THE BURCOTT TREASURE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16925, 10 August 1918, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE BURCOTT TREASURE.

BY H. DE VISME SHAW? )j& . (COPYRIGHT.) ' ~.; CHAPTER VIII.--{Continued.) WAI/mt continued :.-" As I have - said; sir, two or : threo things had already made me think there, was something wrong—Mr. Preston's appearance and the sudden destruction of all papers made me feel certain it was something shady. I do not know whether it was really wrong of me to do so, but some writing which caught my eye in one of the smaller lumps of torn-up papers made me decide to do the whole lump up in a parcel and take it home with me instead of putting it into the sack with the others. Mr. Preston just, locked in at the office every day for a few days after that. Then one morning ho told mo he had to leave suddenly for Australia on important business. The was the last time I saw him."

"Have you had no employment since then?" Hespera asked as he paused. " None whatever, though I have tried high and low. I havo a wifo and three little ones; we have come to know what it feels like to have to choose between starvation and the workhouse. It would have been different but for your

brother, miss. Ho found out from me that I had saved a hundred pounds, and nevcr'lefc me alone till he had got me to put it all into shares in tho Cane Reach Mine. He almost threatened to dismiss me if I did not. This is the receipt, miss —signed by Mr. Preston." Hespera turned crimson as she glanced at the receipt— with shame that her brother could even stoop so low as to rob a struggling city clerk of his lifetime's savings. " I will give you the hundred pounds back at once," sho said, quickly. , "What about the papers you took away?" Valentine asked, while tho little man was still stammering his thanks. "I have them here, sir— least, all that have got to do with Mr. Burcott. It took me a long time to piece them together. Let Miss Burcott keep them, sir. And I want to say this, miss," he continued, turning to Hespera, "that I never had— not for a single moment— the very slightest thought of ever using them for blackmail or anything like, it. I had no friends able to help me; I could find no employment of any kind; I had a family faced with starvation. I thoughi if I nut the facts before you you might— fs't Purely you must have a lot of influence, miss—be able to help me to get work of some kind, or perhaps be kind enough to lend me a few pounds to help things over till I found another situation. I never had a thought of ever asking you for tho hundred pounds I put into tho mine. I will swear I fiever had." "I think," Valentine said/ looking up from his examination of the papers and .speaking to Hespera, " that Mr. Jarrow* 'would like the opportunity of asking a few. questions after l he has gone through these. Why not telegraph five pounds to Mrs. Walters now, and ask Mr. Walters to sleep here tonight? Jarrow said he had to be in London again to-day. We could nee him to-morrow— possibly tonight." ' : ;"JV», .' .... :- : Waiters agreed readily to this arrangement; v. ; ','. V| , •'. . > ; '■ • Valentine, as he glanced through the papers,.had immediately grasped the importance of their ; bearing upon Hugh's attempt by means of forgery to wrest from Hespera one-half ' of the • estate left to her by her father. It was for this reason that he wished Jarrow to "see them at once, and ) to ■ be able, if- he deemed it desirable, to 'question - Walters about them, \'; B ,/. I : . ~ Tho •: papers—which Preston, and, pf course, Hugh,. too, believed to have been totally destroyed— 'in -the clearest manner that the two men were "equallyguilty participants in ", the Cane Beach Mine swindle; if the' papers, were placed in the hands of the public prosecutor a warrant would at once be issued for Hugh's arrest. As far Valentine could see, there seemed no doubt whatever that if the existence of the papers were brought to the notice of Hugh or his solicitors, and the threat were made that if Hugh's claim- were pe-sisted in they would be handed : over ". to the right •; quarters,' i no-. thing', more would ever bo heard the claim. \ ' . ' ' ""• / •/ •<iA telegram .to' his office "brought; after, a longish interval, a reply that Jarrow, who had wired from London would be at .; Burcott ' i Hall by nino- o'clock - that, night. ' ' "'■ ' ; :' ■ Valentine then left for his home.'. Ho promised to return, to Burcott Hall in ample.time to meet Jarrow. ■: 3}":,■'£'%% He was back again shortly before nine. The lawyer was shown into the room a few, minutes later. "Well, and .'what is it ; now?—what .is the very . latest?" ho asked, looking' from one to the other. ?;' ( ',-f "; Valentine told him of Walters' arrival and of everything the little man had said. Then he handed him the papers. After reading them through / slowly arid .cafeiully the * lawyer remained '.for 7 some seconds in thought, his eyes fixed on the I floor. •'"• ," ,-■ ;;,. : •■■- "";-J(d ~1 "i ■ "The great Cane Beach' mine swindle!" he said ' at. length,' taking a long : breath. "A trump ; card. : indeed! I'} Your brother cannot! move hand or foot, Miss Burr'otM .Well; well; may I have a talk to thin Mr. .Walters ol^mV.'il-i^Ai'&■%£;&% .' Walters ■ was .shown into, the loom. Almost word for. word he told again the. story Valentino and Hespera had listened to earlier in the day. v ;\ -'V;-..' ' '■' *' And now I want you to tell me," Jarrow said as ho finished," "what- sort of a looking man Mr. Preston was. Was he much like Mr. Burcott?" •" v. ■ •■/, > . '. "They were., as like as. twins, sir," Walters answered. •■ " Why, si aetimes I could hardly tell which was' which unless they were full face. I made sure they wero brothers .when I first went after 'the situation. They were both , tall men, just about the same '. build, , with the same shaped noses and the same coloured eyes and hair— very, aristocratic-looking gentlemen." _ "Were their voices alike?" ' .•■ "Not much alike, sir, I should saybut Mr. Preston was a wonderful mimic. Once, when another friend was at the office and Mr/Burcott was not, T heard him imitate Mr. Burcott,, so' that you could never have told it was not him speaking. He was always mimicking peoplo that- had called at the officewomen as well as men." ' "Let us smoke a cigar on the lawn, Mr. Roper,' said Jarrow a little later, when Walters had left the room. Will you come, too, Miss Burcott?" It was a perfect summer night. They strolled down (he west lawn, and sat on ! tho seat whereon the man who attacked Hespera had first been seen by her. For a while no one spoke. At length Jarrow said: .'■,., "I am inclined to put a good deal of . confidence in this man Walters. What do both of you think? I feel sure ho is to bo trusted." , ■ Valentine and Hespera expressed the same opinion. "Should you object to keeping him here for the next few weeks or 'months ! Miss Burcott?" ' " Not in the least—if you think it dosirable." -" . 1 "I do think it desirable. I will not say why, because I.raay be wrong. Very likely I am wrong. • However, I should ' ; like him to he here for a time. I am sure ho would only consider it quite the right thing for him to have his meals in '• the servants' hall. Engage him to superintend your excavations—no one will • think there is anything out of the wav J in that." -, ... .', 1 I " 5° jou yourself believe now, 'Mr. Jarrow, 'Hespera said, "that the man about here is Hugh?" ~', :,y< , ■" , I. "As to'/the man being ygur brother. my dear young lady," the lawyer an' ' •wared, "I confess that; Dhavo/como ' round to; a change .of opinion. U Here • again, however, ;I.am/ very likely wrong I ] M .nnce these- papers have 'shown M that he was and probably still fa, hand i : If to? arranfcscam P. Preston, ; : and that the two men very -losely re 5J m ?V1 8 «? her '^ I ' aM disposed to «: I .gunk. ; that the man" who attacked you is I' I«Mbp, rod mmjk tanJ?£|

j Canada. "We may,'-safely assume that g|| ■'whoever the man .hew. may bo, he' is still^ planning to carry -out his -purpose. '• Fro-fMI bably he is living.as a working man in y^ some -Norwich slum where— .He broke oft ■ at. the word. At the \ same moment Valentine's and Hespera's^ eyes had also. detected the figure of a'-'^ man which had suddenly emerged from ; ;:^i the coppice. For it may nave been ten '||| seconds he stood there, faintly visible !».'■>& ! the moonlight. Then with a quick move. ',g j ment ho and was lost to Bight j again in the foliage. §£| I Valentine-sprang to his feet. Jarronj m: | caught him by the arm. $ffl

CHAPTER IX. 'M A STRANGE WARNING. >fs» m "Stay where you are!" the lawyer said |g quickly. "H3 may be wishing to tempt y: you to follow him. If that was not his /;■» intention, and ho is in any uncertainty as to .whether he was seen or not, it is' /.§? better that he should believe wo did not ':•■>] «ee him." Jl "Why, Mr. Janow?" Hespera said, .m " Give a man :'opo enough, my dear m young lady, and he may hang himself," M he answered enigmatically—" but perhaps --hi; it Is not our man at all. Well, well, I m suppose I ought to be thinking of home, y;: Be careful of yourself, Miss Burcott." fm Walters' fade lit up with smiles when the following morning Valentino, after M having explained to him in Hespora's pre- rg sence that search was being made for M certain treasure belonging to the Burcott ''■% family which was believed to be buried \ J in tlie neighbourhood of the Hall, sug. y gested that ho should enter Hespera* employment for a time to superintend the : -;' work of excavation. He would live in the m house, and would be paid three pounds y a week, or more if he thought that was- M not enough. y.V| "More?" tho little man exclaimed, m "why, I should only have asked half the money, miss!" . ; &|5 Ho began his duties that morning. He -y| was to keep a careful eye on the excavations, assisting in the labour as far as he ;S felt inclined; if anything were discovered, y' which might seem, to suggest that tha '4 hiding piece of the treasure had been found, he was to stop the work and re-'. V| port to Heep'era immediately. 'mi Ever since shortly after her father's /J| death, Valentine, knowing how much such y; a couise would benefit her, had been en- '.'•,;.' deavouring to persuade Hespera to go away : £ for a few weeks 'change. She had always ■', i found herself loth to leave her home—and ' him. At last, however, ho had gained : her :}i assent. It was arranged that she should m stay for a fortnight with Valentino's aunt v> in. London. ~<*:'M " I shall not stay a day over that time, '■ | Val dear," she said. "I could not bear ,| to be away from you longer." *'.'' - . This was two days after Walters' ar- y| rival in Burcott Steeple. Sho was to go 1 to London at the beginning of the follow. ; ;|

ing week. . ■:$ Of course, the news spread like wildtiro through the village. Within a feff/| hours after the decision, every man,!® woman, and child in Durcott Steeple knew, that Miss Burcott was going away -••' ■ ' ijlffl

in a visit. . When Valentine and Hespera left the lall the following morning to 'see whether .he day's work, of excavation were 1 m )rogr<!BS, they found Gooch sitting on the >ank waiting for them as usual. When Valentine passed him on his way to Bur- I sott Hall a little earlier, the old man iad neither . noticed nor spoken to him, in omission which had occurred once or wic6 before. ,- . > ,X, '■ :••*! 'fffllm Now. however, the • moment he sawan Valentine and Hespera emerge from the j ;ate, he struggled to his feot and advanced a few, steps to moet them. j There was a wild look in the old man's face. For the first time since he had come back *> Jive at Burcott Steeple he failed tops /Ouch his hat to Hespera. -^M ."Mis:! Burcott," he began rapidly, '.'MM /his right what "I hear about you goiiA iway to stay'in London?" .-'v < ; . : )aH '"'.." Quito right," she answered, finding it#| lifficult to, refrain ' from ' smiling <at theM] ild ' ma» i excited manner. "' •.'<"■ .; 'MM f" Sol' feared, 'so -1 feared," he said, ' ooking .at her , searchingly. " Then ~ you 1 nustn't go, : miss— . mustn't go' awayj«| Tom.Burcott Steeple, do you hear! , You R must stay hero if you value your ■ peacejs )f mind for all the Test of you life. You fl mustn't go—ho, not even for; a • day !" $w& 'And;why on earth not, may I ask!"' Valentine said. ('■: :'•:••;• >/\ >. : ,' '■■ i -Mm "Because it's a matter of life and death, Squire Roper, that's why," the old man I answered, drawing himself up defiantly. ;-i| "Miss,Burcott will regret it, bitterly rev'.; gret it, till her dying day if she leaves :;< Burcott Steeple now. 'There'will be mur- '..•. der, SquiM Roper, if ''she .'goes— sure as God IB in heaven there will be murder." i =i-r- ywM^w : ?& ■'' "'.'■'■'H "If you are quite sure you blow, what you are talking about,. Qoochj*' Valentin* ' Bsid,' "hadn't you fetter tell us' exactly ''■', what you mean?" ..'' "> ■-■~* "Haven't I told you enough?" the old M man : cried. "Don't you believe me? I : j'k tell you if Miss Burcott goes away, she ,;! will be as new a murderess as any woman •; can be without having to hang for it I" ', '] f "But ; how?" Hospera said, feeling » ;;'; littler nervous at' the ; : old man'o manner, " Surely I have & right to know what you ! ,| mean." :'iv\/.';> '. i" ' : "> '■••-*.'•. .'—: - O-

" Miss, miss, Relieve what 1 say, and . li stay at home. 'Isn't that enough? -I am>'.;.■;' not telling yon.- a lie. When you come | back , you will find one man dead, if not -y twcy/lewear you nothing can save'y V it from coming to that. > Miss Burcott, ,; I beg you, I .pray you in the name of >' God not to go. .v. / ' -a- l -0 ' J here was a world of earnestness in the ' old man'* pleading.' Valentine 100t..*) itjM Hespera. It was difficult for him to know • ' ' what course to take. • Making up hii'.y mind, he said :— ;■ ; '. •■ •'; ' " Mies Burcott : will certainly pay no ?vlg attention to your statements if you prefer not to give any explanation. A mereJ m assertion that someone will murder some-, yj one else if she leaves Burcott Steeple will yy not prevent her from going." : ' : !'M Tile I old ' man, '~ ignoring the words, turned to Hespera. "I have told you Ml enough, miss," ■ he; said solemnly. "You $h, will think over the warning I have given ■■;* you. You will not go away from Burcott v Steeple." / '. ' : t|'| ' There you are quite wrong," she said, ■ '.'-'j, slightly nettled by the autocratic way in V"| which the words were spoken. "I should -v* want something like proof of what you ~i*' 'say before I paid any attention to it.' If you decline to say more, there the '';;:; matter ends." • ' M ~ She turned away, Valentine by her/-U side. I. They had not taken a dozen steps || up 'the road when Gcoch came nobbling m after 1 ' them. '.*".'■ ;S§ "Miss Burcott!" * M She and Valentine stopped. : j& "Squire Roper and Miss Burcott," the ~; old man said, " there's somebody else'".'';; alter" this treasure, lffisidce you. He f| knows more about - it than you do, or;M ever will do most likely. If you go away, . '-m he will try to get it—and then either he -•• or I will die. Have I told you enough ! ;'; now, miss, to stop you from going?" Hespera felt her heart throbbing. Here ; Y >| then was clear confirmation of the reason :. 1 >'| J arrow had suggested 'or Hugh's presence ':''! and actions—or lor the presence ana action* V;,i of his confederate. There could bo no doubt ':,,; about this now. Whoever the man might :> bo, whether Hugh or Preston, he had -.v.; wished to carry her of! because in som« way wholly unknown tohor it was im*--,T| possible for him to. secure tho treasure y while she was in Biircott Steeple ; if shd 'v left Burcott' Steeple he would have the ',' t -V"; opportunity of securing it—and Gooch >'■;'<! had already "declared that only over hii '§M dead body should the treasure ho dis- '.'» turbed. ?m& The same thoughts passed through Valv':f§ entine's mind. ySjl . "Have I told you enough now, miss, Ml to stop you from going?" the old man re- 4 peated. , WSm • "Is the man who knows where thi'iMl treasure is Miss Burcott's brother?" Val:M| entine asked before Hespera could answer. '-'»■ 'I know nothing of Miss Burcott's ' brother." There was a look of surprise on his face. "-' y - -'.^l .But you know who the man is, I sup. '•), pose?" •,.:'; '■•!■■"■'•:-■■ » ■■*$m ife"Squire Roper, 1 give you'my solemn word I don't ; know, who ho is. I-onlfSl know he is a man who has guessed where fl the treasure is, and that ho could -MSSM if Miss Burcott were out of the wOT.'aiii never : saw.; Miss •Burcott's brother in mf ■ :, We that I know of.'rlf he is your brewer, ! m «s, why i 8 he working against you i»'V .stead, of with you?" ■ '>-. v||l§|f Kx ¥* U continued S»turtli« fteitt lm|li