Novelist. TIE & TRICK,
BY HAWLEY SMART, Author of "Breezie Langtok," "Bkokex Bonds," "Social SINNERS," " TIIE GIiEAT ToNTIxNE," "AT Fault," &.C., &c.
CHAPTER XLVIIL LAST WORDS. " To die at daybroak." It is not as a rule that, except through the mouth of Her Majesty's judges, this sentence is dealt out to us. Regarded theoretically those four words do not carry much weight. The assault will take place at daybreak, if it makes the pulses of the soldier boat quicker carries no presage of his impending fate. There is promotion, the Y.C., and the chance of exceptional honours before him, and in the hot tide of battle who recks that ho may be numbered amongst the slain? But the words, "Todioat daybreak," assume a very different aspoct when you know '.'.Jre is nothing to interfere botween you and hnplaeablo fate, and at sunrise you are to take your last look upon this earth of ours and sink without a strugglo into tho grave which destiny has awarded you. A grim prospect this for tho few short hours that remain. No time now to right that tangled web we most of us make of our lives Sins, iollios, errors of judgment must,
such as they are, be left standing on the record against us. No time loft to us to put right these miserable mistakes of our career. Wo are to die at daybreak ! Only a few hours left in which to endeavour to repair such wrong-doing as may lay heavy on our soul. Wheldrako and Glanfiold were not troubled with remorse or compunctious of this nature. They were both men who had lived their careless lives honestly and straightly, according to their lights. If they were to die it was through no fault of their own. To say they could conscientiously show a blameless record would bo to claim for them what no men of the world like themselves could possibly produce ; but both of them could say with a clear conscience that neither man nor woman was the worse for having known them. " It looks ugly, old man," said Glanfiold, as upon regaining their tent ho lit a cigar. " Unless something turns up in our favour I fancy that ungrateful beggar really does moan shooting us at day-break. By Jove ! only to think that not a twelve mouths ago, when we shot the Hangers, I could have forestalled huu and rolled him over like a rabbit—by mistake." "Yes," replied Wheldrake, " there's no jesting about the (Jon nt, you may depend upon it Whether Ilammerton has really played false to lis or not is of very little consequence. Patroceni thinks he has, and that's enough to determine our fate. Well, it's rather hard. Three or four weeks ago I think I should have rather welcomed the ending, but then you see I hadn't again mot Maude. I had no idea she still loved mo. The world to mo was a blank, and I cared not how soon I was quit of it. Now everything is different. I know I still hold her heart. Life once more opens before me, and I am loth to leave it." " Ah ! it's not such a bad sort of place, you know. I've always found it good enough for mo. A little depressing, perhaps, when all your fancies at Ascot and Newmarket persistontly run second. When tho sporting papers on tho Saturday clearly demonstrate tliey ought to havo won if such and such had taken place, and you only know they didn't, and there's a lot to pay on Monday. There! it's all very well, Cyril, I am trying to take the most gloomy view I can of it because our places seem booked by this train, and its no uso making faces over it." ' No Jim," rejoined Wheldralce, like most Englishmen. " I suppose we know how to die, now our time has come. Hut there's ouo tiling, I should like to say good-bye to Maude. And though they mean shooting us at daybreak, I don't suppose our captors will object to that. You also, I should think would like to take leave of her." "Yes, of course," rejoined Glanfield, as he emitted a heavy cloud of smoke from beneath his moustache. " I should like to do that. Don't want to interfere with your goodbye, you know, old fellow. I should like to shako hands too with Mrs Fullerton. We're old friends, yofl know. YeS, very old friends ; and it would be —and here Jim took his cigar from his lips, and there seemed something wrong in the rolling of that tobacco which required immediate seeing to, " Yes, old friends," lie continued, "she is a line woman, too ; and it would be a polite attention, you know, to say good-bye." " It is merely asking our goaler's permission, I fancy," said Wholdrake; and, going to the door of the tent, ho requested the sentry to pass the word for Sarini. That worthy quickly made his appearance, and upon learning their request acceded to it at once. " Certainly, Signors ; I regret as much as his Excellency that the treachery of a friend consigns you to the tomb. The fortune of war, my friends—and something may intervene even now, Signors, to save you. I have been half a dozen times as near my end as you are apparently. and seen many a year roll by since. Any liberty you like tonight, Signors, but remember, attempting to pass the sentries is merely anticipating the morning." " You need fear nothing of that sort," rejoined Wheldrako. "Wo regard escape as much too hopeless an enterprise to be worth attempting. We only wish to say good-bye to the friends we are so soon to leave behind us." '•I will soiid word to the ladies," rejoined Sarini, with a low bow. "It is a glorious night, and the plateau will be pleasant. Lives, Signor Wholdrake, must give way to circumstances. But believe me | when I say that I am sorry circumj stances compel his Excellency to sacrifice yours. Ah," continued this philosopher, " another shake of the dice box and Patroceni and I will probably change places with you." " I say," said Glanfiold, as Sarini loft the tent, " this is all devilish fine, you know ; but if there's one thing that I hate on leaving a country house it's the saying ' Good bye.' It's awful awkard, you know, if you say too much about what a good time you've had —looks as if you were fishing for an invitation to bo asked there again; and if you take the other line, then lalways picture 'em while I'm 011 my way to tho station as saying, ' Cantankerous beast. I suppose there was nothing here good enough for him.' No, Cyril, you needn't smile; there's nothing to grin about in being shot at daybreak, and there is nothing
very jocular in saying goodbye to people——-well, people you care about, for a precious indefinite period." " Come along," said Wheldralce, " it's 110 use straw-splitting like this. I'm <;oing to have a last talk with Maude, as for you, I daresay you will find plenty to say when you onco see the woman who you're head over ears in love with, and who is just as umch in love with you, whenever you can manage to bring that little explanation about." " Mrs Fullerton in love with 111 c," exclaimed Glanfield. " Yes," said Cyril, quietly, "she only wants to bo assured of your love to own it, but perhaps, standing as we do 011 the brink of tho grave, you have no business to tell it. Come along," and the two slipped into tho moonlight, where already the flutter of the ladies' dresses was visible. " I am so pleased to see you, Cyril," said Maude quietly. " Havo you any news from Na les ! Papa is getting so (idgetty and uneasy, tie has take. 11 it into his head that my cousin Fred is playing us false." " Yes, my dear Maude," rejoined Wholdrake, " and what is still worse Patroceni has taken tho same idea into his head." "You don't mean that?" cried the girl, eagerly. " Will it endanger our position hero, do you think ?" " I don't know," replied Wheldrako, quietly. " It means that Jim and I have got to leave you for a little." " Leave us 1 Good heavens, Cyril, what do you mean ? " " Oh, I don't know. No prudent man puts all his eggs into 0110 basket. T. suppose we represent, in some shape, stocks, shares, what you will, to tbesn scoundrels. They don't mean to keep all their prisoners in one place." " Ami where are they going to send you?" cried Maude, breathless with excitement. " Well, I don't know," rejoined Cyril, quietly. " But it will be a good way from here. I shall be saying good-bye to you now for many a long day." " Long day, cried the girl excitedly, as she clasped his arm. " What is it you mean, Cyril ? Tell me the truth at once." " Really, Mr Glanfield, those two arc getting a little too lover-like to desire supervision. I can shut my eyes as close as any chaperone in Europe, but I know when it is time to turn my back—and don't you think, Mr Glanfield, it is time now'?" and with these words the widow turned 011 her heel, and led the way towards tha other end of the plateau. Glanfiold walked by her side as they paced away from the other two still talking in the moonlight. " What docs Mr Wheldrako mean 1 " enquired the widow, sharply, the moment they were out of earshot. " There is surely nothing serious threatening? You are both going away. When? why? where ?" " Don't know exactly where," rejoined Glanfield. " Why—-because it suits Count Patroceni to send us there. When—at daybreak tomorrow morning. Now, Mrs Fullerton, you know all that I can tell you." She looked at him for a few minutes and then replied quietly, "I perhaps know all you will tell me, but by 110 means all you can. There is nothing wrong about the ramson, is there ?" " Don't suppose so," said Glanfield. " ILammerton's not written —couldn't, perhaps. Post hero a little irregular, you see." A somewhat similar scene was taking place about twenty paces from them. " Cyril," said Maude, in a low whisper, tho moment the others were well out of hearing, " you are not telling me the truth. What is the meaning of going away, what is the meaning of cur not meeting for ever so long ? Surely, you don't think thaL this terrible Count can meditate such crimes as men in his profession too often resort to. He is not—not—threatening tho lives of you and Mr Glanfield, is 110 ? Let 111 c see him, if it is so. He must listen to a woman ; he must know, when it is pointed out to him, that it will bo sheer madness to take the lives of any of us ; that my father will pay only to saye the lives of all of us. And, Cyril dearest, it might bo well ho should know that if he kills you my father need pay no ransom for me." " It is 110 use being frightened, darling. You have guessed so much that I won't disguise from you but that tho Count has been rather lavish of threats this afternoon, and rather lavish of his wine, too apparently," lie continued, as the boisterous laughter of the brigands, carousing upon the edge of the wood, fell upon their ears, " I'll bo honest with you, Maude. Patroceni is anxious, because he thinks your cousin Fred is in communication with the police. We run 110 danger unless that is the case." " Oh, Cyril, Cyril! and it was to please me, it was to save my cousin from possible danger, that you changed places with him. Oil ! my God. What shall I do?" And the girl threw her hands to her temples. •' I, who would give my life's blood for you, am about to become your murderess and, snatching his hand, Maude fell at Wheldrako's feet, in a perfect storm of sobs. ITe raised her in a moment, and clasp-
ing her in his arms, kissed away the tears. You havo no right to say such things," he exclaimed at last, " the whole tiling seems to mc to ho a puzzle. I have no reason—goodness knows— to think well of Fred Ilammerton, but I do not believe hi 111 such a scoundrel as this would prove him to be. The whole tiling is a bit of a puzzle, but I fancy it will come out all right in the end. You must not cry for me yet, Maude. Gentry like these whose hospitality we are enjoying, are wont to get a little fidgetty about the bill, more especially when there is sorm; slight delay in paying it. Don't fret, my darling. It is quite possible Glanfield and myself will not be sent away to-morrow morning, after all." Tho girl looked up into his faco in tho moonlight, and scanned it eagerly to see if he were keeping aught back from her, but his quiet tranquillity baffled iier, and she dropped her eyes after a minute with a quiet assurance that if lie and Mr Glauh'ld wore going away to-morrow morning it was only that they were lo bo confided to stricter custody. Mrs Kullerton had paced up and down for sonic time by the side of her escort in silence. As for Jim G lanlield lie said nothing, deeming it much the safest tiling to do, under the circumstances. lie was the last man in the world to make any parade of what lie would term " an awkward fix" to any lady. If he was to die well and good, those who were sorry might shed tears for him afterwards, but he was not going to have any drenching of pocket-handkerchiefs in anticipation, lie most decidedly had no desire to quit this world, and thought vindictively, could 110 but have forecast things, that lie would have had a (jiui- accident that day they shot the Hangers, and cut short the line of the Patrocenis. " i\ T ow, Mr Glanfield," suddenly exclaimed the widow abruptly, "you are going away at day-break. No more fencing, if yon please. Where? This monster does not menace murder, does he V " Well, you see, these fellows always do ; it's part of their business, you know. If the Hies that get into their webs don't happen to shel out freely and shortly, they threaten them with extinction. All purebunkum, of course. A man pays as high as he can for his life, but you can't reckon upon his heirs paying a fancy price for his remains." " Mr Ghmfield, how can you talk in such a dreadful manner," said the widow, beginning to whimper, and putting the pocket-handkerchief to her eyes. " If—if —you can afford to uiako a jest of such a thing, you might remember other people have feelings. You might remember that we have likings and dislikings ; and bear in niincl that when those we love—l mean, like —arc in danger, wc don't, that is we do, feel very unhappy about it." And here Mrs Fullerton commenced sobbing in good earnest. " No, don't do that, you dear little woman, there's nothing to cry about." And here, as Glanfield said afterwards, ho never quite understood how it happened, but his arm got round the widow's waist, and lie found himself kissing away her tears and protesting that he could not afford to give up life at present, as a new interest in it had suddenly dawned upon him IJut tho tendorest love-tale must finish at last, and a self-contained man like Glanfield was under no circumstances likely to be very diffusive. It might be questioned whether a man doomed to die at daybreak had any right to speak such words, but men bound for dangerous enterprises have often unburthened their hearts in this wise, much as it might look as if nothing ever come of it, Mrs Fullerton having released herself, and finding her lover wax taciturn, began to think it was time to retire and exult over her conquest. " I shall feel dreadfully uneasy," she said, " till I know this money is paid. I think it can only mean that Count Patroceni is determined to put still further pressure on it It will be an anxious time for al of us until the next few days are over. Meanwhile, Maude and I must retire. Sir Jasper betook himself to rest an hour ago," Maude turned at her aunt's summons, and the two men escorted the ladies to the door of the hut. It was no time for conventional partings, but Mrs Fullerton was just a little surprised when Wheldrako kissed her when 110 bade her farewell. CHAPTER XLIX. HOW SOUND ARE THEIR SLUMBERS. Forty-eight hours after Hammerton's interview with the Count, he received a visit from Chisel. 'I he valet had occasionally called before to knew if there was any news of his master, and upon this occasion he sent up not only liia name, but a note to say that his business was urgent. Ilammerton ordered him to bo showed up, and Chisel said at once—• " I am afraid, Captain Ilammerton, there is mischief brewing. You know, sir, before you arrived in Naples I had been urging the police to search for my master, but after you told mo that I was endangering his life by so doing I never went near them. Well, sir, there was one of the subordinates
there who spoke a few words of English who used to be very civil to me, and he promised to let me know when they heard of anything. He came down this morning to see me, and he told me I should soon see my master now, as the police had sent a great expedition, headed by about the cleverest man amongst them, to capture Patroceni and all his band, and when I hinted that Count Patroceni, by all accounts, was a hardish nut to crack, he told me their men wore in such force as to make any resistance on the part of the brigands hopeless." " The fools 1 the madmen !" exclaimed Hammerton, "the brigands are much too alert, and know the country much too well to be surprised by the gendarmerie. The sole result of their interference will be the murder of the prisoners. There is only one thing for it, I must get a hack and make my way thither as quick as possible," and Ilammerton at onco rang the bell aud gave the nceessary order to the attendant. " Pleasant this," lie thought. If I do not get there before the police, I shall naturally be regarded both by Patroceni and his prisoners as their betrayer. I played Wholdrake a pretty scurvy trick that night at Wrottsley, but then he stood between me and thirty thousand pounds. Since then he has risked his life for mine, and I can't let liiin nor the others die with the belief that their blood is on my head. No, if horseflesh and my legs can do it I must be on that plateau before the police." 111 vain did Chisel beg for leave to accompany him. Hammerton curtly refused that request. "No," lie said ; " one man will attract less attention. I will go alone, but remember if I should not return you will bear witness that I never went near the police, but did my very best to prevent the catastrophe of their coming." Another minute and Hammerton was in the saddle, and speeding as fast as his horse could carry him upon the road to Pompeii. Ashe passed through it he noticed that there were 110 gendarmes about, and he had heard at Naples for some days past there had been a strong post of them there, for the purpose of patrolling the road to Amalfi. Yes, he had 110 doubt that Chisel's information was true, and that all those men were now moving up to surprise Patroceni's camp. He continued to push on as quickly as possible, showing very little rncrcy to the horse he' was, riding. He had diverged now from the high road, and was making his way across the lulls towards the dark woods he could see in the distance. At last he reached the shepherd's hut, where Wheldrake had slept with his captors 011 his way to the camp. There he was confronted by Giovanni. The bandit had paused there for a short rest, and was engaged in conversation with two or three comrades who were there, as a sort of outlying picket. They were listening intently to the news that Giovanni brought. No sooner did thebanditcatchsightof Hammerton than he arose and advanced towards him in a threatening manner. But the Captain throwing up his hands in sign of amity, and being moreover quite unarmed, the ruflian withdrew his hand from his poignard. In his broken Italian Hammerton succeeded in making Giovanni understand that lie had urgent business with the Count, and then again one of the soi-disanl shepherds recognised the captain as having lately been one of his Excellency's visitors. So taking into consideration that he was unarmed and alone, Giovanni thought there would be no harm in acceding to Hammerton's request that he should accompany him to the camp. That bandit was soon ready to start again and they pushed forward 011 what was the more intricate part of their journey. It soon became evident that the Englishman was far the fresher of the two men. In the first place he had led a far healthier life of late than Giovanni, and in the second place the bandit was weighed besides with tho effects of the serious illness that had followed upon the results of Patroceni's rough treatment. Then again Hammerton had come all the first part of his journey on horseback, not having abandoned his cruelly galled hack till reaching that hut. Those elaborate luncheons at the "Golden Bush " began to tell their tale on the hillside and the brawny bandit drew his breath with many a sob. Hammerton cast impatient glances at his companion and urged upon him the necessity of greater speed. "It is of no use," gasped the bandit. " 1 can go no quicker. I am pretty near finished as it is." " But the case is urgent," rejoined Ilammerton. " The police are on our heels, and the Count and your comrades must have warning." " Push on by yourself, then," cried the panting Giovanni. " I tell you again I can go 110 quicker and am nearly worn out. Surely the road is clear enough to you now." i; Point it out," answered Hammerton, briefly. " You see that stunted tree to tho right," rejoined Giovanni, stopping and throwing himself 011 the ground, " keep just inside that. You can sec the edge of the woods already. When you are past the tree keep as straight for them as | you can, bearing if anything a
trifle to the right. When yon near them look for a big boulder. There are several smaller scattered about, all of the same size ; but you must look for one double tho size of its fellows. Just behind that you will find a narrow path through the woods. You can hardly mis-take your way, and when you come to the spring turn to your left, and in a couple of hundred yards or so you will hit the brook, follow that upwards and it will lead you into the camp." All this took some little time to explain, and when ITammerton was about to start again Giovanni sprang to his feet and protested that lie would go with him, but it was an expiring effort. Before lie had proceeded a quarter of a mile his endeavours to keep pace with his companion had completely exhausted him. He once more threw himself on the ground and cried, "Go 011, never mind me. One caution only —answer pretty quickly when challenged, for our people are apt to be pretty handy with their guns to night visitors." llnmmerton pushed steadily forward until lie came to the boulders. It took him some few minutes to find the king stone. That found lie speedily discovered the path Giovanni had described, and pursued it at the best pace till ho came to the spring. By this time it had grown so dark that he was afraid to leave it, and sat himself down by its side till the moon should have risen a little higher in the heavens. According to his direction lie should now leave tho path and penetrate through some two hundred yards of wood until he hit the stream. But without a little more light it was very easy to get turned round and loose all knowledge of the compass in that short distance, so lie wisely determined to remain where lie was. Fatigued with his exertion, he stretched himself by the spring, and in a few minutes fell asleep. About the time that Wheldrake and Glanfield were bidding a last good-bye to the women they loved on the plateau, and walking back to their tent made their grim final preparations, incumbent as a rule on men doomed to die at daybreak, Ilammerton stretched himself and awoke. The moon shone gorgeously by this, and he had now little difficulty 111 striking the brook. In accordance with liis directions he followed it upwards, but lie had not gone twenty paces, before he became aware of a man leaning his back against a tree, and apparently buried in profound slumber. His gun lay on the ground by his side. And his arms hung loose and nerveless across his body. He advanced cautiously towards him, but fclie man showed 110 signs of awaking, and speedily hejumped to the conclusion that this was one of the cordon of sentries, whom slumber had overtaken. What should he do ? To pass him might be dangerous. To awake him were more so. There is a proverb about " letting sleeping dogs lie," but Ilammerton thought his presence within the sentries, unless duly announced, might be more perilous. He decided to awake him. Getting between the man and his gun, he put his hand quietly on his shoulder. He slept on unconsciously. lie shook him, but still, so souud was his slumber, without effect. Suddenly a thought flashed across him. Could he be dead? He tore open his jacket, placed his hand to his heart, and his ear to his mouth. No, tho heart beat steadily, if feebly, and tho breath camo regular, if low. It was like the discovery of one of tho seven sleepers. Slowly following 1 the stream in about another hundred yards, Ilammerton came to another brigand in like case with his comrade. He shook liim similarly, but with no effect. What could it all mean? A little further, aud he camo to the stones that crossed the brooklet. He passed to the other side, and found himself in tho midst of a group of a dozen or fourteen bandits buried in slumber so profound that not one of them moved a finger at his presence amongst them. He made his way quietly to the plateau, and pausing for a moment under the shadow of the wood, considered what he had better do. Ho knew these men were fond of wine, butit was impossible they-could all be so utterly overcome by this by any ordinary drinking bout. The best thing he could do, he thought, was to go boldly across the plateau straight to Patroceni's tent. He moved. Just as he was about to step forward a footstep on the turf, at his side, made him start, aud before he could well distinguish the new comer a strong hand gripped him by the throat, and he felt the cold barrel of a pistol pressed against his temples. (To be Continued.)
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Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2420, 14 January 1888, Page 1 (Supplement)
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4,666Novelist. TIE & TRICK, Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2420, 14 January 1888, Page 1 (Supplement)
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