Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1906-10-09

lCHAPTER XI.-lcont;nned. !
BY Fergus Hume

CHAPTER Nj Continued.)
What are theseF he asked, touching
the white blossoms lightly with his finger.
II do declare it's that hemlock - said
Martha, in surprise, pulling the white
flowers out of the bunch; land / never
knew it was there. Pah % and she threw
the blossoms down with a gesture of dis
gust. How they smelli -
CASTOR picked up one of the flowers
and crushed it between his fingers, upon
which it gave out a peculiar mousy odor
eminenty disagreeable 1t was hemlock
sure enough, and he wondered how such a
plant had come into Australia.
Does Ut grow in your gardenF he
asked Mastha.
That daamsel intimated it did, and of
fered to slow him the plant, so that he
could believe his own eyes. Vandeloup
assented eagerly, and they were soon IN
the flower garden at the back of the house.
which wasA blazing with vivid colors, in
the hot glaze of the sunshine.
There YOU are" said Miss Twexby,
pointing to b corner of the garden near
the fence here the plant was growing;
par brought a lot of seeds from home,
and that beaRtly thing got mixed up with
them. Par keeps it growing, though,
cause no one else has got it. It's quite
a curiosity.i
Vandeloup bent down and examined the
plant, with its large, round, smooth. pur-
ple-spotted stem-its smooth, shining
green leaves, and the tiny white flowers
with their disagreeable Odor.
Yes, it is hemlock," he said, half to
himself; 81 did not know it could be
grown here. Some day, Mademoiselle,' he
said, turning to, Miss Twexby, and walk
ing back to the house with her, Il will
ask You to let me have some of the roots
of this plant to make an experiment
with
"As much as you like" said the fair
Martha, amiably. What are you gong
TO make out of it?'
Nothing particular" returned Vande-
loup, with a yawn, as they entered the
house and stopped at the door of Pierre's
room. I'm a bit of a chemist, and amuse
myself with these things"
You are clever" observed Martha, adj
miringly; ''but here's that mans room
we didn't give him the best''-apologet-
ically-"as min nrs are so rough"
"Mademosellc, said Vandeioup eager
ly, as she turned to go, Il see there are
few blossoms of hemlock left in your
flowers there" touching it with his fin
ger; will you give them to meE'
Martha Twexby started surely this
was the long-expected come at last-she
had secured a lover; and such lover
handsome, young, gallant-the very hero
of her dreams She almost tainted in
delightful surprise, and unfastening the
flowers with trembling fingers, gave them
TO CASTOR. He placed them in a button
hole of his flannel coat.
WELL" she said to herself, IF that
isn't a case of love at first sight, then my
name amt Martha Twexby," and she sat
down in the bar with her nerves all of a
fiutter, as she afterward told female
friend who dropped in sometimes for a
friendly cup of tea.
CASTOR closed the door after him, and
found himself in a moderately large room
There were two beds, and on the farthest
of these Pierre was sleeping heavily. Go
ing over to him, Vandeloup touhced him
slightly, and with a spring the dumb man
sat up as If he expected to be arrested,
and was all on the alert to escape.
Its only /, my friend" said CASTOR,
in French, crossing over to the other bed
and sitting on it. Come here; / wish
to speak TO you"
Pierre rose from his sleeping place and,
stumbling across the room, stood before
CASTOR with dOwncast eyes. CASTOR
coolly threw his straw hat on the bed and
then, curling one leg inside the other, look
ed long and keenly at Pierre.
''You saw Madame's husband to-dayT
he said sharply, still cycling the slOuching
figure before him, that seemed so restless
under his steady gaze.
Pierre nodded and shuffied his large
feet.
"Sit down." said Vandeloup, in a per
emptory tone, pointing to the floor. i
wish to tell you what l think. | need
hardly remind you that when we landed
in Australia l told you that there was
war between ourselves and society. and
that. at any cost, we must try to make
money; so far, we have only been able to
earn an honest livelihood way of get
ting rich which you must admit is re-
markedly slow. Here, however, is a
chance OF making, if not fortune, at
least a good sum of money at one stroke.
This NJ. Villiers is going to rob his wife,
and his plan will no doubt be this: He
will lie in wait for her, and when she
drives slowly down the hill he will spring
on to the trap and perhaps attempt to
kill her; at all events. he will seize the
box containing the nugget, and try to
make of with it. How he intends 10
manage it l cannot tell you-it must be
left to the chapter of accidents; but when
he does get the nugget we must obtain it
from him."
Pierre looked up and drew his hand
across his throat.
"Not necessarily" returned Vandeloup,
ocoIIy. 81 know your adage. dead men
tell no tales but it is a mistake-they
do. and 10 kill him is dangerous. No
~ we stun him we can so off with the
nugget. and then make our way TO Mel
hourne. where we can get rid of il quiet
" As 70 Madame Midas, If her hus
hand allows her TO live, l will make ouI
excuses 10 her for leaving the mine. Now
I'm roinS up TO NJ. Marchurst's house, 81
Won can meet me at the top of the hill, a
eigbt o'clock tonight Madame will prob
ably start at half-past eight or nine, *
that will give us plenty of time 20 sex
what NJ. viliers is going to do"
They both rose TO their feet. Their
vandeloup put on his hat and. going Il
the glass, arranged his tie in as cool ant
uopcAalant a manner as IL he had beer
merely planning the details for picnic
instead of a possible crime. Humming s
merry tune he walked gaily out of th'
room 70 the bar.
This heat is enervatins, and I'm so
ing 10 walk up to Black Hill. BY tht
la.,,o;salla h. III 'saS I GO,
there are two beds in my friends room
will stay here all night
You shall have the best roon,' ssiC
Martha. decisively.
You are too kind" replied NJ. Van
deloup. coolly. "but l prefer to stay wild
nv silent friend. He was one of the sail
ors in the ship when l vas wrecked. s:
you have no doubt heard, and looks upoI
ME as sort of fetish"