CHAPTER XLIII.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 195, 19 March 1887, Page 6

CHAPTER XLIII.

"CAN I CON.KF. WITH YOU IN PRIVATE?' ■\Viien the doer opened, and Mr and Mrs Houechton entered the telephone office, Margaret sprang forsvnrd to meet tharn Trith a glad cry. She seized her rnothoi'a lianas, and Mrs Houghton saw that she was trembling with nervous excitement. " Oh, mamma, I am ao glad you have come !" " What does all this mean, Margie ?" Mrs Houghton aeked, in a low tone, inclining her head toward thi> figures seated about the table. Sha had been so anxious, her suspense had been ao intolerable, that eho had neither eyea nor ears for anyone save her daughter when she entered. At her question, howeier, Margarot turned and made a little gesture toward a figure standing by a window, while a glad smile illumined har features. " Louis !" whispered her mother, a look almost of awe settling over her face, while her heart leaped iuto her throat, as Bhe realised that he was alive and there in hor presence. His eye 3 wera upon them, and he nodded and smiled at her ; he could not come to them at that moment, as pome one claimed his attention just then. Mr Houghton and Mi Forest had eeen him the moment the door was opened, and they had stopped upon tlie threshold, struck motionless with astonishment ; they «ould scarcely credit tha evidence of their Oinieense3. Mr Forest wr.,3 the first to recover himself, and rushed forward, his benevolent face all aglow, and aeizsd the young man's hand in an almost vice-like grip. "I have just heard euch dreadful news about you," he said, in a glad yet trembling voice, " and I can hardly believe, even now, that it is you whom I behold." "It is I, nevevtbeles?," Louis answered, returning hie grip, " and I am very glad to see you, Mr Forest, even though I am not in very good trim to moet anyone," vith a rueful glance at hia disordered atfciro. Mr Houghton now joined them. " Where have you beon. all these week?. Dunbar?— what does it all mean ?— I am completely dazad," ho said, mechanically returning Loais'a hnn4-Bhako. "It is a lon£ story, and I have no titna to tell you : I'have, however, been rather badly used, and in a very critical situation ; I should not be here evon now but for the courage and energy of your ov,n daughter," Louis responded, banding a fond, grateful look upon Margareb, who was approaching with her mother. Louis grasped the trembling hand which Mrs Hougnton held out to him. •'It is not my ghost," ha diid, lightly, and smiling, " this a good strong hand even yet, dear Mr 3 Houghton," and indeed he convinced her ef the truth of bis assertion by a vigorous clasp. "What in the world has Margie to do with your disappearance f ejaculated Mr iiumghton, astonished at what he had Baid 'regarding hi 3 daughter. "Nothing with my disappearance^ but everything for my reappearance," ho answered. "Tell ua about it, young man— tell us il, I am very impatient fee hear about this extraordinary adventure, 1 ' said Mr Forest abruptly, and with a nervousness that they all noticed. Louis coloured crimson. He had alwa\ ? greatly admired MrForest, but he had been much disturbed upon seeing him, enter the room. He felt extremoly awkward now, it ■would be very hard to tall birr, that it waa through the villany of hi 3 own nephew that ali this trouble had been brought aboufc. " Well, p9rhapa I may tell you something of it," he said, r.fter a moment of thought, and drawing them a little aside and arranging seats for them, he gave thorn a brief outline of what had transpired during the weeks that he had b=en missing. Ho avoided, however, mentioning the name of the man that so wronged biai ; ho could not bear to do that with Mr Forest Bitting thore and regarding hire so earnestly. He believed that he was f ondl} attached to his nephew, that ho intendod making him hia heir, and, e\en though ho know that ha muat soon learn all the bitter truth, he shrank from being the first; to briog this heavy sorrow upon him. The man's eyes never left hi- faco during hia story— he aopeared to ba eomple'oly absorbed in it— scarcely breathing as ho listened. When he came to Margaret'? agency in hia release, her father and mother wero astonished beyend measure. ?' Margie! how did you happen to ritpnover any thing about this strange affair ? I cannot comprehend ! I " began Mr Houghton, aghast. "It ia a long story, papa," sha in terrupted, adding, with evident embarra?smant, as eh© glanced toward Mr Foreat : "And I am afraid it will not be altogether a pleasant one for you to hear, either." " Who was thia man who assaulted you aad stole the money ? did you know him ?'' demanded Mr Forest, turning suddenly to Louis. "Yes, sir, well," he answered, grrvely, " and as I have already told you, he was forced, at the muzzlo of the revolver that Miss Houghton brought mo, to exchange placaa with me ; they have gone after him, ho will be here presently to answer for himmil." " What ie his name, Louis ? do not keep ( us ia suspense," eaid Mr Houghton uneasily, while a vague suspicion of the truth began to creep into hia mind. " You will know very soon," Louis replied, evasively, then added, ia a lower tone : " Bub, believe me, I bear the man no malice :he is young " " Young ? It is not your father, then ?'' cried Mrs Houghton, eagerly. She had been expecting every moment that he would mention him as the author of hit trouble. "No," he returned, sadly; "he is, as I Midi, a young man j it might have been his fixwt offence of this kind ; and if there is any way by which we can hush up the nutter and save his name from public skftme, I shall do my utmost to accomplish il, and I entreat your co-operation also." "Ha should be made to suffer to the extt&t of th« law, whoever he is," Mr Xteiot •««*> indignantly,

There came the Bound of footsteps at this moment in the outer room. Margaret started, growing pale, while Bho glanced nervously at Mr Foreat. Louis coloured painfully and looked greatly disturbed, while every one elao looked expestant. " They are bringing him, I— Mr Forest, I wish you might have been spared this," Louis stammored, laying his hand with a touch of sympathy upon that gentleman's shoulder. Before he could respond, or, indeed, comprehend the meaning of the kindly words, the door \va3 thrown open, and Arthur Aepinwall was led into the room between two men. One glanco around the apartmont revealed every face in it to the wretchod young man, whiie, a3 he mot his uncle's stern, fixed gaze, he staggered aa if from a blow, and, in a low tone, muttered something to himself. They pkced a chair for him, and he sank into it, dropping his head upon his breast. Mr Forest sprang to his feet, hesitated an instant, and then sat down again, hia face now as pale as his nephew's. Then there followed a lengthy oxamination of the case, and a diecii3eion upon all its point 3. The directors insisted upon beginning all over again ; there seemed even yet to be a dim suspicion in the minds of some that Louis might in some way have been in league with Arthur. Louis began the story, relating all that had occurred up to the time of Margaret's appearance in his place of confinement. She was then requested to relate minutely her proceedings, which sho did, in a clear, straightforward manner. When she had concluded, she drew her purse from her pocket and took from it something wrapped in tissue paper. Rising, she walked with gn\ce and dignity, to the cashier's desk, and laid it down bofore one of the directors. s> Thie," she said, " is the diamond v/bich I found among the folds of the draperios in our parlour, behind tho teto-a-tete I have mentioned, and where I believed Mr Aspinwall was concealed during the interview that I had with Mr Dunbar on the evening of his disappearance and of the robbery." The gentleman unfolded the paper, and there rolled out into his hand a pure white stone, like a great drop of dew. "This is all I have to tell," Margaret went on, as she resumed her seat, "unless I bear testimony to the fact of Mr Dunbar's diacovery of the gold, which was concealed in a secret closet — which anyone may see — behind a panel of the wainecotme; in the room adjoining the one in which he was confined." Arthur was then asked if he had anything to say in hi 3 own defence. "Nothing," he replied in a hollow tone, but without lifting his bowed head. " Is the story to which we have just been listening a true one ?" "Yes." This avowal caused considei % ablo excitement for a moment. Louis was exonerated at last— no taint would henceforth rest upon his character. Bat after the first sigh of relief he sprang again to his feet, an anxious look upon his fine face. •'My friends," he began, "the ac knowldgement juet made by Mr Aspinwall, of course, removes a.U doubt from your minds, and you look upon me as an honest man again. But while I desire to havo my good name vindicated and to Rtand cloar in the eyes of the world, I wish to plead for ycur indulgence toward Mr Aspinwall. I have told you before that he has been Labouring under peculiar difficulties, and that the temptation was also a peculiar one. Thiuk of him, if you please, as being hurled from aflluence to almost a state of beggary : it would have been such, but for tha limely appearance and kindn933 ct a friend. I havo known him all ray lifo ; he is one of my own countrymen, and as such I do not wish him disgraced. I knew his mother, a lovely, Christian woman, who spent the bost of her life in trying to make her boy a true Jiud coble man ; for her sake T plead for him. For my own sake, also, I plead for him ; I have been the greatest eufforor in this aifair, and yet I do not wish to appear against him in public. I cannot; bear the thought that my evidence would convict him of u great crime and doom him to an ignominious punishment, and I ask, aa a personal favour, that you will suspend all proceedings against him ; requiring, of course, some pledge from him a3 to his future life." "Ib i=" impossible ! it is impossible!" cried the directors, looking indignant and ercited over such an astounding, almo3t absurd request; while Arthur himself seemed to have forgotten for the moment hie own situation, and regarded him with amazement. "Listen. please,"Louis pursued, oarne3tly, "yoi:- money has been all restored to you, 3"cspting parhapa eighb hundred or a rho.'.^vid franco, and that, with the interest 01 tLo whole, I have promisod dull bo ropbcsd ; yon have therefore nothing to gain o?" haa by prosecuting tho ca.se further Besiile 5 this, you will entail upon me and my friend? very unpleasant results by sodo130', If the mister gooa into tho courts) it will pice Mis 3 Houghton, who, I may as well I-cerm you, is my promised wife, iv an ex'Tcmdy disagreoablo position ; she 6h-Ia!i?L f ora becoming so conspicuous,— from ha/irq her name omblazenod upon bulletin b :<.irde and ?own broadcast over the land in fie newspapers ; and if / can consent to overlook the wrong done (o myself — the dange', rUiYeritipr, and unjust suspicions —cinn.-:t you concede thi3 much to me ?" " tfuS h8 fs a criminal. Who knows v> h%t he will do next, if he is let loose 1 he e/hould 1)9 confined— should be put whore ho Cii Jo no further harm to anyone," was the a lf'wnu/able response. " Yru can require him to leave your coyatij, pledging himself never to return under penalty of arrest," urged Louis. "Moneieur Dunbar ddes nofc think of hirnssif at all. How can ho stand clear, how can all suspicion be removed from him unless the facts of the affair are made public? 1 ' gravely asked ono gentleman. "That can be arranged, we will arrange it somehow ; only I beg you grant me this one request. I wish no reward, you have offered a large sum . but I will relinquish all claim to it if you will gratify mo in this." t Louis pleaded so earnestly and heartily that the stern faces around him began to relent. " What is he to you ?" someone asked, suddenly, and regarding him curiously. "My countryman, and the comrade of my boyhood," the young man answered, gravely. Arthur cringed beneath the words as if someone bad struck him with a lash. The comrade of his boyhood ! It was a coal of fire that would eat and burn into his soul as long as he lived. " That is all ? you have no motive save that of friendliness and the desire to do a kind act?" questioned the same gentleman. •' That is all," Louis returned, earnestly, " unless it is the hope that this experience may prove the turning pcint in his life and he may be led to strive for the honourable manhood that was the hope and prayer of his mother j

He glanced involuntarily toward Arthur as ho concluded, and he was sure he saw a tear roll down his haggard cheek. Mr Forest now rose and advanced toward the directors. " Gentlemen," he said, in a husky, unsteady voice, "lam the friend of whom Mr Dunbar has spoken to you. I am obliged to confess that yonder unfortunate offender is my own nephew ; his mother was my sister, consequently I have a deep personal interest in him. Can I confer with you in private for a little while?'