A POT OF GOLD.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 254, 24 October 1892, Page 3

A POT OF GOLD.

BEING AN ACCOUNT

OF THE STARTLING ADVENTURES

THAT BEFEL

Benjamin Manley in the Year

of Our Lord, 1880.

[ALL EIGHTS RESERVED],

BYFREDERICK R. BURTON.

PART I.

CHAPTER 111. SHADOWING MR DONITHORNE,

The delay of trains ab the junction hod caused an unusual crowding of the train on which we started for London, and wo were two among many passengers condemned to sib all nighb long in crowded compartments. Whatlittledisappointmentl felt at our fate was dissipated by Tom's view of the situation.

' You see, Uncle Ben,' he said, cheerfully,' it is very important that wo keep these fellows in si_hb, or where we know where bhey are. It will be much better, therefore, to stay awake all nighb to make sure that they do not escape üb. Suppose thab when the train stops at Edinburgh or York they should geb off and change their course, we will be on the look out for bhab, and if they get off so will we. We can stand one long nighb of it for bhe chance of getting a fortune. For some hours, therefore, we chatted aboub our operations, for it lacked a long time of sunset when we lefb bhe junction. We discussed tbe advisability of summoning the police ab an intermediate station ; but that project was speedily abandoned when we considered that wo had no legal proof either of our right to. the treasure or that our enemies had stolen it from us.

The nighb was long enough for us, diversified only by infrequenb stops, when, alert and watchful, we left the compartment to see that our fine gentlemen made no sudden change in their programme. We saw no sign of them during the entire journey, and when the sun was up and the beautiful English meadows lay smiling at either hand, the suspense of tho situation became well nigh intolerable. We can-' vassed our plan of operations again in full ; determined to leave our light luggage ab the cloak room; and we agreed to go to my chambers os soon as either of us had pushed his inquiry as far as possible. When we had rolled slowly inbo-Euston, we hurried forward to tho carriage which we thought our adversaries had taken. Thero was a big crowd on the long stone walk, most of them hurrying, travelstained paasongers ; others waiting friends. Presently tho tail, dark form of Donithorne descended from the carriage. He walked leisurely and unconcernedly towards ne, and as he approached I felt with shame that my heart was beating with excitement. Haskins was nob with him, and Tom whispered hurriedly :

' After him, Uncle Bon ; I will wait for the other.' Donithorne passed within reach of mo, bub in the crowd and confusion lie did not Bee mo. I foil in close behind him, and marvelled at his nonchalant deliberateness. When he came out into tho street and was surrounded by eager cabmen, he took his watch from hia pocket, glanced thoughtfully ab ib, shook his head in response to bhe importunate drivers, and turned to the right. He atoppod at a fruit-stall near the station and bought an apple, which he ate as no walked. In truth, so moderate was he, that in my excitement I had all T could do to keep from running him down. He idled along thus until he came to an hotel, which he entered. I followed, of course, and stood directly behind hiui as he wrote in the register, 'A. Donithorne.' Then he took a spade guinea from his pockeb and laid it on bhe counter with a .mile.

lI have no luggage,' he said. 'It isn't often you see that kind of coin, is it ?'

The clerk picked ib up with indifferenb curio9iby, and before he could reply I slappod a coin of bho same denomination upon bhe counter, and oxclaimed smartly— ' I'll pay my bill iii tho eamo. style, if you please, both of you.',

This aot, 1 confess, was done upon impulse, without reason or aim, which may have been a result of my intimate association with the harum-scarum Tom. Tho clerk's expression of surprise deepened— but let him pass. Donithorne started violently, and looked at rae in bewilderment for one ahorb instant; and in that instant I stood up very resolute like and eyed him sternly ; then, quick as a flash, his expreasion softened into one of natural aßtonißhmenb, he smiled cordially, grasped my righb hand in bobh his, pressed and shook ib heartily, and exclaimed :

' Why, my dear Mr Manley, how do you do? Why, you quite astounded me. Of all men in the world you are the last I would have expected to see ! How is that excellent young man, Mr Hartb '! Is he wibh you ? I trusb he is well.'

And much more of bhis sorb, uttered with such volubiliby bhat I could not interpose a word, and continued'so long thab I w»3 thrown completely off my course. I knew nob whab to say or do, and when he dragged me into the morning-room I sab down with him in a kind of stupor. He waa rattling on all the time.

' We regrebted so much thab wo had to leave Gordon's so suddenly; we had planned a pleasant excursion with you and Mr Harbt—without your knowledge, of course, but we counted on you, ha! ha ! People are so unrestrained when they get away inbo bho bills ; and then that message came which compelled us to come back ab once. As it is, an accident on bho road delayed us, and I fear we have come too labe. Bub I thoughb we lefb you ab Gordon's?'

• You did, Mr Donithorne,' I managed to say, ' but we also found it advisable to cut short our sojourn in that delightful spot;'

'Such a pity!' he exclaimed, 'It must have been some powerful reason that induced you to come away.' Just then a page stepped up to me and gave me the yold piece I had thrown down before tho clerk. •

• You j£ft it at the desk, sir,' he said. Thab recalled me somewhab to my senses! and holding tha coin wibh my thumb ancH forefinger I said significantly : ' That is what broughb me back so quick. Mr Donithorne.'

He look extremely puzzled for a momenty glancingwith wrinkled brows from my eyei to the coin, and then his face brightened! and he said :—

' Oh, yea; ha 1 ha! Business, eh I Whatf a way y| u have, Mr Manley. Really that) was very* clever. Well, lam free to confess that' and he took .» coin from his pocketatid held it as I had done, 'thab, Mr Manley, is whab brought me to London. Ha! ha | very clever, indeed.' Now, the effronbery of bhis man turned my creata into buttermilk, which is to say that my plans and my capacity for executing them were upseb bogebher, and bumbled1 inbo hopeless confusion. My object ia coming to London musb have been plain to him, and my language he could nob have misunderstood ; yeb bhere he Bab and di_* played freely a parb of that gold he had stolen from Tom and me. Par from evading me, he sought bo culbivate my acquaintance. Before I had recovered enough to say anything to his last statement, he had taken mt by the arm, made me rise, and was waging me towards the bar-room. 'Come; Mr Manley,' he was saying,,' ' your business cannob be attended to so early in the morning any more than mm. can. You shall take breakfast with me, and before we go to the dining-room I propose that we have a bracer, something w<j Americans call a cocktail.'

'Mr Donithorne,' I said, releasing my arm, ' cocktails or henfeathers I know not, and have no care for them; I never drank a drop of alcoholic liquor in my life.' ' Possible ?' he reburned; 'so strange th_diversiby of habib yon English possess,; Now, in America we all drink moderately^ save a handful of eccenbric persons; bub you, Mr Manley, are bhe lasb man of whom I could suspect of so unhappy a disposition,, I think-:.nbno the less of you, however; rather better, in facb, and I am sure you will pardon me ? A matter of habit, yoH know, so that my sysbem demands ib.' Without more ado he approached the bar, and. ordered a drink. Ib was bhe only ovidenco I noted that he waß ab all discomposed ; for be drank such a quantity of liquor a«j I would have supposed would turn his head, He resumed his place ab my side wibh a smile of satisfaction, and led bewildered me to the tol.leb room, where ha fell to w|shing his handu wibh great vigour. I followed his example mechanically, and as we were at ib he aßked:— ' When does your business take you tot town, ftl Manley 2' It watpn my tongue to say ' when yotf, go,' but. I checked that, and answered shortly I ' My bißineßS is in this hotel.' He uttered a dry 'ah' in comment, and presently conducted me upstairs bo tha dining-room. By this time I had recovered somewhat of my composure, bub I ye . knew nolj how to address him; I saw tha ft I must stay by him, and whab merib lies ia my actios during the rest of bhe day ia summed up in the word persistence. I never gave over being astonished ait him, and he never wavered in his obtrnsive urbanity. After breakfast, which ha insisted ;pn paying for, and I was willing enough that he should, inasmuch as he didsa out of njonoy that I believed to be rightfully mife, he excused himßelf on the plea thab ho must write some letters in hid room. He- shook my hand, hoped wa should meet again, and tripped upstairs. I followed him to the door of his room,. assured myself thab he could nob geb oub without | coming down into the maia corridor! and returned to the office. The* porters vtere unloading trucks of luggaga that haf arrived by the early trains. I looked tie boxes over, but they were all old and large. None of them corresponded with thepescription Tom had given of th£ trunk bought in Forfar. ' ....,"

(To be Continued.)