SIR HILTON'S SIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13482, 8 May 1907, Page 10

SIR HILTON'S SIN.

' BY GEORGE MANVILLE FENN, p r Author of "BRick Blood," "A Woman ; Worth Winning," " Master of the Cere- :.' monies," " Tho'• New Mistress," " The ;■ ! ; :|i ~ Meeting, of Greeks," "Drawn f i;,: : • Swords," etc. ,

Ip'S: v " ' ' /'' [ALL EIGHTS KESERVED.] CHArTER XXIY. , • TUB TOUT'S FINAL. That crash was not a, human utterance pro-, ceeding from the lips of Sir Hilton Lisle, but a sudden shivering of glass,. followed closely by the falling of big flower-pots in the conservatory,' amidst the breaking of woodwork ant l rustling twigs and leaves. : • But a human utterance followed in an angry, raucous voice which shouted: "Oh, murder! I've done it now;' I've broke my bloomin' leg." , While, faintly heard from somewhere outside, there was the yelping, barking, howling ■ ' whine of a dog. , • • The effect was magical. The ladies shrieked, the sleeper awakened, and sat up frightened and wondering, rubbing her eyes, and, as the two gentlemen rushed into the conservatory, the two doors i of the drawing-room were thrown open, for — Mark and Jane to enter by one, Byd and Sam Simpkins by the other. ' " Oh, Syd sobbed Molly, holding but ' - her arms. ' 7- -"Oh, dear!" sighed the boy, after a glance at the great skin upon the floor; " the cat's out of the bag now." " " '• Yes, reg'lar," growled the trainer. " There, don't you squeal, my gal. There's enough to do the high strikes without you, .'and I'm going to see as you have your rights." ' • . " Syd, my darling, come here," cried Lady Lisle. "What does all this mean?" Tlie boy was saved from answering by '' ; the action of Mark, who had darted into the conservatory, dog-like, on hearing a scuffle going on, and more breaking of glass, ..so as to be in the light, and he now backed 'in, dragging at the dilapidated legs of. the race-tout, helped by Sir Hilton and Granton, each of whom had hold of an arm, as they deposited their -capture on . the carpet. "Gently, Marky Willows," said the prisoner, coolly; one of them legs is broke." "Broken! Which?" cried the doctor, the natural instinct of his craft, rising above, the feeling of triumph over the capture. In an instant he was upon one knee, feeling for the fracture. "Why, they're both right enough." ; », • t ; . . r - • • ? • > ■ : "Air they?" said the tout, coolly. ."A blooming good job too! I thought one was gone. Here, Marky, would you mind get- , ting me my boots?" " Youtvboots?" crimed the groom, looking with disgust,' in the broadening daylight; at a, pair of very dirty stockingless feet. \ " Yes, lad ; they're jus' behind that there spiky plant in the big tub." " 'Ihere, Mark!". cried Jane,,triumphantly. "Burglars! What*did"l'Say?"' " * "Burglars be hanged!" "You scoundrel!' cried Sir Hilton. • " What were you doing there?" and, as if /.• answering,; the . piteous wailing of a dog " f faftili ffofii*outside! 5 ,-^V > ' [ . " Trying to get out to my poor • little dawg, Sir Bilton, on'v my foot slipped just as I was opening that top light. You oughter be ashamed of yourself, you ought!" /••;' "Well, of all the effrontery!" cried Granton. y • " "' - , , ■ : !"' • "So he oughter, doctor. That there flowerstand's painted up ter rights, but it was rotten as touchwood." ! ; I "You ruffian! You broke in, and have been hidden there all the time." s "Broke in, Sir Hilton. Nay. I wouldn't do secli a thing. I come in at that glass > , door right and proper enough, to try and see her ladyship > about that pretty little dawg. but she and you was so busy having , > a row over the family washing that I says 16 iiiyself, * 'The best thing you "can do, Diraiy's, to call again,' and I was going to : call again, as ][ says, when that beggardly rotten old flowerstand_ give way. Hark at . the pretty little dear asking for his master." F<vr the puppy, whined again. . Well,-you're a pretty.'scoundrel!" cried the doctor. "You dirty brute! Here, Hilt, old fellow, I should-have him locked up in a horse-box while you send for the police.".- .. "What!" shouted the tout, struggling up , . into a sitting position. "What for?" ' * i " Burgling," Cried Sir Hilton. -■"■ ' "Not me, sir. I ain't no . burglar.. : -* Where's mv 'jemmies' an' dark, lanthbrns. v .. t . ..ana where's /the-. swag? /1• swear 1/ ain't ■touched a thing." ■ . . ; You may swear that if'.you; like when you're brought up before the bench, where . I'm chairman, as it. happens.'' ' ; "Me—police—brought up '-before./the. bench? 1 ou 'won't : do it, Sir Hilton/, ;■ I knows too much.'' •,/' -''f-'S ! . ' H What.!" cried Sir Hilton and .the doctor , t together, .. while the ladies • ~ exchanged ■ ... glances.... >... ..'/ .. <; * ' . ;/--7"Yog don't want the dirty linen washed in /public," said the tout, with a chuckle. " Her ladyship there said so." • • "Enough of this," cried Lady Lisle, who had recovered herself. : " Let this man be taken away and .secured till the police! " come." ' . • '1 \'" The imperious words had their effect upon , one who was present, Mark collaring ; the " tout. • ' . vj.r.-. '' And you—man," continued Lady Lisle, : "are that—person's father." She uttered • the word " person" in a tone, innocent as the appellation was. so acid that it made the ' , trainer. bristle and more of a man. . • *"Ye&," I'm her father, my lady, but it's no use to' cut up rough." ' " * 1 Silence,„inan! - ied.-Lady.. Lisle, ... indig- ' nantly ; " take the creature away." " Sha'n't!" roared the trainer, starting. ' - i' She's mv * gal, "'and she shall have her rights.". */-aV Syd!" cried poor, Molly, in a passionate r 'Ybm-sfr of''tears*, and 'she ".turned ■ and- flung her arms round the boy's neck. " Syd, my child !" Availed -Lady Lisle, passionately. "You too? Has. it .come, to this % . „ t . , „ - sobbed - arid wailed : the poor, pretty, childish-looking thing, turning now / upon Lady-Lisle and throwing up her dishevelled head.; "of;course it has.;. and he ain't-your darlinghe's mine, ain't you, Syd dear, and you won't let your poor little wife be .abused like that, will you?" "No,'' cried the boy, stoutly, as Lady. 1 Lisle clapped her. hand's to her temples, and ;>•••' stared as if she could not believe her eyes V, and cars.' " Yes. auntie dear, it's all right; 'this is 1 my darling little wife, and we love one an- ; \ other like — Here, what's the matter with you? ■. This was to the doctor, who suddenly / .threw up his hands, spun round with his ■ face to Lady Tilborough, and began stamp- : ; ing about,, laughing hysterically, seeming moment by moment as-if he would choke. "Here, Lady Tilborough—Maggie dar- • —ling;-"-he half sobbed; : "take me away. I .'•'.y shall have a fit.". • / . . ./•'.■! "■Be quiet,- dear,''- she whispered, catching him by the arm. "I shall break down, too. Listen —pray listen! The whitewashing of poor old Hilt." t . . .... . Poor old Hilt had also clapped his hands to his head, and looked for a moment as if ,%f;'his horrible fit of semi-delirium was returning, and the 1 drug he had taken about to :-i resume itft sway. "Here-water!" he cried. " No— -J' think V understand. Here, Syd, my boy, ry-'' is this all true?" '■ : -";/ "Yes, uncle, it's true enough; and I'm proud of her." : "So am I, Syd—so am I. Hooray! Bless I ' you, my hoy! Bless you, too, my pretty / /■little darling!" lie cried, catching Molly in | ' his arms and kissing 1 her roundly again and i , again,, while the pretty, childish-looking little thing clasped him round the neck, /., smiled in his face, and replied with a sharp, y~. chirruping smack. ' ," "Hilton!" cried Lady Lisle. ... / v // "But it's Syd's wife, my dear." /C ' "" Yes, my ladv." cried the 'trainer, "and ' she's; her rights." , ~ ' "Rights! " Bight," corrected Sir Hilton, taking Molly's hand, and tucking it under £;/ his arm, to drag her shivering before the -rfierce-looking sharer ' f his joys. - " Can't -you see, my dear, that it's • all 'V : right? Now, then, tell the. poor little girl •'■* ■ ■ / that you're ashamed of what you said.". , /.. ;'''/; L'adv Lisle drew";herself.' up, and . seemed f.' 1# to be swallowing something thaf. forced its i' : way into her throat. Then, coldly:. r"'-':J-j-.y.':• ""iV: V ' - /•'.'.

"Yes," she said, "I retract everything that I said—to—Syd's— Oh, the horror of it!" she gasped. "Syd's wife. But as for you, sir-— I wronged. you, too, by those terrible thoughts; - but all is at an end be- '■ tween us." • ' "\ r -: v . - '" "Eh?" ejaculated Sir Hilton. : "All is at.an end between us. Never can I take the hand of man again who could stoop /'to playing the part of: a common jockey." „ ; : , :"But it was for the best, my dear." "Yes, Lady Lisle," cried Lady Tilborough, " and to save two very old friends from ruin and despair." »- / " Yes.Lady Lisle; that ; isa-f act," cried .Granton. ■/..- , .*■..' "Possibly," said Lady Lisle,/ coldly. "And I'll never do so any, more, Laura." "Perhaps not," said the lady, half hysterically, for something was dragging her hard in her heaving bosom; " but I cannot trust the word of a man who had degraded himself as you did with drink." ■ ,--:<■ " Haw, haw, haw cried Dandy Dinny, in his most raucous tones. v ._. , / . " You hold your . row," Said Mark, giving his prisoner a. shake. < ;.'. ■■;/ : " Shee —ahn't!" growled the man. . "Ah, Mr. Trimmer, you are there," cried Lady Lisle, as the door opened and the agent, looking pale, but . particularly neat in his dark Oxford mixture suit and white, much-starched cravat, entered, /to look wonderingly round at the strange scene, and wince as he caught the trainer's eye 1 ?; but Lady LisleV look fascinated him, and he could not retreat. / ... Yes, my lady," he said, in his blandest tones. "I heard the noise of breaking glass, and I hurriedly dressed and came down." ' ._ . '/.,." Come here. ■ I want your assistance badly. lam glad to have someone in whom I can place trust." ; ' ' . She took a step, towards the agent, and raised her hand as if to place it,-upon- Trimmer's- arm, and her lips parted to ask him a question, when the tout cried out: - " What, my lovely 'Methody P. ! How much did you lose on that race?" . ; • " Lose—race cried Lady .Lisle, shrinking away, with white circles seeming to.; form round her dark, dilating eyes. I "Surely, Mr. 'Trimmer, you were "not there?" ■ ' -; /-/ ; . " Why, of course he was, auntie," cried Syd. "I saw the old humbug twice." " "What!" half shrieked Lady Lisle, "is there no*one in:whom I can. trust?" "Yes, my lady," cried the tout, harshly. " You trust to me, arid buy that little white' dawg—no, I'll make yer a present of it, if you'll cry quits about me being here. No, , you don't, Marky; I'm going to speak. I'm a-going to give her ladyship the right tip,'; and my tips, are the real square/right 'uns." '. ' ;.-/ ■- •/ There was a bit of a struggle, which was checked by .' Sir Hilton, who, as if inspired by Iris thoughts, interfered. ■'''. ]■>''.' " Yes, *my dear," he said ;;:". hear what the man says." :. . ... ~ . . ;-. ' "Right you are, Sir Rilton. You always was a gent as/I respected. Look here, my lady, don't you be so hard "on a gent as likes to go in for a bit of the real true old English sport. 'I know, my -lady —yes, -I've jest done, and then I'll put on my boots. Pricked my foot, I did, with that there spiky plant. Here, don't you think - anythutg 'o' that drop io' fizz he had. Sir Rilton didn't have enough to make "him- tight." ' *- ! "Noon my * soul I didn't,. Laura," cried Sir Hilton. " The man's right." : "Right I am, Sir Rilton," cried the tout. ." No, you don't, my white-chokered hero!" he shouted; making a dash at Trimmer, who was quietly making for the, door. Got him! ■, You, Mark Willows, you collar old Sam Simpkins. He's t'other customer in that little, game." "Here, what do you mean, sir?" said Sir:: Hilton, sternly. • . , . ; "Mean, Sir Rilton-—mean. Lady Lisle,, and my I>a.dy Tilborough—and . heaven bless my lady and the noble man' of your chice—why, I mean, this, as" I see with these, here eyes, going about and in and out selling/my i c'rect-cards,; 1 all • the starters, anceterer — No you don't; down you goes on your. marrow-bones and makes confession to ; the lot." •/ ? ■' /, ; '■{ - The;: tout had tightly hold of : Trimmer's collar as he, spoke, and now, by .a clever kick, he senthis/legs from-/ under .him and pressed him .down. upon ; knees, shivering, helpless,' and whiter 'than ever. v ,<« Now, my lady—no all of you, her the real: true tip ; Sir Rilton here warn't tight-'" He was/ hocussed with a dose. o' powder, so as he shouldn't be able ride La, Sylphidey, and them's the two ; as done -itji'j* That's my tip." , ■ i,?:t-^ r ,-: ' •• , " : "A lie! .; You scoundrel! A lie!". - .' -" I don't understand him," ; panted Lady Lisle. ~ - > ■'':;. : -:--/'." ' " Hocussed him instead -of the. horse, my lady," said the trainer, coolly, *.' You see, I couldn't get- at the mare to save myself from a heavy pull. :> Yes, my lady ; yes, doctor, I / mixed: the dose, and I can /assure /. you, Sir Hilton, that cham .was real good." ' r . . ' "' ' :: But oh, . daddy," cried poor Molly, bursting : into tears, "don't say you did a thing like that!"/' ' ' ■*' . " 'Bilged to, my gal: but I should never ha' thought on it if it had/not been for T that smooth-tongued Trimmer. -There, Sir Hilton, I'm very sorry, but I throw up the sponge." /; ; ■'-. ' . ; ". ".//-' ; "Now, Laura," cried Sir Hilton; "can't you -forgive 'me now?" . ... , \ .The troubles never even got into the i gossip column of the Tilborough County • Despatch, in connection with : the . busy candidature of the popular sporting baronet for the vacant seat, and the retirement of Watcombe. the brewer, who was reported to '/have been beaten by his opponent j" hands down." ■ For, it was considered I to be easier to : let bygones be bygones, especially as Trimmer,' the trustworthy agent of the Lisle estate, was reported to; I have resigned—the notice might have said I disappeared— /' in the course of time, under the careful guidance of Lady Lisle, Mrs. Sydney : Smithers did not make such; j a very unpresentable little lady after all. : It took time, though, for Syd's pretty i,wife -was in the habit of . making slangy slips; redolent ■of the- music-hall, as,, for instance, when she made Lady Tilborough and the doctor, who both petted her and Syd, laugh till they 'wiped their eyes, by saying' of Lady Lisle: ~/ ....-,,. :::;r?l Oh,""yes, she's' ever so; good "to me, and I love her "dpwn to the ground; but she's such a caution, don'tcherkuow!" - " v [•he END.] ATTRACTIVE NEW STORY. 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