BIG PETER.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144852, 2 December 1915, Page 8

BIG PETER.

STRONG ROMANTIC LOVE STORY,

By JOHN SHUTE, Author of “Tho Bullion Baby,” etc., etc.

PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS; Big Peter; A miner on the Kamnurli Gold Field. Tho real Lord Cambrny. The Swell and Scotty: Chums of Big Peter. . Robert Walker; A solicitor’s clerk. Endeavours to sell a secret to Big Peter. . , Air. Foaron: Acts as solicitor to Big Peter. ■ Lord Caiubray; Selfish, old, and with a vicious past. Lorrimci ; .Servant to Lord Carnbray. .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. • CHAPTER XIIi. THE WOOD.. Carnbray Castle stood on a deeply wonde.il rise, and could he seen from the south over manv miles of country. Behind it was level ground, over many acres of winch stretched us beautiful gardens, and then the woods enclosed it once more. The village was at the bottom of the ■hiii, many hmnirel feet do., n. and the drive wound up through the trees, taking clever advantage of the inequalities of the steep hill. Hut ii you entered the wood through a gate some wav from the main entrance you eotlid go" up by a steeper p.uu. which was sometimes quite near the road, and sometimes at a considerable It was .-holier than the drive, but even then covered a distance of something like a mile. About half-way down this wooded path was a rustic bridge, crossing a stream wii.eli iiad its rise in the spraigs of the lake that lay behind the casiie at the lop ol the lull- Ami leaning over the parapet of this bridge, looking down min the water. Lorrimer stood and waited for 'Walker, He had some time to wan, and showed impatience—semicih.ng like fear, too, lor his bps were dry and his laco was white, and he neve: remained long in one pod: ion. But ‘.vin’ll at last he heard a footstep, and presently round a curve in the trees Walker came and caught sight of h.m ho was kaning over the bv.uge in a careiesj altitude, and ills face was composed, as he straightened himself, and saiil ill a careless tone; “Your train must he a hit late. I’ve been wailing here lor some time.” -I don’t think mv train was late, saiil Walker. "I have been walking at a tremendous pace. Are we anywlteie near the top? This path seems r.s if it would wind on for ever.” ■ Not tar oil now,” said. Lorrimer.

■■But we snail have time to have our talk, liis lordship told me to sco you first and prepare you for his oiler, lie's in a "pretty bad stale of health just now. and lie doesn’t want a very long interview with you.” ■■Sorry to hear he’s indisposed,' said Walker. '•He’s an am.aide old gentleman. and I should lli.nk you have a prectv easy job with him, don't you?'’ i Ixirrimor smiled at this plcis-antry. I "Aii! you take things iiginlyv’ lie said. “It's well to be you. Mr. Walker, ‘ with all vour time to yoursell and a I handsome' deal in prospect, by which ! you will be able to nil.lie a small for- . tune.” i Walker’s eyes lit np with cupidity. ! "iias lie prepared to come down handisonulv?” he asked, and then looked ' rather suspiciously at Lorrimer. "Fve, ■ no idea. * lie said, ‘‘that lie was going to let anvbodv else into the secret. I [ suppose you can be trusted to keep things to yourself.” I "Well, considering' he can t write a 1 letter with his own hands,” said Isrr- ; rimer eoollv, "and I've boon his right hand man 'getting on for thirty years, von mustn’t be surprised at my knowing as imieli about things as be does : himself. If you’ve pot any idea of i holding back anything from me. Mr. ' Walker, you may as well put it out of ! ymir mind at once. 1 ni in this deni, i had 1 propose to make something out i ° f "Ha. ha, ha!” laughed Walker, as ' if at an excellent joke. ‘T thought I you were (he right sort.” I ' "[low (I’d vnu get, it?” asked taimI mer. who "seemed noxious to keel) the I conversation off the mirnese for which i they had come together as lone ns possible. "Did you act the whole honk or onlv a piece of it ?” “Oh I wo will talk about that when we’ve fixed up our little business, said Walker. -‘What’s the old boy prepared to nay?” “T say.” said Lorrimer. suddenly showing anger, as if his nirves wvio . on the stretch and bo i oultl u 1 d v”’” certain' about. having what we’re barraining for first. 1 daresay you I will got on nil right together, but i may wiv at cnee that 1 dorr t trust you :uiv farther than I can see you, Mr. VTalkcr, and i would like some account of ho\v von did tho trick.” “Oh, well,” said V.’nlker, hastily, showing some .surprise at his change of tone, and probably anxious to keep him in u goon humour. “1 don’t mind roiling you how it was done if you want lo know. The church is quite a long way from everywhere, and nobody ever goes near it. I walked over from a place some miles away, and got there about three o’clock in tho mornin,f when nobodv was likely to be a hour.. I didn’t go at night because 1 should have had to use a light, winch might have brought somebody 1 didn’t want, just to see what I was up to. I know a little about opening locks that 1 don't happen to have the keys of, and I got imo the church quite easily and shut it up after me again when I left. There was an old chest where 1 judged tho register would be, if it was kept in tho church at all, and I got that open. But I can tell you it was a teaser. It took me longer than any lock I have ever tackled. A\eJl, lhe.ro was the register nil right,, wrapped carefully up in a- nice little bit of mackintosh to keen it from tho damp, and there was tho entry. I didn’t want to take the whole book, so I cut out tho page, as neathy as over I could, and put everything back as I found it: and unless anything quite unlikely Tanpens it may be years before anybody discovers that there’s a page missing in that old register at all.” ... T/orrfmor had listened to this recital with his head turned away and a

frown upon his face. This man was a cleverer villain than he was. It was just because he' had not taken thought over that small matter of the light that he had brought upon himself the notice that Walker had escaped. ;£ Ycm were quite wrong about its not being missed,” ho said “What?” exclaimed Walker. “It’s been missed already, and there’s a reward of five hundred poynds for the man who will find the thief.” “Weil, I never!” exclaimed Walker, in the utmost surprise. “And it’s only a week ago that 1 got hold of it. Well, anyhow. ] don’t think there’s much chance of the thief, as they call him, being found. There’s not. a soul who saw mo within five miles of the place, and I don’t suppose you want to give mo up, Mr. J/orrimer, eh? Well now, we’re wasting time here. What’s the offer” . , . . “The offer,” said Rommcr, looking at him with a look that changed Mr. Walker’s expression from one of selfsatisfaction to one of surprise, not tinmixed with alarm, “the offer is that you give up that sheet vnu stole to me now; then you can go back where you came from and nothing further will he said about it.” After a moment's pause Walker proto treat this speech ns a joke. Ho laughed, hut without mirth, and prrd. “Is that the handsome advance that Lord Cambrar ; s prepared to make on Ins original offer?” “I.ord Oamhrav has noth'ng to do with it.” said I.on-imer. “This is a little enterprise of my own. Tx>rd i c to rdve five hundred pounds for that sheet of paper VO” stole, and if I brine it to him. hnMl rrive me the five hundred pounds. T .inn’t want to bo hard on you, M’-. Wnllcer. I aw quite to divide that sum with you. We’ll divide d+into —T \r, take four-fifths and you to take one.” (To bo continued.)