A Life's Hatred.

A Life's Hatred .

[ AM , RIGHTS HKSEKVED . ]

BY T . C . WALLS . Author of '' The Tied Room Mtjslern" " A Ninlit of Foril , " " The Old Manor House , '' ' ¦ tfarcd hij a Si / jn , " " The Secret Trilmaal , " " Fatal Dioinatioit , " " The Hermit of Duntlanbnronnh , " The Vision of Eril , " § T ., . $ r . ( Umilititti'tl from vaije (> - !(>) .

Tlic gipsy woman laughed low anil scornfully , but did not speak . "Do you ibink your brother lias ; the courage lo undertake a I ask of some difficulty r " went , on the stranger . " If successful he would be well rewarded . " " Try liini , " laconically replied Ruth .

"I will , " asserted her companion , " upon your recommendation , but 1 cannot disguise from you the fact that failure mig ht lead lo disastrous consequences . " " What do ye wish liini to do r " asked Ruth . " Several tilings , '' said the other .

" Ye had better speak to him yourself iben , " she returneil . " Stii ) liere , ami I will send him to ye . ' ' " l > o so . " assent oil the man . as Rath stole away . Tn a few niinules the stranger was joined by Hugh . " Whatis'thv will r * ' bluntly asked the lal ' ler .

"I want you to underiake a malter of some moment , replied the former , " Will the pay be good V " was the next question . " If successful , yes , " said the other . " But if not Y " queried the gipsy .

"In that ease , my lino fellow , I am afraid that earthly rewards will cease to interest you , " was the grim reply . ' "Humph ! " growled the rullian . " In plain lingo , 1 suppose ye

mean ( hat my neck will lie measured for a hempen cravat . " "Similes ' of . lack Ketch ! neatly and wittily put . Ha ! ha !" laughed the other . . " But come closer to me , and I will give you an outline of what it is [ want vou to do . "

A hurried colloquy then took p lace between the two . Lee . unfortunately , could not heac all that was said , but he caught occasionally a few sentences that enabled him lo partly grasp the details of a nefarious scheme . His horror and astonishment were increased

tenfold when he suddenly heard the name and residence of Air . Mordauufc mentioned in the stranger ' s evil communication . It was evident that adreailful danger menaced his kind benefactor . At . this juncture Until joined her brother and his companion .

The latter then abruptly said . "' Hugh , we will discuss ( he matter more fully another time . Keep a still tongue in your head for ( he present . I will see yon again soon , ( loud night . " Dick quietly closed the shutter and retired to the other compartment lie had scarcely thrown himself down on ( he rugs which

formed his couch and resumed his reading when the door of the caravan was unlocked and Until entered . She cast a furtive and suspicious look in his direction , bu ( was apparently satistied thai he hail not , moved from ( he position lie occupied when sho went . out . She then busied herself in ( he preparation of the evening meal , which was

shared with the lad . She spoke but little to him , either during the repast or subsequently . Lee having satislied his hunger , to drown his thoughts renewed the perusal of " Kobinson Crusoe . " At eight o ' clock , Ruth secured the fastening !* ot the caravan and withdrew to her sleeping apartment , taking the lamp with her .

Lee being thus left alone and in darkness , lay for hours thinking of the strange conversation he had heard . It was apparent to him that . Ruth was not his mother . It was a great consolation to know that . The stranger , too , had evidently an object- to gain in securing him , by which ho assumed that he was connected with his fate . His

thoughts then wandered to the dangerthat threatened his benelactor . LIow eonld he lind means to wain him . The lad shuddered at the thoughts lltus conjured up . He pictured ( lie kind benevolent face of Mr . Moribund as he bad last seen it beaming upon him , when ( hat o'enllemun bade him adieu as the coach rallied on its way on that

memorable morning . If was fearful tolhiuk that a , dreadful calamit y was about lo overtake the good man , and he powerless ( o avert' it . In imagination he beheld ( he gravoand handsome countenance of bis friend lixed in the rigidit y of approaching dissolution : the line eyes

were not closed , but glared vacantly as if in the last agonies ot cruel death . These gloomy thoughts made ( he ( cudcr-hcartcd hoy writhe with grief on his pallet , anil the ( ears streamed from his eyes . The latter circumstance somewhat relieved his overwrought feelings , and he gradually fell into a lit fill and uneasy sleep .

Hi ; was aroused before sunrise b y Ruth , and as he slurled up hi found her holding ( he lamp to his face , regarding him si e'ud lastly . " What is the mailer with ye ' 1 Are ye ill ? Ye look as if ye hail been crying ? " she blnrled out .

"lam quite well . J . ha ye been dreaming ; nothing more , was I he short rejoinder . " Dreaming of what ? " demanded Ruth , suspiciously . " Of scenes and faces I may never behold again , " was the read ) repl y of ( lie youth .

A Life's Hatred.

" Ha ! 1 daresay , " returned the woman . " This maudlin sentiment is the result of educating a romanny to be a line gentleman . Ye . were contented and happy enough before yo ran away and took up with the house-dwellers . " Lee made no answer to this questionable assertion , and shortl y afterwards Ruth departed .

Several uneventful days passed . The caravan still slowly wended its way from daylight until dusk , when the horses were iinliu . rne . ssod in some retired spot just off ( he high road , and the usual cam ]) was pitched .

One morning Lee , being alone , was listlessly gazing through the window , when he was startled by hearing a violent knocking at the door . To his enquiry as to who it was , someone shouted out . " Dan Cooper ! " " Dan Cooper , " repeated the youth , joyfully .

"Yes , and you are Dick Lee . I recognise your voice , " said ( ho other . "Rut where are tho people ? Why don ' t you op . > n the door ' t" '

"T cannot , " was the answer t > the last query ; " I am locked in . I will speak to you from the window , and will toll you everything . " Leo accordingly withdrew to Ruth ' s iinin and nndid the pane of glass before alluded to . He then brielly narrated to Cixiper those circumstances with which the reader is already acquainted . We may hero mention that Daniel was tho younger brother of the old dead

stroller . Mike Cooper . He gained his living by wandering tho country-side as a tinker . Like his elder brother , in early life he had forsaken the tents , but still occasionally paid his kindred a visit . He hail often spoken to young Lee , and had frequently in former days brought him some trilling present or fairing which the lad had highly prized .

" Dan , " said Richard , when he had finished his story , " how far is this [ dace from Chertsey r " " A matter of thirty miles . Why do you ask ' : " "Will you fake a note for me to a gentleman who lives a short distance out on the Bagshof road ' r "

" If all depends on the nature of its contents . If if is to lay any complaint against the people 1 will not be a party to it , " was Cooper ' s firm response . Perceiving ( hat the lad ' s countenance changed , ho altered his ( one and continued , " I should like to serve you , Dick . I

have not forgotten your kindness to my brother when ho lay dying ; yet the true gipsy blood is stronger than the poor sluggish stream that , runs . through the veins of the house-dwellers , and I would sooner lose my right hand than it should be the means of carrying any information that mi ght lead to harm falling upon a member of my

race . Lee saw ( he justice of his companion ' s remarks . " I will not mention any names or give any address , " he said . ' 'The gentleman I allude to is threatened with danger of no common kind . I merel y wish to pul him on his guard , nothing more . "

" That is quite a different mutter , " remarked Cooper . "Write your letter , and I will leave it myself . " ' Richard , with a heavy heart , ihon recollected that ho possessed no writing materials , and mentioned tho circumstance to his friend .

" 1 have a lead pencil , " said Dan . "You may lind a sheet of paper somewhere . " Lee , apprehensive that Hiilh or her companions might return and thus prevent his good intentions from being carried into effect , did not . waste any time in searching for paper , lint tore a lly-sheet , out of Defoe ' s romance , and vapidly wrote down tho words nf warning which ultimately—as we have seen—reached the owner of the Limes . Tho

paper was coarse and the pencil blunt , hence it was that Mr . Mordaunt did not recognise in the anonymous communication tho handwriting of his protttje . Lee read fho contents of the scrawl to Cooper , who expressed his approval and promised faithfully to seal and leave if al its destination .

In reply to another request of Dick ' s , Cooper said , "I cannot do anything to assist you to leave Ruth . \ will not be a tale-bearer . Take my advice , remain where you are . There must be some object in keeping you a prisoner . Mike always said that you were not oi our kin , and that some day you would be claimed by the gentle folks . "

" If you should meet any ol the people , pray do not mention that yon have seen inc . " pleaded the youth . " Vou may depend on that , my boy . ( lood day . " Lee ' s mind was wonderfully composed after this brief interview . Mr . Mordaunt would in due time receive the missive , and no doubt would avail himself of Ihe instruct ions it contained to bo wary . His

own position troubled litin but little . Next day , to his surprise , the caravan did not resume its journey . In fact , several days passed before the gipsies were again on the road . H y this time the weather had changed forthewor . se ; snow had fallen heavily , and the progress of the huge vehicle through the snow-encumbered road was necessarily slow . Lee one night sought repose much earlier ( ban

usual , and Ruth , according to her custom , had left him without a lamp . It so happened th it the youth could not compose himself to slumber . It was a bitterl y cold nighl , I lie lire in the stove had long since expired , and notwithstanding he was partly dressed and otherwise covered with wraps , he could not get warm . In this unpleasant

predicament he lay shivering I ' m- some lime . Presently he heard the door of Ruth ' s room creak , and with half closed eyes he saw herfully dressed—lamp in hand , cautiously come forth . This covert proceeding excited his curiosity and he . feigned to be asleep . The woman paused for a moment irresolutel y , with her keen , glittering