FICTION.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1265, 28 May 1896, Page 40

FICTION.

(Copyright 1896 in the United States of America by A. H. Hawkins.) “PHBOSO.” ♦ BY ANTHONY HOPE, Author of ‘ Tho Prisoner of Zenda.’ (Continued.) CHAPTER V. THE COTTAGE OX THE HILL, The effect of my remark was curious. Denny turned scarlet and flung his whip down on the table; the others stood for a moment motionless, then turned tail and slunk back to the kitchen. Euphrosyne’s face remained invisible. However, I felt quite at my ease. I had a triumphant conviction of tho importance of my capture, and a determination that no misplaced chivalry should rob me of it. Politeness is, no doubt, a duty, but only a relative duty; and, in plain English, men’s lives were at stake hero. Therefore, I did not make my best bow, fling open the door and tell tho lady that she was free to go whither she would, but I said to her in a dry, severe voice—‘You had better go, madam, to the room you usually occupy here, while we consider what to do with you. You know where the room is; I don’t.’ She raised her head, and said in tones that sounded almost eager—

‘My own room? May Igo there?’ ‘ Certainly,’ said I. ‘ I shall accompany you as far as tho door; and when you’ve gone in I shall lock the door.’ This programme was duly carried out, Euphrosyne not favouring mo with a word during its progress. Then I returned to tho hall, and said to Denny—- ‘ Rather a trump card, isn’t she?’ ‘Yes; but they’ll be back pretty soon to look for her, I expect.’ Demi}'' accompanied this remark with such a yawn that 1 suggested lie should go to bed.

‘And aren’t you going to bed?’ he asked. ‘l’ll take first watch,’ said I. 1 It’s nearly twelve now. I’ll wake you at 2, and you can wake Hogvardt at 5, and Watkins will be fit and well at breakfast-time, and can give us roast cow.’ Thus I was left alone again; and I sat reviewing the position. Woukl the islanders fight for their lady? or would they let us go? They would only let us go, I felt sure, if Constantine were controlled, for ho could not afford to see me leave Neopalia with a head on my shoulders and a tongue in my month. Then they probably would fight. Well, I calculated that as long as our provisions held out wo could not be stormed; our stone fortress was too strong. But wo could be beleaguored and starved out, and should bo very soon unless the lady’s influence could help us. I had just arrived at the conclusion that I would talk very seriously to her in the morning, when I heard a remarkable sound.

‘There never was such a place for queer noises,’ said I, pricking up my ears. This noise seemed to come directly from above my head; it sounded as though a light, stealthy tread wore passing over the roof of tho hall in which I sat. And tho only person in tho house beside ourselves was the prisoner. She had been securely locked in her room ; how, then, could she bo on the top of the hall ? For her room was in tho turret over the door. Vet the stops crept over my head, going towards tho kitchen.

I snatchod up my revolver and trod, with a stealth equal to the stealth of the steps overhead, across the hall and into the kitchen beyond. My tlireo companions slept tho sleep of tired men, but I roused Denny ruthlessly. ‘Go on guard in tho hall,’ said I. VI want to have a look lound.’

Denny was sleepy, but obedient, t saw him start for tho hall, and went on till I reached the compound behind the house. Hero I stood deep in the shadow of the wall, and the steps were now over my head again. I glanced up cautiously, and above mo, on tho roof, three yards to tho right, I saw tho flutter of a white kilt.

‘ There ate moro ways out of this house than I know,’ I thought to myself.

1 heard next a noise as though of something being pushed cautiously along the flat roof. Then there protruded from between two of the battlements the end of a ladder. 1 crouched closer under the wall. The light flight of steps was let down ; it reached the ground; the kilted figure stepped on it and begau t<> descend. Here was tho Lady Euphrosyne again.

Her eagerness to go to her own room was fully explained—there was a way from it across tho house and out on to the roof of the kitchen ; the ladder showed that tho way was kept in use. I stood still.

She reached the ground, and, as she touched it, she gave tho softest possible little laugh of gleeful triumph—a pretty little laugh it was. Then sho stepped briskly across the compound till uhb reached the rocks on the other side. I crept forward after her, for I was afraid of losing sight of her in tho darkness, and yet did not desire to arrest her progress till f saw whore she was going. On she went, skirting tho perpendicular drop of rock. L was behind her now. At last she came to the angle formed by the rock running north and that which, turning to tho east, enclosed the compound. ‘How’s sho going to get up?’ I asked myself.

But up she began to go —her right foot on the north rock, her left on the east. She ascended with such confidence that it was evident that stops wore ready for her feet. She gained tho top; I began to mount in the samo fashion, finding steps cut in the face of the cliff. I reached the top, and I saw her standing still, ten yards ahead of me. Sho went on; I followed; she stopped, looked, saw me, screamed.

I rushed on her. Her arms dealt a blow at me—l caught her hand, and in her hand there was a little dagger. Seizing her other hand, I held her fast.

‘ Where are you going to ?’ I asked, in a matter-of-fact tone, taking no notice of her hasty resort to tho dagger. No doubt that was purely a national trait. Seeing that sho was caught, she made no attempt to struggle. ‘ I was trying to escape,’ she said. ‘Did you hear me?’ ‘ Yes, I heard you. Where were you going to ?’ ‘ Why should I tell you ? Shall you threaten mo with the whip again ?’

I loosed her hands. She gave a sudden glance up tho hill—she seemed to measure tho distance.

‘ Why do you want to go to the top of the hill?’ I asked. ‘Have you frionds there ?’

She denied tho suggestion, as I thought she would.

‘ No, I have not, hut anywhere is bettor than with you.’ ‘ Yet there is someone in the cottage up there,’ I observed. ‘lt belongs to Constantine, doesn’t it ?’

‘ Yes, it does,’ sho answered, defiantly. ‘Dare you go and seek him there ? or dare you only skulk behind tho walls of tho house ?’

‘As long as we are four against a hundred I dare only skulk,’ I answered. She did not annoy me at all by her taunts. ‘But do you think lie’s there ?’ ‘There! No; he’s in tho town—and he’ll come from the town to kill you tomorrow.’

‘Then is nobody there?’ I pursued

‘Nobody,’ sho answered. ‘ You’re wrong,’ I answered. ‘ I saw somebody there to-day.’ ‘ Oh, a peasant, perhaps.’ ‘ Well, the dress didn’t look liko it. Do you really want to go there now?’ ' Haven’t you mocked mo enough ?’ she burst out. ‘Take me back to my prison.’ Her tragedy air was quite delightful. But I had been leading her up to something which I thought she ought to know. ‘ There’s a woman in that cottage,’ said I. ‘Not a peasant—a woman in some darkcoloured dress, who uses opera-glasses.’

I saw her draw back with a start of surprise.

‘lt’s false,’she cried. ‘There’s no ono there. Constantino told me no one went there except Vlacho and sometimes Demetri.’

‘Do you believe all Constantine tells you?’ I asked. ‘ Why should I not ? He’s my cousin, and ’

‘ And your suitor ?’ She flung her head back proudly

‘ I have no shame in that,’ she answered. ‘ You would accept his offer ?’ ‘Since you ask, I will answer. Ye 3. I had promised my uncle that I w'ould.’ ‘ Good God !’ said I; for I was very sorry for her.

The emphasis of my exclamation seemed to startle her afresh. I felt her glance rest on me in puzzled questioning. ‘ Did Constantine let you see the old woman whom I sent to him?’ I demanded. ‘ No,’ she murmured. ‘ lie told me what she said.’ ‘ That I told him ho was his uncle’s murderer?’

‘Did you tell her to say that?’ she asked, with a sudden inclination of her body towards me.

‘ I did. Did he give you tho message?’ She made no answer. I pressed my advantage. ‘On my honour, 1 saw what I have told you at the cottage,’ I said. ' I know what it means no more than you do. But before I came here, f saw Constantine in London ; and there I heard a lady say she would come with him. Did any lady come with him ?’

‘ Are you mad ?’ sho asked ; but I could hoar her breathing quickly, and I knexv that her scorn was assumed.

I drew suddenly away from her and put my hands behind my back.

‘<to to the cottage, if you like,’said I. ‘ But 1 won’t answer for what you’ll find there.’

‘ You set mo free?’ she cried, with otger-

‘ Free to go to the cottage—you must promise to come back. Or I’ll go to the cottage, if you’ll promise to go back to your room and wait (ill 1 return.’

She hesitated, looking again towards where the cottage was, but l had stirred .suspicion and disquietude in her. She dared not face what she might find in the cottage.

‘ I’ll go back and wait for you,’ sho said. ‘lf I went to the cottage and—and all was well, I’m afraid 1 shouldn’t come back.’ Tho tone sounded softer. I would have sworn a smile or a half smile accompanied the words, but it was too dark to bo sure, and when 1 leant forward to look, Eupluosyuo drew back. ‘Then you mustn’t go,’ said I, decisively. ‘ I can’t afford to lose you.’

‘ But if you Jet mo go, I could lot you go,’ sho cried.

‘Could you? Without asking Constantine ? Besides, it’s my island, you see.’ ‘ It’s not/ she cried, with a stamp of her foot. And without more she walked straight by me and disappeared over the ledge of rock.

Two minutes later f saw her figure defined against the . ky, a black shadow on the deep grey ground, and then she disappeared .

I set my face straight for tho cottage under tho summit of the hill. I knew that I had only to go straight and I must como to the little plateau, scooped out of the

hillside, on which the cottage stood. I found not a path, but a sort of rough track that led in the desired direction, and along this I made my way very cautiously. At one point it was joined at right angles by another track, from the side of the hill where tho main road across tho island lay-. This, of course, afforded an approach to the cottage without passing by my house. In twenty minutes tho cottage loomed, a blurred mass, before me. I fell on my knees and peered at it. There was a light in one of the windows. I crawled nearer. Now I was on the plateau —•a moment later I was under tho wooden verandah and beneath the window where the light glowed. And my hand was on my revolver; if Constantino or Vlacho caught mo hero neither side would ho able to stand on trifles; even my desire for legality would fail under the strain. But for tho minute everything was quiet, and I began to fear that 1 should have to return empty-handed; for it would be growing light in another hour or so, and I must bo gone before the day began to appear.

Ah! there was a sound—a sound that appealed to me after my climb—tho sound of wine poured into a glass; and then came a voico 1 knew.

‘ Probably they have caught her,* said Vlacho, tho innkeeper. ‘ What of that? They will not hurt her. And she’ll he kept safe.’ ‘You mean she can’t como spying about here?’

* Exactly. And that, my lord, is an advantage. If sho came here ’ ‘Oh, the deuce!’ laughed Constantine. ‘ But won’t tho men want me to freo her by lotting that infernal crew go?’ ‘ Not if they think Wheatley will go to Rhodes and get soldiers and return. They love the island more than her. It will all go well, my lord. And this othor hero ?’ I strained my ears to listen. No answer came; yet Vlacho went on as though he had received an answer. ‘ These cursed fellows make that difficult too,’ ho said. ‘lt would bo an epidemic,’ And ho laughed, seeming to seo wit in his own remark.

‘Curse them, yes. Wo must move cautiously/ said Constantine. ‘ What a nuisance women are, Vlacho.’

‘Aye—too many of them,’laughed Vlacho,

‘I had to swear my life out that no one was here, and then, “ If no oue’s there, why mayn’t I come?”—you know the sort of thing.’ ( ‘ Indeed, no, my lord ; you wrong mo,’ protested Vlacho, humorously, and Constantine joined in his laugh. 1 You’ve made up your mind which, I gather?’ asked Vlacho. ‘Oh, this one, beyond doubt,’answered his master.

Now I thought that I understood most of this conversation ; and I was very sorry that Euphrosyne was not by my side to listen to it. But I had heard about enough for my purposes, and I turned to crawl away stealthily—it is not well to try fortune too far—when I heard the sound of a door opening in tho room. Constantine’s voice followed directly on the sound. 1 Ah, my darling, my sweet wife,’ he cried; ‘not sleeping yet ? Whore will your beauty be? Vlacho and I must plot and plan for your sake, but you need not spoil your eyes with sleeplessness.’ Constantino did it uncommonly well. His manner was a pattern for husbands. I was guilty of a quiet laugh all to myself in tho verandah. ‘For me? You’ro sure it’s for me?’ came in that Greek tongue with a strange accent which had first fallen on my ears in the Optimum Restaurant. ' She’s jealous, she most charmingly jealous,’ cried Constantine in playful rapture. ‘ Does your wife pay you such compliments, Vlacho ?’ ‘ She has not the samo cause, my lord, as my Lady Francesca of tho Lady Euphrosyne.’ ‘ Where is she now ?’ came swift and sharp from the woman. 'Why, she’s a prisoner to that Englishman,’ answered Constantine.

I suppose explanations passed on this point, for the voices fell to a lower level, as is apt to happen in the telling of a long story, and l could not catch what passed till Constantino’s tones rose again, as he said,

‘ Oh, yes, we must have a try at getting her out, just to satisfy the people. For me, she might stay there as long as she likes, for 1 care for her just as little as, between ourselves, I believe she cares for me.’

Really this fellow was a very tidy villain ; as a pair Vlacho and ho would bo hard to beat, in England at all events. About Neopalia 1 had learned to reserve my opinion. Such were my reflections as I turned to resume my interrupted crawl to safety. But in an instant I was still again—still and crouching eloso under the wall motionless as an insect that, feigns death, holding my breath, my hand on the trigger. For the door of tho cottage was flung open, and Constantino and Vlacho appeared on tho threshold.

‘ Ah,’ said Vlacho, ‘ dawn is nearly on us. See, it grows lighter on the horizon.’ A more serious matter was that owing to tho open door and tho lamp inside, it had grown lighter on tho verandah—so light that I saw the thieo figures, fertile woman had como also in the doorway, so light that my huddled shape would be seen if any of tho threo turned an eye towards it. T could have picked oil" both men before they could move, but a civilised education has drawbacks ; it makes a man scrupulous. I did not lire. I lay still, hoping that I should not be noticed. And I should not have been noticed but for one thing. Acting up to his pert in the ghastly farce which these two ruffians were playing with the wife of one of them, Constantino turned to bestow kisses on the woman before ho parted from her. Vlacho, in a mocking way that was horrible to me who knew his heart, must needs be facetious. With a laugh ho drew back—he drew back farther still—heJwas but a couple of feet

from the wall of the house; and that couple of feet I filled. In a moment — with one step backwards —he would have been upon me. Perhaps lie w'ould hot have made that step; perhaps I should have gone by that narrow bit of wall undetected. But the temptation was too strong for me. The thought of the thing threatened to make mo laugh. I had a pen-knife in my pocket. I opened it and I dug it hard into that portion of Vlacho’s frame which came most conveniently, and prominently, to my hand. Then, leaving the pen-knife where it was, I leapt up, gavo the howling ruffian a mighty shove, and, with a loud laugh of triumph, bolted for my iifo down the hill. But when 1 had gone twenty yards l dropped on my knees, for bullet after bullet whistled over my head. Constantine —the outraged Vlacho, too, perhaps —carried a revolver! and the barrels wero being emptied after me. I rose and turned ono hasty glance behind mo. Yes, I saw their dim shapes like moving trees. I fired once, twice, thrice in my turn, and then went crashing and rushing down tho path that I had ascended so cautiously. 1 cannoned against tho tree trunks; I tripped over trailing branches; I stumbled over stones. Once I paused and fired the rest of my barrels.

A yell told me I had hit—but Vlacho, alas’ not Constantine. At the same instant my lire was answered —and a bullet went through my hat. I was defenceless now, save for my heels, and to them I took again with all speed. But as I crashed along, ono at least of them came crashing after me ! Yes, it was only one! I had checked Vlaclio’s career. It was Constantine alone. I suppose one of your heroes of romance would have faced him, for with them it is not etiquette to run away from ono man. Ah, well, I ran away! For all I knew, Constantine might still have a shot in tho locker. I had none; and if Constantine killed me, ho would kill the only man who know all his secrets.

So 1 ran. And just as I got within ten yards of the drop into my own territory I hoard a wild cry—- ' Charley ! Charley ! "Where tho devil are you, Charley !’

‘ Why. here, of course,’ said I, coming to the top of the bank and dropping over. 1 have no doubt that it was the cry uttered by Denny—which gave pause to Constantine’s pursuit. Ho would not desire to face all four of us. At any rate the sound of his pursuing feet died away and ceased I suppose he went back to look after Vlacho and show himself safe and sound to that most unlucky woman, his wife. As for me, when I found myself safe and sound in tho compound I said, ‘Thank God!’ And 1 meant it too. Then I looked round. And certainly tho sight that met my eyes had a touch of comedy in it. Denny, Hogvardt and Watkins stood in the compound. Their backs wero towards mo, and they wore all staring up at tho roof of the kitchen with expressions which the cold light of morning revealed in all their puzzled foolishness. And on the top of the roof, unassailable and out of reach—for no ladder ran from roof to ground now—stood Euphrosyne, in her usual attitude of easy grace. And Euphrosyne was not taking tho smallest notico of tho helpless three below, but stood quite still, with unmoved face, gazing up towards tho cottage. Tho whole tiling reminded ono of nothing so much as of a pretty composed cat in a tree, with three infuriated useless terriers barking round the trunk. I began to laugh. ‘ What’s all tho shindy ?’ cried out Denny. ‘ Who’s doing revolver practico in the wood ? And how the dickens did she got there, Charley ?’ But when the still figure on tho roof saw me, the impassivity of it vanished. Euphrosyne leant forward, clasping her hands, and said to me — ‘ Have you killed him ?’ Tho question vexed me. It would have been civil to accompany it, at all events, with an enquiry as to my own health. ‘Killed him?’ I answered gruffiy, ‘No, lie’s sound enough.’ ‘ And ’ sho began ; but now sho glanced, seemingly for tho first time, at my friends below. ‘ You must como and toll me,’ she said, and with that she turned and disappeared from our gaze behind tho battlements. I listened intently. No sound came from the wood that rose grey in the now light behind us. ‘ What have you been doing?’ demanded Denny, surlily. He had not enjoyed Euphrosyno’s scornful attitude. ‘ 1 have been running for my life,’ said I, ‘from the biggest scoundrels unhanged. ! Denny, make a guess who lives in tin!, j cottage,’ ‘ Constantino ?’ ‘ I don’t mean him.’ ‘ Not Vlacho—he’s at the inn.’ ‘ No, i don't mean Vlacho.’ ‘ Who then, man ?’ ‘ Someone you’ve seen.’ ‘Oh, I give it up. It’s not the time of day for riddles.’ ‘ The lady who dined at the next table to us at the Optimum/ said I. Denny jumped back in amazement, with a long, low whistle. ‘ What, the one that was with Constantine ?’ ho cried.

‘ Yos,’ said I, ‘the ono who was with Constantino.’

They were all three round mo now ; and, thinking that it would be better that they should know what I know, and four lives instead of" one stand between a ruffian and the impunity he hoped for, I raised my voice and went on in emphatic tone — ‘ Yes. She’s there, and she’s his wife.’

A moment’s astonished silence greeted my announcement. It was broken by none of our party. But there came from the battlemented roof above us a low, long, mournful moan that made its way straight to my heart, armed with its dart of outraged pride and trust betrayed. It was

not thus, boldly and abruptly, I should have told my news. But I did not know that Euphrosyne was still above, hidden by the battlements; nor had 1 known that sho understood English. Wo all looked up. The moan was not repeated. Presently wo heard slow steps retreating with a faltering tread across the roof, and wo also went into the house in silence and sorrow. For a thing liko that gets hold of a man, and when ho has heard it it’s hard for him to sit down and be merry till the follow that caused it has paid his reckoning—as I swore then and there that Constantino Steffanopoulos should pay his. (To be continued.)