TIE & TRICK,

Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2394, 12 November 1887, Page 1 (Supplement)

TIE & TRICK,

lUuu'Ust.

BY HAWLEY SMART, Aitiiok of “Bkkkzie Lanoton,” " Broken Bonus,” "Sooui, Sinners,” “Tiik Great Tontine,” "At Baeet,” &c., &c.

CHARTER XXX. THE DISCOVERY. The low twittering' of the birds breaks the stillness of the camp as the firat streaks of dawn appear above the trees heralding the rapidly approaching .day. If the hiids deem it time to bestir themselves it apparently strikes nobody else that there is any necessity for it. One or two of the brigands Tolled thorn selves closer in their cloaks as they became conscious of the chilliness of daybreak. The snn rose higher and higher in the heavens, and still the inmates of the camp showed no disposition to arouse themselves. The gentlemen of the road, or, for the matter of that, the criminal classes of all nations, generally are wont to “lie in bed to digest their dreams,” and when you arc used to it you can digest your dreams quite as comfortably on the grass in these southern climes. At length the stillness that rests upon the community is broken by a splendid groan and the outraged Jackson sat np in his lair. That dreadfully decomposed old servitor was quite ready to declare that ho had never closed an eye all night, that, in no gentleman’s family that ever he’d scon had lie known a case of an upper servant being called upon to sleep out on a grass plat as if ho were a dog.

“ I've got rheumatism in every bone," lie grumbled, as he anxiously rubbed his anus and legs, “ and to think how I kept a filling his glass at Wrottsloy. No more furrin’ Counts for mo. If there's one vice that’s disgusting it’s ingratitude, aud to treat a man in my position in this way ; if it wasn’t that my bones ache so, I’d say it was all his ignorance. An English gentleman understands it. Lord, when he goes to stay at a country house ho knows the master of it is only second fiddle; it’s the butler’s the first violin ; it’s to him that ho looks for all his little comforts: it’s the butler humours all his little whims about wine, liqueurs, and see ho gets that, glass of sherry before dinner, indispensable to bis comforts. Sleep !" he ejaculated, “ who could sleep, not knowing but what he’d find his windpipe slit before morning. Safe so far he continued, passing his hand over his throat; “but with that murdering scoundrel with the bandaged head thirst, ing for our blood who can say how many hours more life there is left for us ?'

Old Jackson, in reality, had slept the sleep of the seven sleepers, and trumpeted through the night hours like a fog-horn. “ No,” he continued, “ I can’t be expected to keep sueli a terrible discovery to myself it’s more than any one man can carry on his mind. Mr Glanfield is the only one of them that’s got any gumption. I suppose I’d better take him into my confidence. If we over are to come alive out of this neat of hornets, I suspect it’s Thomas Jackson will have to manage it.” He rose as he spoke, and walked across to where Glanfield was sleeping tranquilly. and, shaking him, by the shoulder, said iu a thick, mysterious whisper—“Mr Glanfield! Mr Glanfield! I’ve got something terrible to toll you sir." “If that’s all you've got to toll, you might just as well have let mo have my sleep out, Now then, what is it 1” And then Jackson, in solemn tones, aud with many starts and nervous glances from side to side, unfolded his version of the conversation ho had overheard between I’ietro and Giovanni. Glanfield listened to him in silence, and when he had finished said, quietly—■

“ You aro one of the astnest men I know, Jackson, Perhaps there isn't a better judge of weights ever saw the Heath ; but you beat me this time altogether. Yon don’t know one word of Italian, Pietro and Giovanni speak nothing else. How the deuce did you know what they were talking about " Mr Glanfield,” replied Jackson, with an air of ineffable disdain. “I saw it in tbeir face-.”

“I’ll tell you what it is, Jackson; you’re seeing a lot, you know. Strikes me you’re professing to understand faces a long way ahead of the rest of us “ Butlers always does, sir,” replied old Jackson, pompously. “It’s the practice they get, it’s the always studying what a a gentleman will take, does it !” “ Oh, go away, you old fool,” replied Glanfield, “onr lives are in no manner of danger. Mr Wheldrako must be half way to Naples by this ; but if we are to die it is not Pietro or Giovanni will decide upon our fate; that question is in the hands of Count Patroconi.”

Old Jneksuu deigned no reply—quite evident to him now that Mr Glanfield was not. to be relied upon, and that the preservation of the whole party lay upon Ids shoulders alone.

Sir Jasper and the ladies were astir betimes. Sleeping “ under the greenwood tree ” may bo all very well when you are used to it, but let the weather bo balmy, as it may, it is apt to produce restless nights in the first instance. Gimp life is usually early, but on this occasion the visitors were afoot before their host.”

“ Good morning, Mr Glanfield,” exclaimed Mrs Fullerton, as she and Maude issued from their hut. “I never slept better, I declare. Really this pionicing in the mountains is quite pleasant.” “I don’t know what you call pleasant,” growled Sir Jasper, “ The Count calls it an alfresco hotel, and considering the bill it ought to bo the very best in Europe. I am bound to say the table is tidy, ns far as it goes, aud, by Jove ! so it ought to bo 1”

“Yes,” rejoined Glanfield, slowly. “ Patroceni’s got us in a tight corner, and there’s no getting out except at a heavy loss. Well, ,-ir Jasper, it’s happened to us often enough racing. It’s no use making wry faces because jou find yourself in the hole.’'

“ Yes, ma'am,’’ said old Jackson, who, with a face about the length of Oxfordstreet, cut into the conversation. “ Yes, ma’am, in tho hole, and that’s about where we shall find ourselves before twenty-four hours are past, as far as I can gather from these miscreants’ conversation. May tho grass grow lightly over onr heads, as tho poet says.” “Go away, you old croaker," rejoined Glaufield. sharply. Don’t pay any attention to him, Mrs Fullerton. Tho old idiot has seen two of the band disputing and gesticulating, probably about some private quarrel of their own, and has jumped to the conclusion that they were discussing what they shall do with ns,” Where is bred, Mr Glaufield,” suddenly exclaimed Maude, gazing round with a troubled expression on her countenance.

“ Hammerton ? I don’t know; I havu’t seen him this morning. Here, Jackson, you know, you never closed an eye all night. What's become of Captain Hammerton'; He slept not many yards from both of us. Did you see him get up?” “ No, Mr Glanfield, I didn’t, and that’s the truth. I was so absorbed in keeping my eye—”

“ That will ilo ; you were struck out of all events that required keeping your eyes open pretty early in life. I don’t suppose Hainmcrton is far off; in fact your friends here take deuced good care that we shall none of us be very far oil.”

“ I wish I could sec Fred !” exclaimed Maude, “I feel rather uneasy about him. You know you said yourself, Mr Glantiuld, you wouldn’t take a hundred to one about his chance.”

“ I said so !”. exclaimed Glanfield, for a moment completely puzzled ; and then it Hashed across him that he had told Hainmcrton that he thought it was those odds against his life—a brutal speech he was fain to admit now, but then it was made in his first hot wrath at the disclosure of the Captain’s duplicity; but how had Maude come to know of this? It could only he from one source, Harnmerton himself, and Glanliold’s lip curled at the idea of any man who could play upon a woman’s nerves by enlarging on the dangers of his situation. Othello won Desdemona’s love by telling of the perils he had gone through, but Othello only descanted on the perils of the past, never hinting at those to come, and then it struck Glanfield that, whatever he might be, Hainmcrton was no coward. He had some object in saying this to Maude, and what could that object be ?

" You don’t answer, Mr Glanfield. It is because something has happened to Fred and yon arc afraid to tell mo?” 11 No, I assure you to the best nf my belief Hainmcrton is all right. Hu was sleeping some thirty yards oil me when I saw him last. It is merely that I have not seen him this morning, and if I said what you impute to me it was under provocation. He had dune that which had made me very angry.” “ You have no cause to ho alarmed, Maude,” said Sir Jasper. “ Fred’s not far ofT, unless by-the-way he started early this morning for Naples. By-the-way, Glanfield, who did you settle should go there ?”

“No, uncle,” cried Maude, “Fred is not gone to Naples. Mr Wheldrake told me last night that he was to start for Naples at daybreak.” “ Wheldrake, exclaimed Sir Jasper, “what lias he got to do with it? How came he here? you are raving, child,”

“ Yes, Mr Wheldrake is or rather was here,” said Glanfield, quietly. “Your daughter is not raving, Sir Jasper. Wlieldrako is a prisoner like ourselves ; at the Count’s bidding wo cast lots as to who should be set free to negotiate about the ransom. It fell upon Cyril, aud I trust lie is now half way to Naples.” “I put myself in your hands, Glanfield, and I suppose you know best, but for a delicate mission which must involve the handling of a very large sum of money, I should have hardly selected for my envoy a convicted card sharper.” ‘‘Oh father, father,’’ cried Maude, “ Cyril is innocent, I swear.” ‘Til pledge my life for Cyril's loyalty on this occasion.” said Glanfield sternly. “ As I would for his innocence that night at Wrottsloy.” “ It only shows, Mr Glanfield that you are very much readier to pledge your life than can be deemed prudent.” “ Dear me,’’ exclaimed Mrs Fullerton, “ here comes that dreadful Count. Only to think that such a nice gentlemanly, agreeable man could be a bandit.” “ Very gentlemanly,” growled Sir Jasper. “We gave him the best we had at Wrottsley, and he strips us to the last feather, the first time lie has the opportunity, When that precious scoundrel does meet his deserts, I’ll come a considerable distance,” ami bore Sir Jasper's speech was cut short by the approach of the Count.

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen,” said Patrooeni, with a low how. “ Mrs Fullerton, Mias Evcrsley, I trust yon slept well, though the accomodation, I regret, is rougher than yon are accustomed to. Mr Glanfield, a night in the open is nothing for a sportsman like yourself. Sir Jasper, they are preparing your breakfast. If onr mountain air has done its duty, I know you will do your duty. Try it.”

As he finished Patroccni’s dark eyes roved inquiringly over the party. “ Thank you, Count,” said Mrs Fullerton haughtily. “ \Ve slept very well, but we hardly dreamt that the hospitality of Wrottsley would be repaid in this fashion,”

“ Ah, life is full of changes, my dear madam. Every turn of the kaleidoscope presents a fresh and unexpected comhination, but,” continued Patrooeni, “I don’t sec the Captain. I trust my dear friend Hainmerton is not unwell.” “We have none of us seen him this morning,” said Glanfield, drily. “Curious,” remarked the Count. “Here, one of you,” he cried, raising hi voice, and addressing a knot of ; woo three brigands, who were bnsy cooking by the edge of the plateau. “Send Signor Sarini to me quickly.”

There was a silence of some minutes. Imperturbable as the Count’s manner invariably was, still there was that in it now which gave the impression that something had gone wrong. Metaphorically speaking, there was thunder in the air, and all looked anxiously as to what this summons of Sarini might portend.

It was evident that Patrooeni 'was quite as unprepared for Hammertou’a disappearance as the rest of them. The silence was broken at last by the appearance of Sarini, who limped slowly forward with the assistance of a stick. They could nee that the Count expressed surprise at his lieutentant’s crippled condition, and then a conversation passed between them so rapidly that Mrs Fullerton, the only one of the party with a failknowledge of Italian, was unable to follow it. At its termination, with a low bow the Count they would excuse him as he had a little matter of business to attend to, and immediately strode across the plateau in the direction of the tents, which it must bo borne in mind were pitched upon the opposite side to that on which the hut stood. Ho plunged into the first he came to. He reappeared at the end of throe or our minutes and was followed by Cyril Wheldruke, the man they all thought half way to Naples. “ Wheldrake!” burst from Glanfield's lips; “something, I fear, has gone very much awry,” he muttered,” or else he wouldn’t bo here.”

L’atroceni, followed by Wheldrake, once more rapidly approached them, and it was easy to see in the Count's eyes that expression which I’ietro had dwelt upon. They gleamed with the angry light of an aroused tiger; tho usual suave, half-mocking tones were changed into into those of bitter sarcasm as ho said “ Sir Jasper, you would, I presume, insist upon being master in your owu house. If a guest thought proper to overturn all your arrangements to gratify a whim of his owu, you would probably resent it. If you held his life at your disposal, it is possible you might take stops to prevent bis ever interfering with plans of yours for the future, ’ Those gentlemen”—and hero Patroceni indicated Glaufield and Wheldrake “have thought proper to meddle in my affairs. lam not to blame if their lives pay the penalty for that interference.”

“It is all my doing. Glaufield had nothin" to do with it. knew nothing of it. Mine the fault' he mine tho expiation,” said Wheldrake.

Maude stood with tear-gemmed eyes and quivering mouth listening to this bitter altercation, and even Mrs Fullertun’s laughing face, when she heard Pat-

roecni’s bitter menace of retribution, became overcast.

“Gallant and generous, Mr Wlieldrako, to the last,” rejoined the Count, in clear cutting tones. “ Like many a belter man you will perchance die for interfering with things above your comprehension, You have thought proper to change places with Captain Hammerton. Yon have trusted the lives of those yon hold most dear to you, lot alone your own, to a scoundrel in whoso hands I decline to placo mine or my comrades. Are you really so credulous as to suppose that tho lot drawing was a mere matter of chance ? Did yon never hear ol forcing' a card, and do you suppose or expect that forcing' a straw is a bit more difficult. This fool, Sir Jasper, for some inscrutable reason, has sent Captain Hammortoniu in his place, andlaunohcd two lives into eternity thereby. Do you suppose a man with a price upon his head is going to trust it to such an unscrupulous robber as wo all know Hammorton to be ?” he continued, turning to Wheldrake. “ You know how lie ruined you at Wrottslcy, it was hut the other night I showed you tho trick of it.”

There his speech was interrupted by a slight gurgle, or hysterical sob,, and Wheldrake was barely in time to catch Maude as she fell back insensible. Mrs Fullerton also was in much too tearful a state to render much assistance to her niece. That lady had grasped two facts during Patroccni’s harangue, to wit, that she loved Glanfield dearly, and that his life was in danger. “Yon, surely, Count Patroceni, would never dare.”

“Dare! Lot Sir Jasper ask the records of the police bureau what Patroceni has dared. Tears ! ” ho continued, scornfully', as the Baronet pointed in mute appeal to his weeping sister and senseless daughter. “Tears! Ah, I have seen too many in my time to be much moved by them now. Women must weep in time of trouble, to do that and scrape lint is their destiny. Listen, Mr Wheldrake, I was doing my best for you. Now, let the precious blackguard you have loosed upon me threaten my safety, and I retreat into the mountains at once. I shall not further cumber myself with useless prisoners in a retreat, I shall leave two corpses behind me, and two women to wail over them. Sir Jasper will he worth carrying along with me.”

“Coward,” said Wheldrake, “kill us if you will, but don’t terrify onr women beforehand.”

“ Let your trusted messenger but play the rule he lias done ever since I have known him, and yon may consider yourselves doomed men,” replied the Count, with a bitter sneer. “Patroceni has ever kept his word for good or for evil. His time lias not yet come, and those who cross him are sure to make a load end of it.”

“ We can die if needs must, Count,” replied Olanfield. “ Most Englishmen can. But there is many a turn up in life, as you told us just now, ami I’ve scon too many cracks whose victory was proclaimed at the half distance die away to nothing before they reached the winning post to funk yet. The cards havn’t run very much in your favour through life, or you wouldn’t have to take to the highways in the autumn of it.” The Count’s eyes flashed for a minute, and his lips quivered with suppressed wrath at Glaufiold’s sneer.

‘‘Good. Mr Glanfield, suppress a possible enemy is a maxim men like myself should never forget. Any arrangements you or Mr Wheldrake may wish to make for your lawyer’s consideration you’d best attend to. Captain Hammerton is a liar and a traitor, and if our lives are menaced depend upon it you are on the threshold of the grave,” and after a satirical sweep of his sombrero to his prisoners the Count strode leisurely hack to his own tent.

CHAPTER XXXI. “A STORMY OUTLOOK.” When Maude came to herself site was lying on her bed in the lint, with her aunt in a very tearful state hanging over her. Patroceui’s bitter speech had been a revelation to her. In one moment it had (lashed across her mind what she had done. Stung by Wheldrake’s manner, she sternly repressed all display of affection towards him. In her anxiety to rescue her cousin from danger she had never counted at what cost it might be to Cyril. She saw it all now ; to do her bidding, to ensure Hainmerton’s safety, he had sacrificed himself. It wanted no great judge of physiognomy to read the Count’s face.- As Pietro said, His Excellency never gave way to wild outbreaks of wrath, but there was that intense concentration of passion shat is much more dangerous than the most volcanic explosion ; the iron that gleams so redly is after all not at the extreme heat of that which is white. There was a fierce vindictiveness in Patrooeni’s rage more to be dreaded than any wild outburst of storm and expletive, and Maude recognised this at once. The cool, cutting, merciless harangue had much more earnestness of purpose in it than the wild ravings of a man beside himself with passion. She had marked before she fainted the cruel eyes and unforgiving mouth, and though ignorant of Patroceui’s past history, she felt sure that he would be pitiless to those who crossed him. What had she done? She had perchance saved the life of her cousin, but to do that she had sacrificed the lives of her father, her lover, and Ulan field. And after all, was her cousin really in danger ? She knew that he had been guilty, from the'Count’s testimony, of much duplicity ; had she been also his mere dupe in this matter ? And then the girl, in her misery, turned her face to the wall and bitterly reproached herself for the part she had played. Tears over the dropped stitches, weeping over our blunders, rueful retrospection of neglected opportunities are the lot of most of us, but just now Maude felt overwhelmed with an attack oi ; this nature.

“My dear child,” exclaimed Mrs Fullerton, in a voice that trembled not ?. little. “My dear child, pray, pray try and control himself. I know you love Cyril. I know you will never cease to love him, and to find that his life is in such imminent danger is, of course, enough to prostrate you. But,” said the widow, “do not think you are the only sufferer. I fear he has never said anything I ought not to tell you, it is very foolish, but —but, I am very unhappy about Mr Glanlield '■— and here Mrs Fullerton broke down, began to whimper, and finally buried her head in the pillow beside her niece. But Mrs Fullerton’s situation was nothing to Maude’s. If she had just discovered that Jim Glanficld was master of her heart, still she, at all events, had nothing to do with the situation m which he was placed. With Maude the case was different. But for her ill-timed interference Cyril Wheldrako would have been by this time a free man in the streets of Naples, and, hap what might to the rest of them, would have been out of reach of Patroccni’s homicidal instincts. “Die, yes,” thought the girl. “I suppose that will be the fate of all of us. The man’s a mere human tiger, purring like a cat in the civilisation of Wrottsley, and exhibiting all the ferocity of his nature when wo meet him in his home on the mountain side. Yes,” continued Maude, in all the agony of her self-communion, “ I have always been told these Italians

have all the relentless savagery of the ‘ cruel Roman race.’ ” i'atroeeni had threatened Wheldrake and Glanfield with death. Ah, well. And the girl gave a positive sigh of relief as she murmured to herself, “If ho once commences bloodshed he is not likely to spare the rest of ns. They may commence with taking the lives of one or two, but 1 fancy in extremity these brigands invariably ensure strict silence on the part of all the prisoners within their hands. It is very hard to die in one’s twenty-second year, but—” and here a half-smile flickered over her tear-stained visage—“it will nut be so hard when ho is gone. Idon’t think if they take hislife that I shall ea.ro very much what becomes of mine. Don’t talk to me, Aunt,’’ she continued aloud. “ I know what I have done only too well. Fred has behaved shamefully. He fooled mo into pursnading Cyril Wheldrake to do what I never dreamtof : he induced me to believe that his life was in danger. Thinking Cyril had influence with Count Patruceni I implored him to exercise that Influence on Fred’s behalf. Oh 1 Aunt,” sobbed the girl, “ I little thought how my request was to be complied with. I was cruel to him ; brutal to him. I was not sure he eared any longer about me, and I was too anxious to show him that I no longer cared anything about him. Ho promised me that if he could save Fred he would. He has done it, done it; given up his life at my bidding, to save Fred Hammertoa’s. I am glad nf course of my cousin’s safety, but I love Cyril’s little linger better chan him.”

“ Don’t fret over that, darling:,” said Mrs Fullerton. “I cannot think that will make much difference. The Count in his first wrath may threaten to shoot us all; it’s very bad taste on his part ; calculated to upset the nerves of us poor weak women, and not altogether, perhaps, conducive to strengthen those of men ; but only think of it dispassionately, and one must feel sure that he will not do so. His object, of course, must be to obtain this enormous sum of money ho has demanded for our ransom. Say what you will, interference with an Englishman in any part of Europe is rather an awkward business. To summarily dispose of any of us would destruy his negotiations for our delivery for one thing, and must bring—dilatory though they be—the Neapolitan police about his ears for another. Take heart Maude, and don’t reproach yourself. Mr Wheldrako is more to blame than you are. I will admit that I am prophesying after the event, but I do feel quite sure of this: that, comply with Count Patiooeui’s terms we must, and also acquiesce in his managing the arrangement in his own wayand then the two women kissed and sobbed and went to sleep in each others’ arms. In the tent on the other side of the plateau a conversation of a somewhat similar sort was being held

“ Well, young man,” said.Jim Olanfield, as he seated himself on the bed and lit a cigar, “ You have been and gone and done it! Here’s Patroceni been laying Himself out for a nice little game of tliimblo-rig, and here yon go and kick the table over. What in Heaven’s name induced you to change places with Hammerton last night.’ You said yourself yon wouldn’t take a hundred to one about his life, and Maude appealed to me to save him. I thought she loved him,” replied Wheldrake. “ And you think so still,” said Glanfield, putting his glass in eye. “ Yes, I do,” replied Wheldrako, doggedly. “ By Jove, you arc a fool,” said Glanfield. “ What the deuce do you want? Here’s a young woman drops clean off her feet the minute she hoars you're to be shot at daybreak or thereabouts. I cau only say this, when they take to swooning bout me on hearing lam in difficulties I may bo conceited, but I shall put them down 1 spoons.’ ”

“I don’t know what to think. I did it for the best.”

“ You did a very fine, generous thing, Cyril. You have risked your life, to save that of a scoundrel who conspired against you in the most dastardly way I ever heard of. It was like you ;it was what most men who know Cyril Wheldrake well could imagine he would do. But, you dear old duffer, you've dime it all under a misconception. You’ve done this for Maude’s sake ; jeopardised the life she values above all others to save one whom she only regards as a cousin sho’s been brought up with.”

Wheldrake said nothing for a minute or two, then ho gripped Glanfield’s hand hard and said in a low voice, ‘‘lt was worth risking one’s life to know this. Are you quite sure of it, Jim ? ” “Quito. I havo the evidence of my own eyes for one thing, and Mrs. Fullerton’s opinion on the subject for another. Now old man we must look at the situation. Our friend the Count is most unmistakably riled at your ingenious change of ambassadors; still if Hammerton acts fairly by us, I don’t suppose we are in much danger, butPatroceni had evidently no faith in Ids quondam ally and, judging from what wo know, upon my soul he’s right.'’

“ I can’t believe Hammerton would play ns false- We have more to fear from rash meddling on the part of the police.” “Perhaps so,” rejoined Glanfield. “Still I wish yon had kept our interests in your hands. I have an idea it would have been bettor for some of us.” Mr. Glanfield’s idea was destined to turn out most erroneous. [To be continued.)