The Portland daily press., 1881-11-07

Temple Bari
The Majors Monkey.
CONCLUDED.

CONCLUDED
Rlew went on to tell me that there had
been careful search made for will, though
TO a moral certainty none existed, Miss Cor
bott's ways being well known.
Jonathan Marillier took possession in due
course. Mr.. Blew extorted some concessions
from him by representing that his conduct
would be severely criticised by ''the
county;' and as Jonathan quite intended
starting in life as local magnate, las soon
as Rhoda could travel" he was amenable
TO reason.
he actually asked us TO dinner one day be-
fore Major Marillier departed. l should say
that theimaior spent fair share OF his time
at the rectorv, and was deeply touched at
hearing of Freda's narrow escape OF helress-
ship.
Ne found the party to consist of Mr.Drew,
the Marillier cousins, ourselves and Lord
AlIonby,a big, joyal squire OF the old school.
The dinner was magnificent-worthyo of the
display of family plate which attended it.
Parker waited-under protest; in fact it
was only out of consideration for Major Ma
rillier that he condescended to remain under
the same roof with Mr.. Jonathan, he
informed me- 1t was a dismal ceremony.
The cousins were barely on speaking
terms. Blew looked bored, Allonby
hungry, and the major grave and curiously
absent.
Jonathan was captious and argumentative
when he wasn't boastful, talking OF the
changes that would be made when the place
had master"
s'Where's that pineapple?" he sud denly
asked.
Parker looked slightly confused, but re-
replied with dignity:
1sAn accident has happened, believe, sir,
but I'll inquire"
ssWhat has become of it? insist on know
ingr'
Parker had disappeared, but one of the
footmen replied:
s'The monkey, sir"
"pll not stand itI' broke out Jonathan.
'sIts always that monkey" whatever hap
pensl Yesterday it was the sugar-tongs,
old family plate, heirlooms! to-day the
ieserti How any man can reconcile it
with his sence of what is honest-simply
honest--to be the means of making away
with another mans property, can't con-
ceive.''
So he fumed-the major the while peeling
pear with supreme indifference.
The whole big suit of rooms-yellow
drawing-room, blue drawing-room, music
room. boudoir and OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES illu-
minated for our benefit, but felt all too mar
row to inclose the explosive elements of our
party.
Blew and at last walked the major out
through the conservatory onto the terrace.
1t was a warmish February night-snch
teings do befall now and then-and blaz-
ing moon. We walked backward and for
ward for turn or two, and then leaned over
the balustrade, looking at the expanse of
lawn and shrubbery and the woods beyond,
all wonderfully clear and distinct in the
white, still light. Suddenly a spectral
outline few over the lawn, followed by a
very substantial figure in hot pursuit.
eCongop' exclaimed Mariller and l SIM
ultaneously. ''Doesn'tit recall Ballynog-
gimp
Congo it was. He lodged Carmody round
and round the fountain, and then-attracted,
presume, by the brilliant range of lighted
windows-made for the terrace, came up and
over the side in three swarming leaps, chat
tered recognition of his master, and then,
to make all safe, seized trailing bough of
ivy and swung himself aloft up to the oRna-
mental stone work above one of the win
dows.
Up came Carmody
FSsits the housekeeper's best bonnet, yer
honorl She's just dancing mad after hin" !"
he painted.
Congo proceeded to dissect mangled
mass of black stuff, part Of which seemed
composed of giant grapes, made evidently OF
some inedible substance, for after tasting
one, Congo wrenched off and cracked the
others spitefully till he took to pelting Blew
with them.
Marillier meanwhile was talking to Carm-
ody.
"There they are, ready enough, Pll be
bound, sor," l heard the latter reply
1.-Two fine, active boys, with ladther enough
TO 90 up a church steeple, let alone the
roof"
Mas.And lanterns9" MarilIier asked.
/ thought it rather an expenditure of
force if they only wished to recover
the bonnet, now hopelcssly demoralized.
Congo had put it on, and Allonby, who
had jurt come out, was shouting with
laughter.
'.Very well, very well, Major Marillier,"
said Jonathan's voice at the window. I've
found my servants in new mourning once;
I can't be expected to replace your brute's
-
Here his remarks were cut short by Congo
who made one leap onto his head, and Sec
ond into the room, Marillier sprang after
him. He sped like tightening through the
whole suite of rooms, across the hall, and
into the deserted dining room. Here, when
we came up with him, we found him ravag-
ing the table, his cheek stuffed with pre-
served fruit and nuts. Allonby tried to throw
napkin over him, but this only produced a
fierce chatter, and the creature, now serious
ly scared, kicked over the epergne, raced
back as he had come. Out on the terrace, up
the ivy, appearing for one moment grinning
over the battlemented parapet, the next
high on the ridge-tiles of the roof against the
sky,
HShoot himr' shrielSed Jonathan, half
frantic. "He's got the nut-crackersl A SOW
erign to the man who gets gun, and brings
him downp
'Pll give 10 to any man who can bring him
pack alivew shouted the major.
ssHere you are, STRIP sang out gardeners
boy, hurryiDg forward with ladder on his
shoulder.
he placed it against the wall, and up he
went. Up went Carmody with a lantern
swinging in his teeth. Up went Major Mar
illier, shouting "come along-some one
Blew or RiversP'
Up went all, followed by two men with
additional lengths of ladder, stirred by a
simultaneous impulse of folly, to join
the mad game of follow-my-leader (and
that leader Congo) over the roof of Brock
wood.
There can never have been a weirder scene
under the stars than that monkey hunt.
Brockwood looked as big as small village
by half-light. The roof ran up intocountless
peaks and ridges, now and then descending
sheer into abysseS OF Dlackness, now OPEN
ing into great wide plains of lead roofing
with treacherous pitfalls of skylights. The
great stack of ehimneys cast black shadows
across our way; au owl tapped out at us;
lights began to fit about excitedly in the
windows that overlooked our course, the
servants turned out on the watch for Con-
go's descent, and we four lunatics in evening
dress ran, hallooed, slipped, scrambled and
perilled our necks more times than we cared
to count without the smallest chance of ever
coming up with our quarry unless by his own
good pleasure. Carmody, in good training
from long practice, kept we'll up; then the
boy, an ex-slater, it appeared; then we four
at varying distances. Jonathan Marillier
had taken heart of grace, and ascended, but
contented himself with surveying us from
distance.
Congo took it easy, now and then disap-
pearing entirely into some hiding hole among
the chimneys. When he did so l noticed
that Carmody marked the place before dis
lodging him.
At last after steady run of 10 minutes,
he seemed to conclude that it was time TO
dispense with our attendance, and accord
ingly made for "home." We could hardly
keep him in view as he fed up to a higher
level and round to the front of the house,
then up the steep slant of the roof of the big
hall, and with mighty leap gained an
arched opening at the top of the clock tow
er.