CHAPTER XXXI.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 129, 21 November 1885, Page 6

CHAPTER XXXI.

THE DETECTIVE INTERFERES -BILSY'a ERRAND. The opening door showed the library tenanted not only by Detective Linter, but Lady Melross ako The detective had eagerly seized the op portunity to draw her ladyship into a minute description of the events of the ni^ht of the tratredy. But. at the startling? entry of Lillis and Hood, both rope involuntarily to their feet, staring dumbly Lillis fled to Linter "For Heaven's sake," she cried, "take it, to Solicitor Gibhe!" Speaking the choking, breathless words, she thrust a sealed envelope into his hand. Hood rushed upon them like a whirlwind Tn a moment he had torn the letter from Linter'p hand " Give it me I" cried Lady Melross, pale, "tern, and haughtily erect. "Is my child insane ?*' Lillis burst into an anguished cry. Hood too much enraged to notice the command, flung the letter into the fire. Driven to utter despair, Lillia turned passionately to Lintor. She cried, passionately, pointing to Hood : "He ift not the old earl's son ! He is not the heir to the title and estates of Langdon \ Cyril Cheen-<y is the heir! That man is Robert Hood, son of Lawrence Hood " There Lady Mel rose suddenly burst into tears and naught the girl to her heart. " Oh, Heaven pity me !" she wailed, hrokenly. "My child is mad ! Oh, lillis. Lillio ! Would Heaven I had died before thi a hour !" " Yes. she is mad," faltered Hood, with »low, ashy lips, " I will ring for Rebecca Hough." *' I am here, my lord," spoke Rebecca's har»»h voine at the door. "1 saw Miss running wild like down the stairs and along the hall, and thought I'd be wanted." "Take her to her room," sobbed Lady Mflross, in genuine grief. "Come, my love " Lillis broke from her enfolding arm. cried, despairingly, turning to the de f ective : "I am not mad. Bring Solicitor Gibbs here, and I will prove Jf am not. I swear it Cyril Chesney is the Earl of Langdon ; and that man," pointing again at Rood, *' knows it on'y too well Tell Solicitor Gibbp f Tell Cyril Chesney and — " " For mercy's sake, hush !" breathed Rebecca Hough »t her ear. "He'll have i you in a madhouse " There was something in the unnoticed interruption, that .effectually, o^ebked t the ghl. A genuine terror struck through the ] woman's suppressed voice. ' ' / (

W t'; a despairing gesture and glance at Linter, she submitted to Kebecca't impeding arm and t turned to the door, followed bj the wei-piug Lauy Melross. Linter, routed irom his. astounded silence by tho movement, started after them, cry lug, loudly, hurriedly : 11 dold ! I must speak to that young ady. Slie is, I believe, perfectly sane." Lidy Melroas and Hood turned upon hiau wiud one consent. 11 How dare you, eir, think to meddle with cny cnnd?", cried the baronet's widow, her eyes flashing wrathfully through her tears •• Mind your own business I" thundered blood, intercepting him. "By Heaven, I've a great mmd to have you put out oi iioor«*, neck and heels I Your impudence it insufferable, and your audacity in returning to the Abbey unexumpled. What brougln you, you mean cur? Speak, and speak quick, or I'iJ have you kicked out yet." The door closed upon th 9 furious threat and the two faced eaoh other alone. Linter's large eyes were dangerousl> ablaze, but he answered the question calmly " I came," ne said, u purposely to uig your lordship to accompany me immediately to Paris." 14 i'll accompany you nowhere !" phouted Hood, beside himself. ♦'I'll go to Park myself. And now, sir, leave the Abbe) this instant, and send your bill to th» steward tomorrow. From this hour you are out of my employ. Begone !" His face livid, hia hand shaking, he pom ted to the door. Linter gazed at him from under his heavj lids with steady coolness and composure With the same he spoke. " You are right, my lord. lam out ot your employ, but by my oxon will. Know, however, that my bluepiet>s tilorts to dis cover the Earl of Lantrdon'a murderer will cea:-e only with the murderer's arrest. Ibid you a good evening. Lord Langdon." He bowed, withdrew, and, before a ser vant coul«l respond to Hood's furious pull at the bell, was out of the house. Bilsy answeied the summons. Hood, standing imputien'ly at the open door of the libiary beckone I him into the room with a face of such livid pas&ion tha« the man stared in unconcealed astonish merit. "You have seen the stranger that just went away?" hissed Hood, breath lessly. "You would know him ?" "I let him in, my lord. Id know him." "You are not particular about the way you make money ? ' Bilsy understood the terrible meaning underlying the hushed question. His eyes, gleamed avariciously. 1 Not if it's i\ paying way, mylcrd. Not if I'm sure of a big sum " he replied. " It will be a sum large enough to make you an independent gentleman 'or life Follow that man, deal him his death-blow, and your fortune's made. But," as Bilsy opened his mouth to answer, " not near the Abbey, remember. There is a wood clote to the vil -" Bil-y, impitient to be gone, interjected rapidly : ••I know, my lord, and I understand! But the figger, my lord ? It's a bold deed and neeis a square promise." Hod named the pum, withfierceemphasis, and eye* that flamed balefully. t% He's a dead man !" said Bilsy, all the evil in his nature fired by the enormous amount of Hood's bribe. He touched his forelock, took a step toward the door, and then, checked by a sudden thoutrNt, turned round again. "What if I m balked?" he said. "The place is a good place enough, but it's earl;, ye*, and somebodz might chance along when not wanted." "Follow him !" "To London?" "To London ! Hades ! Anywhere ' Everywhere ! Only do it, and do it toon ! Mind ! Soon 1 Or it will be too late for you and me !" Doubly roused by the fearful passion in Hood's lace and voice, the man answered, quickly, significantly : "It won't be too late, my lord ! He's a dead man !" Emphasising the word's with a blood curdling look, he left the room. " And I a safe man !" brsathed Hood, as the large powerfully-built form disappeared from hia Satanic g^e. At the moment the door closed upon Bilsy. Defective L>nter dropped lightly from the balcony, where he had been a witness of the foregoing scene. " Some evil afoot !" he thought. " Men* countenances have been my study too long to leave me in doubt as to the nature of the colloquy just ended But what is it? — a plot flg-iinst me or a plot against that beautiful girl ? Ah. if I could only h»ive caught a few words ! Still, it's a great deal to have seen. Those carelessly drawn curtains have proved ut-eful.*' He stole away and made rapidly across the turf for the gate from which Lillis bad been turned that morning by Bilsy. As he gained the deeper gloom of the park he paused, fancying he lieard a suspicion 8 sound Ho turned, and, standing in the shadow of a monstrous oak, strained his gaze through the yatheung darkness. He listened attentively, even presping Hitear against the ground. Presently he went on reassured. "I'm afraid it's the young lady," he thought again, uneasily. " That woman whom I overhauled this morning in my grey suit, was entirely too reticent. And But. we'll pee. my lord ! There's a double mvptery here to be cleared up, I find ! Mips Melross is no more mid than I am; but she is in dead earnest! And— so am I!" While he had stood listening, Bilsy, who had trot upon his track with the keen in ptinct of a blood hound, stood in a breath lesp silence only a few roJs distant. But no sooner did the detective move on, than, warned by the halt, Bilsy changed hi* course. Turning quickly he took a roundabout path to the village, »hat would keep him out of LinterV sight and hearing till the fatal moment of the attack. By running at lull epetd he effected hi« purpose, gaining the cover of the wood designated by Hood just as Linter came in view, and just as twilight had settled into the darkness of night. There he waited. {To be Continued).

In Sad and Sober Earnest. — One stormy morning while a party of Scots was crossing from Arran to Ardrossan, one of their number was observed by his companions to be sitting at the side of the boat with a very woebegone expression on his face, and evidently suffering severely ' from seaeickness. On seeing this one of the travellers approached him, and said kindly, " Are you sick, Geordie ? " "Magudeness ! " paid Geordie, evidently in disgust, "d'ye think am doing it f<«r fun?" ' ' , " Can dogs find , thpir home from a distance ?' is a question frequently nsked. A correspondent answers the query thus : "It's according to the dog. If it's one you j want to get red ofi he can find his way back from C difornia - If it is a good one, he's apt to get lost if he goes round the Qorner,"

in Anecdote of Beau Brumiuell " Y'JUB diDner, sir ! Why, here is the bil for that which, you see, with the wlobf .mounts to three pounds ten, and this yoi have handed me is only a shilling !" 11 Ye*, I see it's only a shilling," eai< Beau, looking curious y at the coin whid 'he lundlord held up to him between hi. thumb and finger, "but I can't helptha', You told me I could have a dinner for n.y money, and I a«sure you, on the honour »>i t gentleman, that little coin is all the mone\ I possess. By some unaccountable acciden (t happens to be only a chilling : I wish for your sake it was something else." A puzzled angry look came over the fac of the landlord fora moment, and then gay. ulace to a broad grin. " Well ! 1 suppose this might be called > joke, eh ? One of the very good, if not yen iuuny sort. Your name is -" 44 Brumrnell, sir ; Beau Brummell, a 1 your service." *'I thought so Well, Mr Brummell, I issure you that, while appreciating the joke am not so eelfi-h na to want to monopoli-t r,he whole benefit of it. I'll tell you wha I'll do," and with a < huckla, he took Beau' .inn, led him to the door, and pointed acroec the way to the house of his rival. "Do you see that place on the cornei there ?" *• Quite plainly," said Brummell. " VVell, I will give you a receipt in full fo r.he dinner you have had and say no more iboutit, provided you will goto morrow and j] ay the proprietor of that house tne sum. trick." Beau paused a moment, as if in thought, rhen, drawing out his card case and handing one to the host, e-aid : " You're a goid fellow, and I should lik< ro oblige you. There is my card. If yw will fum^h me with a list of proper estab lishmentn I will attend to them in tbei oioper order ; but with thi* fellow acios the way I might hav.eeome difficulty You -cc, 1 was there yesterday and he sent mt nere '."