TALES AND SKETCHES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7329, 15 February 1902, Page 1

TALES AND SKETCHES.

■ -♦ • ; THE TUG OF WAR. ■ (By MORIOE GERARD.) \ Author of "The Mao, of «be Morent." [Aub Rights Reserved.] • CHAPTER XI. A BELATED PASSENGER. • Woman's wit came to the rescue. Dulcima said, "Would it not be a good «h.ing to find out who has left the ship? Captain Holdfast had made a record pas«age to Havre for a vessel of the Midget's tonnage. Dacres • had instructed him, to draw up alongside the Leopard, which they had, of course, seen steam in, and moor by the side of a jetty. He and Dulcima, who ■was as nibble as a eat, hadi then boarded the tug, hardly noticed in the confusion- of Hffrival/ each man being either taken up With his own concerns, or engaged in the necessary arrangements. Marcion had seized upon the first sailor he came across and asked for Boisdeffre's cabin. Before he «oched the door he heard the struggle going on, and rushed in to intervene, with results already related. Dulcdma rightly fodged that Done of the men would as yet have left the Leopard unless a very special reason caused one of them' to do so. Only tihe possession of the papers was likely to jnpply the r reason. Hence her suggestion* " You are right," said Dacres, after a moment's reflection. "The thief has probably bolted already, while we were cm the wrong track." '. ' ' He turned to Boisdeffre. „ «■ "Mind no more of this business," indicating with a gesture ■ Moreau, . who rwas Bitting huddled up on tb^_ floor, drinking Beat brandy out of a flask. ». "I am coming with you," replied Boisdeffre. ■.'■'■. Marcion turned the answer over in his mind. It. was clear that Boisdeffre had not abandoned hope of cutting in ence more for the prize. He was also, the sorb of man to oe moved .by a spirit of revenge. The way he had been done by this expert cracksman was likely to rankle in his mind. ' ; , s" What. -were you to get out. of this Irasiriess?? Boisdeffre ground* his teeth- at' haying fco put his loss into words. . "One hundred thousand- livres." : ./ ' "From whom?" ' , "That devil Didot," Felix hissed. His Jeyes gleamed wiathfully. : "Why -do you call him/ that?" "I hate him-^he is at the bottom of this Imsiness. It is just like him." • "That; is as it may be. In any case, I will give you £100,000 if, by your instrumentality," I -recover these papers saf© and Bound and uncopied. • Of course, if I get , them* back myself you receive nothing." "I agree," said : Boisdeffre. "Then you shall precede us on deck and Irak the questions." - • It was a beautiful morning, the sunshine flooding the harbour radiating the sails of the fishing-boats and of the larger merchant craft, reflecting itself in the brass-work of the steamers and decorating the waves with, millions of sparkling gems. The eir tamelt clean, sweet arid cool, refreshed by the storm, -which- had purified, the"atmosphere by wind and fire. •> ; .Boisdeffre. piped all hands ott.deck. -i They Came /after a few minutes even v to the "engineer and firemen—with, one exception, the ship's steward. .*. "Where is Crevy?" Felix asked the mate. ' • '• "Had a telegram or message to cay his .mother was dying — so he told me, sir, and left the vessel immediately after Captain went to your cabin." Boisdeffre consigned' Crevy's mother and Crevy himself to the infernal regions. . "Did he take anything with him?" Felix looked at Dacres. There was no doubt where the papers were. "I guessed jt," said Boisdeffre. "I distrusted him from the moment I set eyes Upon him." Marcion looked at his watch. "He has had more than half an hour's Start." "He is bound to go to. Paris. The first express' of the day does not leave until eight o'clock," said Felix. *$fe there a slow before that?"f \ * Yes, there is a stopping train at-7.30, f»ui it arrives later. It shunts out of the (way of the mail." " Those are the only trains to Paris, you "Yes— the first." "Then we have time to make some arrangements and be at the station to see the . slow' start." "Plenty of time." "Then we will meet at the station at a quarter-past seven." : ; "Agreed." ♦'You will leave your skipper alone?" "I shall apologise to him. I did him a wrong. A gentleman apologises," Boisdeffre drew himself up and laid hw hand on his heart in theatrical fashion. ; '../•• Dulcima laughed. She coulii not help terself. ' ■ ; Dacres smiled grimly. ' \-'" v "If I had not come in and stopped' your little game your apology would not have done him much good. What is his name?" "Moreau." / " Better bring him with- you if you can make it straight with him. He may 'be of use." "Very well. I will see what he says." Boisdeffre went to his cabin, While Dacres and Dulcima returned to the Mid"What are you going to do?" asked Dulcima. . " Give some instructions to Holdfast, and have a wire sent to the Admiralty." Marcion was going off to Holdfast, who was standing in the bows i but Dulcima touched him on the arm.. . " How am I c to dress?" she said. Marcion gazed at her. "Well, you've started as a boy, and I think for the present you'll have to masquerade as before." "I can't go to Paris — quite like this. I should attract attention." ' "Why not go with Holdfast? I'm going to send him to a charming .little spot on the coast." Marcion thought it was a brilliant suggestion. "What! separate myself from you?" she pouted. There was a quivering under her blouse. She looked down, then she looked up shyly at him. There was a large tear in each blue eye. It had not struck Dacres* before what fine eyes his ward had. It occurred to him now. Having fired a single discharge from her battery, Dulcima again directed her gaze to the deck ; but her lip ouivered. Two tears starting in parallel fines began to drop silently down her unnaturally bronzed face, leaving two little ■white ,streaks where ¥ney had displaced the colouring. Marcion hesitated. Yet ne knew he was beaten. Besides, he felt curiou??y com : pelled to kiss the quivering, poutijg little' lips, and to remove the twin tearleh by the same process. " I've been of use to you twice already." " I should miss you if you left me — certainly," Marcion confessed. < It was true. He had just become aware bf it. He could not, however— ungrateful jaan '.—recollect the precise services his ward had rendered. " I don't mean to leave you. I mean to

"Then what do you propose?" "To buy a suit in Havre. It is full of ready-made clothes shops." " How do you know? You -have not been, here before?" " No ; but all seaside places are." Marcion reflected, not for the first time, that, in some respects, bis ward had not much, to learn. ; " I will get a suit you won't be ashamed to take rae to Paris in." " You cannot go by yourself?" "Can't I?" She laughed, showing two beautiful rows of pearly teeth. Sunshine j bad succeeded to threatened storm. Dulcima turned away. She would have to cross by the Leopard to reach the jetty. " I will have breakfast ready for you by the time you return," Marcion called' after her. v. Dulcima nodded her acquiescence in the suggestion in her own graceful little way. Then she tripped across the plank which, connected the Midget with, the Leopard, and so on to the jetty. Dacres watched her. It was an astonishment to 'Mm, that in so short' a time Dulcima could' have become so real to him. Her individuality was at once so clear andi yet so aillusive, so open and yet so piquante. He no longer liked to think of her going about by herself — away from him. Marcion would have done much, for his ward for the sake of her dead father. He was. beginning to realise that ihe would soon do a great deal more for her own. : - „ . She disappeared on the quay to rouse up some sleepy purveyor ofi ready-made clothes. Theni when h» could no longer distinguish that small, boyish form, Dacres went over to speak to Holdfast. He drew the latter to the furthest end of the Midget. "I have to go to Paris, amd I. want you to run round- to Cervette " (a small harbour ■ the Midget bad often anchored'' in). "I may come to you or send to you at any moment. So be Teady to starts at any time. Say nothing to the crew of where you are I going, and do not let them land -while at ! Otvette, except by my orders. My Paris address will be Hotel Servati, Rue de Monceau." " I understand, sir." " Let the steward lay breakfast for two in . a quarter of au hour." " Yes, sir." Dacres went into his , cabin . and "wrote a cipher telegram to Sir Edwin. Sykes, stating what had happened, giving his promise to Boisdeffre, whach he knew beforehand Sir Edwin would sanction and stating bis prospective address at Paris. He intended to despatch this message on ihis way to the station. Boisdeffre also despatched a telegram to London before joining his new allies. It was to Princess Dolgorouki, and; ran: — " Robbed of my prize and reward. Meet me Paris usual address soon as possible." At the station there waa some hoarding up, because of repairs being carried on. Boisdeffre concealed himself behind this protection while Marcion and" Dulcima— the latter now dressed very quietly in a boy's clothes, suited to the middle and upper classes-— waited openly on the platform. Moreau was to follow later ia the day. They were already armed with tickets for Paris. Dacres was, of course,' unknown to Crevy, as the latter was to himself, but he bad received a sufficiently accurate description of the steward to be able to distinguish him in a second. There were very few .passengers, mostly fanners and purveyors of poultry and, vegetables going to a-incai iinarfcet. One thing rwaia oertain;; Crevy was not, among them: ■* '-r- - . The stopping train moved off, andi after a quarter of am hour's wanting 1 tike express tacked to ;tfha platform.' It- was emptywhen) it came in; Maroon- amid Dulcima, one starting from each end, assured.themselves of the fact. Tie, time passecL OoJy five minutes remained.- Boisdeffre came out of 'his hiding-place. There was no 6ign of Crevy. ; What were they to do? Turn back and look for him in Havre, on go on to Paris and watch, the terminus? After some hesitation, and "witfhiut a minute or two of the time of departure, iftie former course-was decided upon. ■ v- ; Hardly had they taken their seats when the train started. They haid the compartment to themselves. Instead of getting up steam rapidly, . they all noticed) how slowly the mail was going. After they had passed the furthest length, of the station, and were emerging into the open country, tfoe brake was suddenly applied. They could! feel its vibration. Marcion andi Boisdeffre jumped v/p simultaneously and looked out of the window. By the side df the train there was a siding for coal, by which a plank ran along. When, they looked out they saw a man standing on this plonk open a carriage door close to the engine. One of the officials of the line helped hini into i»he carriage. He had! a portmanteau in his hand. It was Jean Crevy. CHAPTER XH. BOISDEFFRE SCOBES A POINT. Marcion and Boisdeffre exchaagexrglances of congratulation. Their bird was snared. "He has got into the train," Daores saidi to his ward. Dulcima alone of the three had not seen the new arrival. There was not room for more than two at the -window. ■ ' "How did he manage to have the train slowed dowai for him!" asked Marcion of Boisdeffre, after they 'had settled! down in their, places. "A Government order, or a big sum of money," replied Felix, shrugging his shoulders, "probably the former." I ■ " I don't quite see -what this M. Crevy gained by his manoeuvre," put in Dulcinn, quietly. "He must have known that' he would y be seen ; in fact, the train pulling up rather attracted attention to him than otherwise. It was about as 1 fatuous a thing as he could do — and hitherto he has not suggested ibdmself as a ipol, this M. Crevy." " He at sfinyrate gained that I should not ride in the same compartment with him," said Boisdeffre, twisting his big moustache fiercely, "del! I would have had those papers out of the portmanteaux before the train had gone a league." Felix tapped the butt end of bis pistol significantly. "As it is, this train does not stop until it gets to Paris. Then, no doubt, Monsieur Crevy, being near the engine, looks to render himself ' scarce before we can get out." Boisdeffre turned to Maraon: "We shall both be in this. What is to be my share if we recover the papers together?" " A half, certainly, possibly more. Boisdeffre visibly brightened at this response. The train rushed on through the smiling cornfields and orchards of Normandy. Dacres and Dulcima slept throughout the journey. They were both thoroughly tired out, not having had a wink of skep throughout the*whole " of the preceding night. They roused themselves for a moment when the mail whizzed through Rouen, and again as it clattered through Nantes after some violent whistling in both cases; but the break in their slumbers was of minute duration. Nature leasserted itself. «• Boisdeffre was wide awake. He was thinking. The cornfields and vineyards, forests of fruit trees, did not interest him. He was going over the incidents of the past few hours ; for they were really little more. He saw again his own clumsy action in knocking over a photograph stand when jealousy stirred within him in the apartment of Princess Stephanie, as he felt rather than heard Marcion being drawn into her toils of pseudo-love— an action which, nearly be-

' trayed his presence. Then he saw the study at the Moyle, and this man, who was opposite to him now slumbering peacefully, poring over his precious plans, a. quickly I delivered blow, and Dacres lies stunned at his feet. Mareion had forgiven -that cowardly ..attack, and even promised him a rich reward for his services. " How calm, how forgiving, how phlegmatic these Englishmen are!" Boisdeffre smiled sarcastically as he twisted his moustache. His countrymen were not like that. There was Moreau, for instance, like a bear with a sore head, because by a pure mistake he had nearly strangled* him. He was coming to Paris to oblige this Mossier Dacres, whom, he regarded as having saved his life, as soon as he had paid, off the crew of the Leopard;; he would not have- come for him— Boisdeffre. He would rather have knifedi him. than gone a step to do bis bidding, Moreau bad told' him. Then hi 3 thoughts ran on to the- incidents of the voyage — that terrific storm, the pursuit of this- cutter, and' the searchlight of the cruiser. He'had seemed wonderfully in luck so far when he had escaped both perils. But the turn came with the rifling of the bag • — as it a'lwaj r 6 does. No* man could pocket the red every time. Crevy! Didot! Boisdeffre anathematised: them both. Now he hoped the luck was on the turn again. They had Crevy safe under their h*nds. It was long odds against their allowing his to escape a second time. Still, he was only to get half those hundred thousand livres after enjoying all that luxury in Park Lane? He very much doubted it. She was a woman who liked her lap full of money and to spend it when aba had got it with, both hands. But what a splendid creature she wasi What a modsl of a woman, with her beautiful face and matchless figure! He must have her. Boisdeffre had hardly hitherto paid any attention to the boy who was Dacres's companion. He seemed to 'be pretty shrewd, arid to have bis head screwed the right way on his shoulders. Now Boisdeffre looked at the stripling. The cap Dulcima, wore had got displaced a. little as her bead naturally found a more comfortable resting place. Most of her hair was drawn up into an invisible net ; but one rather too long and rebellious lock bad escaped and hung down her shoulders. A look of inquiry passed across the Frenchman's face. His eyes travelled to .the long; golden lashes; and then the gentle xise and fall of Dulcima's breathing. On the fingers were marks where rings had been. Boisdeffre laughed to himself. Dulcima's secret was no longer her own and her guardian's, for Felix shared it. Boisdeffre was still thinking. He could not get out of his head those fifty thousand i liyres •which the new bargain with Dacres deprived him of. .They might mean so much to him — the loss of the dearest wish of ids life. After all, why should he lose them? He had a brain, andi was not overscrupulous about methods. Could not his brain devise a plan 1 If 'h e . r alone got hold of Crevy and his portmanteau, and compelled his quondam steward to yield up the booty, lie could make his own terms with Didot, or sell the plans to some one else. He drummed' gently on the window. Should he or should 'he not? Once more Felix grinned as he had grinned behind the door of his cabin on the Leopard, when he -had. BUiDwnoned 1 Moreau to, come, and help. Tiinv He'had some useful things in a small portmanteau under his seat. Already the train was slackening a little. In a few minutes it would be too late! Boisdeffre drew the portmanteau out noiselessly, and . opening it, after a little sear ck found' what he wanted. The mail bad been at a. standstill some minutes when a porter opened' the door of. the carriage in which, the three travellers bad been seated, looking to see if any chance papers had been left behind. Boisdeffre . was gone ; but the porter was sur- ! prised to see that an older and a younger man viemained, evidently wrapped in profound slumber. In the air was a faint, sweet odour. Failing to rouse them, 'he fetched other officials, amd it was soon ■clear that both were .under the influence of narcotic, bow or by whom administered! it ! could not be told. The two travellers were conveyed to a waiting-room, and a doctor was soon in attendance. By his efforts first Dulcima, then Mansion Dacres, was roused to consciousness, although the return to anything like understanding of where tbey were was more protracted. As soon. as Dacres had gained some grasp of the situation, he asked that they might be driven to their hotel. The stationmaster was inclined to demur, but was eventually satisfied with Dacres's card and their assurance that he would be found if required; As they did not complain of any actual violence or robbery, it did not seem a matter for the police. The .drive in. the open air revived 1 them. Marcion had telegraphed from Havre for two bedrooms and a sitting-room. Boisdeffre had given Moreau the address; so the latter would certainly call there on his arrival in Paris. The proprietor of the hotel, which was in the Rue de Monceau, was an Italian named Servati, whom Dacres had known for many years. The travellers were received, with every mark of distinction. Both Marriott and his companion would have passed for Frenchmen. It was perhaps as well, for Paris was filled with excited crowds, and at this time English travellers were liable to receive treatment the reverse of hospitable, the old feeling, against Great Britain having been very much accentuated by the comparative failure of the Great Exhibition, and) the accession to power of Didot and the Nationalists^ which was, in a great measure, due to the same cause. Marcion ordered dejeuner an their private sitting-room, and in the meantime both the travellers went to their respective apartments to dissipate with, cold! water the •after-effects of their hurried) journeys and of the chloroform, which, had fortunately been administered in very small quantities. Hardly a sentence was interchanged until the meal was half over. Marcion's bro<w was clouded. He was bitterly chagrined and' an-giry. "Another time, Dulcimai, one of us will watch while the other sleeps in the presence of the enemy." Dulcima, for once, was a tittle cresfcfallen'. " I thought," she said, " that that brute Boisdeffre realised that bis interests were now bound up with ours. Otherwise I would have kept myself awake with a Pin-" "I was fool enough to thmk so, too. It is clear Boisdeffre judged otherwise. Hd has done me twice, and on each occasion knocked me out of time. He will find it more difficult to effect a third coup. I shall not be inclined to handle him quite sc gently." " You offered him half even if you helped ihim to get the papers from Crevy." " He evidently wanted the whole — but he will not get it from me." (To be .continued.)