BIG PETER.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144857, 8 December 1915, Page 5

BIG PETER.

STRONG ROMANTIC LOVE STORY.

; By JOHN SHGXE,

Author of ■“Thoßullian. Baby; J ’ EEECIEAIt CHARACTERS.; Big Poter: A minor on the Kamputli Gold FULd. The real Lord Cambray. The Swell and Scottyj Chums of Big Pater. Robert AVaiLor: A .Bolio.tor’s derb. Endeavours to sell a secret to Big Peter. Mr. Fear on: Acts as solicitor to Big Pator. Lord Cambray: Selfish, old, and with a vicious past. Lorrimer: Servant to Lord Cambray, Miss Parker: Aunt to Margaret Parker: With whom Big rater is in love. Mrs. Saunders: A poor widow whom Big Peter helps. Tommy Saunders: Her won. CHAPTER XVI.— Continued. Peter sat down hy her side in the deepest distress and made rough efforts to console her. "Don’t cry,” he said, in a tone as if ho were comforting a child. “You’re safe now. I’ll never let any harm come to you.” By and by he managed to get one of her little bands into ms as sue still sobbed unccntroiiably, and she let it lie there until the storm of shame and bitterness that filled her sou] had abated. Then she withdrew it gently and -dried her eves. "Pm all right now,” she said,- “and oh I I’m so thankful that you came just when you did. It’s so hateful to be weak and in the mercy ot a horrible creature like that! If I had been strori' enough 1 think I should have killed him as you threatened to do.. But it is so much better that he should have gone away, and that I shall never be troubled with him again." “I don't think you need fpai that.” said Peter, grimly. "Whatever lies no may have- told, ho spoke the truth whan he. said he wouldn’t run the risk of crossing my path again.” As she became more composed, Peter’s curiosity began to awaken, and the realisation came to him that again he had toon marvellously blessed hy fortune in finding her hero. The same thought seemed to have struck her at the same time; for she smiled shyly at him and said. “This is the second time that you have rescued me. Do you go about the world Mr. Peter, looking out for girls in distress, and always coming to their help just at the right timer” "1 think if you wore in trouble,” said Petel, looking boldly and. yet tenderly into her eyes, "and wore to call out to me, wherever you wqre in l|ic whole world, X should come.” Her dol.cate skin flushed a pale rose colour, and she looked away from him a.~ain and asked, "Tier did you come to be hero of ail places in the world?” “I am afraid 1 was trespassing,” said Peter. "I have come to stay near here for a bit, and I got into the wood and thought I would like to catch a glimpse of the gardens. You won't tell the countess?”

Again the rosy flush, and the head turned quickly away. “1 might have to tell her,” she said, “bow yon had to come to my rescue. Bnt no, I don’t think 1 will I want never to tell anyone how that man has persecuted me.” “Who is he?” asked Peter. “You said he was a servant. Is ho Lorriraor, Lord Cambray’s servant?” She looked, at him, .is it seemed, with alarm in her eyes. “Yes,” she said. ‘He is Lorrimer. How did you know that?”

“I was hearing this evening,” bo said, “that there was such a man, and that he had gone away directly after his master’s death.”

“We thought he had gone away,” she said quickly. “Lady Cambray sent him away. She hates him. Oht how she hates himl”

She clenched her hand and spoke with deep passion. “Is Lady Cambray a friend of yonre?” asked Peter. “Are you staying here with her. Miss Parker?”

She paused for a moment before replying, and then smiled at him.' “You remember my auni?” she said.- “Sho was Lady Cambray’s nurse. She would never leave her for long, although sho need not remain in any sort of service if she did not wish to. I have known Lady Cambray all my life; wo are great, friends. Wo have the same name, and I have often been with her.”

The explanation scorned quite natural •to Peter, and explained to his satisfaction things that had puzzled him about Miss Porker and her morn. “Sometimes,” she'wont on rather hurriedly, “I was hare at Cambray Castle with her. But ray aunt did not like it to be known; and 1 don’t want it known that I am here now. You will not tell anyone will yon?”

Peter gave the promise easily enough. A delightful feeling of intimacy was beginning to steal over him. Everything else was forgotten, except that ho was here alone with her, and she was content to bo with him and to confide some secrets to him. “I will tell yon about this horrible mau,” she said, “because I owe you that; and then let us never mention his name again. The last time I was here he spoke to me, and I was so much ashamed that 1 made my aunt take me away for a week or two in that cottage where you knew us; and we went there, meaning to stay there quietly for the whole of the summer. And then one evening, I . was walking alone in the wood, and to my horror 1 saw this dreadful man, and I thought he had found us out. So we ran away, and I am afraid you must haw thought us very ungrateful for leaving no' word for you after all your kindness. But indeed, I was so upset that 1 oould think of nothing.” “It is very extraordinary,” said Peter, “that you should have gone just to that place. It was just a chance that you should have caught sight of him. He hod not come there to find you. It was a chance that I should nave coma across him too.” “Ohl don’t let's talk about him any more,” she said, with the shudder without which she had not yet mentioned his name, “I want to forgot him.” Peter had been 'going to tell her of his encounter with Lorrimer in Thaxted Church. But ho now bethought himself. He would havo to do a good deal of thinking before ho told even her anything that had to do with the search ter the register. Moat surprisingly she was a friend of the Countess of Cambray, whose title and property he was about to claim. That might help him, nr itjnight.aot. He-iiad had,

no time as yet to consider it. Besides, he had let Lorrimer go. It was possible that with that act he had finally done away with all his chances. That also would have to be considered. But no consideration that affected only the business of his claim could for a moment damp the always increasing joy with which he found himself once more seated, at her side, talking to her, and sometimes raising his eyes to her sweet face.

He thought she looked pale, and sod, innd thinner than when be had last seen her. When she smiled at him, as she had dons once or twice, his heart leapt. But it had never been tho gay smile that ought to have been on tho face of a girl of her years. That was, of course, not to have been expected just now, after the shod: she had received. But there was something about her smile which seemed t o show that it was never gay. Even when they had been together up in Norfolk, and she had been for the moment free of the vile persecution which it oven now enraged him to think of, chare bad been that note of sadness in her face and maimer. She was dressed in white, but all the ribbons about her simple dress were black, as they had not been when ho had seen her before. No doubt it was merely complimentary mourning, which everyone in Cambray Castle was no if wearing, however little cause they might nave had to show grief for the death of its lord.

But whatever she wore and however she looked, she was beautiful, more beautiful than anyone Peter had ever seen. Ho had so hungered for her that, now ho had found ber, he could hardly take in his own happiness. Ho did not know what to say, and just at tho moment he did not want to say anything, but just to sit tliero with her and drink in with his ears the music of her voice. But the sun had long since set, and now dusk was coming on apace. She sprang up from the marble seat and said, "I muse go in now. They will be wondering where I am.” Peter, recalled to himself, said, “On, but I can’t let yon go like this. I have been looking everywhere for you, and I haven’t even begnn to say all I want to say.” She looked at him with her bttle faint, rather melancholy smile. “It is getting dark,” she said, "and I can t stay out here any longer: somebody will be coming to look for me—perhaps mv aunt, perhaps Lady Cambray herself, and that would he terrible, for you know you are trespassing.” Certainly, thought Peter, he did not want Lady Cambray to appear and find him there. "But I must see you again,” bo said. “Yon can’t mean that von want to say good-byo to me now I” Still with the same faint smile, and with that Hewer-like blush added to it, she said, “Perhaps if you were to trespass again to-morrow evening, you might find me here.” And then her flitting white figure disappeared behind the shrubs on the other side ot the temple. (To be continued.)