A DARK SECRET.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 202, 27 August 1896, Page 6

A DARK SECRET.

BY EVA CATHEEIBE CLAPP.

' Author of • Her Bright Future,' ebc

CHAPTER XIV.

IN WHICH THE PLOT TURNS, PHEBB IS RESCUED, AND A NOBLE HKART IS LOST.

A WHITE, still, wintry day had faded to grey, ponsive twilight, with faint flushes of lunaeb lingering in the west. Along the dasorted wood road a slight womanly figure moved toward the broom-maker's cottage, toward the once cheery home that was now

cold, empty ; alone, the girl walked quickly, . for ib was very cold ; bnt there waa little of the animation about her expression which a Winter* walk should have brought there. She was thoughtful, abstracted, und did bob sven reprove the pranks which the old tnastiff by her side was often committing, ftvidently fancying he was young again, so pleased was ha to be escerting nia mistress again to the old homo. And now they were very near to it, and had pasted the group of cobtonwood trees that stood near the field of broom-corn, When a man stepped oub from behind the mass of brush-wood thab was piled beside the road. He advanced nearer, still nearer to the girl, who, starbled from her reverie, Itood gating ab him, nob übtering a word. ' Phebe. have you forgotten me so soon ?' ■aid Syndell* venturing to lay his hand gently upon her arm. The action aroused her from her haltstunned condition of surprue and alarm. She stopped haughtily back and away from him, with a geßbure'of eontempb, shaking off the detaining hand. 'No, no! Bo nob dome near me. Your presence is terrible to me. Ib brings back the One hour of all my life that I long to forget), and cannob.1 She waa trembling with emotion, bub emotion of a kind totally Unlike that girlUh infatuation she had once experienced for the man who stood before her. Remorse is a passion thai) shakes the souls Of atrongeat) men, until they end it by euieido sometimes, if no other escape appears to end the gnawing heartache. In Phebe's tender nature it had wroughb a niMvellona Change, and the wily sharper was no longer pleading with the romanbic girl. She was a strong-hearted, clear-headed Woman now» yet retaining the innocent Ideals of her childhood, the generosity and frankness thab made her character so singularly wincing. 'How can you speak to mo like that? Do nob be 'so cruel, Phebe. my beautiful girl. Oh, if you knew how I have longed to see you : if you only knew how heart-broken I was when you failed to meet me, as I hoped and believed yon would, you would pity me. Yes, you would, *ny darling, and not look at me so oldly aad cruelly.' He muttered these wards with an air of desperation and grief. The young girl, in a gentle tone replied: *I would, indeed, pity you, if I could balieve you really ever cared for me; bub, if you were honest, unselfish in your love, surely you took a very strange way of proving it to me. After urging me to leave my kindest, fcendereab, truest friend, urging m« to deceive him, and break his noble heart, you then leave the village quiebly in the night $ and, knowing well thab I have 10 one to speak a kind word in my defence, you stay away weeks, months, withoub one word to me or others, thus giving slanderers every opportunity to defame me, because your mysterious flight, after being seen constantly itt my company, could nob fail to east reflections upon me. Love 1 Do not speak that word. You never knew ib; yon never will. A true lover facea everyfthiag, death Itself, for the one he loves. fie does not steal away like a csward in the bight, leaving her to be defamed. Suppose you did owe Beveral people money and could not aft once repay them. Surely, where a Satin moans honestly he need nob fear to MM* hill Creditors. They would have Waited. Bub why ate you here ? All is over between us. You muat know that well.'

*i do not know it, tfirl. I will not believe it. Why should we not be happy yet ia bhe beautiful, bright Sonbh ? Your foster-father ia dead, Whab tie have you to bind yon to thia miserable Tillage? Phebe, come with me ; forgive bbc pasb if you think I have wronged yon, bub come with me fiow> this very night.' He had elaaped both her bands in his own as he pleaded, fetid would not release them, though she struggled to geb free. A carriage came quickly around a turn in the road* and stopped near them. The driver* who wore & cap pulled low over his §yes, Sfttd fcruffly, • I say, cap'en, we don'b want bo fool away much time. Ibs a good fcwb hours' drive to Diron, and-*—' 1 All right, ,7o«, W« will como soon { will we nob, my love ?' As he spoke he grasped her around the blonder waist, and was aboub to Hfb her into the carriage when she cried aloud for help. A faint, queer odour seemed bo emanate from the silk handkerchief which Snydell pressed to her face. She felo a dizzy, drowsy sensation, and could make bo etforb bo execute the will power which urged her ho break from bhia man and flee fcWftY* But her cry has been heard. Who is this tall, lithe man who comes bounding towards them? She does nob recognise him ab firsb, bub later Bhe sees ib is the Indian doctor, Jim, who had wrenched Snydell'a wrists fiom their firm clasp. She seea him spring toward the sharper, who is stepping back toward the carriage. Then there ia a sudden movement of Snydell's righb arm, a flash, a sharp report; the Indian falls upon the enow. But Snydell does nob leare him. He bends over his victim, and, tearing the breast of his hunbing-abirb, seems to be tefcrching for something. A muttered curse testifies to bis disappointment. He turns again bo Phebe. The mastiff has been growling and impabionb ab this scene ; bab bis mistress ha* nob yot spoken bhe word whidh might leave him ab liberty to act. She does co now, and he is aboub bo spring at Snydell, when the latter jumps into bhe carriage, bhe driver lashes bbc old mastiff savagely across bhe face wibh his whip, and bhe horses dash away down the lonely road. The terrified girl bhinks, wibh a thrill of earns** gratitude, thftb bhe queer, Bopersblbiouß Indian doctor has saved her from this villainous plob. She goes to him, and, tenderly lifting his head to her Shoulder, asks if he is badly injured, and what she shall do. Indian Jim ope»s his ' eyes, and tries to smile reassuringly, bub a tiny crimson stream drips from a wound in his lefb side near bhe hearb. Phabe's face is blanched with torror. What can she do ? Thie part of bhe road is lonely and unfrequented, and every momonb is precious, She orders Tiger to stay by the wounded man, and starts to run all the way to the village; but a lucky incident prevents this, for Dr. Dunruven's sleigh comes around a bend in the road. The doctor is returning from Lee Center, where many of his patients live. She calls bo him : 'Help! Help 1' with all her strength, and he hears. A few minutes later, and the wounded man Is snugly tucked in the doctor's sleigh, and, while Phebe tells her story, they are driving Swiftly toward the town. A new excitement meets theaa there, for one of the sheriff's men has just arrived, and is telling them of the capture of two of the assassins connected with the murder of the Norwegians aft Washington Grove. xes,

says this man, as he thaws his half-frozen hand by the fire, *we have caught two on 'em Bare enough, and they have gone back on the rest of the gang.'

•Do tell ns aboub it,' urged the carious loungers. ' And did they leb themselves be taken quiebly V ■ . • ' Waal,' said the narrator, supplying himself with a fresh mouthful of tobacco, and heightening the effecb of his recital artfully by great slowness and deliberation, 'we had a spy in the camp, and he knew where the band, or some on 'em, was to meet last nighb aboub. 12 o'clock. We were on hand, Burrounded bbc house, and had every man covered by the muzzle of a revolver before ho could say "Jack Robinson." So you see fightin' wouldn't hey done in a case like that. But the rest of the orowd had been warned, or eubhin' waa up, bo we did nob get them. Only captured two, but through them we got the names of the others. Thab there Snydell was implicated. They aro after him' now, and they say he has been seen hasgin' round this part of the country. Then there's the old hermit, Junqua, they say his hub has been used to store away the etolen goods for years pasb. The old feller can'b be found. Wo just came from his hub, and ib is empby. There hain'b been a fire there for several days. Near as we can find, the old rascal has pub oub for Canada.'

Ab this part of the conversation Phebe and Doctor Dunraven appeared with the wounded man, who was made as comfortable as possible, bub ib wae evidently a Berious wound. The doctor looked grave as he examined ib, for bhe ball had lodged near the backbone, and would be difficult to extracb. Jim waa very patient, but requested bhab his beab friend, Shabbonee, bhe old chieftain, should bo sent for at once. The town was crowded with people who oame to hear aboub this last new sensation which had occurred in their midsb. Among others came the party of gentlemen from Captain Braggerdene'a house. The captain was blustering and savagely indignant ab the attempt to carry Phebe away, and hotly insisted bhab a party should go in search of Snydell. • But, Capbain, he is miles away by this time; it would be useless bo follow,' said Landlord Flipp. ' Never fear bub thab the rascal will be caughb some day, though cool and bold as he is ; bub, in my opinion, much, could be found oub by searching old Junqua'a promisee. , The old fox was sly ; bub ragged and poor as ho looked, he was by no means a poor man. He waa simply a cunning old miser, and being taken somewbab by surprise when he heard the officers were after him, I don't believe he had time to take his gold with him.'

Indian Jim, in an adjoining room, overheard their talk. Doctor Dunraven was probing for the bullet; the wounded man looked up at bhe doctor, and naid, faintly : 1 They balk truth. Under the floor, undor Junqua's floor, they will find much it they look well.' Then he sank back and was quiet. Only when the old chief, Shabbonee, came, did Indian Jim speak again. The meeting between the -two savages wae affecting. The old warrior, a tall, finelooking man, took bis friend's hand. Big tears rolled down bis face as he saw that the end was near ; but when he spoke of Snydell, hia face (changed to a fierceness thab disfigured the naturally frank expression. Ib wbb a look that boded ill for the wily sharper; for Shabbonee, who never forgob a kindness, possessed all the revengeful passion of the race, especially when ono whom he loved had booa injured, Doctor Punraven came oub into the bar room about midnight, where the guests of Captain Braggerdene still lingered. 1 That poor fellow is mortally hurb. I don't think that he will live bill the morning. I have done my best, bub tho wound ia bleeding internally,' said the physician. * Leb me see the brave fellow and clasp his band. We all owo him a debb of gratitude for saving our young lady,' said the Hon. Carroll V"ance, who felt so deep an interest in this beautiful orphan girl that he had begun bo talk soriously of adopting her.

His nephew who stood by, echoed his uncle's sentiments aloud ; bub the nails of his right hand closed into the aofb vvhibe flesh ub he clasped it, and beneath the silky, .blonde mustache, the lines of his mouth grew hard and rigid. Something in his glance made Phebe shrink and shudder ; see knew nob why, for in the softest) voice, he murmured : ' I only envy him that ho had so fine an opportunity to do her a service.'

'He has been talking with Shabbonee, but expressed a desire to see Miss Phebo.' 11 will go ab once. Oh, Doctor Dunraven, cannob you save him 1 I owe him so much ; he has given up his life in my defence,' said Phebe, who was weeping.

* I have done everything that was poassible, bub in vain,' was the sorrowful reply, as they softly stepped to tho dying man's bedside. He lay wibh his head thrown tar back on bho pillow, breathing with difficulty. Shabbonee waa bending over him as Phebe approached. Jim smiled faintly, and looking up to hia old friend, Shabbonee, made a motion for him to take "something tshab appeared to be tightly sewed up in the breaeb of his huntinsr-shirb. The old warrior pulled a knife from his belb, and quickly cut from the dying man's Bbained blouse, this objecb, which waß wrapped in fold upon fold of finosb buckakin.

• For her 1 for her 1* oaid Jim, pointing to Phebe, and fche Indian Chief then placed in Phebe's hands poor Jim's amuleb, his treasured charm, the quainb old rine of chased gold, wifeh the legend • Juabitia' engraved upon it. ' Thab will keep evil spirits away always,' whispered J«m, and the girl, with streaming eyee, held ib up to the Hon. Carroll Vance'B view, for the latter pressed forward to look ab ib. Gently he took ib from her. A minute later he grasped her wrisb so tightly bhab ehe almosb cried oub. •Girl, girl ! where did ib como from ! Speak, make him tell you. My God! Walber, my eon, my only son. " Jusbitia !" Yes, justice ; even from the grave your voice cries oub for jusbice.' Whab did ib mean?. The Hod. Carroll Vance, usually co cool, so dignified and quiet. Now, his face so whibe, his eyes burned with a wild lighb. He stepped to the bedside of the wounded man.

' Speak ! how came you by this ring ? Ib once belonged tp my only son. Where is he now ? Have you murdered him ? If so, by Heaven, I will force you to pay the death penalty, even if I turn executioner with my Own hands.' With these words he shook Indian Jim's shoulders roughly.

'Stand back ; do nob touch him V said Shabbonee, clasping hia knife threateningly. 'He never harmed your son. He did good always, to everyone. Junqua gave him that ring.' 'Junqua? Who is he? Where ia he?' cried the fabhor, whose hearb had mourned so long for his losb son. No one replied. The doctor poured a little brandy between Jim's tips, bub it was nob swallowed. The brave fellow lay cold and still; his old companion, Shabbonee, bowed above him in stern grief. Indian Jim, the true - hearted and benevolent savage, was dead. (To be Continued,) ...