THE LUCK OF THE "LONDON PRIDE."

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 132, 5 June 1901, Page 6

THE LUCK OF THE "LONDON PRIDE."

A COMPLETE SHORT STORY,

Xt had come to a sure end, I thought that night. Here was I a.t last, with but a few shillings, after all was said, between myself and the poorest beggar of London Town; last and alone of my race; penniless and nigh dishonoured through the cruel defamations of my foe; and even, so 1 told myself in that weak hour, giving the lie to the old saying, that whatever else the Eumbolds of Goring were, certainly they hud proved themselves lo be men. For 1 felt myself a coward. The creaking in the wind of the black sign outside the dingy inn echoed dully in my heart, and gave me fear. I shivered at the slightest sound. Little i cared for the loss of my money. That loss had come to hundreds in the folly of their youth, and before Heaven 1 was willing enough to fling my pride away. But my love .was kept from me, 1 was barred from all communication with her, and that was everything, and the world was nothing. . So I was half-minded to go from that place, and drop to the mud quietly from the slippery edge oi the wharf But presently new heart came to me, and i saw that my fists were clenched upon the table. Ihe game should be played to the end, and the end should see who would win, Eupert Lindner or 1, the outcast of the house of Rumbold. Heavy lay my count against Rupert Lindner, as my mind went quickly beck. He had taken the last of my lather's fortune from me. Even in my folly I could forgive him that. But he had defamed me to the father of my love; had called me a roue and a, hunter of women. ... He to call me that, himself the profligate hanger-on to some half-dozen counts in all, during his wicked life. Did Grace herself believe that? I wondered, as I sat alone tha,t vile room. So the crash had come, and the rest of that gay crowd (who could forgive anybody but a fool) laughed openly, and said I was unworthy of-Grace Chichester, I, who would have given my life to shield her. That stolid foolishness which was my heritage had brought me to a pretty pass, and I could not even find my eiremy, to reach him with my eword. I had insulted him before others; he had sneered and they had laughed. He would not fight me, and because he was in favour with many his cowardice was glossed over, and my revenge must wait. I promised myself that my desire for revenge would not lessen through keeping. . 1 could come to no definite purpose even with all this wayward thought. As I sat there, gloomily there crowded into the little room a sailors' party, noisy and flushed with wine. I could not help hearing snatches of their rough talk. They were starting for;a ":safi voyage ~,on th§. morrow, and rectlessness took hold of me at their words, and I knew then that, given a chance, I would leave England till my time of revenge should come. Of what avail to stay? I knew not •where my love was. Had she kept true to me? Or, again, did she believe those evil tales of me that ready lips told from ear to listening ear?

"My friend," said I, addressing- myeelf to one who sprawled along the table, "will you tell me for what port you start to-morrow, and your errand there?"

"That is my business,' he said with a loud oath.

"I crave your pardon. I would make it mine," I answered. "I ask you from no idle curiosity." "To this great America," said he, ieyeing me sullenly. "And the errand . . . . a mad one, I am afraid."

"I should like to come with you as * needy passenger. I am weary of the crowded streets and would welcome change."

"You'll get that," said he, with a Seer. "You'll get that."

A half mile down the wharf their Bhip lay, ready for the morrow. The men brought their captain to me.

"We have other passengers," said he, suspiciously. "They need no addition to their company."

; "I can live with the men," said I.

He consented in the end. I was to share his cabin. We went back to the inn and drank to the good luck of the ■voyage. I liked the men, and they friends with me from that mojuent.

That night I slept upon the ship, tuid on the morrow great noises of departure ■woke me in rarj berth, and I knew that the London Pride was making slow headway down the .Thames, bound on a long journey.

' For how many days 1 lay below, unable to move, cursing the caprice which had led me to dare the sea, I do not know. For all his rough looks and speech, the captain was kind -aq pßi[ i uaqAv pire 'am o^ qSnoua come accustomed to the strange rolling of the vessel, I learnt something of the object of the voyage. They went, said he, to find some place of great hidden treasure. We had on board him who knew of the treasure, and a wealthy private gentleman who had paid the costs of the expedition. But the captain of the London Pride was not sanguine of success.

In my long sickness, the closeness of the tiny cabin had grown intolerable, but I was veil enough at last to go upon the deck. Climbing painfully tip the narrow stairs of the hatchway, I heard voices, which were not those of the men, and I halted for a moment, fearful of interrupting. Then the voices seemed familiar, and I craned on tip-toe, and put my head above the level of the deck. The father of my love, Mr. George Chichester, and my enemy, Rupert Lindner, chatted to one another pleasantly by the ship's sMe.

Heaven knows what held me in that moment from crying out. But I dropped back to the cabin and sat on the edge of my berth, and the thoughts ■were racing in my head. Then my mind was clearer. Lindner had propounded some false mad tale of hidden treasure, and the wealthy commoner liad fallen into the net. And above ©1. thoughts this was clear, that a •fcance for a fight with my enemy had aoine. The captein swung heavily into the «abin with news of a coming storm. 3E talked with him, and after a while *lmost had proof of the guilt of my

enemy, who was draining the elder man of money in this wild pursuit of the supposed treasure. And when he gave me that proof, and assured me of his sorrow for the dupe, I. told him of my purpose, and went at once to the cabin where Chichester and Rupert Lindner sat. I knocked upon the door. They rose quickly at ray entrance, and the father of her I loved gave a great cry of astonishment, and Lindner stood stiffly, looking coldly across the room. I cut short his sneer. " I give you no explanations," said I, bowing. " Stooping quickly. I pulled his own sword from its sheath before he could read my purpose, and pricked bis breast with the point. He gave a little cry of pain. " Oh." cried I, " will you fight me now. If you refuse, by Heaven, T'll thrust you where you stand." The storm which the captain had prophesied had come up with surprising swiftness, and the skies were black as night. The " London Pride " rolled to and fro. Ten feet to the left of Rupert Lindner, and ten feet to ray right a lantern was lashed to the bulhe was past all notion of honour as he .spite of his friends in London City, in spite of his sneers to hide his cowardire, on the " London Pride" tossing dangerously in mid-ocean, we met at last. And a great joy filled my heart as I looked at my enemy's dim white face. From the very first, as we strove for footing on the slanting decks, I knew that I had him safe. I think he knew, too. Once I slipped, and I knew that he was past all notion of honour as lunged at me, fallen though I was. But I ducked again, lying flat upon the dock. He missed his thrusts, and could scarcely recover himself; and the next minute I had regained my footing-, and was attacking- him with greater strength. Then at la-st I had him in the heart, for which T had worked rill the time; as his sword twirled in the air from his useless hands he spun backwards and fell a heap upon the deck. Chichester was silent, standing motionless still. But I knew that when I ransacked the baggage clown in the cabin, and proved to him Lindner's treachery, he -would be on my side. For sure the luck of the •" London Pride " Avas with me, and I was in truth the winner of the game. And, suddenly, from the far end of the deck was the click of a bolt being shot back; and I felt a sense of a dear presence, and my love, Grace Chichester, came within the flickering- circle of the lantern light, and ran towards me. I had not even known that she was on tho ship. She stumbled over the dead body of my enemy, and I took her into my arms.