BY THE WIT OF A WOMAN

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12931, 29 July 1905, Page 3 (Supplement)

BY THE WIT OF A WOMAN

BY A. W. MAKUHHOKT,

Author of "A Courier of' Fortune/' " When I Was Tsar," " By Snare of Love," " The Queen's Advocate," etc., etc.

[COPYRIGHT.]

CHAP.TEH V.—(Continual.)

1 had scored thai game, so I consented to he pacified and i>at down again. I wa? curious to see what, card he. would play next.

lie pulled his fair moustache in some perplexity;

" You expressed a desire just now to have the advantage of my family's influence* Miss Gilmore."

"Am 1 to remain with madame, then?" I asked, blandly. ''Of course you axe, deal*," she answered for herself.

"You are willing to. help, her and my brother in this important matter?" said the count.

"How can I help? lam only ai stranger. And I. should not call it help-' ing anyone to connive at a marriage when one of 'the,: parties is already married. I would not do that."

The handsome face, darkened; and, in his impatience of a check, he made a baa slip. • ■

" Our influence is powerful to help our friends, Miss Gilmore, and not less powerful to harm our antagonists." I laughed disagreeably.' "I see. , A' bribe, if I agree, a threat if I do not. And how do you, think yon could harm an insignificant person like me? I am not in 1 the least afraid of you, count," "I did not mean to threaten," he Said,_ rather sullenly, as he saw his mistake. " You can do. us neither harm nor good; for that-matter. You are labouring under a mistake as to Madame d'Artelle's husband—her late husband; and, by speaking of the matter, might cause, some temporary inconvenience; and slander. We do not wish you to do so. That is all." "I have not yet been shown that it is a mistake."

"The : proofs shall bo given to you. He spoke quite angrily. "In the mean-: time if you speak of 'the matter you will offend and alienate us all."

"It _ seems a very .lame conclusion for all this preamble," I answered, lightly, as I got up. Produce the proofs and lof .course have no more to say. But, until they are produced, I give no pledge to hold my tongue;" and, without troubling myself to wait for a reply, I left the room.

■ I had obtained the information I needed as to the power behind Madame d'Artelle, : and I had something to do. They intended • to produce the. proofs of M. Constats' death, and I. resolved to get the proofs that he was still living. , r ; Leaving a message for, madamo that I> had'to go to the university for an evening lecture I drove to the house which I had taken on coming to Pesth. . In passing through Paris I had seen tie friend . who had formerly given ,me the information about madamc, and I now, telegraphed to him that I" must know the whereabouts of M. Constats. at once, and. that no expense was to be spared in getting, the information. I had brought three servants with me from home, John Perry and his wife and their son, James. The last was a sharp, clever, young fellow, and he was now in Pa.ris, where I had sent him to get information _ about Madame d'Artelle. I wired .to him .also, telling him what further • information I needed, and instructed him to help in the matter and wire me the 1 instant M. Constans had been traced.

That done I set out to return to "madame's. I was not nervous at being out alone at such a time, night prowling having long been a habit with me. I ; was' perfectly able to take, care of myself, too; for at . home I had been accustomed to carry a revolver, and was an excellent shot. If anyone interfered with mo it was not' I who .was likely to come worse off. I think' it is just nonsense that girls must always be " seen home" in the dark.' It is a good excuse for flirtation, possibly ; but an extremely undignified admission of inferioritya'' humiliation I have never countenanced and never will.

• The night was fins and clear, , and a bright moon was 1 nearly at the full, so I turned out of my way" a little to al favourite spot of mine—the great Suspen- V sion Bridge which constitute the lichen between Buda and Pesth. My house was close to the bridge in that part of Pesth known as the '• Inner Town;" and I strolled across to a point on the Buda side from which a glorious view can be had of the.stately Danube. ■ ' I Stood there in the deep shadow of the high suspension arches, gazing at the dotted lights along the quays, across thai flat country on the Pesth side, up the' river, towards : the witching Margaret ' Island, and away to the old hilly Buda on; my left, with the Blocksberg and its citadel keeping its frowning watch and ward i over all.

There is not mucli poetry in my naturej but the most prosaic and commonplace soul i must feel a quickening of thought and sen- / timent at the appeal of that majestic waterway and its romance-filled setting. , I did that night; .'and stood there, think*' ing dreamily, until I was roused, abruptly, by ■ the sound of laughter. I recognised the voice of Count Gustav, and, glancing, l round, saw him. on the other side of the, bridge with a companion. He stooped a second and pointed down the river, and,; as . they _ walked on,- I heard her laugh: sweetly in response. . ' I was considering what to do when I caught the sound of footsteps and shrank into the shadow of the deep buttress as two men came slouching past me stealthily ; and I heard enough to tell me they,; were following Count Gustav. I let them pass and then followed in my turn. The count and his . companion left the bridge, turned to the right, and presently; entered the old garden of Buda.a deserted spot enough at such an hour, Presently, as , the two reached an open place, I saw the count hesitate, glance about' him, stand a moment, and take off his hat. Then they continued their walk. 1 was struck by the action. It looked as though it might have been a signal;; for tlie next moment the two men quickened'their pace and closed up to the pair. A momentary scuffle • followed; . the girl gave a half-smothered cry for help, and then the count came running past me, making for the bridge' at the top of hia speed. He had left his companion in the hands of the two men.

Convinced now that mischief' was on. foot I resolved to see this matter through. I hid myself as the men came, harrying back with. the girl, half-leading, half-car-rying her, and I noticed that her face was closely muffled. Near the entrance to the placo they halted, and drew back under the shadow of the trees. They stood there some moments, when one of them went out into the road and stood listening. I heard in the distance the sound of wheels, and guessed it was a carriage for which the two were waiting. Clearly, if I was to make ,an attempt 1 to save the girl I must act at once; and to save her and learn her story I was now determined.

I took a deep breath, as one will when about to plunge into a cold stream, and keeping my hand on my revolver I darted across to where the girl and her one captor stood. It was a point in my favour that' the two men were just then separated. He did not hear my footsteps until I was close, to him. and gave a great start of surprise when I spoke. "Let my friend go at once," I said, in a loud, firm tone.

The _ man's start wan the girl's opportunity. Snatching her arm out of his grasp she rushed to mc, tearing at tha wrapper on her face. The man swore and called his companion, who ran swiftly back. A coupler of words were exchanged hurriedly between them, and then they came at me, one of them brandishing a heavy stick and threatening me. The girl uttered a sharp cry of fear. • 1 whipped out my revolver, and the two scoundrels pulled up at the sight of it. "If you make mo fire I shall not only, shoot you," I called, "but bring the police up, and you'll have to explain this to. them." And as we .stood thus the carriage drove up. (To be continued on Saturday nexi^