THE SMUGGLER'S CAPTIVE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 20, 25 January 1897, Page 3

THE SMUGGLER'S CAPTIVE.

PY BE WARD W. HOPKINS.

Anblior of«Emmebt'o Girl,' 'The Filibusters

of Venezuela,' etc

CHAPTER XXXVI

THE RETURN OF THE HEIRESS.

In tho inner cavern the table of Maxillimo, the pirabe chief, was'heavily laden with all the good things thab go to make a feast. Tho greab chief himself sat clad in all tho gorceousness of hia piratical garb. Near him sab Andreas Wigg, smiling and happy in bho final achievemsnb of hia desires. Next to him sat Bumpo, and Father Cordova sab on bhe other hand of Maxillimo. The cutthroats ot Maxillimo filled all tho othbr chairs but two. ' Let tho captives be broughb to their wedding feast,' said Maxillimo. "The priest is here bo unibe the American heiress to my friend, Andreas Wisg. Whab is the wish of my new friend, Bumpo Wigg, concerning the other girl V ' Lot it bo a double wedding,' said Andreas, laughing in glee. 'Let Cordova earn hia fee. If my brobhor grows tired of hie wife he knows how to get rid of her.' A cheer greeted bhis speech. The pirates of Taleredo wore not accustomed to such brilliant) scenes as this. Two of them, obeying the command of Maxillimo, stepped farther into tbe caverns, and returned, leading Alice and Lucy by the hand. The two girls stood mute and trembling before the heartless villains who were thoir masters. ' You see,' said Cardova, smiling ironically at Alice, ' you inueb obey, after all. Ib would have been better if you had yielded at first. But come. Ib is time. Another hour may bring those Americans here, and we will be compelled bo kill them before we oat.' 'The Americana?' said Andreas Wigg, starting up. ' Yes,' replied Cordova. "1 learned that two Americans arrived with bhe nephew of old Manuel. Let us hurry.' •Yes,' said Maxillimo, 'hurry. The wedding first and bbc feast afterward.' ' Andreas Wigg, choose your bride,' said Cordova, chuckling.

Both Andreas and Bumpo stepped forward and laid their hands upou bhe girls. Both Alice and Lucy, overcome with terror, screamed in unison.

Ab bhab moment a shout rang through the cavern.

' Shoot every man! Save the young ladies. I command 1'

It was the voice of Don Antonio, and aa he spoke the men ha led came swarming in after him. 'Curses! We are attacked!' shouted Maxillimo. ' Defend yourselves.' His words were usole.e. The rifles of Don Antonio's men opened a continuous rain of death-dealing lead upon the pirates. Sinclair and Turner sprang to the girls. 'Jed! My Jed! My own Jod!' cried Lucy, throwing herself.into Turner's arms. ' Lucy ! My darling !' he answered, clasping her to his breast. 'Mils Denman, we came to rescue you,' said Sinclair, taking tho hand of Alice in i bii>, j She looked ab him a moment, with glowing blushes on her cheeks ; then she said faintly, a3 the reaction came, ' I knew .you would come, you are so brave,' and fainted in his arms. The two Wigg?, caught like rats in a trap, stood glaring savagely at the intruders. They turned and p-aw Sinclair. ' A ghost. A ghos.! Zc ghost of zo spy !' shrieked Bumpo, Drawing a knife, he sprang upon Sinclair, whose rifle liad dropped from his hand. Bub Turner's quick eyes had seen him. ' You inlenial wretch I' he said, parting for a tnome.-t from Lucy. 1 Hound !' screamed Bumpo. ' I kill you both !' Jod Turner's giant fisb met Bumpo in tho jaw. The young fellow's face was working with a passion of hate to.yard the man who had stolen the girl he loved. As Bumpo fell, Turner steeped and caught him by the feet. Swinging tho shrieking scoundrel once around hia head, Turner banged his head againsb bhe wall of tho cave, and, covered with tapestry though ib was, the blow Was so terrific th-.fc Bumpo's skull was cracked clean across the top. 4 Now you !' said Turner, springing toward Andreas. He caught the now terrified villain by the throat, beat him backward, benb him over, and wibh a mighty effort broke his back. •Lid there and Buffer till you die, 1 ho said. ' No,' said Sinclair. ' Don't be unmerci* ful. Shoot him.' ' Well, as you say,' said Turner, and picking up a fallen rifle he shot Andreas Wigg through the head. While thia was going on in one corner ol the cavern, the babble between Don Antonio's men and the pirates was going on in other parts. Volleye of rifle shots reverberated through bhe caves. Cordova wenb down like a log. Maxillimo himself fell under Don Anbonio's rifle, and .the owner of bhe island vindicated himself before Her Majesty, the Queen Regenb, and wiped out in the blood of the pirates all the pasb ovils of Taleredo. The babtle over, they lefb bhe caves and returned to the casblo of Don Antonio. In a few days, Alice and Lucy having recovered from their fright, they lefb Mantitta for Lisbon, on their way to America, leaving Hermanico ab Mantitta in charge of his uncle's affairs. Clara Denman, all ignoranb of the blow in store for her, grew arrogant in her newly-acquired wealbh, and carried her bead high. One day, as she sab in her New ¥ork house, Goode entered with.Madame Ada on his arm. Wibh a flush of anger Clara sprang to her feeb. • What do you mean by intruding your presence here?' she acked. Ada 8-niled ironically. «I am Mrs Goode,' she said, ' I have married your son. All the good things in life aro not for you.' Clara, whose nerves were always &fc lush pitch, stood for a moment almost bereft of her senses. Turning bo Charles she screamed ; «la bhat true ?' • It is,' ho answered. ' You fool !' she yelled. *Do you know what you have done ? You have married your aunt.' Charles looked from one to another, helpless in his astonishment. 'Well,' he said at last, ' it's done, and cannot be undone. Make the best of it.' A short time after that, Lawyer Dalwraogle was sitting in bis offico, when he Was startle.! by fche entrance of an apparation. . ' Alice Denman !' he exclaimed, leaping to hia feet. ' Yes, Alice Denman,' replied the haiross. •I arrived in New York several days ago. T know all that has been done. 1 know that you regard my aunt aa bhe owner of my fortune, bub ib is a misbako.' -1-—l—did nob know—l bhoughb—' • Do nob think I blame you,' said Alice,

kindly. * All I ask is that you will now protect my interests and aave my inheritance.' 'It is no,, boo late,' said Lawyer Daiwrangle. ' Forbunately nothing has been given to Mrs Denman e*cepb fifty thousand dollars in cash.' ' Lob her keep that,' said Alice. *We can spare bhab out of our plenty, can wo not, dear?' ! Sho turned, as she spoke, to a stalwart figure that had entered silently and stood beddo her. ' Yes, if you are willing. It is yours,' he said. ' Pardon me, Mr Dal wrangle," said Alice. ' Lsb me introduce you to my husband, Gordon Sinclair. We wero married yester- - day in New York.' ' I congratulate both,' said the lawyer ; ' and I congratulate raygelf that this miatake has no further than' it has. You will, of course, take up your home in your house here ?' 'Vies, for the preset) V said Alice. lha end of this romance is already guessed and need nob be pub into long sentences to weary tho reader. The result of the chivalry of Sinclair could have been nothing less. He won the love of Alice when he saved her from Andreas Wigg. Upon arriving in New York they wenb direct to the residence of George Denman, only to find ib closed. From a servant febey learned whab had transpired, and that Clara was at the Utica homestead. Thus left with neither father nor uncle as prutector, Alice, who had on the journey to New York promised to become Gordon Sinclair' 3 wife, looked to him as her only supporter, and they were hastily married, to give him the legal righb to watch over her and keep her from her enemies. Lawyer Dalwrangle immediately went to the house of Alice, where Clara was sbaying, and in a few words told her of the new turn in affairs, which plunged her from her pedestal to what seemed like poverty to her. Sho lefb bhe house,' took a train to New York wibhoub meeting Alice, and tho nexb morning was found dead in her bed, having poisoned herself with arsenic Gdode" and hia wife grew to hate each obher, and became of the scum of the earth, eventually figuring in the police reports and coming to tho end prepared for all such as they.

Turner and Lucy Shaw were married, and wibh the help of Alice are on the way to prosperity.

This is the end of our story, bub not the end of tho romance. Thab shall live as long as Alice and her husband are alive, for it dwells within their home, and is a companion to the ruling olemonb of their daily lives—their undying love for eaeb other and their happiness in each other.* presence. the end.