BIG PETER.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144851, 1 December 1915, Page 8

BIG PETER.

STRONG ROMANTIC LOVE STORY.

By JOHN SHDTE, Author of “The Bullion Baby,” etc., etc. PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS; Big Peter: A miner on the Kampurli Gold Field. The real Lord Carabray. The Swell and Scotty: Chums of Big Peter. Robert Walker: A solicitor’s clerk. Endeavours to sell a secret to Big Peter. Mr. Fearon: .Acts as solicitor to Big Peter. Lord Camhray: Selfish, old, and with a vicious past. Lorrimcr; Servant to Lord Camhray.' Miss Parker; Aunt to Margaret Parker: With whom Big Peter is in love. Mrs. Saunders; A poor widow whom Big Peter helps. Tommy Saunders; Her son. CHATTER Xll.—Continued. Two days after Lorrimer had returned to Camhray Castle. Lord Cajnlnay, who was sitting on the tviraeu reading the morning paper, suddenly exclaimed forcibly at something which caught Ids eye. and then rang ids bell violently for Lorrimer. When the servant eame lie hxed him with a glare. “Look here, what docs this mean?” ho cried. "I’ou’ve been playing me false, you dog'. Vcm've got that register alter all. By —— ii you play any of your games upon me I’ll punish you tor it if it costs me etcryvliiag i’ve got.” ' l.onimer's blank stare of surprise was not without its rllVct upon the furious old man. "'Here, rend that." he said, giving him the paper, “and tell mo what it means.” lie pointed to an advertisement in the Agony Column, which was to tile effect that a page of an ancient register, containing entries of .such and such dates, had been cut out and stolen from Thifxted Church, Norfolk. A reward of five hundred pounds was offered loins return, and lor information which would lead to the conviction of the thief. Application was to he made to Messrs. Fearon and Son. solicitors, of Old Jewry. * Lord C’ambray's attention had been drawn lo this advertisement by an article in the paper itself, pointing out how valuable some of these ancient parish registers wore and how carelessly some of them were kept. Lorrimer laid down the paper, still with au air of complete bewilderment. “Donjt stand there looking like a fool!” said his muster. “What is the meaning of it?” Lorrimer had nothing to say. It was so plain that he did not know, that even Lord C'ambrny relinquished bis hastily-formed idea that he had, alter alj. got it himself. "Somebody must, have stolon it,” •said Lorrimer “Oil, voa think that, do you?” sneered the old lord. ''You’ve got an extraordinarily inventive brain. Did that fellow wfic gave you such n hiding steal it? Who was he? It has occurred to me oneo or twice that it’s just possible he may be that Australian follow who has come over here to claim the title. Fiom what yon have said of him, he sounds rather as il he might have been a colonial. Could he have, taken it?"

Lorrimer gained a slight revenge for the insults with which any remark or suggestion of his was generally met. “Perhaps your lordship will tell me.” he said quietly, ' p why he should want to steal the register. I may bo a tool, but I should have thought that it would only have been of use to him if he was in the church.” “H’m. ha!” said Lord Cambray. “No. I don’t suppose be could have taken it, whoever he was. 1 don’t suppose you have either, although I did think at first that you were playing some game with. me. Put who would want to have it destroyed, except me? There’s no doubt about it containing the very entry we want; the dates given here show that.” “If I may venture to say so,” said Lorrimer. “the only person who is likely to have stolen it is Walker, and your lordship will hear from him pretty soon, I should think with another offer.”

This prophecy was fulfilled in a few days’ time. A letter came from Walker which ran as follows; — My Lord,—.l have secured a certain document which was tho subject of conversation between us, when I had the honour of waiting upon your lordship. I shall be pleased to hand it over on receipt of four thousand pounds, which is tho lowest price 1 am prepared to accept.—l am your lordship’s obedient servant, , ~ Robert Walker.

we’ve got him!” exclaimed his lordship in fierce glee. “\\ hat wo haven’t got, untortuuatCiV, is trie modest price ho demands, hut as I am tho only possible purchaser he can find. I dare sav 1 can persuade him to let mo have it at my own price, which is five hundred pounds, as I told him. Write and tell him to come and see me. I don’t know why he hasn’t done so: I told him not to write. ’ “I don’t think it’s tho least likely, my lord, that he will lot it go lor that sum.” . “Why not? What good is it to him if he doesn’t sell it to me? 5 “Well, inv lord, there is a reward offered of ffvo Jjandrod pounds.” “'RcT couldn’t claim that without giving himself away. “Don’t yon think, ray lord, he would be clover enough to make up some story winch would clear himself and get him the money?” Lord Cambray considered this. “He seems to be a pretty resourceful sort of rascal.” he said. “Certainly he was clever enough to succeed in what you failed to do. Well, then, what do > “I siiggcst. my lord.” said Lorrimer qnietlv, “that yon should leave me to deal' with Mr. ‘Walker. If I succocd in getting the paper off him the bargain we made is to hold a.s before.”

This suggestion was received with a terrifying scow], but was then discussed, Lorrimcr sticking doggedly to his opinion that the only way of getting the paper out of Walker was either to pay him his priee. or something near it, which was out of the question, or else taking it bv force. “Oh, but you can’t do that here,” said Lord Cambray at last. “The follow would kick up a hallohoioo, and everybody about the place, would know that he had been robbed.” Then Lorrimer disclosed his scheme. It was one which showed the cold-blooded ingenuity of this resourceful villain. He was to write to Walker on behalf of Lord Cambray to say that he would not give the price that Walker demanded,

but that ho would give a sura very much larger than he had originally ottered. But. he would do nothing at all unless Walker came down to discuss it with him in person. Ho was to write making an appointment, and he was to return this letter as a guarantee that it would nut he made use 01. He was not to discuss the arrangement in his letter, or to write about it again under any circumstances.

Lorriiiier was also to write in his own name, and tell Walker that he was in his master's counsel, ami thought he could persuade him lo better the offer he was prepared to make. But, naturally, if he put Walker up to getting a great deal more money than ho would tie able to get by himself, he should oxpcer to share it. He could not leave the castle tor long without his lordship’s knowing of it; hut if Walker would come up from the station, not hy the main drive, where there was always a certain amount of traffic, but by a footpath through the wood, which ho gave him directions how to find, ho would meet him somewhere near tho house, where they could taik unobserved, and there was no reason why they should not come to an agicement after a fcw_ minutes’ conversation. This letter Walker was also to return, ns a guarantee of good faith. It he did not do so, Lorrimer would not meet him, and lie might make tho best bargain ho could for himself without his help. Lord Camhray grunted appreciatively over this precious effusion. “1 am not sure, though,” ho said, “that an invitation to meet you in a wood, where nobody is likely’ to disturb you, is calculated to give him much confidence. I know I should think twice before I met you in a wood if 1 had once set eyes on vou, especially if I wer.e a little follow like this Walker.”

Lorrimer Mailed with appreciation at this compliment, which had been made in a lone of good temper. “I think, my lord,” lie said, “that the touch about getting; a hit for myself will persuade him that no harm’s intended.” “‘Well,” conceded Lord Cambray, “I dure say that may bring him. Being a rascal himself bo will have a fellow feeling fur another rascal. Wo cun but try it on. I don’t see in what way the invitation is to be bettered. It’s annoying to have to write these things, hut. after all, he can’t do much against ns without doing it against himself, and he will probably see the advisability of complying with our request that the letters shall he sent back.” In due time Walker’s answers came bark, together with the letters that had called them forth, and which were immediately destroyed. That to Lord Cambray was a-short acceptance of his offer for a conference. That to Lorrimer was longer, and showed the kindly appreciation of a thief invited to enter n deal with another thief. He should be pleased, ho said, to bear of any way by which they might “diddle” the old man together, and he- proposed n division into thirds of any extra sum he might he able to secure by Lorrimer’s help; ho to take two-thirds and Lcrrimor one.

“I think you will say,” ho wrote, “that this is n generous offer, and I quite hope we shall be able to do business together.” “Very well, then,” said' the old lord, whoso brows had drawn together at the disrespectful reference to himself. “Nov/ von have cot vour chanco again, and don’t miss it this time. Don’t take a revolver—that’s n fool’s game —no one carries firearms in this country, and. although the wood is lonely enough, if you had to use it you might bo hoard.” Lorrimers shifty eves dropped ns the black, wicked ones of his master were bent on him.

“Get that paper.” said the old man. -leaning forward and glaring at him with evil intensity. ’‘l’ll give you five hundred pounds for it when it’s put into my hand. You can hand that on to Walker, or do what you like with it, Sfako a bargain with him. I don’t care. I shan’t inquire any farther about Walker. But get that paner!” Ho sank back in bis chair, overcome by the expression of his own eagerness. Lorrimer had to wait upon him with, the skill and the attention of a trained nurse, and as he went about his duties his face bore something of the evil*intensity of that of the wicked old man who had .lust incited him to—what? (To be continued.)