THE WEB OF THE SPIDER.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 95, 25 April 1891, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE WEB OF THE SPIDER.

BY Hi B. MARRIOTT WATSON, Author -of "Marahuna," "Lady Faint Heart," etc.

A TALE OF ADVENTUiRE IN THE MAORI WAR.

(ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

CHAPTER VII. THE HAN IN THE BLACK SHIRT.

That evening Pallieer aeked Matukn what decision he had come to. ' Will you come with us on a journey of vengeance ? or does a Maniapoto warrior fear the talk of th e women of his tribe? Where is a man's place except by his betrothed wife, defending her ?'

Matuku stared gloomily before him. He wae what the Maoris call pouri; that is, he was a dark and melancholy man. But he answered certainly enough.

' This is my word. A man has better things to do than looking after the follies of women. They are many, and would take many years to count. This is well-known except to children. But ib is a strange thing that we cannofa say, "Bβ foolish as much as you like. It is nothing to me." We laugh at the foolishness, which is plain to all, bufc if we lose a woman because of her folly, we do not laugh any more. No ; we weep, or we get angry. Why is this ? It is a stupid fashion, but it holds us. Those are wise thoughts, but they are too much for me; aleo, it is not good to be called coward. Yet what can a man do in these circumstances ? He can only say to her " tVhet is it you wish ? Do you desire to dishonour me ?" and then follow her. It is a different thing afterwards, but while his love is hot she has the control over him. It is enough, friend. I will go with you, and see thab her folly does not cause her to die. , Aotea took little notice of this speech, and Palliser guessed that ehe had been confident of her lover's decision. All she did was to waggle her head and say : • The folly in is too much spoken of. There are foliies in men also. Why do you not name them V To this Matuku, in the dignity ot his manhood, made no answer, and Palliser gaid : ' You have spoken well. Ib shall be as you say. We three will go. . But Matuku had not finished. As an important recruit he owed it to himself to remonstrate upon this quixotic expedition. • In the south, , he said, ' dwell the foes of the pakeha. How will you avoid them? The Maniapoto is in the north, but is quiet now since Maungatautari. Bub you are going to the south, where the Ngatiawas are ac fierce as sharks. Can two men and a woman fight Tβ Katipo f s Who is Te Katipo?' asked Palliser.. Matuku looked a little surprised- ' Have you nob heard of Te Katipo ? he asked. ' What does one from the sea know of the mountains V replied Palliser. ♦Thab is true, , returned the Maori, thoughtfully* «bubTe Katipo is a great clief. He is a chief of the Hauhaus in the heart of the mountains southward. By him the pakeha will bo driven into the sea.' Pallieer smiled. 'We shall see. Ib is God thab settles such things, and not Te Katipo. , • You speak truly. Ib is God. Why then ehould not Te Katipo do this? But it will be hard to escape him when the Hauiaus are on the warpath. , ' Come,'said Pallieer. 'You know the country southwards. Tell me is the path clear, and Where does it lead? , 'There if one clear path southward through Te Tauru, bub ib leads to death. How can you escape the hands oi'Te Katipo, who lies beyond Hine-te-ao ? The Hauhaus have rolled over the land like the sea. They have nob ebbed buc flowed only, and you will be drowned and float on the water into Moana.' •Am I a fool? Have nob the Haukaus been crushed in Taranaki ? The pakeha has broken them np on the coast, but they have fastnesses in the mountains. Besides they cannot be killed. , •That is humbug,' said Pallieer scornfully. 'If you are afraid, go back to your tribe. I am nob frightened of this Tβ Katipo of yours. , •I* is well, , returned Matuku stubbornly. • They blind a dog and he jumps into the water and is drowned. ,

Bub Palliser was quite at ease, nor was it the ease of one whom the gode have made mad: Hβ had no intention ot going so far couth as Tβ Katipo's oountry ; indeed, he had begun to question whether Caryll and hie companion in their extremity could hate reached even this point ere death overtook them. If Te Tauru had been their destination, as Aotea was confidant, the learch party was so far upon the right road, but it was only too possible that the two stricken creatures had themselves wandered from the track to die in the bush. In any case Palliser did not anticipate a much longer march. He was quite aware that the Hauhaus were dangerous, for that curious superstition was a twelvemonth old, and its horror nofc strange to the colonists. But he did not intend to trespesa upon the region occupied by the Hauhaua, and so did not concern himself about the terrible Tβ Katipo. By ten o'clock next day they had almost reached the top of the saddle, over which the bush stretched, and once more Palliser was being troubled by the quixotic appearance of this adventure. Suddenly they came to a spot where the track divided, one branch twisting upwards in the direction of a peak to the left, the other curving lest abruptly to the right. Here was a dilemma which strengthened Palliser's doubts threefold. Which path should they take? If Caryll and Thirna had come this way, which direction had they followed ? He stood debating this while' Matuku waited. Then the latter said ;

* The Maniapotos in whose party I was came from yonder two days ago. Why do you hesitate ? There is only one way, and that is the way by which we came.' He pointed wibh hie finger up the leftward track. ' The other is a blind and difficult way. leading nowhere, but there is ruin and death at the end of it. , Aotea, who bad been wandering from tree to tree, raised a shrill cry. • Look ! look !' she called. • What ia it ? Ib is the paper of Kariri. Behold, the way is here. Look !' Palliser sprang torward to where she ■bood, a few yards along the lower track, indicating wibh a tremulous band something nailed to the red bark of a rimu. It was a paper, soiled and sodden with rain. ' There is blood upon it,' cried Aotea, wildly. 'Is ib the blood of Thirna, or the blood of Kariri ?'

Her eyes were Sashing, and the red mat across her breast fluctuated rapidly, as she drew hard breaths.

Palliser examined the paper carefully. Ifc was some two inches square, and was pegged into' tho ritnu with a splinter of wood. There was writing upon it, and Itj aeemed to have been torn roughly from the

end of a letter, for the completed words decipherable ran like this ;—' Wrote last «••.,. yefc forgotten . . . silence • . . father,' and ab the end was legible In full • Lancelot Caryll. , Without a doubt here was a message from the lost Pakeha-Maori. Palliser saw ab once what it must mean. Caryll, on hearing that Thirna had been robbed of his secret, had fled with her hastily to secure hia gold, and in hia agitation had forgotten to leave any word for bis friend. But on his way he had remembered, and, to guide Palliser in case he should follow him, had left this scrap of paper to indicate the route to be taken. There was no message, for there was no means of writing one. The paper was itself the message. Ib might be a fragment from a letter to his daughter; perhaps a letter which had not satisfied the shame-faced father. Poor Caryll!

' Who has slain Thirna, O friend ?' cried Aotoa. ' Who is the murderer ? Tell me, that I may follow upon his trail like the hawk. What does the paper say, O, Paribera?'

' Hush ! Be eilenb !' said Palliser, sternly. ' Vengeance is nob yob in our power. We must go on. Whab can a paper say when a man has nothing to write with ? Keep silence, and follow. And you, O Matuku,' ho continued, ' whab is this shameful advice you give us ? What if the path run into death, if it will bring; us to vengeance■? Let us be wary. It lies clear over tho mountains. Let us follow. Wo are wise men, and nob children. No dogs shall bark at our heel's. There is silence behind us, and the shame of the tribe. Before there are voices calling us tin. I hear them, O daughter of Talcamaiterangi, and you, O dark and gloomy one. Shall I negloct them, thab they may call oub for my blood, who have slept while there is death in the forest ? Your words are pouri (dark), O friend. Leavo us, if you are afraid. We will go upon tho path which stretches clear even unto death. Enough ! I have spoken.' ' Two brave men may meet death,' returned Matuku. ' Lot the woman go back and sleep. I will follow.' ' No, , cried Aotea with flaming eyes. 'Peace. Yours is a foolish ward. I, too, am on the path of death. Why do you annoy me? I will nob turn back, , and as was her wont when deeply moved, she folded her mats close about her, squatting upon the ground. ' Come,' said Palliser. 'Ib is time to go.' The great bush lay about them on all sides. Aotea rose, and in silence they filed along the path leading from the upper way into the heart of Te Tauru. Narrow as the track had been before, ib was a mere thread here, obstructed by great boles and profuse undergrowth. Evidently ib had been little used, and indeed had been left incomplete by those that began the work. Supplejacke were festooned acrosa it, and the prickly 'lawyer' grew over the tree trunks. It was impossible to progress, but at a very slow rate, and hours elapsed ere they had accomplished a few miles. At last Mabuku, who wa» leading, turned suddenly and called to Palliser : 'It is ended. There is no further track.' Palliser hurried forward. The Mainapoto spoke the truth. The track (such as it was) had come abruptly to an end, and they were fronted by the primeval bush. Aotea, whose nerves had already been tried, gave a cry. ' The end ! che end !' Palliser approached the edge of the bush to see if by any chance there might be a hidden path. ' See, O friend,' he presently shouted to Matuku. ' Look, we have a guide still. .

' Good, , said the Maori, running up, excitedly. A tall matai stood at the very end of the track, and upon its trunk, about four feet from the ground, was the evident mark of an axe. A step further into the bush a koromiko had been slightly barked. There was whab ia known to buahmen as a blazed track..

Without more ado Pallieer moved , into bhe bush, Matuku behind him, and Aotea followed, her eyes starting from her head. Here and there at uncertain intervals the trees were similarly marked, and by this guidance the parfcy proceeded tor ab leasb a mile. They were now completely trusting to the blazed track, blindly following where it should lead. Palliser, it is true, had scruples in bo doing. The blazed track ibeelf puzzled him. For how came it that Caryll, sick and weak as he must have been, had been able to pierce this forest, hewing ab the trees as he vrenfc ? How came he for the matter of that to have an axe at all ? It seemed preposterous to suppose he had deliberately left these marks to direct hie friend, yet otherwise they were difficult of explanation. The scrap of paper showed that Caryll had passed that way, and the only conclusion possible was that his illness had proved less severe, or thab he had made a last and desperate effort to be strong. Ho puehed on, therefore, doubting yet resolabe to see bhe end.

The bush was as silent and gloomy today as ib had been yesterday, when it was his prison. Ifc was dark, too, and much obstructed, so that they were forced to rest continually. . It was during one of these pauses that Palliser noticed Aotea, who had scarcely spoken a word since their entry into the bush, dart back quickly from where she was standing, and cower by Matuku. At the same time, Palliser himself became conscious of a rustling in the leaves. •He turned his head and listened. Faint yet measured footfalls were in his ears. Hβ sprang to his feet with a curious, pained look in his face. ' Great God !' he exclaimed, in English, •am I indeed going mad?' Then he said quickly to Matuku : ' Tell me, O friend of the sharp ears, do you hear a sound ?' •Where is ib? Whence is it? askod Matuku, his head bent toward the ground, the figure of attention. • Hush !Is there a sound ? Do yon hear the noise of feet ?'whispered Palliser. Matuku strained his ears, and Aotea broke the silence with a low wail. ' ' 'I have heard it. It is the Tamwha. We are in his evil houee.' Her eyes were glassy with terror. Matuku's brown skin turned sallow, and his fingers quivered. ' 'Do you hear it?' asked Palliser hoarsely. ' It is a sound of footsteps. There I There ! - Matuku cave a cry and crouched back among the fern. ' I hear it,' ho muttered. ' It is Taniwha.' Palliser darted forward, raieinga revolver. 'Who is there?' he called. Who is there, O crawlers in darkness ?'

There was silence. . 'They are many,' muttered Matuku. •Perhaps they are evil spirits in the house of Taniwha. ,

' Who is there ?' cried Palliser again. There was a humming in the air as ot distant blowflies. , 'They are talking, perhaps,' muttered Matuku.

Aotea wailed inarticulately. ' You shall die, , cried Paliiser, levelling his revolver afc the bushes. •They are laughing' said Matuku to himself. • You ehall die,' repeated Palliser. 'O head in tho darkness, I will ilay you, chanted Matuku, trembling. Palliser fired. The report rang through the bush, and reverberated in a hundred gullies. When it had died away, out ot the koromiko bush before him a small ana sickly green- lizard wriggled into the one blurred patch of sunlight. Matuku started up with a cry, and rushing forward brought down the butt of hie gun repeatedly upon the reptile till it was crushed into a shapeless jelly. When he had done he looked up complacently and nodded to Pallieer. 'It is quite right now,' he said. I ] nave slain him. This one will not trouble ue anymore. • He was a fool to • nhow himeeii. DHyou not hear how I bewitched him . I said : " 6 head' in the darkness, I will slay you." Thab brought him out, no that I could kill him.'

A reaction had eet in, and Pallizer, free from the previous tension, could nob restrain a smile. ' You are the man to take in order to charm the taniwha,.' he said. ' Behold how easily you have slain him.' Matuku looked gratified, but Aotea now raised her voice in melancholy tones. ' Thatt is very well, but taniwha will nob leb us escape. Some one must die who belongs to us, since wo have seen him. , Matuku's sabisfaction vanished. 'Ib is true,' he said. ' Some one mm' die.' Palliser was now convinced thab the noises, either at thia time or previously, had nob been due to his imagination, for they had been heard by both Aotea and Mabuku. It was true that the Maoris, owing to their superstitious dread of Taniwha, were in an excited state, and thab their senses, thereforo, might not be wholly trustworthy. Yob their experiences had so synchronised with his thab he could not dispute their reality; and he confessed to a feeling of relief that his sensations had proved natural. Prolonged solitude, especially in a vast wilderness like the bush, may develop morbid fenrs, and he hod been strangely unstrung by these mysterious footfalls. Now he was resolved they were natural, and, if they were not due to some accident, botokened tho presence of pursuers. The mystery was not explained by this conclusion, but it was ab least released from the supernatural. With Mabuku he scoured the bush about their resting place, but thoy found no evidence of human beings, and so once moro he fell back upon the hypothesis that tho sounds were, like tho cry of the weka, the result of coincidence. On the other hand, Aobea and Matuku had nob the loasb doubt that all was the work of the taniwhas. Te Tauru was the house of those monsters, and ib wae foolish to suppose a man could pass through it without encountering thorn. Furthermore this was only the gato of Te Tauru. In tho caves in the heart of the forest, whither no man had ever penetrated, dwelt tho great and terrible Taniwha, who could nob be destroyed like the little green lizard. Ib was of him thoy had so deep a dread.

By five o'clock they had made another mile. They seemed now to be sloping gradually upwards in a southerly direction, bub could be sure of nothing save that they were following the blaze track. About this time they were suddenly alarmed by sounds of firing ahead of them, and at no p-eat distance. Knowing that they were perfectly aafo in the recesses of the bueh except from an enemy already aware of their presence Palliser was not greatly troubled at this, though he could nob avoid wondering upon a possible connection between tho gunshots and bhe footfalls in the bush. It was this curiosity moro than anything that induced bhe party to quicken its pace, for the brack led them towards the ;Sounds. By-and-by bhey came to a steop bank covered wibh creepers of all kinds and surmounted by large puriri breos, and here the reports soundod much louder ac from quite at hand. Pallfcer with his following crept cautiously up this wall and got among the puriris, between the trunke of which they passed, till all nt once they found themselves on the verge of an open space.

It was an odd sight upon which Palliser looked down. Before him, in the very heart of the bush, was a clearing in the shape of a large cockpit. It was a deep saucer, some hundred yards across, bounded on all sides by a slope, on the crown of which the bush terminated. It was devoid of treaa and bushes, but was covered with long rank grasses. In the centre of this were a number of Maoris engaged in shooting at a man on horseback who was riding wildly towards them. Ifc was this figure that mosb attracted Palliser's attention. Hβ eat upon a black horse which was foaming at the' mouth, and he was himself clad in black from head to foot. Hjs beard, too, was long and black, and at firsb Palliser took him for a Maori, but on a second inspection he perceived that he was a white man, though, curiously enough, he it was who was chanting a Maori war »ong, while the Maoris were silent, speaking only with their guns. Palliser watched him, as he rode through them, discharging a revolver right and left, and singing in a loud, dismal voice, which rang above the noise of the guns. It seemed to him a marvel that he was not blown into a thousand pieces, so close were the quarters. Bub, apparently, the black man came oub unharmed, and his horse, bursting from his assailants, plunged madly up the slope upon the further side of tho saucer. But what was Palliser's wonder and dismay to eoe him deliberately turn his charger's head, and spur him down again upon the Maoris, who were collected in the hollow, some reloading their guns, others taking aim and firing. The man in black had seemingly emptied his revolver, for he bad drawn a heavy navy cutlass from his saddle, and was waving thi» in the air. As he thundered down the elope, shouting and chanting bis Maori song, he kepi flinging this cutlass into the air in circlos, and catching it again as ib fell. And this, together with the strange noises he was making, and his oddly uniform colour and his coal-black steed, flecking itself with spume ac ib fretted against the bit, composed so extravagant a picture that Palliser stood back for the moment aghast.

Then recovering he called to Mabuku : ' Come,' he said, ' follow me. We musb assisbhim.' Bub Matuku had seated himself upon a log, Aotea by him, and was contemplating the scene with equanimity. He »hook his head emphatically. 'I am sorry, O, Parihera. Those people are Maniapotos yonder.' ' Oh, confound your tribal etiquette, said Pallieer, in English, and rushed down into the cockpit with a whoop. Some help was indeed needed by the black man ; for even as Palliser began to run, the horse staggered forward and came down upon its head, shot through the heart. The rider rolled over upon the grass, but the incident to all seeming scarce interrupted his chant, for he was on hia feet next second ehouting the note at which he had gone over. Painter's whoop reached the Maoris ab this point, and they turned in aetonishment afc the reinforcemonb. Palliser came down with long strides, brandishing his revolver till he gob within range, and before the Maoris had recovered their surprise he was upon them, discharging his chambers in rapid succession. Two natives fell, and then the others turned upon him.. Palliser joined the black man, who was advancing, cutlass in hand, upon them. ' Curse your folly!' he said, angrily. ' Are you mad 1 Don't you see there is only one chance. Up the hill with you.' He marched him round with one arm, and the black man laughed. They both started up the clearing ab a run, and the Maniapotos dashed after them, shouting. A gun was now and then discharged, and evfry moment Palliser expected to hear the heavy thud of a bulleb efcriking home. Up the hill they ran with all speed, but the Maoris were gaining upon them, for ab a short distance the native is usually faster than the European. Suddenly, there was a volley of reports, and Palliser, whose head was bent forward for a better speed, heard his companion give a sort of grunb He glanced up, expecting to see him wounded, but found he was looking back over his shoulder. Palliser twisted his head back also, and saw, to _ his surprise, the Maoris had ceased following, and were halting undecidedly. Presently there were more shots, and a native fell. .Looking wonderingly in the direction of the pound, Palliser saw smoke rising from the bush-verge on the top of the slope, somethirty yards to his lefb. As he gazed, another volley followed, and the pursuers turned and retreated. Palliser came to a stop, and stared, panting and stupefied, ab the drift of emoke.

CHAPTER Till. THE HOMK OF THE TANIWHA,

Palliser was still staring at the bush when his companion's voice roused him from his vacancy. The blackbeard, who was binding a strip of cloth about a bleeding wrist, touched his arm and nodded in the direction of the retreating Maoris.

" Bad shots,' he said, ' only hit me once.' Pallisor made no answer, bub knibting his brows darted up towards the wreaths of smoke that floated upon the still afternoon air. The man in black opened his eyes wide and fell to binding his wrist again.

Palliaer had disappeared into the bush, bhe Maniapotsos had crossed the saucer and were straggling over the further rim; nowhere else was anyone visible. The stranger sab down on a log and waited for some minutes, and then rising, sauntered down into the cockpit to the eceno of bho recent fray. Here he spent some minutes looking for his revolver, and having added to his equipment several things from the saddle of his dead horse, he began to climb bhe ascenb elowly. Palliser now reappeared from the bush, and motioned him across the slope to the left side of the cockpit, where he perceived two figures awaiting. Here presently the four all met, and the blackbeard saw thab the others of the party were Maoris, a man and a woman.

' It's a very good thing you came up with your reinforcements,' said he. ' That ambush was risk}-, though.' ' You wenb the best way to geb killed, returned Palliser, whose "face wore a har_ assed expression. The man laughed. 'They're wretched, shots,' he answered ; then ho wenb on.. ' What is your party doing here ? and a Maniapoto warrior, I declare. I know the breed well. Where's the rest of you ?' j ' We have no party, , said Palliser shortly. ' This is all there ia of us, I fancy it's more to the point to ask who you are." ' Foster's my name ; if that will tench you anything you're welcome to it. There's no party behind me, bub why you want to bluff me over this atlair I don't quite see.' Palliser was put out, but he restrained himself, saying only, ' I will explain to you later. In the meantime, let ma hear your etory. , Foster glanced ab Mabuku, who was surveying him with interesb, and PaUiser, as though to anticipate an objection, added : ' The Maoris are safe enough, though Maniapotos. Besidee, they don't know English." 'I wasn't afraid of that. , said Eoster ; 'I was thinking I knew this fellow's face ; bub I suppose I don't. They're all so darned similar. Well, as for your gama. I suppose ib will keep ; mine has been a. lone hand since Tupara, and I had played oub all my trump* when you itruck in.' • Bub whab are you doing here?'

' The precise question I aeked you,'said Fester, smiling. He cocked his head to ono side, and looked ab Palliser from under lowered eyelids. ' I know my job,' he continued pleasantly, ' bufc I don'b know my bearings. I'm on a little bnsinees of my own. , Palliser regarded him inquiringly. 'Yes,'he went on with a jaunty smile, 'I've eot a big job in hand now. I was in the Foresb Rangers up North, but the fnn wasn't serious enough for me there, and I came down to explore. They say there's mighty goinge-on among the Hauhaus—as darned a crew as you may strike in a day's march. I alwaye fancy I must have known that Te Katipo. I've known bo many of the reptiles, Mani&potos and all,' he ended, with a grin at Matuku. ' Whose gal ?' he asked, abruptly. ' Look here, , said Pallisor, gravely : ' we shall never come to any understanding ab this rabe. We've gob a job, too, and perhaps we shall have bo part company. Let) us clearly understand each other. , ' I'm willing,' responded Foster, flinging himself upon the ground hard by Aotea, who was staring steadily ab him. 'Let us hold a council of war and put the darned nigger in the chair. , He winked ab Aotea, who stared harder than ever. ' Then please attend, , eaid Palliser. ' Since you seem to want half a day for your story, I'll tell you mine.' ' Haore ra,' eaid Foster, pulling a blacker cutbv-pipe from his pocket. ' I've lost a friend, , bepan Pallieer. ' So have 1, , broke in Foster, striking a match upon his breeches. ' Your friend will keep, , said Palliser, curbly. ' I have reason bo believe my friend is somewhere in these parts." VThen he's havine a confounded bad time of ib !' interjected Foster again. 'If be's alive, I mean to find him. If he's dead, and he probably is—well, I should like to know, that's ail. .

' I'm on that sort of lay myself,' eaid Foster, complacently. • Only my friend's female, and she's nob dead. A very fine gel. she was. Could ride like the devil, and make no bones about ib. She was an obstinate minx, though, was this said Miss Carvll.'

,' Caryll?' cried Palliser, in astonish menb.

< That's the name. She, again, was on the same sorb of lay, hunting up a father, or something of the kind. Appears to me people mostly are.' Palliser whistled. (To be Continued.)