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The Wingham Times, 1898-06-10, Page 7Ira i'afetARCIIMONEBA. 4,145. Attretort or se et e .n 6M1.5ert 110.e.bt1.YS JET 'Toe Metter oft O streee meg 'ter woose t4AmoNp 'Tete PLD POLL tW31110. t ecr„ecr.:Wore. 4t -M4. ever/et c. HT eV Ta1G"6AUTNOR: somewhat irrespouslule 01(a lather. '1•U do the girl justice, she never did any- thing but tette nae, but she was exceed- ingly useful, and --well, she was afraid. to carry her hatred of me too far be- eauso I hada knack of using with tee cellent effect my knowledge of her fee ther's mistake. 'You understand?" He leered at her with repulsive ausur• anco as. be paused to take at couple of whiffs of the cigarette, which he did With great apparent enjoyment, "You will make this as short as pos- sible if you please," said Beryl, hegiu- ning to take the impression of the cute which he intended, "Certainly. Well, I will pass over our matrimonial life and hurry on to the end. There camp the day when we had the scene on the Devil's rock. I colored thin incident a little in my tell- ing it last night, and the little episode •of the stamping on my fingers was tui effort of my own invention," He did not wish ;Beryl to think that Lola • had clono anything of the kind. "In the plain and uncolored version I had noth- ing but my own olnmsy stupidity to blame for the whole affair. I had said things which did not please her lady- ship—a man cannot always guard his tongue, you know,. Miss Leycester, 'even to his wife --and when she retort- ed I tried force, and tbeu when she re- sented it I started back, and, like a fool, fell over the edge of the cliff. How I was saved from instant death I can- not even guess, but I didn't die, as you Iva see for yonrself, and when I Round myself alive I had wit enough to hide the fact of my escape, seeing that in C01217333 of time I could , probably snake excellent use of it should she ever again marry. I wasn't altogether a bad judge,. .as you will now admit. Was I?" "Have you anything else to tell me?" .asked Beryl, with augry contempt. "Anything else?" And he laughed lightly and rolled the cigarette between his fingers and looked at it as he re- peated the words with the air of one who repeats a good joke. "Anything .else? I should think so. Why, I could En up any number of your spare hours -with the' tale of any number of good things, but let me stick. to this one while I am about it. I didn't get off scot free, of course. 1 sprained and bruised and strained and °crushed my- self in a goodly number of places, and as soon as I could do so without that devoted wife of mine knowing anything about it I laid up and passed a month .or two dismally in bed, maturing my plans, but when I got about again any lady tad flown, and, what was worse, :her father was as dead as the tombstone they put over hint in Neufchatel ceme- tery. Well, I Iot her go. I let her feel .her freedom. I am kind and gentle as the morning when no one gets in my way. I Iet her go. I knew I could find her, and being always an honest and industrious soul I set to work whereby to live, but in a year I began to pine, to droop, to fail, and I set out an my travels in search of her who had desert- ed me. In the course of time I tracked her to England; ane; --well, you know the .,est." , He stopped and waved his baud as though he had finished. "Go on --to the end," said Beryl. "The end! Ma fol, the end is not yet, 'Ton gave me the news that any wife had clone what I hoped she would, and .you helped me to find her. I thank Cyon. I found her, saw her, showed her what my power was and how she must .•do what I wished or be draggled in the dirt of scandal and calumny. Poor Lola! I am sorry for her. She thought my bones were bleaching at the foot of the ,.•r►- Devil's rock when they walked into her preseuce, covered with flesh and ilothcd in sprightly attire., Poor devil! But a man must live." And he laughed as if the thought tickled him. Beryl looked at hila with the deepest loathing mud could scarce restrain the words of scorn that rose to her lips. He read her looks, "1 see what you would say," ho ex- •elaimed, with his usual movement of the shoulders as if to deprecate her opinion. "For the moment it is an ugly looking part that I play, but bola can 'well spare the little allowance which I .require for my few wants. She made the mistake, not I, and man can't Iive 'without money, I am no Enoch Arden, and so long as no one knew there wad no risk. But now you have probably told half a dozen people, and thething Mid end, and that's all about it. I'm not sure that I'm sorry." "I have told no one as yet," said Beryl, and could she have seen the light •that leaped into his eyes at the state- ment she would have been on het •guard, bnt her dead Was turned from him for the moment. tioa:'t mean told people outright, but you silly 'women do a hundred fhines v nisi leave the ttail of your :tine me ate such that a bifrn. fool can erte sae' 1, "Go on—t0 the end," said Beryl. see what you've been doing. It's the stone thing." "No one has even a suspicion of this horrible secret except myself," said the girl. "There's but cue paper which un- der any conceivable circumstances could suggest a olew to any one. nave been most scrupulous because I have had to think of the honor of the family. I have a plan" -- But at that moment the door of the conservatory was opened with a need - lees amount of 330150, ami some one came in coughing loudly and shuffling the feet on the tiled floor. The two turned and found Mrs. 1)o Witt conning toward thein. "I hope I don't iutrude, but upon my word I couldn't restrain myself any Imager. I'm only a woman, you know, and when I'd seen you two here in such serious consultation for over an hour. --- positively, Beryl, over an hour, and nearly two --and as I was dying to know what it vis all about I couldn't resist the temptation to make a noise and comae in. M. Turrian, you interest me so much I can't bear to see you monopolized in this way, and by Beryl, too, of all people." .And she looked from one to the other with curiosity in every eyelash. "Madame, if the interest that you feel were only such as I could dare to hope I should feel that I bad lived indeed." And he bowed with his exaggerated courtesy, while a mocking smile drew down the corners of bis mouth. "You .Frenchmen are all equally in- sincere," she said. "But what all earth have you two been talking about, you two of all others?" "Yon may not know, madame," re- plied Turrian gravely, "that Miss Leycester was the first person in England to whom I spoke on the great object of nay presence hero in England, that she then wee able to throw most valuable light upon it, and now I have been ex- plaining to her at great length all that is meant by the fifth string on a violin and all the part I have cast for myself. Is not that so, Miss Leycestcr?" Ile turned to her with unabashed impu- dence and smiled as he waited for her answer. Beryl passed over the question and spoke to Mrs. De Witt. "Wo had nearly finished. You did not interrupt. I want to think over what .1i1,. Turrian has said." And she left them. "She takes the interrupticn badly," said Mrs. De Witt when the two were alone, "I think she is a good deal changed—since this marritage," she added a little maliciously. "1 Novo beard about thnt," raid 1vt. Turrian significantly.. "She is ra very ourieus girl, I should think very close and secretive. Lymph i" "She is as good as sterling gold," said Mrs. Do Witt in a burst of enthtt- sinem, but, hedging her 'verdict instant- ly, "and, like all good people, soxne- tinies very objectionable, As for close- ness, sho might be au iron snfe," "I thought so," murmured the French:rean, and as he turned the con- versation with a light compliment the thought was running in his head that Beryl alone knew the Secret and that if by misehanee she were to die it would die with her. OBAP'1:'X.1 Ylz!t. Ili bleeder Mat,. Beryl Went array from her interview with the Fronobanansorely perplexed as to what was beat for her to do. She did not doubt a word of what he bad said against himself, and his cal- lous confessien .of his villainous conduct A '� 3 .:1() 11 .[las '.C11MI ES /tad )(vele her 1•'hwe:e x with l :.le of pian. tile' had never colre into personal con- tact with any o:1e :,110 had as tithe of bis raseality, awl the experience wits so stratuge anal 1'a{.:.ia,g that it"confused and (1t0'«1 1:c 1'. lint the interview had changed her attitude toward Lola: It was clear to tier now that, s•;h;ttever might be Lola's butte, elm way mere to be Pitied' than blamed i11 this matter, and Beryl thought Nvitll a Sh11r',dcr of !cathing and di;gust c.f the fate of any woman tied to tach a sco:Inclrel 303 l'icrre Turrian and 111 lni8 I0orcileem power. What WUS to be eons? Beryl tusked lues: elf the qucrtion aver and aver again as sho paced up and down her room, and there seemed n0 answer to it save ouo that r'pellea1 sor- row and misery oral perhaps disgrace for hent all. She hated to thiuk that slue had to bring all this trouble on those who were 80 dear to her, and she dread- ed all the exposure and Ramie! that must follow. Wien slue haul told the ]nun that she haat thought of a meant of eeeatpe from all the trouble, it lied been merely that in her Wine; Isorbid eagerness to pre- vent scandal she mount thnt he must consent to go away 05 olive steel leave the future settlement of the,dif:iculty with Lolu, to be effected quietly in his absence. Her repugnance at his conduct made her veu anxious to let the blow fall as . lightly as possible on Lola, who by this time no doubt bitterly repented what she had done, and Beryl's pity for her grew every moment as she dwelt 00 the man's eruel baseness in trading on her act. Her own high souse of honor auci her deep religious feeling accentuated iet her thoughts the seuso of bitter de- spair which she imagined most over- whelm Lola at being forced to admit her cringe and lose the ,man she loved, so deeply or to go on living in what was in truth a state of shame and sin. Gradually a single resolve cleared it- self in her thoughts. She would make the wan go away at once—that very day, indeed --under pain of Sir Jaffray beiug told of every- . thing, and then she would determine how to act in regard t0 Lola. With this resolve she left her room to seek M, Turrian and tell lain what alae had decided. As she was going clown stairs the luncheon gong sounded, and thus she had to pass through the ordeal of seeiug the man whom she knew an his own confession to be a treacherous scoundrel eating and drink- ing and laughing and talking With the chivalrous friend whom he was betray- ing every moment that he staid in the house. The here sight of him sickened her, and whole he turned and spoke to her and with his consummate audacity rallied her upou her looks and hoped that all he had said about his scheme had not troubled her she could scarcely re- main at the table. Ho perceived this, and with bis dar- ing effrontery dropped little hints and innuendoes as if challenging her to speak. As soon as the lunch was over, how- ever, she followed him and said she must speak to bim alone. He turned willingly and instantly, with his false, mocking, ever ready smile on his face. "Shall eve go to the conservatory again?" he asked. "It is an excellent place for these touching little con- fidences. 1 declare I am almost glad of them. They let me see so much of you. " "Anywhere will do for the few words I have to say," returned Beryl angrily. "It is this: Unless you leave Walcote manor within an hour Sir Jaf- fray will know all." "Yes?" he answered, raising his eye- brows. "Well, I atm sorry for my poor friend, then. It will be a blow to him, and he will feel it. For I shall not go, Miss Leycester. I can't make any plau- sible excuse. But this I will do, if you . like—I will go tomorrow morning." "I will give you till 12 o'clock to- morrow," said the girl, "and not one hour longer." "It shall bo as you will!" he ex- claimed, and when Beryl turned on her ]reel and left him without another word he looked after her and muttered be- tween his teeth: "Twelve o'clock to- morrow. Between now and then there is a'light, young lady, and for you a long one, or I am a fool and a coward." Then he sauntered on to the ceuserva- tory by himself and smoked thoughtful- ly for some minutes. Afterward 11e went out and walked round the house, look- ing at the position and height from the ground of the bedroom windows in the wing where he knew Beryl's removes, !.and ho was pleased with what he saw. "It will do," he muttered. "And now there must be a word or two with Sir Jaffray'a wife. She must take her part in this scene, aid she will want very tareful handling. Let ma thiuk it out a bit." He turned into a side path in the grounds and walked for some time, plunged fn close, concentrated thought. When ho returned to the house, ho had his plan completed, and he went to find Lola. In the hall he meet Mrs. De Witt, who assumed an air of disconsolate trouble. "Where is everybody?" elle asked. "I am all alone. Won't you take pity on este, M. Turrian?" "Where is ,Sir ;Jaffrey?" he Asked, Iv/ailing sho woman at the bottom of the sea. "Sir Jaffray and Lola( have gone out tiding. Sir Jaffray hita a.sutlden stun. mous to a lnieeting of" c0a,lty folks about tl.,1:'Y 10, 1b9ti. 8(' 10 polatleail t ti ani ea she " 1:'°r, and Lola has ridden off with him. They're like a couple of ridiculous lovers in their first calf leve, these two. 1$11't it absurd? They must al -says bo together." "Titne will change all that," said the 13'renchlnan, "It is tach the sort of folly of 'which you would be guilty, ma- deme?" "Do you mean that nastily?" "No, indeed. But you know so well hew to keep at a cool distaauco from your admirers, even froau your hum - hand." And he bowed. He felt vicious at Lola's absence, and Mrs. Do Witt's pertness irritated him. "Men are like unites under the micro - Felipe, requiring to 110 kept at 11 frcus distance." "Possibly, but be careful. The micro- scope they serve as the burning glass of passion and warm them into life," he auswered insolently, looking at her with an expression in his eyes which made her flush. "Come," he said, pass - int; his area through hers and leading her away to the music hall; "let me sing t0 you." "Anything to kill the time till to- night," was his tlroaght, "What shall I sing to you?" he asked, putting her close to hint by the piano, so close that he could stop and touch her hand when he pleased. He ran his Augers over the keys with the touch of a master and broke fate a long Italian love song, running through all the phases of emotioaaal love and singing the softest, sweetest words in his won, derful voice that rose. and fell in the cadences of the air, now wild, now rol- licking, now joyous and again soft like tho plaint of a dove, and ending with a strain that meads even Mrs. De Witt her- self forgetful and emotional and all but brought the tears to her eyes. "Yon see what you eau do with nue," he said in a gentle, caressing tone, lay- ing a hand on hers, which she did not shake off, while be looked right into her eyes. She made a movement then as if to take her hand from his, and quickly he turned to the piano. "You axe cruel," he said without looking at her, and then he burst again iuto a song in 'which his whole heart and soul seemed to be caught in a strong, irresistible swirl of emotion. He was like one beside himself till the end camp suddenly and quickly, and thea:, as if obeying au irresistible im- pulse, he turned to her swiftly, and, catching her in his quick, lithe embrace, be held her close to hint while he kissed her three times passionately right full on the lips. She half screamed gad struggled back, frightened at what she had deemed his sudden passion for her and yet not wholly displeased at having fired the man. Then she found her voice and cried: "How dare you?" And in a tumult of mingled emotion she fled ont of the room. When the door closed behind her, he laughed and shook his Head and•cried to.himself in a tone of glee: "Serve you right, my lady, for try- ing to play with fire." And, turning to the piano, he rattled out a gay French chanson in a tone of sheer devil may care humor. . At the end of it he jumped up im- petuously from the piano, and with a frown on his face swore volubly in French as he crossed the room to one of the windows which opened on to the terrace in front of the house. "What a day! How I hate this in- fernal suspense! I wish the night would come and get the thing over." But he forced back his light, laugh- ing, devil may ears menuer for the rest of the day and evening. Lola and her husband chid not conte back until close to the dinner time, and thus he saw nothing of her. Mrs. De Witt he met with au inde- scribable air of repentance mingled with pleasure that he had been led on to such a pitch of audacity, and sho was fooled by his manner till she for- gave him. "If you do not forgive me, I shall leave the manor tomorrow morning," v "What Matt 1510g to volt?" he asked. he said. "And yet 'why should I ask forgiveness? Was it not the fault of your own beauty? Who would blame me for losing myself in the maze of your eyes?" "I will not forgive you if you do not give ole your solemn word of honor never to reeall your offense and never to dream of offending again." "I loot not an icicle," ho murmured. "Is love an offense? Stay, 1; atm sorry. I pain you," he cried, with :a( sudden 'lupulee. "On my honor will never ognin forget what I wish I need never remember." And he spoke with sort ap- parent earnestness and feelfug that Mrs. Da Witt forgave bim without ;mother word. With Beryl be was nudacftf' itself. He paid her marked attention in a per- fectly deferential manner, but in a way which those present.could not fail to notice. "There is a truce till tomorrow at 12 o'clock," he said to her as soon as they met. "I hold you to your word. Till then things are as they have been here, and you play your part with the rest." "I have .uo part to play," sheau- Swered coldly. "Pardon me. Yon are anxious for the honor of the family." The sneer in his tone wag quite perceptible to her. "And if you do not keep your word and main- i tai; the terms of the truce I will not beep mine, and you can force an open esclandre. As you will." Aud Beryl, forced in this way, was compelled to submit to the Iittle atten- dees which of deliberate purpose he paid her. It was part of his plan that all at the nowor should for that night see that the two were on excellent terms, and in that he was so completely successful that t+ir Jaffray =widened it both to him and to Lola. The Frenchman's almost reckless gayety lasted all through the evening, and Lola could not fail to notice it. It disturbed her. She knew the man, and know well enough that it was the cloak for a state of nervous restlessness, the result of great agitation of some kind. She watched him closely, endeavoring to get some clew that would give her the key to the problem of his intentions and feelings, but she could detect ulothiug. Beryl was struck by it also and sur- prised by it and was angered at the false position in which the man by his audacity placed her, but she set it down merely to his desire to brazen out his villains before her and to show that, though he was afraid not to accept the terms she had imposed, yet he was re- solved to accept them in his own way. Some of the effects, too, she put down to wine. She observed that he drank heavily at dinner, and this increased the disgust she felt toward him. But not ar glimpse of the terrible truth dawned upon her, not a thought that ever in the midst of his wildest sallies, bis loudest laughs, his tenderest songs, his thoughts were all set in deadly con- centration upou his plan to take her life that night. She retired early, going to sit with old Lady Walcott) in her rooms, and there was nota thought of personal danger iu her mind. hize was relieved to think that the man had spent his last evening et the manor, and that from then the atmosphere of the place would be the clearer for his absence, and she was glad to reflect also that one part of the complicated problem would by the morrow bo in a fair way of settlement. When the man himself was gone, it would be Hauch easier to deal with the question as it affected Lola, and this was the thought which she bad when, after some two ox three hours, she went to her own room, which was next to that of Lady Walcote's, to go to bed. .Fortunately for her, she could not sleep. The interview with Pierre Tur- rian had opened up a vein of human nature which was so novel to her— naked, unblushing, unashamed villainy —and she luld been so profoundly moved by all that she had heard and by the mystery mad misery Which hung over the boost that she lay awake hour after hour, tossing from side to side, trying to see some way out of the tangle. For a Mug time elm burned a light, reading now and again in the attempt to break the thread of her painful thoughts; but, finding this vain, she put out the light and lay in the darkness. The night was not, however, a very dark one. There was a moon, though its light was shrouded by the heavy drifts of clouds which a somewhat fit- ful wind was driving across the sky. Her blind was drawn up, according to her custom, to catch the earliest morn- ing Iight, and now and again schen her eyes had grown accustomed to the dark- ness she could watch the flying clouds as she lay with her face turned toward the window. It was while she was thus occu- pied, having made another vain effort to get to sleep, that she fancied she could hear a poise, though whether it was in her room or out in the corridor Or in the next room Or outside she could not say. Thinking that if might be Lady Waleote moving, she listened very intently. What she heard next made her heart beat quickly. She was a brave girl, full of resource and daring at need, but the noise she heard might have made a man nervous. It came front outside in the night, and it seemed that thieves were break- ing into the manor house. What she heard was the sound of a ladder being placed close to her window. She heard the end a it stenek the wall and again as it was moved into a different posi- tion. She could think rapidly on occasion and net as well. Now she jumped out, of bed, slipped on some clothes and as dark dressing gown and turned to alarm the house. But with her hand en the door she teased, and, tnoving-swiftly bark across 7 este room to thee WitICI0W, she 7eo$evi ovate cautiously, keeping herself well out' view. ,lust as she reached the window t te head of a mambo wasercepiug stealth- ily up the ladder reached the level +pt! the fewest palm of gloss, ancl, putting his face to the glass and shading it with his haul, he peered into the room, 13(sy1 save lieu neem sa;d shrank bac* ilaaulc.: ring and cold as F:he r1'caguized the 1:audsol::e, cruel fate of Puhre Tur- rian, Then in tin instant the meauiug of ft all flashed upon her. Ile had begged for the delay in order that tae might Glee troy the evidence ail Iris villainy and murder 11er, the claly witness who .knew of it. CRAFTER XIV. Tian hx7P.`1I'2 0:Y 30121M'S TILT. The iustaaut that Beryl saw who it Was that was threatening to break into her room and guessed the reason of the visit she sprawl; leak as closely as pose eih]e to the wall asci waited iu breathe,- less reathe+less suspense while Pierre Turrian cont.- plated his scrutiny of the room, By stooping her head forward very. slightly she was able to watch him and saw that he was bending sideways from the ladder while seemingly iaoldiug can to it with ouo hand, So long as he continued to stare into the room she chid not move a muscle and almost bell her breath lest her should hear her and being disturbed hake off. For her rapid, shrewd brain bad re- solved that she would if possible lot him carry out his intention of getting; into the room, in order that he might the more clearly reveal his object, whiles she took ample means to provide for her own safety. Her nimble wits devised an east method of tricking bim if only he would give her an opportunity of a couple of minutes' preparation, and this, to her intense relief, he did. Finding that he had not placed uses ladder sufficiently close to the window. to bo able to open it, the man descend- ed it slowly and softly, just as he hada climbed it, and Beryl, straining every~ nerve to listen, heard him go down. With swift, deft movement she se Made up the bed that it looked as though: some one s' -ere sleeping in it, and then she opened the door, wbich was covered by a curtain, and muffling her head in a dark shawl she stood in the doorway, sufficiently concealed by the door cur- tain and waited. She had not loug to wait. I Almost as soon as elle had finished] her preparations she heard the top of the ladder bumping softly against the] wall as Pierre Turrian came up it again_ As he reached the top and his head showed between the window and the sky the moon shone out and Iighted up. the window and the figure of the Masi and came flooding into the room almost to the feet of the girl. • She saw hint peer eagerly into the room ,'vwhil_ at w:s thus illuminated, and she eculd fauuy his oyes gleaming with satisfaction at flncling all quiet within and seeing what looked like the form of the sleeper still and motionless on the bed. In another second the moonlight had gone, and all was dark again, and be- fore Beryl's eyes had recovered suffi- cieutly from the change front moonlight to dark to let her see what be was do- ing sho heard the click of the window bolt as it flew back before the thin kuife blade which Pierre Turrian had passed. between the sashes. Tho neat instant the lower sash was raised cautiously, slowly and almost noiselessly, save that the draft caused by the rush of air from the window to: the open door set the curtain rustling, while Beryl felt the night air striker cold and chill upon that part cf ]ler face; which was uncoverecl so that she might see what was being done. As soon as the window was raised high enough the man stepped in so soft- ly and quietly that Beryl could scarcely hear him, and then he closed the win- dow behind him. At that instant a thought occurred to the girl. What if the Frenchman were, not coming iu search of her, but were merely paying a surreptitious visit to this wing of the lane and had chosen by chance her xoom to pass through? III: that ease she etood right in his path. But his acticns almost immediately removed the doubt. Tho moon had not shone out again. from behind the clouds, and the room was too dark for Pierre Turrian to see with any clearness, but Beryl's eyes had growl] so aceustcxned to the gloom that as be stood between her and the window. she could watch every aetieu of hie. He stood quite still for almost half a. Iniuute, looking toward the bed, as it seemed, and the stillness was so acute that Betyl could even hear him breathe. After a pause 130 took sometillng fromm, his pocket -which elm thought was a handkerchief and shook it out lightly,, and, folding it carelessly, held it in his left hand. Then he stood still, with his head bent forward toward the bed as though listening intently tor the breath- ing of the sleeper he thought was lying there at his nervy, Beryl clinched her teeth as she noticed this. Next, and with only a slight pause,; he took something front another pocket. What it was she could not see, but when she saw him put it to his month and heard a skiglit ,creaking sound. it [TO= 00ITilit tb, '