Young Briton, No. 422 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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90 THRE YOUNG BRITON: Aupust 4. 4877 Without a moment’s hesitation, he rushed down the steps leading to the door, and looked in. The young lady, pale with fear, was atanding inthe middle of the little room, wringing her hands, while the man he knew as Me. Jackson was struggling With an old lame soldier in a corner. Just as Shadrach peeped in, Jackson snatched up an empty bottle and attempted to strike his opponent with it, when, taking him by the throat, the old soldier shook him violently. Unable to restrain himself, our hero, followed by Stephen, stepped boldly in. CHAPTER XIII. A STRANGE INTERVIEW, WHIOH PUZZLES OUR WORTHY FRIEND ANDY O’ BYRNE CONSIDPRABLY. Ir is high time we returned to Lady Seaforth end her laughing-eyed protector, Andy. Onward they bovwied in the jaunting-car along the hedge-lined road—-onward again in silence. More and more agitated became my lady as thoy . proceeded. He: whole manner showed how ill she was at ease. Twirling the fingers of her litile kid-gloved hands, she kept moving restlessly in her seat, all the time casting anxious glances, as before, now on this side, now on that. Could it be, too, that those were tears glisten- ing in her eyes ? Certainly, it seemed very like it, else why did my lady so hastily turn her head away when Andy turned round ? ‘¢ Yer ladyship,’’ began the jolly farmer, ‘* Yes, Mr. O'’Byrne,’’ was the low reply. ‘‘ Sure, I’ve been thinkin’, yer ladyship, that ef ye prafer it, I could drive ye home by the lake. Thin, maybe, ye wouldn’t ba afther eeein’ this blackguardly relation ov yours, bad luck fo him !”’ A deathly paleness instantly came into Lady Seaforth’s face. She trembled, too, violently. ‘* No, no!’? replied she, quickly, in vain en- deavouring to hide her agitation, “I pray you go straight on. ie My lady paused, while Andy flicked the horse in a thoughtful way. “No, Mr. O’Byrne,’’ continued she, in a tremulous, frightened yoice: *‘ the fact fs, I can- not bear to go near that spot now. In my young days I was—was- nearly drowned there,’’ “‘ Indade, yer ladyship,’’ ejaculated Andy, earnestly. ‘Faith, it wud have been a moighty pity ef ye had been, I’m thinkin’. A purty f ce loike——”’ What with the beer he had imbibed, ana the pecnliar position he had been so unexpectedly placed in, Andy O’Byrne was becoming exube- rant, if not exactly loving. A slightly-reproacaful glance from Lady Sea- forth brought bim, however, in a moment, to his genset, and he turned to his steed again, thoroughly abashed, his jolly-lcoking face as red as a beetroot. ‘* Drive a little faster, Mr. O’Byrne,’’ said my ladysbip, by-and-by, as they were passing a thick cluster of trees on their right. ‘ I am so anxi- ous to get home, and, do you know, I think there was no cause for my alarm after all. How ner- yous we women are, tobe sure! Perhaps—and I sincerely hope it was so—perhaps, I say, it was all a mistake on my part; but I could have sworn that the man who frightened my horse just out- side the village was the one I spoke of, and I felt that if that was the case, he would be sure to waylay me going back.”’ My lady had uttered these words quickly and nervously, aud just as she had finished and Andy was on the point of saying something in response, there stepped out, right before them, from the cluster of trees, a man. Lady Seaforth at once caught sight of him. A stifled scream escaped her. Andy, on his part, lashed the horse furiously, and doubtless would have driven past had not the stranger caught hold of the bridle, and in a loud angry voice, shouted— “ Stop !”’ * Lave go!’ yelled the jolly farmer, brand{sh- ing his whip threateningly. ‘Lave go, orl’ll bate yer ughly skull to paces! ”’ iy ab es For answer, the man made @ snatch at the whip, but, missing it, Andy was about to bring it heavily down upon him when Lady Seaforth caught hie arm. ‘*Stop—stop, Mr. O'Byrne!” exclaimed she, tearfully. ‘‘Stop—stop! You know what. you promiged.”’ Thus exborted, the farmer made no further show of fight, but sat glaring at the stranger with an expression anything but amicable. That individual doffed his hat with mock politeness, and, turning to Lady Seaforth, said— **So, sO, your ladyship, you have got a pro- tector, I see. A right gallant knight he seems, too.’ Andy could not stand the sneering tone, Io an instant he again raised his whip. A struggle would, no doubt, have in. mediately followed had not her ladyship a second time in- terfered. ‘I pray you never mind what he says,’ she cried, turning to Aidy. ; Then, looking at the stranger with flashing eyes, yet with fear in her countenance, she went on— ‘** And now, sir, what do you want with me? Let this interview be aa short as possible I needn’t tell you it is not a very pleasant one.’’ The man gave acruel chuckle. **Not very pleasant, isn’t it?’ repe he, still keeping hold of the bridle. “Hs, ha! I presume it isn’t, my lady, for you. You didn’t expect to see me again so soon, did you? Bat with me, you see, it is different, I love to look upon ® comely female like you. Bosides, it puts me in mind of old times—of a time when——”’ *¢Oh, hush, hush!”’ exclaimed Lady Seaforth, appealingly. The stranger gave a. sinister emile. *‘ Ah! I see,” he went om; * you would atill keep some things a secret. Well, so you shall, provided you pay me well. Do you hear, my lady ?——pay me well.’’ ‘What—what would you have?’ asked Lady Seaforth, eagerly. Leaving go of the horse’s head, and stepping close up to the jaunting-car, the man replied in slow, ominous tor es— ‘‘Five bundred pounds, your ladyship—five hundred pounds ; and I must have it, too, for I am harder up than ever.”’ Lady Seaforth bit her ruby lips with fear and vexation, while Andy opened his eyes wider and wider with astonishment as the conversation pro- ceeded. * You will ruin me—ruin me!” wailed she, as the tears welled to her eyes. *‘ And didn’t you promise never to trouble me again? Oh, how can you besocruel ? If only for ——’’ ‘‘There, don’t Jef us have a scene,’’ inter- rupted the man, sneeringly. “ You kaow I can’t bear to see a woman in tears; it tonches my heart, I assure you! ”’ Unable to restrain herself any longer, Lady Seaforth rose from her seat indignantly. “Your heart!’’ she cried, fixing her large blue orbs upon him. “Your heart! Villain, you have none! No, I cannot—I will not put up with your threats. Lord Seaforth shall kuow all the moment he returns. I would sooner die than continue this living lie!’’ Then, reseating herself, she went on era the man had recovered from his surprise— ‘*Mr. O’Byrne, drive on, pray. It is high time that an end were put to this.”’ - “So I’m afther thinkin’, yer ladyship,’’ re- turned the Irishman; stand sure, if ye’ll on’y say the word, Vil givo that dhirty blackguard there as complate a thrashing as ivir he had in the whole of his loife—and, faith, if he hasn’t / had as many as I could count on my tin fingers, he’s been wonderful fortunate. Ooy say the word, yer ladyship,” 3 Saying which, the valiant Andy, notwithstand- ing that he was quile half-a-loot shorter than the stranger, shot an angry glanee of defiance at him, and waited for her Jadyship’s reply, every movement of his wiry body clearly showing that he was in hope it would be in the affirmative. For all the grief and excitement she wasin, Lady Seaforth could not help smiling at the far- mer’s vehemence. ‘¢ No—no ; let us have no blows,’’ said she, hastily. ‘‘Driveon, Mr. O’Byrne, I pray you, I shall never forget your kindness.”’ Ere, however, Andy could obey, the stranger again caught hold of the horse’s head. He was white with passion now. **What!’’ he yelled, grinding his teeth; ‘do you dare to defy ms P—me who have you in his power! Rash foo!, before another hour is over, you shall be in——” ‘* Mercy—morcy!’’ cried Lady Seaforth, throw- ing up her hands. At the words, the man instantly became as cool and cynical as ever. Evidently he was a consummate actor. ** Ho, ho!’’ chuckled he, **I thought I'd frighten you—I thought I’d frighten you, my lady. And now, listeo. I must have that five bundred pounds this very night. Are you agree- able?’’ he added, with a wicked leer. Her ladyship wrung her little dimpled hands in dispair. Then, witha great sigh, she said— “Yes, villain, the money shall be yours—but On one condition only.’” * “And what is thet,’ my sensible Lady Sea- eee r’’ asked the man, with another wicked eer. , Her ladyship had grown strangely calm. She was obviously determined to bring things fo a climax. Bi “Taoat you wiil swear never to see me or threaten me again,’ was her reply. ‘And re- member this, thatin aay case, come what may, not another farthing shall youhave from me. I would sooner—soorer id Hesitating, she cast a quick anxious glance at Andy O’Byrue, the puzzled expression on whoso rubicund conn'enance was Indicrous in its inten- sity, and then went on, determinedly, | “Yes, villain, sfter to-night you may do your worst. I defy you! Tell everything, if you feel 10 disposed—tell everything if, ingrate that you are, you think I have not sufficiently paid for your silence.”’ | The man bowed mock -politely. ‘* Really, your ladyship,’’ returned he, ‘‘you aro ar-markable woman. Ideclare you would make your fortune on the stage, co great is yonr power of elocution. But let us to basiness ; I will ‘take the oath, and a dozen more if you lke—it is immaterial to me. money ?”’ For answer, Lady Seaforth drew out her pocket-book, and, after writing « few lices on one of the pages, tore it out, and handed it to the man, saying— “‘ Takesthiomy banker* will'duly honour it; take it, avd may I never set eyes upon you again!” ‘A thousand thanks, my lady,’’ said the man, aneeringly—‘“a, thousand thanks,”’ Then, turning on his heel, he disappeared amonest the trees, as suddenly as he had come. Completely lost now in wonder and amaze, Andy spoke not a word for somo seconds, while Lady Seaforth sank back in her seat witha low cry of relief. ‘Sure, yer ladyship,”’ at length exclaimed the balf-éumfounded Irisaman, looking at the poor woman pityingly—‘ sure, yer ladyship, it’s sur- prised I am inatirely. Hf ye’d on’y asked me now, wouldn’t I bave strangled the cowardly gosson.”’ The words sroused Lady Seaforth from the reverie into which she had eryidently fallen. ‘Pray, pray drive on, Mr. O’Byrne,”’ said she sadly. ‘Miserable wretch that I am, little did I think, when I asked you fo drive me home, that you would have witnessed this strange scene—a scene so full of intensest pain to me. ‘*No, I had flattered myself—I had flattered myself, that when that villain saw I ‘was not alone, he would refrain from accosting me, though so faint was the hope, I bad, as you kaoow, prepared you for the meeting. Heaven have pity on me! You have now Jesrnt my secret, or, at least, more of it than I would have you k: ow. Can you keep it, Mr. O’Byrne? Rést assured, you will not be the loser by doing so,’’ Cracking his whip, Andy urged on the horse. ‘« Raith,” returned be, as he did so, ‘it’s not meself would say a word to any wat, yer lady- ship ; and my heart is sore to think that an iligant lady like yerrelf should have any dalings wid sich a great big rascal.”’ Lady Seaforth heaved a great sigh. ‘‘ Alas, alas!’’ she murmured abstractedly, Now, how about the GOMmiicbdoo <S (C(O)