THE ATONEMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15504, 10 January 1914, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE ATONEMENT.

A STORY OF MODERN ADVENTURE.

BY JAMES BLYTH. Author of " A Hazardous Wooing," eto.

COPYRIGHT. CHAPTER VII. PARTIAL REVELATIONS. I woke with a start to find myself lying in a cosy hammock, with feather bed, blankets, and sheets, swinging fr,om wall to wall of a square chamber which I guessed was one leading off the great hall. There were five or six more hammocks swung about me, but mine was the only one occupied. I was not surprised to find that the only light was that furnished by the electric globes hanging from the , joists or rafters, for I woke in full pos- | session of all my faculties, despite a little heaviness to which I have referred in the last chapter, and I remembered that 1 was in subterranean quarters. By my side stood the sk pper, and I imagine that he had roused me by shaking m«. "Well." ho said, with a laugh, "you've had a good sleep. Lun is rea-iv and after thai we'll talk business." I looked at my watch, which hat" been fastened to the hammock, and sav that it ",,« past noon. Then I remembered that .ast glass o 1 port. Hang it." I said, I dent think you need havo hoenwed me. "Eocussed yon asked the skipper, with an air of surprise. 'I don't know what you mean. But get up and cometo lunch. You'll find a bath through there. He pointed to a narrow openinsr at one corner of the chamber "There is work lor you to do." He (showed his tact by leaving me at this point I was dad in »•■/ own pyjaiaas, doubtless brought from my yacht by > e l' Banham and Bob B&ldiv, and saw' my i clothes lying on a woo3en seat against one rf thi walls. 6 I slipp.d from the hammock, anr* all the time my memory v/as reminding me of whr.t had taken place the night before. t I r . emm J ber fl eveiytaing, I realised that I had pledged myself to join this ass ciation whatever it was. I recollected Rex Stafford, and (he gegial litMc French. and above ail I remembered Ruth. But tor the last I mighi. have nr-aco (in <-?F*t brotherhood. But the bondage in uhvh the lovely girl had bound me on the Previous night held me as Ch»ll in the mornwig as when I ha.! taksn the pieo** of fidelity for love of her.

A cord sponge and a shower bat li (rnalh I thought time subterranean dweihrs saw to thaw comfort bridud me un so that 1 felt fit for anything. I was id: aglow when I mad* my way into the groat hill, a tie found a diminished company to bid me giiod morning. ItvUi was there, June Rivet t, Fred Banham and Bob Baldry, and I saw the little Frenchman expatiating un some point of tha cuisine to three or four women pro were busied about (he electric cookingstove. But Rex Stafford and nwet of the blue jerseys were absent. Ruth greeted me pleasantly and, while her brother's attention was drawn off l-y Fred Banham, she whispered~"Don't be : angry because you were drugged. There I wis a reason for it. It was for your 1 Sfke. * Her superb eyes held mine, and I knew she was true. Lord! What it means to a man in my state to feel that the woman , ho loves care* for his welfare, that she desires to protect him ! A meal of fried eels, tench, roasted gre*a plover. and red lets (alas, for the clr.se season !) and two brace of the finest ringed wood-r..geons I ever saw en toast was j served !*> us in the seats nf the mighty; I and although my bead w still a little heavy from the soporific iwth which, I felt certain, now, I had been dosed, I did , f v justice to tie excellence of she fare The pigeons especially, I knew of old, had be*n fatted on the springing crowfoot of the marsh and were exquisite, with just .". squeeze of lemon an a. dash of Nepual pepper, * TV. coffee I was certain came from Hollanft. as well s 8 the » ait*, curacoa with which v e put a proper finish to tli'J neje'iijer. 1 th'vuji.'il that Ruth war, a little distrait Aft-r sh had whispered to me she seemed t-i be 'ighter*>d by hw action Yet I •vas Kicoumsed by the sidelong shafts winch oer eyes shot, at me now arid then I told myself that she was afraid *o Ist hpr brcthw kno"- that * u © w»s interested iu me, but fHi ?he was interested in me none the 'rtts. _ "I'll get fomr; -vxceptlunal cigars, rfaaKtm. ' said Pettinpil, rising and going to a little side door in the wall close to that from which I had emerged from mv sleeping chamber. When he left m? Ruth drew apart, I fancy she imagined that he quitted the great ball to see if she approached me. I was looking at her back > as she talked to J-Yed Banbam a few yards away, when I started at a hoarse croaking wheeze close

beside me. and turned to find old June itivett cackling at my elbow. "Hech! hech! hech!" croaked the old nag You 11 jme 'em now, Master Jack, and good luck to ye! But mind this! -J. ou may take yar oath and you may take yar oath to the men folk, the fool men folk. But you'll be har servant Bind ysrself to the men, but sarve the dear gal. barve her faithful and true." "Sarve my darlin' well and true, Juno shall kape an eye on you, Sarve her, love her, win her trust, June will guard ye both, or bust, Danger hover close about, JDoan t ye let that put ye out. Traitor plots as traitors will, Let the warmin' plot his fillJune will save you both from ill traitor think the game is played, iKgorant that he's betrayed. Traitor's cruelty cause hate As he'll l'arn when tha'ss too late. Traitor's man ha' been desaved. He 11 sunc warn ye what's ta do Traitors man may be belayved. Same as me and same as you. Trust the Frenchman when he spake. Spake he will and that right sune. Trust that Fred and Bob's awake, Trust Miss Ruth, and trust ole June. June will help ye when 'tis time, Time to love and time to act. You alone can stay the crime, You alone, and tha'ss a fact!"

Hech! Hech! Heels! Lord: What a sight o' rubbish I ha' been a talfcin' hain't I, Master Jack ? But von want to pay regard to it all the same. There's love and trayson. hate and crime a workin'. Sune I'll know more and eing ye another song. | Shall I, bor? Hech! Hech! Hech ! Here- comes the guv'nor Fare I ve well, fare ye well." The old hag! croaked and thrust her head up from her i hands which were as usual folded on her ' staff, till her pin-point eyes glittered i humorously at me. " Fare ye well, fare I ye well." she whispered below her breath "&nd send Rex Stafford quick to—" ' "Try these." said the skipper, offering me a fifty box of Romeo and Juliets of the 1900 year. "That's all right, June " he added. "You can go." ' "I thank ye kindly, master." said the old witch, grovelling with her chin replaced on her hands. "I wuz a bavin' i word or two with our voung master 1 knowed his faa'er. his gran'faa'er. and ins gre't gran'faa'er and I fare ae if I was oound to mardle a bit along o' him." Tbe M woman "bopped" and sidled off with ■ in appearance of the greatest humility '' Yet as she hobbled along I thought ' I leard a faint "Hech ! hech ! hech "' as ■hough in derision of the abrupt manner in , vhich the skipper had addressed her.

hJ£°r \' Said , the ski PP' when ™» were both alight and again sipping at our coffee and liqueurs, "to business." "Right," I said, bracing myself up to hear something terrible either to a patriot or a peaceful, law-abiding citizen, "Of course," said the skipper, "you've spotted that it's smuggling on a large scale: ° "I suspected it," I said. "But, hang it. man, how can snuggling pay in these days ; how can it pay for all this luxury, this number of hands, this wonderful retreat, the enormous dynamo which yon must have working somewhere, the submarine, and a hundred other things? Why the submarine would nofikhold enough tobacco and spirits to make its expenses for the trip." r The skipper laughed, as he knocked off the ash of his cigar. "Of course not," he said. "We don't smuggle tobacco and spirits or wine for profit. That department is only for our own pleasure. Saccharine is the stuff; there'* a duty of a sovereign a pound on it—and a pound can be packed very tight. We brought in twenty tons last night, and shall make over forty thousand on it, clear. Now," tie added, as I showed signs of wishing to interrupt, "so far there has been little risk, either in bringing the stuff up or in distribution. We load the pleasure wherry trom the Otter, and take cargoes here and there, unloading at some point on the rivers or broads where a road runs close to the water. There is Acle Bridge. St. Olaves, Cantley, oh! a dozen places. Here you could be of great assistance to us. xou are known about the waters. Your cutter would never be suspected. You could take a couple of tons of the stuff up to one of our motor lorries or horse : waggons and discharge without any fear of arousing suspicion. I tell you plainly, 1 have imagined that once or twice our wherry has been watched. And why' Because, , although I am a member of the yacht club, I am not so well known about the wafers as you are. TEere are one or two side-shows, side methods of profit which I will not trouble you with now. the first thing is to instruct you that your chief duty will be to carry cargo for us to a specified point on the waters. There you will be met by our road agents and will be spared all trouble in unloading Mv men will see to that. All I want you to do at first is to sail your craft when I shall tell you to sail her. But first 1 suppose you had better sign the scroll, and enrol yourself formally one of Us, ion said you were willing to do so last night. Ruth was tripping daintily about the hall, and for a moment I let my eyes rest upon her. She happened to look at me when I was watching her, and to my intens* delifht I saw the skin of her neck noslt to the oack of her ears. Probably I should have enrolled myself without any difficulty even without that mducement ; but with that flush setting my Hood galloping, I cried, "I'm ready when you like. But you must not keep me for the velvet glove work only. You'll fnwTn/n 16 -.° ard Uie °"er with you now and tl en' "■ ' "01, Lord, yes, if you wish it!" said toesk per «« And, '"> be frank, I shall be f n r fW- * « n < * native of the rivers wheal. Cambridge vA London, ra« recently and have lest touch with the men: |«d, to be frank with you, I believe you'd have more control ow- m- chief boatmen. Ired Ban ham and Sob Bald; than I have s,y M f„ a ()n time Fred, has ; begged me to try to pet ;on * join. He ! tbinks a tremendous lot ' i you, my dear i Haakon f nd," the ski-per" raised his inev- glass with an -if" "lam J that am sot inrprised Xit now that I tow had ;he pleausK of making your acqnamtaai e. ' \

We yen siting > n «» moB luxurious SaL v -V** i,al1 ' that to the left going OTfte. entrance 10 the stove, the I side 0,1 which wen the doors leadW to ' the superior dewing quartan. And fchere : ►T M .r- 0 , 0 " 6 within hearing. But J saw i I it hue frenchman v horn Stafford nad '■ caller, Gene boverin-; about in the fur--1 tear nave, and over and anon throwing , glances in my direction as if he wished to communicate with me. ! dJ»?L. n rt rt, Ullderß ' aml what he was ! ao.ttg in that galley. ' I suppose,' I i*aid to the dripper, as ' he spread out * scroll of r*ichment*Wo . nt, that most of your men are natives of these parts., and the wr.men, other of , Sffir y< " Bistßr ' "* t,jeir wiTCS or i " Yes," replied the akipp,v. "You see, I it « essential for us that our men shall be ' thoroughly conversant, with both the rivers , wo tlw read* Fred Banham and Bob l Baldry know the depth of every inch of , the river at every hour of the tide between * * armouth. and Cantley. But for that it E would be impossible to run the Otter with 8 safety. They were essential, and I have found that your people won't work well * with hands from other counties. You are , a race-bound .people here, if ever there I was one. J I bowed. I took his complaint for a [ comphmen, Ihkeaman to P be true to > "Then.' I asked, innocently enough, as J 1 itjeenied, " what is the Frenchman doing J "•i 0h! .< ied the PPW, a little un- h «f« y 'j. he *J« rt . n, y man ' know. He's , Maffords. His branch of work is entirely h distinct from mine, although sometimes he * conies aboard the Otter with us." He 8 hesitated fur a moment. Then he said, h After all, I don't believe in trusting by J' by halves. Have you signed?" He locked at the parchment scroll, and saw my name F written there with the ink not yet dry a .And you took the oath of secrecy last " night Now you'd better take that of E the brotherhood. It is all nonsense, of is course hut. T m..u -_* __ i. . «

course, but I could not excuse myself to the others if I admitted you as a member I without all formalities being observed You know your own people better than I do, and you will understand that this is so." , I .laughed. I did understand that any irregularity in my favour would be intensely resented by the blue jerseys other than those who knew me well. A silly form of oath was recited to me, and I subscribed to it in written shape, and uttered the prescribed words. ''Stafford,'' said the skipper, when this was all finished, " is our aeroplane expert, and the Frenchman, Eugene Potto, was engaged by me at Bordeaux to teach him all that he had learnt from the French airman. He was an assistant of Vedrine's in the .great aeroplanist's early days, and as a matter of fact, knows more about the thing than Stafford. But I had to have an Englishman as head of that department and really Rex has come on wonderfully It was as I had suspected, but I was more puzzled than ever. I could understand how the Otter managed to escape I observation if she only came up the river at night time, and in the months when the cockneys and local yachtsmen are few, but how an aeroplane could disport itself without being seen, and where she could land near the House of the Three Skippers was a mystery to me. I wondered if the skipper would enable me to solve it. It seemed that he was a believer in the doctrine of " in for a penny, in for a pound," and that he did not sympathise with half confidences. " I may as well explain more fully," said he. "When we acquired the house first we had no notion of making such a big thing of it as it has become. We meant to run our submarine and use the boathouse and the timber-yard as a feint. The cellars were of no use, for everyone knew of them. Then Ruth found old June half dead in a dilapidated cottage at the rear on the top of the high land, you know' and brought her in and nursed her. The old girl, though she seems to hate most people, took to Ruth, and she told her about the old Roman works at the back of the house underneath the hill, which she and her family seem to have kept a record of for unknown years. That gave me the idea of making a much bigger thin* of it. I bought the hill at the back, and two or three hundred acres of land as V I L as .*„ CC "?P of «hes. On the top of the lull there is a large clearing (in the midst of a thick wood), a clearing of level grass which was easily converted into a smooth lawn. Here we have a hangar and every convenience for the rise or de' scent of an aeroplane. You will understand that, although an aeroplane cannot cam- sufficient weight to be of much use in the transport service, she is an excellent ook-out or spy The Otter rarely risks a . trip before the Buzzard, as Rex calls his plane has had a look round. Potin is the i inventor of a silencer for the exhaust of i the engine, and at night the monoplane can i By without danger of being discovered. . Ln the daytime it is equally safe J i

for Rex to take his observations from her, for at a thousand feet up no one can identify him, and the Buzzard to look at is just like any other monoplane which comes about here. The very boldness °*. the thing is a safety. No one would think that a monoplane flying openly in the day time could be about any illegal work. It is not as if they were uncommon now. That's the beauty of it. Rex crosses to Holland, looks about him there, comes back and watches carefully to see if any of the Navy submarines are near— you know that a submarine can be spotted from an aeroplane much more easily than from a ship—because it might be awkward to run up against one, and be forced to explain our raison d'etre. He can take messages, too, and even, if necessary, can carry a hundredweight or so of contraband. Oh! the Buzzard is well worth what she has cost. Rex is off, now, on our business. And when he returns I hope to hear of a venture which will prove extremely profitable." Once more I hesitated. I had, it was true, taken two oaths, subscribed myself as a member of this association; but still unless I were positively assured that this was merely a scheme to get the better of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and was not in any way connected with the designs of a certain foreign Power and its shameful British agents, I was prepared to lose my life rather than be of any assistance. I knew that it would be easy enough to hoodwink Fred and Bob and their fellows. I determined that I would not be hoodwinked. "See here, Mr. Pettingill," I said, putting the question for the last time. " Will you give me your word of honour that you are not in any way associated with a foreign country to the injury of EngPettingill looked me straight in the face, and i knew that the flush which rose to his face was the flush of indignation. "It « very difficult to prove to you." he said, then he rose and went to one of the side rooms for an instant. When he came back he bore a *lip of paper in his hands it was a receipt from the Navy League for a sum which made me gasp. " Does that help?" he asked. I shook his hand. I was satisfied that he was a true Englishman. " Right," I said. lam with you then. A little wholesale smuggling appeals to me by the sport of it, especially if the profits are spent as shown by that receipt." ; You'll be no loser," laughed the skipper. ' Your cutter and yourself will be worth a couple of thousand a year to us. And probably your share will come to twice as much." " The dickens it will!" I cried. r*5 nt,M I . saw the uneasv & lances of the little Frenchman, I said to myself that, although I was satisfied that the skipper and his men, bar one, were patriots for all their smuggling propensities, I would not trust Rex Stafford till I hud seen more of him—and perhaps not then. '.Now" said the skipper, as he examined the scrolls to see if the ink were dry, and rolled them up on finding that it was; "what would you like to do ? You are at liberty to go on your own boat if you like. She has been brought up near our boathouse. Or you can see round the grounds, if Ruth can find time to take you. I must prepare my plans for distributing the saccharine we brought in My heart leapt up with delight. T never though that I should have a chance ot being with Ruth the greater part of the afternoon.

H Miss Pettingill does not mind," I smd, I should much like, to see over the premises. It must be most interesting.

Oh, she'll be pleased, I know," said |ie skipper. "She-- But it would not 'e fair to say anything about that," he dded witli a grin. And I was left to wonder if, perchance, Euth had expressed any opinion favourable upon me before my introduction to her in the boathouse; for that she knew me by sight previously I was convinced.

The skipper rose and approached his sister, and I was pleased to see that she flushed again as he spoke to her. Her eyes turned in my direction, fell when they caught my own upon them, and again the flush rose and died. " She will be pleased," said the skipper, returning. Euth looked acquiescence. Close behind her I saw Fred and the Frenchman hovering, whilst the old hag stood quivering on her staff, her head wobbling, but her eyes twinkling with encouragement. " Will you come with me, Mr. Haakon?" asked my darling and my love. " You know—" I began, with too intense fervour. I checked myself. " I shall be grateful for your kindness," I said.

We were moving towards the passage when Fred Banham ranged up alongside Ruth. " Arternune, Master Jack," said he, cavalierly ; over his shoulder, to me. Then, addressing himself to Ruth, he said: '' Might I come along o' ye if ye playse, Miss Ruth? There's raysons why I ax. Ye see I ha* knowed Master Jack since he was a boy. I tote him ta swim, row, haul halyard, and sheet, and steer, and there's parties as don't altogether love him as a may say." Ruth threw a quick look at me, and hushed my old frwnd. She began to whisper to him eagerly, and walked swiftly ahead of me. It was a sufficient hint that she did not desire my proximity just then. I lagged behind and found Eugene Potin hurrying up pasi me. "Et moi aussi s'il vous plait, m'selle," he cried. " I take the great interest in the young English gentleman. You jgo to the hill, is it not ? Hein ? I tell heem what it is, and who ? Hein ?

Fred was whispering eagerly, and I saw her face cloud with a stern £ .ity which was new to me. "Of course," she said, " both you and Fred may come if my brother does not want you." She withdrew to one of the side rooms, no doubt her private chamber. Fred,.came close to me. 'Ha'e ve fined, Master Jack?" he asked. " Reelly and truiy and all proper?" I nodded. "Thank God for that," said my old friend. "You're just the man I wanted. The guv'nor fare too sorft for some of us. And Miss Ruth want a man as well as a gennleman to look arter her. I'll tell ye more later." He fell back as Potin came dancing up again. The little Frenchman gave a melodramatic glance about him. "No one can 'ear," he whispered. "M'sieur? Do yon love M. Stafford? It is not my desire to be what you call curieux! Hem* I think you do not love him. And he, he do not love yon at all. But you love old England, and l'entente "cordiale! Hem? You are a patriot. You laike beautiful France, is it not? And you love your patrie."

"Yes," I replied, truly. "I have met with great kindness from Frenchmen, and lam fond of the lovely land. Certainly too, I am no little Englander." (( Eugene lowered his voice and hissed out. then it is for you and me, and perhaps Fred, to watch this M. Stafford. This so brusque M. Stafford! Who speaks to me to me, Eugene Potin, the friend of Vedrmes, as to a dog! Eel you sail again about your marais, your marshlands in your yacht listen for voices of the throat Do you comprehend Allemand? It is good if you do." I nodded. I was a fair German scholar and could understand it and speak ,t "Ahi! It is well. Enough!" cried Potin.

_ The little man gave me a glance of such intensity and intelligence that it was worthy of a Melville actor. He folded his arms, tossed and nodded his head three or four times, and strode off a few yards as Ruth reappeared now attired most" daintily and becomingly in a yachting costume of navy bue with white piping and facings, She led the way to the exit. '"-. (To be continued on Wednesday next.)

A travelling salesman died suddenly and was taken to his home. His relatives* telephoned to the nearest florist, some miles distant, •to make a wreath; the ribbon should be extra wide, with the inscription Rest in Peace" on both sides, and, if there was room, "We Shall Meet in Heaven." The florist was away and his new assistant handled the job. It was a startling floral piece which turned up at the funeral. The ribbon- was extra wide and bore the inscription: "Rest in Peace on Both Sides and if there is. Boom We Shall Meet in Heaven,"