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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Herald, 1908-08-14, Page 7lemtlsesattelftematalsamtlesseetia Lavarick laughed, "I thought you would. And I refuse to hand you the will before I get the , notes, I wouldn't trust it in your hands—until I got the `ready'—for a mo- send What do you propose, Sir Jere Ian?" And he refilled his pipe and lit it with insolent leisureliness. Jordan thought a moment, then be said: "I will place the notes on the ground beside me here;eput the—the will on the ground beside you, together with the pa- per for which I stipulated. Have you brought it?" ,Lavarick drew a paper from his packet and, advancing, held it very tightly near the candle so that Jordan could read it. ' "That's what you want, eh?" "It will do," said Jordan. "Now go back twenty paces and lay it and the will on the ground. I will do the same. with the notes, and we can cross and make the exchange." Lavarick looked at him admiringly. "A good dodge" he said, nodding. ",`You're wasted over here in this stupid old England, ,Sir Jordan. You ought to come out with me across the herring pond, where these tricks would come in handy and profitable." Jordan vouchsafed no acknowledgment of this genuine compliment. "One moment," he said. "The other evening you spoke of—the girl." Lavarick puffed at his pipe and nod- ded, keeping 'his skew eyes watching on Jordan's face. "Well?" "You said that you knew where to find her." "I don't remember that I did," inter- rupted Lavarick, "but if I did. I spoke the truth. I do know where to find her, and I can put my Hand upon her in a. few hours.' "..And that—she had means of proving her identity. You stated that distinct- ly.,, "I did," &seated Lavarick. Well?" Jordan drew a little nearer and look- ed round as if he feared that the very trees might have ears. "I should like to see these proofs," he said. Lavarike laughed with sinister enjoy- ment. "How prettily you said that!" And he grinned. "Of course, you would! Like to see them! I should think sol And once you'd seen them, got 'em in your hands, you'd take devilish good care that no one else ever saw them." Jordan bit hie Iin. "You boasted that you could obtain these so-called proofs," he said, ignoring Lavarick's taunt. "If they be so—" he paused—"I should not think it fair for you to run any risk on my behalf—" "You may take your solemn oath that I shall never run any risk on your be- half," remarked Lavarick, bluntly. "Just so," asented Jordan, impassively. "I am, therefore, about to make you an offer." "An offer?" repeated Lavarick, suspi- ciously. "What is it?" "Simply this: that I am prepared to— to compensate you for any trouble or ex- pense you may incur in—in—obtaining the proofs of which you speak." "Oh, I see," said Lava rick. "You want mo to steal 'em, and sellthem to you. Well, what's your price?" Jordan did not wince at the brutal frankness. "It is only rignt that I should remind you that they are of no value to me," he said. "Then what do you want them for?" demnaded Lavarick. "That is my business solely," he re- plied. "You're afraid that there may be an- other will, eh?" said Lavarick. 'Well, ' there may be. But, as you say, it's no business of mine. What will you give, eh?" "I will give you five hundred pounde Lavarick interrupted him with a coarse laugh of disdain. "I dare say! Do you know how I should have to get those proofs?" Jordan 'did not answer. "I'll tell ,you," said Lavarick. "I should have to perhaps—but no; I think I'd better not tell you. Anyhow, the price isn't good enough. What, risk-" he put his hand to his neck in a hideous pan- tomime, representing a man being hang- ed. "Not much, Sir Jordan. No. If I get the things I'll bring 'em to you and will make a bargain. But I've got another job in hand first. and I'm going to do that before I touch anything else. I'mn going to find the man who ruined my girl." He stopped, and drew a long breath, "But that isn't your businese, you'd say, and it isn't, It's only mune, and by" he swore an awful oath—"I'll make it his. I'll find him, wherever he is, and —" Jordan coughed, as if the subject had no attraction for him, and Lavarick, un- derstanding the cough, broke off and said: "Now, then; I'm no more fond of this place than you are, Sir Jordan. Put the notes where you say, and I'll do the same with the will." As he spoke he drew out his revolver. "Don't be afraid," he said, with a grin. "I think I should feel more comfortable and easy in my mind with my little friend in my hand:" Jordan shrugged his shoulders con- temptuously, and, unbuttoning his cape, took a pocketbook from it. "The notes. The notes. No empty poc- ketbook for me!" said Lavarick, as he stood watching. Jordan took some bank notes from the book and fluttered them in the feeble candle light, then laid them down on the ground, and set the toe of his boot on them, At this moment, while Lavarick, with his back to the tree, was watching Jor- dan's motions intently, Neville stretohed down and took the paper from the hole in the trunk in which Lavarick had plac- ed it. "`The notes are here," said Jordan, haughtily, and he tapped these with his foot. "Right," rejoined Lavariek and he turned to the tree eagerly and put his hand in the hole As he did so, Neville saw him start, and beard him utter an impatient oath; then Lavarick thrust his hand in farther down to the .bottom of the hollow and fumbled about searchingly. Then he swore aloud and glanced over his shoulder at Jordan suapiciously. "What is the matter?" said Jordan, coldly. "Matter! Why"—here followed a string of oaths. "The—the thing was here! I put it here just before you came u A sneer which curled Jordan's lip stung Lavarick to fury, and he passed his hands up and down the trunk of the tree to feel if there was another opening into which he could have put the will. "You have not got. it?" said Jordan. "Got it. Yes, I've got it!" retorted Lavarick, savagely. "I'll put my hand on it!" retorted Lavarick, savagely. "I'll ,put my hand on it in a moment. Curse it all! I only stuck it in here just be- fore you came. I thought it safe. You might have made a rush for me, you know," and he grinned. "So I thought Pd put it in a hiding place till we'd settled how to exchange.' Jordan smiled contemptuously. "There is no will!" he said, with sup- pressed triumph. "There is! By all that's living, there's a will, and it was here a minute—five minutes ago," broke out Lavarick, hoarsely. "Here, give me the candle!" and, forgetful of his undertaking, he advanced toward it. Jordan drew out his pretty revolver and pointed it. "Come a step nearer and I fire!" said he. "You are a liar and a fool. You have lost the will. 1 defy you! Put your hands up above your head, or as surely as there is a heaven above us I will shoot you. Don't hesitate. My plan is ready. I shall say you. stopped and tried to rob me. Up with your hands or I fire." Lavarick crouched, ready for the • spiting, read determination in Jordan's pale face, and dared not touch his own revolver. 'Wait," he croaked, huskily. "Not a moment. One, two—" "Now go!" said Jordan, sternly. "Turn and go without looking round. I shall cover you while, you are in range, and fire the instant you turn." "Right!" said Lavarick, his lips work- ing. "You have beat me this time, Sir Jordan — you've got that will! You watched me and stole behind ins and got it out of the tree!" Jordan smiled grimly. "Yes, that's it! You've got me! I'm beat this time; but"—lie ground his teeth—"I'll be even with you, if I swing for it!" "Go!" said Jordan, with an exasperat- ing laugh. "I give you two hours to es- cape. .At the end of that tiine I shall give information to the police." He had gone too far. With a howl of fury -=a howl that re- minded Neville of the wolves he had heard prowling round the camp—Lavar- lee made a dash for him. 1 . If you want to thoroughly enjoy your vacation don.'t for to take along a supply of TRISCI IT—The Dainty Shredded Wheat Wafer. ] ' Nutritious and appetizing. Try it with butter, cheese or fruits. 1066 ALWAYA ;EASY TO SERVE—.Sold by All Grocers At that moment, as Neville leaned ex- citedly forward to witness the conclusion of the contest, and to join in it if neces- sary, the candle was extinguished, Whe- ther .it had been overturned and trodden on by one of the two gentle villains, Neville did not see; but it was certainly out, and the scene wars plunged into in- stant darkness, He heard the sharp snap of the revol- ver, and saw the flash which for a mo- ment lit up the darkness; heard a snarl- ing growl, as if of pain and rag, then, being unable to hold himself m leash any longer, he leaped to the ground, and, colliding against a figure, seized it in his strong grip. Whichever man it was, he turned upon him with a furious energy, and Neville knew that it was a struggle to the death. He set his teeth hard, and looked the man with one arm while he felt for his throat with the other. But his opponent seemed to under- stand his object, and, gripping him tight- ly, bore all his weight upon him, and so they wrestled to and fro, linked in a hid- eous embrace. Neither spoke—each seemed to tacitly aoknowldge that while life lasted the fight must hold. Neville was surprised by the strength which was put out to meet his, but he attributed it to the frenzy of the rage and despair which mustbe burning in both Jordan's and Lavarick's breasts. For a moment he did not know which of the villains he had got hold of; but pres- ently he felt a beard touch his cheek, and his heart throbbed, as he was con- vinced it was Lavarick. "Now!' he thought, with a joy that no words can express, "now is the hour of reckoning." He thought of Sylvia—of the last time he had seen the wretch with Sylvia in his grasp—and in his veins ran the hot, fierce desire to crush the life out of the scoundrel. To and fro they swayed, the grip of each growing more intense, more intoler- able each moment. At last, just when Neville, with an awful sense of disap- pointment and balked vengeance, was feeling faint, he managed to get his leg under his opponent's arta with a crash the latter came to the ground, Neville falling on top of, and still gripping him. "You—scoundrel!" he panted. "At Iast! Move an inch and 111 kill you where you lie!" and Ids hands tightened upon the prostrate man's throat. Then—oh, irony of Fate!—carne a choking voice in response gurgling out: "Mr—Mr. Neville! Good God! Is it you? Don't you know me--Trale?" CHAPTER XXVII. Neville staggered back, with a cry of astonishment and incredulity, It was too dark to see the face of the man he had been wrestling with, but there could be no mistaking his voice, Flow on earth had Lavariek become exchanged for the inspector? "Give me your hand, please, Mr. Nev- ille," gasped Trale. "You've pretty near- ly done for me, sir," and, assisted by Neville, he struggled stiffly v. his feet; and after a moment er t,v" spent in rubbing his aching sit]: s. strt,ek a light. The two men stared at ash other in the feeble glimmer as if they were each looking at a ghost, "It is Mr. Neville!" exclaimed Trade, as if he could scarcely realize the fact. "-Iiow did you come here, and—oli, Lord, where's the candle?" he broke off. He groped about and found what re- mained of the candle, and raised it above his head, looking round like a man in a dream. Neville leaned against a tree, panting .—he himself was not far from "done"— and eyeing Trale with palpable disgust. "They're gone! ---clean gone!" exclaim- ed Trade, "Gone!" panted Neville, "of course they have! What—what on earth were you doing here? And how did you come to mistake me Trade interrupted him ruefully. "Come to that, sir, how did you mis- take me?" "Bow could I do otherwise?" said Nevdh, . ""fou weren't here when the candle went out." "Oh, yes, I was, sir," said Trale. "I've been here for the last quarter of an hour or twenty minutes." "What!" ejaculated Neville. "Fact, Mr. Neville,'" said Trale, feeling his throat and chafing his numbed arms. "I was coming back here from the sta- tion. when I caught sight of a stranger making his way down the lane—an eld- erly man with a beard. There was some- thing about him -I can't tell you what --that I didn't like, and I thought I'd just see where he was going." "Yesen—yes," said Neville quickly and impatitly, "I fancied he might be going to the bank or the lawyer's—he looked likes a clerk. but he didn't, and when I saw him turn off to the Burrows it made mo more curious than before. I followed him along the other side of the hedge, and managed to keep him within view without being seen when he got on to the Burrows. In the open I had to get down on my hands and knees and half - crawl after him, for he'd have seen me if he'd looked round, However, I kept hnr in sight until he'd entered the thicket here; then I skirted reund and got in at the back of him and lay hid- den among the bracken there," and he pointed to a spot immediately behi'ud where Lavarick had sat. "You hoard " "Everything," said Thrale grimly, "It was 1. that put ,out the candle." Neville started. "1 seed" he said. "I wish to heaven you had known that I was here! To- gether we should have managed to cap- ture him. Now he has got off with the notes." Trate shook his head, and, putting his hand in his pocket, drew out a creased and crumbled bundle of paper and held it up. "I think not, sir! Look here!" "The notes!" cxelaimed Neville. Trate nodded. "Yes, I sjii•ang for 'eta the moment I'd put the candle out, Mr. Neville. If ERCAN TIILE LS OF CANADA, j .IMITED OFFICES AND SAFE DEPOsrf' VAULTS 0 Bank of Hamilton Building, o - - Hamilton, Ont, AUT1EHOlt7ZED TO ACT AS Executor. Adanhilstrator, Trustee. Guardian, Assignee, Liquidator, 1 ecolvisr. Transfer Agents,. Registrar of Shares - A Trust Company Doing a Strictly' Trust and Agency Business CORRESPONDENCE INVITED HON. WM. GIBSON, President S. C. MACDONALD, Manager it hadn't been for that I should have had my man." Neville groaned. "I'd rather have that scoundrel than the money, Trale t" he said. "So would I, sir, almost. For I've been wanting him badly for a long time past!" "You wanting him?" queried Neville. "Yes," said Trale. "I've wanted Jim Banks as badly as, ever I wanted my dinner 1" "Jim Banks!" repeated Neville, con- fusedly. "Whom are you talking about?" "The scoundrel that's just made off— the man who was here just now," said Trale, staring in his turn. ".Ile was Jim Banks, the forger, who escaped from Dartmoor." Neville sank dowil at the foot of the tree and put his hand to his head; it was aching from the fearful struggle he had had with Trale. "Jim Banks!" he said. "I remember. Gieat heavens? Is it possible? Why, I know this man, Trade, and wanted him on my own account as badly—ah, more badly than you do or could ever do." "You!" exclaimed Trale. "Yes," said Neville, fircely. "That via Iain has caused me more agony than you can imagine! I came across him out in Australia, and—but why do we waste time talking here? He must not es- cape!" and he sprang up. Trate put a hand on his arm. "Half a moment, sir," he said. "He's not going to escape! Not this time! What I want to know is, where's the will they were talking about?" Neville did not seem to hear him. "1 saw the man put it in the hole of the tree with my own eyes," went on Tiale, "and I can't make out " Neville drew the will from his pocket, just as Trale had produced the notes. "Here it is," he said, impatiently. "I was up in the tree and, within reach of it—" Trale uttered a cry of delighted satis- faction. "That's where you were, was it, sir? No wonder I didn't see you! No wonder when you dropped down as if from the skies that I took you for one of the others! And you've got the will! And I've got the notes! Hurrah! Mr. Nev- ille, this is the best night's work I've ever done! Tike care of that will, Mr. Neville. There's more in this business than you or I understand yet, but if I'm not mistaken " "Come on!" said Neville, impatiently. "This man --Jim Banks, as you call him! I must and will capture him!" "Come on!" echoed Trale; then he stepped and caught Neville's arm. "Mr. Neville!" he said, under his breath, and in a tone of reluctance and disappointment. "Well?" "It's—it's not only him, sir, but—but —there's Sir Jordan, your brother!" Neville stopped dead short- He had been so much engrossed by his burning desire to seize Lavarick, so much ab- sorbed in the remembrance of the harm the man had attempted to do Sylvia, that Neville had forgotten his brother and his part in the mysterious business under the treees. "Jordan!" he muttered, and his head drooped. "Yes, Mr. Neville!" said Trale in a low voice. "We mustn't forget him! I shouldn't like to do him an injury ---be- cause he's your brother—and—and—P The uoor fellow almost groaned under bis clisapnointment. "I'm afraid we must collar this infernal Jim Banks without showing up Sir Jordan." Neville leaned against the tree and wiped away the perspiration that had started to his brow, "By heaven, I—I had forgotten that for the moment!" he murmured. "Jor- dan, my brother, mixed up, hand and glove, with a scoundrel—a convict! What does it mean, Trale?" Trale tapped Neville's breast, against which the will was lying. "That wilI explain, Mr. Neville, if I'm not mistaken," he said, gravely. "That's the Ivey to the whole business, depend upon it." Neville nodded doubtfully. "It's all a mystery to me, Trale," he said. "It won't be long so," said Trades. "Let ns get to Stoneleigh as quick es possible. 111 set some of my sharpest men on the trail, and, meanwhile, you end I can talk things over and decide what to do." "I will go to Jordan at once!" said Neville, shutting his teeth. "I'll force the truth out of hitn!" Trale shook his head. "Begging your pardon, sir," he said, "but that's just what neither you nor any other man can do. There's ne forc- ing Sir Jordan, he's too clever. No, we shall have to go another way to work than that." Neville, sore at heart at the thought of the relationship between him and the smooth -faced villain who had sunk so low as to become an aecompliee of such a nuke as Lavarick, alias Jim Banks, strode on in silence. Half -running, they reached Stoneleigh quickly, and. Trale at once despatched three of his best men in search of Lavar- ick, with orders not to arrest bin, but to keep him in sight, and report to Trale; then he took Nevile into his private room, and turning up the gas, said: "Now, Mr. Neville, we must see that wilL" Neville flung it on the table. "Read it!" he said, and he paced up and down the room. Trale opened it and uttered an ex- clamation. (To be continued.) BROKEN IN HEALTH. Dr. Williams' Pink Pills Restored Strength After Medical Treat- ment Had Failed. "I can truthfully say Dr. Williams' Pink Pills did for me what one of the best doctors in Halifax failed to do —restored my health." This strong statement is made by Mr. Wm. J. Weaver, 172 Argyle street, Halifax. Mr. Weaver adds: 'A few years ago I took employment in it large factory aa fire- man . I knew the work would be hard, and friends told me I would never stank it, but as I was it strong man, weighing 180 pounds, I laughed at the idea of not being able to do the work. Anyhow, I started and found the job a hard one indeed. There were a number of fire- men employed and men were taking and quitting the job every few days. I kept at the work for two years and during that time I lost 50 pounds weight, and was a broken down man. I could not telae my meals and often took my dinner back home with me without touching it. When I would be working on the night shift I could not sleep in the day time, and this added to my trouble. Firtelly J came a, total wreck, and he.d to quit the work. 1 could hardly aria; iiir,<:i1 about, and yet had become so nervous that I could no's sit still, and would walk about the house until I was ready to drop. The doctor came to see me every day, and changed the medicine time and time again, but it did me no good. Finally, he wanted me to go to the hospital, and et this stage a friend came to stay with me overnight. While he was reading the evening paper he came across the testimonial of a cure wrought by Dr. Williams' Pink Pills, He said, "Why don't you try them; nothing else is helping you, and they may do you good." He went out and got me a box at once. Whuen this was done I got a half dozen boxes, and before they were all gone I began to feel like a new man. I continued using the pills for a couple of months, when I was again as well and as strong as ever I had boon in my life, and I have not seen a sick day since. I feel confident there is no remedy in the world equal to Dr. Williams' Pini~ Pills for building up a broken down antx nervous system, and for such trouble T would strongly recommend thein." Dr. Williams' Pink Pills cure such eases as Mr. Weaver's beca.use they make the rich, red blood 'that feeds the starved nerves and tones and strengthens every part of the body. That is why they cure anaemia., rheumatism, indiges- tion, neuralgia, St. Vitus' daunt), paraly- sis and other troubles due to bad blood and smattered nerves. Sold by all medi- cine dealers or by mail at 50 cents a box or six boxes for $2.50 from the Dr. ' Wil- lianus' Medicine.Co., Brockville, Ont. a• The Asparagus Bed. Cultivate the asparagus bed and keep the grass from crowding it out, It should receive a liberal application of well rotted manure. Some authorities contend that salt Is a good fertilizer to be applied at this season, bat that is an open question, and its use is not advised if there is any other fertilizer, known to, be good, available.—house and Garden.