THE SMUGGLER'S CAPTIVE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 19, 23 January 1897, Page 6

THE SMUGGLER'S CAPTIVE.

BY SEWARD W. HOPKINS.

Anther of * Emmett'e Girl,' 'The Filibuster*

«* Venezuela,' etc.

CHAPTER XXXV,

THE FOX-TONE AT LAST.

A few days later, Clara Denman, clad in deep mourning, was in the library of the elegant Donman homestaad in Utica, with Lawyer Dalwrangle and Air Fanshawe dancing attendance upon her. . •It wa9 a sad thing—a very sad thing, ivlrs Denman,' said Lawyer Dalwranglo. • So soon after the death of his brother and tho disappearance of his niece.' 'Sad ! Ah, God only knows how sad it was to me,' repli.d Clara, wiping a supposititious tear from hor eye. «Poor ©eorge! I knew, of course, thab it was likely fco happen at any time, but I did not know—l did not oxpecb it so soon,' •It is too bad, indeed,' said Mr Fanehawe. * The family seemed doomed.' * Ah, my poor nioce!' said Clara. •What do you think of that case, gentlemen ? My poor husband always maintained that it waa nob Alice Denman who was buried.' Lawyer Dalwrangle _milod knowingly, and shook his head. 'That waa a foolish fancy of his, Mrs Denman, and I told him go. There was no doubb in my mind ab tho bime, nor has there been any since, that ib was really Alico Denman who was found drowned. Your own identification, tho watch and lockeb, and the resulb of the coroner's inquesb were conclusive enough. No, we've had enough of bhab folly. Alice Denman ia dead, and her forbune was your husband's. By bis will he loaves everything to you. and thia is now your home. Mr Fanshawo and I will be ready in a few daya. to turn over the papers to you, giving you absolute control of your fortune.'

A little shiver passed over Clara, bub she maintained her composure. She slept in Alice Denman's homo thab night, and ia the morning returned to New York.

' The fortune is ours,' she said to Goode, who was awaiting her return with feverish impatience. * Have you got it ?' he asked eagerly. • No, nob all,' she replied, smiling, "but it is as good as in my hands. See here 1 For present needs.' She exhibited a roll of bank notes.

"I drew fifcy thousand dollars by permission of the trustees,' she said. ' They are both with us. I defy any one to geb the money now.' * What is my share to be V asked Goode. • I shared the danger and the work. I fixed up the identification job, wibhoub which you would have failed in all. The fortune is four millions. I wanb two. You promised me half. Lsb us begin bhe division now. Give me half that roll,'

* You shall have it,' said Clara. ' You have done your parb beaubifully.'

Goode had never had five hundred dollars in his possession before. When his fingers closed on tho twenty-five thousand thab Clara counted out bo bim, he trembled with excitomenb, and grew intoxicated with bho glorious future thus opened oub bo him. As ba,wenb to his room, he chuckled and caressed himself.

"I never dared before even to mention ber name,' ho said, ..' But now tbab I bavo my dear mother in my clutches I can marry whom I choose, and she dare nob grumble. Ada is, perhaps, older than I, bub who is ao magnific.nb and queenly? With a fortune of two millions I can dress her like a princess, and her diamonds shall be the finest in the world. Ah, now lam happy.' Ada shall be mine' Arraying himself in his besb, he lefb bhe house and wenb to Madame La Tour's. V,'hen tho yellow-haired queen of evil saw him, she was surprised. 'He cannot yeb know thab I am his mother's sifiter,' she said to herself. *V\ hy should he know 1 The fool has money to spend. It may as well come to me as any one eUe.' She met him smilingly. 'My darling Ada!' said Goode, throwing bi« arms around her. ' Boy 1 Foolish boy !' sho answered, laughing, 'Am I?' he said, confident in tbe power he knew his wealth would give him. ' Ada, lam rich. I love you. I have loved you for a long time. Will you bo my wife ?' She laughed heartily. ' Come,' sho said. • You are a precocious youth. Lab us have some wine.' She rang for wine. Goode drank ib greedily, growing, all the time, more affectionate and confidential. ' ' You want to marry me, I suppose, to havo me to supporb you,' said Madame Ac'a. • Do If he answered, pulling his roll of bank note. from his pockeb. ' Does thab look like ib? Marry mo and you shall live better bhan you ever did before. lam jrich.' ' Hoiv rich ?' asked Madame Ada. ' I am worth two millions of dollars,' he »H._vered. Slu*- started. A thoughb flashed through her head. •Ib ia bho Denman fortune,' she said to herself. ' Thoy have murdered George Dan man to get tho money. Again my hateful sister will crow over mo and flaunt her wealth in my face. Here is an opportunity to humiliate her. I will marry her Bon. Half the fortune will be mine. Then whab will sweet Ciara cay ?' So completely did the idea seize her thab she laughed outright. * Why do you largh V asked Goode. 'Is two millions a laughing matter?' ' I am laughing for joy, my dear hoy,' she said, *If you wanb mo so bad, I will marry you. Let ub drink to bur future happi_ D 89..' They drank long and deeply, and anobher step toward the end was taken. CHAPTER XXXVI. THE RETURN OF THB HEIKESS. The castle of Don Antonio do Taleredo was a commodious and comfortable affair, elegan-dy furnished and full of tasteful draperies, paintings and statuary. The building sob well back in a pretty park, the entrance bo which was a broad gate between two high p0..9 of rough •tone. , ' Into this tho cavalcade turned, Don Antonio leading the way, closely followed by the three friends and hia own officers. "The man who had been sent to spy upon Father Cordova atood upon *an outer

gallery of atone, forming part of the great porch. ' Well, what did you learn V asked Don Antonio, as be approached and leaped from bis horse. The man with the wooden face waited until his ma.ter had come up tbe porch. •Father Cordova has a guest,' he said. 'It is a queer-looking fellow, I don'b like the looks of him.' ' Well, I didn't tell you to fall in lo^e wifch him,' said Don Antonio. 'Ia the priest now at home ?' ' Ha is not. He and his queer guest lefb a shovfc time ago, and started upon horses up the norbh road. They passed here, and I, who waa following aba distance, turned in here, knowing thab they could nob return without passing the castle again, and would go only in one direction if they continued northward.' • They have nofc returned ?' said Don Antonio. ' No. They have nob returned.' ' Very well; stand here and continue to watch,' said Don Antonio. Then turning fco his men, he commanded them to follow him, and led the way into the casble. •My friends.' he said, *we have hot work botoro us. Tho priest, Cordova, and bhe fellow called Bumpo Wigg have cone on horses up the north road. It follows as a matter beyond doubt, bhat Andreas Wigg lies in waiting somewhere there. And where Andreas Wigg is concealed there we shall find the two young ladies who were taken from Father Manuel's house. And where would the Wiggs and these girls be unless there waa a den of pirates in the rocks on our northern coast ? The case then ia clear. All our duties lie in one direction. We must follow Cordova to the north, surprise these fellows, rescue the young ladies and put an end to thia kind of business on Taleredo.' • We will,' said several of the officers in a breath. '■There are guns here,' said Don Antonio. 'Come and arm yourselves.' In a smaller room Don Antonio exhibited a rack filled with rifles. • There ia scarcely a choice bofcween them,' he said, * Take any one and you will find a good piece. Hero are cartridges. Load, and be ready for our enemies.' Ib did nob take long for tho men, including Sinclair, Turner and Hermanico, bo possess themselves of rifles nnd to load them. 4 We are ready,' said one; 'Then follow me again, 1 said Don Antonio. They left the casble, and remounted their horses. 1 You have seen nothing of the priest and his guest.' said Don Antonio to the sentinel. ' I have seen nobbing.' " Then geb a rifle and follow us.' Out on bhe norbh road they wenb, Don Antonio still leading. Having been so long unmindful of the crimeß committed on hia island, he was now eaeer to pub. an end bo all the evil ab ono stroke. At first bhey travelled through country much iike thab around Moneiro and Mantitta. Than tbe verdure became scarcer, the "land poorer, and then tbe horseman came to a region of rocks, An hour they rode. •There!' said Don Antonio, pointing ahead. ' There are two horses standing withoub riders. Tbe prie3b and his guest have gone beyond thab barrier,' A greab wall ot rock rose before them. The sound of tbe sea came to them. ■Dismount,' said Don Antonio. "We mugb go over those rocks.' They dismounted and left a man—he of tbe wooden face—in charge of bhe horses, and followed Don Antonio iv a lively scramble over fche rocks, This was severe work, and ifc took (hem some time to reach the edge. •By all the saints !' exclaimed Don Antonio. ' Look ab that.' They stood where thoy could overlook" the socluded harbour, where the swift steamer of Maxillimo lay ab anchor, and nob far from her rode the fishing boab of Momez. ' So this is Lisbon V said Hermanico. ' Andreas Wigg ia here.' • There is a cave here,' said Don Antonio. 'I know this place. Yonder opening in bhe rocks is called the Gate of the Moors. Under us is bhe cave. There is tbe pirates' lair. Leb us geb down to ib.' (To be continued.)