FOR THE SAKE OF GOLD.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 5969, 14 August 1912, Page 4

FOR THE SAKE OF GOLD.

(Ail l'i...l)is Reserved.)

A SENSATIONAL RCWJAtfCF, % the Author of "Out of Oai'knossi" "A May of lieckoning,"

lvtc. Klc. i\\i;t y. "Tell Mr. rhiiip I wish to see him," he said to the manservant why appeared. Two t tlirce mhv.i-r, e'arssed, then Phil entered the room looking cowed and frightened. "Read that," Mid his father, handing him the letter. "Well ?'he said, when his son laid it down.

"Confound the pv.i ! Why couldn't she hrld her tongue?" Phil said, forgetting his fear in his wrath. ''Yd! needn't blame the pirl. You acted like a l,ruU to the child, and she wasn't li'.uly to keep quiet. Well, you've lost Sybil and her fortune, and more beside."

Phil looked frightened. Was his ftlhiT jroin.T to clian'vo his mi:ul and take Gc.fi : .iok into liis favour ? "Don't you think you could persuade Mclita to consent to the marriage ? Then the two of you might manage Sybil," he said, hoping in this way to distract his father's anger from himself.

"No, I don't. I know when I'm beaten. You c.n ;;ivo up ail thought of marrying Sybil and other things. You can ?,a now," said the squire, in a determined tone. Cowed and almost mad with vexation, Phil left the room, and, putting on strons \oot.s, un overcoat, and a snug can, be set of! at a quick pace for the cottage where Pczyy lived. Ho know that her father frequently went into the village at night, and he hoped to find her alone. Nevertheless, he took the precaution to tap at the door, which was quickly opened by Pesrgy.

"Yon !" she said, starting back half afraid as the moonlight revealed his angry face. "Yes. I've come to warn you that it yon don't hold your tonr.ue it will be worse for you," he said, taking her by the arm and shaking her roughly. "It was right I sl'ould save Miss Marks from yui.," she said, speaking firmly, but in reality half frightened to dcntli. "Miss Marks ! How dare a creature like you .speak to her ! A lowborn, degrading thin.?,, ! wonder you could for shame look at her. I'd like to kill you," lie said, giving her another shake. "Yo'.i can do it if you like ; there's nobody but f.uier wo; !«.l miss mo," she said, In a fcari::! tor.c.

"You're not worth killing, you shameful"

"Stop that, you" shouted a voice, which Phil recognised as that of the girl's father, and, letting go her arm, he !!id down the garden and out at the gate.

"The coward ! Curse him !" said the man, furiously. "Has he hurt thee, lass ?" he asked, turning to his daughter. "My arm's a bit the worse." "I'll he the death of him," said the man., taking up a stout stick. "Nay, father, lot him go his way. It isn't much ails my arm. But how did yon get into the house ?" she asked, laying a detaining hand on his arm.

' : d only been to feed the pig, and I heard a man's voice ; so I thought it was time I came." "I'm glad yon did. But put the

stick down, father. He's getting his punishment now without anything you can do. "Well, lass, I'll do as you wish ; but IV> of opinion that either Mr. Phil will kill me or I shall kill him. There'll be a tussle som» day." CHAPTER XIII, A GREAT SHOOK. From the time that Miss Melita declared herself on Sybil's side the s;utc f;ave up all attempt to force her into a marriage with l'.iil. That he was bitterly vexed with her she saw ; in fact, he almost ignored her, save in one way. He told her that he was determined to stop all intercourse with the Lucas family, sind he impressed the same fact on M'ss Melita, so that Sybil found it impossible to go to Bridge House. But Janet, her maid, took a letter to Joan, asking her to explain matters to Jack, and the former in return sent her word that she had heard from Geff, who had been

I , "Ound"d and was then in hospital ; pirrcivcr, that it was exceedingly pro a' lc he would be invalided home. j A day or two after this Geff's ■■ iv.mo -'•i-cr.red in the list of the i v.'.-n -0. ■!, and Sybil knew that her ' steri iLiicr hid read it, as his face ! •■'ore en aiix'.-ms, u::easy look when i rh.l made some remark about the Burs peppering our soldiers pretty well. While all these events had been , happening at the castle, Captain Clarke had traced Basset's actions from the time he left the Sea Gull , until he came to reside at Croftstone. He had even gone to Ams-t-.r.lam, and discovered with much ! difficulty that a man res-mhling Basi set, as he was in these days, had | s'ld a number o( valuable stones. j This information he got from a ' man who had been in the diamond i merchant's employ ; but, thoiu-h it I satisfied Clarke, he knew that it j might not be sufficient to satisfy a jury. But if he could only discover ! the name of the dead man, he hoped I that the v,':-U; >.' and he rnijdit bo able to indr.it l!ie squire to give ■ her the iiy.::ey he had received for ! the diamonds rather than let scanI dalle busy with his name, which ' it assuredly would if. the matter came to a trial. I Now, if. Captain Clarke had taken | the "Times" he would have seen Mrs. Lucas's advertis.ir.cnt, but as he usually took the "Daily News" it escaped his eye, and finding that he was not any r-aior the <;; d, he decided to return to his sister's, near Witton, whc.e he would be near CrcfLstone and able to interview the squire, But before doing s-.> he made up his mind to wait a little longer, and see if he had any nevs from the sailor, Ned Jones, for whose address he hai} advertised in the "Daily News," Mrs. Dowson and her hus'iar.rt were delighted at his return, the fonaer spying she shouldn't let hirri go this side of Christmas, and her hus-an-1 Edc,:ng,."Or New Year, either;" ■ cd Clarke assured them noihin ; but aec-ssity would, induce him to lea ;-e them *ai>l}e[\ Then, as he and the farmer smoked theij on toe

evening of his arrival, lie asked tlier.i what h..d been going on , while be Wus rv.v./, mid learned there had leal Kuiae talk of Mr. Phil r.:id Llisii Mirks being married, but it was all oil. F.dks say the young lady had got the better of the squir\ and w. sn't going to marry his son.

' l.rr-a lis; cued to (.his. and also b aid tli.it Squire Basset looked cldar and had an anxious expressnu —it was thought ho was fretting about his son, who was in Africa. ' /,nd serve him right, for turn'rv; such a fine young fellow adrii., ' said Mrs. Dowson.

(Jlnrke (lid not say anything, but in his own mind ho put the snuirc'n anxUty down to something else. He was thinking about it next m< rnkig as he stood looking out oi the window, when his sister bustled into the room.

"Bill, you won't mind me leaving you. I've had word as Mrs. Duttoa is very ill, and I thought I might be able to help then a little. The Di.ttons have a ff.rra on the high ro.d between here and Witton, so,

i s it's a good step, I lon't think I sh 11 be back hcf.iv tca-tii-c : but ) i'.zie will see to the dinner," she said.

"Of course I don't mind. Go anil help your neighbours ; I'll tell Dowson when he comes in where you've gone." "Yes; do; I was going to ask you to tell him. Good-bye ; I'm off." And the trim, active little woman went towards the front door, followed by her brother, who stood in the doorway watching as she went briskly along Red Path in the direction of the town.

"She's a trim-built little woman, is Maria," he thought, as she turned a corner and was lost to view. The captain did not return to the parlour. It was a bright, sunny morning, with a touch of frost in the air, and he enjoyed the crisp freshness, thinking how very much he preferred the country to London.

"When I settle down it shall be in a place like this," lie reflected. Just then the sound of a horse trotting feil on his ears, and in another moment he saw a gig approaching, in which a gentleman and a very youthful groom were seated. "Blest if the little fellow isn't nearly hidden by his top hat,' J he muttered. Then, as tb" 'rop passed him, Clarke's eye wandered to the

gentleman's face, and he uttered an exclamation of surprise. For an instant lie stood quite stilL gazing after the trap. Then he roused himself, exclaiming : "By Jove ! he's the image of the fellow who died on board the Sea Gull !"

He rushed into the passage, caught up a cap, and set oil at a run ; but he was stout, and lie soon had to slacken lis pace. Still, he didn't give up, and as the horse and gig went slowly round the turn and down the hill leading to the bridge he redoullcd his efforts, and ci-.n-.j rushing down the hill, pnssing Phil Basset, who was walking in a leisurely manner. Then jr.st as Dr. Lucas raised the whip, intending to touch the horse with it, Clarke shouted : "Stop, mate—stop !"

Dr. Lucas turned round, half smiling. He was accustomed to being stopped when in the country and asked to go and sea sick people, as it saved a journey into Witton ; but he was not used to being accosted in this manner. But he checked his

horse, and in another moment Clarke was standing by the gig. "For Heaven's sake, tell mo your name," he said, speaking so loudly in his excitement that Phil Basset—who had watched the chase with some amusement, and quickened his stuns to see the end of it—heard the question.

"My name is John Lucas. lam a doctor," was the reply, in a tone of surprise.

"Lucas—John Lucas ! By Heaven, it's the same name ! Was your father ever in Africa ?" Dr. Lucas's face brightened ; then he turned to the sji'oora and told him to follow to 13 idsc Home.

"Now, if you will ride a few yards with me, we can have a quiet chat at my mother's," lie said. Captain Clarke climbed into the gig, looked at his companion, and said :

"The man yon are so like died on the passage home from South Africa." "My father was lest si;rht of between twenty-four and twenty-five years ago. We never knew what had become of him until a little while since I got a clue. Bat here we are ; and my mother will only be too grateful to hear all you can tell her," said Dr. Lucas, as he drew up in front of the gate leading into the garden at Bridge I-loute. "Do you mean to say your mother, Mrs. Lucas, lives here ?' ; exclaimed Clarke.

"Certainly. Why should she not?" asked the doctor, in surprise. "Will, it's the .rummicst go I ever knew," was the reply, as Clarke got down and followed his companion through the gate into the garden.

Meanwhile Phil Basset, who had come at a brisk pace over the Ijii.'ge, watched them disappear ; then .r, he went towards the castle he w ndarod what this stranger knew of the man who had disappeared '.-■o many years ago.

"l''.'ir:y if he should be alive and ta't:; unto himself another wife. I>" I,' say he was a queer sort of Mi■''.■:," thought Phil, as he entered i.:." bouse ; and hearing the boll ring for ! "' ;i"on, ho proceeded at once to tli ; : d::: n ;room, feeling in better :.i'ii'.s than he had done since his iV.her had told him that he had io:,t a.U chance of winning Sybil and her money,, the latter being the most important item in the young man's estimation.

'Vvo seen quite a performance in ltd Path," he said, looking at his father.

"In-teed !" was the dry response, the squire not having forgiven him his misdeeds.

"Yes ; I've seen a fat, middle-aged fjlow running as though he was on for a wager, but it turned out he was only chasing Jack Lucas." "chasing Dr. Lucas," said Miss Melita ; then she added, "I suppose it was a case of sickness."

"But it wasn't. The first thing the fellow said was. 'For Heaven's sake, tell me your name ;' and when he heard it, he said, *By heaven, it's the same name 1 Was your father ever in South Africa?' And then Lucas told him to climb into the gig, and they drove to Bridge House; so I expect Mrs. Lucas is going to hear somotling of the missing husband."

While Phil was talking he had been looking at Miss Melita and Sybil, who appeared intensely interested ia his story, a*d none ol then

aad noticed th« change th.it had come over the, squire until a groan startled them just as the squire ieii forward. Luckily the butler, who was standing near, caught his master.

"Lay him on the floor," said Phil, who was tolerably sharp-witted ; ami as the servants laid the squire on the rug, Sybil kneeled down and unfastened his collar, doing all she could think of to ease him, forgetting hia unkindness of late, and remembering only the good.

"The doctor must be fetched. One of the men had better go on horseback for Dr. Maples," said Miss Melita. "Nonsense ! Dr. Lucas is at his mother's. He must be fetched," Phil interposed. "Your father doesn't like Dr. Lucas," said Miss Melita, anxiously.

"My father wouldn't care who attended him so long as thoy brought him round," replied Phil ; and he told one of the footmen to see that a message was sent to Bridge House asking Dr. Lucas to come at once.

Then Phil turned to look at his father, who lay so still and deathlike that he wondered if he was really dead.

"I think it's a fit, sir," the butler said, guessing his thought.

" Yes, it must be a fit," Phil replied.

Then he wondered what had caused it. His father had seeued all right when they began luncheon. Suddenly he remembered his father's strange dislike of the Lucas family, and he asked himself if the story he had been telling could have anything to do with his sudden illness. "Had he known Dr. Lucas, and did he know anything about his disappearance ?" Then he told himself it wasn't likely, and his thoughts turned to another subject.

' Had the squire, in his anger, de- ' stroyed the will which left the es- ' tate to him ? If he had, and not made another, then it would be worse for him, as all the freehold property would go to Geff, and that meant losing the Croftstone estate, 1 and perhaps a lot more, as Phil did , not know in what his father's, money was invested. But he wos ! inclined to think that he l'idd purchased another estate recently. II he had been sure the will leaving 1 all to him was still in existence be would have supported Miss Mclita's proposition to send for Dr. Maples; J but matters were too uncertain to | risk anything, and he waited anxiously for the doctor's arrival.

CHAPTER XIV. A REQUUST FOR CiRFF. "Mother, I have brought you a visitor who can tell you something about my father," said Dr. Lucas, as he led the way into the morningroom, where Mrs. Lucas and Joan were busy sewing. "Have you come in answer to our advertisement ?" asked the former, as she laid her sewing down and looked up at him. "No, ma'am ; I haven't seen any advertisement. I heard something a while ago from a man who had been a sailor aboard the Sea Gull—that's the vessel on which Mr. John Lucas died—if the gentleman was your husband. Anyway, your son is the image of him." "My husband's name was John Lucas, and for nearly twenty-five years I have been ignorant of his fate ; so you will know what your information will mean to me," she said, in an excited tone.

"Well, ma'wi, there's a good deal to tell, and mayhe you'd let me tell it my own way." "Yes, yes ; hut I'm impatient to hear," said Mrs. Lucas.

"Then I'll lose no time," and Captain Clarke, told her about her husband's death on the hoard the Sea Gull, and what lie afterwards heard from Ned Jones.

Here he was interrupted by Dr. Lucas, who told what the dying man had said, and Clarke discovered that the poor fellow was dead. He then related how he had seen Basset and the result of his investigation. Mrs. Lucas was almost speechless with indignation, but in a minute or two she recovered enough to say : "The thief, to use my husband's money to buy the Croftstone estate and let me live here ! I wonder he could bear to see me. I must have been a constant reminder of his

"But he had you under his own eye, ma'am, and I don't fancy Mr. Basset is troubled with a conconsciencei," said Clarke. "It's pretty plain now why he disliked us so much," said Dr. Lucas.

"Dislike ! He hated us. I was conscious of it, and it puzzled me why he did." said Mrs. Lucas. At that moment Arthur Croftstone joined them, and Mrs. Lucas introduced him to the stranger. Then a brief account was given him.

I will relinquish the management of the estate at ouco," he said, sternly. "The question is, what steps are you going to take ?" asked Dr. Lucas, looking at his mother. Before she could reply the parlourmaid opened the door and trdd Dr. Lucas that a messenger had come from the castle requesting him to go bt once, as the squire was in a r.t. "Then the matter is settled for the present," said the doctor, as he hastily left the room. "God's judgments are sure, if they are not always swift," said Mrs. Lucas ■ then she turned to Captain Clarke, saying : "We were waiting luncheon for my son ; you will join us ?" "Thank you, ma'am. I'm only a plain man, but as yini've asked me I'll stay. Then I can hear how Mr. Basset goes on."

"Yes-; we shall want y.r;r assistance in whatever we decide to do," said Mrs. Lucas, as she led the way to the dining-room.

Meanwhile Dr. Lucas had reached the ca?tle and found the little group surrounding the squire anxiously awaiting his arrival. A brief examination told him that, it was apoplexy, and he informed ll=ss Melu ta, who was greatly distressed. (To be Continued).