THE STORY.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume V, Issue 46, 15 November 1890, Page 6

THE STORY.

TSII R ID PERIOD.

♦.’HARTER LXIH

A REFTr.E

.. T '■»*.' *ii «wer. Iris a.fci -eni in 1 C cer HBaoe s’- i in » r Ju-' - -niali k»isini Aan-t for her by ... ffl . “ X Finny Mere, who ..-aHed her V.rjLS-'-. o.ns-tn. She stayed in »ioxs T 'A? lottr. afrai.i •« stirring i *_ Xc3 abroad -. afraid to read the -j p*p«r> : afrai-: that her hnsban«i was arresseti on. the ehanee of conspiracy and fraii-i; ■ l- ' afraid that some kind of hue . ■tfc. as. I ety niczfrt be oat after her. •“< •« Theref'ire. when she heard a manly step * ’ ».xi the stair, she started and tamed pale, ■ Vjl expeetina n-xhntg short of .an arme.i mesDts • en-yr .x the law. She nevet. was Ie this '/■itt- foe a sjngie miaate. bat et>nsewn>re mate a eoward «x her. The step was that <x Hash M>xmtj»>y. i ’ I ioand yea eat. lie -aid ‘by means of ofc-g Fanny. The giri knew that she was safe in /-jV* ] erring; me knew year secret. Why are yea in oxi.nsalment ?' 1”"1' ’ Yea eannet know all. *x yoa weald not S a,e that- ’ -I do know all; and again I ask. why are yea in concealment .’ “Beeaase Oh. Hash —spare me / • I know all. which is the reason why I eaan->t efecgt bat eixne t«> see yea. Com* oat of this poor place : -resame year own nan e There is no reason why yea shcald n<.c. Yoa were n> >c present at Passy when this eenspiraey was hatched : yea sx there after the *■— al Yoa. aataraUy. went to see the family selsrit.ers. Iris, what has the etxsspiraey to do with yoa ’ r It will be obsenred that Hash had not read the letter written to the E’treetocs of the pany. ■ Do yoa know aboar the money T' • • ertainly. Yoa sent tank all that yoa eoaid—tße thoasand p»>and'- That showed year »rs innoeenee’ l —— ■ Hazn. yoa know that I am snilty.’ • The world will think that y»a are innocent. At any rate. y»xi ran eooae oat an>i so abeat witiwat fear. Tell me. what are yoor plans • I have no plans. I only want to hide my head —sonewhere. r ‘ Yes :we will talk ahoat that presently. Meantime. I have some news for yoa. ’ -Newst What news F ■ Really ,s»*>d news. I have to tell yoa a thinz which will -arprise yoa.' - •.iood new s - What awod news is there for me f’ ‘ Yoar husband has sent bock the whole oi the money. ‘ ■ Sent bark ’ To the Insurance Office F - AIL iias been sent back. He wrote two letters—one to the soKeitoes and the other to the Insurance Company. It is nos likely now that anything can he sai.f. because the Ihreetexs have accepted the money. Moreover, it appears that they mizht have proeee.ie.l against the Lawyers for the recovery of the money, bat that they have n.xhing- to do either with yoa or with L.wi Harry Norland. That is a .iiffiealt point, however. Somebody, it seems, has eompoaßded—or is going to esxnponnd—a feleny. Ido not understand exactly what this means, or what •ireauifol oxi setjaenees might follow : bat I am assured by the lawyers that we need appeehead mxhing rnoce. All is over.’ Iris heaved a profound sigh. ■ Then he is safe ’’ she said. •Yoa think of him first,’ said Hugh, jeai- xt-ly. "Yes : he is safe: and. I :o hope, gooe away, oat of the eoantry. never to come baek any more. The more important thing at a-• ■ “-bi 1-e safe f> ■•m hi”. . A- f-x the .i.jetor— - I cannot speak of the doctor with •.•ocßaion patiences Let him be left to the end whi-h always awaits -aeh men. It is to ’’e hoped that he will never, wherever he goes, feel himself in safety.' ■ I am safe,’ said Iris, no* only from my liosband. bat from what else beside - Yoa know what I mean. Yoa mean that I, as well as my husband, am safe from that. • »h ' the fear of it has never left me—never for a m*xnent. Yoa tell me that I am safe from paMie disgrace, and I rej.H'fe—when I oaght to sink into the earth with shame L’ Sue e-wered her face with her hands. • Iris, w* know what yoa have done. We als»- know why yoa did it. What need we say more ' The thing is finished and d.>ne with. Let as never again allude to it. The •ines*i»xi n*>w fe—what will yoa do next ‘ —Where will yoa ■I do n-x know. I have go* Fanny Mere with me. Mrs klmpoiiy i* als»» anxioas toHve with me. lam rich, indeed. since I have two faith fa! dependents and oae friend.’ •In *nch wealth. Ins, yoa will always be rieh. Now listen sen-wisly I have a villa in the country. It is far away f”-m L.-ndon. in the ssxtish Lowlands the way—remote even from tourists and travellers. It is a very lonely place, bat a pretty h-wsse, with a great gartien behind and a stretch of san-i and seashore in front. There one may live completely foolotedL I offer yoa that villa for year residence. Take it : live tn it a- long as yoa please.’ - No, n»v I must not accept *aeh a gift.

• Yon mast, Ir»—yoa sfaaU. I ask it ot yoa as a proof oc t.-ieaus&ip, and nextiing more. 1 >»>y, I fear that yoa will get tired of she kxsedness. • No —ao,’ see said- - I eanaoc aet tired or isxieiiness ;it i- all I want.’ • There is a,, -sx-iety as *IL ■ Society ? OjCtecy ie me r’ ’lgo to the neignooarns**'. -sxnetimies fur Ssliiao. Yoa will let ate eall ap*xi yoa T’ ‘ Who else has sneh a right f ■ Then p>a will accept my <dfer f • I feel that I most. Ye-. Hugh ; yes, with deepest gratitnae. ’ The next day she went iwa by the aight-mail to Seotlaa>i. M tth her traveHei Mrs Vimpony and Fanny Mere. CHAPTER LAIV. -he lyrrst.-iBtE-, The proceedings of Lord Harry after he had sent off that eheiae was meet remarkable. If he had invited—.u-rnal v coarted-what followed—he coaid no* have actet differently. He Left Loodoa an*i crossed over to Dublin. Arrived there, ne went to a -n*a’I hotel entirely frequented by Irish Amerieaiss and their friend-. It was suspected- -x oeing the principal place x resort of tae Invincibles. It was Known to be a house entirely given ap to the Nativaaliscs. He made no attemoc to cuoeeal his nan*. He entered the hotel, greeted die Landlord cheerfully, sainted the head waiter, ordered bis din--- anil t*»k n»> notice of the soilen looks with which he was receive,! or the scowl.- which, followed him ai»ut the coffee-room where half a dozen men were sitting and talking, for the meet part in whispers. He slept there that night. The next * lay, still openly and as if there wa.- mxhinc t»> fear, either from. England ee from Ireland, he walked to the statitMi and took his ticket, paying no attenaon to what all the world might have seen and umierstossi—that he was watched. When he had taken bate ticket two men immediately afterw.irds ;>»>k tickets’ tor the same places The t iaee where he was going was that [.art of Kerry where the Invineibles had frxmeriy assaseinatei Arthur Jioantfor. The two men wno followed him—who tcok their tickecsfoc the same place—who go* into the san e carriage with, him—were two members of that name fraternity. It is well Known that fee wh»> r-xns that body ansi afterwards leaves it. «w dissAteys its order, or ns sopp«i>-ed to betray its seerets. incurs the penalty of -ieath•>n tile unexpected arrival of Lord Harry at this hotel, there Lai teen hurriedly called together a mserin-.- of th>.ee members then in Dublin. It was resolved that the traitor mast be removed. Lots were east, and the lot fell upon one, wh»? remembered past nets kindness 4»>ce by Lord Harry to his- own peoples He woal»I fain have been spared tiii-’-■asiness. bat the rules of -he society are imperative. He most ocey. It is the practice «rf the society when a murder has been resolved apoa to appoint a second man. wc«ee duty it is to-aci-v-mpany the murderer and to see that he executes bis, task. In the aftemoxi. aboat an hoar ber-sre -nnser the trait, arrived at the starioe where Lord H.-irry was to get down. The sratixi-master recognise<i him. and toaehed his hatThen he saw the two «xher men get d*>wn after bin-, and he tamed pale. -1 will leave my poexmaateaa,’’ sai-i Lord Harrv. ‘in the-eioak-ro»xii- It will besealled for.’ Afterwards the station-master remembered these words. Lord. Harry did not say. - 1 will call for it.’ bat ■ It will beedled for.’ *.>mine<is words. Tae weather was cold; a drizzling rain fell: the 'day was drawing in. Lord Harry left the station, and started" with. Hoick step along the road, which strecehet or-ve- a dreary, aesoiate piece «rf country. The two men walked after him. <.>ne presently quickened his step. Leaving the second man twenty y ards behind.. The station-master lookoi after then" till be coaid see them no longer. Then he shook his bead an..’, retained t.s his offiee. Lord Harry, walking along the road, knew th;\c toe two men him. Presently he teean.- aware that one of them was quickening his paee. He walked on. Perhaps his cheek* pale>i and his lips were -et elcse. because he knew that he wa* walking to hisdeath. The steps behind him approached faster—faster. Lord Harry never even turned hi* bead. The man was- ei.ee behin-i him. The man was beside him. ‘Nliekey • •’Flynn it is,'said Lent Harry. ~ Tas a traitor yoa are." said the mam ‘ Yoar friends the Invincible- told yoa that. Miekey. Why, do yoa think I don't know. man. *_at yoa are berefort Well ’’ he stopped- ‘I am unarm e.i. You have go* a revolver in year band—the hand behind yoarbaek. What are yoa stopping forb’ ‘ I i-ann*‘C. said the man. ■ Yoa mast. Mickey •.• Flynn—yoa mast ; or it’s murdered y.xtll be yoarself,' said Lord Harry. oxly. • Why, man, tis bat so lift year hand. And then yoa li be a m'niderer for life. lam another—w-e shall both -e munierers taen. »» hr don't yoa tire, man r’ ■By I eaamat said Miekey. He held the revolverbehino him. bat fee did sot lift his aim. Hi- eye- stared x his moath was • pen : the h.xT»>r of the murderer wa* upon, hire before the murder vis committed. Then he startel. • Look Lhe eried. ‘Look behind yea, my lord ’.' Lord Harry tnrtel The second man was ttpoa him. He ’tent forward and peered in his fare. ■ Arthur Moantjoy’s murierer he eried. asd sprang at bi* throat. «.»ne. two. three shots rang out in the evening air. Th.ee who heard them in the roadside •■abin. a: the railwaystation cm the road, shuddered. They knew the meaning of those shots. One more nur.ier to load the *«xxl of Ireland. Bat Lord Harry lay dead in the middle of the road. The seco-osi man gut up and felt at his throat. ‘Faith :’ he said. - I thought I wa* tnardered -satright. C’oaie, Mick, let us drag him to the roadsides' They did so, and then, with bent beads and sfoacbed hats, they made their way across eoantry to another station where they would n-x ’e reeegaised as the two who had ioHnwed Lord Harry down the road.

Two men ot the Coßs£*balarr rode an h.«r ■Laser and Mwi the bedy lyins where it had been .erx. They scanned the peeked They f..an.i a par-* with a few ~.» ereiitu? : the r.etraxt or a -ady—the ninaiered -"*- » wife—a -eai«d eavcJope addressed to Hagh M«aaatj..v, E,.*, -“ate of hi- Locd.n hotel: dad a eard ease : nothin!" of anv *nir»>rtanee. -It i» Lora Harry Norias.!, sail oce. - The wiM lord—he has met his e&i as last. ’ Ttee-ietter to Iris was brief. It said: ■ Faieweß: lam meet the death -if one «h> Ls wh*d a Traitor to th* > ao»e. lam one traitor or a * anse *ar metier Mar the m»i that a» already pioctra r.,e me be an-epted u- Ln atonement: r cegtr e me. Ira. : I ami >x me a-amdly a» yea eaa. Bat I charge you—it as my atest wool—mom nos tor one who mas aoee a.- best to ponwn your life ami to min your In the other tetter he said : "I CKW the aifei.'tion yo.i bare ai ways entertained for Iris. Site a — ten you .What -ae p.ea-e- about the past. It sue teiis you no--il.iX i3».'4u il«fr ik.Ee -1 L.—C*ihJl»L. mln .1 :n*r AIUI 7'ju . 3.QC 2-«-wrong: Kememoer ~oaz whatever *ae las acne was done foe me -kmi *u my rxsGigaGitXL She oogbe :«:■ have uarryi’ vy.; jai-i-ead i me. ’I Am in. che presence of En*azm The men wtw are gtaxg so km. me are umier "lais very rooc. Hey will <•_: me percAz.- -.— - r eruacs taey WAIG - oe A orecer a *arer ptare. iPi: trie wm. £i.i ‘ In me preserve oc lAeaik. I nse -iperwr co the pitiful jeafoasv wita. which i nave a/* aj- regarded yon. 1 despise iz. I vodr paarfon ror it. Help Iris to zorgec cue aetwa c-c'aer ure of wnien -ae i<i- m«?s: reascu :•> oe ashamed. EtabC yon Argive me you. aave mrgivea her—ami ••tea yea. save her&ed her m the wirm±ioi: *6reDgta •?€ year h>ve to •ir.ve me oat of vear