A DARK SECRET.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 201, 26 August 1896, Page 6

A DARK SECRET.

$V SfA CAfHEZitiE CLAP?.

£ Atiiihftrof' fiU? Bright Fattiffl,'6tfc

CHAPTER XIII

BJSB JIM OVEKHEABS A PLOT, AND A

VERT SBARf GENTLEMAN IS outwitted bt. a • sharper.'

WfiifJ! the mob waa attacking the Rookery, Vance and SnydeU had b ß en eagaged io « long and earnest conversation. TSd piscel of their meeting was in the sfcadbw 6f a thick hedge which formed the boundary line of one of Captain Braggerdene's fields, and from it they conld hear the tbteatii of the crowd* Wiothrop had I6*rted to go to the rescue of the party at the captain's* bub Snydell held him back. • They'll murder you sure, if you try to wake your way through them. Man, you are out of your senses.' I know that Jim Haley, and I have my suspicions about him. fie ia $A the head of half the devilry in the State, and, if they casghb you out ab this time alone, your life would nob be worth a dime. Besides, the old Britisher has dogs sad anna enough to clear oub a dozen such packs asthabseto of drunken fools yonder. Thus exhorted, yoana Vance had concluded to remain and finish bis arrangements with idrSnydell. ■ * ... ' • Then, you are sure that this ring which Junqua gave to the Indian was the property Of Walter WinbhrtJp?' • As sure as I am that Walter Wmthrop never lived to get but of Runlet woods.' ♦Baft the Mexican saddle—that might fcftVd had a secret pocket. Was it deitfoytid, do yon think ?' 1 Old Junk is as cunning as & fox, ana ne never gets so drunk as to tell the truth ; but there's holes and cellars around that old nut that nobody dreams of, and once or twice I've caughb him coming up from a cave under a big plank in the floor, with a lantern in his hand. He always began to jabber about looking for rats; but the kind of rat 1 smelled warn'i? the kind o' o»e he iaeanb-<-no6 by a long shot. No, no 5 he buries everything away, as an old dog will bafy bones, and that soranger's traps are no doubt lying to-night just where they have been for nigh on to seventeen years— Under the fldor of old Junk's cabin.' • But, if he is so close-mouthed and seoreb, how came you to be so well informed about this affair; it's rather dangerous knowledge, eh ? is it not V said Winthrop Vance, teeaningly. ' Never you mind how I came by it, but let well enough alone. Ido know ; it's my business how I know, and, seema to me, a fine, high-toned gentleman like yourself bad best nob look too close ab the tools he makes use of when he wants a bit of work done. They are liable to cub if they ain't well used.' . there Was a fierce menace in the l&afper's voice as he made this answer to Vance's half-ineolenb question. The young man laughed carelessly. • Well, my friend, wo are all tools in Sortie way or another, only we don't all realise it; bus $1,000 is quite a sum, and ought to insure thorough work. Thiß thing inusb not be bungled. Now, to go back to tots girTs mother : You say she claimed to b6 the lawfully wedded wife of Walter Winthrop; then she must have had papers attempting to prove it. Whab became of them?' ........

' Well, they say the poor thing went oub of her head when she could get no clue to her husband's whereabouts. She told a queer slory. Some of the old women did nob believe her, bub the men did. She said her marriage certificate and ocher papers were all in her husband's possession. She Wore a wedding ring, bat that conld have been bought anywhere. Then, when the child was born, aha died, and old Crofts look the girl, and they raised her as their own. She knowa that she waß an adopted child, however.' * Snydell, you «ay you ware on the eve of doping with her once. Wha6 prevented your carrying out the affair ?' * Never Blind what. Perhaps I changed lay mind at the last moment.' * Yes, but it you have any dealings with me you musb be less fickle. Seriously, now, she \e a girl any man might be proud to call iis wife; and, Snydell, I believe she cares lor you-"upon my word I do. Now, what I am about to say may seem strange, coming, M ib does, from a man of the world like myself ; but I know something about these lovers' quarrels myself- I know what trifles c&me up to estrange hearts that, left to themselves, would be united, and I feel for you. GonfouHd it all! I always was too romantic, too full of sentiment.'

Snydell grinned rather sardonically at this confession from his scheming companion, but said nothing. Vance continued, after ft momenb's pause : • Do you know nothing would give me greater pleasure than bringing you bwo 'together? Runaway marriages are always happy enes. Of course, you would take her far away from here, probably to New 'Orleans'?'

*Ybs; bub you see the girl may nofc listen to me. Woman are queer creatures, and I have nob seen her for months to "apeak to her.s 'Pshaw! Til arrange fchab; and, see here you will need money ; here ib a slight turn for the present.' Vattee took a roll of bills frotii bis pocketbook and thrust them into his companion's hand.

* You can pay me back when yon are in luck, flotne day.'

'But the question now is, How can I ■have » talk with Phebe ? She is staying at the tavern, and I would not be seen around there for a great deal, you know.'

'She sometimes goes over to the old cobtagre. If you could be on the watch and 'epenk to her then, ifc would be best, and 'theflootjor the better, if you are in thorough earnest.'

"i shall watch and waib,' replied Snydell, «btrt HOW, about that ring. The Indian "will fight like a tiger if you try bo take it from him fay force, and, aa bo money, why, I offered him the price yon nataed for his trinket), and ib had no effect upon ■fcim."

• Wfeli, 1 tfluat) have 16, and. If ifc cannob Jbe bought, ib must be obbained by force, fraud, or magic—anyhow—only so thab tb cotnaa into my possession. You underBtand V

1 Yes; ntid ib is time we parted company. They have quiebed down, over yonder, and I gness fiome of them think this Britieher's welcome rather too warm. Did you bear thereport of a rifle ?'

„ ■* Yes, several of them ; fn fact, by Jove, I wiali I were wibh bhem. 1 feel like a fool hiding; here. Well, good-bye, Snydell, and watch for a chance to balk with your Ifidy-teve. 1 mUefi be going. Of course, .your affair is nothing to me, only I am so 'aetisQ'illy sofb-hottrbed. Like bo see true io%*e prosper, you know,' and Mr Winthrop Vance, looking cautiously around first, Emerged from his hiding - place and walked briski-y toward the Rookery, arriv"»nfc thare eooo afber the mob had retroatod;

' SonDlmenbal1? Yes; oh, yes. A fiae, Vo'ffc heart you have, toy lad,' he muttered, gifimly. ' And you taae me for a blind, bab-Ilka Individual. Don'fc you think I fcau'osoa yon hare a nice axe of your own to grind. Woll, I'll keep an eye on yoa, never fear. But what is your parbicular litcle game ? that's ths question. You are IB o harry to get the girl onb of this part «)f ibe country, thab Is certain. Ofcouree,

if sbtf Were" really my wifd, and ife should finrn ou6 that) her right to the old Virginian's property was bebter than yours, why, St. Glair Snydell i» not the man to see bis wife robbed—bub there, confound ft, Mary Ann comes in again. Oh, Bhe haef always- Btood in my way to fortune, the devil fly away with her; but this chap's money is a Godsend, and no mistake, and I'm in for it now; I'll see the game played ont.' Mr Snydell muttered these reflections in a very low tone, but his previous conversation wifth Vanee had been sufficiently loud for a keen listener to obtain all the ideas that had been advanced, and, as Snydell sauntered away, 6ha long, fantastic dhape that had been lying (inert as a log, to all appearances) flat upon the ground the other side of the hedge, started to its feet and sped away in an opposite direction irOm that taken by the sharper. Indian Jim was rather cold but his evening's task had not proved unsatisfactory to him. Pbebe returned to the tavern early bhe day after the attack on the Rookery to find Mrs Flipp greatly alarmed about hor disappearance ; bub the good matron admired her courage aad forethought in warning the captain. 'Land sakes, be'a the last man in the world to commit a cold-blooded piece-of villainy like that. The drunken fools to try to break into hia house. I'd far sooner think Jim Haley himself was one of the murderers."

She was silenced by her husband at this point, who exclaimed, in a low tone: ' Hash, hush, mother, the very walls,have ears sometimes ; be careful what you say. Don't get the gang down on us.'

The proud Southerner, Carroll Vance, bad taken a wonderful liking to Phebe, and the day after the afcfeaok of the mob he called ab the tavern and inquired for her. Mr Flipp took him oub for a walk over bis farm, and showed him much respectful attention, co that he began to think better of the Runlet Grove people. Of course, they diicuseeii the Washington Grove affair, and in the course of the conversation, Mr Flipp remarked that tragedies of this kind were lees frequent in the vicinity than they bad been fifteen or sixteen years before. Then the landlord told the story of the hand some young fellow who had so mysteriously disappeared seven been years ago. As he dwelb upon the beauty of the stranger, and the handsome trappings of his coalblack horse, Mr Vance listened intently.

' His name—can you recall his name, my friend ?' inquired the old gentleman.

'Waal, now, I've just clear forgotten the poor feller's name, bat my wife might remember ib. I will ask her,' said bhe landlord, and upon their reburn to the house he did co,

' Walter Winthrop, air, thnb was the name he gave, and bhe one his poor wife called him by, too,' was Mrs Flipp'sanswer. Mr Vance sighed heavily, and the old cloud of melancholy seemed bo setble down more darkly upon hia proud yeb kindly face. 1 And really, J suppose Phebe ought to be culled Miss Winthrop instead of Miss Crofts; but poor old Daddy liked so to have her bear his name.'

'Is she, bhon, bhe daughter of this young man whom you believe (o have been murdered ?' asked Carroll Vance.

• Yes,' eaid Mrs Flipp, ' Ph6be is hia daughter, and she was born under this very roof seventeen yeara ago ; how time flies, and ib seetna such a lifcfcle while ugo. Her mother ? Well, the dear, blessed lady was just) hearb-broken, .worn out with suspense and grief. She did not want to live after she gave up all hope of finding her husband. I think tho child resembles her fabher moat. Here, Pbebe, Fhebe, come into tihb parlour for a moment. We are balking of you. 1

( To be continued.)