CHAPTER I.

Otago Witness, Issue 2363, 8 June 1899, Page 48

CHAPTER I.

-THE PRICE OF. BLOOD.

HAT'S a nice little bit of money, that is. I wouldn't mind the handling of it." " Then you can handle it for ■ me. I wouldn't touch it; no, not if it was two thousand, I woufdn't touch it; no, not if it was two

und r e d thousand, I wouldn't. I ain't no blooming 'angman, and I ain't going to do no blooming 'angman's work. Let them do it as likes it."

The speaker, thrusting his hands into the pockets of his ragged breeches, hunched up his shoulders as if he were cold.

" Yet you could do with a bit, roukln't you, Sam? £200 is £200 — it ain't to be picked off every crossing." "I ain't saying as 'ow it is, am I? But when it comes to 'anding a chap over to them blarsted slops for them to wring his neck, and you gettin' two 'undred for givin' 'im away — why, I says, and I says again, let them do that sort of truck as likes it. I don't. S'posin' it was you as killed the bloke, and I was to say to you, ' Nosey, I'm goin' to earn two 'undred quid, and I'm goin' to get yer 'ung to do it,' what would you say to me, eh? What do you" think? What would you think of me — that's what I arsk? "

" But I didn't kill the bloke, wurs luck ! "

"Why wurs luck?"

"'Cause I should have had sumfink if I 'ad — snmfink what might 'aye brought me in a piece or two. Look 'ere." He pointed with outstretched finger to a line on the placard, reading the words with difficulty, one by one. " The cove what done for him did get sumfink for doin' it. ' An — ex-pand-ing — gold — bracelet — witli — large — ruby — set — in — circle — of — pearls. Gold — ring — with — large — single — stone — diamond — mon-o-gram — inside — J. — H. S. Them two corst money. Who's to say they wouldn't bring you in that couple of 'undred quid? "

"What are yer payin'? Go on! 'Tten't likely ! There you are again ! Tell yer I wouldn't 'aye 'em. not if you was to take 'em out of your pocket and say, ' Sam, 'ere's a free present for yer ! ' They'll 'ang the chap as they're found on ; certain to. Directly he tries to place 'em, he's a goner. Hullo, Pollie ! Here's some spicy readin'. Two 'undred pound a-going a-beggin'. Nosey 'ere says 'ed like to earn it ; but I says, not me."

The words were addressed to a girl who had approached them from behind, and who joined them in their examination of the placard which dangled on a nail against the whitewashed wall. The man spoken of as Nosey, turning, looked at her, with his bloodshot eyes, for a second or two in silence. "'Ow's things with you? Ain't seen you about just lately." "No," said the girl, "you haven't." Her voice was full and clear, her manner brusque — as if she wished him to understand that she did not invite his conversation. Sam, his hands always in his breeches' pockets, walked towards the fire, speaking as he went. " Well, there you are, Pollie ; there's two 'undred quids a-goin' a-beggin'. P'raps you'd like to make it yourn. There's many a gal as 'as sold a chan for less than that." Nosey spat on the floor.

" Less ! Why, there's 'caps of women as '$& sold their blokes for the price of 'arf a

pint ! Yes, and for a smell at it — 'caps ! " The two men began to warm themselves before the blazing fire. Others, entering the room, joined them ; they were shivering with cold, greeting the dancing flames with hungry, yet timid, eagerness. The girl continued to stare at the placard which was hung against the wall. It was a police notice. It was headed, "Murder! - £300 Reward," stating that whereas John Howard Shapcott was murdered in his rooms in Embankment Chambers on the night of Tuesday, DecemtflV 22, by some person or persons unknown, the sum of £200 would be paid to whoever gave such information as should lead to the capture and conviction of the criminal or criminals. The girl read the first part of the notice two or three times over, as if she was unable to altogether grasp its meaning. She muttered to herself:

"Murdered? Well, what of it? I wish it was me instead of 'im — there's nothing in being murdered. I'd sooner be dead than living like I am, that I would."

She tossed her bare head, with its shock of jet-black hair; drew her scanty shawl tighter round her ; glancing at the group about the fire with flashing eyes, like some hunted, startled thing; and shuddered — not with the cold, but . with some emotion which she""found ifc difficult to ma*ster. She continued Her examination of the poster.; her ■ attitude, which has suggested pre-oc-, cupation of mind, suddenly changing to one of unmistakable and lively interest — interest which was so intense as to be painful.

The placard went on to state that certain articles had been stolen on the night of the murder, and pawnbrokers were requested to give immediate notice to the police should either of them be offered in pledge. Two of the articles in question were described in some detail ; it was this description which seemed to rouse the girl to such sudden interest.

" 'An expanding gold bracelet with large ruby set in circle of pearls. Gold ring with large single stone diamond ; monogram inside, J.H.S.' My God— my God!"

As she read the description she staggered against the wall in a state of partial collapse. In a moment or two, drawing herself a little away, peering at the printed words, she read them over and over again, as if they had for her a fascination from which she could not escape. Seeming to satisfy herself by means of a furtive glance over her shoulder, that the group about the fire were oblivious of her proceedings in' their enjoyment of its warmth, lifting her skirt in front, from some receptacle beneath she took a strip of dirty white rag." She clutched it tightly in her hand, as ifshe were afraid that someone might. discover it in her possession ; then quickly untying one of the corners, she discovered something within which one would not have expected to find in such a covering. It was a goldbracelet, of lattice work, so flexible that, when closed, as it was then, it would hardly have admitted a lady's little finger. On' one side was a magnificent ruby encircled by pearls. The girl did scarcely more than glance at it ; as rapidly as she had untied she tied it up again. Shifting the position of the piece of rag in her hand, she turned her attention to another corner. Prom it she took a ring — a gold ring set with a single diamond. This she examined closely, particularly the inside of the circle. There, in a monogram, which was less than usually fantastic, were engraved the letters, plainly to be seen — J.H.S. Her hand fell to her side ; her jaw dropped open.

My God! He done it!

She stood staring at the placard in front of her, vacantly, in a sort of stupor. Then, recollection coming back to her with a sudden rush, with feverish haste she restored the ring to its uncongenial shelter, and then the rag itself to its original hiding-place. She staggered to a stool which stood by the trestle table ; her hands lay wide open on her knees, her back was bowed ; she sat with unseeing, staring eyes. " Gentleman ! Centleman ! Gentleman ! Why did you do it? "

Presently her figure stiffened ; her back straightened ; her hands closed ; the fists became clenched — she* looked at the placard witli meaning in her eyes.

" £200 reward ! It's a deal of money — a deal. More than I'll ever earn, or see the colour of. It's more than he's worth, if it's that sort he is. I hate him! I hate him! I hate him ! "

She repeated the assertion three timeSj with increasing emphasis, as if desirous that the mere fact of the repetition should make her hatred more.

"Killed him, did he'/ And never breathed a word? And brought the things he'd' robbed him of straight home to me? And him a gentleman ! If they'd got me into trouble lie wouldn't have cared. They might have done. How did he know? Perhaps that's what he brought 'em for. If I thought " Her jaw shut tight; her lips parted, shewing the regular white teeth beneath.

"If I thought ."

She drew a long breath ; presently^ announcing that she had put the seal to a resolution at which she had inwardly arrived :

" That I would ! Why shouldn't I? He's used me bad, like as I was the muck beneath his feet. And I've done my best for him ; yes, more than any othei girl'd have done. And what's he done for me? " She shuddeied. " Curse him ! Told me to go to the devil, did he? Very well; I'll pay him off. I'll go. Says he's sick of me. I'll make him sicker. Wants to know if a girl of my sort ought to have any truck with a gentleman like him, after all I've done for him ; I'll give him his answer. Curse him ! '

Her fingers kept unclosing and closing. A sort of twitching seemed to attack the muscles of her hands and arms.

"£200! It's a fortune! I'd be a lady with all that money ; yes, that I would. I'd have some fun with it, my ! And me with hardly a bit of boot to my feet, and not a hat to my head !" Stretching out her feet she looked savagely at the relics of the shoemaker's art which certainly did not cover them. " And not a crust of bread to uut into my belly, nor the manev

to buy one. -I've spent"~my last brown- on getting a doss in here. I couldn't sleep rough through a night jlike this ; by the morning I'd have been froze. Im pretty near froze as it is, and I'm clemmed with hunger. Clemmed, I am!" She looked about her with wolfish glance?, sufficient witnesses to the reality of the appetite of which she spoke. With the fingers of her left hand she felt for the strip of rag which was concealed beneath. "I thought there was something up when, he give them to me, especially when he only laughed when I asked him where he got 'em from. I knew they was worth money, and it wasn't likely he'd give 'em to me unless he was up to some little ffroe of . his own, and him dead siony. If Id tried to raise a dollar on 'em Id have got myself in trouble; they'd have said Ida hand in what he'd been doing, and then how should I have looked, Yd like to know? I wonder if he give 'em to me so as to get himself well shut of me?"

As she asked herself the question a great sob, rising in her throat, seemed to choke her. Turning, laying her arm's on the tatile, she pillowed her face on them. Although she uttered no audible sound, her whole form shook with the violence' of her" emotion.

A ytmng. man, coming into the room, paused in the doorway, glancing round to see .who the other occupants- of the- apartments might chance to be. He was about 20 years of age, tall and thin, with closely cut fair hair. He wore an old cloth cap af the back of his head. A check: scarf was wound round his neck. His hands were thrust into the pockets of a pea jacket which had seen much, service. In spite oi the fa?t that his thin, face bore the expression of preternatural shrewdneas^vhich is the inevitable hall mark of the London lad whose schoolroom has "been the streets, there was about him something which was not unattractive. There was honesty in. the frank look of the grey o eyes, an odd suggestion of tenderness in the curve of the strong mouth, a winsome "independence in the carriage of the well-shaped head. At sight of the head recumbent on the table he quickly crossed the room. A look of trouble came on "his face which was almost comic in its suddenness. Sitting on a sfcool at the girl's side he laid his hand upon her shoulder.

"Pollie, what's up?" Raising her face, she looked at him with a glare which was reminiscent of a wild animal. " Everything's up." " Where's the Gentleman?" " I don't know where he is : I hope he's dead."

The cloud on the lad's face grew blacker. His upper lip trembled. He was still "for a second or two. "What's he been doing now?" "Doing?" she laughed, not pleasantly. " He's sent me packing, that's what he's been doing. He's told me to sling my hook. He chucked me out into the street two days ago he did, and said he never wanted to see my face again. But I'll pay him ; when he does see it again it'll be the sorriest day in all his life." "The brute!" The girl resented the epithet with sudden unroa>'j!' l it:j{ rape. > "Don't you go calling him no names— I can do all the calling of names that's wanted, so you can take the tip from me. Don't I say I'll pay him?' And so I will. For good and all!"

The lad leaned closer towards her. He lowered his voice.

" I'll tell you how to pay him best." "I don't want no telling. Thank you all the same, my lad. Think I'm a fool. When I want to get my knife into a bloke I can stick it in myself — as well, perhaps, as here and there another."

" You can pay him best by marrying m». "

She stared as if taken by surprise. Then she laughed again — again not pleasantly. " If it's all the same to you I don't happen to be takin' any — not to-day, I don't." The lad spoke to the girl with a degree of earnestness which lent to his words a halo of romance which intrinsically they lacked.

"Don't say that, Pollie. You know I've been saving up this ever so long, and latety I ain't been doing at all badly. I've got £22 10s — it's in my pocket at this moment." The magnitude of the sum amazed her. " That's a heap of money, Bob." "We can do witli it, you and me together, Pollie, if 3tou'll3 t ou'll just say the word. I'll get you a horne — a home of your own ; straight, I will. I've had my eye on one down in a shop in Walham Green — ' a. home complete for £5,' — that's what it says. Bed and carpet and armchair and pots and kettles and all — the thing. And I'll buy a moke and a new barrer — I know where to lay my hand on both the two of 'em, cheap! — and I'll set up a high-class stock, and we'll make our fortune — you can take it from me, Pollie, that you shan't want for anything if you just say the word."

tell you, I'm not taking any." " Don't you keep on saying that ; don't you. Pollie. I know I, ain't a gentleman '' " No, you ain't." " But I ain't such a bad sort in my way." " I never said you was that I know of."

" And I—l'mI — I'm fond of you ; I love you, Pollie — straight, I do ! There's nothing I wouldn't do for you — nothing in the whole wide world."

" When I want anything I'll let you know."

The tears stood in the lad's eyes ; he was so much in earnest.

"You think it over before you mate up your mind, there's no hurry. Whenever you're ready, I am ; I'll keep on waiting." "It's no good your keeping on waiting,. I never shall be ready." . , "Pollie!" " I tell you I shan't. I've had one bloke, and I'll never have another ; if I die tomorrow or if I live 100 years. You know me, and you know that what I say I mean." " But he chucked you out into the street."

"Yes, and I'll pay him for it. Don't I tell you I'll pay him for it — once and once for all." Her eyes wandered towards the placard which hung against the walljL

Aer fingers gripped something which was concealed beneath her skirt. "But that'll make no difference so far as you go. I've had my share of men ; they're off. I tell you I don't want to hear no more about it." "But, Pollie"

"Shut it! If you keep on there'll be trouble. You've Asked me a straight question, and I've given you a straight answer, and that's enough." The lad looked as if he himself was not so sure. But apparently what he saw in iher face caused him to conclude that, on this. occasion, discretion might be the better part of valour. He gulped down something in his throat, with an odd air of swallowing something disagreeable. Rising, turning his back on her, he began to study the placard which hung against the wall though, possibly, without realising what was in front of him.

If that was so he was aroused to the reality of the case by a- voice wLich proceeded from the group which still hung round the fire.

"Tidy lump of oof, two hundred quids, eh. Bob? About suit you."

"It would that."

"Would you like to earn it? Youve only to get the chap's neck stretched, and it's yours." "If I knew who it was I'd earn it fast enough. ' A chap what had done a murder I'd give away, whether there was £200 to come from if or whether there was nothing." *.

" Anyone would tbink you'd done it; yourself to hear you talk." The lad wheeled round with a burst of sudden passion. "What do you mean by that? You say again I done it."" The man at the fire regarded him as if astonished.

" I ain't said once you done it ; not yet I haven't. What's the matter with the kid? "

" Then don't you hint at nothing ; I won't have it ! "

The lad brought down his fist upon the trestle table with a bang. " The chap what does a murder ought to be hanged, I don't care who he is, and if there's nobody else would hang him, why then I would, so now you know ! "<*. Something in his words oi tone seemed to touch the girl on a sensitive point. Springing to her feet she confronted him with a show of anger which was equal to his own.

" A lot you'd do ! You're the sort to talk, you are. Why, I tell you there's heaps of blokes as want murdering ; heaps {■nd heaps of them, and some as I'd only like to get the chance to murder, and perhaps you're one." There was a laugh at this. " Howsomever that may be, you may take this as gospel truth that there's chaps as does murders whose shoes you ain't fit to wipe ; no, nor- ne^er will beri "

• In the silence which followed one of the men who had been standing by the fire went out of the room. He was heard addressing someone without.

" Hollo, Gentleman ! There's Pollie Hills inside, waiting for you."-

A loud ringing voice replied, the voice of an educated .man. 'Each word he uttered was clearly heard within — as, probably, it was. meant to be.

" Pollie Hills be — sanctified ! Is that unfortunate creature to dog my steps wherever X. go ? Too bad ! _ This comes of a gentleman condescending to a person of the sort. Take my advice, my good fellow, never have an affair of the heart with a female of a lower rank than .your own — if it is. possible to imagine such an animal. I'm afraid that either 1 must give place to Miss Hills or Miss Hills must give place to me ; and the latter for choice."

The men about the fire were staring at the girl with grinning faces. She had ■ turned a vivid scarlet. Her eyes flamed. Without a word she rushed from the room ; talcing, even as she tore along, something from its hiding-place beneath her skirt, something which was in a dirty white rag.