Her Ransom

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 239, 6 October 1904, Page 6

Her Ransom

By CHARLES GARVICE.

CHAPTER VUl.—(Continued.) ~?3 QU dont remember your rncther. hum thac lie might learn something <3 f her people. He would have to find them Borne day and restore her. She shook her head. ' No: s!, G died soon after I was born, rapa seldom spoke of her; it always made him sad and unhappy. And vet I know that they were so'happy— once, for he told mc that they lived in a beautiful house m the country, and that the pun always shone; he meant that they irore always happy." " Tes - he couldn't have meant that tne snn really always shone—that is if it was in England," said Neville, eonc'.^lt. 'Yes, it was in England. The trouble came." ""What trouble?" She shook her thoughtfully. '•I don't know. Papn, lost all his money. It was not his fault. He had an enemy " Neville stared at her solemn face. "A what:" '"An enemy," she repeated. "A man Who hated him, and wanted to ruin him. I think he must have ruined him. Then -mamma died. I think she died of grief." She paused, and Neville turned his .head away. If there had been any tears in her eyes they had gone when he looked round again. "Well?" he said. He had not learned much that was of lany use to kirn as yet. "Then papa loft, England, and we travelled about. We lived in France, end papa taught a. school. That's as far back as I can remember clearly, and we wei-p very happy, we two. We'used to- take long walks along the river bank, and papa would tell mc the name of every flower and teach mc things. Then one day he came home very sad and tired looking,- and said that we must leave. His enemy Lad been to the school and told lies about him, and the people? hod believed the enemy because hr> was rich and powerful, and papa wi, poor and unknown.'' Seville's blue eyes expanded. "Why, it's just like a novel, Syl!" he said, gravely. She nodded. "Is it? Then we took to wandering and sometimes papa got work teaching or in a bank or an office, but sooner or later th<» enemy would come, and we had to leave." "He was a nice kind of man; the enemy, as you call him. What was his name, Syl?" She shook her head. / "I don"t know. Papa never told mc." "I'm sorry for that," said Neville grimly. "Why. Jack?" "Because T should make it my business when I got out of this hole'to find that individual and try and square accounts."' ""What could you do, Jack?" she asked. dubiously. . "Well. I could give ...'him., the. soundest thrashing—but I suppose ' lie' would be too old. confound him!" "Yes," she said, softly. PBut I thank you all the same, .Jack." < ,".' Ant"'she" s&Tcßetl oui' : 'th : c brown* paw and laid it. on his hot, strong arm. i Neville .'endured the caress, permitted it, just as a young fellow of twenty suffers his sisters to kiss him. ••'Well?" he said. "Is that all?" "That's all. I think. Except that poor papa lo=fc heart at last, and we crossed the ocean—oh, how bad I was! —and Came here to Australia. But he dig: he wasn't strong enough, and he. was different from the rough men—and—and—then " She stopped end looked down at the pit. "I hope you'll find another nugget, Jack!" "So do I," he said, resuming Work. "I think there's bound to" be one there. Meth says that where there's one there's sure to be another. Jack""" '•Well?" "Did you give Meth all that money she said you did?" "Y*s," he replied, shortly. --But Meth shouldn't tell tales out of" school."

Her grey eye's grew soft and melting ns they dwelt on him.

''Jack. I -think -you arc the best. £he niOMt generous "■ - *- —

'•Hullo!'" he interrupted, with a laugh. '-Stop 'that. Syl. Don't knock rae down willi compliments of that kind, ■.•specially when I'm busy." Ho stooped and sifted the "sand, and put two or three tiny lumps of gold on Ihc edge. "That's* something like. Syl!'* She took them up in her hand, and her eyes sparkled. "Oh, .Jack, if you could only find anutho.r nugget."' "Yes!'' he said. "And. I want it worse than I did."' ""Do you?" she said, turning over the. yellow morsels. "Why? Ah. you haven't much money loft after paying for mc— "* "Now then!" "And giving so much to Meth. But what will you do with it. Jack, when you find ii." And drew herself full length toward the edge of the pit, very much as an Indian docs, but with the added grace of a .young girl, and looked down into it eagerly. "What shall Tdo with it? 7 ' said Neville, cheerfully. "Well, I sh.ill send yon home to England, and, put you at a good' school—ji first-rate one, you know, where you wili be with young ladies like yourself. And then Take care! There, you've dropped those lumps into the pit." She Had let the gold fall from her hand, a::J had shrunk back under the awning, her face turned away from him.

"That's what I shall do," continued Neville, picking up the gold carefully, and ignorant of her sudden change of posture and manner. "The sooner you are out of this hole the better. It's not the proper place for a young lady. You ought to be in England, in the care of nice people; and that's where I mean to send you with

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He leaned upon bis spade and looked vacantly across the plain. He had' forgotten the little maiden wbo had stalked off to tho hut, and was!back in England, a boy again, romping with Audrey Hope, of the Grange. With a sigh he roused himself and resumed work. At dinner time it was Meth, and not Sylvia,, who appeared. "Hallo!" he said* "where's Sylvia?'" Meth shook her head. " 'Pears to me-that young, gal o' yeurs," Young "inij is getting proud. TTou take his dinner, Meth,' says she, as bold as brass.. 'I shan't!' I told" yer all along as you. was panrperin' her too much. Young 'un. There she sits with her hands in bar lap, starin' at- nuthin", just like an Injin himage." "All right," said Neville, hoisting himself up on to the bank and beginning to munch his dinner. "You let her alone, Meth. I won't have her interfered with.*'; """""interfere! Who's "'interfering with her? Seems to mc I'm no account now, and "ud better take my hook."

"Seems to mc, Yoang "un,". retorted Meth, darkly, "that it's you as s "wants talcin' care of more than her." ■ ,

Neville fell to work again directly after dinner. The claim '"paid* well that day, and in an unusually buoyant frame of mind he shouldered his tools and wended home.

''I don't want any supper."' she said, and walked to the door cf the hut.

em alone, that's the best thing to do.'

"Xo, no! Don't, Jack, don't! He's not worth it.'"

Xevillc loosened his hold, and Lavarick struggled to Is's feet/ his long claw-like hands fumbling at his throat, bis eyes almost starting from their sockets, glaring in a frenzy of terror at his assailant.

Neville gave him a shake which threatened to loosen every tooth, in his head. • - , • i ..* . ;

t ••'Lavarick,'' he>9aid, in a voice terrible in its unnaturai^]mneis 3 "I ; shall have to kill you!": .;......

Sylvia, trembling in every limb, drew liear wtfcb. c faint, cry, but Neville frtv-

tne first nugget that turns up. And then perhaps, if the luck • holds , out, I may come, too, and see how voir are getting on. But there,..by that* time I expect you'll be. ashamed of. a rough digger who says 'mo' for M," and—no. I don't'mean that.. You're not that- sort, are you, Syl?" He looked up and sap that she had turned her back to him. and that her head was drooping over her bosom. But with the blindness of his sex and age he had not the least idea of what vras the matter with her. ''Getting hot and tired, Syl?" he said„ "Better go indoors: But just wait five minutes longer. I fancy I've come upon a streak, and you are as keen on it as I am, I know, and ought to be keener after what I've tokl you." She was keen enough, as a rnle, and j was wont to watch every spadeful of the ' dust he threw up: but now she seemed quite indifferent, and would not turn her head. "There's gold there,"' said Neville, cheerfully. "I'd stake my life on it, and you may see dear old England sconer than you think, Syl. Lord, though, how I shall miss you! Tbatl.eomea of my never having a sister, you see. rl shan't? have anybody to come and talk and sing to mc when you've gone! Just pitch mc that 'cradle,' will you?" She pushed it with her tiny foot, still keeping her face away from him. "Look here!" he cried. "What did I say? Here's some, more of it!. Look at this, Syl!" Fut'to his her head iway from him, rose slowly, and tossing the thick dark hair from her face, walked majestically towards the but. * CHAPTER IX. Neville looked at her with all a man's beautiful stupidity. "Now, I wonder what I said to offend - her!" he mused. "What rum things girls are. Anyone would have thought -that i she'd have been delighted at the thought of getting out of this beastly place and going back to England. Well, there's no underetanding women, even when they're ' kids. I remember little Audrey Hope used to he just like that; take the huff in a moment. Little Audrey! By George! I suppose she has grown into a Woman < by this time. What fun we used to ' have! "*

"Oh, no," said Neville, vrho tfaerbttehly understood old Meth. "You've got to stick by us, Meth, because you've got' fe take care of Sylvia." ' ; - ■ •

Sylvia was seated very much as Meth had described her, and when Neville spread out the results of his day's work on tho plank table she would scarcely deign to look at it: but swept it into a heap' disdainfully, aud plumped down his supper in front of him.

"Why, you might -be an • empress the way you treat the root of all evil, Syl,*' he said, with a short laugh. "I tell you. it's a jolly good day; but come and have your supper.

"What did I tell yon?" said Meth. "That's the way she's been behavin' all . the arteruoon. It's pride, and a full stomach; that's what it is."

'•"Shut up., and leave her alone,"' said Neville, gobd-tempefedly. "You don't understand young girls, Meth. Leave

He ate his supper, hut with only half the usual relish, and with many a. glance toward the door of the hut, and wis filling his pipe when he heard a cry.

He dropped the pipe and leaped to the door.

Sylvia was not there, and was nowhere to he seen.

He ran out blindly, calling for her as he ran. It was dark, as dark as it can he at that time of the year and night in Australia, and he blundered on straight before him, still calling her name. Suddenly he heard, to the right o* him. the cry repeated. It was her voice. He tore along, his revolver in his baud, and stumbled upon a horse. Beside the horse stood Lavarick. struggling with Sylvia*- •-.- - Neville" Inn-led himself upon the man like a thunderbolt, and struck him twice with the stook end of the revolver, t Lavarick released Sylvia and turned : upon Neville. Something glittered dully in the darkness, and Neville felt a sharp, stinging pain in his shoulder.. The next instant Lavarick was under his feet, i and the knife was jerked twenty yards away. A mad rage possessed Neville, and his hands tightened on Lavariek's throat, and that gentleman was within an appreciable distance of his ,end, when Neville felt a hand upon his arm, and a trembling voice said in his oar:

Ed her back. His face was white, bis lips "set, and the blue «eyes seemed , to shoot flame. A strong man's rage is a terrible sight, but it is also glorious, and no one can **measure the depth of- admiration and adoration which filled the heart of the 'young girl to overflowing as she looked at her brother and protector, transformed by his" righteous anger into a demi-goi. ; "I shall have to kill you, Lavarick!" he Repeated. ** "/ . r Lavarick put' up both hands. " "Give mc time! Let mc speak!" lie gasped "I—l'll give '. you all the ■money—"' , -, . ""■■ Neville flung him down and knocked his head on the hard ground two or' three times. "You hound!" he said with each knock. "'You viper! You're not fit to crawl among honest men! /You'll give me— There!" He flung hini away. "Get up, and keep out of my reach. Wait; stay there. Sylvia, you go home, while I—talk to this gentleman." She hesitated a moment, then turned and left them, glancing back fearfully ] again and again. j "Now," said. Neville, -between his clinched teeth, '•'you owe your life, my •friend, to her; you know that."' Lavarick, feeling his throat and half choking, made a terrified gesture of assent. "Very well, then. But take my second and last warning; the laet—do you hear I give you till to-morrow morning; six o'clock. If, when I come down to the camp at" that time, I find you still there, I shall shoot you on sight, like a dog. Wait," for Lavarick, with an evil glance with his shew eye, was preparing to shuffle off. The horse had returned to the camp long since. "I don't think you'll risk your skin again, and yet you have done so. What is your object, Lavarick?"

The man looked at him silently, then dropped his eyes to the ground." "A man of my years don't like to be outbid by a young 'un like you," he said, "and the 'boys' have worried mc a good b't about it. I didn't mean her any harm. I wanted to get the best of you, that's all." ..Neville, ignorant that La.va.riek had played the spy while Sylvia's father was dying, did not know whether to aeeept this reason for Lavarick's attempt at ikidnapping or not. "Very good," he said. "You'll get the very worst of mc next time, my friend. Now be off. Remember! The 'boys* will want another undertaker to-morrow if I find yon still in cams. Go!" Lavarick immediately availed himself of the permission, and Neville, after listening until his footsteps had died away, refcurrurf slowly to the hut. Lavarick's persistence puzzled him. He knew that -the man was a. coward, and that it must have been a strong inducement to urgo him to make the attempt which Neville had foiled. Perhaps the "boys" had goaded him on, in the hope that Neville would dispose of him. Lavarick was no favourite, and could well have been spared. , (To be Continued Daily.)