such a coachman and sucb a guard never could have existed between salisbury and any other place


the coach was none of your steadygoing yokel coaches but a swaggering rakish dissipated london coach up all night and lying by all day and leading a devil ol a life


it cared no more for salisbury than if it had been a hamlet


it rattled noisily through the best streets defied the cathedral took the worst corners sharpest wentcutlingin every where making everything get out of its way and spun along the open countryroad blowing a lively defiance out of its keybugle as its last glad parliug legacy


it was a charming evening


mild and bright


and even with the weight upon his mind nliicli nrose out of the immensity aud


uncertainty of london tom could not resist the captivating sense of rapid motion through the pleasant air


the four grays skimmed along as if they liked it quite us well as tom did the bugle was in ns


high spirits ns the grays the coachman chimed in sometimes with liis voice the wheels hummed cheerfully in unison and thus as they went clinking jingling rattling smoothly on the whole concern from the buckles


of the leaders couplingreins to the handle of the hind bout was one great instrument of mubic


yoho past hedges gates and trees past cottages and barns and people going home from work


yoho past donkeychaises drawn aside into the ditch and empty carls with rampant horses whipped up at a bound upon te little watercourse aud held by struggling coacnts ciobc to the fivebarred gate until he road had passed the narrow turnipg in the yoho by churches dropped down by themselves in quiet nooks with rustic burial grounds about them where the graves ore green and daisies sleep for it is evening in


the bosoms of the dead


yoho past streatp in which the cattle cool their feet and whfre the rushes grow past paddockfences farais and rickyards past lust years slacks ut slice by slice away and showing in the waning light like ruined gables old aiid brown


yoho down the pebbly dip land through the merry watersplash and upat a canter to the level road agaiu yoho cho


was the box there when they came tip to the old fingerpost


the box was imrs


lupin herself


had she turned out magni ficently as a hostess should in her own cuaise catt and was she sitting in a mahogany chair driving her own horse dragon who ought to have been called dumpliug and looking lovely


did the stagecoach pull up beside her shaving her very wheel and even while the guard helped her man up with the trunk did he send the glad echoes of his bugle careering


down the chimneys of the distant pecksniff as if the coach expressed iis exulta tion in the rescue of tom pinch


this is kind indeed said tom bending down to shake bunds with her


i didnt mean to give you this trouble


trouble mr pinch i cried the hostess of the dragon well its a pleasure to you i know said tom squeezing her hand heartily


is there any news t the hostess shook her head


say you saw me said tom and that was very bold and cheerful aud not a bit downhearted and that i entreated her to be the same for all is certain to come right at last


good bye


i youll write when you get settled mr pinch i said mrs lupin


when i get settled cried tom with an involuntary openiug of his eyes


oh yes ill write when i get settled


perhaps i hud better write before because i may find that it takes a little time to settle myself not having too much money aud having only one friend


i shall give your love to the friend by the way


you were always great with mr west lock yon know


good


bye


good bye i said ii rs


lupin hastily pro duciug a basket with a lung bottle sticking out of it


take this


do you want me to carry it to london for you cried tom


shu wasjtlrcadv turning the chaiscenrt round


no no said mrs lupin


its only a little something for refreshment on the road


sit fast jack


drive on sir


all right


good bye


she was a quarter of a mile off before tom collected himself and then he was waving his hand lustily aud so was she


and thats the last of the old fingerpoet thought tcm straining his eyes where i have so often stood to see this coach go by and where i have parted with so many com panions


i used to compare this coach to some great monster that appeared at certain times to bear my friends away into the world


and now its bearing me away to seek my fortune heaven knows where and how it made tom melancholy to picture himself walking up the lane and back to pecksniffs as of old and being melancholy be looked lownwards at the basket on his knee which he iiad for the moment forgotten


she is the kindest and most considerate creature in the world thnuabt tom


now know that she particularly told that man of hers not to look at me on purpose to prevent my throwing him a shilling


had it ready fur him all the time and he never once looked towards inc whereas that man naturally for i know him well would have done nothing hut grin and stare


upon my word the kind ness of people perfectly melts me


here he caught the coachmans eye


the coachman winked


kemarkablc fine woman for her time of life said the coachman


i quite agree with you returned tom


so she is


finer than many a young one i meau to say observed the coachman


eh t


than many a young one torn assented


i dont care for em myself when theyre too young remarked the coachman


this as a matter of taste which tom did not feel himself called upon vo discuss


youll seldom find em poesessiug correct opinions about refreshment for instance when theyre too young you kuow said the coach man a womau must hare arrived at matu rity before her minds equal to coming provided with a basket like that


perhaps you would like to know what it contains


said tom smiling


as the coachman only laughed and as tom was curious himself he unpacked it and put the articles one by one upon the footboard


a cold roast fowl i packet of ham in slices a crusty loaf a piece ot cheese a paper of biscuits half a dozen apples a knife some butter a screw of salt and a bottle of old sherry


there was a letter besides which tom put in his pocket


the coachman was go earnest in his appro val of mrs lupins provident habits and con gratulated tom so warmly on his good fortune that tom felt it necessary for the ladys sake to explain that the basket was a strictly pla tonic basket and had merely been presented to him in the way of friendship


when lie had made the statement with perfect gravity fur he felt it incumbent on him to disabuse tbe minds of ibis lax rover of any incorrect im pressions on the subject he signified that he would be happy to share the gifts with him and proposed that they should attack the bas ket in a spirit of good fellowship at any time in tlie course of the night which the coach mans experience and knowledge of the road might suggest us being best adapted to the purpose


from this time they chatted so ileasantly together that although tom knew infinitely more of unicorns than horses the coachman informed his frieud the guard at the end of tlie next stage that rum as the box seat looked he was as good a one to go in point ol conversation as ever hed wish to sit by


yoho among tlie gathering shades making of no account the deep reflections of the trees but scampering on through light and darkness all the same as if the light of london fifty miles nway were quite enough to travel by aud some to spare


yoho beside the villagc greeu whore cricketplayew linger yet and every little indentation made in the fresh grass by bat or wicket ball or players foot sheds out its perfume on the niglit


awny with four fresh burses from the baldfaced stag where topers congregate about the door admiring nud the last team with traces hanging loose go roaming off towardsthe pond until observed aud shouted after by a dozen throats while volunteering boys pursue them


now with a clattering of hoofs and striking out of fiery sparks across the old stone bridge and down again into the shadowy road and through the en gate and far away away into the wold


yoho i yoho behind there stop that bugle for a moment


come creeping over to the front along the coachroof guard and make one at this basket not that we slacken in our pace the while not we we rather put the bits of blood upon their mettle for the greater glory of the snack


ah


it is long since this bottle of old wine was brought into contact with the mellow breath of night you may de pend and rare good stuff


it is to wet a buglers whistle with


only try it


dont be afraid of turning up your finger bill another pull i now take your breath and try the bugle bill


theres music i there a tone over the bills and far away indeed


yoho


i the skittish mare is all alive tonight


i yoho i


bee tie bright


mooo high up before we know it making the earth reflect the objects on its breast like water


hedges trees low cottages church steeples blighted stumps and flourishing young slips have all grown vain upon lie suddcu and meau to contemplate their own fair images till morning


the pop re yonder rustle that their quivering leaves may sec themselves upon the ground


not so the oak trembling does not become mm and he watches himself in his stout old burly sted fastness without tlie motion of a twig


the mossgrown gate illpoised upon its creaking hinges crippled and decayed swings to and fro before its glass like some fantastic dow ager while our own ghostly likeness travels on yoho i yoho i through ditch and brake upon the ploughed land and the smooth along the steep hillside aud steeper wall as if it were a phantomhunter


clouds too i and a mist upon the hollow not a dull fog that hides it but a light airy gauzelike mist which in our eyes of modest odmiration gives a new charm to the beauties spread before as real gauze has done ere now aud would again so please you though we were the pope


i why now we travel like the moon herself


hiding this minute in a grove of trees next minute iu a natch of vapour emerging now upon our broad clear course withdrawing notv but always dashing on our journey is a counter part of hers


a match against the moon


yoho yoho


the beauty of the night is hardly felt when day comes leaping up


yobo tiro stages and the country roads are almost changed to a continuous street


yoho past marketgardens ruws of houses villas crescents terraces and squares past waggons coaches curls past early woikinen late stragglers drunken men and sober carriers of loads past brick and nuriar in its every slinpc and iu among the muling pavements where a jauntyscat upon a coach is not so easy to preserve


yoho down countless turnings and through count less mazy ways until an old innyard is gained and tom pinch getting down quite stunned and giddy is in london


five minutes before the time tool said the driver as he received bis fee of tom


upuu my word said tom i should not have minded very much if we bad been fire hours after it fur at this early hour i dont know whore to go or what to do nitli myself


dont they expect you then inquired the driver


who said tom


why them returned the drirer


his mimi was so clearly running on the assumption of toms having expressly conic to town to see an extensive circle of anxious re lations and friends that it would have been pretty hard work to undeceive him


tom did uot try


he cheerfully evaded the subject and going into the inn fell fast asleep before fire iu one of the public rooms opening from the yard


when be awuke the people in the bouse were all astir so he washed and dressed himself to his great refreshment after the journey and it being by that time eight oclock weut forth at once to see his old friend john


john westlock lived in furniwls inn high holborn which was within a quarterof au hours walk of toms starting point but seemed a long way off by reason of his going two or three miles out of the straight road to make a snort cut


wuen at


lust lie arrived outside johns door two stories up he stood faltering with his hand upon i lie knocker and trembled from head to foot


for he was rendered very nervous by the thought of having to relate what had fallen out between himself and pecksniff and he had a misgiving that john would exult fearfully in the disclosure


but it must be made thought tom sooner or later and i had better get it over


rat tat


i am afraid thats nut a london knock thought tom


it didnt sound bold


per haps thats the reason why nobody answers the door


its quite certain that nobody came and that turn stood looking at the knocker wondering whereabouts in the neighbourhood a certain gentleman resided who was roaring nut to somebody come in


with all liis might bless my soul thought tom at last


perhaps he lives here and is calling to me


i never thought of that


can i open the door frum the outside i wonder


yes to be sure i can


to he sure he could by turning the handle and to be sure wbeu he did turn it the sam voice came rushing out crying why dont you come in


come in do you heal


what are you standing there for quite violently


tom stepped from the little passage into the room from which these sounds proceeded and bad barely caught a glimpse of a gentleman in a dressinggown and slippers witb his boots beside him ready to put on sitting nt his breakfast with a newspaper in bis band when the said gentleman at the imminent hazard of overselling his tea table made a plunge at turn and bugged him


why tom ifry boy i cried the gentleman


tom i how glad i am to see you mrwesuock said tom pinch shaking both his hands ami trembling more than ever


how kind you arel


mr westlock i repeated john what do you mean by that pinch


you have not for gotten my christian name i suppose i no john no


i have not forgotten it said thomas pinch


good gracious me how kind you are


i never saw such a fellow in all my life i cried john


what do you mean by saying ilwt over and over again


what did you expect me to he i wonder i here sit down tom and be a reasonable creature


how are you my boy


i am delighted to see you


and lam delighted to see you said tom


its mutual of course returned john


it always was i hope


if i had known you had been coming tom i would have had boine tliing for breakfast


i would rather hare such n surprise than the best breakfast in the world myself but yours is another case and i have no doubt you are us hungry as a hunter


you must make out as well as you can tom and well recompense ourselves at dinner time


you take sugar i know i recollect tbe sugar at pecksniffs


ha ha ha


how is peck sniff


when did you come to town


do begin at something or other tom


there are only scraps here hut they are not at all bad


boars head potted


try it tom


make a beginning whatever you do


what an old blade you are


i am delighted to see you


while he delivered himself of these words in a state of great commotion john was con stantly running backwards and forwards to and from the closet bringing out all sorts of things in pots scooping extraordinary quan tities of tea out of the caddy dropping french rolls into his boots pouring lot water over tlie butter and making a variety of similar mis takes without disconcerting himself in the least


there said john sitting down for the fiftieth time and instantly starting up again to make some other nddition to tbe breakfast


now we arc as well off as we are likely to he till dinner


and now let us have tbe news torn


imprimis hows pecksniff


i dont know how he is was toms grave answer


john westlock put the teapot down and looked at him in astonishment


i dont know how he is said thomas pincb and saving that i wish him no ill i dont care


i have left him john i have left dim for ever


voluntarily why no for he dismissed me


but i bad first found out that i was mistaken in him and could not have remained witb him under any circumstances


i grieve to say that you were right in your estimate of hib diameter


it may be a ridiculous weakness but it has been very painful and bitter to me to find this out i do assure you


tom had no need to direct that appealing look towards his friend in mild and gentle rsation of his answering with a laugh


westlock would as soon have thought pf striking him down upon the floor


it was all a dream of mine said tom aud its over


ill tell you how it happened at some other time


bear with my folly john


i do not just now like to think or teak about it


i swear to you tom returned liis friend with great earnestness of mannor after re maining silent for a few moments that whet i see as i do now how deeply you feel this dont know whether to be glad or sorry that you have made tbe discovery at last


i reproach myself with the thought that i ever jested on the subject i ought to have known better


my dear friend said tom extending his hand it is very geuerous aud gallant in you to receive me and my disclosure in this spirit it makes me blush to think that i should have felt i moments uneasiness as i came along


you cant think what a weight is lifted off my mind said tom taking up bis knife and fork again aud looking very cheerful


i shall punish the boars head dreadfully


the host thus reminded of his duties in stantly betook himself to piling up all kinds of irreconcilable and contradictory viands in toms plnte and a very capital breakfast tom made and very mucli the better for it tom felt


thats all right said john after contem plating his visitors proceedings with infinite satisfaction


now about oiir plans


you are goini to slay with me of course


wheres your box


its at tbe inn said tom


i didnt intend


never mind what you didnt intend john westlock interposed


what you did intend is more to the purpose


you intended in coming here to ask my advice did you not certainly


and to take it when i gave it to you v yes rejoined tom smiling if it were good advice which being yours i have no doubt it will be


very well


then dont be an obstinate old humbug in the outset tom or i shall shut up shop and dispense none of tlwt invaluable commodity


you are on a visit to me


i wish i lind an organ fur you tom i


so do the gentlemen down stuirs andthc gentlemen overhead i have no doubt was toms reply


let liie sec


in the first place you will wish to see your sister this morning pursued his friend and of course you will like to go there alone


ill walk part of the way with you and see about a little business of my own and meet you here again in the afternoon


put that in vour pocket tom


its only the ker of the door


if you come home first youll want it


heally said tom quartering ones self upon a frieud iu this way


why there are two keys interposed johu westlock


i cant opcu tbe door with them both at once can i


what a ridiculous fellow you are tom


nothing particular youd like for dinner is there


oh dear no said tom


very well then you mav as well leave it to inc


have a glass of cherry brandy tom


not a drop i what remarkable chanibers these are i said piuch theres everything in bless your soul tom notuiusr but a few little bachelor contrivances


the sort of ira proptu arrnngemeuts that might hn ve suggested themselves to phillip quarll or robinson crusoe thats all


what do you ay


shall we walk v by all means cried tom


as soon as you like


to le continued


folg fames


by silverpen


continued from page


chapter vi


the housekeeper and william norman


it was the middle of september


mrs burn had been staying a week at mr wroxeters country house now re turning she invited william norman to take tea with her as she had brought home some country dainties and wished to learn what he had been doing during her absence


so as soon as mr harlow was gone and the offices closed he went downstairs into her neat little parlour


she was a charming motherly old creature quite a lady in her way making the lad heartily welcome by greatly sweetening his tea and piling his plate with cake and fruit


seeing him eat these dainties lingeringly she bid him proceed as there were more


if you please he said bashfully i would rather save them for liddy than eat them


because shes been in great trouble and i should like to comfort her


in trouble asked mrs burn in what way


she is yet a little girl


shes grown a great deal though since you saw jier the day father and mother came to london


but she has displeased my father very much and he has been punishing her very severely because she spoke rudely to my mother the other night tut more because he met her on her wayfrom school with some old flowers stuck beneath her bonnet


he does not like hfer to ear finery of any kind and his anger wasthe greater because he found the flowers had been given to her by the french girlswho lodge with her mother on the ground floor


your father is quite right william replied mrs burh gravely there are many jreasons for his care with respect to liddy besides it is very wrong for chil dren of any age to speak disrespectfully ta parents


yes


but then i dont think liddy did it from her heart but more because she had heard those french girls speak so to tfceir mother


you can often hear them as you go up and down the stair case


shewill however not do so again i am sure s father when he is angry is so severe


for two days liddy was kept onbread and water and sent to bed as soon as lie came from work


but last night he forgave her and she said her prayers by his knee so should like to take her home this cake and fruit for i love her very much and dont like to see her unhappy


you are a good boy william said mrs burn and i hope liddy will not offend again


it seems to me a pity however that your father does not move from the house where such girls live


oh replied william all the rest of the people are very well


there are the tailoresses upstairs they are very quiet and father likes them though je doesnt the yorks or tadcasters


pt


i do


sometimes of an evening i go in and see mr tadcaster at work for hes a jeweller and whenever mrs tadcaster asks me to carry up the yorks a letter or paper they always speak to me civilly and ask me to take wine or cake or whatever may be on the table


for they are jolly sort of people and seem to like good things


still remarked mrs burn gravely if your father does not like these people i am sure it is not without excellent reasons for from what i saw of him as well as hear he seems to me to be a very superior man


so i should be careful william


what is this mr york


oh i dont know


i dont think that any body knows


but i suppose he is a writer or something of that sort as he takes in a great many journals and newspapers and at times has a great many letters come


mr tadcaster says he is very learned in languages and has been a tutor


well take care said mrs burn there are learned knaves as well as ignorant ones


now where does liddy go to school


in a street a little way from ours


the school is kept by a miss brooks who rents the first floor


father wished her to go to a government inspected school but as old missnewbud recommended miss brooks and wished liddy to go there father did not like to refuse


so she goes twice a day and learns reading and wri ting geography and grammar and all kinds of needlework that girls generally learn


well i hope the governess and your mother will take care of hr for liddy seemed a sweet little creature


when christmas comes she and tom shall spend an evening with me


she will like that replied william and so will father


for liddy though naughty the other night is the dearest little creature


she is so generous that she would give the last thing she had to any one who wanted it and so trusting and mnocent as never to believe evil of or to suspect it in anybody


she was naughty i think more because she thought it like a woman to speak so and because mother lets her have her way in everything whilst father is out


that is a pity said mrs burn particularly in a house where there are so many strangers


b ather says so


in a place enclosed fojjtairselves it would not so much mat teft


but mother always gave way to liddyindeed to us alland as her health hasnt been good since she has been in london she does this the more


so those french girls or mrs tadcaster will stop and talk to liddy and mother is not by to prevent it


i would move then said mrs burn determinately my children should not be corrupted against my will


but that isnt easy said william lodgings at the price father must have them at are so scarce


besides all the men in his shop tell him that he may be considered fortunate to have got such as he has and that most probably if he went further he would fare worse


then father has painted and papered the rooms and got the furniture to rights and it seems hard to move


mrs burn shook her head


but liddy continued william wont let them talk to her any more


for father has spoken to her very gravely and she has cried bitterly and promised to be a good girl as i am sure she will for she is the dearest and best little creature in the world and was never naughty in all her life till she came to london


the tears gathered in mrs burns eyes at this proof of the boys deep love for his little sister


so when tea was over which was shortly the case she looked for a goodsized basket and filled it as full as it could hold with fruits and cakes and such other dainties as she had brought froxgi her masters country house


thus laden and the bearer of kind messages william set off homewards with as light a heart as a boy could have


as he closed the heavy hall door behind himwhich at night was thus kept shuttwo men who had been watching in a courtway nearly opposite came forth and followed the lad


as far as hats coats and other garments went they were well dressed men but their gloveless dirty hands their sharp cun ning features something in their whole appearance betrayed their connexion with a questionable class of society


they were too well dressed for mechanics in their everyday garb and yet there were no signs of gentlemen about them


eagerly intent upon one object as it seemed they followed the lad


if he stopped they stopped if he turned up a street or court they turned too if for a moment he was lost in the crowd they sought him out with the avidity and quickness of men trained to pursuit so on all the way from the city to maryle bone they fallowed in the steps of the lad


one point attracted them and elicited more than once a remark in an under tone


there was scarcely a pawnbrokers or jewellers shop at which william did uot stay to examine the watches chains rings and other articles of decoration


an ordinary observer would have scarcely noticed this circumstance or if jxedid it would have been referred to mere boyish curiosity or to the equally boyish aspira tion to become possessor of a watch but to these men it seemed by their manner a fact of much larger significance


beaching the street in which he lived the boy looked up at the secondfloor window to see if liddy waswatching for hima thing she sometimesdid but she was not there neither was giddy though his cage rested on its ascustpmed nail


ringing the second floor bell therefore william was soonadmittad by his brother tom


on the opposite side of the street wag one of those quiet gin shops into which the more secret but not less guilty class of drunkards love to steal


women who go their way to ruin with stealthy feet men who thus strip wife and children of the common comforts of their home yet hide the wrong servants who let quar terns and halfquarterns absorb petty gains or honest wages


entering tfeeso two men crossed to a quiet part of the the counter called for something and began to talk with a woman that by her dress and mien seemed to be the land lady


but with all their art they could elicit little from her


if you want gentlemen she said at length to know the character of the neighbours you must ask the police i cannot inform you


all at the tad casters pay me honestly for what they have and this is all i know of them or wish to know


thus rebuffed the men made their exit


but encountering at the door the potman who was just then starting on his rounds they commenced a conversa tion which was in some degree more successful


why on the third floor said the man lodge some tailoresses and their mother on the ground floor is a widow person with daughters that dance at the theatres and the master of the house is a jeweller


that isnt it said the elder man impatiently does not a boy lodge there who goes night and morning into the city


yes i forgot the boys name is william norman and the father works at newbud and stopps in wimpole street


and who lodges on the first floor asked the younger man


the potman shook his head


i dont know what they are he said signifi cantly but there they go and can better tell you than i can


so saying and pointing to mr and mrs york who were just passing out of the opposite house he went on his way without apology


as though they took the hint the men followed them with the same care that they had done the boy


to be continued


chapter xv


thennitdfn wni


brofisnaii


columbia


a dark and dreary nidit people nestlin in their beds or circling late about the fur want colder than charily shivering at the streetcorners churchtoivers humming with the fuint vibration of their own tongues but nrwly resting from the ghostly preachment due i the eaith rnrpr


d wiih sable null us for the burial of yesterday the clumps of dark trees its giant plumes uf luneral feathers waving sadly tu and fro all hushed all noise less and in deep repuse save the swift clouds that skim licruss the moun and the cautious wind as creeping alter them upon the ground it stops to listen and goes rustling on anil stops again and follows like a sivugc on the trail


i whither go the clcurts and iml


so eagerly


if like guilty spirits they repair to some drend wild regions do the elements buld council or where unbend in trrible dispoit t


here free from thut cramped prison called the earth and out upon the waste ol waters


here jojring raging fhriekinir howling all liijrlt long


hither come the eoundiu voices from the civerns on the coast j of that small island sleeping a thnus nd miles and hither tu meet them rush the blasts from unknown desert places or the world


here


in the fury of their unchecked lbcrly they storm and buffet with ii other until the


sea lashed into passion like their an leaps j i up in ravings mightier tliun theirs and tlie


whole scene is whirling madness


od on on over the cuuialese miles of anrv i space roll the long heaving billows


mountains and caves are here and yet are not for what ib now the one is now the other then till is but a bulling heap if


rushing water


pursuit aud flight and mad return of wave on wave


f anil savage struggle ending in a spoutingtii of foam that whitens the blaek night one iu i cessant change of phicr and futn mid hue ii


constancy in notbiuir but eternal strife on


on on they roll aud


darker grows tlie niht and louder howl the winds and more clamo l l rous and fierce become the million voices in the sea when the wild cry goes forth upon the i i storm a ship i onwnrd she comes in gallant comlnit with the elements her tall mast trembling mid her i timbers starling on tbo strain onwards she


cornea now high upon iitcurliiirliilliri noie low down in the hollows of the sea us hiding for the moment from its fury mid every morm voice inlbe air and water crirs more loudly


i yet a ship i


still she conies striving on and at her boldness and the spreading cry the angry j waves rise up ubuve each others hoary heiirts to look and round about the vessel far as the


mariners on tier decks can pierce into the v j ploora they picss upn her forcing each oilier i i down and stinting up and rushing forward from afar in dreadful curiosity


uiuh over


i her they breuk and round her surge and roar i and giving plnce to others moaningly depart


if and dash themselves to fragments iu their boffled anger still she ciimcs onward bravely


i i


and tho ih the eager muililuife croud thick i i and fast upon her all tlie night and dawn of day discovers the untiring train yet bearing


j down upon the sbip iritoun eternity of troubled j water onward she comes with dim lights i u burning in her hull and people there asleep


as if no deadly element were peering in at m every seam and chink and no drowned sea w rnana grave with but a plunk to cover it were h yawning in tbe unfathomable depths below


if among tufse sleeping voyagers were martin i and mark tapley who rocked into a heavy ijm drowsiness by the unaccustomed motion were as insensible to the foul air in which they iny as to tbc uproar without


it was broad day when the latter awoke with the dim idea lliat be was dreaming ol having gone to sleep in n fourpost bedstead which had turned bottom u wards in tbe course of tbe night


there mis more reason in this too than in the roast ing of eggs tr the first objects mr tapley recognised when he opened bis eyes were his own heels looking down at him as he afterwards observed from a nearly perpendi cular elevation


well i said mark getting himself inlo a pitting posture nfut various iiieifcotuni stru


jlij wiib the rolling of the ship


this is llip first time as ever stood en my bead nil


night


you shouldnt go to sleep upon tbe ground uilli your head to heward then growled a man iu one ol the berths


with my head to nherc asked mark


the man repeated his previous sentiment


no i wont nmther lime said murk when kuow whereabouts on the map that country is


in the meniiwlilc i can give you a belter piece of advice


dont you or anv other friend of mine never go to sleep with bis head in a ship any more


tlie man crave a grunt of discontented ac quiescence tnrneit over in his berth nnd drew his blanket over his head


fur saiil mr tapley pursuing the vsureafism anything going


it never knows what to do with itself


it hasnt got no employment for like them lolar bears in the wildbeastshows as is constantly a nodding their bends from side lo tide it never oin be quirt


uhich is esitbatyoi mark asked a faint voice from another berth


its as much of me as is left sir after a fortnight of this work mr toplej replied


what with leading the lire of a fly ever since ive been aboard for ive been perpetu ally homiuoii to something or other in a upsidedown position ulwt wiih that sir and niilinir rerv little into myself and taking a good deal out in various uay thcie aiu t too much of me to swear bv


how do iiuu find yourseir this inornins sir t very miserable said martin wiih a pee vish groan


ugh


this is wretched indeed i creditable muttered mark ptessing one nj iip n


jiis acbiuir lieoijj ami looking rouuil will a rueful prin


thsits tlie gretnmfirl


it is eredimble to keep up ones spirits here


virniis itii own rewnrd


sos jollity


mark wns so far rilit tliat unquetiioimbly any nmn who returned liis cheerfulness oinunr lie bteernge accoiimiodiilionsof tlijit noule unii fastsailing line of packetsbip the scruiv was solely itnlebtcd to bis own resources and shipped his good humour like his provisions without any coiitnliution or nssistiuice from the owners


a dark low stifling cabin sur rounded by bertls all filled to overflowing nires of sickness and tniserv is not the liveliest plnce of sssenibly qt ny timej hut nhen it is so crowded ns the steerage cabin of the trusses jidii beds ore heniipd upon the floor to tbe extinction of ererjthiug like comfurt cleanliness and decency it is liable to operate not only qb a pretty strong barrier apjiuibt racr of selfish and rough hunwmrs


mirk felt this us he sal looking about him and his spirits ruse proportionately


there were knglish people irish people welsh people and scotch people there all with their little store of coarse food ami oliabby clothes and nearly all with their families ot children


there were children of all ages from the baby at the breast to the slaltru mother


every lind of domestic surteriti that is bred in poverty illness banishment sorrow aud long travel in bad weather was tlere infinitely less of complaint and queru ance and geiiclul kindness to be found in that unwholesome ark than iu many brilliunt lull rooms


mark looked about him wistfully nnd his face brightened as he looked


here an old wasted than its own young limb here a poor wumati will an infant ill her lap mended unu thcr little creatures clothes and quieted ano ther who was creeping up about her frum her scanty bed upon the floor


ijere were old men awkwardly engaged in little household offices vlierein they would nave ueen nun uious uut for their goodwill and kind purpose and here were swarthy fellous giants in their wav duig such little acts ol tenderness for tlnse around them as might have belonged to gei tlestheaned dwars the very idiot in the acuity of imitation roused by what he saw ibout him and snapped bis fingers to amuse i crving child


now then said mark nodding lo a ivoirau who was dressing her three children it no greitt distance from him and the grin upon his face had by this time spread from ear to car huutl over one of them young uns according to custom


i wish youd get breakfast mark instead of wonying with people who dont belong tu you observed martin petulantly


all right said mark


shcw do that


its a fair division of labour sir wash her buys


aud thif makes our tea i never could make tea


but anv one can wash u boy


the woman who was dclieale and ill felt and understood his kindness as well she might for she had been covered everv night wiih his reat coat while he had fur his own bed the bare boaids and a rug


but maitiu who seldom git up or looked about him was quite licensed by the lolly of this speech aud ex pressed bis dissatisfaction by an impatient


su it if certainly said mark brushing tlie childs iniir as coolly as if he had been born and bred a barber


ivirat are vou talking about now


asked martin


what you said replied mark or what you meant when you gave that there dismal vent to your feelings


i quite go along witb it sir


it is very hard upuu her


what is t making the voyage by herself along with these young impediments here and guing such hind


if you dont teunt to be diivei ua


with yellow soap in jour eye young man raid mr tapley to the second urchin who wus by this time under his hands at the basin voud belter shut it


where does she join her husband


asked martin yawning


why i in very much afraid suij mr tapley in a low voice linn she dont know


i hope she maynt miss him


hot she scut hor list letter by hand nnd it dont scmn to have been very clearly understood between em without it and if she dont see him a wnving his pockethandkerchief on the shore like n picter out of a souhuok my npiniuu is shell break her heart


wbv how iu follys inme does the womun come to lie on l mid ship on such a wildgoose venture


cried martin


mr tiipley glanced at him lor a moment ns he iny prostrate iu his bcrtb and then said very quietly ah


how indeed


i cant think i


hes been uwuy from her fur two year shes been very pour aud lonely in her own country and hib always been a looking forward to meet him


its ver strange she should be here


quite amazing


a little mad perhaps i there canl be no other way of accounting ror il martin was too fur gone in the lassitude of seasiikncss lo moke any reply to these wordb or even to attend to tbem as they were spoken


and tlie subject of their discourse returning at this crisis wiih some hot tea effectually put a btop to an resumption of tbe theme by mr tapley who when tbe meal was over uud be bad adjusted martins bed went up on deck to wash tlie breakfast service which consisted at wo halfpint tin mugs and a shavingpot of tbe same metal


it ib due tdlmark tapley to state that be suffered at leasias much from senbickucss as any man wotnni or child on board and that he had a peculiar faculty of knocking himself about on the sinlllest provocation and losing bis legs at everyllurch of the ship


but re solved in his usual phrase to come out strong under diillvautageuus circumstances he was the life iml soul of the steerage and made no more of stopping in the middle of a facetious conversation lo go away and bo ex cessively ill by ifmself aurl afterwards come back


inthe


very ifst and gayest of tempers to resume it ihanil


well a course of proceeding had been the coiuiloiiest in the world


it rauiial be said that ns bis illucs wore oft his cheerfulness and goodnature increased because they wouli hardly admit of augmen tation but bis usefulness among the weaker members ot the party was much enlarged aud at all times and seasons there he was exeilingil


if a rienm or sun shone out of the dark sky down mark tumbled into the cabin and presently up he camp again with a woman iu liii arms or half a dozen children or a man or i bed or a saucepan or a basket liosgbt woufl beilie belter for the air


if nn hour or two if fine weather iu the middle of the duy tempted those who seldom or never came on deck at oher times to crawl into the long boat or lie cjoivjj upon the spare spars and try to eat there iu tbe centre of the group was mr tnpliyhaiiding about salt bed and bis cuit or dispensing tastes of grog or cutting up the ihi drejis provisions with his pocket knife fur their greater ease and comfort or reading aluud fruin a venerable newspaper or singing sonic roiriug old song to u select party or writing the beginnings of letters to their fneids craeking jokes with the crew or getting nearly bluwli over the side oremerginglllilfdrowned from a shower of spray or lending a band


bin fur the general entertainment


at nijibt when the cookingfire was lighted on the deck nml tbe driving sparks that flew urnou the ringing and the cloud of soils hiliilioii by firej in case the elements of air and waer tailed to compass ner aesiruction mere again was mr tapley with his coat off aud his shirtsleeves turned up to his elbuws doing all kinds of culinary offices compounding the trangim dishes recognised by every one as an established authority and helping all par ties to achieve simething which left to them wouhf have dreamed of


iu shortthere never was a more popular character than mark taplev became on board that noble aud fast sailiii


lineofpacket sbip the screw and be attained at lust to such a pilch of universal admiratiuii that he began lo have grave duubts within himself whelber a man might reasonably claim any credit for being jolly under such existing circumstances


ii ibis was going to last said mr tapley therem be no great difference as can per ceive between the screw and the dragon


never m to get any credit think


i begin to be afraid that tbe lates is determined to make tbe world easy to me


well marl said martin near whose berth he had ruminated to this effect


when will ibis be over


another week tbey say sir relumed murk will most likely bring us into port


the shins going along at present as sensible us a ship can sir though i dont mean to say as thats anv very high praise


dont think it is indeed groaned martin


youd feel all the better lor it sir it you was to turn out observed murk


and be seen by tlie ladies and gentlemen on the alterdeck returned muitm with a scornful emphasis upon the words mingling wiih the begarly crowd that are


stuwed away iu this vile lole


i siluuld hi greatly the heller lor that no doubt


im thankful that e cant say from my own experience what the feelings of a gciillenmn nvv be said mark but i should hnve tliuuiilit sir as u gentleman irouh feel a deal muieuncoiul


itnblc down here than up in the fresh air especially when the ladies and gen tlemen in the altorcabiu know just as much likely lo trouble their bends about him in ihe saiie proportion


should have thought that certainly


i tell you then rejoined martin you would have thought wrung aud do think


fery likely sir said mark with imper luibable good temper


i often do


as lo lying here cried martin raising himself on his elbuw and looking angrily at his follower


do ynu suppose its a pleasure to lie here


all ihe madhouses in the world said mr tanlev i couldnt produce such a nvniuc as tla man must be who could think that


then ivliv arc you fur ever goadi g and urging me to get uu asked martin


lie here because duut wish tu be recognised in the belter days to which i aspire by any pursc hete bi cause wish lu cunceal my circum stances and myself and not to arrive in a new wurld baded and ticketed as an utterly po vertystricken man


if i could have uffbr


ed


passage in thealteicabin should have held up my head with the rest


as i couldnt i hide it


do you understand that


i am very sorry sir said mark


i diilut know you took it su much tu heart as this conies to of conise you didnt know returned his master


lloiv should you know unless i told vou t


its no trial


lo iuli mark to muke yomself comfortable and busile abuut


its as natural fur vou to du so under ihe circum donl suppose there is a living creature in llls shin who can bv possibility have half so much tu undcr


u on board of her as have


do you


he asked silling upright in his berth and looking at mark with an expression of tlarktotsteabis face into a tight knot and with his head very much on one side pondered upon ibis qoelion as if he felt it un curemrly difficult one


to answer


he was relieved from his embarrassment by martin himself whn said ns be btrelrhed himself upon his back again and resumed the book he had been lint what is the use of my pulling such a cise to you when the very essence of what i hnve


been saying is that you cannot by pos sibility understand ill muke me a little brandy anduutercld and very weak and give me a biscuit and tell your friend wbu is a nearer neighbour uf ours than i could wish to try and keep her children quieter tonight ihuu she did last night thats a good fellow


r tapley set himself io obey these orders with girnt uuvjriiy mid pending their execu tou it may iw presumed his hugging upiriis revived


inasmuch s lie several times ubserved below his breuth that iu respect uf iu power of imparting a credit to jollity the screw un questionably had some decided advantages over tlu dragon


he also remarked that it was u bijh gruliricutiuu to reflect that he would have it consistently beside him wherever be iveul hut what he meant by these cousulatory thoughts he did not explain


and now a general excitement began to pre vail on board and various predictions relative to the precise day and even the precise hour ut which they would reach new york were freely broached


there was infinitely more crowding on deck and looking over the fillips side than there hnd been before and au epi demic broke out for packing up uiiugs every morning which required unpacking again every night


those who bud any letters to deliver or any friends to meet or any settled plans of going anywhere or doing anything discussed their prospects a hundred times a day and as this class of pawngers was very small and the number of those who had no prospecu whatever was very large there were plenty of listeners and lev talkers


those who bad been ill all along cot well cow and those wbo had been well got better


an ame mmmmmmammmmmm rican gentleman in the aftercabin who bad been wrapped up in fur and oilskin the whole passage unexpectedly appeared in a very shinylall black bataud constantly overhauled a very little valise of pale leather which con tained his clothes linen brushes shaving ap paratus bookb trinkets and other baggage


he likewise stuck bis bands deep into his pockets and walked tbe deck witb iiie nostrils dilated as already inhaling the air of freedom which carries death to all tyrants nnd can lioning be breathe by slaves


an english gentleman wbo was strongly suspected of laving run anuy from a bank witb something in bis possession belonging to its strongbox besides the key grew eloquent unon the bub jeel of the rights of inan and bummed the marseillaise hymn constantly


in a word one great sensation pervaded tbe whole ship and tbe soil of america lay close before them so clore at last that upon a certain starlight night they took a pilot on board and vvilhin a few hours afterwards lay to until the morning awaiting the arrival of a steamboat in wbich tile passengers were to be conveyed ashore


off she came suon after it was light next morning and lying alongside an hour or more during which lime bor very firemen were objects of no less interest and curiosity than if they bad been so many angels good or bud took all her living freight on board


among them mark who still bad his friend and her three children under his close protection and martin wlo bad once more dressed himself in bis usual attire but wore a soiled old cloak above his ordinary clothes until such time as he should separate for ever from his late com the bteamer which with its machinery on deck looked as it woiked its long slim legs like some enormously magnified insect or an tediluvian monster dashing nt sreat speed up a beautiful bay and presently they saw some heights and islands and a long flat straggling


and ibis said mr tuplcy looking far ahead is the land of liberty is it


very well


im agreeable


any laud will do jor me after so much water


to be continued


the mysteries of paris


chapter xx


the fatal interview


we will now conduct the reader to the rendezvous which helen seyton had given to that horrible old woman la chouette


on approaching la chouette whom she saw for the first time since the scene at the tapisfranc the cointenanceof helen ex pressed disgustthat disdain which people of a higher class feel when they are obliged to come in contact with wretches whom they use as instruments or accomiplices


having been unable tos bring rodolphe back toher by breaking whatever ties she thoughtdear to him helen sought to render him the dupe of an infamonstrick the suc cess of which might realise the dream of this opinionated ambitious and cruel woman


it was her object to peisuade rodolphe that the daughter whom he had supposed dead was alive and to substitute some orphan in the place of that daughter


syou must find for me a young orphan girl asid helen seyton to la chouette one who has lost her parents very young


she must be of an agreeable face of a sweet temper and not more than seventeen


such an orphan cannot be difficult to find there are so many foundlings


you wish an orphan as gentle as a lamb beautiful as day and who is not se venteen asked la chouette without doubt


well then take la goualeuse when she comes out of saint lazare just what you wantas if made to order for she was only six years old when jaqfes fer rand about ten years ago gave her to me with a thousand francs to get rid of her


it was a man named tournemine who brought her to me saying that she was doubtless a child they wanted to get rid of or pass for dead


jaques ferrand say you i cried helen in a voice so changed that la chouette stepped back with alarm


the notary jaques ferrand gave you this childand


she could not finish


her emotion was too violent with her hands stretched to wards la chouette


trembling violently surprise and joy were expressed on her countenance


but i did not know you were going to fire up in this manner my little lady said the old woman


yet it is very plain ten years ago an old acquaintance said to me do you wish to take charge of a little girl that some one wants to get rid of if she lives or dies ill the same there is a thousand francs to gain you may do with the child what you please o


ten years ngo cried helen ten years


a little blondo t sa little blonde


s with blue eyes c


yes with blue eyes


and it is she who at the farm we packed up for saint lazarc


o


oh i my god cried helen falling on her knees and raisingher bands and eyes towards heaven thy ways are impcnetra ble


ibow before thy mysterious provi dence oh i if such happiness were possible but i cannot believe it it would be too much no


then suddenly rising she said tola choueltc who looked at her with amnaement come with me


helen walked before the old woman with hurried steps


at the end of an alley she nacended some steps leading to the glass door of a cabinet sumptuously furnished


hastily opening a secretaire helen took from it an ebony casket which she placed on a desk in the middle of the room and nnde at sign for la chouette to come near her


the casket contained many jewel boxes pinced one on the other enclosing mag nifinllt ornaments


helen was sb impatient to reach the hot


i tom of the casket that she threw out oni the table


these boxes splendidly furnished i with necklaces bracelets


and risis where rubies emeralds and diamonds sparkled withi a thousand fires


la chouette was astounded


she wait armed she was shut up alone with a woman her flight was easy and secure an infernal idea crossed the mind f the monster


with the cunning of a tigercat who treacherously advances on its prey the old woman profited by the preoccupation i of her victim to steal round the bureau which stood between them


she had al ready commenced this treacherous evola tion when she was obliged to ston sud denly


hele drew


a medallion from the bottom of the box leaned on the table i handed it to la chouettewilh a trembling band and said slook at this portrait


it is la goualeusel cried la chouette struck with the great likeness


itis the little girl who was given to me there is her thick curly hair which i cut off at once and sold well my faith


syou recognise her it was she


oh i i conjure you do not deceive me l si tell you my little lady thatit is la goualeuse it is as ii i could see her before me said la chouette trying to approach without being remarked even now she looks like this portrait


if you iaw her you would be struck with it


ambition with helen had for a lung time stifled maternal tenderness


it was not joy at finding her daughter which transported her it was the certain hope of seeing rea lized the proud dr am of all her life


ro dolphe was interested for this unfortunate creature had protected without knowing her to be his child


helen already saw glisten before her eyes a sovereigns crown


la chouette still advancing with cautious steps had reached one end of the table and placed her dagger perpendicularly in her basket the handle close to the open ing


she was only a few steps off when helen suddenly said do you know how to write and pushing back with her hand the boxes and jewels she opened a portfolio placed before an inkstand


no madame i cannot write answered la chouette


i am going to write then from your dictation


tell me all the circumstances attending the abandonment


of this little girl


and seating herself in an armchair before the desk took a pen and made a motion for the oldwoman todraw near her


the eye of la chouette twinkled


at length she was standing erect alongside of helens seat


she beuding over the table prepared to


write


la chouette not to he discovered placed her right arm on the back of the chair and leaned towards her to answer her qisestions


scarcely had she commenced writingr when la chouette struck her between the shoulders


gathering in haste the jewels which shethrew into her basketshe did not perceive that her victim still breathed


shethen left the house and proceeded to brasrouges


ciiapter xxi


recrimnnaiiin andn ritmorse


siece the time of the abduction of la gaolleaise fraom nhe thrm fi boqdvial when the maitre decolc so ciiitrarto his helplessi il t a ideadly aennitry hiad sprung up benlcca tilm and il ciouecte


power ful yet helpless in his blindness the maitre decoie had been entrapped and imminured at her instauce in


the cellars of brasruuge


thither she now bent her steps requiring


as she did the advice of her old accom plice as to the dispusal of the jewels she had stolen


tortillard followed her jumping and limping


just as she wuas descendiln the last steps of the stairs the son of bras rouge through a wicked frolic placed his foot on the trailing folds of la chouettes dress


this caused the old woman to stumble not being able to catch hold of the balustrade she fell on her knees her hands stretched out and sheabandoiied her precious basket fromwhence escaped a golden bracelet set with diamonds and pearls


la chouette hastily picked up the bracelet which had not escapdd the quick eyesightof tortillard


ah i your foot slipped i areyou going to the cellar of the maitre decole asked tortillard hardly concealing his diabolical joy


j what is that to you to me


yes you asked me in such a droll way


because i thought of something funny


what


that you must have brought a pack of cards along to amuse him answered tor


tillard in a cunning manner it will be a little change for him he only plays at biting with the rats that game hoe always wins and in the end it tires him


tortillard went to get a light and la chouette elated with the success of lier robbery amused herself while he was gone in handling tile precious jewels in her basket


ltortillard holding a light roeappnered at the door la choucette followed him to the lower room into which opened the largo trap door already described


at the end of the plssago through the obscurity could be pecrcuied the low broken arch of thlla untraice to tihe cellar its heaitvy door secured with hands of iron


with their united efforts tihoe door opcuned creclting on its rusty hinges


the candle placed on the ground cast a ray of light on the first steps of the stone staircase while the lower part was lost in total obscurity


a cry or rather a savage howl came up from the depths of the cellar


i ah


there he is bidding me goodday said la chouette ironically and she de scended a few steps to place her basket in some corner


i am hungry


said the mnitre decole in a voice trembling with rage do you then wish me to die here like a mad beast


you are hungry are you said la chouette shouting with laughter


the noise of a chain shaken violently was heard then a sigh of restrained rage


keep quiet said the old woman the chain and rings are strong old noeyes


the chains were heard rattling anew


la chouette placed her basket in a hole under one of the steps she said do you see this


how can he see said tortillard


sthe boy is right


ab well i do you hear


you should not have hindered me from washing la goualeusesa face


ith vitriol


you should not have played the good dog simpleton


and then to talk of your conscience which was becoming pru dish


i saw that some day or other youi might inform against us old noeyesiand then tortillard put astop to the conversationi by suddenly pushingwith allhisstrength the old woman down thestairs


la chouette fell forward iuttering a dreadfulimprecationtiid rolled to the foot of the steps


shere


here i here i la chouette is yours i jump on her old man added tor tillard


then seizing holdof the basket whichl he had seen the oldwomain hide he ran up the stiirs cryinr writh savage joy there is apush worth double of what i gave you a while ago la chouette ihave her cried the maitre decole from the bottom of the cellar


fair play said the boy chlckling and he stopped on the last stepof the staircase


shelp cried la chouette in a strangled


voice


thiank you tortillard exclaimed the maitre decole thank you and he ut tered an aspiration of fearful joy


oh i i pardon you the harm you have done me and to reward you you shall hear la chouette sing


listen now the bird of death sbravo bravo i here i am in the dress circle said tortillard seating himself at the top of the stairs


tortillard seated on the first step raised the light to endeavour to seewhat was going on in the cellar but the darkness was too great so inaint a light could not dissipate it


the struggle between the maitre decole and la chouette was silent and furious without a word without a cry


only from time to time could be heard a hard breathing or suffocating respiration which alwnys accompanies violent and con tinned struggles


tortillard seated on the stone step be gan to stamp his feet in the manner peculiar to spectators anxious for the commence ment of a play


la chouette struggled with that energy which is caused by the fear of death


louder


we cant hear


cried tortillard


tortillard call your father cried la chouette in a breathless exhausted tone


help lhelp


i turn out that old woman


turn her outl said the little cripple screaming with laughter


tortillard go for help and i will give you my basket it is fall ofjewels


itis there under a stone


how generous you are


thank you madame


dont you know i havegot it already


hold


dont you hear it jingle said tortillard shaking it


again there was a pause


in this manner la chouette youcan no longer dealen me with your cries said the maitre decole after some minutes during which he hnd succeeded in gagging the old woman


you knowwcll resumed lie in a slow and hollow tone that i do not wish to finish at once


torture for torture


you have made me suffer enough


mtist talk to you a long time befora


i kill you yes a long time


it will be friglitful to you


very good


i bravo


i


now the pla bhe gins said the son of bras rouge who did not believe that tile maitre decoleseri ously neditatad to destroy lachouette


let its talk a littleresuined the maitre decole in a calm voice to the old woman


in the first place since a dream i had at the farm of boqucval which broiglit before my eyes all our crimessince this dreanm which almost made me madfor in the so litude the profound state of isolation in which i live all my thouuhis in spite of imyself tend owards this dreamaistrange change has taken place within me


yes i have thought with horror of my past swickednses


in the first place i did not allow you todisfigure


la goualeuse


that wvasinothing


in chaining me here in this cave in maiking me suffer cold and hunger you have left me alone to allthe horrors of my thoughts


ohl


you do not know what it isto be alone always alone aud with a bladckveil over the eyes as thatimplacable man said who punished me


it is fearful


it is in this cellarn that wished to kill him and in this cellar is tle place of my punish ihent itwill be pcrhaps my tomb


i re peat to you this isfrightful


all that this man predicted is realised


he told me syou have abused your strength you shall be the sport the plaything of the weakest


this has been so


lle toldme henie forth separated from the exterior world face to face with the eternal remembrance of your crimes one day you will repent them


and this day has arrived solitude has confirmed it


i could not have thought it possible


another proof that i am per f haps less wicked than formerly is that i experience an indescribable joy in holding you there monster not to avenge myself t but to avenge our victims


yes i shall have accomplished a duty when with my own hand i shall have punished my ac complice


a voice tells me that if you had r fallen sooner into my power much blood might have been spared


i feel now a hrror of the past and yet is it not strange


it is without fear that i intend to execute on you a frightful murder with hotriblo re finement of cruelty


speak speak i can you realise this sbravo bravo


well playedcried tor tillard applauding


all this is onlya joke


only a joke i answered thu maitre idecole ina hollow voice


hold still then lacliouette i mnust finish explaining to a you hlo mierciless


i oughlt to


beo in the vengeance i wish to exercise on you in the name of your victims


i must hurry on


the joy of having you thus makes my blood run wild my head throb with vio lence as when i think of my dream


my mind wanders perhaps one of my attacks is coming on but i shall have time to render the approaches ofdeath more fright ful in forcing you to hear me


oh


you do well to struggle and bite said the lai tre decole after a pause you shall not escape


let us continue to converse on finding myself qloneconstantly alone in obscurity and silencei began to have fits of furious rage powerless for the first stime i lost my senses my head wandered


yes although awake i have dreamed the dreamyou know


and you i soaring above all these phantoms i i tell you all this is frightful


i am blind


and my thoughts assume a form a body and re present continually to me in a visible manner almost palpable the features of my victims


when one is deprived of sight besetting ideas trace themselves al most materially on the brain


yet some times by force of contemplating them with resigned alarm it seems to me thatthese menacing spectres have


pity on me they grow dim fade away and disappear


then i think i awake from a vivid dream but i feel myself weak exhausted broken and do you believe it


oh i how you you will laugh la chouette li weepdo you hear


i weep


you do not laugh t


yes


cntinued the maitre decole l iwept for i suffered and


rageisifruitless when the phantoms ceise for a miomehitto pass and repass on the black veil which i have before my ieyes there are other torturesthere are overwhelming comparisons


i say tol myself if i had refiaineil rid honesto man at this moment i should have been free tranquil happy loved aildhonouted by mine own instead iof being blind nd chained in this dungeon at the mercy of mynaccomplices


sometimes a feeble ray of hope shines in the midstof the gloom a moment of calm succeeds to my torments yes for soimetimes i succeedd in conjur iig the spectres which besiege meby car rying back my thoughts to the days of my childoood


oripronouncinig these last words the voice of the maitre decole had lost its acuteness this formidable man seemed profoundly affected he went on nowyou see thesalutaryinifluence of tlesethoughts is siich that my rage is ap peased courage strength the will all fail nie to punish you no it is not for me to shed your blood


sbravo old one


now you see la chouette that it was only a joke cried tortillard applauding no it is not for me to shed your blood resumed the maitre decole it would be a murder and i have enough with three spectres


and then who knows you


perhaps youl will repent some day


on speaking thus the maitre decole had mechanically relaxed his grasp


la chouette profited by it to seize hold of the dagger which she had placed in her bosom and to strike a violent blow with it in order to disembarrass herself of him altogether


he uttered a cry of great anguish


the savage phrensy of his rage his vengeance his hatred his sanguinary instincts sud denly aroused and exasperated at this at


tack made an unexpected and terrible ex plosion under which his reasonsunk


la chouette uttered a cry so terrible that tortillard alarmedjumped from his seat and stood erect


the frightful cries of la chouette seemed to increase the insanity of the maitre decole


ssing said be in a low voice sing sing your song of death


you are happy you will never more seethe phantoms of our victims they come they touch me


oh how cold they are


oh


the last spark ofintelligencein this poor wretch was extinguished in a cry of horror lie reasoned no more spoke not he be haved and roared like a wild beast he onlyobeyed the savage instinct of destruc tion for destruction


a distant noise of footsteps and voices reached even to the depths of the cellar


numerouslightd appeared at the extremity of the subterranean passage


tortillard frozen with terror by the frightfultragedy which he had heard but notseen perceived severalpersons rapidly descend the stair case


iia momentthe cellar was invaded by several police officers the municipal guards closing the march


tortillard was seized on the upper steps of the cellar holding still in his liand the basket of la chouette


the officerfollowed by some of his men descended intothe cellar of the maitre decole


all stopped struck with such a horrible spectacle


in the custody of these officerswere the family ot the iartials and several others whom brasrouge had found it to his advantage to denounce in order to save himself from the consequeneesawliichihe perceived would speedily ensue


orurter m


i one hour nearer christmas


i another hour of tho waning day is gone nnd still in tho old familiar parlour sits mrs corbett


hor nephew has been gouo somo time and me lancholy thoughts hard to boar aro filling her mind


sho is lowspirited and norvous even at tho ticking of the clock as she watches tho hands climb tho dial to mark the fleeting hours


what i did and what i still do was done and is dono on principle murmurs tho lady


but her palpitating heart asks what principle


tho principia prated of by man or that principio commanded by heaven


docs he


no vcr forgive


still more melancholy becomes mrs corbett and she strives to cheer herself by taking a glass of wine but it gives no pleasant influence and moodily again sho sits watching the cheerful fire as tho steady flame consnmcs the fuel evoa as siroly as sorrow devours the heart


she gores long upon that fire and it seems as though in its very contre thcro was a bright fit ful fiery panoramaa constant shifting of burn ing shadows


did they dwell in thoso glowing embers or wore they spirits loosened from a thraldom in her own brain


lier bead droops upon her bosom and thore arise beforo her scones far far away in the dim vista of tho past


even therein tho firearo two young girls sporting as children in tho daisyed field their arms entwine and next they aro scated together by a mothors side a moment parses and thoy aro at a piano giving pleasure to aged parents who listen with prideful joy


oh happy vision


it is her dear parents hor loved siter nnd herself whose images nro now in tho mirror of fire buforc her


now the shallows darken gloomy death has been with them twice she and hor sister aro orphans


but scene follows scone rapidlyagain sho is by her sisters side as that fair girl nt the altar pledges her love to tho chosen of her heart


there too stands a second manly ono who presses his suit and waits but a short timo to lead herself to hap piness


oh how her heart throbs


ye old woman as sho is as that dear well remembered form rises before hor and all tito re collections flutter past of the happy love which was snatched away by the envious interference of strangers and by circumstances never properly explained tho beating pulse and quick drawn breath tells how longlasting true affection is endnig only with lifo itself


again tho flaracful picturo shows nnothoi phase


lier sisters husband has died upon the mold of hattlo and even while they weep a prettj babo has coma to comfort tho two weeping sisters but lo whilst it grows its motherfollowi to the everlasting resting place and all that ii left to the aunt is that dear child


oh precious legacy


with what pride she sees tho bold intel ligent ladher only happiness and comfort how her eyes turn to tho boys drawings on tin wall and his likeness painted at her desire whet ho was a tall youth and first went to business when he would liko an affectionate child stil come and kiss her then no longer youthful cheel and call her his own dear dear mother


enough


she can bear it no longer


why dt tho fire show all thiswhenco came these burn ing shadows


he mny have dono wrong bu has sho done right in discarding him


she rises thc portrait of her deed m ither cn ono side am of her dear departed sister on tho othor loo down upon her


docs sho fancy it or do thc smile upon her halfformed resolution


sh thinks of her vow to herselfof the promise sh


has partly made as to tho disposition of hor prc


portyof tho principle she was to have acte on


another glanco at those portraits


awn with subterfuge


a love equal to materni


affection triumphs


tho principle sho woul have acted on is tho worldly ono of unforgivenci i not tho dictate of the heavenly fiither judge not lest yo bo judged


como hear riso and conquer


what ifyowng ns he was he did disobey her to follow his own first love j would not sho have done the same for tho ma j


she had loved to the worlds end


and sha


site never forgive


vengoanco is mino


sail the lord


she will act on principlenot tl worldly unforgiving principle of man noni but tho heavenly principle of gods mercy


sho advances to the door


it is yet early shall bo dono tonightat once and hi naturally handsome countenance looks mo bright in its hasty eagerness ta emulate tl example of heaven than it bas done for many day beforo


it is but a littlo past eight oclock sho hi summoned ber housekeeper who knows full wc her nophews address and they aro together in carriage on their errand of peace love and fo givenossthe groat principlesso acceptab on high


chapter xxi


a day in the woods


from the date of his visit to the schoolhouse walters love for liddy was a boundless thing


it overcame all other purposes mastered all other pas sions was ever present with him and in depth and intensity had never been ex ceeded


it was moreover as pure as it was passionate


not one sordid or sen sual idea sullied it if he thought of liddy it was with the view of eventu ally making her his wife and when all the circumstances that would oppose such intention rose up before him he would occasionally with the impetuosity of youth dismiss them from his thoughts and give himself to passionate worship solely


but there were soberer moments moments when the consciousness of their difference of rank education and breeding was present with him in the full vividness of stern reality


he would then strive to subdue his love to calcu late its possible results with stern saga city and resolve to leave the neighbour hood whilst she was there but these resolutions were as evanescent as snow that falls in spring time


when he found them so he laboured to reconcile oppos ing difficulties and no points in the ethics of schoolmeu and philosophers had ever puzzled him so sorely


he could see but one solutionit was to educate liddy and to prepare her to become his wife


up to the period of his seeing her and being won by the exquisite charm of her innocence and beauty he had had the fullest intention of repairing to the con i tinent indeed had made several arrange ments to that effect with oxford friends and a voyage up the ehine in a four oared gig had been contemplated


now this intention was abandoned and to the surprise of his aunt


miss north and the servants and careless that the place was disturbed by the presence of workmen young mr verdun gathered his books about him and settled down for the autumn in two or three favorite rooms of the manorhouse


but he could not study much for he was usually out all day with his fishingrod or gun


though he often went the way of the schoolhouse or sometimes rode there on selfappointed matters of business walter did not always see liddy


the poor child was utterly unconscious of the passion she had aroused and full of some innocent duty or another was usu ally away when walter came


she re membered his kindly face thought him a very gracious gentleman and was in terested in him because he was the ne phew of kind lady jane of whom her father spoke so highly but here in her innocence her knowledge and interest stayed


this was the more certain for the reason she liked the school very much


its garden its nook and its or chard its wide old rooms its few lessons its liberal diet its easy rule were all attractions in their way


she did not like the old grumbling mistress or her wily hunchbacked favorite but otherwise she was exceedingly happy and enjoyed these autumn days


there was another cause that added to her happiness in the schoolhouse


she was free from john halton who though he was a favorite with almost everybody else she had taken greatly to dislike


he was always teasing them by an obtrusive show of partiality very brotherly in its way but from which she was glad to be absent


attached to the schoolhouse was an old chapel in which twice on sundays a neighbouring clergyman officiated but for the rest of the week it was usually quite deserted


it was very ancient much more so than the schoolhouse it self and the hand of time had been other wise roughly laid upon it


there were perceptible fissures in its thick walls its old oaken roof was patched and strength ened its tinted windows had been re paired by common glass and the quaint old stalls in which the successive scholars ofhoplow school had for centuries sat were as wormeaten as a ships keel


its little organ too on which nobody evei played stood gathering rust upon its silent strings


this quaint old place lying near the schoolroom was nevei locked and was thus now and then fre quented by those children who were un dismayed by the goblin tales attached to it or who being favourites with the mistress had not been made to sit there as a means of punishment


for thither such scholars as had greatly sinned in her eyes were occasionally sent and then the key was turned upon them for the day or halfday and they were left to themselves


on a day the afternoon of which was to be a holiday it so happened that liddy greatly offended the old mistress with whom she was no favourite not through any fault but by the audacity of correct ing her personally in some matter relat ing te the spelling of a word


for this flagrant show of knowledge she was locked into the chapel and condemned to a days solitude with bread and water


at first she cried very heartily and wished herself back at the haltons but she was so beloved and so many little tender voices came whispering to the door and so many tender hands tapped against one or other of the tinted case ments for her to open it aud take in dolls work and fruit and hoarded portions of meat and pudding from the dinnertable that liddys tears were soon dry and her afternoon far from a solitary one


but by and by as it progressed as the sun fell through the old tinted casements slantwise on the floor not a sound broke the stillness of the place and the girl looking about her rested in her work which as usual was some little piece of love work for one of the girls


it then occurred to her how many times she had wished to look at the old organ and hear if its keys sounded like those of the grand ones she had heard in the london churches


so opening the keyboard she touched the keys


at first she could draw no sound therefrom but recollect ing presently how she had been told that people pressed their feet upon the pedals when they played she did so and thus elicited sound therefrom


it was very grateful to her ear and as she felt sure that the old mistress was not within any listening distance she touched the keys on and on till the chapel was filled with their sound


thus she did not hear that the chapel door was opened nor was she aware that any one was near and listen ing till mr verdun spoke


she rose trembling and abashed when she saw him for she fancied he would be very angry at her temerity in touch ing the organ


are you fond of music liddy he asked for he had already learnt her name and called her by it as he called the other children by theirs


yes sir i should like to learn to play but father says music except singing ig unfit for a poor girl like me


so i hope you will forgive me touching the organ i am locked in here for punishment and i thought i should like to hear if it sou ded nicely


nobody could be angry liddy at an act both natural and innocent


but what are you punished forwhat have you been doing


i only spelt a word right after the governess said it was quite different


i dont think she likes me sir why


liddy hung her head and made no answer


tell me liddy


she says i know too much and am what


a beauty sir but i dont think i am


people say i am


and father and dear miss margaret love my hair very much but perhaps it is because they are fond of me that makes them think so


you must not be too modest liddy it almost implies vanity


you must be conscious that gods gifts to you are beautiful


if i tell you that i have a face i like to look at will it please you


liddy did not raise her head or make any reply


but then continued walter i want you to be a very good little girl as well


do you think that if i enabled your father to have you taught and planned things for you that would place you in an other station in life that you wouldlike it


liddy looked up and saw that the gaze fixed upon her was very much like that of john haltons


but she did not dislike it as she did his though she trembled and knew not what to say


tell me liddy if i help to educate you if i interest lady jane very much in you if i make you very different to what you are now do you think that you can be grateful to me becausebecause i wish you to grow up to like me


maria mildred or the irish orphan


bt


a resident of the bosh


c continued from number xxiii


j no sooner was he seated than his frame stiffened and his eyes set presently as if a sudden check were given to a sudden circu lation he turned pale his giant throes re laxed and the perspiration burst as a flood from every pore of his body


it wab some time before he apoke so as to be under stood


he then said lydia ia that you


what is the matter with you


what is the matter with me


am i at home


what has happened


i seem but now to have come into lifei have no remembrance and placing his hands on his brow he said i want my memory oh for my memory


it cannot be possible


no


no did i lydia


did i indeed drink blood


oh


my love do not talk so replied mrs dowd you are a little excited you are overcome my love you will lie down and you will soon be recruited there now ro nique will assist you


but he obstinately refused to take repose


lie down said he i should never rise again


and suddenly raising his hand he passed it quietly across his lips as if dashing something away


he would shrink then smile and exclaim how foolish


sometimes he would fancy ronique a sailor mrs dowd to be maria and himself a devil


what a strong mind i must have said he half aloud what flitting phantomy unde fined objects seem to present themselves


whos that


he exclaimed ronique lydia theres mildred and theboyconnor there


no no no he rapidly continuedthey are shadows they are shodows


this was his condition through that night


at day break he fell asleep


unhappy man


he had leaped without re gard to consequences


how truly had he blinded himself


he would never allow his mind to calculate stupidly unconscious of their increase


mosleys note which had been given to him by ronique just before his interview with brog but which was suffered to be on his desk unopened would have read to him an important lesson but no


there was only one object with him which had filled fired and at length had partially deranged his brain


his recovery was slow for


as his mental powers resumed their tone they but served to shew him his true position


he had learned from his amanuensis that maria hud departed from mildred


this fact under the retirement of the sick chamber opened to him the critical character of his affairs


he saw he had got foul


mosley had de clared himself a spy and an enemy


maria had eluded his gossip


the fugitive brog had deceived him


young connor was ex pected home


for this by the way had been told to ronique by the servants at mildred


the old connor had fled with maria


and he had no doubt the history of the forged will would now be made known


sensible of this train of difficulty he became restless and bewildered as to what he should do


his conclusion was that at the worst he could but lose mildred danger to himself he could hot apprehend except indeed brog should choose to deliver himself up and run the risk of his neck


some delirium expressions of dowd con necting themselves with maria and mil dred and the news of marias departure produced considerable alarm in the mind of our heroines amiable aunt


mrs dowd had sometimes made a call at mildreds house and maria had frequently since her mothers death visited benlar but dowd had such a perfect control over both houses that op portunities for sympathy with one another would very seldom occur even had either aunt or neice felt disposed to relate each her trials


the truth was that mrs dowd from fear and maria from religious principle were both restrained from any exposure of dowds conduct


so that the wife of this bold bad man had lived in entire ig norance and not in the least suspicious as to the real state of things


she had yet often thought it strange that herlate amiable brothershould have left maria so totally in her uncles power


she could only account for it from the extraordinary address of her husband but she often grieved at the pos sible event of maria displeasing him


had he been fully restored she would scarcely have had the courage to interrogate him and now that he was sick she was under a further obligation to hide her sorrows within her own bosom


the faires beach where daley was in tending to land his passengers was a very retired part of the shore of the bay of dub lin


it was not much frequented partly on account of a superstitious dread arising out of certain ancient fairy tales and partly from some rude traditions of divers awful murders having been committed on account of which tis said


the grisly spectres rise grin horrible and obstinately sullen pass and repass hushed as the foot of night


such tales the cheer at wake or gossiping this glen as it might be called was very narrow in some spots rather steep in others and in a few places the rocks almost meeting over head and was altogether so private and forsaken that he was reckoned more than ordinary strong in mind who would resort thither for any purpose whatsoever


it was here however between two por tions of projecting rock on one side of the pass that two smugglers had fixed them selves on the very sight that johnny daley was rowing for the spot


they had some contraband goods over which they were standing watch whilst they waited for a boat they expected to arrive about nine oclock from a vessel then at anchor in the bay


the beams of the moon which at inter vals had been observed for the last half hour were now shedding their silvery tint on the undulating bosom of the bay and the tattoos of the regiment in garrison was just dying on the breeze when daleys boat gently struck the beach


the fisherman leaped on the rock with the boats cable in his hand


old michael had followed when a voice as if proceding from the very face of the cliff above them called out avast there and immediately another officers advance at your peril


at the same moment a shot was fired and daley fell the cable slipping from his hold


old michael at once rushed forward in the direction of the flash and cried hold there sure you would not mur der innocent men and women a glare from a lantern shot into the face of the old man and a voice hurridly exclaimed con nor is that you


it was the fugitive clerk


tell us what this mean said he miss marias here auswered the old man shes escaping from that dowd and turning round he cried johnny haul to my boy alls right


daley now advanced and with anxiety in his countenance said quickly michael i was stunned with that fall though it was a for tunate one for i heard the ball whiz as i fell


i lost the cabel in my fall and i fear as the tide is going out and the night now so dark mr elverton will not be able to make the beach


whatll we do


i fear a terrible squall threatens


do replied michael god knows what well do


mr brog i an you assist us


i have no means replied the smugglei cicrl


to help you o


gad knows i would


stay said he there will be a boat here by and by we may hear of them


in a short time the ships boat arrived in charge of the boatswain but there were no tidings of the unfortunate lovers


the con traband goods were stowed money exchan ged and the seaman put out


a stiff breeze had now set in the rain was falling rather heavily arid distant peals of thunder with occasional flashes of light ning created some anxiety in the boatswain to make his vessel


with a sailor like de termination however he managed his craft and cargo until he saw the ships light which had been hoisted for the purpose of directing him


the captain was walking the deck wish ing to himself that the boatswain were ar rived when a piercing scream struck his ear and softened on the wind


he stood to lis ten but thought it might be the shriek of some sea bird used in a storm


a longer and more piercing cry convinced him how ever that it was a female in distress


he was a sailor a british sailor all thoughts of the contraband cargo were dispersed and he waved all hands forud


the fore castle was immediately cleared aye aye sir was repeated by several and in a mo ment orders were given a boat lowered manned by four stout men the mate at the helm and amid the war of elements for the storm had broken in reality they shaped their course in the direction of the still con tinued screams


they had rowed but a short distance when from a sudden flash of lightning which was by this time playing most fearfully on the bay they caught the sight of a boat containing a female only


in a few moments they were along side


to their surprise they found that the lady was endeavouring to support a man overboard who from ex haustion had just let go his hold of the stern over which she herself was bending almost gone


no time was lost with re markable dexterity the drowning man was placed in the boat and in fifteen minutes more the half lobt lovers were safely depo sited in the state cabin


the shot so fortunately escaped by daley was nigh proving fatal to young elverton


it grazed his shoulder


the moon had that moment become darkened and he was not aware that the cable had slipt from daleys hold


it was by the fearful aid of the timely lightning that he discovered they were out at sea


it was unable to guess the direc tion of the beach however and he was ob liged to let the boat drift


she was nigh swamping several times and in one attempt he made to right her he fell overboard


he supported himself by the stern as long as he could


it was indeed a timely arrival on the part of the seamen for another moment and henry would have been lost in the deep


before maria was aware that help was near her strength had become fierce and unna tural she fixed her hand in his hair as with the grasp of death but when boat ahoy sounded in her ears and deliverance was nigh her nerves relaxed she fainted and fell half suspended over the boat


cto he continued


j


tfnlta ottit itefcjieh


black thursday


from the household words


as the voyager approaches the shores of vic toria the first welcome land which greets him is the bold promontory of cape otway


if it be at night the blaze from the lighthouse on its southern point sends him its cheering welcome for many a league across the ocean which he has so long traversed in expectation and calls forth rapturous hurrahs from the throng of passengers who crowd to the forecastle


if it be day the eye rests on its lofty forest hills with a quiet and singular delight


these heights fully respond to the ideal of a new land only recently peopled


clothed with forests from the margin of the sea to their very summits they realise vividly the ap proach to a vast region ef primaeval nature


the tall white stems of the gumtrees stand thickly side by side like so many hoary columns and here and there amongst them descend dark ravines while piles of rocks on the heights alternating with jagged cltines and projecting spurs of the mountains present their solitary masses to the breeze of ocean


i


amongst the rocks of this wild shore there are seacaves of vast extent and solemn aspect which have never yet been thoroughly explored


the forest extending fifty miles or more in all direc tions is one of the most dense and savage in the whole colony


until lately it was almost im passable from the density of the scrub and from the thick masses of vines that is lianas or creep ing cordlike plants chiefly parasitical which as in the forests of south america climb from tree to tree knitting the woods into an obscure and impenetrable shade


excepting along the track from mr roadknights station near the sources of the barivan through the heart of the forest to apollo bay a distance of forty miles you might cut


your way with an axe but would find it diffi cult to make progress otherwise


the greater part of the promontory consisting of steep hills covered with gigantic trees intersected by shelving valleys and dark with congregated ferntrees beetling precipices and stony declivities affords no food for cattle


in one day however known to the colonists as black thursday a hurricane of flame opened its rude and impracticable wil derness to the foot of man but presented him at the same time with a black and blasted chaos of charred trees and gigantic fallen trunks and branehes


it was in this forest in the early morning of this memorable day the th of february that a young man opened his eyes and sat up to look about him


he had the day before driven a herd of fifty bullocks from the station of mr roadknight thus far on his way towards his own residence in the country between lake coranga mite and mount gellibrand


lie had reached at evening a small grassy valley in the outskirts of the forest watered by a creek falling into the western barwan and had there paused for the night


his mob of cattle tired and hungry were not inclined to stray from the rich pasturage be fore them and hobbling out his splendid black horse sorcerer he prepared to pass the night in the simple fashion of the settler such journeys


a fallen log supplied liini witli a convenient seat a fire was quickly lit from tho dead boughs which lay plentifully around and his quartpot re plenished at the creek was thrust into the glowing fire


pie had a good store of kangaroosand wiches and there he sat with his cup of strong bushtea looking alternately at the grazing cattle and into the solemn gloomy and soundless woods in which even the laughing jackass failed to shout his clamorous adieu to the falling day


only the distant monotone of the morepork the nocturnal cuckoo of the australian wilds reached his ear making the profound solitude still more solitary


he very soon rolled himself in his travelling rug and flung himself down before the fire having previously piled a fresh supply of timber upon it near where his trusty dogs lay and where sor cerer in the favorite fashion of the bushhorse slept as he stood


the morning was hushed and breathless


in stead of that bracing chill with which the austra lian lodger out of doors generally wakes up robert patterson found the perspiration standing thick on his face and he felt a strange longing for a deep breath of fresh air


but motion there was none except in the little creek which trickled with a fresh and inviting aspect at a few yards from him


he arose and stripping plunged into the deepest spot of it that he could find and thus refreshed rekindled his fire and made his solitary breakfast


but all around him hung as it were a leaden and deathlike heaviness


not a bough nor a blade of grass was moved by the air


the trees stood


inanimately moody and sullen


he cast his eyes through the gloomy shadow beneath them and a sultry suffocating density seemed to charge the atmosphere


the sky above him was dimmed by a grey haze


there is something in the wind today old fellow he said addressing his horse in his usual way for he had long looked on him as a com panion and firmly believed that he understood all


that he said to him


there is something in the wind yet where is the wind the perspiration streamed from him with the mere exertion of saddling his horse and as he mounted him to rouse up his cattle


horse dogs and cattle manifested a listlessness that only an extraordinary condition of the atmosphere could produce


if you had seen the tall handsome young man seated on his tall and noble horse you would have felt that they were together formed for any exploit of strength and speed


but the whole troop cattle man horse went slowly and soberly along as if they were oppressed by a great fatigue or the extreme exhaustion of famine


the forest clcsed in upon them again and they proceeded along a narrow track flanked each side by tall and denselygrowing trees r the creep ing vines making of the whole forest one intricate impenetrable scene


all was hushed as at mid night


no bird enlivened the solitude by its cries and they had left the little stream


suddenly there came a puff of air but it was like the air from the jaws of a furnace hot dry withering in its very touch


the young settler looked quickly in the direction from which it came and instantly shouted to the cattle before him in a wild abrupt startling shout swung aloft the stockwhip which he held in his hand and brought it down with the report of a pistol and the sharp cut as with a knife on the ear of the huge bullock just before him


loud and louder wilder and more fiercely shouted the squatter and dashed his horse over fallen trees through crashing thickets first on one side of the road and then on the other


crack crack went the stinging slashing whip loud was the bark of dogs and the mob of cattle ruelied forward at headlong speed


the young man gazed upward and through the only narrow opening of the forest saw strange volumes of smoke rolling southward


hotter hotter strongly and more steadily came the wind


he suddenly checked his horse and listening grew pale at the sound which reached him


it was a low deep roar as of a wind in the treetrops or of a waterfall distant and smothered in a deep ravine


god have mercy


he exclaimed a bush fire i and in this thick forest


once more he sprang forward shouting thundering with his whip


he and the herd were galloping along the narrow wood track


but as he had turned west ward in tho direction of his home the woods of which he had before seen the boundary now closed for some miles upon him and as he could not turn right or left for the chaos of vines and scrub that obstructed the forest the idea of being overtaken there by tho bnshfire was horrible


such an event would be death and death only


therefore lie urged his flying herd with des peration


crack upon crack from his long whip resounded through the hollow wood


the cattle themselves seemed to hear the ominous sound and sniff the now strongly perceptible smell of burning


the roar of the fire came louder and ever and anon seemed to swell and surge as if urged on by a rough rising blast


the heat was fierce and suffocating


the young squatters clothes clung to liiin with streaming perspiration


the horse and cattle steamed and smoked with boiling heat


yet onward onward they dashed with lolling tongues


sorcerer specked with patches of foam his dark shining body seemed to grow furiously impatient of the obstruction offered by the bullocks in his path


as his mas ters whip exploded their flanks he laid back his ears and with flaming eyeballs


and bared teeth strove to tear them in his rage