The Greatest Thrillers of Fergus Hume. Fergus Hume

she said with a pale face.

      The tall man--he was almost a giant in point of height and size---nodded and smiled. He had closely-cropped red hair, and a rather brutal cast of countenance, by no means prepossessing. Again familiarily nodding to Hagar, who recoiled from him in aversion, he seated himself in a large armchair by the fire, which had formerly been used by dead Jacob Dix.

      "My father's chair," said he, with a grin. "I have come to take possession of it, my dear."

      "I am very glad to hear it," replied Hagar, recovering the use of her tongue. "Certainly it was about time, Mr. Dix."

      "Don't call me Mister, or Dix, my dear! To you I shall always be Goliath--your Goliath."

      "Indeed you shan't!" retorted Hagar, in a spirited manner. "I hate you now just as much as I did when you forced me to leave my people."

      "That is uncommon cruel of you, seeing as you have been wearing my shoes all this time!"

      "I have been wearing your father's shoes, you mean, and for your benefit solely. I did so simply because your father was good enough to take me in, after you had exiled me from the Romany."

      "Oh, I know all about that, Cousin Hagar. We're cousins, ain't we?"

      "Yes; and we are likely to continue cousins. But I'm tired of this sparring, Goliath. Where have you been all this time? and how did you learn that your father was dead?"

      "Where I've been I'll tell you later," replied Goliath, rendered surly by the attitude of Hagar, "and as to how I knowed the old 'un was gone--why, a cove called Lorn told me just after I got out."

      "Got out!" cried Hagar, noting the queer wording of the phrase; "so you have been in prison, Goliath!"

      "You're a sharp one, you are!" grinned the red-haired man. "Yes, I've been in quod though I didn't intend to tell you so yet. I was Number Forty-three till a week ago, and they ticketed me for horse-coping. I got two years, and was took just arter you gave me the slip in New Forest; so now you know how I didn't see your noospaper notice about the old 'un kicking the bucket."

      "You might speak of your father with more respect!" said Hagar, in a disdainful tone; "but what can one expect from a convict?"

      "Come, none of that, cousin, or I'll twist your neck."

      "You dare to lay a finger on me, and I'll kill you!" retorted Hagar, fiercely.

      "Yah! You're as much a spitfire as ever!"

      "More so--to you!" replied the girl. "I hate you now as I did when I left my tribe. Now you have come back, I'll go."

      "And who is to look after the shop?"

      "That is your business. My task here is ended. To-morrow I'll show you all the accounts---"

      "Won't you share the property with me?" asked Goliath, in a wheedling tone.

      "No, I shan't! To-morrow you must come with me and see Vark, to---"

      "Vark!" echoed Goliath, starting to his feet; "is it that old villain who is to hand me over my tin?"

      "Yes; your father employed him, so I thought---"

      "Don't think! there ain't no time for thinking! Job! I'd better get my money afore the head of old Vark is stove in!"

      "What do you mean?" asked Hagar, bewildered by his tone.

      "Mean!" echoed Goliath, pausing at the door. "Well, I was in quod, as I told ye; there I came across Bill Smith---"

      "The mandarin customer?"

      "Yes; we managed to talk--how it don't matter to you; but I guess, when Bill Smith's out of quod, that Vark is bound for Kingdom-come! And Bill Smith is out!"

      "What!" shrieked Hagar, alive at once to the danger which threatened the lawyer. "Out! Escaped?"

      "That's the case. He got away last week, and they ain't got him yet. I'd best go and tell Vark to load his pistols. I don't want the old villain choked until I get my property square. You come too, cousin."

      "Not just now. To-morrow."

      "To-morrow won't do for me!" growled Goliath. "You come to-day, quick!"

      "Oh," said Hagar, very disdainfully, "it is no use your taking that tone with me, Goliath. I must get ready my accounts to-night; and tomorrow, if you come here, I'll take them with you to Vark. When everything is set out to your satisfaction, you can enter into your property at once."

      "Then you won't come now?"

      "No; I have given you my answer."

      "You'd best give me a pound or two," said Goliath, crossly. "I'm cleaned out, and I need money to get a bed for the night. You are as obstinate as ever, I see; but if you won't come, you won't. But I'll go and see Vark myself, and tell him about Bill Smith."

      After which speech Goliath, with money in his pocket, went off to see the lawyer, cursing Hagar freely for her obstinacy. The man entirely forgot how she had devoted herself these many months to looking after his property; all he thought of was, that he loved her now, as much as he had done in the old days, and that she was still set on having nothing to do with him. Had she been an ordinary girl, he might have broken her spirit; but it was useless to attempt bullying with Hagar. She could give as good as she get; and this great, hulking Goliath could only admire and desire this spirited gipsy girl who disdained him and his money.

      "Well," said Hagar to herself as she saw the last of him, "I have had one unexpected visitor; so by all the laws of coincidence I should have another to-day. I never knew one strange event happen without another following on its heels."

      Hagar did not think precisely in so bookish a fashion, but the gist of her ideas was as above; and this proved correct before nightfall, at which time the unexpected second event duly occurred. This was none other than the arrival of Eustace Lorn, who entered the shop with a smile on his lips and a love light in his eyes. The girl knew his step--by some intuition of love, no doubt--and rushed to meet him with outstretched hands. These Eustace clasped ardently in his own; but as yet--so dignified was the attitude of Hagar--he did not venture to kiss her. His speech was warmer than his actions.

      "Hagar! my dear Hagar!" he cried, in rapture, "at last I have come back. Are you not glad to see me?"

      "I am delighted!" replied Hagar, beaming with pleasure--"more delighted than I was to see Goliath."

      "Ah! he has returned, then? I found him at last, you see; and I recognized him from your description."

      "He did not tell me of your meeting, Eustace."

      "Oh, it was in this way," replied Lorn, as they entered the parlor together. "I had searched for him everywhere, as you know, but could not find him. Where he has been all these months I cannot say, as at our interview he refused to tell me."

      "Perhaps he had a good reason for his silence," said Hagar, noting the fact that Goliath had kept quiet concerning his prison experiences.

      "I dare say," laughed Lorn. "He looks a scamp. Well, I was down near Weybridge, resting by the roadside, when I saw a tall red-haired man passing. Remembering your description of Jimmy Dix, I felt sure that it was him; and I called out the name 'Goliath.' To my surprise, instead of stopping, he took to his heels."

      "Ah, he had a good reason for that also."

      "Not an honest one, I am afraid. Well; I ran after him, and in spite of his long legs I managed to catch him up. Then he showed fight; but when I explained who I was, and who you were, and how his father had died and left a fortune, Goliath grew quiet and friendly. He fraternized with me, accepted the loan of a few shillings--which was all I could spare--and took himself off to London. You have seen him?"

      "Yes; and to-morrow I make up my accounts and give him over his property. Then I shall be free--free! Oh!" cried Hagar, stretching her arms, "how delicious it will be to be free once more--to leave this weary London, and see the sky and stars, sunrise and sunset--to hear the birds, and breathe the fresh air of the moors! I am going back to my tribe, you know."