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Show l F,Tf?& Tl Sabatini'8 greatest story of love and adventure YjitZMll by RAFAEL SABATINI jm SYNOPSIS Sir Oliver Tressilian, renowned for his exploits on the Spanish Main, is betrothed to Rosamund Godolphin; but because of personal enmity growing out of land disputes dis-putes the marriage is opposed by both Rosamund's brother, Peter, and her guardian, Sir John Kill grew. Peter takes every opportunity opportu-nity to manifest his antagoiiism. ln a drunken rage one day, in the presence of Parson Flack and Justice Jus-tice Baine, he insults Oliver, strikes him with his whip and rides off. Uttering a threat to kill him, Oliver starts in furious pursuit. But good judgment masters his temper and he foregoes the pleasure pleas-ure of what he feels would be justifiable jus-tifiable murder for the take of Rosamund, who, he knows, would never fo.give him if Peter were harmed at his hands. But Oliver's young half-brother, Lionel, that evening accomplishes what Oliver would have liked to do, and comes home wounded from the encounter. Peter, still drunk, Lionel relates, had affronted him, and drawn his sword; his own he drew merely in self-defense. But with no witnesses to attest to the truth of this statement Lioml could be accused of Peter's murder, were . his part in it to be known. Terror-stricken, he beseeches Otiver to tell no one of his wounds. standing over Ills brother, he at last the silence that had now endured en-dured soma time. "What," he asked gruffly, "waa the cause of your quarrel?". Lionel started and shrank a little; lit-tle; between finger and thumb he kneaded a fragment of bread, a is eyes upon it. "I scare know," he replied. "Lai, that Is not the truth." "How?" " Tis not the truth. I am not to be put off with such an answer. Yourself you said that you had warned him not to cross your path. What path was in your mind?" Lionel leaned his elbows on the table and took his head In his hands. " 'Twas that wanton at Malpas was the cause of all," he complained. com-plained. Sir Oliver's eye flashed at the words. "I deemed her quite other: I was a fool, a fool! I " he choked, and a sob shook him "I thought she loved me. 1 would have married, her, I would so, by God!' Sir Oliver swore softly under Ms breath. "1 believed her pure and good, and " He checked. "After all, who am I to say even now that she was not? 'Twas no fault of hers. 'Twas he. that foul dog Go-dolphin, Go-dolphin, who perverted her. Until he came all was well between us. And then " CHAPTER IV (continued) Without a word Oliver turned to a side-table, where stood a metal basin and ewer. He poured water, then came in the same silence to treat iis uTuTr'sr srtrrrrJ- Tis ia)?, that Lionel told made blame Impossible, Impos-sible, at least from Oliver. When he had washed tha wound ho etched some tame-linen from a press and ripped it Into strips with his dagger; he threaded out one uf these and made a prellmiuary crisscross criss-cross of the threads across the lips of the wound for the blade had gone right through the muscles of the breast, grazing the ribs; these threads would help the formation of a clot Then with the inBnlte skill and cunning acquired In the to the bandaging. That done, be opened the window end flung out the blood-timed water. The cloths with which he had ' mopped the wound and ' all other similar evidences of the treatment treat-ment he cast upon the Are. He must remove all traces even from the eyes of Nicholas. He had the most Implicit trust Jn the old serv-infs serv-infs fidelity. But the matter was too grave to permit of the slightest risk. He realized rully the justice of Lionel's fears that however fair the fight might have been, a thing done thus in secret must be accounted ac-counted murder by the law. Bidding Lionel wrap himself in his cloak. Sir Oliver unbarred the door, and went upstairs in quest of a fresh shirt and doublet for hla brother. On the landing he met Nicholas descending. He held him a moment in talk of the sick man above, and outwardly at least he was now entirely composed. He dispatched dis-patched him up-stairs again upon a trumped-up errand that must keep him absent for some little time, whilst himself he went to get the things he needed. He returned below with them, and when he had assisted his brother broth-er into fresh garments with as little movement as possible so E3 not to disturb his dressing f the wound or eet It bleeding afresh, he took the blood-stained doublet. Test, and shirt vhich he had ripped and flung them, too, Into the great fire. When some momenta later NIch-l olas entered the vast room he found the brothers Bitting composedly at table. Had he faced Lionel he would have observed little amiss with hlm.beyond the deep pallor of bis face. But he did not even do so much. Lionel sat with his back to the door, and the servant's ad-raice ad-raice Into the room was checked by Sir Oliver with the assurance that they did not require him. Kicholaa withdrew again, and the brothers were once more alone. Lionel ate very sparingly. He thirsted and would have emptied the measure of posset, but that Sir Oliver restrained him, and refused him anything hut water lest he should contract a fevr. Snch a partus meal as they made for aelther bad much appetite was mads tn nan. At last Sir Oliver rose, and wtth. slow, heavy steps. mjestlTS of bis humor, he crossed to the fireplace. He threw fresh lots en the blaze, and took from (as tail mantelshelf bis pipe and teadan Jar f tobacco. Be 11 lied th ftp yuarroty, thsn with tha abort troa toacs sated a frafmeat ol (fcrwtft wved aad aspBed it to the fear. I Sa rlTfisI to Us tab a4 "1 see." said Sir Oliver quietly. "I thirl! you have something for which to thank him. if he revealed to yon the truth of that strumpet's nature. I would have warned thee, i lad. But Perhaps 1 have been weak In that." "It was not so; it was not TKrrYf wrr3nd If I .say so I am to be believed. Lionel. I'd mil fie a no woman's reputation without Just cause. Be very sure of that." Lionel stared up nt him. "0 God!" he cried presently. "1 know not what to believe. I am a shuttlecock flung thiB way and that way." "Believe me." said Sir Oliver grimly. "And set all doubts to rest." Then he smiled. "So that was the virtuous Master Peter's secret pastime, eh? The hypocrisj of man! There Is no plumbing th endless depths of It!" He larked, ouif:1?- rmeoHpr ".i'fiji Ttl things hat Master Petet had iaJ.d M Kaipu Tressilian delivering de-livering himself as though he were some chaste and self-denylne an-chorlte. an-chorlte. Then on that laugh bt caught his' breath quite suddenly. "Would she kacvrT' he asked fearfully. "Would that harlol know, wonld she suspect that 'ta your hand did this?" "Aye would she," replied th other. "I told her tonight when she flouted me and spoke of him, that I went straight to find him ani pay the score between us. I was on my way to Godolphin Court when I came upon him in the park." "Then you lied to me again, Lionel. Lio-nel. For you said 'twas he attacked yon." "And so he did." Lionel countered instantly. "He never gave me time to speak, but flung down from his horse and came at me snarling like a cross-grained mongrel. Oh, he was as ready for the fight as I as eager." "But the woman at Malpas knows." said Sir Oliver gloomily. "And if she tells " "She'll not," cried Lionel. "She dare not for her reputation's sake." "Indeed. I think you are right," agreed his brother with relief. "She dare not for other reasons, when I come to think of it Her reputation reputa-tion is already ouch, and so well detested Is she that were it known she had been the cause, however Indirect, of this, the countryside would satisfy certain longings that It entertains concerning her. You are sure none saw yon either going or returning T "None." Sir Oliver strode the length ol the room and back, pulling at his pipe. "AH shonld be well, then, 1 think." said he at last "Ton were best abed. IU carry yon thither." He took up his stripling brothet In his powerful arms and bore him upstairs as though he were a babe. When he had seen him safely disposed dis-posed for slumber, he returned below, be-low, shut ths door of the hall, drew up the great oaken chair to the Are, and sat there far Into the night smoking and thinking. He rose np at last, cnrslng that wanton at Malpas who had come t fling this fresh and terrible difficulty diffi-culty where already he bad to face so many. He stood leaning upon the overmantel, hla foot upon on of the dogs of the fender, and considered con-sidered what to do. He must bear his burden In silence, that was an. He must keep this secret even from Rosamund. It split his heart to think that ha must practise this de-celt de-celt with her. But naught else was possible short of relinquishing her, ! and that waa tar beyond his ! strength. The resolve adopted, he took nf I taper and went off to bed. il r-n tT It mUssaHjSi |