Movelist [All Rights Reserved.] MARTIN DEVERIL'S DIAMOND

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 2793, 7 June 1890, Page 5 (Supplement)

Movelist [All Rights Reserved.] MARTIN DEVERIL'S DIAMOND

A NOVEL Bv ADELINE SERGEANT, Author of "Jaeobi's Wife," &c, &c.

CIIAITERXVIL—I'noM in is Sea

Cliffokd had had a slight acquaintance with the Lorraines long before their connection with his cousin, Lady Eleanor, was dreamed of; and, as Cicely mentioned, in conversation with Philip and Mrs Le Breton, he had once or twice gone down to Ladywell and called with Philip at the Priory. His history was therefore well known to Mr. Vargrave, aa was also that of tlie Kinglake'a

family. Clifford rather prided himsell upon knowing everything about everybody, and he speedily learnt tho fact of Giles Kinglake's visit _ to Lady well, and took an opportunity on Eleanor's wedding-day of speaking about it to Cicely herself. " Mr. Kinglake was quite charmed with his glimpse of Ladywell, 1 hear," lie aaid, inventing a statement which served his purpose better than a more truthful one would have done. Cicely coloured, and looked unfcignedly pleased at his remark. " I am so glad to hear it," she said. " I was afraid that Mr. Kiuglake would be unpleasantly struck by the many changes that we had made at Ladywell. But he did not seem vexed by them at all.' , "Of course not; he must have remarked tho great improvement of the place since Ins father's time. It was a howling wilderness when Mr. Kinglake lived thore." 1 Oh, everybody in town knows Giles Kinglake. He is becoming quite a man of mark. Have you seen his last book?" "I have just read it.' , "And you like it?" "1 think it isperfectly beautiful, , ' said Cicely, with an earnestness that took Clifford rather by surprise. She looked across to where Giles Kinglake was standing, evidently a little weary of the entertainment, and her eyes lit up. "How clever and how good he must be ! :, she said. " Clever, no doubt, " said Clifford, with a laugh. '' He looks rather bored now, does he not? I dare say he wants to get home to his people. He is rather out of his clement here." "Do you know ' his people,' Mr Vargrave f ""Not many of them; only his eldest boy," said Mr Clifford, leaving Cicely to conclude that Mr Kinglake was the father of a large and increasing family. "I don't care much for children, and I must say that I avoid small and crowded establishments on principle. Don't you think that it is much better to have no wedding breakfast, Miss Lorraine 1 We have escaped all the speeches." " A great escape indeed," said Cicely. And Clifford considered that ho had turned the conversation rather neatly.

When the weddiug was over, and Philip and Eleanor had finally left the house, the Vargraves tound themselves for some days in a very spiritless and irritable condition of mind and body. Clifford was particularly snappish and disagreeable ; ho had a good deal upon his mind, and was not disposed to make himself pleasant to his family; and Lady Vargrave was disturbed by the consciousness of his dejection, and by the sense that Eleanor's wedding had not gone off as well as she had hoped. It was a vexation, but not a surprise, to her when Clifford told her one day that his debts were more than he had any hopo of paying, and that, if she wanted to save him from utter ruin, she must supply him with a sum which would greatly reduce her own and her daughter's fortune. Lady Yargrave protested that she would do no such thing. "You must really manage for yourself, Clifford. I have done enough. You have thrown away halfa-dozeu good chances, and now you saem to be about to cast away one that is lying at your very feet." " What do you mean '¥' " Why don't you marry Cicely Lorraine?" " 1 thought you did nol. like her ?' ; " L do not. 1 cannot endure her," said Lady Vurgruve, with emphasis. " But she is very rich ; Lady well Priory is under her own control, and, although the uncle and cousin would no doubt see it settled upon herself, yet her husband might bo in a very comfortable position. I wonder you do not see these things for yourself, without mtj having to point them out." "I am so unworldly you know," said Clifford, with a smile. " She wouldn't have me." '•' Nonsense. With your undoubted talent for love-making, you ought to be able to make anybody accept you whom you chose. " You flatter me." "Don't be foolish, Clifford. I am quite serious. If you gave your mind to winning Misa Lorraine's affection as you did to gaining Eleanor's, I should not have another care. Do you think that a simple country girl like Cicely Lorraine would be likely to refuse you ?" " Not so simple as she looks, perhaps." " Of course, if you like to make obstacles I cannot prevent you. There is more than one obstacle ready made, of which 1 am going to tell you." "Go on, mother. An obstacle might, perhaps, stir my spirit. I rather like an obstacle." " Well, lirst of all, the Lorraiues, with their usual idiocy, arc bent upon encouraging Mr Kinglakc's visits. I heard Philip inviting him to the Grange with the greatest cordiality." " Where's the obstacle V said Clifford, lazily. " Mr Giles Kinglake is a penniless adventurer." (< For the matter of that, so am I." " And probably wishes to repair his broken fortunes by a rich marriage. What more natural than that he should marry the mistress of Lady well Priory 1 The Lorraines all want to marry into good families,. Philip, you aeo, took Eleanor

without a penny. Cicoly would be only too happy to get one of tho old Kinglake's ; she would feel herself a lineal descendant of the ancient lords of Ladywell!" " You describe her feelings very graphically, mother. Has she confided them to you ?" " It is your part," said Lady Vargrave with energy, " to step iu and cut out Giles Kinglake while there is time. No doubt she has a romantic admiration for him already." Clifford nodded significantly. "•You have heard her speak of hii i'l I was sure of it. Well, Clifford, you cannot better employ your holiday than by stealing a march on Mr Kinglake. I suppose that he will be chained to London for the autumn, while you can go whither you will. There is one advantage. He is not a lady's man; you are." "Advantage number two," said Clifford. " You spoke of another obstacle by-the-by ; what was it?' , " It may uot bo an obstacle ; I am not sure. Were you not once a good deal involved in some transactions with a certain Mr Lo Breton ? Some not very agreeable transactions, 1 mean ?'' Clifford's face turned pale. He looked at his mother with dismay, and did not speak. "You can reassure yourself; I don't know the details," said Lady Yargrave, coldly; "I only know the fact. Le Breton came to me once and threatened proceedings of some sort. 1 did not listen to him particularly. Ho left the country, I believe. But I gather from Mr Lorraine that his wife—or widow— lives at Ladywell Priory as Cicely's companion ; and, if so, you know best whether she will favour your suit or not." " Lc Breton is dead," said Clifford, without meeting his mother's glassy eye. "lie was drowned last week in coming to England." " Does the widow know you?' '•I'm afraid she does." " Well, you must cajole her into keeping quiet, Clifford. I suppose you betted and gambled with him, and all that sort of thing. You must play your game now the more carefully. I don't think you will have much difficulty. Girls like a man all the better if he has seen something of the world." Clifford marlo no immediate response. After a little silonco, however, lie said — " What would you adviso me to do ? Miss Lorraine and her friond wore going to Scotland for a month or six weeks." " Go, too. Meet tliom as it were accidentally, and make the best of your time, Clifford. You will be ruined, you say, if you cannot moot tho claims of your croditors before six months are out. You must be married before that date then. It is getting- on towards August—wo leave town to-morrow. By Christmas time you must be a married man." "An engagement to Cicely Lorraine would answer tho purpose," said Clifford, stretching himself lazily upon a sofa. But although ho promised nothing, and although tho contraction of his dark eyebrows told of no amiable mood, Lady Yargvavo leuow that her work was done. On the morrow Clifford started for the north. Ho met Mrs Le Breton and Miss Lorraiuo aa if by accident upon a mountain side ; and ho made himself .so agreeable and so useful tc both of them in thia oxpoditiou thai they could not continue to resent, as iu the lirat lnomeut of his uppcaranco they had done, his intrusion upon thoir solitude Pauline bad known him little in tho days oJ which Lady Vargravo had spoken ; and. although very distrustful oJ him, sho made no definite charge against him in Cicely's ear. The

freedom from anxiety about her husband, tlio exhilarating influences of tlio bracing mountain air, contributod towards mating her moro tolerant to his possible shortcomings than she would otherwise have been. She was happier, and therefore gentler, than she had been for years. j Cicely found Mr Yargrave a very entertaining companion. She was a good walker and an enterprising sight-seer, and she was so free from self-consciousness that she met Olif- j ford Yargrave in every public place of resort —at the hotel, on the loch, or the mountain side—without the faintest suspicion that he was seeking her society from any ulterior motive. She enjoyed his companionship as she would have enjoyed that of Eleanor or Pauline ; but his love making producod no effect upon her at all. Words and looks which would have thrilled poor little Eleanor with rapturous joy and fear only surprised and amused tho less impressionable Cicely. Sho used to laugh at him sometimes to his very I'aco, and was more diverted when sho saw his eyes gleam with dangerous light and his brows gather blackness. Sho little knew that he was then vowing to himself that when sho was once his wifo sho and Lady well should pay i'uv tho trouble uho was giving him. Still, this summer holiday was »reatly in. Clifford's favour. At the end of it he managed to get an invitation to a great house where Cicely was going to spend a few days, while Mrs Le Breton went back to Ladywell Priory to see that all was in readiness for its mistress's return: and in Mrs Le Breton's absence OliCford made good progress. He so far impressed Cicely with his earnestness that she no longer laughed when he whispered his soft

sayings in her ear. She began- to look grave and troubled, but sho did not repel him. And, <is Clifford's love-making was designedly made very clear to the lookers-on, it was soon decided by Cicely's numerous friends and acquaintances that she was in a fair way of becoming Mrs Vargrave before the year was out. Cicely stayed longer in Scotland than she had thought of doing. News came to her at last that Philip and Eleanor were coming home, itnd .she resolved to be at Ladywell before their arrival. It was October when 'the flying Scotchman' brought her from Edinburgh to London, and Clifford had been obliged to return to his chambers a dav or two before. Ciles Jviuglako had been tied to his work throughout the summer and autumn, with the exception of a fortnight in September, when he and his boy had gone to a little fishing village on the cast coast, and enjoyed themselves to their heart's content. In October he also was back in London, toiling as only literary men can toil, without rest and without much zest ; absorbed in his books and in his little son, aud somewhat forgetful of all the world beside. His friends, tho Lorraines, and his old home, Ladywell Priory, were recalled to his mind iu a rather unexpected fashion. lie was hastening home one evening, and was very near the quiet little house which ho inhabited, when his passage was impeded by a rough-looking man iu sailor's garb, who was holding some parley with a crossing-sweeper. They stood in the very middle of the pavement, and Giles waited for one second until the boy with the broom, whom he and Will both knew well by sight, should move out of his way. But the lad, looking up with a smile and a pull at his forelock, spoke to him and did not turn aside. " 'Ere's a cove as is asting all kinds o : questions, sir. I says to 'm, wy not ask a bobby at once, and be clone with it; but : e's like me and many another gentleman, down upon 'is luck, sir, he gives the bobbies a wide birth, and I don't say but wot Vs right. , ' Giles laughed, and glanced at the sailor. Not a man of prepossessing appearance, certainly ; broad, thickset, yet gaunt, with black elf-locks and tangled curling beard, bold, sinister, dark eyes and hollow cheeks. His clothes were stained and torn. He carried a bludgeon in one hand, and looked as if he could use it upon occasion. " What do you want to know V said Kinglake, rather curtly. "I've lost iny way, that's what's the matter with me," replied the other in a curiously defiant tone. " I want to know where I am aud how far from London Bridge, and. that little imp of darkness pretends that he can't tell me." Giles gave the information required, and was about to move on, when the wayfarer spoke once more. "I suppose you haven't got such a thing as a half-crown about you to give or lend '1 I'm cleaned out pretty completely this time I reckon, I've not got a brown left— though I've that about me which is worth many browns, I can tell you that, young shaver !" he added, with a touch of swaggering bravado to th« croasing-uweoper. Kinglake put Ida hand in his pocket and offered the sturdy beggar sixpence. But tho man dashed it to the ground with an oath. " your sixpences! J. want half-a-crown at the very least. 1

ain't a beggar cringing for ha'pence. I want two-and-six, for my railway faro to Lady well and a bed for the night—that's what I want, you !' ; Giles had already walked away a few paces when tk: word Ladywell fell upon his ear, and, in spite of his inevitable feeling of repugnance to the speaker, brought him to a stand. He turned and looked the sailor steadily in the face. The little cross-ing-sweeper darted forward and picked up the sixpence from the mud in which it had fallen at the sailor's feet. The man himself stood scowling, with his white teeth showing between his dark beard and moustache, and his hand clenched upon his stick. "What do you want at Ladywell 1" said King Jake, sharply. " That's my "What's your name I' " Smith." " You know that it isn't, as well as I do/' " Call me a liar, do you 1 I'd fight you for that if I had you out in the open. I'll fight you now." " Come," said liinglake, striding up to the sailor, with a look oi great decision, " no more of that or I shall give you in charge. Tell me your name and what you want at Ladywcll. I don't mind helping you if you have a good reason foi going there/ , " Good reason ! I've good ruasor: enough. I want my wife. ,, " Toll me your wife'aname. I know Ladywell." " You know Ladywell? What i; your name ?" "My name is Kinglake. What is your business at Ladywell ?" " Kinglake !'' The man took £ backward step, and seemed over powered by some feeling of cloub' or of surprise. " Kinglake % No one r> f Hie old Kinglakes \ :> u Y es> " "Good Lord! , ' ,

Again the man surveyed' his interlocutor from head to foot, this time with unmistakable contempt. Who'd have thought it?" he soliloquised. " Well, some go up and' somo go down now, Mr Kinglake. It's been Cicely's turn to go up.' , Giles involuntarily raised his stick, but after all did not strike. How could he know that the man was speaking of Cicely Lorraine? He turned his back upon him, and "walked'off without another word. But the sailor followed. As Giles laid his hand upon the little iron gate which opened upon the tiny garden before the house, the man came up to him aud spoke again— this time in a humbler toue. "Beg your pardon, sir; no offence, I hope. You'll know my name, perhaps. I'm Robert Le Breton, cousin to Mr Lorraine and Miss Lorraine, of Ladywell Priory, and my wife is Miss Lorraine's companion." " A fact that docs not excuse your insolence." "What can a follow do?" said Bobort Lo Breton, sullenly. " 1 oauio back irom South Africa with plenty and to spare, and iu crossing from Ilavio to Southampton I was .washed overboard aud reported drowned. Picked up by a Jishiug smack and taken to Normandy, and had to mako my way home as well as I could without a penny in my pocket. One can't be very softspoken and nioaly-mouthod when one's boon knocked about tho world iu this way." "I know you," said Kauglako, looking him steadily in the face again. " I'vo hoard a groat doal about you, and nothing to your credit." "I don't suppose 3'ou would, if you went to the Lorraiuos for my character. Nor to Paulino noithor, nor her friend Cicely." " Speak of Miss Lorraine with proper respect, or I'll lay my stick about your shoulders," said Kinglake, the fire leaping , into his dark eyes. Le Breton stared, and gave a disagreeable laugh. "So that's the game, is it?" he said. "Ladywell Priory's a nice place, aud Cicely would mako a nice wife for you, Kinglake, with all her money." Kinglake's cane cut short the words. Ho struck the man sharply in the face—a stinging blow wkich loft a red bar across it, and brought blood from the sneering, sensual lips. It seemed like profanity to hear sweet Cicely Lorraine's name spoken by this low ruffian of a man without any prefix or-sign of respect ; and a great rage swelled up in Giles Kinglake's heart. He struck hard, and would have repeated the blow had circumstances not prevented his doing so. Le Breton uttered a savage sort of snarl, and put himself into an attitude of defence. But at that moment the little crossing-sweeper shouted " Perlice !" " pcrlice !" with all the force of his lungs. People began to look out at their doors and windows, and the measured tramp of a policeman's footstep on the pavement could be heard iu the distance. At the same niomcut also old Hannah appeared at the garden gate and laid her hand upon her master's arm, as if to hinder further vio liiiiec. But there wna no need. Lo Breton shrank away like a beaten cut , . The very word " police''had terrors for him. And Giles Ivinglakc'a blood tingled in his -veins with the desire to inllict the thrashing which ho considered to be well deserved by a man who spoke no insolently of Cicely Lorraine. Lc Breton Tnoanwhilo bethought himself of certain old accjuaintances, among whom Clifford Vargruve had been chief. He made his way into town, vaguely remembering the old address of Yargravc's chambers, which he found open, Clifford being expected back that very evening. He made himself comfortable in the rooms, coaxed and bullied the angry charwoman in attendance inco believing that he was a friend to her master's, ate and drank at Yargrave's expense, and then awaited the return of his formei , friend. Clifford came at last. And the first words that he heard upon entering hi? room were these : '" Well, Cliff, old boy, aren't you glad to have me back again V Clifford stood aghast. CHAPTER XVIII.--Old Acquaintances. " Have you.comeback ?' ; ho stammered at length. " I thought that you—that you : ' i "That I was drowned?' , I'vo no doubt you did," said Le Breton, with a rough laugh. " But here I am, you see, alive and hearty ; and, as I thought that you would enjoy a chat about old times I eair.e on here, and took the liberty of making a transfer of wardrobes. Your togs don't lit me very well, old boy, but they're more comfortable Lhan the things they lent me <m board ship.' , Clifford did not speak. Lie lun;cd uji the gas, stirred tho fire.:, and examined the contents of a tray that stood at Le Breton's elbow. There was a halfemptied bottle of brandy, upon which he laid his hand. Again Robert Lu Breton burst out laughing. " That's right, old fullow ; iituady youi nerves by all means. It's diauompoaiug to sec ghosts, I know. But I'm uc ghost, after all ; good honest flesh and blood, I assure you." "Honest!" muttered Clifford, with a sneer that was not lost upon his conr pauion, although the word seemed tc slip out from between his teeth hali against his will. " Honest!" He poured a little brandy into a glass aud drank it off at a draught, passed a scented handkerchief across his lips— which had grown paler than usual—auc then contrived a very creditable smile. " You're always welcome, Le Breton,' ho paid, " wherever you go. >Jo donb yon've learned that fact by tliia time

Of conrae, you have taken me a little by surprise, but you often used to do so, if I remember aright." " Yes, I did," answered Le Breton, thoughtfully, " I did. And you were about as quick in getting over your surprise as anybody I ever knew." Clifford bent his brows. There was some allusion to the past in Le Breton's words which did not please him. " I suppose you will want supper?" he said dryly. " Not I. Your slavoy—charwoman— whatever she is—has given me a good beefsteak already. All I want now is a smoke and a chat before we turn iu." " Do you suppose that I am going to give you a bed I" ■'I don't auppoeo it; I know it. Bed, breakfast, and diuner too, if I chooso ; and a new rig-out, and money in my pockut. That's what I want from you, Mr Clifford Vargraie ; and what's more, I mean to have it." "Now, look hero," said Clifford, sternly, " that sort of talk won't go down with mo, Kobort Lo Brotou. If you insult me, you know that you will have to piiy for it. I acknowlodgo that you can do mo a great deal of injury ; but it would bo injury that I could get over ; whilst, if lopeniny mouth, I could ensure penal servitude for you for a good term of years—perhaps for life. Wo arc on pretty equal terms, aud you need givo yourself no airs of bravado about your power." Lo Bi'obou laughed almost genially. " Hero's a burst of passion!' , he auid, with a touch of burlesque iu hie tone. " You must bo taking things very much to heart, Cliff, boforo you work yourself up to fluch a pitch as that. As to being ou equal terms, I deny it. I don't caro a hang whether I seo tho inside of a prison or not. My friends won't cut mo if lam tried for fraud, and forgery, and all that sort of thing. Penal Hcrvitucle for lifo !—that's all bosh. I should get off; there's not evidenco enough to convict me. But you, — you- go iu for the superfino gentloinan, heavy swell lino of business ; you know well enough how some of tho stories that I could tell would affect 3'ou. You wcro a precious queer lot, Mr Clifford Vargravo whon I had the pioaeuro of your acquaintauco in Berlin, at Baden, and at Monaco, not so very many years ago." Clifford stood motionless ; his faco assumed a yellowish pallor which somewhat belied the boldness of his words. His dark brows were still bent, moro iu perplexity than in wrath ; his eyes sent out an ovil gleam as ho listened to his visitor's insinuations ; and ho bit his lip savagely, so that the blood began to start. Ho took out his handkerchief again, aud touched his mouth with it softly from time to time as tho conversation proceeded. The little red stain upon the white cambric seemed to aunoy Ls Breton ; he glanced at it with evident discomfort.

" Put down that white rag and listen like a man, can't you ?" he growled sulkily. " Leave your and attend to me." " Sorry if it annoys you,"said Clifford, seating himself and resting ;his elbows on the tablo, and his chin on his hands. The handkerchief was still pressed to his mouth; possibly it was a relief to him to be able to conceal that tell-tale feature, He looked Lo Breton well over from head to foot, and then asked a question in a tone which showed that his nerve was returning. " With whom have you been fisrhting ?" he said quietly. Le Breton involuntarily touched tho raised red bar which Giles Kiuglako'e stick had left across his face, and burst into a volley of imprecations upon the giver of the blow. Clifford listened in contemptuous silence, and not until Kinglake's Dame was mentioned did he exhibit any special interest in the matter. Then indeed he lifted his eyebrows, and made a slight interrogative comment. " That fellow, was it ?" " Do you know him ?" " Slightly. He's in my way." La Breton suddenly stopped short in his tirade, and looked at Clifford from beneath his brows. Clifford's face did not change, but his eyes had asssumed an expression of venomous hatred which boded no good to tho man of whom they had been speaking. " I aco, 1 ' said Lo Breton, with a nod of hia head. " Vou want him shelved." " Yes." " iVhafc for I-'' Clifford looked at him curiously. " (Jan I trust you r' , " la it a good thing r" " Very—for you as wull as for mo." " Then I'm your man, Cliff, my bo} , . L'omo, what is it '!'' " Yuu say that Kiugluke alruuk yuu whon you mentioned——." " Cieuly Lorraine. Yos, confound him ! Aa if aho wasn't my own ucuoud cousin !'' " Even second cousins should be mentiouuel with respect," said Clifford, coolly. "What did you say to Kiug , - lako ?"

"1 threw it in liia tooth that lie perhaps wuited to repair hislirokeu fortunes by mai-L'iago, at which he flow at me like a tiger." " Don't, wonder at it. Gcntljuieu don't like to bo talked to in that way by cads iu the ttt'fiot." " I'm Cicely's cousiu," said Le Breton sulkily. "A very distant ono. If J had any thought of marrying Miss Lorraino I should take great cave how her name was used.'' Le J >reton burst into a hoarse laugh. " You many Cicely !'' he exclaimed. "I suppose you don't mean that you have any thought of it; but, if you have, you had better put it out of your head at ouce. She wouldn't have you." Why not?" said Clifford, biting his lip again. Le Breton had his revenge. He looked at Vargrave a much as that young man had looked at him, with infinite, and much more insolent, contempt. A little toad like you ! he said. Then he leaned back in bis chair and puffed a cloud of smoke from his pipe, continuing to eye Clifford all the time with arrogant depreciation. Clifford flushed angrily,'.but spoke in his usual tones. "I mean to try," he said. " Try away. I don't mind. I would rather you had Cicely than Kinglake. And, as you say, it wouldn't be a bad thing for me." He smoked in silence for a few minutes, and then added bluntly :-- " I'll help you." " You talk aa if you had (.be mattiT in yuur ovn hands'." saitl GliD'oul, with vury natural irritation. _ "So I have, more or leas. My wile is Ciocly's closest friend." " Yes, but your wife is not; particularly fond of you, is sho ?" ■' Oh, bless you," said Lo Breton frankly, Vauliue'a ouly n woman. She storms BOiuotimou uud eaya preoiouu uatily thiufc'H, but she eouius round afterwards. And if I givo bar a f ilk gown or two, and a "-old bracelet, and take her off for a jaunt, she'll be as sweet as honey and as inildasinilk." " Oh," returnod Vargrave, with meaning emphaeis. " Then you have come back from tho Cape a moneyed man have you ? Shares, old fellow." Le Breton uttered an oath. " I have not made one made one brass farthing," he asseverated. "Don't lio," snid Clifford, cheerfully. •"' You have codio back richer than you went; i can sec it in your eyes. What was it '! Diamond hunting ?"

" Never had a day's luck at tho diamond fields," " Perhaps you relieved another man of his share," said Clifford, keeping his eyes attentively fixed upon Lβ Breton's face. " I hope you did not go too far for safety. Fraud is harmless enough sometimes, but wayside robbery, for instance, with violence " Le Breton started up with a tremendous oath. The perspiration broke out upon his forehead, and his broad limbs seemed to tremble under him as he said with a fierce stammer, "How?—what? What do you mean ?" Clifford uttered a gentle laugh. "You would be a treasure in a witueasbox," ho said. " You wouldn't criminate yourself—oh, no. Sit down and dou't be a fool, Robert Lo Breton. How should I know auytbiug about your doings iu South Africa. I don't caro to know anything,. J was only dialling you." The tuiiu seated himself, and wiped his fuco with a coarse, rod handkerchief, as if relieved, but ho still brcrtthod heavily. " Keep your chaff to yourself," ho growled at last. " You. don't know tho things that I've heard and soon out there, or you wouldn't talk so easily about— about ■ " "Was it diamonds, then?" asked Clifford curiously. " Never you mind." "But Ido mind. If I aeknowludgu you as a poor relation aud give you an income as soon as I have married Miss Lorraine, you, in turn, must let mo sharo a little of your gains." "You're hard up, as usual, I suppose?" "Infernally." "You always were. J 'ta your own fault." "Tell me what you've got," said (Jlillbrd, (Irmly, "or you shall never see one penny of my :nonoy, come what may." "You daren't refuse inc." "1 dare—and 1 will." Tho two men glared at each other across tho table. Le Breton's fuce was Hushed lo almost a purple tint; the veins were swollen upon his forehead; the uukempt and tangled state of his black hair and beard added a touch of savage wiklncss to his appearance.

Clifford's face, ou the contrary, was calm and colourless, although resolved ; his thiu, refined features did not move a muscle ; even his long white hand, upon which a diamond ring flashed iu the gaslight, seemed to express determination by tho way in which it had closed upon the blood-staiued handkerchief. Le Breton looked at his face, then at the handkerchief, theu at the diamond ring, and his eyes sank. "I've had the devil's own luck," he said, diicl Clifford knew that his point was gained. " I thought at one time that I'd gained a fortune, but it's been a precious small [one. Is that door fast? I don't mind telling you, Cliff, how I came into possession of these little things you see

here ?" He produced a small brown bag, which he carried next his skin, suspended by a string round his neck. "It's a wonder I haven't lost it," he said, triumphantly. "If I had kept it in a pocket I should have lost it weeks ago, when I was swept overboard in coming to Southampton. I thought it was all over with me then. But they threw me a buoy, and I was able to cling to it until I was picked up by a fishing-smack that landed me in France again. Then I had a smart touchjof fever, which kept me from writing to Pauline. I suppose she and all of you thought I was dead?" "Yes." "And were glad of it ?" "No doubt,' What have yon got in that bag ?" "Little enough," said Le Breton, gloomily, as he opened it and spread the contents upon the table. There were, indeed, very few romaining of the stones which poor old Martin Deveril had collected with such care. Clifford fingered them over, one by one, aud raised bis eyebrows, " Is that all :"' " I was cheated,' , said. Le Breton, striking hia fist angrily upou the table. " I would never have ruu the risk I did if I had known how little there was to get by it." " What risk did you run f" With a good deal of circumlocution, Lo Brutuu managed at last to give liis companion an account, which was true iu the main, of lliu two several attacks upon Martin Dcvcril for thn sake of the stones lluit ho was supposed to be currying , about with him. When ho paused, Clifford mado a remark. "Aud yuu wont off to (Japu Town leaving tho old man iu the middle uf the road to bear wituess against you ?"

" He was dead, 1 tell you ; 1 am nuro that ho waa dead!" said Lo Brotou, feverishly. " Of courno, wu only meant to stun him, dou't you boo r , but I supposo that the blow was a little too hard." Ho had departed ho far from tho truth as to impress Clifford with the notion that it was tho Kaffir, not himself, who had struck tbo murderous blow. Clifford did not (juito bclicvo him ; but was not anxious to draw attention to his own incredulity. "Dead or alive," Vargravo replied, "you were fools to leavo him in the middle of tho road. Thero was a ravine close by, you say, with water at the bottom ; why had you not tho sense to throw him down there and leave him ? Then you might bo pretty certain thut bo would not turn up again to molest you, while now—why, man, you can never feel safe." Lo Breton's face lost some of its flery hue. " If he's alive," he said rather quaveringly, " he'll never find me." " He could easily follow you to England ; I daresay he could track you, No doubt you have been exhibiting your fine si ones to every doaler in London," said Clifford, contemptuously rolling the srarnets and sapphires into a little heap upon tho table-cloth. "Not I—not I!" cried tho man, eagerly. " I wont to Amsterdam, and Paris, and other places." " Mado yonrsolf woll known and remarkablo, I dare say," interrupted Clifford. " Tho more fool you. Lo Breton, you haven't the wit to bo n villain." Lo Breton sat and sulked. " If he came to himself, as he probably did, he would probably lay information against you ; and, if he recovered, he would certainly track you down, if he had the brains of a hare—aud from what you say he acorns to have been a determined old fellow. Well, I wish you joy of your experiment in highway robbery. If I risked ao much J would at least have taken care that the prize was worth winning." "Just you hold your tongue, Clifford Vargrave," said Lo Breton, breaking out in open rage aa Clifford's irritating comments came at last to an end, "You think to frighten me, do you? 1 know what I'm about as well at> you do ; aud I won't tako insults either from you or from any man." Clifford laughed lightly and shrugged his shoulders. " As is proved by that mark upon your face," he said, " which you allowed to pass unpunished." "It shall not pass unpunished !" cried Le Breton, rising up and pushing back his hair, and then bringing down his hand upon the table with a blow that made the glasses ring. " He shall pay for it, I tell you : he shall rue it all his life. No man ever iusultod me without repenting " " Tray, don't make such a row or we

shall have our neighbours down upon us," said Clifford hastily. "I meant nothing ; I know that you are a fire eater and all that sort of thing. I wish you would punish Giles Kinglakc. I wish still more that you could get him out of the country altogether. But that's beyond your powers." "In a fair fight, with no police to interfere, I'd pound the life out of him in five minutes." " Ah, that isn't exactly what I want." " It isn't what you want, but what I want, that is tho question, I imagine." " Precisely. But if we can kill two birds with one stone ; if we can avengo your wrongs, my dear fellow, and advance my interests at the same time, we may well consider ourselves to bo doing a goood work." Le Breton had by this regained his composure, and was' mixing for himself another glass of brandy and water, though with rather a sliakiug haud. I Lis late experiences had certainly aiteuted his health aud strength. Clifford watched thoso unsteady fingers for a few moments with somewhat sinister interest. Mo was not sorry to see that Robert Lu Breton's nervo was shaken. " I don't.undcrstand what yon're after. What do you want '<" said the visitor, grulUy. " I tull you 1 want Kiuglako out of my way." " What for ?' " Did 1 not bay that 1 wautod to marry Miss Lorraine P" " Yes." " Did you not say that you thought he wanted to marry her !" "Well—yea." "Aud cau'c you put two aud two (u----gether i ,, "Do you think," aaid Le Breton, slowly aud stupidly, " that Cicely is iu love with him?" "Don't know, I'm uure. But 1 do kuow that Kiuglake has been hanging about, Lady well Priory lately in a way that I very much dislike. I have gathered as much from Miss Lorraine herself ; and I can see that she takes great interest in him—all the more on account of his romantic story and conneetien with the place. It is too good a chance for Kinglake to lose. If they see much more of each other he will get her to feel that she ouffht to make up to him for the loss that he has suffered, or some such sentimental stuff; and they will be married before we can look around. I would not trust them together even now. I can't tell whether they are not corresponding. We must separate them—by fair means or foul; and the sooner the better." "You're regularly up a tree, then?" said Le Breton,regarding Clifford's p.loomy brow with some curiosity.

" I shall be ruined if I can't marry, or announce a coming marriage, within six months. " And you've set your young affectioii3 on Cicely 5" "Just SO." " And have you any plan to propose r" " i'es, I have. But first gather up these miserable little stones, and put them away. Pah ! I feel as if that old man's blood were upon them still!" said Clifford, with a iine expression of disgust. Lo Breton gave him a murderous look, and began to collect bis stones and drop them one by one into the little leathern bag. "I reckon that you wouldn't talk of the blood upon them if you thought that they were of any value," ho said, slowly. " Probably not, my friend." " If that crystal had turned out to be n. big diamond, as I fancy the old fellow took it for, you would siug auother tuue pretty quickly, eh, Mr Clifford Vargrave ?" Clifford lifted the crystal and weighed it carelessly in his hand. Tbun he took off his ring and tried to scratch the sparkling stone with his diamond. His face changed a little as he did so. " Have you shown tins stone to tin dealers ? " he said.

"Not I. What would they Jo willi a bit of glass like that ? " " Are you quite sure that it is not a diamond '; " said Clifford, quietly. "I'm not a fool." " Are you not ? 1 would advise yon to fiud out something moro about that stone beforo you part with it. I thought tint you diamond diggers could always tell a diamond when you fosud one ;" "At any rule -iim can't, , ' said 1. , l.iretou, snatching the stone from < '111 - ford's hiiuils and ramming it '.villi ut<necessary vehemence into Hit- luii.i.t'sl cornel' uf his bag, with eo much ■•.uji,.> meut and redduuiug of cuimicminou that \'aiwavo Ml uuru hu had uovui 1 cv.iii taken Uio trouble properly to examine t>v to Lost tho so-oallud crystal. "It's vory plain that >/vu know nothing iib-iul Him matter ; and 1 should hope that I've lived long enough in the world not to mus Uio chance of a glorious fortune if L d got my baud upon it as clone as you stem to imagine." " Ic seems tome that you have been very near to missing it," said CliilW.l And internally he added-—" What a t'nol I was to put the doubt into liis head ! 1 might havo got it from him fir five pounds, and made my own jjrulUs if 1 had had my wits about me." (To be. continued.)