HIDDEN GOLD

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20278, 21 August 1937, Page 25 (Supplement)

HIDDEN GOLD

SERIAL STORY.

By STANLEY PORTAL HYATT.

SYNOPSIS* John Seton say* good-by© to Jocelyn Drake prior to his embarkation for Africa, where he, as an engineer, is to report on the prospects of the Mammoth copper mine. Various cryptic warnings are given to him before he sets out. There seems to be some mystery about Williamson, the man who should have reported on the mine. At Machado, a village near the mine, Seton meets a stranger named Parker, who, it appears. Is fully acquainted with the nature of Seton’s business. Eventually there is a scene in a saloon bar, where Seton thrashes Parker for assaulting an old man called “ Mad Daddy White.” Senhorita Eunice Louvela, daughter of the Commandant of Machado, is all powerful In the district. CHAPTER 11. (Continued.) Seton stared out through the open doorway, wondering how much it might be safe to say this strange old man, J>ut, before he had oome' to any decision, Daddy White had risen to his feet. “ I’ll tell you some more, lad, another time, because' you stuok up for an old man whom every fool here jeers at. I was partner with old Joe Bowron, as the Senhorita knows, and she’d like’ to learn what I could tell her,” he laughed softly and pointed to a white-clad figure showing behind the lattice-work on a verandah a bare hundred yards away. “ The!re she Is, now. Well, keep your rifle handy up there in the Mammoth. Williamson gave his to a nigger to oarry,” then he shambled off, a pathetio, broken-down figure. Half an hour later, Parker was once' more facing Eunice Louvela. “ I’ve met the man Seton, and he’s a fool,” he announced. The girl smiled. “Is he'? What a pity,” then suddenly her manner changed, and a note of bitter scorn came Into her voice. *‘l saw your ‘ meeting,’ Gerald, and I notice you have changed your clothes since. Were the others dusty? I think that, though Seton may be a fool, he will prove too muoh for you, in more’ ways than one.” He came close to her. “ What do you mean by that, Eunice?” he demanded angrily. “ Exactly what I say,” she retorted, “ and ple'ase keep away from me. I am beginning to think I have made a great mistake.” An ugly light came Into his eyes. 44 It’s too late now, my dear.” She blew a cloud of cigarette smoke’ in his direction. 44 Is it?” she ! answered clamly. 41 1 am not so cerI lain about, that so far as I am concerned, though it may be too late for you.” CHAPTER 111. On the Mammoth Mine. John Seton left the township at sunrise the folowlng morning. By nightfall, he was oamped on the Mammoth property Itself, in one of Parker’s old huts, half way up the hillsldef. Daylight found him starting on , his tour of Inspection, j Remembering Daddy White’s, warnj lng, he took his rifle with hfm, and ' ordered two of his native carriers to follow closely, but he saw no sign of any human being having been about the place recently. I He carried out his task thoroughly and conscientiously, but. as a matter j of fact, there was little for him to do. ! He summed the' whole thing up to himself as he returned to the camp shortly before mid-day. 44 It’s a fraud to call It a mine. There are some traoe's of copper, that is all, but no sign of a reef, nothing whatever to float into a company. Lawson may be disappointed but I oan’t help that.” Whilst the cook-boy was getting his lunoh ready, Se'ton had a look round ! the camp. It had been nearly dark : when he had! arrived the previous i evening, and he had left It early, but i now he had time to examine It more ; olosely. Evidently, Parker had lived I there some’ months, for the three huts |of which It was constructed were j well-built, whilst the ash-heap out- | side the kitchen-place was a large . one.

The second hut, tike the one In which he had spent the night, proved to he Quite empty, but as he glanced round the third one, a little bundle, thrust in between two of the poles of the thatohed roof, oaught his eye. He readied up and pulled it out. It proved to be the remains of a shirt with something heavy wrapped in it. A moment later, Seton was gazing in astonishment at some of the finest examples of gold-bearing quartz he had eve'r v seen. He examined them carefully, one by one. 44 I wish I knew where these came from,” he muttered. 44 By Jove, they are marvellous,” then, mechanically he picked up the remnant of flannel and looked at that as though wondering if it could tell him anything. Suddenly his eyes opened even more widely than they had done at the sight of the quartz, for there was a large reddish brown patch in the middle of the back, an absolutely unmistakable blood stain with what looked like a bullet-hole through it, whilst sewn inside the neck-band was a strip of tape', marked G. H. Williamson. Seton gathered the ore together again and thrust it into his pockets, then folded up the fragment of flannel very carefully, 44 1 may need you badly yet," he murmured. As he left the hut, he glanced round

Instinctively, as though wondering whether thefe was anyone waiting to shoot at him, then he gave a start, for a woman on horseback had just ocme round a spur of the kopje and was riding straight towards the camp. 44 The Senhorita,’’ he told himself grimly. I wonde'r where Mr Parker Is, then. |ln accordance with the etiquette of the veld he went forward to meet her. though even as he did, he thought of i his rifle, which he had left outside the other hut. Still, he could not turn back now. j They had told him the truth concerning the Senhorlta’s beauty—that. I was the first impression which flashed I across the man’s mind when he was j close enouch to make' out his visitor’s l features; then he thought nf his own appearance and grew a little, shy and flustered. He had not shaded that morning, and was dressed in a ve'rv

Old cricket shirt, open af the throat, and a pair of discoloured dungarees. { Eunice Louvela, on her part, did not

notloe these details. What she saw was a spleftdidly-proportioned man of about thirty-two, an obvious athlete, with a faoe which, despite the Irregularity of its features, was strikingly handsome by reason of Its strength. 44 1 did not know there was anyone camped here,” she said In high, dear voioe. 44 1 was on my way to the Lone Star mine,” she pointed with her sjambok to a hill some three miles away. 44 Still, my horse is a little done so I will off saddle for an hour, and perhaps you will give me a cup of tea.” She smiled at him as she spoke, with a frank air of certainty as to his hospitality and chivalry. 44 Of course, of course,” Seton stammered. He remembered that telltale fragment of flannel he was carrying in his hand and wondered vaguely how much she knew about It; then he found himself saying, 44 You are thtf Senhorita Louvela, I presume.” The girl laughed. 44 Miss Louvela, please, amongst English people. It was lucky I took this path, for I am so thirsty,” and she glanced towards the tea pot, which the cook-boy was just filling. She sat down on the pile of blankets which the man hastened to arrange for her, and drank her tea with obvious relish. 44 1 am very glad of that,” she said. 44 It is the first time' I have been out here, and I did not know it was so far.” Instantly, Sean was on his guard again, remembering , what Daddy White had told him. 44 Don’t you know the veld round here?” he asked. 44 Some parts,” she answered. 44 But what is this camp? What are you doing hete? Surely I saw you In Machado last night.” Seton answered curtly, 44 This is the Mammoth reef. I am Inspecting it for a syndicate whloh thinks of buying It.” She leant forward a little eagerly. 44 1 suppose I mustn’t ask what your, report will be?” theft as he shook his head, added with a smile, 44 Please forgive me, but we are so anxious to get capital into the dlstrlot, to get some mines working. The* government blames my father because nothing is done . . another oup of tea, please.” The tea pot was beside Se'ton and as he stooped to pour out the tea, one of the smaller samples of gold ore fell out of the breast pocket of his shirt, fell actually into the large enamelled-iron saucer. She picked it out, then gave a cry of astonishment. 44 Oh, what a wonde'rful piece of quartz i Why it’s half gold 1 Where did you get It from?” He hesitated Just & moment, then, 44 An old prospector gave It to me to assay. It comes from the British side of the border,” he' answered. She laughed lightly. 44 You are very careless to carry It about like that. And now, Mr., Mr.—why you haven’t told me your name,—Mr. Seton? Now, Mr. Seton, I must get lon my way. Thank you very, very much for the tea. When you oome j back to Machado be sure and call on : me . . . That’s a promise, then?” When she had disappeared from view, round the spur of the' hill, Seton sat down again, and stared In the direction In which she had gone, won- | dering how long she would take to reach her destination, never suspeoting that she was simply making her j way round the other side of the kopje, with the Intention of going straight I back to the township.

| He' felt almost dazed. He had been ' warned against her, both on the telephone in London, and by the old prosi peetdr In Machado. He knew shelhad [ lied to him; he felt almost certain shtf J had had a share In the murder of Williamson; he was absolutely loyal to Jocelyn; yet, none the less, he was annoye'd to think that months must elapse before he could see Eunloe j Louvela again. | Then he k fell to thinking of those samples of ore. Why had the’y been left In the hut, not even properly hidden? Why had the murderer not troubled to take them away, and above i all why had he left such damning evl- | denee of his guilt behind him? The ■ whole thing was a mystery, one ho, himself, was never likely to solve, because his route' now led far to the north, where he had to Inspect a number of other properties, genuine mines this time, not frauds like the , Mammoth. i At last, he got up, took some tele-

graph forms out of his letter ease, and wrote a couple of messages. He did not hesitate over the wording of either. The first, which was to Mr Lawson, ran: 44 Mammoth is worthless. Advise you to drop It. Pull report by mall.” The second was to Jocelyn Drake. ‘‘Have finished at Mammoth all well.” A fefw minutes later, one of his carriers was on his way to Machado with the messages. (To be continued.)