THE MONEY STORES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18709, 15 May 1924, Page 4

THE MONEY STORES.

v " BY JACK McLAREN. y

: Author of "My Odyssey," "Fagaloas Daugh- ; ? ter " "White Witch." "Savagery or ; ■' - Margaret Nestor." ' "Feathers oi v /Heaven^ "Skipper of the Row" l * Meg," '.*R«d Mountain.' "The ~ "Oil Seekers," etc., etc. ~-. (Copyright.) \ .. < CHAPTER XXXlX.—(Continued.) The fact that Norton considered that the reef would not be reached in time " was revealed to him by the Warden one i evening. .'■.■; ; ' • .. ~ •'How are you getting on with the; work ! " Rossmore asked. " You've only three days left, you know." " J'll do it, I think," replied Peter. ; "Because," said "the Warden, "there's sonieove else who seems to doubt it.'* "No*ton—eh? The big chap camped over the.re along the ridge." He i-ut in an application to me to-cto; to take effect from the day your time'expires," said the warden. "' rhat is, of course, if you haven't established your tiMe to. the claim by then." "I though* so," said Peter. Of Rut* He saw less than ever these - strenuous dayu, and then only in the presence oi Mies. Rossmore. For the .saku of appearance, they conversed in canary fashion, on the few occasions when they did meet, he telling of bow the trtinel was progressing and of what were his chances of success, she replying with brief comment. She. appeared! 'to take little interest, in what was beintf done at the mine-eave on one occasion wihen, he having declared very positively in at he was certaifc to «ie through, a gleam as of pleasure showed' a moment, , in her eyes. The indications tliat he was very near the reef were very, plentiful now. " Another few hours and we re there, declared. Trwvers as they met on . the morning of the second last day Peter ready to start with bjis day-shift, Travers leaving to co to his camp to rest after his long and strenuous night. ( Make every stroke a winner, Peter; All day loi\g Peter fought; his battle with the recalcitrant stone. When Travers arrived .at sundown and "the night-shift began, he stayed on, helping wherever he could*, even taking the hammer of a native whom" he considered sfiow and inefficient, and drilling a hole or two himself. "■ ' ' ' - . . ' , It was only when Travers impressed upon him the fact that 'ho must recti if he was to do justice to himself on the morrow that he at last reluctantly consented to go home.

" The toughest day of your life lies before you," was the way Travers had put it. "and if you stay here working half the night you'll knock yourself out and make a mess of things, my boy." But when Peter arrived back at the tunnel next morning it was Travers who refused to go home and rest. " I'm going to stay and see- it tthrough," he declared. " Also, I might be able to help." - The night-shift was sent home: to the village, and the day which was to- either " make or ruin Peter Manners was begun. As the morning wore on, the miners from the other '• claims began to gather about the tunnel's mouth. Peter took notice of them on the occasions when he went out into the open to wait till* the smoke and fumes from the blasting, had cleared away. With his men, lie went back as won' as possible, and commenced the drilling of Fresh holes and- the ban-owing out of the dislodged stone. At noon specks of gold were showing readily to the rock- lSil: ' -*

" Almost on the wall of the reef!" shouted Travers. "Go it, you' niggers f Go for your lives!" •'!> >k . ( But the stone was stubbora->'Sna though they dispensed with a .sr^Jfor JnncE,, but at*- hurriedly as __v worked-,, by four o'clock the reef <j»sj s " stiE hidden from view. ■ ->r • • ' v '■'■ : - Jit five they drilled the last line 'of holes, f. ■ . ■.■ ■' > '- ft ithis doesn't do- it, we're done," sa* &X y eter. as he tamped' home the dynanxitgp ' ' _i official day nods at sundown, ?#ive won't have time to drill any more <ilOlfls. , - -> " * la conformity with his usual proceedure, he ordered the natives out of the tttnnel; then be ignited the fuse, and, .with Travers, went out into the open. The whole- of the miners were assembled now,- including Norton. Bossmoxe and his wife, and Ruth were' there also, with Aanona standing'a little at the reaar. Numbers of the villagers stood about in groups* Bio/the- sorcerev, stood near Norton* his small, wizened, frame looking like some horribly grotesque- thing against the splendid figure, of thet white man who was his partner in villainy. '"' . ' " What luck asked the Warden. . Before Peter could reply, the sound of the first./.chargercamw booming out of the tunnel. Then came another; 1 then, another: and* after a short interval, ' three 'more.' ;-•"" . - ; "'"■■-!

*. Six," said Travers. "That's; the lot." ' * Peter, waited impatiently till the- fumes had cleared sufficiently to make it safe to enter the tunnel. Then, candle in hand, he dashed in. Three minutes later he came rushing out, Ilia hands filled with, pieces of quartz all splashed and hung about with gold, which seemed to blink at the unaccustomed light of day. :"c' v _ • " What, luck, did' you say?" he cried si the Warden, a little hysterically. "I've done it! I've done it! It's likelike a jeweller's shop in there!" . " You deserve it," said the Warden. ■" You worked hard. I congratulate you. " And you, also, Mrs. Manners." Then Norton stepped forward. For once he had lost control of himself.

.He was furious at defeat. His face was livid with rage. "'Mrs. Manners,' you call her!" he roared. " She's no- Mrs.. Manners." He

paused as though to make the statement all the more impressive. " They are not married at all!" A gasp of astonishment came from the crowd, Mrs. Rossmore looked at Ruth with an expression which told that she was both surprised and shocked. The natives, knew something dramatic was happening, though they hadn't of course understood. Norton's words, murmured' among themselves. Rua looked anxiously from his. roaster's - face to Norton, and then at Iko, who still stood near the big man. It was plain that he thought some danger threatened. Peter, and he was ready to help him. Indeed, he borrowed the bow-and-arrow of a villager near by. Peter dropped the pieces of quartz-and-gold, and glanced questioningly at Ruth. Evidently understanding what he meant, 1 she inclined her head in assent. "Let me: explain!" Peter cried. You've all heard what thab man said! What he inferred is a. blackguardly lie! Hear what I havoto say! Hear the story of a man's persecution of a girl!" And tTien. feverishly, the words tumbling from him, he related- the peculiar circumstances in which he had met Ruth, arid told, of what had happened after. Exclamations of astonishment came from his hearers as he told of the attempted phduction, and of the other incidents. „ Many black looks were directed at the man who was- the cause of the girl's distress. ; ' •;- v'A '""'' .;.'■■", : .,' .•'■ " And: then he tried to get ray claim!" ; said Peter at the end. "It was he who rinsed the tunnel's mouth to fall in. Though I don't know how he managed it. and have no proof. I'm positively .-vtaiii that it was, he who placed , the dynamite in the half-finished hole, and so caused '.the death of mv labourer. He' did »n these thin Ss, and failed. And now——. - And now,* you utter beast, I'm going to give you a hiding that's been coming to rou [or to long. You chaps see fair play," ; lie called to the miner's;' WV> And with that he struck Norton a heavy blow in the face.. .;*■:';:.;* V (To be concluded to-morrow.) .'