BIG PETER.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144853, 3 December 1915, Page 8

BIG PETER.

STRONG ROMANTIC LOVE STORY.

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

PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS: Big Peter: A miner on the Kampurli Gold Field. The real Lord Cambray. 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 Cambray-: Selfish, old, and w'ith a vicious past. Lorrimer: Servant to Lord Cambray. 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 Xlll.—Continued. Walker had somewhat recovered himself. He laughed again, rather more naturally. “1 see,” ho said, “And if I’m not prepared to give up what I’ve risked so much for, for a hundred pounds—which isn’t anything like what I’m already out of pocket over this deal—where shall you be then, Mr. Lorrimer?”

‘‘Oh! then.” said Lorrimer coolly, ‘■'l shall be bettor off by a hundred pounds, for 1 shall claim the reward offered on my own account, and of course you won't expect mo to share any of that with you.” ‘‘l see,” said Walker again. “And where docs Lord Cambray come in?” “Lord Cambray wouldn’t come in at all,” said Lorrimer. “As 1 said, it would be a little speculation entirely on my own account. 1 shouldn’t mind leaving Lord Cambray’s service if I could get five hundred pounds added to what I’ve been able to save.” “Well, it’s a very pretty idea.” said Walker. “But there are a good many things you have forgotten. However, we needn't discuss them. If you have really got some suggestion to make to me, of sticking the old man for a bit more, as Eve said. I'm quite willing to share. If mot wo’ll end this interesting conversation, for'it is quite time I wont and kept my appointment with your master.” Lorrinier’s aspect changed suddenly. “Ves, it’s quite time we ended this.” lie said roughly. “Where’s the paper? lot mo see it.” Walker took a step backwards. Lorrimer had approached him threateningly with the big stick he was carrying gripped firmly in his hand... “Here, don’t you go trying that sort of game on with me,” he said boldly. “Vou’ll got yourself into trouble, you know.” But his faro, was pasty white as he shrank back against the parapet of the bridge. Lorrimer controlled himself and let his hand fall. “Look here,” he said, in a voice that was almost pleading. “Don’t play the fool. Take your hundred pounds—l’ll make it two hundred —no, two hundred and fifty; we'll go halves—and go nwav in safety.” “Not mel” snid Walker with uneasy truculence. “I’ll have my Four thousand.”

“You'd hotter, you know,” said Lofrimer, still in a tone of appealing reasonableness. “I don't want tp do you any harm, but I’m going to havo that paper. I’m stronger than you, and I’ve got this stiek. I’m going to havo thaTpaper, and if you don’t give it up I’ll take it from you.” Walker, now hhvions’y terrified, cave a hoarse earklo of laughter. “You don’t suppose I should he such a fool ns to have tho paper on me when 1 was going to trust mvself in this den of thieves, do yon?” he said. “Mr. I.o'-rimer 1 Mr. Lorrimcr! what are you thinking of?”. Ha crnurhrd down under tnr railing and held up his arm in defence, for TiOrrimer had mmo inwards him with his stiek raised in his hand, and a mu-derons-light in his eyes. “What!” he eried in a fury. “You' haven’t got it with von !” Then in uncontrollable passion, ho raised the heave stick high above his head and brought it down with all tho force of whieh he was capable on the head of tho defenceless man cronehing before him. Walker pnt up his arm to =ave his head, hut tho blow battered .dr-vn V? defenee and strnek his bend. "Don't! Don’t!” he. eried. “I can get it for you. I swear IT! get it Mr yon.” Lorrimcr was raining Hows on .him like a madman, frenzied with rage. His eyes were starting out pf his head, his hatchet-like face', pale as death, was as that of a savage beast fired wi+h mnrdernns Inst for blood. Walker, rrnnrhing lower and lewer on the ground, tried to run in at him; hut ho sprang baek. and changing the direction of his furious blows, struck at him sidow.avs and found his face undefended. With a wailing cry that welled up through tho silent wood, tho wretched man turned and tried to run from him, and with his teeth bared like fangs, and his breath coming in horrid gasps, Lorrimcr ran alter him and dealt him one fierce blow after tho other until he had foiled him, and he lay writhing on his face on tho ground. Then he struck at him again and again murderously, and his struggles to protect himself grew weaker and weaker. At last they censed. Lorrimcr had always been a wicked man. Now he was a murderer 1

CHAPTER XXV. A CHANGE IN THE SUCCESSION. Lorrimer crept up to the castle. Altnougb the sun was shining brightly, the sky seemed to him quite grey, and ho shivered as if with cold. Be went straight to the room where his master’ lay on his sofa by the window. * Lord Cambray received him with a curse. "What have you . been doing all this time?” he asked. “Well, have you got it?” Then his face changed as his servant came forwaa’d into tlie light. Ho lay staring up at him and a look of horror came into his eyes and his tongue refused to sneak. Then he seemed to bethink himself, and said in an unnatural voice. ”1 suppose you’ve had a light to get it. I didn’t tell you to do that. Where is it?” Lorrimer’s .anger awoke at .this speech. . “You didn’t tell me to do it?” he cried. “It was all your fault! Yon lie there and keep your hands clean and set me on; and/then you curse and swear at me ana treat me like a dog! . I won’t stand -itl I tell you, X won’t stand it!”

His voico brake in a sort of querulous wait and Lord Cambray said sharply, "Lorrimer! Lorrinicrl Look out wnat y-ouro saying—somebody will hear you 1 Sit (loan and calm yourself. You had a light with the fehow. All rignt. There s nothing so dreadful in that. You’ve got the paper and now you'll get your reward. Where is the paper? Let me see it.” _ iMTiimei sat down, his hysterical excitement quelled by his master’s authoritative manner. Ho took no notice of the second part of his speech, hnt began in a high voice: “He made mo angry. God knows I didn’t want to do him any harm. I’ll swear to tnat. J3ut he made me angry, and 1 lifted my stick to threaten lum, and he looked such a coward that 1 hit him once with it and then ho tried to run away ” “Yes, yes,” said Lord Cambray. “Yon had a light. I don’t want to hear all about that. You got the better of him. That's enough. Whore's 'the paper?” “Then he turned to run away,’ Lorrimer wont on as, if ho had not been iuterupted at all, “and ho looked just like a rat trying to got away, and 1 was so angry that I hit him again ” Lord G'ambray half raised himself on his cushions. His fierce old oyes flashed fire. “Bo quiet, I tell you 1” he shouted at him. “I won’t hear any mere!” Lorrimer stopped and frowned darkly at him. “Yon’vc got to hear about it,” ho said. “I T ve got to toll somebody,, or I shall go-mad!” It was the first time ho had over shown himself entirely unaffected by Ins master's grim personality, although he had screwed up his courage to appear unmoved when lie had made his demands on him. His indifference roused the old man to fury.

“I have got to listen to you !” he repeated. “I have got to do this and that! I won’t hoar a w r ord more. Keep your tale to yourself.” But Lorrimer was beyond caring for him. The angry impatience, which was his habitual way of expressing himself, only aroused an answering tun- in his own brain, and ho sprang up train his chair and stood over him threateningly. “Don’t you talk to rao like that!” he said. “I have had enough and I am never going to stand it again from you ns long as I live. You had better look out for yourself. Do you want another murder done?” (To be continued.)