LITERATURE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7186, 10 June 1891, Page 1

LITERATURE.

THE WEB OF THE SPIDER.

A TALE OF ADVENTURE IN THE MAORI WAR.

[By H. B. Mabbiott Watson, author of "Marahuna," "Lady Faint Heart/ &c]

(All rights reserved.)

Chatter XIV.

THE "HATTKE" OF THE GOBQB.

Palliser stooped over her and raised her in his armß.

" Hush ! hush I" he said. " Nothing shall harm you. Would you like to wait here while I go on ?" " No, no," Bhe whispered. " Cannot we go back ?" she implored. " It's no good going further, and we want food."

"Teß, food. That's why we must go on. Come, be brave j I will take care of you." " I will come," she said with a gasp. " I won't be afraid, but you know I'm so weak."

He drew her with him through the sparse bush, and crossing a Blight rise together, they came at last upon a smooth level clear of the forest, where the spur ran out from the mountain. On the border Pallisor paused, peering into the dusk of the open. At the upper edge facing the valley he could make out some sort of hut, in front of which a fire was burning, and by the fire a dark figure bent toward the ground. The sound of an axe upon wood was audible, but the other noise had ceased. Bidding the girl stay in the shelter of the bush, he emerged upon the level and walked towards the fire. The noißeof the chopping covered his approach, and he was but a dozen paces away when, he spoke.

" Good evening," he said. The man by the fire started, straightened himself at a movement, and lifting the axe over his head ran forward.

" Put that down," cried Palliser; " I'm not a Maori, but a white man lost ia the bush."

The stranger stopped and irresolutely lowered his weapon. The firelight gleamed on his face, and revealed to Palliser an old and withered man with a white beard, whoso eye 3 searched him with an angry frightened look. " What do you want ?" hb asked, in a high-pitched tretnulouß voice. " Food," returned Palliser. " We're loßfe in the bush ; I have a young lady with me. We want your hospitality."

" Certainly, certainly," said he, with an abstracted air.

Pallißer turned and called to the girl, who came slowly out of the covert toward him. In the light of the fire Palhser noticed with concern how white and thin was her face. The old man stood leaning upon his long axe, and staring from the j one to the other with a bewildered expret- ] sion. He was very old, with a stoop in his shoulder, and his beard and hair were perfect in their whitenesß. Ho was dressed, too, in a manner to add to lm years, by the very incongruity of bh garb. He wore a black hat pushed jauntily back from his forehead, and was clothed in a suit of white corduroy, with legeings of corduroy buttoned tightly round his thin calve 6. His height wsb considerable, and his framo of a powerful construction. He etood bo long gazing at them, bowod upon his axe, that Palliaer grew impatient. " We are waiting for you, sir," said he. The girl swayed a little as she stood, and Palliser put Mb arm about her in support. "We are waiting," he repeated with aßcerbity. " Sir, I crave your pardon," said the old man. "You are welcome to my property. You fully understand," he continued, tapping Pallieer on the Bhoulder. " You fully understand that this is my property. I claim the right of occupation, and ray claim ib recognised in the land courts. I'm a surveyor and I ought to know."

" We are your guestß," said Palliaer, " if you will kindly take us to your hut." " You are my guests," said the old man, gravely. " You have acknowledged it," and so saying he hobbled off to the hut, leaving them to follow.

The shanty was a miserable affair of two rooms, little protection against a strong wind or a smart Bhower. The walla were naked, and gaped with a hundred chinks, and of furniture was nothing but n rude table and a still ruder stool. In ono corner was an opossum skin rug, and in another an antique gun and a revolver. Aa they entered, the owner of this hopeless abode tamed sharply upon them, and said .-

" What is it you want ?"

He still held the axe in his hand, and his arm was trembling.

" Food," said Palliser, curtly, placing his burden on tho rickotty stool, " and the quicker you are the greater our debt to you." Tho old man made no reply, bnfc after a hesitating look at them, went into the farther room, and reappeared shortly with the cold remnants of a duck and some stale damper. He watched them eating, but still said no word, and the silence was unbroken till Palliser had finished, when, looking up, he caught the strange eyes upon him.

" We are much obliged to yon," he said, " for we've been a long time without food."

" How did you find me out ?" broke in the hoat in his tremulous voice.

"By accident. We were—" " Where do yon come from ?" he asked, and his trcmuloußnesa savoured of despair. Palliser ecrufciniaed him carefully as ho answered : " That's a long tale, but I'll tell you later. Meanwhile I want your permission— — " ** Where do yon come from ?" repeated he, as though he had heard nothing.

"We have escaped from the Maoris westward," said Palliser quietly. "You don't come from Tauranga?" asked the old man eagerly.

"No." He took his eyes off Palliser, and looked at Mies Caryll. " Pray make use of my rug," he said, and gathering it np in his arms, he rambled across the floor to the girl, placing it helplessly on hor lap. Then he gave a shrill sort of laugh and fixed his eyes again on Palliser. " What are you here for ?" he aßked presently. " I'm looking for a lost companion." The old man pointed to the girl. "Sho?" " She has been in the hands of the Maoris, bufc we managed to rescue her."

"What Maoris?" he asked, bending forward with an intent look, his voice sinking.

" Ngatiawas ! "

"Ngatiawas \" he ropeated iv a whisper. *'Ngatinwaß !" Hocame nearer and bent so close that .Falliaer could see the lines in hia cheeks and hie glassy eyea re? olving. " ' Waa it Te Katipo ?" he muttered, trembling as ■with an ague.

" No, not Te Katipo."

" Ah ! I thought it could nob have been To Katipo. IE it had been Te Katipo you would not have escaped. He. would have sucked your blood and trampled on your bodieß. He's a rare man, jb Te Katipo. He would have taken that girl, and " " Silence ! " said Palliser angrily ; •' what the devil are you talking about ?"

The old man's long shaky arm waa extended towards Ida, who shrank a little into Palliaer's side. He dropped ib and muttered "Te Katipo ! Oh, you don't know Te Katipo," and he laughed shrilly, talking to himself.

" There's no harm in him," said Palliser in an undertone to Ida. "He's only a bit eccentric What we call a 'Hatter* on the goldfields, a man who lives by himself."

" I'm not frightened," Bho answered smiling, " only tired." "You shall rest now. I will go back for the others, and leave you here. You won't mind being alone with him." She shook her head. "Heis so old."

Palliaer got up and addressed their host : " Could you give this young lady shelter to-night?" he said, "she is very tired and exhausted."

Thus interrogated, ho ceased his selfcorn munings, and turned hi 3 cy 03 upon the girl. A line of doubt upon his brow slowly dissolved, and he went over to her.

" What is your age ? " he asked suddenly.

" Nineteen," said Ida, gently. "Nineteen!" he echoed, staring at her. " I had a daughter like you," said he pointing his finger at her, "but she died. 1 don't; remember how she died."

" She may stay ?" said Palliser, inquir-

ingly. The old man bowed. " Certainly, certainly. Three chains from this door my property ends. If she goes beyond that I've no juriedictiorj." " Well, I don't suppose she'll take any harm," said Palliser, smiling.

" You forget ; there'sthe bush," answered the other quickly. " Yes, so there is. Well, I will entrust her to you. And I'll ask your permission to go back and fetch my three companions." The man started.

" Companions," he cried, furiously, " What do meau by your companions ? I sco it all now, curse you !" he quavered, " you're a spy upon me. But I'll have none of your gang here. Go into the Dush and starve, you knaves. And as for you, girl — "

" I don't know what all this fury's about," broke in Palliser quietly, "nor what you have on your conscience ; but all I know ia that I have three starving comrades in the bush, and if I don'fc geo help for them they're as good as dead."

" Let them die," shrieked tho old man passionately. " Very well," returned Palliser coolly. "IE that's your game we can soon sat it all right. I fancy we're a match for you, starved aa we are, and we're going to be entertained if I'm not mistaken."

The filmy eyea glowered at him for an instant, and the lipa twitched convulsively.

"Will you swear," ho whined, "that you mean no harm ?" " With pleasure." " Swear it." " God curse my 30u1."

Palliser used the desired oath, and the iong fingers ceased working with the waistcoat buttons, and were pointed at him.

" What's your name ?" "Pulliser."

" What do you want ?" " I want food and shelter for my companions." " Where are you going ?"

" To ilatapihi." The old man chuckled. "I will send you to Matapihi. All right, Mr Palliser. Bring up your friend-3. They're all welcome to this little property of mine. I'll put you on the road to Matapihi." Palliaer loft him chuckling to himself, and struck iut) the bush forthwith. During the two hours he wag away there was complete silence in the hut. Ida was too weary to talk, and, had it not been for a certain distrust of her host, would have succumbed to sleep. The room was dark except for a leaping fire between two Btonea at one end, but thia lighted up the old man's face in flashes, as he sat upon the floor in ft corner, eyeing his guoat thoughtfully; After a time ho got up in a straggling fr.Bhion, and limped acrc>3s to the door, muttering aa he went. Ida could hear him murmuring, "Te Katipo, te Katipo," in a thin, complaining tone. He passed out of the hut, and presently she heard him return, and to her alarm realised that he was piling wood against the door. She rose and tried to push it open, but finding it blocked went back to her corner and covered herself in the rug with some anxiety. It was plain that his wits were partly wanting. The process of piling continued for a space, and then becanio no more, and there was an eerie silence everywhere. Then suddenly arose that horrible sound that had so terrified her down the gorge. She etatted up, listening, and then sank into her coverings again, drawing deep breathe. Of course it could be nothing, but it was ao hideous and inhuman that it chilled her blood ; eocnetimeg like the ghostly howling of a dog, but stronger and shriller; sometimes like a gabbling herd of fiends, and anon dying into the croaking of a hundred f cogs.

(27iis Story will te continued, in our issue of Saturday next.)