THE MONEY STONES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18702, 7 May 1924, Page 5

THE MONEY STONES.

. «» /——— ■ BY JACK McLAREN. Author of "My Odyssey," -'Fagalop's Daughter," "White Witch," "Sav*|iery of Margaret Nestor," "Feathers of -I. Heaven "Skipper of th« Hosting Meg," "Red Mountain," "The Oil Seekers," etc., etc. (Copyright.) - CHAPTER XXVIH (Continued). f From the sounds behind him, Peter knew that the girls and Rua were beginning to move off. Maintaining his steady aim at Norton's chest-, he took a step backward, A whole lot depended on the next few seconds. If he could keep Norton back till they reached the denser.ess of the jungle, their chance of escape would be fairly sure. "One movement, and I fire!" Peter warned again. A flicker showed in" Norton's eyes— was gone. • , "Then why don't you he said easily. And then, with astonishing suddenness, he leapt. There was none of that tense- j ness of the body which usually precedes ! a spring, no warning tightening of muscles. Peter fired; but so disconcerted was he | by the suddenness of the, leap, that the shot went wide. The next moment Nor- \ ton had knocked the pistol out of his hand and Peter gasped with relief at the knowledge that a lucky movement of his head had caused him to , avoid 'the knockout blow the big man had sent driving at his chin. . )■ Peter instinctively threw himself into a fighting attitude. Remembrance of the "science" which had been instrumental in making him the champion boxer of the district rushed upon him. With a quick glance he saw that Rua had unslung his bow and fitted an arrow in readiness. Iko stood looking on with his venomous eyes twinkling like flames. Then, quick as a thought, Peter delivered a favourite blow— full-handed right to the ribs. It connected with a thud that brought a gasp from the natives, who were so surprised by the rapidity of events that they could uo" nothing but stare open-eyed. Norton shook himself, and, for the first time, a gleam of anger showed in his oyes. Then, as Peter drew back for another blow, he felt Ruth's hand on his arm, ana heard her voice: * "Stop! Leaye him alone." . ' ■ She was standing at his side, the automatic pistol in her hand. Norton stepped back. . iV.'V "I don't trust a firearm in the hand of a woman," he muttered. ' "Leave him alone!" Ruth said again. "Let us get away, Peter." But Peter's blood was up. Norton had strength; but he, Peter, was possessed of that dexterity, born of long ' training, which has so often ? beaten mere strength. He' pushed her away. "Just see that the niggers don't inter- , fere," he said. "I'm going to give Norton,the hiding of his life—if he's ever had one." ■ " ■■ . .. • She came back to him. "Don't be a fool, Peter! He will only beat you up!" "You taunted me like that before. Do as I say!" he ordered roughly. "I'm going to show you that I'm a better man than he is." "That's right, Mr. Manners," said Norton, already recovered from his momentary anger. "I am only too willing to oblige. I am sure it will be &n interesting match." • He made a mocking bow to Ruth. " * i "Particularly _as the possession of a beauteous lady is at stake," he added. - "You swine " roared Peter. "Don't, Peter," Ruth pleaded. "Please dont! He is egging you on. He wants' to fightand beat you up. And he will, too, by fair means or foul." ' '"I'll risk that!" > < • , . . "But you mustn't. Leaving myself I .out of it, remember that to get your tunnel fiiniished is a pressing necessity. We have a chance to get away. Let us go. You can deal with Takeall aft some other time„ . You mustn't risk being injured so a,<> to be unable to work;" • Her words calmed him somewhat. To get safely: away was certainly- of more immediate importance than punishing Norton. He felt arahamed of his outburst. He -glanced at the boat. The : clinghy, with half ■; a dozen natives, was starting for the shore. If he delayed until' they arrived the matter of escaping : would be much mora difficult; the number of his enemies would be go materially increased that maybe he,- would be unable to get away at all. • " You're right," ho said, takirag - the pistol; and at once Ruth joined:Amona and Rua tit Che "rear. * ' < "I'll settle with you one day, Norton!" said Peter savagely. " Don't forget that!" ' Then, walking backwards, keepling the big man covered all the while, he/joined the three who waited for him. 1 ' • ' Norton watched without moving. Evidently he was aware that he had no hope of working another surprise, ahio that . dread of ; the pistol . would prevent his natives putting any heart into ait attack in the jungle if he ordered it. But he did not appear to be disconcerted. The old confident smile was on his face.. "I will not forget, Mr. JVlannars," he drawled, as Peter entered the jungle. " I shall look forward to meeting you again." • CHAPTER XXIX. ' / They kept a keen lookout all the way through the jungle , and up the creek .in the canoe, but saw nothing .of Norton nor heard anything ;to alarm . them. - And as they went Ruth ..told how the big man, with his natives, had . sprung upon her as : she and Amona worked in the kitchen . preparing the lunch". - "He came so quietly, that if ; knew nothing till I felt his < arm ; about |me and his hand across Imy mouth to choke back my cry of surprise," , she said. [ " The natives attended to Amona, and | Before • 3 knew what- was happening we I'were in the jungle, Norton carrying me as easily as though I wore a child. . It was only when wo were a safe distance away that „ he put me down and made rive; walk. But by then he had carried me well over ;; a mile. ■> V 'v;; v.;.,'S « • "His , strength- .is wonderful [" she added admiringly.' " There is (something marvellous about him, isn't there, Peter : You must admit that." < r - r^But Peter, displeased at her B,dmiratior of her - abductor, made no comment, , They, reached the house jaiit as the last of the sun slipped behind_tlie valley's flank and the '; quick-falling night laid its grey-velvet hand ion . the, green 'of i the vegetation. - f-' ~ _ "1 seem ; to have lived % a whole lifetime this afternoon," ;. he ( saidi,. as they reached the house. ,< " . ; " I feel • like that,. fob,"- staid Ruthj and, turning, sent Amona to the kitchen to light' the fire for a meal, Rua accompanying her. ; '.' You'll , 4 feel ■ better when you've iiad something -to eat—Oh, there's someone there!";;- ' . - From the shadow ,of : the y verandah a man had come to the; head of the steps"So you're back at last,"• came, the voice of Travers, the miner. '' Where have you been you two ?" v '- ~ - )■ ' " I've been worried vto death . about ' : you,"' <he continued, when they -had 8 mounted the steps and were . standing 1 before him. " I happened to caJ at r the | tunnel, Peter-,; and the natives told me IS vou had gone for lunch. I thought I a 1 wait and have a yarn when - you came 1 back. But when I waited , an, hour or I more, and still you didn't come, I came [I up here to the"house— find no one at II home, not even the cook-girl... - i "We just went—l .-mean-—we ve been | for a . walk," said Ruth, haltingly, obH taining a match from Peter and . lighting fit the verandah lantern. " ; I ■« Yes—that's right," sa.'id Peter. In I the light i of; the . lantern ;he , saw. that H Travers wa eyeing Ruth thoughtfully. H "A walk!" the * miner -echoed. / It i put the wind up me to . find the place 1 deserted, I can tell you. I .went; to .the 1 village, but all I could find out; waa that 1 you Peter, with one native, had rushed | ■off - 'into the" bush somewhere. I thought i there was »something ' wrong, and wont 1 back to the tunnel and r Btipemsed your H labourers till ; knock-off time. I toldjthe® H some', yarn or other : to account for your g absence."

11l II Ul. II Ml I I "That was v«>ry good of you, Travels/' said Peter. • ' " , # " Only what a man would ; dp. fo£ rjs. mate," said the miner simply. ? 'l* knew you / were'; short-handed and hadn't-much time to finish your tunnel' in." g Asking to be excused, in order _.0 ' * change her dress. Ruth went info : her, room. From the kitchen came the smell v~. .' of newly-kindled wood. . TraveTS * took , '- v ; . 3 Peter's arm and drew him to tho farther: end of the.* verandah. , _ -. "Come on, Peter. he said quietly. p'T yv. " Out with it! What's wrong?" ■ . " Wrong?" Peter repeated, pretending • - not to understand. ; :-v" " See here, Peter! That's all my eyo.r ,* ■ about going for a walk! What'-d y®'V.. * want to go out walking for, leaving your ; • ' t ' ■' niggers to supervise themselves, when - you've all that work to do ? There's something up!" Peter looked across the darkening valley ' without speaking. Ho would have dearly , f liked to tell Travers the whole story, _ of : his discovery of Ruth a3 a stowaway on the cutter, of Norton's persecution, of ; his attempts on the tunnel, of the abduc- - tion. Travers, ho felt, might be of valuable assistance in assisting to defeat any further schemes Norton would concoct. But the facts regarding, tho pretended manage again held his tongue. That was a secret he could not divulge—even to his best friend. : " That fellow Norton has something to do with it, I'll swear!" said Travers, peering in Peter's face. r " Am I right?" he demanded. . _ " Please don't ask any more, questions," replied Peter. " I'm sorry, 'Travel's, but' I can't take you into my confidence." " Why can't you tell me-—your old mate? I might be able to help you.". Peter's heart went out to tho great earnestness of the other's tone. " Thanks, old man," he said feelingly. " But I—just can't." - ; , . For several moments Travers did not 7 speak then' with apparent, • irrelevance ho i said: .. ; - -• " Where there's women there's always trouble— is the main reason I never burdened myself with one, though there was once a girl down in Melbourne." ■ However, that's got nothing to do with this case." "What do you mean?" Peter asked, wondering anxiously if Travers had by some means discovered the secret' he was so anxious to conceal. . • '' '•« "• 1 " I'm going to take a risk, Peter," the - miner said slowly, looking at him stead-V ily- ... • '. • •••' -/'j 11 '4.*. " Wfiat kind of risk?" " 9 " The risk of busting the friendship between you and me. • . ' "If you won't tell me yourself, Lmust - ; draw my own conclusions," he added. • And that conclusion is—?" - " You tear off into the. : bush with only .\.t a nigger,"., said Travers steadily, " and ; ' you return,, after "Several hours, with your . wife, whoso appearance certainly suggests - ;>>■ she had been— ' • Peter gripped him haiU by the shoulder. - " " Running* away," Travers finished. >;. " There, you have it, Peter! What els® could I think? There's nothing like a woman for making trouble for a mn ; I p£ ■ know lots of '•fellows '-. who. : got ; married, ... only to find .out that they ruined the ; ' 7 peacefulness of-their lives * jv; Peter, laughed, relieved. He wasn't in the least indignant or angry, though, as , . - •' a vagrant thought he wondered wfiy. • "My dear 'fellow,'" -ho began*, ;and'> > stopped, for Ruth had come from her room, and was approaching. In her clean . ... dress, fresh-looking, ; with her hair built : up in a gleaming mass, and the rioy Ypendants soft against the olive of her > • skin, she bore ' but little resemblance to . the bedraggled J" creature of a little while >"• before.. " You will star, and have tea r .with us,' Mr. Travers?" , she asked." • ■■>■■■/ 7 v. J -;V But the miner frowned at her. v, ; " I reckon I'd better be seeing how my / , own camp is getting on," he said to Peter. - T -.- "My niggers will be wondering what's ; happened -to me." . ."'-V - W-v ■'; He shook Peter's hand, murmured a perfunctory farewell to Ruth, went along . the verandah i and down the steps., L:■. "What's, wrong, with .Mr.' : Travers " Ruth- asked as she and Peter went into , , ■ the dining 'room,' and she prepared' to lay . ; ' the table. He seemed <3;uite grumpy ;■ with" me."" ,J " ' j :.'"He seemed to think— Peter stopped, > ! and then added: "He's ; a funny old . . stick; gets ; some , quaint ideas into ..'his; * head at times." ' - . ' " Such as—"-" A: :. : v ;' •*' Oh. he's a bit of a woman-hater, or something of the kind, and liable to jump at all sorts of conclusions" £ * V> " " ' "You didn't tell him i the truth abb at this afternoon?" . : . ■ . . . . . ; "Of course not! 'He . was/ naturally, , J v. very curious, but I put : • him off. But , 1 never mind about ■ him," he broke off. ." ' ■"We're here, safe and sound, and that's ' -' the great fifing." ; ; " Yes," |! said Ruth,- "arid .you haven't ■ ■ lost any time at the tunnel after alt. We've put it across Norton once again;' - - to put it vulgarly, as -would : say," 'she'' added with a.sparkle of her eyes;- - - (To be continued, daily.) " V-- - r. -- J i ., 1 1 ■■■ , '"