THE DUFFER.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5603, 14 August 1889, Page 4

THE DUFFER.

[BY W. E. NORRIS.]

fCoutiuned.)

It did not prove more effectual—as a matter of fact, it never does—but tho Duffer was ono of those strangely constituted beings who seem incapable of bearing malice and who aro therefore (justly, it may be) despised by the rest of creation. The porter gave up kicking him after a time, and did not repulse the friendly advances which he made after nightfall; whilo Dick was absent tho Duffer was miserable and obeyed the voice of Nature by raising his own ; when Dick reappeared the Duffer was happy again and Nature prompted him to display goodwill to all around him.

Considerably less benevolence was manifested by his master, who was not happy, owing to his failure to come across any trace of a bouquetin. A fair number of isards ho did succeed in bringing down; but then he had not como all tho way from England for the sake of shooting isards, and ho was inclined to bo dissatisfied with tho phlegmatic Cazaril, who merely shrugged nis shoulders, remarking that it was no fault of his if bouquentine were not as common as sheep. And when, after various changes of quarters, the party arrived at the baths of Panticoia, this rather crossgrained guide was greatly displeased to hear that his employer had secured the services of two villainous looking Spaniards, who professed to know of v district in which the evasive qu.-irry was pretty sure to be encountered.

"Thoy hunt a bouquetin !" he oxclaimed scornfully ; " why, thoy don't so much as know what a bouquetin is ! What thoy •would liko to do would bo to entice us into Some out-of-the-way .pot and cut our throats."

" Two can play that game," Mr. Bolton observed, "and if they attempt anything of the kind, threo of us will play it. You and I and the porter ought to be able to give a tolerably good account of those half starved wretches, I should think. However, if you are afraid, by all means say so; I have no doubt that I can replace you." To a suggestion so worded only one reply could be made, and Cazaril made it sullenly enough. Ho knew very well that, if it came to a stand-up fight, tho Spaniards could havo no sort of chance ; but ho was equally well aware that they would never risk such a thing, and he was certain that robbery was their object. " You and I," he said privately to tho porter, " must take it iv turns to keep watch every night. Once let those scoundrels catch tho three of us asleep, and we shall bo three dead raeu, you may bo sure." To be proved wrong is never agreeable ; but what is much worse is to appear to be wrong when you are really right all the time. This was the mortifying fate of Cazaril, who could not find it in his heart to rejoice when, two days after the guidance of the Spaniards hud been forced upon him, Dick Bclton shot a bouquetin. To any one convcrsaut with such matters it was manifest that this piece of luck was iv no way duo to their knowledge of sport or locality, for their ignorance of both had been exhibited half a dozen times in as many hours ; but of course there was no use in saying that to the triumphant Englishman, and Cazaril was fain to content himself with tho eloquence of silence. If Cu-aril's nose was out of joint, that did not interfere with its snoring powers, which wero at all times remarkable, and which might havo kept his employer awake hud tho latter been less pleasantly weary. As it was, Dick stretched himself out luxuriously upon the hard ground, with his feet towards tho bivouac firo, and was soon wrapped in a slumber more sweet and deep than any that who fleep in bods can over liopo to enjoy. Ho was aroused from it by a terrific yell, followed by a sound of flying footsteps ; and then, before ho had half collected his wits, ho found himself fighting for his life. By mere force of instinct he grasped his rifle and, clubbing it, struck down one of the Spaniards who had .sprung upon him, whilo at tho same instant the long knife of the other was plunged side-ways into the muscles of his buck, inflicting a wound which ho scarcely felt. In point of physique hu was moro than a match for his assailant; but the latter was wiry, active, and had a knife. The rapidity of his movements bewildered Dick, who was still half asleep, aud who was again stabbed in tho arm, while a blow which ho aimed at the wouldbe assassin spent itself in the air and very nearly landed him upon hia face. At his feet lay Cazaril, gagged and bound ; the porter, wl.o had taken to his heels, was alreadj' fur away ; and it is by no means certain that Air Belttn would ever have seen his native land again if at this juncture an invaluable ally had not come to bis assistance.

The Duffer, liko Cazaril, was a heavy aleeper; unlike Cazaril, ho had the misplaced confidence which all bull-headed dogs have in the integrity of tho human raco. Probably, therefore, ho did not suspect foul play until ho saw his master struck ; but as soon as tho true naturo of tho situation dawned upon him he threw himsolf unhesitatingly into the fray. With one bound ho landed upoon the Spaniard's chest, and the next, instant ho had tho fellow hard and fust by tho throat. What followed can hardly bo called a struggle, inasmuch as victory from the outset was assured for the right side, and, of course, it is easy enough to fell a balf-throttled man. Yet even tho easiest of victories is not to bo won without bloodshed, and although Dick Belton could not accuse himself of having acted with any luck of promptitude, ho had to sco the Spaniard's knife plunged again and again into his faithful servant's body beforo all resistance collapsed. When ho was kneeling upon the prostrate body of the foo he said, "All right, Duffer, old man ; you can lot him go now." But the Duffer still held on.

Thero is but one way of making a bulldog relax his grip, and this Dick was forced somewhat against his will, to employ ; because, however much a miscreant may deserve death, it is always a little embarrassing to have his dead body upon your hands. But the Duffer, poor fellow did not require a great deal of choking, and perhaps it was not the pres«uro of his master's knuckles that caused him to givo a sigh and roll over ou the grass. For somo minutes Dick could pay no attention to him. Ho himself had lost good deal of blood and was beginning to f«el faint; also ho had to cut the cord by which Cazaril'a arms were bound and utilise it to secure his prisoner. But when that was accomplished, and when a hasty examination had been made of his wounds, aud the craven porter had been duly anathematised, he remembered to whom it was due that he had escaped moio or lus3 unharmed from a very ticklish emergency.

" Upon my word," ho exclaimed, " that cur of mine has more stuff in him than anyone would have supposed ! He's as ugly as sin and the biggest fool out; but I'll be hanged if I'll over be ashamed of him again."

Well, there was no danger of his being tempted to display such shubbinoss and ingratitude. To live admired and envied is denied to all curs and to tho majority of men ; but to die nobly is a privilege whioh sometimes falls to the lot of the most humblo and despised. The Duller probably did not want to din—what creature that breathes does want to die ?—but ho accepted his fate without cry or complaint, which is more than can be said for most of us.

After glancing at him, Dick hastily snatched up a piece of burning wood from the fire. The red light, fell upon the dog's glazing eyes and upon the pool of blood in which ho was lying ; he was still alive, but there was no need to possess Mr. Belton's veterinary knowledge in order to see that nothing could be done for him. With a sorrowful ejaculation, Dick dropped upon his knees beside him and kissed his head. It was the first timo since tho Duffer had come into hit; possession that he had done such a thing, and it may be hoped that, this somewhat tardy token of affection soothed the last moments of its recipient, who wagged his stump of a tail feebly, and almost immediately afterwards expired.

•' It is fortunate," observed the aggrieved and sententious Cazaril, " that things are no worse. Another timo, perhaps, monsieur will not. bo so ready to trust a couple of thieves. It is not for'the sake of praising myself that I say it; but from tho first moment I saw that thoy knew no more about game than that rascally porter, whose head it will bo my duty to break when I catch him."

" Oh, you wero right, and I was wrong," returned Dick, impatiently ; " you are welcome to that admission, if it will make you any happier." Cazaril nodded. "We may call ourselves fortunate," ho repeated. " Monsieur might very well havo lost his life to-night; as it is, ho has only lost a little blood and an animal who was worth nothing at all." THE BND.