyes of the young people once more met.

The lady as she stood in an easy graceattitude, with one hand resting on the chair, lowered her eyes slowly, her upper lip curving slightly the while, and her face seemed to say, "Stare, if you please; I know lam handsome.' Otherwise with the most perfect indifference to tho eager glances directly at her, she weut on calmly talking to he elderly companion in the chair.

Once or twice she let her eyes fall on the Gentleman, but her face remained unruffled. There were no eloquent glances from the passionate eyes, nothing more than a slight feeling of curiosity was expressed, while for his part an eager desire to know who the lady was gathered strength every moment. ' By Jove, what a fiirure !' he ssiid half aloud, as the little jrroup moved off, without the lady giving further indications of her knowledge of his prudence.

' Yes,' said the Major; but that is not the figure we are after, eh ? Business, business, my dear fellow. What a thing it is that the greatest captains should always be the most susceptible to the glances of a bright eye.' 'Don't talk foolerly,' was the sharp reply. •No foolery,' said the Major. 'If you were by yourself you would be off after that dark beauty there—for she is taking, certainly.' • Yes,' said the Gentleman, with hie eyes fully opened now and a strange light flashing therefrom—' she is beautiful. , • Exactly, , said his companion, drily ; ' and you would be finding out where she lived, and walking up and down like a sighing swain ; and then good-bye to business.' The Gentleman sighed. 4 Your little weakness, dear boy, your little weakness. That and the gentleman, getting into good society, and the rest of it, will be the ruin of you some day. Mark my words : if it comes to a lease on your life, of seven, fourteen, or twenty-one years, let to Her Majesty's Government, it will be due to a woman or playing the swell.' 'Hold your tongue, fool,' said the other sternly. 'I am not going to neglect the business we came upon.' ' Dori't be so ready to call people fools,' said the Major. ' I'll be bound to say that at the very present time you are making some simple innocent girl believe that you are an angel and a gentleman.' ' Perhaps I am,' said the other, with a cynical smile upon his jace. • I'd bet ten pounds to two you are,' said the Major spitefully, ' for of all the two-faced scoundrels 1 ever met, you are the cleverest.'

The Gentleman turned pale at this, and his lips were drawn a little from his white teeth, as if he were a dog about to bite.

• Do you wish me to throw you into the sea ?' he said, with his eyes half closed. ' What, for paying you a compliment ? No, dear boy, we two can't afford to quarrel. There, I apologise.' They sat and smoked on in silence for some time at the crowd of pleasureseekers passed them. The Gentleman fidgeted about, and kept glancing eagerly in the direction the invalid chair had been taken, and at last as it came once more in their direction and was again stopped close by where they sat, his face lit up with animation, the dull languor that seemed to make his face heavy and impassive passed away, and with glittering eyes he feasted upon the girl's soft undulating form and the rounded outline of her warm creamy cheek.

It almost seemed as if she felt the influence of his gaze—as if, like some ripe fruit, the ardour of his eyes added ripeness to the peachy cheek, which gradually turned of a deeper red, and though she had not apparently seen that he was etill there, she evidently felt his presence and resented it. For after some little time, she turned upon him quickly with an angry glance from her dark eyes, and a slight frown upon her full oye-brows seemed to say to him—' How dare you : it burns.' Then turning angrily asvay she spoke to the chairman, and the little group passed into the crowd. ' That woman would madden me,' said the Gentleman beneath his breath, and he rose to "follow the party, whon the Major's strong hand was laid upon his arm , 'Stop,' he said, 'it won't do. You may quarrel and abuse me if you like. You can threaten to throw me over into the sea, whioh you could not do for the sake of your own neck; but I am not going to have Sam Balass's work spoilt to humour your weakness for a pretty face. There's tho rock upon which you always split, my lad ; but Will not have you wrecked while I am by.' The young man's face was convulsed with passion for tho moment. Then he calmed down, and his dilated eyesgrew softer, the lids drooped in the listless fashion of old, and they he sank back the quiet, listless man of fashion once more, and lit a fresh cigar. 'You are right, Major, , ho , said, ' there's that in ray blood that makes a fool of me sometimes; but the fit's over now.' ' Come, that's better,' said the Major, ' and I'm your subordinate again. But pray try and master yourr.elf, my dear boy.' ' I do try,' said the other quietly ; ' but you are quite right. If I were to turn prophet, I should only repeat your sentiment and say a woman will be the ruin, perhaps the death of me come day. They saw no more of the dark lady and the invalid, but more than once the

Gentleman ropeated to himself the name he had heard—June ; and as he in imagination feasted upon her glowing , beauties, he told himself that she wns rightly named after tho hot midsummer month, and wondered whether he should soe her

again. His meditations were interrupted by his companion who said quietly.

I would not upon any account that this affair should fail, for Balass has been at such.pains about it. lie has been down three times, and planned it all to the merest shade, else I should like to run after my love a little, dear boy; for there are a few places abpot here where a couple of friends like we are could open the eyes and the purses too of some of them with jacks and aces." 1 Yes,' said the gentleman quietly, as he took out his watch with a sigh : 'we might have a cut or two if we had time, but come along, we will manage this piece of business somehow.' They rose and walked quietly along the pier towards tho King's Road, pausing, though, half way along the pier to lean over the side nnd gaze at one of the sailing bouts landing its load. As they were listlessly watching the chattering, laughing human freight, a large dog ran eagerly up and down the pier, evidently looking for its master. It was ono of those thin, lank, fiercelooking animals, with something of the build of a greyhouud, but stouter, and rough and shaggy. Now it ran hero and stared wistfully up in one gentleman's face, then in another's, but only to rush off panting and excited, for the right one was not to be found.

Suddenly it caught sight of the Gentleman and his companion leaniug over the side of the pier, and with a low whine of pleasure it darted towards them and thrust its long nose into the former's hand.

Hβ started as if electrified, looked down, saw the dog , , which uttered a sharp baric of disappointment; and then his face became convulsed with horror, he uttered a horse cry and fell upon the planks, struggling in convulsions. A crowd gathered round directly, as the Major knelt beside his friend and loosened his neckcloth, holding him too, ■when the paroxysms becamo violent, so as to keep him from hurting himself; and as tha words of .sympathy went round, and salts, water, and brandy were proffered, the news that a gentleman had been seized with a fit spread, and the crowd grew more dense, ' For Heaven's .-ake keep back,' cried the Major, savagely. ' The man wants air.' ' Yes, pray keep back,' said a tall dis-tingue-looking woman. ' I know it is epilepsy. He only wants time aud air. Let him lie quietly. . Then, seeing someone in the crowd smiling , , she continued: ' I should know sir; I have sean such seizures often. . She was quite right; air and rest was all that was necessary, and in a few moments the gentleman was able to rise and gaze round him in a weary troubled wav, saying that he could walk back now to the hotel. Then he and his companion both thanked the lady, and as the curious crowd dispersed, and the two friends left the pier, and walked slowly along the road facing the sea. ' How cursedly unfortunate !' cried the Major,' aud at such a time too.' ' I shall be myself again in an hour,' said the Gentleman. ' 1 did not know that a dog would have such au effect upon you,' said the Major with a sneer ; ' anyone would think you had murdered his father. 'Mind what you are saying,'said the other sternly. ' All right,' was the reply. ' But you never seem afraid of that bull-dog. I have seen you bring it to the old house.' 4He upsets me sometimes/ said the gentleman, hoarsely; ' but not like a. beast such as that does. I can't tell how is was only that I was bitten by one some years a,?o, and it has effected my nerves. Curse the beast !' ho cried, with a sudden access of fury; and his eyes glittered, and his lips were drawn back from his teeth. 'I could rend him limb from limb.' His companion shuddered slightly as he glanced at the wild eyes and distorted faoe. ' Hang rne, my boy, , he said quietly, 'I don't believe much in history, but if anybody assured me that you had been suckled by a wolf like those little Roman cads, I should almost believe it.' ' Say no more about if;,' said the other sullenly; and his eyelids dropped once more, for the listless look came back. 'Not I,' said the Major to himself; ' but hang me if 1 should be surprised if it were a case of hydrophobia some day. , CHAPTER XIV.

"REAL GENTS."

An hour later and the two companions were seated in a room overlooking the sea, partaking of an excellent dinner, to which and the wine the Major was doing ample justice, while the Gentleman only made a show of eating, and was very temperate in the wine he took.

He was listless and dreamy too. The effects of his sudden seizure had passed off, but more than once ho started, and his nerves seemed to quiver as the sharp bark of a dog was heard in the road.

' I never knew that you were so nervous about dogs,' said the Major, who was intent upon some asparagus, 'and still you keep one. By Jove, this asparagus is fit to feed angels upon.'

'Do you blame me for trying to accustom myself to the beasts?' cried the Gentleman angrily. ' I have had this horror on my nerves from a child. Inoculated with it, I suppose,' he said, bitterly, ' A brute beast carried me off when an infant. Look here,' he said, savagely; and, throwing off his coat, and tearing the sleeve links open, he rolled 'up his right shirt sleeve to the shoulder, displaying an arm whose muscular development would have delighted a sculptor as much as the purity and whiteness of the skin. All was perfection save that the upper part of the biceps aud the shoulder was terribly scarred, and of a curious glistening pink. 'Thank you,' said the Major, dryly; ' this is not a yellow caravan, and I have not paid a penny to see the wonderful wolf man of the Pyrenees, who eats a little child every morning raw for his breakfast and asks for more. My dear boy, if you will kindly put down your shirt sleeve, and put on your coat, I shall be able to get on with my dinner. , As he spoke he filled a glass with champagne and drained it. ' Pah!' exclaimed the Gentleman, angrily, as he resumed his coat and reseated himself. ' Look here, Jem, if you go on drinking like that the stroke will fail.' ' How can I help it,' cried the Major, ' when you forget that you are the Gentleman, and begin to exhibit your disgusting scars ?' ' 1 beg your pardon,' said the other, quietly ; and he helped himself to some of the asparagus, aud partook of a glass of champagne. 'Granted, dear boy. Ah, that's better. Half-past eight.' The Gentleman nodded, and then sat dreaming about the face of the dark girl he had seen upon the pier, a strange thrill of pleasure making his nerves tingle as he recalled the soft graceful form, and her angry dark eyes. 'I wonder who she is,' he said to himself. 'I'll know yet—after this is done I can come clown again. I muat love some-

thing and be loved, or I could not exist, and that woman seomed as if she must be a part of my life.' At the end of half an hour the Major was replete and declared himself fit for business. He had made the Gentleman turn upon him angrily once more by asking him banteriugly if he would like to ensure his future identity by showing the landlord his scars, anil then the table was cleared, fresh glasses and a bottle »i claret were brought up, cigars were lit, and after, by command, drawing the table to the window, the waiter brought up coffee, and the friends were left alone. 'To finish enjoyiri? themselves in the soft light with a view to the sea,' said, the waiter to the landlord. 'They're real gents, sir.' ' Don't they wan't candles ?' ' I proposed them, sir, and the short stout gentleman said, ' Candlee be d d. I can see to digest in the dark.' That was the waiter's idea of the way in which the friends were enjoying themselves. The fact was that no sooner were they alonu than they tossed off their coffee, and laid their cigars upon the table.

'Now then,' said the Gentleman, 'I think we understand one another.. Here it all is in a nutshell. The rloor is sure to be locked, it would take time, and we .-night be observed. The rope is the plan.' ' Yes,' said the Major, ' but is it strong enough !'

Til risk it,' was the reply. 'Come along. But stop ;is there anything here we want, as we are not coming back ?' 'I'll have these cigars,' said the Major, taking half-a-dozen from the box on the table, ' and another glass of—' 'No, you will not, , interrupted the other, sharply. ' Come along.' The Major followed without a murmur, and the Gentleman opened the door softly and listened.

Not a sound, so, taking the key from inside, he placed it out, closed the door and locked it, and, taking out the key, he passed with his companion along the passage to a room on which "54" was painted, and they entered and locked themselves in. 'We are in luck's way,' said the Gentleman, quietly. ' Now, if the window is only unfastened, that is all we want except a little more darkness. . It was tolerably gloomy though for a summer night, and on opening the window they saw little prospect of being overlooked in their task, about which the Gentleman set in the most busiuess-like way. Opening his portmanteau, which was unfastened, he took out his keys and unlocked a small inner receptacle, from which he drew a coil of silk rope, at every foot of which a loop had been made big enough to allow of the passage of n hand or a foot. One end of this was rapidly secured to the heavy old-fashioned bedstead, and the other quietly lowered from the window. ' Take care, iny dear boy,' said the Major, huskily. ' Don't fear. If lamto be ruined- by a woman I shan't break my neck here.' ' It's a good fifty foot,' said the Major to himself; ' and this is over a woman.' ' There's a light in the room,' said the Gentleman, after leaning out as far as he ceuld to look into the window below him. J Of course there is,' said the Major. You forget. Light always kept burning. Case stands beside the drawers, locked. Must be broken open. That's Balass's own account. Have yon got the wicked Jemmy ?' ' Yes,' was the reply, as the Gentleman felt in his breast pocket. ' Take care the rope does not slip.' ' All right,' was the reply.

The next minute the younger man had crept out of the window, and by sheer strength of arm lowered himself upon the sill of the window beneath, when for a moment he glanced down at the void below him, and saw that his fall would be into a low back yard evidently on a level with the underground offices.

It was not a tempting-looking place, as he could see by the light of a back window which shone down upon it. There were lights too from many back windows, showing him that he could travel right or left over leads and skylights for a long distance, the hotel being at the corner of a side street and the King's "Road. He saw all this at a glance, taking it in as .a means of escape should he be driven to flee. Then, finding the window open, on account of the heat of the night, he passed one leg in, lifted the dressing table softly back and stood in a bedroom in which a gas burner was half turned up. ' Good !" he muttered, and going softly to the door, he slipped a bolt and then glanced round. The first thing that met his eye was a packet of photographs evidently just delivered by the Brighton photographer, and he started slightly on recognising the face as that of the lady who had assisted while he was in the fit.

' Show her my gratitude,' lie said with a sneer, and gliding to the table he cleared from it a few rings, a watcbguard and a couple of plain bracelets. Then, turning to the drawers he listened for a moment, but all was still, ; then going down upon his knees he tried a stoutly-made travelling case, to find it fastened securely.

In a moment he had the edge of the steel crowbar he carried with him cleverly inserted, there was a sharp crack, and and the case was burst open, and his hands busy searching for something within. He soon had it—a small jewel-case, but locked, and, as he stopped to pick up the little crowbar, a key was thrust into the lock and the door tried. ' There is someteing the matter with this lock,' said a peculiar voice, one which the Gentleman recognised as that of the lady on the pier. 'It sticks a little, perhaps, ma'am,' said a woman's voice, and the door was rattled. Crack! It was the lock of the jewel-case giving way, for the Gentleman wa3 determined not to leave without his booty and equally determined not to cumber himself with the case. ' There is some one in here,' said the lady, sharply ; and at the same moment came a sharp hiss from outside the window—the Major's signal of clanger, and the noise of knocking at a door above. 'Ctentleman to see you, sir,' was hard faintly in the waiter's voice. Then there was a shriek. 'My jewels ! Help ! Thieves ! cried the voice outside, and there was beating on the panel of the door, followed by a tremendous confusion and hubbub on stair and passage. ' They are all right,' said the Gentleman, softly, as he swept them from the table where he had emptied them— diamonds, pearls and emeralds—into his pocket. The next moment he waa sitting on the window sill. ' Shall I come up ?' he asked, in a low voice. ' No, no,' waa whispered back. ' They are at our door now, talking of breaking it in. They will be here directly. There is something wrong - .'

' Are you sure Y ' Sure, yes. I must come down, and yet Idaro not risk it.' ' Stop and be taken then, fool,' was the

reply. As the words loft bis lips though and

the noise at the bedreom door inoreased, a diirk figure glided slowly down from above, and passed the Gentleman where he sab. ' I shall be taken if he is not quick,' he muttered, aa there was an attempt made to broak in the door. ' Oh, here are the police,' criod a femalo voioe. ' Quick, there are thieves here.' ' Those gents upstairs have either gone to sleep or locked up their room, , said the waiter. ' It's a trick—a plan,' cried the landlord. ' The reputation of my house will be ruined.' ' Quick, man, my jewels will be gone,' cried the voioe of the lady, as the young man sat astride the sill quietly liuteniug. Just theu the rope slackened and was shaken violently. It was the signal he expected, and swinging his leg off the side, he went down quickly hand after hand till nearly the bottom, when, setting the rope swinging to and fro, he threw himself on the leads of the adjoining house, retained the rope, climbed a little higher, and then cub the silk as high above his head as he could roach, nnd nuvled it up. ' Hist !' he whispered. There was no reply. Must like him, , muttered the young man. 'He has taken care of himself. Well, then, so must I.' Just then a candle was held out of the window from which he had escaped, and n. door in the basement was thrown open for the litfht to come streaming forth. Directly after the people in the different houses round came to their windows, and called to one another and made answers. ' Robbery somewhere,' said one.' ' Or fire,' said another. 'Eh ? No—no one has gone this way. What is it ? 'Jewels stolen —somebody's room— hotel.' ' More fool somebody to leave them about,' was shouted. The Gentleman was favoured by the darkness, for the surrounding closelybuilt houses shut in the various yards and outbuildings ; but he had to lie very close beneath a low parapet wall that surrounded some leads before one by one ho saw the windows become vacant and their occupants take away their lights. Still he dared not move, and it was quite half an hour before he attempted to stir, and crawling carefully along, made his way past half a dozen houses so as to get as far from the hotel as possible. 'If the Major attempts to take the night train up, he is certain to be taken,' he muttered to himself. Perhaps I shall be yet, and ' — Ho dropped down flat upon an outbuilding just then, for he could hear voices beliind him coming from the direction of the hotel, and a light that went dancing about like a will o' the wisp was evidently cast by a policeman's lanteru. ' Confound the woman ! what made her come back!' he muttered. 'But they have not caught me yet.' He crawled carefully along, and was about raising his head with the intention of lowering himself into a yard, when a window was opened a little farther on, and another dancing light shewed him that he was between two fives. ' It's a good thing for us that the police take such pains to show us where they are,' he said, with a cynical smile, ' otherwise the industry of chevaliers of fortune would be at a discount. Heigho, what a life it is ! One day at a fashionable wedding, another day trying to escape over those wretched leads and slates. , Matters were getting very critical. His only chance seemed to be by passing the fresh light, but it was evident that a couple of policemen had come out of a house, and were there ready to cut him off. He was acting though as he spoke, for he had seen, just above his head, that thei-e was an open window ; and if he could reach that, he might still escape. It was a good height above him, and he knew that he might be seen ; but it was his only chance, for lights were ap-

proaching him in two directions, so, making a bold leap he got his hands upon the sill, drew himself up, and crawled in, to sink panting on the floor with his eyes level with the sill. Just then he saw a light approaching, and he knew that he must have been seen. To have attempted to flee now would have been to court capture, for the house was a terra Incognito to him. Besides which it would have been to draw the whole force after him, and the alarm would be given to look out in the front. Cool daring was the only chance he knew; so, drawing a chair to the window, he hastily placed a cigar in his mouth, took out a match-box aud boldly struck a light just as a bull's-eye lantern shed its rays full in his face. 'Found him, constable?' he said qnietly, as he lit his cigar. 'No, sir, not yet,' was the reply. ' Haven't seen him go by ?' ' No ; I'll swear he has not gone by here,' said the gentleman. ' I must have seen him if he had.' ' Shout if you see him, sir,' said the constable. 'To be sure,' was the reply. 'Madman, isn't he ?' ' Madman, no sir. Reg'lar case of robbery at the hotel at the corner,' said the policeman. 'All right; coming; not here.' ' How people can be such fools is a puzzle !' said the gentleman, leaving his cigar on the window sill and going on tip toe to the door, which he opened, and soon found that exit was barred below, for the occupants of the house were standing at the street door. This being the case, he went softly upstairs, and made his way through an attic window on to the roof, and then from house to house, till further progress was stopped by the next being a storey lower. Here his piece of rope came in handy, and by its help when secured to a chimney stack, he slid down to the next house, and then went on aud on till he was a couple of streets away, and a turning was beneath him. There was no excitement below in the street, and all was very still on every side, so he determined to venture down as soou as he could find the means. He felt this the more necessary too, for the moon was rising uver the sea, and the tops of the houses would soon be flooded with light. Besides which, people on all sides were retiring ro rest and the houses would be fastened below. Turning back then, he tried a window. Fast. Then a sky-light, and found it open, when, looking down, he found that he might easily drop through into what seemed to be a servant's bedroom. He slipped through almost noiselessly, and in the dim light coolly took advantage of the wash stand and dressing-table to remove the traces of his journey over the house-tops, before descending farther. ' I must be a visitor come into the wrong house by mistake,' he said to himself, if I am seen. Acting upon this determination he took from his pocket a light soft hat, put on his gloves and went quietly out, descending the stairs noiselessly from attic to second floor, from thence down to the first where all was very still, and then more cautiously down towards the ground floor, for he could hear voices in conversation. If he could reach the front door and it was not secured he could pass out in a I moment, and to this end he was going

cautiously down, lit now by the gas lamp in the hall. He had nearly reached the bottom, and was eagerly rising forward to try and make out whether the front door was fastened, when the dining room door was opened and a heavy step came towards tho stairs. With the activity of some beast of prey, the Gentleman bounded back from landing to landing and reached the first floor, when a door was opened on the second floor, a light shone out, and some one began to descend. Taken between two fires there was nothing left but to brazen it out, or— He decided in an instant, softly turned the handle of the door behind him, passed in, closed it, and awoke to the fact that he was not alone. CHAPTER XY. V THAT WOM&N WILL PROVE MY FATE." Calm and full of the daring nonchalance begotton by the hazardous career he had taken to for the sake of gain, the young man stood now for the moment - petrified, as he saw into what sanctuary he had plunged to seek for safety. For as he entered, he found that he was iu a handsomely furnished room, illumined by the soft light of a moderator lamp, and from a chair where she had been, lying back reading, a lady sprang up with her eyes half wild with dread. Words of apology were on his lips, but they were never uttered in his astonishment, as, there before him, stood the lady who had so taken his attention that day upon the pier. She seemed too much alarmed to cry but, even though steps could be heard passing the door and voices in busy conversation ; but as she stood gazing at him like some beautiful bird fascinated by the eyes of the falcon about to strike it down, her soft hand was stretched out slowly towards the bell handle. Iu another instant she would have seized it, but with a bound forward he had her in his arms 5 Are you a woman ??' he whispered. ' Would you give me over to worse than death ?' " Are you a gentleman' she said, in a low thrilling voice, " that you come here Hue a thief?' One word from you," with his lips close to her ear, and I shall be dragged hence to the greatest degradation, if you have a woman's heart spare me.' Help!' she panted. 'Help?' in a hoarse whisper, for she was fascinated by him, and knowing it he exalted his power the more. ' What shall I do? Help !'

His hand was pressed the next moment upon her lips, not violently, for her struggles were but feeble.

' Silence!' he whispered. ' You do not know what you are doing. Do I not tell you I am hunted, and it is only by coming in here that I ha,ve a chance of escape. Will you not give me sanctuary for one poor short hour.' The pallor upon her face gave place to a roseate flush, and that to a scarlet of the most intense dye, as she tried to remove his hand from her lips. 'If I take my hand away, will you shriek for help? , he said. 'No,'was the angry reply, in a low, husky whisper, which told him that he had ennquered, and that she did not dare to summon aid—'• No, I will not call for help, for I am not afraid." He had removed his hand, and she struggled from him fiercely and stood at bay. 'It is a lie—it is all false," she said, hoarsely. ' You have not fled from danger, coward that you are. You knew that I was alone here with that poor helpless old man, and you have hunted me here to this lodginghouse where we are almost strangers, and where you felt that your word would perhaps have been believed in more than mine—you have done all this, I say, and forced your way in upon a poor unprotected girl. It is a brave and manly thing, is it not, coward ?' ' You do not believe me,' he said, with his gaze fixed upon the flashing eye 3 before him, and all dread now forgotten in admiration. ' Believe you ? No,' she said. 'It is monstrous. But go, and if you have a single manly feeling never let me see you again, for I loathe aud hate you.'

' Go? Now ?' he said, quietly, " with the people on the stairs !'

' Oh, that it should come to this!' she moaned wringing; her hands and unwillingly making herself ten times more attractive in his eyes. 'Villain, do you not see that by this cruel pursuit you are doing me such a wrong as can never be repaired.'

' Curse me if you will,' he said excitedly, as he took up the belief that he had gained an enfcranne to her heait. Loathe me, detest me, for it will be a pleasure to live knowing only that you think upon me. I saw you to-day; true it was only for the first time, but seeing- you once was enough to madly intoxicate me with beauty such as I never saw before. There.' ho said, throwing himself at her feet, ' I am your slave ; drive mo from you—have mo thrust out of the place—what you will. I have 'seen you again, and now I can die if need be in peace. ' Hush ! Quick !' she whispered, nnd he bounded to his feet and caught her tightly in his arms. ' What shall I do ! My father.' With trembling hands sho thrust him from her back towards a recess, as a slow step was heard upon the stair, and directly after it halted by the door and there waa a knock. 'June —June,' said the querulous voice he had heard that day upon the pier. ' Good-night, I am going to bed.' 'Good-night, papa dear,'said the girl in a low voice that she strove hard to render firm. 'Good-night, my dear, good-night,' came from outside, and then the step was heard slowly nscendiup: to the next floor, a door was shut arid tho steps were continued heavily over head, makiug the boards of the slightly-buiit house quiver. ' If I speak aloud,' thought the fugitive, ' my voice must bo heard.' 'One cry would bring , help, so why should I fear him T thought June Smerdou, and then there was silence only broken, by the footsteps above, and during which from time to time the young girl turned her angry defiant eyes upon the cruel intruder upon her peace, who by some wayward trick of fitte had come upon her when, after vainly trying to read the book which now lay upon the floor, she had boeu sitting back thinking of the encounter upon the pie l . - , and wondering why this stranger should so occupy her mind. At last the steps in the room above ceased, and the house became Tory silent. Neither had quitted their occupied places, but both stood listening attentively, when twelve o'clock beiran to strike, and the last stoke of the bell roused June Smerdon to action. 'Now, , sbe said, in a low musical tone which made his heart beat, ' the way below is open. You can escape unseen.' ' Yes,' he said in a whisper, and for your sake I will; but till when ? Tell me, are you staying hero; ?' ' Why do yoiiiiskr 1 she said, scornfully. ' What do you wish mo to say ?' ' I only know your name, and that you are lovely,' he said, advancing , quickly, as she took "up a caudle and lit it from the lamp, 'but I must see you again. June, say what you will to we, punish me how

you will, but I love you more than I can say.' As he spoko he caught her hand in his, but she dragged it away, and catcMug the door handle opened it quinlsly. ' This way,' she said, and gliding from room, he was fain to follow down the wellcarpeted stairs to the front door, whose fastenings who had unsecured as ho overtook her, and once more held her in his arms. ' You see, ho whispered,' I am your slave, You bid me go, and I am obedient.' She had stood the candlestick upon a bracket, to leave her hands free, and placing them against his chest, she forced herself away from him, but only weakly now, and us his words became more impassioned, his pleadings more tender, the muscles relaxed, and finally with a low hysterical sob, her arms drooped to her f>ide, as he drew her more tightly to him, and his lips pressed her cheek. 'For Heaven's sake, go,' she cried at last, hoarsely, as sho struggled from hie arms. 'Tell me then where,' he said, still straining , her to his breast. 'We shall be in London next week,' she faltered, ' Oh heavens, am I mad ?' ' Yes—and where ?' he cried eagerly. ' The West Lane 'Kensington,' she said, after a pause, If you are a gentleman ' — Then she was once more clasped tightly to his breast, but struggling from him, she opened the door, and he passed out into the lamp-lit street. ' That woman will prove my fate,' he said, as with every vain throbbing he glanced to the right and left, then made sure of the house, its number, and the street, and ended by walking down towards the beach. ' If I attempt to go now, I shall be tsken,' he muttered. I wonder where the Major is. Good heavens ! but she is queen-like, I never saw so Juno-like a woman. June-Juno. Yes, what a name !' . He reached the beach and knowing his course well, made his way to a sandy portion, where, under the shelter of a yawl, he lay down and rested till the sun rose, when in the most matter of fact way, he hired the first machine to which an owner came, had a refreshing bathe and came out of the machine so transformed that he might very well have ordered breakfast at the hotel.

For his hair was smoothly combed down, he wore a pair of glistening spectacles, and a thin gossamer dust coat, over which was slung by a strap a cleverly contrived affair which had shut up in his pocket like a telescope, _ but which now, opened out, looked like a botanist's candle-box. A common sixpenny stick, purchased at the nearest tobacconist's, completed his disguise, and, after breakfasting at a coffee-house, he quietly trudged off along the Lewes Road, passing two constables with his chalk-dusted boots, and walkingtwenty miles before, with a scrap of herb in his button-hole, a piece of henther in the band of his soft hat, and his botanist's case pretty full of wild flowers, he took a third-class ticket for town, where he arrived in time to read in the evening paper of the robbery of valunblo jewels from the apartments of Mndame Larini, the celebratod singer, during her absence at the Pavilion concert. ' Poor Madame Larini !' he said, with a smile. ' How she must mourn for her jewels. I have found one though, far more precious. June —June —June. I could die for the sake of such a woman as that.' Many a man has said the same before now, and has died for her, or through her arts. (To be continued).