THE JEWELS OF DEATH.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144198, 15 September 1913, Page 5

THE JEWELS OF DEATH.

BY ROBEET HALIFAX. CHAPTER SI. Here!” Tho soft svllablo came reassuringly enough, but Sir Godfrey gave tho start of a man who feared tho mere movement of his own shadow. ‘‘Yes!” ho rattled back hollowly. “Yes!” Bloodless and haggard, and wearing an overcoat, although tho sun overhead was nearly at its hottest, ho had been moving slowly up and down tho farther stretch of the lawn, with all the appearance of on© just coming hack into touch with life alter a long and dangerous illness.

“Now, now! No cause for excitement, although there was for prudence,” ca-mo tho bland voice again. “Is that a seat I can see there? I’d take it; then, if seen from tho house, you can appear quite at ease. A very few minutes will suffice, 1 hope!” Ho obeyed, liko one whose willpower had leifc him. Beliind him rose a narrow belt of evergreens; beyond it ran the path, seldom used, which connected the drive with the tradesmen's entrance; and beyond that was tho roadway, shut off .by an ivied wall. “I know you’re thinking me strange, Mr. Ponson/’ he said tremulously, “but mine is not the illness that conics and goes. It was a warning—tho last. I fear I’m a broken man—a broken man!”.

“Far from it! Now, listen to me. I took this step for reasons of my own, and because, when I called hero openly, I got the impression that I should not bo allowed access to you in any circumstances. I’m not going to press for a reason, hut it was as unwise as unexpected; because ” “Don’t blamo her!” Sir Godfrey broke out, his hands shaking upon the stick that supported them. “Believe me, sho feared that I—that 1—” It would not finish. “Blamo Valeric?” Tho Brazilian, standing beyond- tho evergreen belt, gave a deep littlo laugh. “Heavens, no! I honour her too much—l caro for her too much—as you will so© I That is just why I wrote privately instead of calling openly again; I knew it was safest for all concerned, Sho knows nothing of tho letter?” “No—no I I have it here. Something in it told mo that you—that you ” “Yes. yes! Something told you that all hopo was nor lost by any means. While most of your so-called friends would vanish upon\ making a certain discovery, there was one close at- hand ready and anxious to help you—juat so! And you are going to accept that help?” “I can’t believe it,” bo faltered vacantly. “I can’t think; something in my head seems to have snapped. 1 have known yon only a few weeks, Mr. Ponson ” “What of that? All I desire is that wo should com© to an understanding, and as quickly as possible, for your own sake. Because, unless my private information is altogether wrong, Sir Godfrey, necessity presses. I am not a man to mine© matters. If, as I gather from certain sources, your business concern is nearing a collapse, and carrying your health with it, the moxxcy must be found to avert it. If you don’t care for yourself, you must save Valerio at any price!” A pause. Tho hands shaking upon tho stick had become still.

“I must—yes!” ho whispered. ‘Tf you have found out so much, I will not denv it. What do you propose?” “The simplest thing in tho world. I shall prohe no farther into your private affairs; what I think, I can keep to myself. When tho money is- needed, you will draw upon me. Could any man say more?”

“Upon you?” Sir Godfrey, his breath held, stared with vide, dim eyes out into tho sunlight. “I can’t believe it,” ho repeated brokenly. "It seems all a dream to me. If I did what yon say. and could never repay ” "Yon could, and would,” urged tho Brazilian, in his smoothest way. "I am not merely rich; I am, as you know, a financier. You’ll draw upon my account, free of any interest, and tide over tho rapids you sco ahead. Then, if wo find tho business worth building up, we’ll put now blood into it. If not, I’ll help yon to wind it up in such a way that you can at least savo tho money of your own that you sank to stop tho rot.” Tho banker’s wax-whito face twitched. “How—how did you corao to know of that?” bo asked, as in awo unspeakable.

“Ah I” was tho soft reply. “Let that pass. I know, perhaps, moro than it would bo safe to say. Perhaps I know, for instance —or can give a guess—what had really happened when you were found ill "in your private room. You were brought up to a high pitch in fear of exposure—oh? You took a pellet of some painless poison that you had by you—laudanum, or something tabloid, oh? But it was not sufficient to kill. And yon did not caro to tell tho truth, in very shame. Am 1 rigid?” Ho listened eagerly. There was no reply." Sir Godfrey sat stone-still—as though living again that moment in tho study' after Bernard had gone. “Let it pass,” said tho Brazilian again soothingly. “I only meant to say that you did well to keep it to yourself, and that you would bo very unwise over to unseal your lips on that point— ovon to Valerio! That is all over now. You sec, as regards your position, I have sources of information in -tho financial world that aro open only to a few, and I often stumble upon a revelation in that way quite by accident. I said to myself: ‘My poor old friend, Sir Godfrey, shut up in that house, practically a prisoner, unable to keep up any longer tho smiling front that disarmed rumour—l see it all!’ And then I thought of your dear daughter, and of her liorror when, behoving so in you as tho soul of probitv and •” ‘“Don’t!” moaned Sir Godfrey. Ho was shaking again as in a paisy. “No' more! I cannot bear it. 1 cannot! “You need not. I -have made ray offer, and in such a way that it need bo known to no one but our two selves. You come to me*, and I baud yon a blank chceque. And all I ask in return is friendship for friendship—recognition of tho fact that I am asking Valerio .to bo my wife.” “Valerie?” ho repeated Bunkenly. “Your—wife?” “Exactly! Mistress of Montcalm—tho link between your house and mine. And bear always in mind that I wanted her long before I learned of your deep trouble—from the moment, in fact, when I first saw her. Upon that I have sot my heart, and she knows it. It rests with you, as her solo guardian, to remove what I think can only bo a misunderstanding on her part. In a word, she appears to think that, because I am Jago Ponson, 1 am incapable of such sentiment as ordinary mon feel towards a woman.”

Another pause —so drawn out that the other man broke in upon it as withthe desperation of dread. “It is not that!” h© gasped. “Heaven knows, I had no idea what was in your mind. X could hay© told you that —that ” It trailed off. He seemed to realise that ho dared not speak—dared not now reveal that ho had already committed himself to a tacit compact with that other man who wanted Valerie. He got up, swaying a little. “Bear with me—l am ill,” ho gasped. “You must go; I must have time to think. It is ail dark—dark!” “Ay, and a darkness of that sort deepens with every moment,” tho Brassilian’s voice camo through, penetratively. “Tho very friends you have left are enemies ; for their own sakes they will take tho rumours as truth, and leave the sinking ship. You need cash —cash without delay. You must have, shall I say, a sum of at least twenty thousand paid into tho bank at once. For if, owing to tho reports you were suddenly called upon as trustee to ” “Hush!” Sir Godfrey strained out. “Hush! Oh, God, you make me feci that I must sacrifice her to save myself! . . . Yes—yes—do that for me! it in! I—X ” “You will feel as if a weight had fallen from you! She need not know; as my wife, there will bo no need for her to know what threatened in the long-ago. And then ” “She must! She must know why it is that I wish her to marry you ” “In that case, her lovo for you would mean her lovo for me! Let her understand that, and all is clear. Mind, 1 am not a man to oomo on my knees a second time ”

“Give mo a day!” Sir Godfrey implored. “Give mo until to-morrow!, I might—l might promise what I cannot fulfil.”

“I see! A day to temporise—to play with suicide,” ho said, with a sneer. “I did nbt think that, apart from what w© have said, I was a husband to bo despised. Thor© it. stands, then!—all is to hinge upon whether sho cares sufficiently lor you to save you?” “Upon—upon whether I can bring myself to compel her to it. If—if, as you say. yon car© for her, you know what I fccll”

“Very good!” H© had gained his main end—thrown the golden bait at the other man’s foot. Ho had no doubt as to what tho ultimate result would bo; it was only that ho chafed at the delay, “i shall ho at Montcalm to-morrow. You can send there to me quite privately—and then I can act. If Valerio asks any proof of my affection, she has it. fc»oo<l-bycl” He pushed his way back down tho overgrown path and out at the gate. (To bo continued.)