"THE TRUMP CARD,"

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 46, Issue 14141, 11 June 1920, Page 7

" THE TRUMP CARD,"

By FRANK MAYNAED, Author of “Forgottou Days,” “A Mill Girl's Wooing,” -The Ironmaster's Daughicr, ” “Queen in Clogs, etc.

PUBLISHED BY SPECLVL AEKANGEMENT.

(COPYEIGHT.)

C U A l.’T (•: if XX. —Continued

Packard was finding out with a vengeance that Cicely liad spirit. He noted with a rage lie could scarcely control that, altohugii he wished to appear master of the situation, the girl was not allowing him to think she was of his opinion in the matter. He had his cards to play, and he was prepared to abase himself now in order to get Cieeyl into his power, however tivache.rousyl, for the future.

* ‘ Well, wliat 1 have to say is this, lie growled. “I was terribly enraged InsMiight when you said all those eeuel thi juts'" to us, and 1 made /ft at emem s I didn't meah. You must know, after thinking about it, that your allegation that we had drugged Welborough was a mistake, and that ii "as just a matter of our getting over the line a bit. That was foolish, of course, but not criminal .and 1 was awfully upset when you saw us carrying him to bed. That, and your charges afterwards, were’enough to make anyone bad tempered, especially as they were not true, and were made, by you, whose good opinion we all wish, to hate. Cicely listened to ail this in stony silence, and paced along with her companion slowly. Site ignored his appeal. “What were you going to say aboutmy brother?” site asked. “Last night you said you knew where, he was, and you were good enough to threaten me accordingly.” “I. said it. in the heat of the moment. 1 lost control of myself. I Tease forgive

“Then it was a lie.”'. “That's a hard word.” “Was it true or not? Do you know, or do you not know, where my brother mav be found?”

‘ ‘ X o. ” ■ “Then you did lie?” {1 yes. 7 7 ) . “Have you anything more to say?” Packard felt himself being beaten, but he made another try. ' ‘ ‘ Yes, I have, ” he answered. '' 0 are absolutely innocent of the charges, and we want to show you that we can make up to you for the trouble, caused through your misapprehension.

“How/” ■ , “If vou come back to Shady Hook we will" do everything- to please you.^ “Will vou walk into my, parlour: I said the spider to the <ly’,” ! .Jennie, who had been a listener, butsaving nothing. As a matter of fact Jennie, a respectful distance away, true, had heard a oreat deal more than either I ackard or Cicely imagined. And now the honest girl, fearing lest Cicely should succumb to Simpson’s smooth tongue, put in her say. , Packard turned angrily, and was about to say something in his brutal way, but checked himself in time. 11 is passion for Cicely during the past tew days bad fed itself on her very antagonism. To it was added the lire of his desire to bend her to his will, and to avenge himself on Welborough. His mind was torn betwixt two fiercely contending emotions. Oh! that he could persuade. Cicely that they had not drugged w elborough! Oh, that he could persuade her that they were anxious for her welfare. He little knew of what had passed between Welborough and the girl that sweet confession of mutual love made in such remarkable circumstances—and, not knowing, he went on with the attempt to induce Cicely to trust to them and to go back to Shady Hook. “You wrong us,''- lie said. “1 swear “I’ve noticed that you do a lot of swearing,” interpolated Jennie. That did it; Packard turned upon lief furiously. " . “You fool!” he cried. “It is your evil influence that has deluded my eou sin ”

“That will do,” said Cicely. *J lease leave us, Mr Packard; l shall not return to Shady Nook. You are a blackguard!” Packard's temper once more got the better of him. Scarcely knoying what lie did lie caught hold of Cicely's wrist. “But you shall come.” he almost shouted, pulling her as if lie meant to take her by brute force. ‘‘ A cow, she won’t,” said a voice, as a hard, bony hand soundly slapped Packard’s face. . And the blackguard, loosing the gin s arm, turned round 1o lind -lepson looking at him. There was a glint in -lopsou’s eye, and an air of business about his old frame. CHAPTER AXI. THWARTED. Simpson Packard, his hand to that portion of his face which tingled from the effects of the smart blow, retreated a juice or two, and gazed about him as though seeking a ready means of escape;’ but even had such a ready avenue pc resent eel itself he could not have availed himself of it, for Jepson was upon him as he hosna.ed. and gripping him |>y the shoulders he' shook him backwards and forwards with a violence of motion which seemed to reduce him to a thing inanimate—a puppet in the hands of his manipulator. “Curse you ” yelled Packard, nnjl as he did so his right hand came into fliuht. .1 r gripped a small revolver he ],ad withdrawn from his hip pocket. Cicely and .Jennie screamed and clung to each other in tears. .lepson uttered no word, but as the murderous weapon rose upwards his left fist crashed down on Packard s forearm, and simultaneously with the report of the. firearm a shrill shriek of pain burst from the lips of the would-be murderer. The bullet he had intended for the body of the miner had found a billet in his own foot, and as the revolver fell from his now nerveless hand he swerved round and clutched at an adjar et n gate for support. “Are you hurt, father?” cried Jennie spring to his side, as the smoke from the discharged, cartridge cleared away. “No, lass; I’m sill reet,” he replied, tapping her on the shoulder. Then lie siooped for the revolver, gazed from it to its owner, who, leaning limply over the gate, was moaning and crying in turns. “N«, I’m not bo'rn to be shot, lass,” added the father, “but it seems that wastrel timer is. 'lie s shot hissel ’, too, at that. It’s all reet, I say, Miss Hildreth,” lie went on, turning to Cicely, whom he suddenly remembered. She was standing with clasped hands at the spot where Jennie had left her.

Before any more words could be exchanged. several people made their appearance from opposite ends of the lane.

Jepson dropped the revolver in his

pocket and turned towards them. *-What's th' matter.' 1 ' asked one of t.he newcomers. ‘‘Who s bin shooti u ‘.” ’ Packard uttered some broken words addressed to the miner, indicating he wanted to speak to him. Jop sou, who was trying to find an answer to eivo to the man who had called for one, without being compelled to enter i n ,„. details, wear over to Packard, saying: '••What doesta waul, tiia' wastrel.’" • • Sa\- it has been an accident, ’’ whispered the sufferer. ••Don t Jet: it 'get into the gapers for —for my cousin's sake. I only meant to frighten v ( ;; .lepson. bav it lor liei sake, I beg of you!" .Yepson, aleri in thought as he was in action, was (jiuck to grasp the sitnat ion. not for iMiss Hildreth’s sake tlai.' wants this affair hushed up,” lie ,-eplieil. ‘-It's to save thy own skin, to dodge tii' law for Irvin’ to put me caul, as t'na' cawd it. But 1 dunnot waul tha’ lass to be put to any nio.oar trouble an’ worry than hoo's had atvn.adv wi' thee an’ thy schemin' owd mother, so for th’ time being I’ll not have thee locked up. That might come later; it aw depends on tli lass herselV

The men attracted to the spot by the sound of the shot drew nearer still, ,with' the obvious intention of trying to catch the conversation between the two. by the gate, and the one who had spoken repeated his question in another form: *‘ls it that chap who’s bin shot?” indicating Packard. • •Ay, it’s him root enough, Tom 11 ark or'. ’ ’ replied .1 opson, recognising ttie imm. ‘‘He tells me it s bin an accident. lie’s, shot hissed’ in th ’ foot w i’ a. revolver hit were playin’ wi’. If we like to tak’ ’is word for it 1 reckon we can do; and it seems to me if anybody else had shot him he’d be only too ready to tell us who it \.eie. What do vo’ chaps think?” “There’s a t raj * or summat else on wlieels coni'in’ deawn th’ lane -nah!” remarked another of the men. The vehicle approaching turned out to lie a farmer ’s milk float, and its driver. seeing the group of people, brought his horse to it stand. Being informed that a man had accidentally shot himself, lie readily said he would convey the injured one back to the nearest doctor's, and with that Packard was lifted into the float, Sam .Top--son. his daughter and Cicely looking on with unsympathetic eyes.