MASTER AND MAN.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 6, 7 January 1916, Page 8

MASTER AND MAN.

(By Alice ■ »nd , Claude ' Aikev.) . CHAITER-XXVr:— (Continued.) It was Mollj: who had first suggested that an appeal sKo.uld be made for assistance to Lewis Merton; sbe had admitted at the same time that he was fond of her. : Denis could almost remeih.ber her words. And • ever ■ since • then Merton had been "constantly Dorrington he was driving* with Molly when the a'dcident happened. Coujd it be possible that" there was more:.in that accident than he had. ever imagined! His marriage-to Jfolly was to have taken place on" tHe following'day. Was she, perhaps, already tired' of her engagement? Did. she w'sint to' avoid .the maj- ,- riage by a supposed accident —which had. turned out to be more serious than was ever intended! ■ MSrton was- such a rich man. and he, Denis, so poor. Evil, hateful thoughts jostled each other in Denis' brain—such thoughts as he had never had before, and of which He was utterly aahampd. Whence had they comet What "was-the cause' of -their origin? In a flash- of inspiration, he knew. "' •; '• '■ . . :

Bert-he had said nothing actually, to suggest such conclusions/ but perhaps by her tone., perhaps by Eome subtle suggestion of her regard,, she had inspired him with doubt, and it was her intention to do so.

She eat there,' Circe-like, her -white arms folded behind- her.back, smiling upon him, forcing, as it were, upon.his intelligence the '■ contrast ■of her great beauty and poor-Molly's supposed disfigurement, impelling him to her by the sway of liis senses, by -the hot blood that surged through ■ his veins at the power of her eve. • '. ' . - ■ : ]

And Denis knew all this. He recognised her for the temptreseahe was He understood that, for some purpose of her own, she wished to ensnare him— that she had thrown her net about him from the very beginning. ' She had even controlled his dreams as the result of a single kiee. ' - .-■■

Had lie' the strength to fight against her as his heart- impelled him tot He had no love for liter—none at all—and she must have been aware of Bat perhaps she did'not* care. Like a young witch, she Knew where her power lay, and it pleased her to exert it—the power of Bes. ' *

"What's the -u«e>" of- crying over a broken " toy, "Dehie!" "ehe whimpered suavely. "You- shouldn't take love co seriously. We women are not worth it. Love is only part of the jcet of life; you know." '" .'" ; "What would jiou" -have mc do!" he cried, hoarsely.. ■ " "Why, forget all. about Molly eince she evidently wishes you'to do co. You are young and are lots of ether women in the" world- —r"

She lay back upon her cushions eniiling at him, her red lips little over her white, even' teeth. She had a mouth that called for kisciv. '

?Berthe!"/ ; 7 -■ ■ ■'•■' He took a faltering :atep forwards, his eelf-eontrol slipping -'from him.' The "spell ;of * her fascination vwae upon, him. ■• «• ■,

She ~hinds the back of. her head and brought'lrer'-'arms forward as if she'we're stretching them but to him. Her<pose was exquisite arid every, 'movement she made was charged with a wonderful'grace. ; '•'

. .Her- eyes,ehone-;withj-the light, of victory. She had won what ehe had , promised hcreclf to win." Her boast that no man could long resist her if she choee to exercise her pqwcr':had proved, itself tme. Denis had put her upon her mettle—arid how she' hatl" conquered." "

And indeed her \heart. was .beating for more than a gratified boast. .She wlio had imagined herself impervious to. love —real • begun -to realise that she was all.. She had conquered,' in a sense her conquest was; equivalent to ■ a defeat. "For she loved .Denis Clayton with all the intensity of, a. passionate nature. Over and over again,-as he lay. ill' r when she had imprinted sterile kisses upon, his brow, she had l'origed.with-heart and epul that one day'thoeo'iiieses might be returned. . • • ■", ■■- . ' , -. ■:

And now the moment had come; .Benie, pale and trembluig^'in : .every- limb, was about to . fall >at .'her-'feet—in ahothei moment. she .woijldvbej; enfolded in his arms. ■..'.-.. ■: •..'.■ ,',-.-■ ;•■ ;- .

: Denie!" ;. r ■ . . . She .leant forward,: and as Bhe did so a elight movement.of her chair shook a little table that .stood, by .her sider-a table, upon. which,Berthe kept her, work: basket,.: for she .wae very clever. and industrious .i with".: her :) and •_ spent hours together piying^er.needle.- r ;. , 'The table rocked■ and would; have fallen had nbt'Berthe caught' it.' with her' hand.' She.-was',not: able,' how.ev>r, to save .the ■. ■work-basket—which • was thyown.^to:the :&<?'<i,T'. at her; f up its,contentsV |g. \ confused : and,jnanyeol.oured mass oi;>c6ttonß, ■w0015,., an 4 silks. . ;■.... ~".. .- -• ..... *-j . But there, was.eoinethmg else'that, lay there too, had fallen, a little rest, and th'e'glijk-. ter' of.'■■ it;.caiigiit"' Dpnß , . leyes ■ and: gaye lim'halt., - . i- . - . . ..- ;. : : .It'.was;»iliftle ,'gqld',medallion•■ a.ttaehed. to a elendeir',chain; .He kn.ew.it .weir,'and;hA^ : ?SeiJ.tea.rs"for its loss. \, •jThe inns tta,'t he had extepded. to-, wariis Berthe' fell, Jieavily; tij'jhie sidpsj tlie .yroti»\ that'"ihje,.s&d'bee : n'about' to utter died." on.'his.lips.J,. ■'. ., . ."■'. t "'. '. ' fle." : . stood' ipr;, a"".moment; staring blankly; then :'hp and" "picked up'ithe,. locket, ) .'and,;'; Btill .without.". a word," op.ened' it.'' V -ThW smiling.' ey.ee ;ofMolly greeted, hiin ;: 7-MoJly;.'as';ne; knew hher Withiher , soft,';dimplcd, 'cheeks,' hjer eweetj 'her ; > diisferijig; ciiris. \ ■''... :; "J , , , . .'..'■ ' .''i ; ". ! -^ :Then'-he ■ glanced: elowly l at .Berthe: lie •' smile hM moulh-; aiid a dark- frown' h^«i ; settled ■uppn:."her-brje-w. :Sheiwas 'stopping; jiickingup flip scattered: contents:, work-basket.-Her.fingers qurTered-,a;fittle. t . •; ■•■i i ■(•■■•" Allow f me' to' hel^ i jou," *■■■' he '"'< eaid ; ■oirfdly,. ■ . '•■■'.; ' 'i:''-i?ri'kv: ' '.'• ■ ■'"".,";' f 'He •; gathered the assorted" : m'as's;'-tof. gether,• carefully ireturned-it •to -its.tee-. ket,'<and: ; place. ;the '.'latter- back viji" its • place :'.upon "the: tahle. : . Berthe ■sat-watching.'him.,..'. '■'■'■' • '■■'"/;■' "I am siirry about - your, lecket;" j she said at last, 3wekilyJ "I returned it to you. before. IJ forgotOf: course,.: it was: tik'en away. feom|y'pu •when'you were ill;!' , !;.';• '■'' -.-' V •' ■;'■) ..'' ■'" iXea,":-he --ieafd '■;) then': '■ ".'Xl,ee<L-; it; liiye. •been-.taKen-.a't i.\\i/\ Biras't'pld ; It. wks .■stolen-while" . - -~:■; -.• ;paused; ■b'lit.tshe '"made no,"reply.- "

" I'm-glad/, to, Jiave," itiTjack;" "heicontinued. " Molly >wOTlS{neveri'hare :giveD ;ifc to^Meiif'she''h>id'iiiJtißndied ; to;play mc false. I can't tbink : r!ho«^,.. just.' /forJa ;mihVte,*l'iioiibt«d her/ :But that's over uowr—qiiite '. oyer.'-rl am-'ConTlficed - that ;'iny ;firs*' supposition sis.: the .tine /otic.i Thfj* ■ has been : iwme wistake. .Ami. bo [there , * 'only ■ <mc ie be done.- I TOUSt-;g6." ; '■ y< ■'. ■'. ■ •>■' ■ ' "; ■'■ :■' '•'. ;1

He spoke with astonishing calmness. The epeil had been utterly broken. He saw. Berthe now for the temptress she was. ' ' ... ■ -' "■■

Jt was ehevwho:waß.iweak. AH her strength seemed to ■have gone from her. She was just a woman, a woman who loved.and who saw the object of her de-6iTe-slipping' from' her. •

"Denis," ehe cried piteousty, pressing her hands to her palpitating bosom, "I kept the locket because'l was jealous. I wanted you to forget Molly and to think of mc. . Besides, it isn't fair"—• her voice broke a little—"Molly had no Tight to force you to think of her as a beautiful girl—as she is in that portrait —-jvhen, ;in reality, ehe has lost; all her looks, When' she is I disfigured. I wanted to save you from a wretched .marriage, Denis, and if my motive was selfish" —i she stood up, lifting her head proudly a.vbecame one in whose veins ran the blood of. an ancient and noble race—"Look at mc," she cried, "am I not rich and well born?" She lowered 'her voice to a.seductive murmur. "Am I not beautiful?" - .

i It was true that never before had her beauty been. more appealing, than now ■when she was striving her utmost to recover the.eround she had lost. - But the effort ;jvas all in vain. Molly, with her simple English prettinese, 'had won the day.

For Denis the situation had grown embarrassing, to a degree. A few minutes ago, stirred- by an uncontrollable passion, he had been'about to enfold this woman in his arms—and she knew it. ' -

'He stammered a reply—he hardly knew what he said—but, even as he spoke, there came an interruption. It was the sound of horses galloping up the avenue that led to the chateau.

"What is that?" Bcrthe's quick ears had distinguished, thp sound. She moved quickly to the window.

-And at that moment the door -was finng unceremoniously open and Mme. Melanie, panting and' out 6f breath, ap-pearod-uporfthe threshold. •"Quick. Mile. Berthe;" she cried. "Monsieur must be hidden. It is the Germans—they have come back!" Berthe allowed the curtain, which she had been holding back, to fall. She turned to Denis with a smile that had in it something of irony but more of triumph. • - ■

"You cannot, go now, mon ami," she said quietly. "You must accept the hospitality of. the Chateau de Neslin a little longer—even if it is against youi will." , ..' . .. • J CHAPTER XXVIT. It was not difficult to lie concealed at the Chateau de Neslin. During the first visit of the Germans, Denis' presence there had been quite unsuspected. " The old edifice was of considerable extent, and there were rooms which were practically isolated from the rest of the house. They had served as hiding-places before, in the days of the Terror.

And then the Germans had made no search. Berthe had kept them well in she had declared herself capable, of doing. There hail not even been the" faintest attempt to loot as, without her presence, would undoubtedly have been the case.

Hauptman yon Biberich had seen to that. He had given the strictest orders to'his men. He was a typical specimen of the "blond beast," and his eyes had rested lustfully on, the beautiful Frenchwoman who had dared to remain in\her' ancestral homo to meet the invader.; It was possible,- that" he might take .Up his ■quarters at the chateau for some - days; and since the young lady seemed inclined" to make things agreeable 'for' him and his companions he regarded .it as a wise policy to'meet iier half-way. /. '. ' ,'.'.' ' And that was' how Berthe: sayed' her home from being ransacked of its treasures. As for the German oflicersj she fed them well and gave , them the best 'winethat the:cellar would produce, arid she ; was clever, enough, to keep ■ herself out of their way. But hfcr revolver never left.'her' by day or by night, and having a; genuine contempt of death, "- she was prepared to use it .if occasion demanded.

',Luckily the German occupation had riot'lasted many days. .The departure was sudden., and Hauptman yon Biberich swore lußtily in his own language- at being robbed of what he Delieyed .would provje : an agreeable': conquc's't.' 4He was incensed" at the reflection that he had Mhaved/as .a gentleman when it' had been open to him to employ the. methods of the'bully,' ' i,:, , 'I; , '."'" .' .- " He hail breathed something of a threat as; ho .departed. "If f.kte should bring ine back - again!".' " "1 ' ■' •

Fate bad!-brought him -back, and .he was by no means so amiably' disposed as *hen he had; first come. He had entered thV. castle as .a conqueror then—the Germans. were inarching. straight upon Earis "in irfestitible -was going to be a 'yalk-qver"— -a.il an end in- a. few .weeks- . But. now -the aspect of aftairs was changed. It was the Germane who' were recreating, arid they had had a pretty Wd time .of, itj too". , Haiiptman yon. Biberieh's temper was none .of the. best.■;;;•■ • ',•/'■'':■■ •". ; . ■■'.::. - !

Berthe. received, her unwanted..guests_ withithe.saine affability as.before. They, were tired lout .and,needed rest, but it was very' doub'tfulif. they could take any —rthe, infcrnaj-. 'British were, cqlae upon their, heels. .They called .for .wine, anil drank • to ■ the damnation : " of the ■ hated English,.': .Berthe,, t&inking, of. Denis .and what/might befall him if he Iwerctdis-j co,yered,; ehuddercd. as.stie 'heard., their fie.rce,-.denuncitttibns. J . v .;' :.~. ■■:„ ', ' ; '-- : Towards night! she, managed ..tolsteal upVtio Denis. , hidingrplace to see; that he. had .'been .made quite comfortable.and, to report upon the condition of affairs. ■ ""Tjiey,-say,"'.she said, "that'the Allies' troops'afe?clpse. by. ■ The, German entered the,village/.and will' hold.it.af ajf coete. ' Vffi appear/ to: be/right Ah -.the Mttfs of fthe:n«iw defences. There'-wUI prob'abjy be ; : fighting—pprhaps ( arouiitl th'eiChatean.".-'- '.: / .-. . : .•.■-■',.. ■■:-!■ ■ ■■-.-. : , ■'.Berthe.-looikedi pale and .deappndefit., Sse; l tlie'.slke of 'yhchome,ehe.heldeo,dear, ! and;:now--she had. reason >to iknow that. a-., danger, menaced her, a. danger-from ,wiiich. she cojild only escafe -by: deatli-^ideath L that- site despised Bolioiger sincei etie' had>learnt'..to , love. •■.••^enJei'fsehe ;m : unnured,- ''I am .afraiii.'•■He:gazed' at; ;hefr •■in, astonishment.' "Ajiraid!' You If- '-■ • ,': '■"'.; c }} ■:'■'. -.- ; "Oh, not of she TepHed hotly. "I should .welcome that, even if the old house , were- razed: to the 'ground in the' destruction fef these German brutce. I'm only afraid that our friends won't come soon = enough." There's the • night! before us. : And ,4hiß Captain yon told;ybu abont '.-1-hjm'.'WiKeh, he Vfas 'here •before—Ac's ialf' drunk, already—it's. ho; I'm-fafraid , ;of—if; he tonohed ine I, should; kifrjhim-r^and'then-—-" ,'." . '''■";■'/ "'"'". . ."./• ■ broke : '.oiff,'. shuddering, and her hande. at-fcfc; reroJver. iwhich • eh? carried; 'hidden- under''the''boaioe, of; her dress."' ''_, ■'■'._.' /'".'.'' ■ • : • ■' Penis underatopd.' • ,we ,mali;e; our.esieiipe?"' he inquired ..eagerly., ■'• "You art.,quite nea,'r—^—".;■'. "That is juat.what I was going to auggeet:myße!f,"'she" 'TTe|'bc<ni*'thiii}cing'tUinge through i.'auiJ

it eeeme to mc to be the only way. In any case to should be safer—'both of ■w— thin -we are here. It will be difficult —but we may sacceed." ...

"You huve a plan, Berthe!" 'She nodded. "There's a secret way out of the chateau. X : doesn't go a "great dietaace, will take us past any guard they'inay ihave round the house. It comes out at a little shed in the "wood—away from tho vHlage. And there's a cottage (belonging to some honest country folk close, 'by—they are devoted to mc and will do all they can to help.- We must'disguise oureelves as peasants."

"And when shall we start!" he asked. "I'm Teady. as soon as you pleaee." "The difficulty is," she explained, "bhat to reach the secret passage we have to cross the hall where theyVe got a manon guard. But I think he can be got rid of. They are constantly sending him to the cellar for wine. There's a balcony round the hall, as you know, and if you will steal out at ten o'clock you can get there .quite safely—the officers-will-oil be busy in the dining room getting drunk—and then you can watch till-you see the fellow go. I'll see that he is given an order to fetch something special. When he is.out of the -way you must make a dash for it. There's, a baize door at the end of the corridor to the right. When you're past that you're quite safe. Wait for mc in the little room.on the left hand side. Do you follow all this?" He made her repeat it so sis to bo quite siire. When she left .him a-few minutes later : everything had been settled.

It was then eight o'clock. At halfpast Mile. Melanie brought him some food. Berthe had told her of the scheme of escape, and she approved of it for her mistress' sake. For herself she had no fear of remaining where she was. As the clocks struck ten Den is was peering down into the hall from a corner of the balcony which he had successfully gained. The guard was there—a big, fair-haired trooper with a stupid, vacuous "fa-ce. ' •

Presently tlie door of the dining room opened. There was a great clatter.going on within the room—the sound of rough voices and hoarse laughter. An oflicer emerged. From the description she had given of him Denis recognised yon Bibe-

He gave some hurried instructions to the soldier who stood at the salute. Then the man turned away and disappeared in the direction of the cellars.

But yon Biberich did hot return to the dining room, ac Denis had expected. Instead, he closed the door carefully behind him andadvariced into the hall. He staggered a little as he walked.

Denis watched him with straining eyes. What did this movement portend t He was soon to know. The German made his uncertain way to a door on the other side of the lrall. It was that of Berthe's boudoir. He stood hesitating for a moment, then, without knocking, ho entered. Denis was aware of a slight cry—a cry of surprise arid fear, and then the door slammed heavily. (To be continued dally.)