LITERATURE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5648, 18 June 1886, Page 1

LITERATURE.

■ ♦ [NOW TIBST PUBUSMB.} TEE TREASURE OF THORBURNS. £Br'Fkbdibiok Botlx, author ob "Ok THE BOEDKB LaKD," " A OoOD KIVMS." — Omsk No-ms/'Ac.] [The Eight of Translation is EeaervadO Oeaptei- Yi-r-(Continued.) W'l heard frcm my brother juat after yom left the Fields," David began. So I gathered in a letter that reached «el" " Tea, the v.Srst time for thirty-eight years, though; he wrote to your father, as you .know. »Cy-the-bye, did you get an answer to your communication mentioning iia death T" "ttotaworcl." "•Ifellj be wrote me pleasantly enough — I have all the letters here, and you may read them for yourself. They show that my brother ha 3 been ill for a long while, and in sad embarrassments. I sent him money at once. In acknowledging it he told in© his *£uairs in part, bnt it is only of late that i exactly how he stands. A -Mrr'-Esking, who bought the cottage they-call Little Thorburns, has advanced him £4000 on mortgage of the old place and what land remains. It wa3 a liberal, arrangement, co far at I can gather the circumstances, but, in effect, Esking gets possession*of the h»use at Eldred's death, cnleso, which, is utterly impossible for him, the mortgage be paid off I" " Good heavens, uncle!" " And the event is not far off by last reports! -So: I did what waa necessary, and came to«eek you,, as you did not reply to my letters." 1 "But—.Thcrburns gone! Why, it ia mine at'Uncle'Eldred'c death! I thought by Engliah law he oould not leave it away from me, 'if he wished!" "The property haa never been entailed. He could leave it or sell it, and in fact he has sold it for i£4JOOO, if that cum isn't repaid with interest within a certain space of time after my brother dies. I don't know tow long." " I will sell everything I have, uncle David;! If that's not enough, you will lend me ■the balance, won't you f " "It would be very much more than enough, my boy. The proceeds of the diamonds you found and gave to me, I have always-regarded aa your property, and how much do you think it stands f *r now in my books-f" " I never thought of it as mine, but the 'sum must be a good deal if you let me regard it in that way. ; JJoOOO perhaps, with the value of the claim." " £19,€4S ,7s • 6d, ■ Eldred! I have used the money and tamed it to good interest. But that ifl beyond the matter. What waa needful £ have done.on my own account. By the last mail, before Btarting on my journey, I sent to your uncle's solicitor — who is Mr Esking'B - solicitor also —a draft for £1000, and an authority of my agents at Capetown to-draw JJIOOO for interest. So that is right, even if poor Eldred dies suddenly, as his last letter gives us to -expect." "Thafs right —-I-mean about the cash. But won't yon go home now, uncle t" "I am too old; but you mußt ge." " Without you.? I think I should pine for a breath of the veldt!" He pointed through the open door. "Is there anything like this in, England f** David laughed. "Nothing im the very least like it, but there are compensations. Now, my boy, in his last letter flldred sent me a copy of his wall, leaving all to you '* "Then, if the mortgage is paid off, there's no hosrry for me to go." -1 fancied you loved Thorbarns almost A3 much as we do.P" "If it was only 'that,,l'd walk all' the -way. But E&gland, uncle, and Englishmen ! I've seen plenty of them, you know, and they're poor creatures to live with." "If I must answer Beriously, I should say that you have never seen them in their proper surroundings. Bat it's Eilline6d! I'll tell you, Eldred, why you must leave at once with me." " Why, what is *• beosme of ray farm and stock ?" " Bosb ! You may-drive the cattle along, .and we'll sell them as we travel. Now, listen; you know that one of you ancestors buried a Treasure at TJmburas whick (has never been found f " Oh yes, I know that V " Eead the letters presently. T»u will find that Eldred thinks -this man Bsking had a purpose beyond friendship in lending the money. He is whet -they call in Europe an antiquarian, one wh<» studies old things and puts tbem together. I know the sort. Eldred has a notion that Eaking knows, or thinks he 'knows, where the Treasure lies, and that is "why he wants to get Thorburns into his possession. How, my brother seems to be dying, poor.fellow. There's no time to lose. He urges me to pay oG the mortgage, if possible, but though, that is done, we must nofc leave the house unoccupied for an hoer.** " Is dt unoccupied now ?" "An.eld sailor has charge of it,>but I know nothing of him. EskSng is rich. He could \}v.j up an army of caretakers. Beside?, he may die. You must go, and there's &n.end of it ?" Eldred waa discontented with tfoe prospect- Tte abstract idea of going " home " pleased him continually, but he w«»ldhave liked to keep it always abstract. The treasure did .not appeal to his imagination. Thocgh it had been hard ctah, Eldred would net have felt excited about dt; but for old things —from bis yoath up, le had wondered silently what all the fues <was about. Thiq waa a. typical Africander, of €h.e best .sort, and Da-rid kn^w how to deal with, such. The instinctive sense of property is a leading trait among them. Interference with au owaer^a rights 6ttrs a passion of jealousy. Upon this feeling David worked, not in vain. If he did not xouce hia nephew to excitement, it wa3 only because Eldred could not fancy that a man. in his senses would try to steal a lot of antique rubbish; nor a wealthy maa risk penal servitude tor & store of old coins. Imagination most bo founded on knowledge in etseh a case. The Africander is incapable o£ undeastanding the antiquarian. Therefore, though the suggestion o£ robbery moved him fee conld not feel much alarm. However.it was resolved that they should start next day. Eldred .wrote the letter to Simmons, which we hive seen in aa earlier chapter, and sent it to the nearest poatro&ce, fifty miles away, or thereabouts, in tho Free State. One of hia uncle's grooms earned the missive, with a " Bastard" guide from the houoeatead. Then Captain Thorixarn'a letters and will came under diseossioti, and so the day passed. ; Next morning there was game to shoot for the day'a provision—a care which might taave seemad superfluous where a buck may be shot at any moment from the doorway. ! But human nature is &c same everywhere. An Englishman does not think of offering hia guest a battue of sparrows, sod the Africander regards common sorts of ante ! lope in the same way. Ha BOekH the rarer '< speciea, which, in truth, are better eating; ! and the; are few and shy. Zt post Eldred a long gallop and some hifeSmg craft to secure a hartebeeat, whilo David looked on with interest. They rode back with fine appetite 3, the disembowelled carce^e slung behind. The Mozambique! camo in, while* they ate, to annoangg that a horseman waa

approaching at top ' speed from the north. | • Buefc an event ha£" not been paralleled | : «in©3 Eldred's arrival j he got up at once to sse. j 4r It'a Petrue Ericsen, uncle! Prom the | ; way he is risking hia neck among the i mercat holes, I should fancy he haa Borne J j n«fra I" " The Batlapins have risen!" cried David ■ harrying out, *' I know it! laspan, ■ James! Saddle isy horse. Look alive J" j j -lEldred laughed. " More likely, someone ' is hurt at Beaujeaaa, and Petrus ia gallop- ; inpf to fetch old Groethode. He'll want to ' change horses ! Send one of the Totties to , ' bring in my gray, James." But he did not ! feel quite easy. Petrus knew that veldt, and waa aware that the part through j | which he rode at a headlong gallop was : undermined by marmot and mercat. It ) must be grave newa ©f some sort he i carried. I «By ! He's down!" } Eldred waa looking away at the moment —he turned quickly and ran. Ericsen'B j horse was struggling to its feet, but the rider lay prone, & huddled figure. Eldred 1 knew too well the meaning of that attitude. ' In a few moments he reached th« spot. f etru3 was dead —hia neck broken. What i ■was the alarm -which made him risk such i a fate would never be told in this world. i David camo up panting as the young man 5 xo3e from his knee. " Didn't he say a word ? This is ter!riblel" '• "We have only to bury him. Poor fellow!" " Bnry him P There's no time for that. Tlie Kaffirs have risen, I tell you, and there are more than he lying Btark on this Veldt! Quick, James!" David shouted. ".-Leave the tent and everything. In span the waggon as it is I" " But, uncle-: " "I know they have been buying arms, and —look at the dead man's hands I They're covered with dry blood! And Mb horse is wounded —Bee!" He ran back, whilst Eldred examined the corpse. There waa no trace of a wound upon it, but the backß of the hands were Btceared, as if a plastering of blood had flaked away on that desperate ride. He looked at the horse which Btood quiet with its head down, breathing with deep and hurried exhalations; upon his hind legs and withers trickles of gore were conspicuous, proceeding from a tiny puncture which Eldred's experience declared at once to ba a'rifle-shot. He returned thoughtfully, the horse following. The Hottentots were iospaning; the coolies bustled about; David stood by the stirrup, calling impatiently, "Let your people follow with the waggon, Eldred! The grey ia saddled — we'll go ahead! Quick, man! The Kaffirs are up \" "It may be so, uncle, but there are a thousand other chances that would account for what we see." "'I tell-you I know! Don't argue, but mount I" Eldred looked round. It was hard to leave so suddenly the small crops just ripening, the* cattle, the hut lately rebuilt, which he would never see again. But David grasped him feverishly by the hand. "{Beyond that cursed kloof I'll listen to you 1! Come now!" With,a sigh the young man clambered into hia saddle, and rode on, leaving the ■waggon to follow them. (TAic Story will be continued in ov/r issue of Wednesday next.)