LITERATURE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5818, 6 January 1887, Page 1

LITERATURE.

A SINGULAR LEGACY. BY R. A. LOUGHNAN. Obaphr XIIL— -(Continued.) " I've Been the dearest detective, who is quite sure he can prove Ben's innocence — nobody, you know, really doubts It, papa — innocence, I mean, ol'everyfhing- He told me all about it. I was frightened of him at first, and was very rude. 'But he was so nice, and .bo sympathetic, and he said he had found out all Bortß of things, plots and counterplots, and I don't lrnow what. He was not too explicit, but 'he has gone off 'to Mr Toombs to make 'him understand everything, and put bim on the right track, MrToomba^youknow, is th« lawyer Ben wisbeß to employ, and they are going to work together, and there's to be a and I want you to.go also to help them with your advice, and with everything you t-know about -Ben, and all hia honest, wanly life,aa you'know it to be, papai" " My dear, my dear," said the 'bewildered old gentleman, " yon moßt 'not go on at suoh a' rate. These things me very important — tnoßt important. Let me sit down and think it over quietly. Tou are bo impetuous ; you always were. Just like your poor dear mother, my girl." They both sat down, Bhe not quite pleased with the gravity of hie expression. " My gifl, you must not be too sanguine j yqu must be .prudent, 'Prudent people prepare always for the worst. You must not conceal from yourself, and I will not conceal 'from you, that appearances are not in hia .favour." He put up 'his hand with the calm gesture' of authority habitual in the old age of men of capacity and force of character. The geature< curbed her impatient desire to make- stormy protest. " I dori't mean to say/ he went on, " that he is not as innocent aa it iB possible for any man to be." " Thank you, for that, papa." "TusH; child, don't be bo sensitive. You Bee, whatever you 1,, and tfhose who know him, believe, strangers will require reasonable explanations of each circumstance in the chain of evidence against him. And strangers are going to try him, not friendß. Now, child, do you realise the gravity of the Bad busi- ■ ness?" " I did that hours ago, and waa very miserable, but when the detective called and told me his good news, I plucked up courage .again. But you almost make me feel aahttmed of my good spirits, papa. You are bo grave, and bo BUBpiciouß. You frighten me." . "Tut, tut. There she goes, breaking out again. What a ,perfeot fury it will be some day:! About this detective, what's his name.?" " Chaffers — Abraham Chaffers — ' Old Abe,' he said he preferred from me." The old gentleman at once thought of the first Board meeting, and the introduction of Mr Chaffers, with whom he had been greatly -atiuck. " Ah, yea. I've seen the man, and heard a good deal about him. Jla said to be very shrewd, very smart, very capable, and very honest. And I'm sure looks every inch of All four." "There! ©idrffc I tell you I had got good news." For all answer the old man gently Btroked the baok of her hand as it lay on the table, and. then by degreeß he found out from her all Bhe knew of the case. Hia conclusion wbb that she didnotiknow half of it He would cay nothing for the present, but he would begin to prepare her for the worst. The first thing was to go and see the lawyer, and on the road he could open her ejea gradually, and perhaps completely. For his part he grievously suspected the young man. He had been unable to get him to saj for whom the money was that came from the Board. That did not look well. He had never heard of Mrs Bigby, though he knew the family of the Greshama fairly well. The intimacy with Velahaw was another bad Bign. These things, added to the circumstantial evidence in the caee,.mad&him suspect. On the road, he would not communicate hid suspicions 5 that would be impossible and undesirable, for the poor child must always be allowed to believe in her lover's innocence, as long as she could cling to such a belief. But he would awaken her mind to an appreciation of the full weight of the case against him. That was his plan for the road. 80 the ponies wero brought vound, and started off for town. Ab the frisky pair rattled up to the door of the legal sanctum of Mr Toombs (who only entombed the money of the other side), the father and daughter had finished their talk. The Uet word waß hers — the usual woman's privilege. " I pee the full force of the circumstantial evidence. But I still believe in my Chaffers." " Woman's devotion is a sublime thing," aaidtheold man to his sleeve; and they went ia. Mr Chaffers was there, as they knew when he advanced with "my respects j 1 " and so was Mr Toombs. Mr Toombs was a sharp, bright little man, with black eyes, and a clean shaved face, of dear brown complexion, Bpiok and span at every point. He invvtod.tbem in, and made them sit down. He sat at hia desk, with hia back to it, having turned hia chair round. Mrs Warren was in iront, flanked by Chaffers on one side and fcer father on the other. " Our friend, Mr Chaffers, has communicated to me a most; extraordinary story," said the Chairman of the little meeting, And, having spoken, he nodded to Chaffers, <who at once plunged in mediaa res. He told how he had accidentally stumbled mpon the whole transaction, and how he had examined all the (traces. He described minutely what he saw in the room, and unfolded in his gcaplhec manner the story of (the discovery of the door of communication between the two houses. He dieeoseed the finding of the knife, remanbed on the significance of Velflhaw's J proceedings in "taking the third man, a complete stranger. Sir, in tow/ and dilated on certain algne which had been prevented by the foresight of himself, Chaffers, from being rubbed out. He Delated how be had taken possession of the end roow, and related in minute detail all that hod befallen him there. He wound up with a plan of campaign, bold and complete. The lawyer, wijo swayed his chair (ton side to side, aa h« sat balancing A ruler fa otee hand, nodded approval. " Of course, we must have aoonsultation with Mr Gresham, who will be sure to supplement * great deal of this information so creditably collected by oar friend." That was tacitly agreed to by the conclave. " There is one thing," said Chaffers, " on which I should like to have information. How is it that Mra Bigby, Mr Grosham's sister, has cleared out bo suddenly P" Lipulaive faith burst out with, "There is some infamous conspiracy there, a part of some diabolical plan/ "Hear, hear," from Chaffers and the lawyer. Silence from the old gentleman. "You don't seem to be sure on the point, sir," said Chaffers to Him. " "The fact is," he anavrered, "I know the family fairly well, but I never hoard of any Mrs Digby as the Bister of young Greaham." This and hia other experiences in the case he gave his companions freely, without reserve. The lawyer, who had pondered for a minute, said he thought, they would have to pay particular attention to these points. There would be time enough, however, after the inquest. As

for the inquest, 'he>gftveit ac bis opinion that the Coroner ana ©r Mander were a couple of old fools " And the Sergeant of Police a middleaged idiot.* 1 " Quite ripbt, Mr Chaffers, and as you very properly observe, the Sergeant a middle-aged idiot, and our case being very incomplete — compared," he hastily added, seeing the Budden pallor on the lady's cheek, " to what we want to make it, and intend to make it— considering all these things, I think we had better let the inquest go as it pleaaee." "We ieep our hand covered/ assented the detective. It was, therefore, agreed to allow matters to take their course through the inquest. Nothing more to be done, the Conference was breaking up, when the lady expressed a desire to speak to Mr Chaffers, who looked supremely delighted. " Tou do me proud, ma'am. Anything I can do for you 'I Bhall be most happy to do, and guiokly." "MrGreeham was 'telling me the other day that he wanted very much to see all old friends who aiill believe in him." "They all believe in him, madam, if they are worth calling friends. If they are not, they don't, and there's an end of them, and a good job, too." She rewarded iliim for his emphasis with a smile, which encouraged him to say emphatically, "Tou can bet I'm right. Never was wrong, madam, in any opinion concerning matters affecting here/ and Mr Chaffers ,put'hiahandto'his heart. " I'm sure you are, Mr Chaffers. What I was goiag to say to you was that, among his old 'friends there is an old soldier whom he would dike' to see very much. He was a very distinguished officer in the war —in the Cavalry. 'His name is 'Fergus — Captain ATergus. 'Not long ago he started for a European tour, but I hear that he turned baok rather 'Unexpectedly, and ought tobe here about this time. If you could :find out, Mr 'Chaffers — you who know everything and everybody — and bring him along to Bee my" " O, don't stammer about it ma'am ; why shouldn't >you s%y yyour husband — that is to bef" She was by no means offended. She only blnehed just deeply enough to make the smile .raised by the Bally of the kindly ex- detective perfectly irresistible. "If the Captain only -saw yon now, ma'am:! But if I was him I wouldn't." He said this a little maliciously. ' "Bat he doesn't want to see >mt, you very odd man. It's Mr Gresham who wants to see Turn.." y Well, ma'am, I'm sure anyone 'ud be glad to see you. Even an old battered Captain of Dragoons." " But -he is not really old, and not at all battered, Mr Chaffers." "Of course, of course. But resuming our muttons, madam— resuming—*! don't know what Bent the Captain off so sudden on his 'tower' — perhaps you might ma'am?" he added, looking mightily shrewdly at her. " Certainly not, sir," Bhe answered promptly. "How should : I 'know? And what does it matter P" " Well, I don't know whether it matters or notj but when one has •to■ do a bit o' groping for a man, one likes to -know all about him, so as to be able to know where to grope for him with some chance of finding him, you know." "O, is that all?" "Of course it's all." And Mr Chaffers laughed pleasantly and softly. " What are you laughing at, Mr Chaffers?" * He did not tell her that be was laughing at the tone of relief in which she had Bald, "Is that all ?" But he avoided answering by asking questions on his own account. " This Captain Fergus — tall man, brown face, black eyes, grizzled moustache, long arms, head square and half bald, carries himself very straight, talks in a hearty voice — a baseo they call it among the playactors. Is that him ?" " Yes, Mr 'Chaffers, that is something like him." " Then it mnßt be the very man. I told you I had a room in the attic, and I told you I had a mate — sharp as a needle's point and tree as its steel, didn't If Well Captain Fergus is the man. He is baok, and he has rallied around his 'friend in the company of y^urs truly. You can go and tell that to your— (husband that is to 'be — as soon as you like, which I ezpeat will be . even earlier than immediately." "What! You found him actually bef ore you were asked to look for him. 01 papa, didn't I tell you that with Mr Chaffers we should win ewarytbing." And the impulsive young creature took both the <leteotive's hands and .-shook them warmly. After which she said she must go to Benjamin. Her father at once rising to attend her, took her to the door, where she I turned to smile good-bye to Chaffers, and ! to nod graciously 'to Mr Toombs, who returned her salutation with a most prodigious inclination. This performance ■over, the old gemtleman handed her into her seat behind the ponies, ordered the .urchin who held them to jump up on the ' back seat and tosßed him a coin. Aa they drove off the young Arab was ; (better pleased with the kind gracious worde ' 4he lady said to him—" B,poke about you, mother, and about father, and said wot a pity it was as I wa3 a wandering the streets in this 'ere way— and told me to come and see her — and made me feel thai comfortable, as-kin' 'ow many brotJaers and Biaters I'd got, and wot we has for .dinner. O, she's a good 'un, she is" — from which it is easy to be seen that kind words are (better than gold «nd silver in this strange world of ours. The masculine intellect being 'thus left to its unaided resources, very soon got deep into its -subject, and did not emerge from it again until the two men of lew had infused a little more hope into the breast of the poor owner of Oaklands. The old gentleman began to think that the enthusiasm of that mercurial beaotiful child of his might, after all, turn out to be, as he expressed it. " by the card." This Story will be continued tm, our issue, of Wednesday neat.) Public Notices.