A FRIEND IN DEED.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 6022, 12 December 1890, Page 4

A FRIEND IN DEED.

fBY MAJOR ALFRED R. CALHOUN.]

CHAPTER XII. (Continuel)

" Aud you will esteem me none the loss?" "I'll toll you better after I have heard you," sho said. " Mary, a friend, a dear nnd noble fric-nd of mine, had reason to think, find ho still retains that reason, tint the man for whom you work—Bert Reeves, in fact—is a bad egg." " Fiiith, I'vo been of the paino opinion meaelf for a long time," said Mary Malone.

Much encouraged, Loo continued

''My friend had reason to believe that Reeves was a bad man, and after talking the matter over with me, we decided that I should try to learn something about his private life—" "And." she interrupted, " that was why you ciimo disguised as a gas-man ?"

" Th 9 very reason, Mary

" "Well, you frighten inc."

" Niiy, I love thoo : nnd it is this love that now compels mo to make a clean breast of the innocent deception 1 practised on you ; for there must be no secrot between me nnd tho fair one who is to honor my name and bless mv life."

"If you'jfo not a gas-man, what aro you?" she asked.

"I am an artist," he answered, with pride. Mary had only tho vaguest notion of what "an artist" meant; but, with a woman's tact, sho kept her ignorance to herself by not asking for a definition at that time ; so sho contented herself by saying : " Tell me all about it, and put mo out of misery."

Foeling , that tho ice was now cracked, if not actually broken, leo Park, with rare ekiil, which was somewhat counteracted by an excess of words, told Mary his story from beginning to end, taking caro to mention no names which she might use to his injury if then or thereafter a rupture occurred.

Mary heard him through with increasing wonder and interest, aud when he had told all that ho thought it was well for her to know at that time, she asked :

" And now how am I even to know that your name is Patrick Park f"

*' Beloved Mary !" he exclaimed, " permit me to explain all that. In the language of an unknown poetic genius :

'I am not nn Irtehmnn, though Irishmen I've soon, if or am I mi Irishman, tliongk in Ireland I have ixMSi; Hut if I woro an Irishmau, that is noth inir ut a', For there's many a IkiuM hero from Erin go liraK'h. , "

" But your name ?" she persisted. "My namo !" ho criod, "yes, aud tho namo of my honored fires for, ayo, those thousand yearfi, has been Park—Park in capital letters a mile high and broad in proportion. And let the caititf who would dare to detract from tho dazzling lustre of tho noble house of Park draw his sword and advance to his own death."

Loo made a motion as if drawing a blado from its scabbard, and tho wholo movement was so realistic that Mary became alarmed and clang to his arm.

'•jNever mind the name !" sho cried. "ufes, I must mind tho name, oh, boloved .' Banish every vestigo of deceit botwfitn us! I called myself 'Patrick' that I might find favor in thy sight. But now that 1 am euro of your lovo and trust, I drop tho 'Patrick,' for it has answered my purpose, and I stand before you Leonidas Park—your devoted !" He sprang to his feet, and drow himself proudly up, with his face to tho moon, hb if ho were inviting tho inspection of that luminary.

•'Faith," said Mary. " that's a very long first name. What do your friends call you for short?"

"They call mi 'Leo.' Leo m<>firip a lion; but to thee, oh, queen of thy cox, let mo bo nothinjr but pimple ' darling.' Let the titles of the world go, and call mo only pot namefl, my sweet one. And now that we hevo como to a better nnd a most eseonrinl understanding, lot ur gently meander back to tho homo of the monstc-r Reove*."

Leo stooped, kissed her, aud helped her to his side : then,with her clinging , to his arm, tboy made their wny to the Girurd Bridge, whopo white, airy arches looked in the moonlight like a poem wrought in stone. They walked back to prolong tho pleasure of beinor tosfelhor, and on the way Loo explained to Mary how sho could help him in his undertaking, and she readily consented

But one thing moro remained to bn dune so far as Mary Malone was concerned, and that was to appear V>ef*re her without any disguise; but as this wns a very delicate matter, ho would make up his mind to do it gradually, and to appear beforo Jut with eoute otio urticl*" °f hi" " luako up" gone each time—" Till finally," he reasoned, "sho will como to boo mo in nil my untheatrioal beauty."

He kioforl Mary ak Hie sido yiito loiidinir bfiok to the rear buildings, and after hn hud seen her sufc-ly in ho started olf to his qunrters fit a brisk walk. Ho was too miiuh occupied with his thoughts to notice th-it hn wr.i follower! from the im-tni'tho parted with Mary.

pie was about to ent«r tho cnst-imicr's shop, where a light still burned, when ho felt* a top on his shoulder, and t'lrning quickly around, hn saw by the liirhfc of the moon that uliono down upon tho two v man who, in every feature of his dru-f, h» i«-fit, in.o.f, beurrl," and attitude, was an t-xiwt counterpart of himeelf. Though nearly st-uck dumb by this npparition, Loo managed to .-isk : "Who are you, sir?" In liisown voioo came tbo :

" I am P.P.—Patrick, ali«s L-vmidiia Park. I am a gas-man in every ntwi of tho word, and—" Leonidaf did not wait to lifiur iiioro. but sprang forward. kimcUod the iii-in down, and pulIM off tho stranger's b'-nrd and wig, disclosing tho livid face of Bert Keeves. chapter xnr. MB JEUOHK rtKCTDBS OH A CHANT,:'. Without attempting to rise, Bert Rueves throw his bund back of \m hip, and the next instant tho cold lnonnlight flashed on tho barrel of a pistol. But quick as tho net was. Leo Park had anticipated it by drawing his own pistol, Hud hiildimr it within a ft:-.v foot of the prostrate mail's lie.id, he said with a determination that, could not bo mistaken :

" Drop that weapon, or I'll fire !" Bert Roov.ih aould not count unliinohinz couraare among his characteristics—no truly brave man was ever cunning mdco the world begun. He dropped his pistol on tho pavement, and a<i quickly that tho eye could not follow tho act Leo picked it up. iud placed it in his pocket with his own weapon. "There!" ho said, with well-awumed ealmnesn: " tho game, up. to this playing, is a. little against you. You may get up." Bert Hooves rose to his feet, but before doing so he had time to revolvo in his mind tho proper thing to do next. Ho had mado a mistake in supposing Leo I'i>rk was v coward, aud on tho impulse of the nioinent ho resolved to win him to his 81 With a i'eii.rty laugli, that seemed to bo as real as over V*a laugh in tlie world, Bert Reeves said: • ■ By Jovo ! Loo Park, you are a trump ! and if you had pui.iehtd ul'i worse I should admire" you, and t-till bo reiiuj to forgivo. "No doubt —not the slightest doubt in tbo . world of it," said Leo." But, see horo, Beeves." "What is it r " How did you come to see through my disguise?" " I can't explaMi here. Is there no place where wo can go and discupS thin matter .over a bottle of wine '<" "Wo can discuss it without wino if you Wiiit to talk. Follow me," said Leo, turning and tapping at the shop door. After a few seconds' hesitation Keoves said: , , „ '< I thir.k I win trust ycu ; load on. Leo led his unexpected guest .into tho little room at the end of tho shop, and pointing to tho stool, ho perched himself on the wash stand and said : "Well, Mr Bert Reeves, what is your pleasure ?'' " Before I answer that question, permit me to make a statement," said Bertßeevoe, as ho sat down and crammed into his pocket tho falao beard and wig which he had brought in in his hand. " Blazo away,"' Haid Leo.

" I knov/ of your disguises, your assumption of my own character—everything, indeed, but your motivo for this extraordinary display of talent. Heretofore; I Imvo imagined myself pretty good at that sort of thin" ' but, I must confess, you aro ray paster and can instruct me," " I suppose I (mould tuaiik you," said . «< but this is no timo for compliments. Now wt»tao you want?" • « I want you to btuny friend." «' Your friond r < «• yeav e a • and aa Ido not believe in sudden 0E disiutorest,'d friendships, I. am ready to pa? for your eorvioee any pnee you may aek," said Reoves. "Survices, did you say " Yes, aervicea." mi «' What do you want inn to an . "To work for mo." "How?"

" In tho samo way that you havo been working tor this lawyer, Oliver. " How did you know I worked for him ?" " That is my secret." " You havo guessed that by watching mo?" . " Yes, Mr Park, and I guessed ngnt. Now, I take you to be a poor man. 1, "It doesn't require much guessing to reach that conclusion," laughed Leo. " You are also a man of the world." " Yes, but not a very worldly man," said Leo.

"lam not a man of business— "Glad to hear it," interrupted Leo. "But may I ask what your particular business is P" '* I will answer without asking—l am an actor."

" AvA that's what you do for a living ?"

"Yes, except that I do not play on tho same kind of stage as yourself,'' said Reeves, with a chilling laugh.

" And you w.'iut mo to play an engagement with you at. a higher salary ; is that it?"

" That is it, Mr Park. Ido not pretend to know what you aro receiving now, hut I am very sure you are not working for glory. Now, whatever your compensation is, I am ready to pay you three times a.s much as per week, and I will begin by'giving you five hundred dollars in advance, not as salary, but to luect your, current expenses." iTO BE CONTINUED. 1