A WOMAN'S FRIEND IN NEED

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7886, 18 December 1903, Page 4

A WOMAN'S FRIEND IN NEED

♦— Woman's delicate constitution necessitates gentle remedies When there is any tendency to a constipated condition. Tlie.ro. bust woman, the delicate woman, the growing girl, the young mother and the elderly matron are alike benefited to the utmost by California Syrup of Figs, which promptly and pleasantly remedies all their ills which do not arise from serious organic trouble. It is also a delight to ( children On account of its delicious flavour. Of all chemists, Is £.3 ~~*Q B XA fi

of Government detectives to look after "The Brotherhood." and Bland ought not to have mixed himself up in the matt or. Bland was always' thrusting himself into other people's business. Bland had the sense to keep &i« Address hidden even from the proprietors of the journal to which he contributed «"* incendiary articles ou the domgs of The Brotherhood" ; but one day, as Smith was loafing down John Street, Bedford Row, m order to make a «ftort cut through Gray's Inn, he saw Bland coming 'home after having evidently been out all night. He followed him up the steps and touched him on the shoulder. Most people, on being accosted in sweh a way, would have jumped into the straight again. Bland, however, with characteristic coolness, turned slowly round, and surveyed the newcomer. , ■ ___ "O, it's you, is it?" he asked. "What fche dickens" are you playimr sheriffs officer J for at tibia hour of the morning ?" "0, nothing, old' man. I've been trying to find you for some time." "Have you? I've just returned iroan a little stroll. Come up; I -want a -word with you." „ , Bland carefully closing the door benma them, led the way to n." big, lonely room on the third floor. He took off his hat and goat and motioned to Latchford Smith to sit down. ,r, „ \ -j "Better have some breakfast, Ije saift, ringing a bell, which clanged' hollowly alone tf>e landing. "I'm as hungry as a hunter." . . , ...^ Lntchford Smith, although "be ihad littte appetite, made a feint of eating, and looked curiously at his host. "Yon won't want any lunch. I should think," he said, enviously, as Blandy pushing aside the remains . of a pot of marmalade, took an armchair, and. with tobaccostained fihwrs, began to roll a cigarette. "0, no ! I never eat more than twdee in the twenty-four hours. A man who eats a. good nneal twice a day is always ready for anything." . - f .. Smith .moved Testlessly m his emur, ana curtly declined Bland's offered 1 cigarette. "Anything worrvinc you?" asked Bland, swallowing a whiff of smoke with intense em'ovment. - . : " Not more than usuail. I m always hard up." "Your own fault, isn't it?" It was evident tha.t Smith felt ill at ease, that something ky behind his apparent frankness of maarcer. • "O, I don't know, *aad Smith, irritably. " I've lost all chance of ever getting on my feet again." , " Is that why you've teen hunting me ; " Hunting you ! Who said I was hunting you?" ' "I've seen you." " How did you know?" " "O, I've a dozen different ways of disguising myself." "Why?" "Just for the purpose* of my calling. Its always useful when you don't want to be recognised." Bland rolled himself another cigarette by the aSd of a curious little machine which, he carried in one pocket. There were many other curious things in has capacious pocket of which Smith had not the slightest idea. " Can't lend m-e ai hundred, I suppose?" asked Smith, desperately. "I've spent most of my money lately in experiments."

"What fort of oxjierimonts?" "0, it, wouldn't. *h> to explain thorn to you until I've cu-mo-d them to a. fciiKWSßful issue. But, lionour bright, iSuiit.h, would a hundred really bo of -auy use to ymi'r" Smith wa» surprised into telling the truth. " Not the slightest. It would only keep me going for a little "while." Wand -went to a desk in tho corner. " I've ahmjfc ninety-fry* pounds left. If you'll pledge me your word you're not after any harm aiboufc me, I'll hit you have the money." Latchford Smith cheerfully pledged his word. " With thi«, I can gH'over to Arnicrica. and make a fresh start." He clutched eagerly at the notes. " Shall I give you an :i.o.u.r "Don't think I'd bother if I were you," said Bland., vrith careless good-nature. " ' The Brotiherhood ' Utold so much of your paper that it's not very valuable- jus>t now." "How do you know that?" "O, I've many ways of finding out things, " said Bland, Ptill more carelessly than before. "You take my tip, and try to get on one of the Now York Yollow journals. They're always anxious to !h«ve Englishmen, because they know whait's going on." Smith put the notes in his pocket-book, after* shaking hands with, a nearer approach to feeling than ill© had yet displayed. " You're a good sort, Bland, and ' you musn't think hardly of me." "0,1 don't think hardly of anyone. We are all the creatures of circumstances. P*r- j haps you'll get along better in New York." I " I hope so." Smith paused on the thres- | Bland looked at him again. Better chuck ' The Brotherhood.' " "Chuck what?" Smith turned white. "That 'Brotherhood' business. It can't pay in any shape or form. Onc^ they get hold of you they'll never let go." "They hare got hold of me." "Yes, I thought as much; that's "why I let you have the money. Now, get off to Liverpool as fast as you can- before they are on your track, or they'll make it hot for you." " You don't know how hot they have already made it." / " No; but I can imagine. Now be off. Smith, feeling that Bland has been his guardian, angel, shook hands once more, and went slowly down the stairs. As he turned the corner of the street, he, ran straight into the arms of a member of " The Brotherhood," who had been detailed to watch him. "So you've found Bland for us at last, fche scoundrel?" said "The Destroyer." "Oh, no I haven't," said Smith, lying shamelessly. "That was a lawyer's office. I wanted some legal advice." "Faith, you won't find that help you much," said "The Destroyer." , "I tell you there's nothing in it at all." " Then you may save yer breath" to cool yer porridge," said "The Destroyer," "for I saw Bland go up the steps. I watched you because I knew you were lookin' for him. Take care, me Bon, what you're doin'." "O, I'll take care," said Smith, miserably enough. He parted from "The Destroyer " in the Gray's Inn.' \Road, and, after carefully watching that worthy out of] sight, went into a secondhand clothes shop, '

bnu'-rht a. few things, hurriedly crammed DifMU into a. I'iitf and rash«d Tip to Euston^ Tlkto he took train for Liverpool, and caught tli-' -Ww York boat that afternoon. "TTio 1 ).'.-•( myer" went back to "The Hnnhfi-hiioil " and reported })rogress. But h« did not know that Bland, from behind a sheltering blind, had seen his interview with Smith at the street corner. CHAFfER IT. "The Brotherhood" rejoiced that Bland was in th-oir hand«, his doom only a matter of time. They could now perfect their nran^ements for his undoing. That they mo.'tnt. to undo him -went without saying. Had he not undone then* by his mercilflw revelations? When they drew lots in the orthodox manner, the lucky nunv bor fell lo " t.iie Destroyer," who smiled genially, after his Irish-Amerioon way, and nt onco proceeded to make the necessary arrangements. He mnde them so well that one night, when Bland sat by the fire reading the latest light fiction, there camo a slight t-ap at the door. Thinking it was the maid with his supper, Bland shouted "Come in, Mary!" " The Destroyer " thrust his shaggy head round one corner of the door. He was carefully dipguised as a kind of hybrid countryman ; but Bland's experienced eyes at once detected the join in his wig, and could also see the little hooks behind the ears which supported " the Destroyer's " false whiskers. " Looking for somebody V he asked casually, turning a page of his novel. " The Destroyer " nodded, came into the room, put down his hat, and placed himself against the door. " It's mesilf that wants to have a word wid ye, Mr Bland," he said, genially. Bland motioned to "The Destroyer" to sit down on the other side ; of the fireplace '"One of 'The Brotherhood,' aren*t you? Come, to polish me off, eh ? How did you find me out?" "The Destroyer " sat, down in the armchair and put a hand to his aching head. " I've a divvle of a headache, or I'd admire the decent tranquillity of ye," he said, with a sickly grin. Bland surveyed his Herculean proportions. " Come to make yourself really wnpleasant?" "Faith, I have that," said "The Destroyer," emphatically. " Quite so, quite so. I feel the force of your statements," said Bland, again turning a page of his book. "No immediate hurry, I suppose, for your — business?" "Not the lasfce," said "The Destroyer," without relaxing his vigilance. "It's a lonely place, is this landin'. The lawyers below are all gone home, bad luck to 'em, and yer landlady's down in the kitohen. There's nothin' to previot our spendin' the time agreeably." " Quite so," said Bland, with, an air of weariness. "After all, I'm not sorry you've found me. It's been hard work dodging " The Brotherhood " these last few months." " Shure we were bound to git ye sooner or later ; but wid! me head in this state, I'd have been glad to make it a bit later," ' said " The Destroyer," leaning comfortably back in the armchair.