The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1884-08-16 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

CHAPTER XXVIII. A HAIIDENED HRAUT •  Fred had told the lawyer that he would go with him to the house, where  Sunny was alone, but after he had risen from his chair, he stood for some little time irresolute. His head was bent upon his breast, and a dark, pained look was on his face. Mr. Rolland watched him narrowly. Growing presently a little impatient he gently touched Fred's arm and said— 'Come.' Yes,' said Fred, never moving, and not even raising his head, yes I will go with you.' Still he stood chained by his own bitter thought. Suddenly he turned to Mr. Rolland and cried. You will think me an obstinate uncultivated brute, Mr. Rolland—but--but it is very difficult for me to go there.' If you looked at it in a proper light, young gentleman, it would be very difficult for you to remain away.' The lawyer answered him very quietly, and as he stood he put his arm through Fred's, and in this fashion they left the Bull together. Fred's steps were so slow and so obviously reluctant, that Mr. Rolland showed a little irritation. Come, come,' he said, do your I duty with a good grace, Mr. Auld, be manly.' My manhood,' Fred answered savagely, has been knocked out of me in that accursed prison, and a woman's falsehood has hardened my heart.' • Tut, tut, lad, do not talk so wildly. Why should you feel so bitter against that unfortunate young fellow, Sunny?' 'Why?' Fred echoed scornfully. 'Surely you know why? Because he has robbed me of all I held dear in this life; he has stolen my love from me.' Humph ! But as a sensible young man, don't you think you are as ~well without a love that could so easily be taken from you?' I may realise that, and yet my heart may be full of sorrow. But surely you can understand why I should hesitate before re-entering the house.' The lawyer elevated his eyebrows. Ah ! that is it, is it ? I had some inkling of the cause of the quarrel between you and the other juvenile fire-eater, but I was not aware that he had succeeded in completely ousting you from the affections of Miss Clinton.' She found him a beggar in the roadway,' Fred said, passionately, and she took him into her house and clothed him. It would have been something,' he added bitterly, to have been supplanted by a gentleman, by an honest workman, but by a nameless tramp, good Heavens I it makes my blood boil 1' Are you quite sure you are not playing at cross purposes? Are you confident that matters are as bad as they seem?'  What I have seen with my own eyes, and heard with my own ears, I cannot be deceived in; no, sir, no. Unhappily, I have the most substantial proofs of her perfidy and his astonishing conquest.' The lawyer remained thoughtful for a time.  Presently he said— ' The whole business is a curious one. The lady who engaged me to conduct your case is a relative of yours, I suppose?' The lady—what lady?' Mrs.—Mrs.—, bless me, I forget her name for the moment. The lady who stays at Mr. Markwold's house.' Did she engage you to conduct my defence?' • Yes; who else had, do you think?' I never thought at all about it.' You are the coolest prisoner I ever had to defend. Is the lady not a relative?' No.' Then Fred added fervently, God bless her, she is a good woman to have thought of me.' You speak a good deal about your unhappy lot, my friend, but after all I don't see that you have much to complain about. The other side were as anxious to save you as your lady friend, and here I am trying to bring matters round and neglecting my own business.' 'You are very kind, Mr. Rolland,' said Fred, earnestly, I cannot tell you how much good this meeting has done me. Do you know ; he added, in a lower tone, that I believe had it not been for seeing you I should not be alive now.' What do you mean?' the lawyer asked with a start. I had made up niy mind to commit suicide.'  sir,!' the solicitor cried angrily, 'do not let me hear any more such nonsense. Suicide, indeed. I would as soon walk with a murderer as with a suicide.' 'lt would be undisputably far more easy,' observed Fred, with a wan smile. 'l'm afraid you're a bit of a humbug,' said the lawyer, sharply. 'No man who contemplated destroying himself would make so flippant a remark as that.' 'lt is, at any rate, the best proof I can give you that all such thoughts have now left me. Thanks to your excellent conversation and your soothing wine.' The momentary iritation that had sharpened Mr. Rolland's voice left him, and he allowed with great complacency that 'the wine was good.' 'Next time, he added, 'that you contemplate making a fool of yourself try my prescription.' 'Unluckily, sir, the remedies you recommend are not always at hand. One does not meet a lawyer every day who dispenses such excellent drugs.' 'Nor a client Ilwho requires such a heavy dose before the desired effect is produced.' 'But who, sir,' Fred added quickly, 'is more grateful than most patients are to the physician.' 'We are getting a bit mixed now,' said Mr. Rolland. 'And between law and physic, why you or any other man would be sure to come to grief. I tell you what it is, Mr. Auld. You have made the young gentleman pay pretty dearly for his conquest. He is certainly battered about.' 'lt was all fair fighting sir. We fought as fairly as ever two men fought.' 'How was it that you were uninjured, and he was so frightfully punished?' 'I cannot tell you that. I remember that he seemed to have very little strength. The night was very dark, and what little light there was was in my favour.' 'His head appears as though it had been struck with some blunt instrument,' 'That injury he must have received when he fell. He fell beneath, and in that part of the road there are a number of huge, rough stones.' ' Tho cut was never done with the naked fist any way.' said the lawyer dubiously. 'Surely, Mr. Rolland, you do not suspect me of foul play 7',  : k , • 4 , ' l' ,v '4 1 1)- ' 0u .1, -, ~ ' v ' ...5..? • ,_ , t 1:1 4 4 . t: ' —,