A STRANGE QUEST.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 35, 12 February 1890, Page 7

A STRANGE QUEST.

£y Maxsfield Tracy Walworth, Author of ••Warwick," "Hotspur," "Beverly," "Lulu," etc., etc.

CHAPTER XXVI,

SAM ("JOES TO PRISON

Poctob Rufkini had been bnt a few days domiciled at the house of Nicholas Rudd, when he commenced gradually to gain the confidence of the great banker. The evident attachment of Sam to the mysterious Italian facilitated this confidence. It was natural enough that both father and son should lean strongly toward on© ■who had brought sudden light and joy intp their hearts. The evidence of his jnedical skill was «v^r before, them. There ?ab the young and beautiful wife day by day, and by every act and sentig^nb weaving around, their heads the we.b at her fascination. 'She had been carefully educated by those who now mourned her mysterious fligh(jtn the night of the storm. Her beauty \\sa3 that 01 the rose, her intelligence ami taob far in excess of her years. Her. devotion to her husband was of that absorbing nature which makes home a paradise and absent from it an unrest. Nicholas Uudd had- purchased for her with unsparing hands aU thab a young brinte needs, and of which she bad been so destitute after she had escaped from her adopted parents in the storm. She had been cautioned by Old Hawk jjoti to mention the names of those from ■whom she bad so unceremoniously fled. Sam had premised tho same intriguer that the namo in the marriage certificate, -Bessie Thorne,' should remain concealed also From bis father. This wna one of the conditions upon which Old Hawk revealed to him the face of his brido, hi-s long-lost B.esaie.

The only revelation the young banker made to his father was the plot to swindle him out of a great portion of his property. He notified Nicholas Rudd of this plot, and that he had promised to be a participant in it on condition that Old Hawk would give him in inarrUisa his longhidden Bessie. But beyond this Sam cpuld nob bo driven or persuaded. He kept silent regarding all other matters confided. to him by the desperado and others of the gang. Nicholas Kudd had been notified that his son could gain a bride and an important witness in her by intriguing with the desperado and his followers. The result was before the aged banker. Sam had ventured among the gang, and there now in lludd's mansion waa the bride, secured for life to his son. And there in her person wa3 also the everready witness to testify that Red-JByed Mag was slain in self-defence, should Old Hawk ever put Sam on trial for his life.

The bride had been intrigued into the young banker's possession by his promises to Old Hawk. By this concession Sam and his father knew that an important witness had been obtained possession of. If ever the desperado and bis gang attempted bo swear away Sam's life, there stood Bfis&ie to swear to the truth.

She assured her husband that, child as she waa, her memory of that terrible event was perfect, and that she could depict it aow to any court, as ff it were the occurrence of yeßterday. Her own sufferings and terror ab the time bad made the scene indelible. Thus by the delivery of Bessie trr bam,. Old Hawk had removed from the young tanker's mind the terrors attending an arrest for murder. But now the question arose between Nicholas Rudd and his adopted son—what revenge was possible to the sang if Sam broke his promise (as break it he must) to rejoin them in earnest and participate in their crimes ? The plan was to entrap the desperadoes and send them all to the duugeona of Sing Sing. The young banker, upon whoso promise the gang was relying, was to ba the )(ieeoy. So faithfully had Sam for many years kept their crimes secret that they trusted him, and exulted in the fact that he now had the opportunity to load them all to the wealth they so much coveted. 'They will assassinate you, Sam,' said the elder Kudd, • if even they suspect you. 1, upon mature consideration of the subject, advise you, painful as it is to me, to take your wife and fly to foreign lands. In a few years their crimes will entrap them any way.'

The young banker pondered the subject long before he replied. Then he said : 'I would like to take a third party into our confidence. I trust him utterly, and the experience ot yearß has taught me that he is a wise and true friend.'

• You mean Doctor Ruffini,' said Nicholas Rudd.

' I do,' was the reply. ' Vory well, summon the old man,' said Rudd. 'He baa apparently bad vast experience of men and motives.'

in a few minutes the venerable doctor entered the room. Ho seated himself and listeucd patiently to the young man's accounb of the toils thrown übout him by tbe evil associates of his boyish life. BuC when Sain detailed to him the by which his father and himself expected to entrap the tbioves into a great robbery of bonds, and by this means have them all sent to the State prison where they could threaten him no more, Doctor Ruffini said : 'In my judgment you had better, under one pretence or another, procrastinate and promise them a greater haul o t bo nd» by delay. Tell them there will be, after a time, a greater accumulation of valuable bonds in your father's vaults. Put them off as long as you can. Nay, more, with the secret asbenti of your father, put into their hands soon a number of bonds to be divided equally between them. Tell them it is your first instalment of plunder for them. This will convince them that you really are at heart their confederate. They will recognise you as still a brother thief, will believe that your reform for the last twelve years or more was a sham, and that you are at heart a tramp still. Their hearts will warm towards you, and they will the more readily take your part when you most need it.'

* And when under the face of the sun am I ever going to need their assistance again ? What can they ever do for me ?' said the young banker.

1 Listen;' said this appatenhly aged counsellor. 'Do you think that no one has an interest in the history of a woman found dead in a shanty except those who have been her confederate thieves ? The public has an interest, and a, deep one, in tracing out a murderer. There may also be relatives who have been watching for years for some clue to the slayer of the woman. And I say to you now, that of my own knowledge I pronounce you to be in imminent danger of arrest for this murder, by parties who have no affiliation with Old Hawk and hie gang whatever. The keen eyes of a detective, working in the interest of law and justice, have been following you for years. Circumstances have thus far wonderfully baflled these keen eyes. But they have looked upon you in the night time once and recently. They will yet find you out again.' Sam started in surprise, and the aged Rudd leaned forward eagerly in his armchair, and said :

' We have done wisely in summoning you to our assistance. Speak further the language of advice.' ' My advice to this yonng man is to keep good, fellowahip, but secretly, with these

desperadoes still. Mak« tbem believe that you are really their confederate and friend and they will all com© to, your assistance when the officers of jujtice seize you at last. Instead then of having interests antagonistic to you, their interests will be identical with your acquittal. Instead of swearing against you they will swear in your favour.'

*Go on, Doctor Ruffiiu,' said the elder Rudd. * You know all that we know and more besides, Unde,r the new dangers with which you are acquainted it would be useless for Sam to follow my advice and go abroad. Detective? are not deterred by seas a,ncl oceans. You have known then that a. doUsqtive was recently upon the trail of my. son V

' I saw the man following Sam,' said Doctor Ruffini, • and I followed the man. He paused when his game paused, and went on when his game, went on. I followed him until his actions were beyond aIL question. He was a detective. I threw over hia head my cloak from behind and held him to the earth until hia game was out of eight. Then he assured me that the young man, was suspected of murdering the woman called Red-Eyed Mag, and that the motive for the crime was the terrible altercations and combats ho had been known to have with her. Am loram I not right in advising Sam to keep friendship with the woman's friends and associates while this detective is pushing him so patiently andclo3ely? Should there chance to be a speedy arrest and trial Old Hawk and his gang will be more serviceable as friends than a3 enemies. Court them up, young man.1 Nicholas Rudd acquiesced at once with this suggestion, and promised to give his son a certain number of coupon bonds to distribute among the gang.

4 Allow me to advise prompt action in the matter,' said Doctor Ruffini. 'We never can calculate the hour when a skilful detective will pub hands upon his game. Go to these men to-night, and give the bonds to them. Thab is my urgent advice.'

His recommendations were carried out in every particular, and on the following day the young banker announced to hia father at the breakfast-table that the bonds had been delivered to Old Hawk in the presence of several thieves.

The desperadoes had manifested their delight in unequivocal terms. They had grasped Sam by the hand one after another and sworn that he. was a true frien'l, and that he could rely on them for assistance in any emergency. He had assured them that when certain negotiations with Western capitalists had been completed his father would have in a certain vault such an accumulation of bonds as would make every one of them independent for life. They had parted with him in high glee and prepared to indulge in a great debauch in honour of their good forbuuo. While Sam was still seated at the break-fast-table a servant handed him a card and announced that a gentleman about to leave the city was at the door and desired to see him for a moment. The young banker went at once to the street-door, and was accosted by a gentleman dressed in the height of fashion, who inquired if his name was Samuel Rudd. Upon his replying that that was his name, the gentleman said t • That man at the foot of the steps has a document for you which will explain the reason of my hasty call.1 'Bid him come up the steps then,'said the young banker,' 'and then come into the house, both of you.' The man on the street, at a signal from the fashionable man, mounted the steps, and declining the invitation to enter the house, opened a written document and held it out for Sam to read.

The young banker glanced over the paper and then his countenance became suddenly pale. Ib was a warrant for his arrest, signed by a magistrate. The officer—for such he proved to be—seized the young man by the arm, and said : 1 Sir, you are my prisoner. Come along with me without making any trouble, for I am armed, as well as my companion here.1

' On what charge do you arrest me, sir ?' said Sam.

'You are charged with the murder, of a woman several years ago called Red-Eyed Mag.' ' Bring me my hat from the rack in the hall and then summon my father to the door, and I will go with you. and make no insistence,' said the young banker. His wishes were complied with, and in another moment Nicholas Rudd and the frightened wife of Sam were ab the street door.

' You will allow us to see the prisoner in his cell, will you not ?' said the distressed young wife when all was explained to her. 'AH relatives are permitted to visib a prisoner if they are willing to submit to a search first,' said the officer. Ab this instant, and before Bessie could speak again, Doctor Ruffini caught her arm suddenly from behind and whispered in her ear :

* I charge you in the name of the living God to hold your peace from this instant. If you speak one single word more now to these officers you will destroy your husband's only chance for his life.' She turned in amazement and whispered back to the aged physician the single word:

I Why V Doctor Ruffini whispered something in her ear which caueed the blood to fly irom her face. She made no response, but allowed the physician to lead her hastily back into the breakfast-room, from which she had rushed out ab the first intimation that Sam was in trouble. Doctor Ruffini instantly reapp'-ared again at the street door and said to Sam, aloud :

' Don't make any comments on my action, or you will regret it. Go along with the officers without uttering a word. Go along, I tell you.' So accustomed was the young man to obey that voice, and to rely upon that friend's counsel, that he drew his hat over his eves in his mortification, and said to the

officer

' Move on now—l am ready.' As he passed down the ateps under guard, Nicholas* Rudd said to him :

4 Keep up your spirits, Sam. I will be with you ab the prison as soon as possible, and I will bring: to you the ablest criminal lawyer in this city.' The young man made no reply, but contented himself with simply waving his hand to his adopted father. What Ruffini had said so emphatically to him alarmed him. He pondered the warning after he was seated in the carriage, which immediately drove up to take him to prison. What could the astute Ruffini mean by preveuting the farewell between husband and wife from taking place? He had fairly dragged away Bessie from the door and sealed her lips. What h*rm could there be in permitting the natural manifestations of affection and parting words between two persons so devoted to each other as Sam and Bessie ?

The young banker could nob comprehend Ruffini's singular conduct. But so impressed was he by the doctor's last words, • Go along with the officers without saying a word,' that he fulfilled the request to the letter and remained sullenly speechless until the arrival at the gloomy doors of the stone temple where criminals are conSned who are charged with the dreadful crime of murder. Not a word could the officers of the law draw from him on that gloomy cai'riage ride. Bub when the carriage had driven away from the house Doctor Ruffini said exultantly to Nicholas Rudd, who stood in the door looking out after the receding vehicle which contained his adopted son and heir : 'Thank Heaven ! that neither Bessie nor Sam committed themselves in the presence of those men. I prevented it just in time. Come into the breakfast-room now, and I will explain my conduct to you. 1

The reEulb of the conference which immediately ensued between Doctor Ruffini, Bessie and Nicholas Rudd in the Dreakfastroom, was that the confidential servant, William, was despatched to order a carriage from the livery stable to await the arrival of the trio in a neighbouring street.

William was charged to maintain secrecy regarding the departure of the three in so singular a conveyance as a livery stable carriage. Nicholas Rudd, whose own carriage and horses were superb, an hour later stole out on fo:>t, with his two companions, to meet a common hack around tho corner. They entered it, Bessie being closely veiled that she might not be seen. She waa expected to play a part to save her husband from the gallows. Her innate tact and cuoning wore about to be called into action. She was very pale from agitation, but she had known what sacrifice to save Sam had been. She was prepared to make other sacrifices for him. She had passed through many strange scenes during her eventful- life. She was now about to manifest her powers as an actres3, not one of the class who move and speak on the boards of a theatre, but an actress on the stage of real life. She waa a banker's daughter -in - law to - day. To - morrow she would appear in a humbler character. To-day silks rustled upon hor. To-morrow calico would be her loftiest aspiiation. She had rejected silk, and was now deliberately choosing tho cheapest fabrics in which to array her exquisite person. She proposed to save her young husband by this change. There was a possibility that she might be successful. But then again there waa danger that her transition from silk to calico might nob avail to eflect her purpose. But Rutfini had insisted upon her making tho attempt, and she was willing, nay more, ea<?er to play her part. The trio discussed the matter aa they rode along the streets of the metropolis. Finally the carriage reached the lower or business quarter of tlio city. Ir, entered a very narrow street, where the horses were guided with difficulty on account of the many vehicles which blocked the way. Finally it came to a full stop, and Nicholas Kudd saw in a narrow hall an unpretending lawyer's sign, which indicated to passersby that here studied, meditated and advised the ablest criminal lawyer of the greatmetropolis. Sam's life was to be intrusted to the eloquent advocate's skill. The lawyer \ya,s also to be consulted a.^ to the possibility of Bessie playing her rote in calico. [To be Continued.)